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Showing posts from March, 2018

Obstacles during cultivation

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"If problems arise during cultivation, a good cultivator will not be affected. If problems arise, a good cultivator will accept the problem happily. Secondly, he will persist in his cultivation and not give up. He should take note of the details of the problem and adjust accordingly. In the making of a Buddha statue, a stone endure multiple cuts before he can become that perfect statue. Similarly, one must be able to bear the challenges ahead to perfect himself before he can  be enlightened. In fact,  problems may even be a manifestation of his good merits!" Sharings from Vancouver meditation retreat Commentary from Jerome: During cultivation, one gains peace of mind and does great merits. However, most or all cultivators will meet problems during cultivation. Some will find that their family members may disapprove of their cultivation. Others will find emotional problems that they cannot let go of in the past surfacing in their lives. Some...

Fixed mentality causes harm

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"People are always accustomed to understand others in their own way. This often causes misunderstandings and even hatred and dislike for one another. They can also get hurt in the process. Let me share a story that took place in Qinghai province, China: Once, on my way to Qinghai, I saw a moving truck with one of its tires turning abnormally. From experience, I knew that the screws of the wheel had loosened and if it comes off, it could hurt someone else. I waved to the driver, pointing to his rear tire and signaling him to look at it. The man gave me a stare and scolded me, “Why, you want a free ride?” Apparently, he thought I wanted to take advantage of him. I frowned and shouted, “It’s serious!” He ignored me and drove driving away. . Shortly after, the wheel came off and flew towards the hillside. He had to run almost a kilometer to get the wheel from the hillside that was at least 50 meters in height. By the time he climbed down to pick up the heavy tire that weight almo...