Right motivation and noble practice will eventually lead to Light Knowledge. There is no need to compare what you know or have experienced with others. Each being has his own uniqueness and therefore their life cannot be the same whether in terms of worldly or spiritual.

Many have been chosen but very few will have the good fortune to meet them. They are as rare as water in the desert and when good affinity brings you to be before such realised or chosen beings, show your deepest respect, listen and you will find many answers. Those who have much spiritual experiences are few indeed and they could turn themselves into great beneficial beings if they set their hearts to it. But it will mean great changes in their lives and so not all will be ready to be so. Being a beneficial being is to accept compassionate practices, studying and imparting knowledge to others selflessly, without a wish to have any gain deserving from it. It will be quite painful at first. Their entire body and mind must first be purified and that period of time required to change them over can be traumatic which only few can go through with the help of calmness and faith. Each spiritual person therefore has a story to tell and they will remember their experiences clearly because they are out of the ordinary. These are the successful ones who can now look back and talk about it. Many have taken the tests and failed. Even those who have passed the purification process are far from being crossed over. The next stage is service to the people to purify the mind. Only when body and mind have been purified by holy intentions generated by the force of compassion will they be put into the path of knowledge. Those on this path will find practice more meaningful through revelations or intuitions which they may time and again receive. This is the great period of self effort which links then to the higher and the lower beings. They are the channels between humans and the Gods, they are the vehicles to deliver others, depending on their own spiritual attainments of the past and their great compassionate mind of the present. They are nevertheless advanced beings who will benefit others much to the surprise of many. At this stage pitfalls will be many, temptations towards name and fame, accepting rewards of any kind will be abundant so that they may have to go through various trials which will either led them forward or to abandonment of the practice. Therefore they are required to guard their minds, especially their emotions. It is best for those who are on the knowledge cycle to stay away from people or environment which are sources of danger to their determination. This is a very crucial step which they must cross so that renunciation’s values can be seen and appreciated, so that one is turned towards the spiritual and begin to shun the worldly attractions which are but baits and dangerous traps that keep beings minds drawn to Samsaric existence. Renunciation can be practised from the heart and need not require one to leave home. The meaning of renunciation cannot be described fully in words, it can be felt and then one is awakened to the truth of existence, then one is really set onto the perfect Path. Those on the Great Path of Perfection are few, precious few, and they should be saluted with great reverence. There is no description of them, it is up to people to recognise them, as they do not seek any recognition. Life for such beings is full of meaning and purpose so that they are inclined to make great vows which become goals of their practice.

Stage by stage, the human heart evolves. To climb up the spiritual ladder one must have great patience and compassion for all beings. Many prefer to help human beings, even animals but at the mention of spirits, invisible beings, they are afraid and move away. Ghosts are distasteful to the human mind and so they are feared. This is the view of common man, those who have little idea of the reality of the truth of existence. In actuality, spirits and other invisible beings need not be feared. They are of many levels of existence - from the harmful ghosts, evil spirits, demons, to the helpful ones, right up to the gods.

Human mind is turned towards the ‘Yang’ impression and energy and therefore whatever is related to the ‘Yin’ aspects are bewildering to them. But to the spiritual ones, there is no difference between them. All are beings who have life that they cling to, so all do share the same feelings of desires and so on. As long as they are samsaric beings, they will be moved by one who is compassionate and kind, and they will respect one who is in the process of self purification and on the road to perfection.

Those who practise Kuan Yin compassions, therefore need not fear the spirits and should realise that the lowly ones are having greater sufferings then any human being. As such they should train their minds to understand the suffering states of such beings so that their compassionate energy can be directed towards them. It will take time for the beginners of the path to accept this point and that is why spiritual understanding can only be attained in stages as one becomes more knowledgeable and wise. That is why only those who have the fundamental knowledge of the Buddha’s teachings will be able to practise the Great Kuan Yin Path firmly and with faith.

To acquire faith is another slow process. It must begin with faith in yourself and this will call for deep thinking. Having scriptural knowledge will be a great help and again one must develop faith in the Buddha and his teachings so that the saving powers of great Bodhisattvas such as Kuan Shih Yin are beyond doubt. One must understand that no matter how great the power of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are to relieve sentient beings of their sufferings, they cannot manifest unless one has faith in them. This is a point that should be meditated upon so as to arrive at right belief and right view. One must not think that mere acceptance of the teaching is faith and by the act of doing it, faith is there. Faith again cannot be fully described. It must be gained from a personal experience through practice.

It is nothing extraordinary but yet quite indescribable. It can arise out of a sacrificial spirit such as that of a mother to her only child, or it may also arise out the pure love the child has for his mother. Or, it may arise out of both, sacrificial spiritual love. So faith must be felt from the heart and not an understood theory. It has been said that ‘faith can move mountains’ and this may seem ridiculous, yet, to those who have had experiences and realised faith, what is so great about moving mountains?

Knowing the importance of having faiths will lead one to a new stage of mind whenever they are standing before the holy images of the Buddha, Bodhisattva or Divine Beings. Faith will arise spontaneously and then the feeling of piety is there. Then one’s mind no longer dwell upon the worldly and he is at that moment experiencing ‘the spiritual’, Respect grows and love flows. Then the images are no more wooden or porcelain objects, but objects suitable of worship. Then the bowing no longer an act which those who do not feel the spiritual, will condemn as idol worship. Only those whose minds are directed towards the objects of worship with one-pointed faith will feel the flow of energy between themselves and the Divinities. They know but they need not feel, and then worship is pure! The link between them and the Divine Ones is firmed.

Therefore prayers must be recited with faith, and during the recitation one’s mind must not wander here and there but remain concentrated on the motivation of the prayers, otherwise they will just be mere words. A faith filled prayer thus purifies the heart and mind of the reciter and then his body is purified. It must be said that along with purification some kind of discomfort and pains must be felt. To remove worldly pains requires practices which can be painful both mentally and physically. The pains of changes, the pains of discipline and effort, the pains of discarding pleasurable but harmful habits, all these will surely be felt by those who are in the purification path. But with understanding, the pain is lessened and acceptable. Once accepted as a necessity, where is the pain?

It is similar to one who has to suffer the great pains of fear and pains before going through an operation that will save his life! It is like taking bitter medicine that cures one’s illness. Is life painful? Only those with a deluded mind will feel so and insist it to be so. Those who are in the know will know how to change pain into pleasure so that they will be grateful that they are in pains now, while they have right knowledge, so that they will treat such pains as past karmic debts repaid, and then the pains of the future have been extinguished.

It is the duty of those who know to give some help or teaching to those who do not. Life is not painful, life is meaningful and each painful incident is but a lesson that will purify oneself and improves the mind. Pain and pleasure then will not move him easily, they are but parts of existence that make life meaningful, colourful and wonderful. They are awakeners of the mind! Those who can wake up by them will accept a path of practice that will lead them to eternal joy and bliss. Of the paths, there are countless, and cannot be the same due to one’s own inherent nature, capabilities, environment and period of time. So all Dharma-farers walk paths that lead to the same goal. It is the essence of their practice, drawn by their motivation to be pure and kindly towards others, that determines, that their paths are true. In the same way, there are many paths that lead to damnation so that one must at all times utilise his wisdom and practise investigation, to know for sure that he is on the right path, the path of purity and righteousness, and he will know, for his conscience will guide him!

Tuesday, 8th October 1985 (8th Moon 24th Day)