This is a record of an interview with Venerable Changren, who shares profound insights on the cultivation of at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre in Australia. This account was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Fajing, on July 11, 2023.
Venerable Changren speaks:
". I am Venerable Changren. To the people of this world, blessings are of paramount importance. It is often said that a person who possesses great blessings will find their journey through life to be significantly smoother than others. Perhaps it is because of these blessings that they are able to obtain more, experience more, and enjoy a life of greater ease and abundance.
However, we must understand what true blessings really are. The greatest blessing of all is none other than encountering the Buddha’s teachings and understanding how to achieve liberation from the cycle of reincarnation. To even come into contact with the Buddha’s teachings requires tremendous blessings. To then believe in these teachings and dedicate one's heart entirely to seeking liberation—that is the mark of those with truly great fortune."
The Greatest Blessing of All
"Many people in this world are well-versed in the practice of cultivating merit. They strive to increase their blessings and expand their fortune. If you were to ask them how they achieve this, they might tell you: 'I serve the public, I build good connections with others, I perform many good deeds, and I practise Generosity.' These methods are indeed correct. People frequently use such actions to help themselves cultivate, nurture, and increase their blessings.
Beyond these traditional methods, I wish to share an essential secret to becoming a person of great blessings. It is something that Practitioner Su frequently emphasises during her talks: we must learn to 'see good and think good'."
The Key: Seeing Good and Thinking Good
"This is a crucial turning point in one's spiritual practice. When a person truly learns to 'see good and think good', it signifies that their mind-capacity has expanded. They are able to embrace everything, to accept all things and all beings, and to view every situation with right . They possess the ability to transform the negative into the positive, turning what appears to be bad into something good.
For most people in this world, this is a skill that requires dedicated practice. It is not something that happens overnight. Yet, in every moment that you practise this, you are actively cultivating and nurturing your blessings. Your choice to 'see good' does not only benefit yourself; it benefits the vast multitude of sentient beings around you. By changing your own character, you also transform the magnetic field of your surroundings. You are, at all times and in all places, benefiting others, and in doing so, you naturally attract blessings and become a person of great fortune."
The Harmony of Action and Thought
"Consider a person who knows how to perform good deeds and practise Generosity, but who constantly sees the faults in others and harbours negative thoughts. The various good deeds they perform may be diminished by their own negative mindset, or they may even inadvertently create sins through their critical behaviour. However, if that same person learns to 'see good and think good' while continuing to perform good deeds and help others, they will undoubtedly become a person of tremendous blessing, constantly increasing their store of merit at every moment.
I sincerely hope that everyone will learn to see good and think good. Whether you are at home, at work, or travelling, you can be cultivating your own blessings in every situation. This is such a convenient and effective method—why not start trying it right now?"
