【Description】
The problems we encounter in life are related to our mind, body and spirit. Compassion is the best solution for troubles of all sorts. How should we interpret compassion? What benefits can compassion bring us? How can we apply compassion to all aspects of life?
In this video, Grandmaster JinBodhi explains the source of human diseases and how our spirit and emotions affect our health, for better or worse; then, he emphasizes how compassion greatly influences our health, relationships, career, and indeed our entire lives. Let’s realize the power of compassion. Reap “dharma joy” by putting compassion into motion and create a life of wellness and happiness.
【You will learn】
- The source of life’s pain
- The influence of emotions on health
- Compassion and “dharma joy”
- How to apply compassion in life
【Featured aphorisms】
- The happiness one feels from helping others is called “dharma joy” in self-cultivation.
- We find happiness in giving to and helping others, in doing good deeds for the wellbeing of all. The joy of service frees us from suffering; it is this feeling of great happiness that clears any remaining negative emotions in the cells, thereby transforming malignant genes for the better.
- Compassion is the core of the most positive emotions.
- Compassion can produce a sense of pleasure, happiness and comfort.
- Compassion can trigger many beautiful and kind behaviors, as well as many “high-vibration” feelings.
- Compassion is like the sun, illuminating and nurturing all things every day, giving the world warmth, energy, vitality, and creativity, but seeking no return at all.
- Compassion is not just about being calm, and it’s definitely not about turning a blind eye to the sufferings of others. To practice compassion is firstly to benefit others without asking for a return.
- Helping others is helping yourself.
- In a work environment, warmth, compassion and care make everyone feel at home and inspire cooperation and dedication.
- Compassion and malice are the difference between life and death. One is Heaven, and the other is hell.
- Compassion can help people thrive and expand businesses.
【Content】
Hello everyone! (Hello Master.) OK, please be seated. (Thank you Master.) Many people are here to become enlightened. However, I don’t know if you can become enlightened after learning from me.
Most people come to learn from me due to their discomfort or illnesses of the body, mind and soul. I believe you have many questions to ask me. Most questions are about various health issues. How can we quickly recover or spiritually achieve a higher mental state? Or how can we become more compassionate or more honorable? Some have this pursuit.
Anyone want to become more honorable? (Yes.) Yes. We have more who want to become honorable on this side. Those who didn’t raise their hands admit to being bad. It is okay, don’t raise your hands anymore. Too many sins to count. Anyone want to become a bad person? Please raise your hand. Everyone heard me this time. You didn’t fall for my question.
Actually, I am a salesman. I want to reveal my true identity. I’m a salesman for a superb company. What do I promote? The first one is The Meditation of Greater Illumination. The 2nd one is sitting meditation. The 3rd is chanting. The 4th is prostration. The 5th is Energy Bagua. The 6th and the most important of all the practices is compassion. These are what I want to promote to you all in this retreat, as they are absolutely related to the health of body, mind and soul.
Almost all theologies say all beings are sinful, right? What is their sin? Greed. Why are they greedy? Because of life’s necessities. If life’s necessities are met, why do people continue to be greedy? Ignorance. Greed arises from necessities. After they are met, continued greed is ignorance. Buddhist philosophy states the source of all sins is greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance and doubt. They are the 5 spiritual poisons. They are also called the internal 5 poisons, as they are of the mind and not visible.
There are also the external 5 poisons or 8 poisons which are killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech and alcohol abuse. The first one is killing; the 2nd is stealing; the 3rd is sexual misconduct; the 4th is false speech; the 5th is alcohol abuse. Governments ban driving after drinking alcohol, right? Many stagger after drinking. This extends to their car as well, putting both the driver and pedestrians in danger. Similarly, how many live like they’re drunk and driving a broken-down car? Almost everyone, as we are all ignorant.
In this city where we are having our retreat, live the most intelligent people in the world. However, the intelligence is used mainly on technology research, instead of on wisdom in life. We can do everything on a cell phone. Why don’t people raise their heads anymore? They are busy swiping the phone. It is too much fun. It has everything, right? Some use it to gamble, right? Some play chess on it. Anyway, gambling online can be done. People play games, watch movies and news, read, make friends and chat. Everything is too convenient.
However, all our intelligence is focused only on these technologies. We seldom spend time studying to elevate our mental state, which is absolutely related to our health. Many people don’t have the opportunity to come here to learn. Even more fall ill because of their outlook and mindset of the world.
