The Price of Liking

This is a record of an interview with Venerable Yongning, who shares profound insights on the nature of attachment and the karmic consequences of our desires. This session was recorded on July 30, 2019, and transcribed by the chief writer, Shi Faxin.

Venerable Yongning speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Venerable Yongning. Today, I wish to speak about a feeling that everyone in this world experiences, yet few truly understand: the feeling of 'liking' something. Think about it—what does it actually mean to 'like' something? It is a form of judgment, a subtle discrimination that arises within the heart. When we say we 'like' something, we are creating a bond, a dependency, a thread of emotion that ties us to the object of our desire. These threads are what weave the fabric of the six realms of existence, pulling us into a constant, restless interaction with the world around us."

The Subtle Waves of Attachment

"In these interactions, we generate subtle electrical waves of attraction. These waves act like a magnet, drawing us closer to the things we desire, making it impossible to let go or walk away. We carry images of these things in our minds, and over time, these images become habits. Once they become habits, they turn into delusion, and eventually, they manifest as dreams that cling to our physical bodies. This is the very essence of the complex relationships between people. We see something we like, and our minds immediately begin to crave it. We want to pursue it, we want to possess it, and we feel that we must have it. We often dismiss these desires as trivial—perhaps it is just a piece of food we want to eat or a beautiful object we want to look at. We think, 'It is just a small thing, what harm can it do?' But it is precisely these 'small' things that bind us the most tightly."

"Consider the dreams we have at night. Often, they are filled with the very things we love most, the things we are most desperate to obtain. We are trapped by these attachments, bound hand and foot. When the time comes for us to leave this world, at the final moment of life, we are often deceived by these very attachments. Our final thought becomes the catalyst for our next rebirth. If you love flowers, you might be reborn as a flower; if you love dogs, you might be reborn as a dog; if you are obsessed with pigs, you might find yourself reborn as a pig. It is a terrifying reality, is it not?"

The Hidden Spirits in Our Possessions

"In the secular world, people often collect expensive items as a hobby, or perhaps as a symbol of status. They hold these items in their hands, admiring them, feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction. But in that moment of pride, it is very easy for one's consciousness to enter the space of that object. You might become the object itself, or your soul might become scattered across the space and time of that object's history. Once the soul is scattered, it is incredibly difficult to recover. Why? Because you do not understand that such attachment is a grave mistake.

Take an antique made of wood, for example. The history contained within that antique is layer upon layer, endless and deep. It holds the spirit of the tree, the spirit of the forest, the soul of the carver, the souls of every person who has ever admired it, and the souls of every buyer who has ever owned it. Through generations, the traces of history have created the immortal appearance you see today. That antique is filled with countless spirits. In truth, all things are like this. Even within the human body, every single cell is filled with beings who are connected to us by karmic affinity."

Awakening to the True Self

"We must uncover the truth. We must look at the human body and realise that 'liking' something always comes with a price. It is not as simple as it appears on the surface. All things in this world are manifested through this force of 'liking.' Practitioner Su has opened up these spaces and conducted countless interviews, all of which serve as proof of this reality. We have obtained this rare human body, so please, do not fall back into the trap of 'liking' and be eliminated by the cycle of rebirth.

Awaken through faith and find your way back to your true self. The human body holds infinite, boundless Wisdom. We are waiting for you to let go of everything so that you can develop this true light. The light of the Buddha is within your own true self, waiting to be found. Namo Amituofo."