An Instructional talk given on March 15, 1976, during a Guanyin Recitation Session by Venerable Master Hua
If you have patience, you’ll succeed at whatever Dharma-door you practice.
From beginningless eons in the past, we have died and been reborn, over and over, passing through hundreds of thousands of myriads of eons. During these times, we’ve never encountered a Guanyin Bodhisattva Dharma Session, so our bad habits and faults have not decreased by the slightest bit. In fact, our ignorance and afflictions have increased day by day. Now that we’ve encountered a Guanyin Bodhisattva Dharma Session, we might say that the roots of goodness we’ve planted throughout measureless eons in the past have matured, enabling us to join this wonderful and inconceivable Dharma session. Without roots of goodness, without virtuous practices, we would never have the chance to attend a Guanyin Recitation Session. Hence, we must cherish every minute of these seven-day session. Don’t indulge in idle thinking. Don’t let time pass in vain. If all you do is indulge in idle thinking, even though you attended this Dharma session, it’s just as if you hadn’t attended at all, because you won’t gain any benefit whatsoever.
Although this Dharma session began just two days ago, I know that some people have already seen the Bodhisattva, some have beheld luminance. A variety of inconceivable states have occurred. Some people are on the verge of opening their five spiritual eyes. Therefore, those who haven’t gained any benefit should feel great shame. Don’t assume that since you haven’t experienced any benefits, the same goes for others. That’s not the case.
Gold Mountain Monastery, you might say, is a gold refinery. Whoever wants to cultivate should not leave Gold Mountain Monastery. If you want to find another Way-place in which to cultivate, it may not be so easy. Cultivators at Gold Mountain Monastery have a “mind” for the Path. Even though they are in an environment where conditions are extremely difficult, they still want to cultivate hard.
There are as many as eighty-four thousand Dharma-doors for cultivating the Path. You should be familiar with each one of these Dharma-doors. Do not be limited to just one Dharma-door. If you can learn something about each Dharma-door, then over time you will be able to understand all the myriad Dharma-doors.
If you only understand one Dharma-door, then it won’t be easy for you to experience the sea-deep state of the Buddhadharma. It’ll be like a foolish person who peers at the sky through a tube and assumes the sky is no bigger than the perimeter of the tube opening. Without looking through the bamboo tube, you can see how vast the sky really is. So, in studying Buddhism, we should not be limited to just Dharma-door. We should penetrate every Dharma and understand every method of practice.
We’re now holding a Guanyin Recitation Session, which is a part of the Buddhadharma. If you’ve never cultivated this method before, then you should try it! Don’t refuse without giving it a try. People who participate in this Dharma session to its entirety will surely be benefited in both body and mind. Under no circumstances should you pass up this opportunity which is right before you!
(To be continued …)