Of course, human illnesses come from a few major sources. The 1st is heredity; the 2nd is diet; the 3rd is the air we breathe. The 4th is work or accidents. Many illnesses are caused by our work. The 5th is mental stress. Many things can cause mental disorders. Some people say stress from work is one. What else? Negative emotions, especially those from breakups.
Besides stress from work, if we can’t get what we want, we also fall ill. If we can’t find a person who loves us after searching for a long time, we will get ill. A sudden breakup, losing our family or financial stress can all make us ill. One day you are living in a big house, free and happy. The next you are unemployed and can’t pay the mortgage. You went from a big house to a garage. You wouldn’t be able to stand it. Actually, your living space is roomy, but you still can’t stand it and get ill.
Negative emotions cause many illnesses. The last cause, negative emotions, needs more discussion. The damage caused by negative emotions is extensive and can induce illnesses. I know many people from all walks of life, including many TCM and Western doctors. We discussed the relationship between health and emotions. We all have the same common view about it.
Today, most people believe in Western medicine. I know some heart surgeons. Also some family doctors. They have over 20 years of experience and treat all types of illnesses. All agree that mental stress leads to many afflictions that can cause various illnesses, such as heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases and mental disorders. These are caused by negative emotions.
Can they cause digestive issues? (Yes.) Which organs are part of the digestive system? The stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, gallbladder and pancreas. Can negative emotions cause problems with digestion? (Yes.)
A Western medicine family doctor with 25 years of experience told me that negative emotions easily damage the digestive system. The heart doctor disagreed, believing they harm the heart the most. If the heart is damaged, so is the brain. The doctor mainly treats the heart and brain. He said negative emotions damage the heart and brain most. The family doctor disagreed, believing that negative emotions damage the digestive system the most.
At the end of the Qing Dynasty, a famous doctor could cure all types of illnesses by treating the digestive system. He was very capable and became a miracle doctor. He felt almost all illnesses were related to the state of the digestive system. He mainly dealt with digestion. For example, you have intensified internal heat or fire, red eyes and a thick tongue coating. To cool down, he believed that when the fire in the stomach is reduced, the liver problem is gone.
Thus, both TCM and Western medicine recognize that negative emotions can cause serious health issues, including cancer. Almost all breast cancers are caused by negative emotions. This is my belief. I also believe almost all cancers are caused by negative emotions. Emotions play an important role in our health. Negative emotions create bad hormones and energy. Cancer cells are all previously good cells that became malignant. What causes them to become malignant? Negative emotions.
During meditation practice, my experience is that when we treat others with compassion and kindness, we are joyful. I am extremely joyful if I offer kindness and help to others. If you gain health after practicing dharma, or if your financial situation improves, I am overjoyed. This joy is not limited to my mind. My cells are also changing due to compassion. Compassion is like bubbles from boiling water, each cell basking in the warmth. This physical sensation is called “dharma bliss” in our cultivation. This is a special term.
This is heartfelt and an inner feeling. This joy and bliss seem to arise from the core. This feeling is the best medicine to heal illness. Such a feeling can produce healthy and happy energy within the body. When an emotion arises, male or female, young or old, each of our cells activates and naturally produces different energies. The good or bad energy determines good or bad health, and also defines our intelligence or levels of wisdom.
In my experience, when we do good deeds, give, or help others, we are happy. Just this sense of happiness allows us to leave suffering and gain happiness, and transform the residue of negative emotions left in our cells, which are the cause of malignant illness. Malignant illnesses are hidden within everyone. If we conduct ourselves with compassion, the energy arising in our body transforms the bad cells caused by negative emotions or bad genes that haven’t yet turned cancerous.
I compare these genes to clouds that haven’t rained. We often see clouds in the sky, and many of them don’t produce rain, as they haven’t formed into heavy, thick clouds. If it rains, it is as if the genes have become cancerous. When clouds are light and fluffy, my dharma bliss is like a gust of wind that blows them away. These bad genes then can’t turn into illness.
Last week, someone told me about his brother-in-law, just turns 40, who had an annual check-up and received good results. He works in a bank. A few months after his exam, he felt pain. After a check-up, it turned out to be lymphatic cancer. He had physical exams annually and no issues were found after the exam and blood tests a few months earlier. Suddenly, 3 or 4 months after this exam, he felt discomfort. After another check-up, it was confirmed to be cancer.
