Tuesday, April 30, 2013

GM on ATTACHMENT TO SELF IS THE ROOT OF DISTRESSES




ATTACHMENT TO SELF IS THE ROOT OF DISTRESSES

Translated by the TBSN Translation Team At the weekend group-practice session held in Seattle Rey Tseng Temple on June 27th, His Holiness Living Buddha Lian-sheng spoke on "the root of distresses".

His Holiness said, "Attachment to self and the passions of self are the root of distresses. The love that Master Lian Teng has mentioned in his earlier sermon, is actually the passions of self. Freedom is lost after the passions of self is gained. You will therefore be distressed. On the other hand, failure to acquire the passions of self causes depression and disappointment. This will also cause distresses. Afflictions exist within and without the wall.

"I did not intend to get married even when I was thirty. At that time, my classmates and colleagues all remarked that Sheng-yen Lu must be a weirdo; he is the eldest son and yet remained unmarried at thirty. I have all the while been a carefree person. My parents did not hurry me into marriage. My family had never placed restrictions on me; they did not help me in anyway either. I am the carefree type of person.

"I was still single at thirty. My colleagues therefore concluded that I must have been suffering from some physiological defects. This is something that I cannot tolerate. (Grand Master and the audience laugh) I do not mind if you comment that I am a weirdo or whatsoever. These remarks do not affect me. The fact that they said I have physiological defects caused some struggles within me. I am certain that I do not have any physiological defects. (Grand Master laughs)

"I had no choice then! I said jokingly that I would settle for any woman. (Grand Master and the audience laugh) Actually, I did consider seriously over this matter. (Laughter) It is because of this rumor that I got married at the age of thirty. This is to show that I have no physiological defects.

"Last time, I have thought of not getting married. This is because the root of distresses stemmed from the passions of self. When the passions of self is gained, you are worried that you might lose it. Failure to acquire the passions of self also causes afflictions. This calculating mind of gain and loss is the attachment to self. Distresses arise when there is attachment.

"There are many people who because of their participation in political elections, experience a lot of worries. They are concerned with their own reputation, profits, love, children, career and wealth. These are all roots of distresses.

"Lord Buddha preached that one should generate the spirituality of non-self. Generate the spirituality that perceives the self as nothingness and all distresses will disappear. All worries stemmed from the notion of self. Without this notion of self there will be no distress. This is because all afflictions are adhered to your selfhood."

End.

No comments:

Post a Comment