The Path of Right Faith and Enlightenment

Venerable Yongning, a dedicated practitioner at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, shares profound insights on the nature of existence and the path to liberation. This interview, recorded on August 12, 2019, explores the fundamental obstacles that bind beings to the cycle of reincarnation and the necessity of diligent practice to achieve true enlightenment.

Venerable Yongning speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. Time ticks away, second by second, day after day. But have you ever stopped to consider which space you truly belong to, or which realm you currently inhabit? How many times have you transitioned between these realms? Every single one of these questions is intimately and inextricably linked to your Dharma Body and the life of your wisdom.

When one's mind-capacity is vast, one may manifest as a mountain deity; when it is small, one is like a mere ant. When Practitioner Su travels throughout the universe to perform Chao Du, the truth revealed is always the same: every being scattered throughout the void is closely related to us. Many have entered different spaces or assumed various forms for reasons that are remarkably similar. If one becomes a dog, one will inevitably possess the habits of a dog; the same holds true for one who becomes a stone."

The Root Causes of Samsara

"The Dharma Realm shares many commonalities. When we speak of the reasons why beings are reincarnated, they rarely fall outside of a few major categories: greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, and doubt; wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep; and the seven emotions and five desires. The scope of what stems from these categories is vast. 'I like this,' 'I am used to this,' 'I want this'—these are all forms of greed. In these thoughts, the component of the 'self' is far too heavy. By centering everything on the 'self,' one clings tightly to the physical body. A single word of criticism, a comment, or a moment of questioning is enough to set one's heart ablaze with fury.

This fire can manifest as a raging inferno, a small flicker, a hidden smouldering ember, or a massive conflagration. Regardless of the form it takes, it is always because the situation has clashed with one's own personality or stepped over one's personal boundaries, triggering such a violent reaction. As for delusion, it is like being trapped within one's own space, stubbornly clinging to what one insists is true or what one believes one understands. Sometimes, one needs to take a detour, but the very act of turning makes the body feel uncomfortable. Thus, one would rather choose to remain as they are, motionless, and slowly sink into the cycle of rebirth."

The Weight of Arrogance and Doubt

"Arrogance is divided into conceit, pride, and the arrogance of the self. Some of this is innate, born from being raised with a 'silver spoon,' while other forms are derived from achievements earned through hard work in this lifetime. Within such individuals, one finds a wealth of experience and hard-won success. Because of these achievements, every word they speak is professional, reflecting everything they know. These are the external manifestations of satisfaction born from worldly accomplishments—seen in their expressions, their behaviour, and their demeanour. At other times, this habit is carried over from past lives, radiating outward unconsciously.

Doubt is a basic defensive mechanism used in the human world to protect oneself when facing the unfamiliar. We always require a process of building trust to break through these many doubts and eventually lower our protective shields. This is because people are always afraid of suffering a loss. Once they have suffered, they become frustrated, uneasy, or lose trust in others. Doubt is also a fundamental part of a personality that loves to verify, confirm, and remain cautious."

The Five Desires: Wealth, Lust, Fame, Food, and Sleep

"Wealth is the most essential necessity that everyone pursues throughout their lives. To support their families and lead better lives, most people work themselves to the bone, paying an incredibly high price for it. Some even choose wealth over their own lives.

Lust is the key factor in the sinking of beings in this worldly realm. The love between men and women is often nothing more than a mutual reliance born of emptiness, a dependency within their relationships. More often than not, it is filled with unresolvable emotions—surges of excitement, joy, loss, and anticipation. For this, people live in constant fear, sometimes even sacrificing their own lives. Men attract women, and women attract men; they circle endlessly within these karmic fruits.

Fame is about achievement, being extraordinary, and, more often than not, it is about 'face.' People want to be respected, want to be known by the masses, enjoy the feeling of being praised, love to win, and desire to look down upon others from a position of superiority. In today's society, especially among Japanese men, many have driven themselves to a dead end in the pursuit of fame. They would rather leave behind a name than keep their lives—what a tragic state of affairs.

Food is a basic human desire. We feel happy when we eat delicious food and find pleasure in the act of eating. We think about it, we crave it, and this leads us into different spaces, sometimes even causing us to become the food itself.

Sleep is considered the greatest hurdle in practice, a test that every practitioner will encounter. Often, one cannot even control oneself: eating too much makes one sleepy, not sleeping enough makes one sleepy, and being tired makes one sleepy. Sleep seems to be a way for the human body to recover, but in reality, sleeping too much leads to more dreams and more entry into various spaces. Sometimes sleep is just a habit, but more often, it is a sign that one cannot master oneself and has been controlled. Because you let others 'sleep' in the past, now you yourself are sleeping. Because you now wish to achieve spiritual success, the beings are testing how much vow-power and persistence you truly have. This is the most direct and fastest way to test you. If you wish to have a breakthrough, you must find a way to select the right Dharma. Otherwise, by sleeping and sleeping, you will let your spirit run away and your body 'sleep' itself to death."

The Path to True Awakening

"The seven emotions and five desires—'you love me, I love you,' 'you care for me, I care for you'—these are all entanglements of relationships or karmic connections. To put it clearly, these are the various relationships of owing debts and repaying debts that make it impossible for us to let go. In this state of being unable to separate, we are accompanied by karma that comes to collect. Our mutual responses and attractions are born from this.

All of these things are contained within the physical body, or hidden deep within it. Practice is the process of adjusting these things. Whoever can let go the fastest, see through them the fastest, and transform the fastest will be the one to realise their true nature the fastest. Each item requires genuine, diligent work. With every layer purified, the physical body becomes one degree more sensitive. To let go of everything and achieve complete dissociation is to return to the clean, transparent, original face one had before one's parents were born. Everyone can be purified to this extent, but everyone must practise with absolute sincerity. Practice and awakening are achieved one step at a time, one footprint at a time. There is no other way. This is the path of right faith and true enlightenment.

Namo Amituofo."