Why? It is accumulated energy of malignant illness. Why was this illness discovered in such a short period of time? During that period, he must have undergone great mental stress. Then he experienced discomfort only to find it was cancer. Soon after his diagnosis, he was so scared he couldn’t walk and had to use a wheelchair. You laugh, but with such a diagnosis you wouldn’t be able to walk or speak either.
Before his exam, he still quarreled with his wife about which school their child should attend. His voice was loud, but after the exam, he couldn’t walk and bought a wheelchair. He spoke very gently to his wife after that. He couldn’t speak, and his health deteriorated quickly. Before his illness, he weighed 80 or 90 kg, but it dropped to just over 30 kg.
All negative emotions, such as stress, breakups, relationships and financial issues are outside of our body, right? However, they are destructive to our health. Of course, some illnesses may not be caused by negative emotions but by other factors, such as pollutants, radiation or polluted water. Nowadays, industrial pollution is serious, polluting almost our entire environment.
Lots of our drinking water is poisonous. Now people are smarter, using a water purifier at home. Whether it works or not, they still use it if they suspect their water isn’t clean. If tap water has too many pesticides, it could also kill us. So, sometimes it is necessary to purify the water we drink. But, besides that, negative emotions cause many illnesses. Except for a cold, almost all illnesses are caused by negative emotions.
If negative emotions cause illness, are there positive emotions that induce health? Yes. What are the main positive emotions? Someone says romantic love. I believe romantic love has some healing power. If you are not tall, after dating, you feel taller. Is there such a case? Only corn stalks and bamboo grow taller. OK. I won’t keep you guessing. The core positive emotion is compassion.
Being compassionate allows you to have joy, happiness and comfort. These are physical feelings, like touching. Say, now I feel warm, nervous or relaxed. These are feelings which are very important to our health. Thus, that is why when teaching everyone meditation, I stress compassion, with a light from our heart that illuminates us. We need to chant. When we chant, gratitude arises. You recall the loving kindness of parents raising you, your master teaching you and good friends helping you.
Our brain always thinks, never stopping, not even in dreams. My methods make good use of our thought process and memory. Thinking is creativity. Combined with memories, we create new compassionate, happy thoughts. We will gain health. This is the principle of my dharma teaching. We often think of happy, beautiful things. Some say romantic love is happiness, but this love doesn’t last long.
You say you are still married after 50 years. Just look how persistent you are. Though you are still married, there is still danger of divorce, right? An 85-year-old couple wanted a divorce. Their grandson advised them to make peace, saying, “Grandpa, if you divorce, I will lose faith in relationships. I won’t marry anyone.” The grandparents made peace, saying, “Let’s get divorced in our next life.” Not get married in the next life, but get divorced. They didn’t divorce as they were afraid their grandson wouldn’t believe in love. Look how they ended up.
Let me tell you: Our emotions create our illness, suffering, death or longevity. We can control all of these. If not, there is no need to cultivate or learn meditation. The Chinese don’t need to immigrate if fate can’t be transformed. Right? Why do we pursue studying overseas? It shows that through learning, many things can be transformed. After learning, we learn to allow ourselves to have happy emotions, or gratitude, the origin of which is compassion.
Because of compassion, we can have many beautiful, happy and kind acts, and many new good feelings. What is compassion? Some naturally think parental love is compassion. It is indeed compassion, but it is not All-Compassion. After a woman becomes a mother, the difficult process of child-bearing and raising the child is actually her happiest moment in life. Because of this happiness, she is also the most intelligent, fulfilled and the healthiest she can be.
After children grow up, women start having illnesses. Menopausal symptoms come like an advancing army. Unhappy incidents occur. If a woman is still raising a young child when menopause approaches, menopausal symptoms decrease. She feels she is still a young mother. Our happiness, creativity and giving makes us healthy. Thus, giving love is a very happy and healthy act. However, parental love is compassion at most. It is not All-Compassion.
Even if you burnout yourself or die for your children to raise them, it still isn’t All-Compassion. It is still parental love that falls in the range of compassion. What is larger than that? Every day we get the grace of the sun, right? Anyone hate the sun? There surely are such people. If yes, they are definitely depressed. There must be people who avoid the sun, but they must be depressed. The sun brings us enthusiasm, a sense of freedom, joy, happiness, creativity and motivation to move forward. That is the sun.
