I have offered you many words of advice and reminders over the years. I can no longer recall if I have repeated myself, but if these words sound familiar, please accept them as the earnest teachings and gentle reminders of a mother who cares deeply for her child. Whether one is a monastic or a lay practitioner in the workplace, once you reach a certain level of responsibility, there will always be people around you who act as gatekeepers, screening matters and managing your affairs. In the secular world, we might call such a person a secretary. For the monastic community, I am not certain if this role is handled by an attendant or a senior administrator. Please, never underestimate the significance of this role. The ability of these gatekeepers to judge what is important is crucial, as they determine whether vital messages or necessary tasks ever reach the hands of the leader.
The Heavy Burden of Karmic Consequences
Do you remember the case of Practitioner Fan? In the karmic burdens he carried, he once admitted that he had delayed passing a simple note from a devotee to the Venerable Master Chin Kung. For that single act of negligence, he had to bear a heavy karmic debt. I wish to remind you, Venerable, that you must maintain the clarity of your own mind at all times. It is not enough to simply examine yourself; you must also turn your attention outward to care for your partners and associates. You must observe whether they are still handling people and affairs on the right track, or if they have drifted into biased paths without even realising it. Do not dismiss this simple act of inspection. Sometimes, we are like people whose eyes have been covered; we become unaware of what is happening in the outside world, or we allow the slanderous words of those with wrong views to cloud our own judgment.
The True Wisdom of
Practitioner Su often says that only those who have truly reached the state of Awakening possess true wisdom. When one has reached this state, the handling of all matters becomes perfectly clear and distinct. There is no need to rely on the limited of , Speech, and Mind to judge or process the world. It is truly a case of the bystander seeing clearly while the person involved remains lost in confusion. If the gate to your office is kept shut and guarded too tightly, how can the necessary information ever reach your hands? On the path of practice, maintaining a state of clarity and purity is of the utmost importance. The only thing we must fear is being possessed by , which would leave us unable to take charge of our own lives.
The Path to the
Venerable, you must understand that only by returning to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and following Practitioner Su to learn anew can you obtain your entry pass to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a matter of life and death, the most significant event of your existence. Please, do not hesitate any longer. If you are able to receive this letter, know that it comes from your mother, written with the deepest concern and gravity for your spiritual future.
Maintain constant vigilance over your own mind and the environment around you.
Ensure that the flow of information and guidance remains pure and unhindered.
Seek the true wisdom that comes only from Awakening.
Return to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to continue your practice under the guidance of Practitioner Su.
Written by your mother, Zhao Liangyu, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This content was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Cao Rudi.
