There is no need to pretend, to hide the truth, to please the ego. There is need to recognise reality, accept it, and learn ways and means to live by it. But how many are truthful in life? How many can face the truth and not be affected by the views of others?
Therein lies the ignorance which causes so much pains to life so that almost every person is ever trying his best to live in a dream, with empty hopes and praying for miracles. He who lives in such a way will soon be enveloped by despair and then there is no hope for him to recognise the Truth. He has chosen to live in delusion and constantly doing his best to disguise his true existence, praying that his sorrows are not discovered by others, that his shames and weaknesses are well hidden. The man has lost his way and he is regressing. What a pity! Life is not meant to live this way. Pain is part of life and so is death. Those who only see these highlights and are without wisdom will fear life, will fear pain, will curse existence and will not want to know anything about death.
How are they going to face life when what they fear and chose to disbelieve are bound to come about? That is why this beautiful world becomes a hell, becomes a curse and everyone is angry with life as a whole. That is why there are so much cruelties and sufferings in the world, who can be compassionate and kindly when they are subject to such fears and anger with life?
The Buddha’s message is simple. Life is filled with suffering, a truth which all have full knowledge of; that suffering has its cause, and this truth is not easily recognisable unless one has practised reflection and contemplation, but how many practise them? Recognise the root causes of one’s sufferings, the Buddha’s wisdom will be appreciated so that the third Truth on the necessity of cessation of suffering may be practised. Yet it will take great effort because desires can be so strong that one is even ready to risk one’s life just for the sake of appeasing the craving. This is the reason why there are so many desperate ones, so many weak willed ones, who continue to live for the sake of fulfilling their desires which cannot be actually possible. The moment one desire is settled, other cravings are around. The world is filled with conditions to lead one to the desirous mental-states. This must be watched and the evils of desires must be recognised so that one may take steps to learn how to subdue them. Where do they come from? The mind is the root source. Everything arises from the mind. When it is pure, good thoughts are generated, when it is happy, kindly and generous thoughts abound, but when it is impure, all kinds of evil tendencies will arise. What is your state of mind? Can you have it constant at all times?
The greatest challenge in life is therefore not just to fulfill every desire but how to live it with full control of the mind. Life is therefore living for the sake of recognising the mind, subduing it so that it will not be wild and uncontrollable, and learning how to live in peace through achieving a calm mind. In its practice, no beings can be hurt and the only suffering that is encountered will be felt by the aspirant himself, who is serious in accepting the path set by the Buddha, known as the Noble Eightfold Path. But the sufferings are not real suffering in its true sense, it is only the pains of disciplining one’s mind, just as the pain one has to inflict on a naughty child in order to teach him good. Refusing to give him freedom to sweets, brushing his teeth when he hates it, or sending him to bed at an appropriate hour may cause tears to his eyes, but what harm can there be or how painful can it be?
The method of reducing pain is to use some skilful means which may be painful at first glance, but it will be pains of purification that leads to happiness! It is easy to imagine what pain is and many seriously think that they know what sufferings are. But if you question them deeper, they have only a superficial understanding of it. ‘Pain’ is a very simple word on the ordinary level, think deeper and see if you are able to know more about it, of how it affects the lives of all that live. Contemplate on pain then and see how powerful it can be to aid you in your practice of religion!
Recognising what are physical pains, what are emotional pains and you will then see life from a different view point. It will change your heart, will make you much more considerate, kindly and patient with others. It will make you more aware of the feelings of others and how to recognise pain from their facial expressions. Better still, it will set your mind in a new direction, of wishing happiness on others and not wishing to cause pain to any living being. Just a simple practice on a word and it will cause a dramatic change of your outlook towards life. Then life will become much more meaningful, much more noble so that all selfishness, including self-cherishing, will be recognised as causes of pain to oneself and others! Then the practice of Kuan Yin devotion will be life long, as you learn to see the need to purify yourself and to live for the benefit of others.
How long will it take one to gain insight into a word? How many words are there that one must contemplate upon? Recognising this, one may even regret that he has not seen life from this aspect, that the truth of existence can be so rich and laden with powerful meaning. Life then becomes a serious search.
When one is serious in his search on the meaning and purpose of life, he has no time to ponder on thoughts which are ignoble, he does not wish to be connected with acts which will cause pains to others; he does not want to be the cause of unhappiness to anyone as the world is already over flowing with misery, and he will develop the habit of using truthful words which are kindly and comforting. His entire wish is to be able to see happiness in the face of all he meets and he will quietly pray for those whose faces are miserable!
Friday, 9th August 1985 (6th Moon 23rd Day)