So, All-Compassion is like sunshine shining upon all things daily, giving the world love, energy, vitality and creation without asking for anything. What will people with such All-Compassion do? They will contribute, give and have an altruistic attitude to benefit others, not asking for anything in return. They will be kind, tolerant, accepting and understanding of others’ feelings. Most importantly, they like to help others, love this world, love all things in this world, treat others and conduct themselves with gentleness and compassion.
People with such a heart are called great people or saints. Only with such a mind can we gain true health and fundamental wisdom.
(True compassion is only to give and contribute, asking for nothing in return. Only with true compassion can we gain true health and fundamental wisdom.)
There are different degrees of compassion. If you open a restaurant, this can easily be seen. Many medical or dietary experts all express the same view. When choosing food, the healthiest and cleanest are raw ingredients. Rice or flour may be exposed to pesticides. If rice cakes are made, they may be exposed to another poison such as additives. If rice is combined, the food may be exposed to a 3rd poison. A different poison is added with each processing step. That is if the business people have no morals or compassion.
Lots of food comes in packages with no clear production or expiry dates. You need to guess what some printed numbers mean. Are these business people nice? (No.) They are harmed by their evil thoughts, and they harm others too. Their unclear information keeps you uninformed. Even if the food was made and packaged 10 years ago, they still sell it. I saw 2028 printed as an expiry date. How can a pack of chestnuts last this long? If the chestnuts last that long, they will be mummified by then. They would be inedible, but could be displayed in a museum. These people have guts.
A couple of years ago, while in Taiwan teaching dharma, a TV station revealed the test results of a famous brand of instant noodles made by a Chinese mogul. You can also find his products here. They are sold in various countries. They are sold most in China. He used industrial oil. His products are available all over the world. Imagine: Is he rich? Yes. He has so much money, doesn’t know how to spend, and still makes deceptive products.
After a first shady business deal that earned him money, will a businessman behave? Even if he becomes rich, he still does shady business deals. He continues to have the mentality of paupers and robbers. He still harms others. Ignorant people have no idea that his instant noodles contain industrial oil. Thus, every processing step adds more poison and harm. Is that compassion?
Here we should apply compassion. Compassion can be applied to each person, profession, identity and age group. Now we talk about matters of the adult world. If we have compassion, at least we can’t bear to harm others. I was very angry after reading the report. I didn’t cultivate well. I couldn’t keep calm, as some people expected. Don’t take that seriously. Pretend you didn’t hear that. A disciple told me, “Master, this is common. A practitioner shouldn’t be angry about this.” It makes sense. I need to continue to cultivate.
How can you keep calm? Is Guanyin Bodhisattva a cultured or uncultured person? When all beings are in need or afflicted, Guanyin will come to help. Guanyin is busier than US firemen. She goes wherever there are afflictions. Can Guanyin remain calm and free? Compassion is not about being calm. When a supreme commander sees a war arising, he remains calm to see how he can help the victims. Being compassionate is about helping when people face death.
It is wrong to see an injured person and ignore them because they aren’t related to you. If we are compassionate, we help others without asking for anything in return. We don’t do things that go against reason and Nature. When we are about to harm others, we are fearful and stop. When we price products, we should be more generous and lower prices. When we know it is poison, we avoid using it.
When compassion is applied in business, it is the biggest contribution to society. In our daily life, the food we buy has hidden dangers. Compassion is extensively needed. Without compassion, what would teachers or doctors do? Some school teachers ask children about their parents’ occupations and salaries. Then they decide how much time they will spend teaching them. They have no compassion. Can they truly dedicate themselves to teaching? Can they teach and educate with morality? No.
Many doctors are even worse. They have no cure for cancer patients, but still make them spend all their money. How many medical accidents happen every year? Wrong diagnoses and prescriptions that cause death abound. Most American doctors are experts, cultured and moral. What about the places with immoral doctors? Patients are like sinners, suffering in hell.
If people are compassionate, things happen differently. In the early era of the Republic of China, some Catholic organizations opened schools and hospitals. During the war, they helped injured people free of charge. The practitioners in those organizations were truly All-Compassionate. I have to say they were wonderful and deserve my utmost reverence. Nowadays, many hospitals fight with their patients. Some patients only pay part of the surgery fee. After the surgery, they can’t pay the rest and quarrels begin.
