But to live one has to develop the necessary energy. How many people really know the way to develop or generate energy? What then is energy? Sit and think and see how a single word can lead one to discover, and how much one can learn from oneself. There is time to live in idleness - life passes on as swiftly as an arrow. Those who choose to wait for good and right circumstances before they become more serious with life may find it too late when the time comes and there is need for them to have the necessary wisdom to carry them through. Regret does not bring about any answers. When it is too late, it is too late.
Ignorant ones will fall into fear and driven to confusion, then panic rules the mind and they become totally lost. How could such people expect a happy future life? How could they face the last moments of life? How will they be able to leave this life peacefully or gain a good rebirth?
These and other related thoughts must always be within the mind so that life is lived with awareness of its good. Then contentment can be reached and happiness realised. Then ‘oneself’ is no longer the most important being in the world because happiness does not arise out of selfishness.
If one can only hold the names of their divine Lords within his mind each day, calmness can be felt. If one will strive to become a Lord in the future life with the understanding that only in such an exalted position may he really be able to be of any use to the world, he will be more determined in finding the way to attain it. When he has gained the knowledge of how to attain the goal, then a bit of suffering, a bit of sacrifice, a bit of discipline, will not deter him. Unless one is pure and deserving, how can there be advancement to the Realm of the Pure? Those who abandon the Path of Self-Purification are numberless and the successful ones truly deserve praise and homage.
That is why all must know their leads before the Great Ones, must put their faith in them because they have traversed the difficult Path of Self-Purification and attained the Great Perfection. That is why, the Buddha Sakyamuni, the Lord of this period of time, is the Greatest being ever lived! Homage to him, the Great and Self-Enlightened One!
But one must not live in a dream. Fantasy is for the child and man must learn to face life squarely, bravely and with determination to realise the goal of life. To some the act of kneeling down before the holy images of shrines and temples is considered lowly and not necessary. When pride is there how can they understand the power and merit of humility? The proud ones are subject to the whims and fancy of their deluded minds and they will not see that there is any necessity to take refuge in the Buddhas. They are likely to be materialistic and it will therefore be much more easier for them to pay homage to those who are powerful materially. See how they will bow to men of power and see how pitifully they will subject themselves to those who can give them advantages and rewards. Pride has shielded their minds from realising the impermanency of worldly rewards and those who are filled with pride will be consuming their good merits.
And they will fall in time to come, only to end up on their knees, pleading for help from the Buddha and other Great Ones for help. That is when they have lost their pride and fallen so that they will readily humiliate themselves.
But such acts of humiliation will not bring about any reward. They are acts of desperation, they are performed out of necessity, they are not done out of love and worship! Reflecting on this, those who are suffering from pride and have the good fortune to read this message, may yet be saved and changed for the better. The rich are not the only ones who are pride-filled, most of the time, it is the poor ones who are suffering from it. It can arise out of envy, stubbornness or even the result of inferiority complex.
So non-virtuousness is not the sole property of any one kind of people. All who are in the world, in any position or circumstance, are here to learn, to perfect themselves. Each has his own barriers to cross and neither has a greater advantage over the other. Each person has his Karma to fulfill, each one is unique and each is just as deserving to become enlightened. The Path is before mankind.
Each must walk it and complete it. Wise ones walk on bravely, accepting all the discomforts and bitterness as all travellers must encounter. Others who prefer not to face the truth would prefer to find excuse not to move forward and expect others to carry them. The journey is long. Who can be such a carrier for the masses of lazy ones? That is why there are so much suffering in the world! It is the result of the ignorant minds who are unable to see that their sufferings are but happiness in disguise. It is like bitter medicine which few will enjoy to take, even in illness. But the value of medicine is undeniable, it brings health and happiness! The same too goes with one’s sufferings on earth. Behind all these pains, are the causes for development into happiness. But how many has the wisdom to fully recognise this truth?
Be prepared then, to accept what life has in store for you. Accept the good and the bad, the pleasant and the unpleasant, with graciousness and wisdom, and nothing in this world will set you back in your journey to the beyond, nothing in the world will hold you back to cling for more, for all must pass on, life is not fixed and cannot be caused to a standstill!
Be prepared to advance gradually, with faith in yourself and in the guidance of your Divine Guru. Life becomes exciting only to those who can take it. Refrain from being a coward, from being one who is full of excuses, who will point his finger at others when there is a blame. Be a child of the Buddha, be pure in mind, in words and in actions, and move with the Spirit of the Victorious Ones, the Bodhisattvas who have made it, through their Vows, will always be around to give aid and encouragement. Be one yourself so that you too may provide assistance to others in the future!
The challenge is before you and you must do your part in doing more sitting and contemplating. This Order has not been called a Contemplative-Order for nothing. Those who come here are led to serious thinking, to contemplative exercises which will benefit their minds. Only those who will put effort to discover their mind through contemplation will reap the harvest. Only those who are seriously on the path of searching, have faith in the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will make the discovery. The name ‘Kuan Yin’ before the Order indicates that through one’s faith in Kuan Yin, one will be guided and protected by Kuan Yin, towards the Contemplative Path which is the way to Self-Discovery. The meaning of this Order can be profound or just a meaningless title. Life is the same and only those who can bring meaning to it will find it to be meaningful and exciting.
There will be wonderful years for you in your search. Messages are there to give you aids and instructions, sometimes teachings, but your own search through your efforts will bring about many rewarding discoveries. The world is filled with wonders for those who are seekers, filled with great truths for those who are truly on the Path of Discovery. Lazy ones will never learn or benefit in any way and for them, progression up the Spiritual Ladder will be rather slow. With patience and perseverance, with pure mind and noble motivation, live each moment of life fruitfully, ever ready to learn and to experience, then life is indeed wonderful!
A resequenced extract from the message dated: Friday, 7th June 1985 (4th Moon 19th Day)