I feel empathy when I learn that some members have left the UHBE discipline. It is not so long ago, one, two, ten years or so. We were ordinary human beings. Our bodies were sick with ache and pain. Our minds were full of greedy ambitions. This makes us so dark and clouded that we were unable to know what was real and what was not. The permanent real things we own inside, we did not treasure or develop it further. Instead, we continued to chase after the externals, and exhausting ourselves to gain ownership of the things that would not stay with us for long. In so doing, we allowed our ambition to take over our lives, leading us to the sea of fires which are full of greed, anger and obsessions. As a result, we committed wrongdoings. We created karma… Thereafter, we had to suffer the consequences due to our greedy ambitions, that is, we have to go through endless waves of suffering.
It was a true blessing for all of us when the teachings of the Founder Grand Master finally came to our lives. Following the dedicated guidance of Thay and Co, we begin to wake up. We practice cultivation and meditation. We learn to help bringing benefits to humanity in various ways. We organize meditation classes, develop meditation centers, and give energy treatment to help others ….These good deeds reflect our enthusiasm, which is quite admirable. However, we should realize that we are still the beginners who have just entered the path of spiritual cultivation; therefore, we still have a lot of ambitions and attachments.
In a moment of reflection, I remember the teachings of Thay and Co: “Being human, no one is free from ambition. Ignoble ambition or noble ambition, all are selfish desires ... Awakened beings are no longer attached to ambition of any kind, because ambition is a form of craving. Craving will lead the mind to a state of unsettledness. Therefore, liberation is impossible”. As spiritual cultivators, if we still allow ourselves to chase after external chaos, searching for this and that … then it means that we are still trapped in greedy ambitions and selfish desires. For example, we want to achieve higher ranking. We want to be the leader. We want to become instructors to open chakras for others… All are erroneous ambition. Thay Thuan teaches that this kind of ambition plays the main roll that drives us to the place of darkness. Thay Thuan is used to remind us about the famous saying: “Before people enter the path, they perceive that a mountain is a mountain and a river is a river. When people just enter the path, they perceive that a mountain is not a mountain and a river is not a river. When people have awakened to the Truth, they perceive that a mountain is still a mountain and a river is still a river.” Even though at the present, we have not yet reached the stage of total awakening, we are no longer in the dark. In fact, we have just embarked on the path leading to awakening. Thay Thuan teaches that “when people just enter the Path, they perceive that a mountain is not a mountain and a river is not a river because they are so enthusiastic with full of ambition. Unfortunately, enthusiasm mixes with ambition would drive one to greatest delusion”.
Dear members, having a lot of enthusiasm is encouraging. However, it may lead us to something quite harmful and thus it requires our utmost attention. When we join UHBE, we have our chakras opened. The Founder Grand Master ignites the spark of Love in our souls, and then Thay and Co explains the teachings of the Founder Grand Master to nurture our seeds of benevolence. Thay and Co guide us to practice cultivation and to dedicate ourselves to help others. In so doing, our true love for humankind begins to germinate in our hearts. When we meditate, the Founder Grand Master teaches us to look inward and becoming more conscious and aware of our inner being in order to uncover the true essence of our souls, the Buddha nature or God-given nature. If however, we continue to turn outward, looking for this or that, we will never be able to develop our seeds of goodness. Turning outward is erroneous thinking. Wanting for this or that is greediness. Searching for this or that is restlessness. In short, having a lot of enthusiasm is encouraging, but if we mix enthusiasm with (erroneous thinking + greediness + restlessness) will result in a greatest delusion.
Looking back on the path that we have gone through since the day we met Thay and Co, we have transformed ourselves so much. Our sick bodies and miserable appearances have become healthier and happier. The weeds of greediness in our minds are replaced with flowers of benevolence. Thay and Co often remind us that, “The path following the Founder Grand Master is very, very long”. This is the journey of evolution - the journey of dedicating ourselves to the spiritual growth and happiness of all beings - the journey of ascending towards total Wholeness. Indeed, we are walking up the stair of divine wisdom, one step at a time. On the way uphill, our legs must be strong, our hearts must never yield, our minds should always think of the teachings of the Founder Grand Master, and most importantly, we must follow the guidance of our masters. This is an infinitely long journey of ascending upwards. It is like we are climbing up a very long, long ladder. We should never think for a second that we have reached the top, thus we can stop. In so doing, we hinder our own evolutionary progress. When we think we have reached the top, we have the tendency to stop and look down on others. Our ego will have a chance to surface with all of its negative behaviors. We begin to lecture or criticize others in a wrong way. We act as if we know all and think that we are above everyone else. The true path leading to wholeness is the path of eliminating greedy ambition and egoism. Let us not allow the ego within us to control our path, to pull us away from the moral guidance of our masters, to steer our minds away from the teachings of the Founder Grand Master, to isolate ourselves from the love and care of our beloved UHBE members, and to depart ourselves from the UHBE discipline. Or else, we will fall off the path. It is even more dangerous when we jump to another ladder. We shall fall and hurt ourselves. In reality, no worker would be stupid enough to jump from one ladder to another while he is high above the ground. What if the other ladder is not real, the ladder of evil practice and black magic? Only greedy ambitious people would follow such negative path of practice.
We are UHBE disciples, may we hand in hand, heart to heart, use our enthusiasm to develop meditation center and the discipline in order to bring many practical benefits to humanity including ourselves. May we fulfill our responsibility and work together in harmony with other UHBE members under the dedicated guidance of our teachers Thay and Co. May we all live in the world of true love. Let us continue to turn inward to contemplate the teachings of the Founder Grand Master and to appreciate the love and caring of our teachers. Never let our ego to drag our enthusiasm into the wrong path, searching for this and that so that we will not get mired in the web of illusion.
Let close the eyes and open our mind,
to unfold the meaning of life.
With unrelenting will and compassionate heart,
the one Truth we shall find.