In any profession, with compassion, we reduce harming others, thus avoiding bad karma. Hurting others eventually hurts us. I hope everyone remembers this law. Hurting others hurts us. Or, “Harming others is harming ourselves”. This is clearer. The opposite, or positive saying, is “Helping others helps ourselves.” That is for sure.
(Harming others is harming ourselves. Helping others is helping ourselves. Compassion is needed by everyone, every profession and individual. Compassion brings great contributions to society.)
For ordinary people who are businessmen and managers, they want to create a management system that can tightly control others. Inconsiderate management makes employees annoyed and tired. When micromanaged, employees lack a sense of responsibility and become careless. If the boss isn’t compassionate, but mean, bitter, stingy, under pays and exploits his employees by various means, the workers are angry, right? Eventually, the boss will suffer.
If managers are compassionate, give their employees good benefits, are tolerant, speak gently and care for them, the results are much better. Overseas, I have heard that network or computer companies here have done well. During breaks, there are free refreshments, right? (Yes.) Some companies do so, right? Some allow you to use the gym for free. Ladies can use facial masks, right? Anyway, there are lots of employee benefits, such as giving employees stock shares. Right? (Yes.)
These bosses know how to run a business. They are talented elites. This is good and positive. The bosses are willing to give to their employees. Actually, the bosses will gain more. If everyone is a shareholder, everyone is the boss, so how can you not love your company? This encourages employees to work wholeheartedly. Female and male employees can both take parental leave. This favors the employees, and is the embodiment of compassion.
If strict management is combined with care, gentleness, consideration and compassion, this will make everyone feel at home and part of the company. They are proud of the company. This isn’t easy. When employees take leave, work is surely delayed. The boss actually loses money. In the long term, when the employees return, they repay the kindness. Eventually, the loss and gain are balanced. The employees are relatively stable. Combine management with compassion. Good results will arise.
The talk of compassion reminds me of ancient India. It was about 2000 years ago (One century BC). King Ashoka’s story was made into a movie. Today, a country can be as large as the USA, but thousands of years ago, tribes or families were the units of society. Ancient India consisted of such tribes, living within 100 or 20 square kilometers. Later, through war, wisdom or business, some tribal lands became larger, turning into a small country.
Wars never stopped because of afflictions, hatred or greed. The more countries, the more wars. Neighboring countries fought many wars for control of the land. Ashoka, the leader of a small country, was somewhat like China’s Emperor Qinshihuang. He conquered many countries, not through negotiation, but by fighting and killing. In those days, only war could unite small countries into a big country.
Actually, it was hard for him to unite them into a country. He killed many people. Children dared not cry upon hearing Ashoka’s name. They were scared of him. He was like a demon. But imagine: Fighting a war took time, but afterwards, would there be a rebellion? Say, after conquering these countries, taxes were collected. If they didn’t pay their taxes, they would be arrested and beheaded, or all their treasures taken. He became emperor and could force them to do so.
With compassionate policies, he didn’t collect taxes and would give if he had extra. If there were local disasters, Ashoka would offer support. In the end, everyone thought this king was good, helping them instead of collecting taxes. They listened to him and surrendered to him. They followed his rule. We can truly conquer people with compassion, kindness and warmth. Knives and swords conquer people in the moment. Afterwards, rebellions arise.
He also spread Buddhism all over India. He built 84,000 pagodas. Many of them still exist. The most famous is his half-moon stone pagoda. It was a symbol of Buddha’s pagoda or grave, symbolizing compassion. The Ashoka pillar was topped with carved lions. Indian friends may know Ashoka’s pillar. Indian friends may know Asoka’s pillar. He said: “I will conquer the world with compassion. I won’t harm you anymore. I will give you many benefits”. Then he truly united ancient India.
This is the greatest management. It can be achieved only by compassion. Without compassion, a king wouldn’t be able to govern a country. Force won’t conquer people’s hearts. The Chinese made many TV shows about Qin Dynasty emperors. From them we learn that it is difficult to be an emperor. It is hard for anyone who wants that top position. You can’t use your power to kill whomever you want. It is hard to sway with a knife.
