At all times the aspiration of walking this path must be clear and remembered, all must also be aware of what these pitfalls are so that the tendency to fall into them will be arrested. This calls for the constant awareness of these dangers and one must remind oneself each day that until enlightenment is reached, anyone may fall backwards.

What then are the pitfalls? The result of constant practice and steady effort, will raise one’s mind to a new and different level of being. One who pursues cultivation will soon come across all kinds of unusual phenomena and the attaining of certain kinds of supernatural powers such as being able to feel strongly, to sense other’s thoughts, to be able to say things which may come true, to put a hand on others so as to bring healing, to see inspiring forms of divine beings, to be able to perform deeds which bring about admiration from others, to be able to cause changes to weather and so on. Such kinds of development are not unusual, they are the very results of what the mind can manifest and even more, the highest of which is perfect wisdom.

All these fruits of cultivation, particularly through the path of mental cleansing, are useful aids to the cultivator - as long as he is aware of them being but the result of his practice and no more. There are only elementary development but may be so amazing that one is led to wrong views and beliefs, therein lies the danger, the very pitfalls, which may swallow him who is not calm, steady, and wise.

Many will have the false notion that they have attained the fruits of their efforts and they believe that they are developed high beings who have attained enlightenment. Others may be caught into the desire to develop more and more powers, at first for the sake of helping others, but later on as they become recognised, they may fall into the trap of enjoying being adored and followed by others; and wanting to be worshipped, they then fall to the practice of cultivating pride, so that they may make great claims and even coin their own teachings, then new religions are born or new sects are born. Then the goal of their cultivation is lost, their aspirations clearly forgotten, they enjoy being flattered and being pleased by devotees. They become completely lost and are subdued by evil forces without their being aware of their plights. Life then becomes easy, comfortable and beautiful, the result of their spiritual practices, but this enjoyment will be short lived, and will last only a life-time. Upon their death, the truth is dawned! They have missed their goal, they enter into the suffering realms and then the sufferings will be long and tedious for the lifetime in such realms will be very very much longer than that of earths! Is it worth the while to walk the spiritual path then?

Actually there is hardly any choice. Everyone will walk it in one life or another as soon as he has attained sufficient merits to take a human birth. This is the way, it is so, and all who have this opportunity are fairly warned and sufficiently guided; through the existence of the teachings of the Buddha-Dharma, all will receive proper guidance to reach the supreme goal. Those who fail are usually the kind who are weak-minded, who give way to samsaric clingings. Purification of the self is like a battle between Dharma and evil teachings so that one is subjected to practising good but inclined to evil.

Be aware then, that the spiritual way is not an easy path to tread. It must be walked with care and caution, with patience, with humility, with sacrifice, with purposeful and good intentions, and most important of all with wisdom gained out of knowledge of the Buddha. Irreligious paths are countless, easy to tread, requiring the least of discipline and blind faith, bringing about short-lived happiness which result in anger and hatred whenever opposed, and causing disharmony to oneself and others. Be wise then and consider very carefully before choosing the path of life. Do not be impressed by what has been attained in worldly achievement but rather whether the path will lead you to peace, understanding, love, patience, kindliness, compassion and wisdom, whether the means of attaining these and other good virtues are similarly of corresponding nature so that only nobly and righteous acts of words, body and mind are exercised. In the process of practice does one have ulterior and selfish objectives? Does one apply pressure and threats? Does one hope to gain merits for oneself alone?

Contemplation is the best of practices. One should practise it daily to see the truth of life. Only by such careful and patient reflection may one review and understand the meaning of goodness, the meaning of oneness with all, the meaning of what religious stand for. Hasty actions lead to nowhere, cause one to make grave mistakes and fall into the wrong hands of the unscrupulous. He who does not sit and think, to use his wisdom to understand the purpose and nature of life, he is not ready for the path of cultivation, should not even think of walking any of the great spiritual paths. He who is filled with emotions too are equally ripe to be taken by Mara’s host who will cloud his mind with false views so that he is willed to do harm blinded by the name of goodness.

The spiritual path is indeed filled with pitfalls and all kinds of danger. Walk then, with the greatest awareness of the motivation that has led you to it. Do not be tempted by the rewards which are dressed up to foil your mind. Always remember that the purpose of cultivation is to enable you to keep the holy precepts of not doing evil but doing only that which is good, and most important of all to cleanse your mind daily to attain wisdom!

Thursday, 2nd May 1985 (3rd Moon 13th Day)