In ancient times, kings should have treated their people as if they were gently holding a baby. Then they would be true kings. If they indulged in dissipation, citizens surely rebelled. Kings are like ships, and their people like water. It is so easy for water to capsize a ship. In the Beijing area of China, there is a town named “Huairou”. This name comes from the idea of governing people as if gently holding and caring for a baby.
A great king should treat his people with such All-Compassion. Often they drew their swords, withdrawing them after their anger subsided. Thinking about the merits of the other, the kings couldn’t kill them. As the kings couldn’t use their swords, they became qualified kings.
(If bosses are compassionate, caring for their employees, they will be grateful, repaying the company in return. A great king conquers the world by treating his people gently, as if holding a baby.
I like to watch America’s “Discovery Channel”. The program is about Nature and science research, which I really like. I chose the wrong profession. I should’ve become an inventor. I like experimenting. I saw an experiment done by scientists: Different energies directed toward plants created varied results. Cucumber seeds were given the same soil, fertilizer and water, but exposed to varied thoughts, language and music.
For example, Cucumber Group A was praised: “Little cucumber, you are so beautiful. You are more handsome than your dad.” The highest praise was given. The language used was praise, praise, praise. Cucumber Group B was cursed: “You are so ugly; uglier than your grandma. You are the ugliest cucumber in the world. Many worms crawl over you.” They did both for 10 minutes daily.
In half a month, the cursed cucumber was dead. The praised cucumber seedling grew large and produced many cucumbers. Grown in the same environment and conditions, the same water and fertilizer, the only difference being one was praised and the other cursed. Even plants understand our thoughts.
When we treat them with praise and compassion, actually we are sending a wave or magnetic field of compassion, which is more beneficial to growth and reproduction. Conversely, a harmful field is cruel and cold, lacking vitality. The seedling died because it was cursed. In the past, some died immediately when cursed. Any of our female students do this? They probably wouldn’t admit it. We know such a person isn’t a hero at all. They are a fierce tiger.
The difference between compassion and harming others is life and death. One is paradise and the other is hell. How huge the difference is! Compassion can be used in business management or family relationships. Conduct yourself well, regardless if you are a teacher, doctor, employee or boss. You will conduct yourself with compassion, right?
Look how those company bosses conduct themselves. They are not exploiting or oppressing, but giving, caring and contributing. When you are on maternity leave, your boss still pays you, and even sends you gifts. When the baby is a month old, he treats you to dinner. These bosses know how to conduct themselves. Their companies will surely grow strong. If they choose the correct path, their companies will develop. Compassion allows a company to thrive. How much will a compassionate company grow? Beyond imagination.
When we are compassionate, we become happy. In my practice, I have noticed something. When I help others with All-Compassion and don’t ask for anything in return, I am very happy. When others are ill, if I can’t heal them with my abilities, I am unhappy. If they recover, I am very happy. The happiness can be described as “heartfelt”. This is called “dharma bliss” in our practice. This dharma bliss is being at ease in body and mind. One is full of compassionate and illuminated energy. This energy can curb malignant tumor growths and clear precancerous growths. It undoubtedly brings health to our body and mind. Understand this and you can greatly benefit from this retreat.
If you don’t have this morality or understand this, you just harm others for your own reasons. People you hurt most are those close to you, often relatives and friends. If they are enemies, you don’t go near them. You don’t actually harm the enemy who killed your father. You just occasionally think of revenge and don’t carry it out. So you don’t hurt your real enemy, but harm your own relatives and friends, even colleagues. Because they are closest to you, it is easy to have small disputes.
What do we do then? From today on, practice compassion. Cultivate compassion in your heart. What does that look like? I visualize a sphere of illumination shining brightness like a night pearl. Let the brilliance keep expanding. I believe those American mogul bosses know the smart way of combining business and compassion. Possessing both of these, this person can withstand fortune and glory. Not everyone can hold this energy. It is hard for an ordinary person to own billion-dollar assets.
Few people who suddenly win the lottery live well afterwards. They may encounter many problems, because they can’t handle it mentally. If you want to achieve great success, you need to learn and practice, elevating slowly, like climbing a mountain. Fully equip yourself with the best experiences, then you can gain people’s hearts. You will be popular with the energy of attraction and charisma. When you speak, many will cooperate with you and carry out your orders. This is life cultivation.
If we don’t cultivate, we are less than grass or wood. However ignorant or wrong we were, through cultivation and elevation, we can become healthy and happy, with ease of body and mind. We bring ourselves, our family, relatives and friends health and happiness. This feeling of being happy in life and work is most important.
Raise your hand if you have someone to love. Many may say, “No. I don’t have someone to love.” Don’t you love your mother? Your mom is your biological mother, right? Do you have someone to hate or detest? Please raise your hand. I want to ask those who raised hands if they know the person they hate or detest? (Yes.)
This is something we need to understand. When we have bad ideas, such as harming others, greed, stealing or sexual misconduct, do we have a physical reaction? When we have these negative emotions, how does our body respond? We would be uptight. But if we receive love, care, warmth, money and help, the opposite happens, right? At this moment, our body is full of heat, enthusiasm, warmth and relaxation. We have no hesitations and worries, right?
When you have a harmful heart, you are nervous. Being nervous, you are naturally scared or uptight. Actually, it is not easy to be a thief. Thieves are nervous when they steal. I find thieves to be slender, as they are always nervous. To what degree? After they finish eating hot pot, they have diarrhea. Although they steal lots of money, thieves usually aren’t rich.
Why? Knowing their deeds are sinful, they spend all the money they steal. The next day they may be in jail, so they spend the money recklessly. So, among thieves, there are no rich thieves. Thieves have a figure like a mouse. Because of nervousness. Thieves or nervous people tend to suffer from diarrhea or vomiting.
Many Buddhist practitioners are chubby. They have no intention to harm others. They are at ease and as carefree as a simpleton. So they grow heavy like a big pumpkin. They are at ease and absorb whatever they eat. Even if the food is light, they absorb it, they are carefree. A tolerant heart brings a tolerant, heavier body. Though your body isn’t good-looking, you are at ease.
Don’t worry. OK? If you want a good heart and figure, then practice prostration. Prostration reduces the weight around our abdomen, not other parts. Rest assured, OK? Compassionate or harmful thoughts lead to different mental and physical responses, which determine whether we are healthy or ill. The most important thing is to prevent malignancies from growing. Compassion’s magnetic field prevents or curbs malignant growths.
One more thing: People with compassion and people with evil thoughts send out different energy waves. You may experiment with this. A person with great compassion attracts small animals. Cats or dogs will rub against your legs. If you stand there and no animals come near you, you are not compassionate enough.
When I was young, less than 20 years old, my compassion wasn’t enough. Dogs avoided me, as I was scared of them and wanted to beat them. When we are afraid, we may want to harm something, thinking, “If you come near me, I will beat you”. I was bitten once by a dog. The tooth mark is still visible on my right ankle. A big black dog bit me. Because of fear, I ran away from it. The more I ran, the more tenaciously the dog chased and bullied a timid person like me.
When I grew up, I had no more intention to beat dogs. Dogs come near me now and rub against my legs. Even animals such as tigers, lions and wolves would rub against me and leave. You can test this out in a zoo. Forget it. You are not allowed in. This magnetic field of compassion can be gained by practice. Animals bite you not because of their prowess, but fear. After biting you, they run away as they fear you. Pay attention: If you praise an animal instead of fearing it, it won’t bite you.
If you understand the difference between compassion and bad thoughts, make a choice. Do you want to become a good person or a bad one? (A good one.) If you want to be a good person, you should have compassion. Start by talking to people gently. OK? Be gentle with your words. In business, you should have a kind heart, and charge less. As a daughter-in-law, be nice to your mother-in-law.
Whether you take me as your master, it doesn’t matter, but if you apply my teachings, you won’t have wasted the time spent for this retreat. Once home, you will like the family you didn’t like. You will think your mother-in-law is nice and contributes a lot to your family. She raised such a good son who became your husband, right? If you think this way, you get my point.
Learn to love all sentient beings. Start by helping others. Start with your family and friends, OK? If ladies here are married, and your parents-in-law are still alive, call them tonight before 12am, telling them, “I like you very much.” I hope I haven’t put you in an awkward situation. You don’t have to do this assignment. If you think your Master’s words are reasonable, apply them. Do you know what will happen if you do this assignment? Your husband will love you so dearly.
What I teach everyone is to allow you to find or create your own paradise in life. That is the dharma I teach. Thank you all.
(One good thought creates Heaven; one evil thought creates hell. Cultivate compassion in your heart, then you can create Heaven in your life.)