Good morning, fellow students. Throughout Chinese history, the "Treatise on Response and Retribution" has been well recognized by the majority of the people. Many have adapted the teachings and the results have been inconceivable. The "Compilation of the Treatise on Response and Retribution" is a collection of accounts telling of the remarkable results from responses. Ancient people had guided and encouraged us to be kind and honest. Although my last visit to Australia was only four days, the practitioners there used the opportunity to ask me to lecture on the essence of "Liao-Fan's Four Lessons". The principles of response and retribution have been previously explained in the main theme at the beginning of the book.

"I Ching, the Book of Changes" explained that "A family that accumulates goodness is certain to have abundant happiness and a family that accumulates evil is certain to have abundant misery". Those who are kind and honest are assured of having good fortunes. Those who are caustic are assured to fail although they may presently be living in prosperity. If we observe carefully, these principles and this reality can be seen all around us. Therefore, the prosperity of an individual, a family, a group, a country lies in honesty and kindness, in severing wrongdoings and practicing good deeds.

Ancient people have said that those who understand these principles should widely circulate these teachings. In other words, we should emulate Master Yin-Guang. Throughout his life, Master Yin-Guang wholeheartedly circulated "Liao-Fan's Four Lessons" and the "Complete Book of An-Shi". The circulation of these three books has far surpassed that of Buddhist sutras and commentaries. Why did Master Yin-Guang do this? To save the world from severe disasters. What is the cause of these disasters? Our improper thoughts and conduct.

As Buddhism explains, "Dependent reward changes with proper minds". Dependent reward is our thought and conduct. When our hearts are virtuous and kind, our environment will reflect this. When our hearts are not virtuous, our environment will worsen. Therefore, we need to be familiar with and deeply contemplate the teachings in this book and put them into practice. Daily, we need to check our every rising thought, word and deed to see if they accord with the teachings of the "Treatise on Response and Retribution". We can think, say and do everything that accords with the teachings and refrain from all those that contradict them. We need to contemplate often the meanings within the teachings and exert ourselves in our practice. We will then have a boundless and bright future.

I began to learn Buddhism when I was twenty-six. Many practitioners knew that I did not have good fortune and was not supposed to have a long life. They said that I would not live past the age of forty-five and I believed them. Since, many people in my family had not lived beyond forty-five, I accepted that I would not do so either. The lack of good fortune is the result of not practicing for it in past lifetimes.

Thanks to having a few good roots, intelligence and wisdom, I was able to accept virtuous teachings. When Mr. Jing-Zhou Zhu introduced "Liao-Fan's Four Lessons" and the "Treatise on Response and Retribution" to me, I was touched after reading them. I realized what my faults were and began to reform. I learned patience and tolerance. The good fortune and the long life that I now have are the results of my practice in this lifetime, not from those in previous ones. I owe this to the teachings from Master Yin-Guang. I have lectured numerous times on these three books. Since fellow practitioners have requested that I do so again, I have agreed to do so because now is a perfect time.

What is the reason behind the lack of achievement in our learning and practice? If we can just determine the cause and remove it, then no matter what method we practice, we will attain results. It is especially important to do so today, when disasters are increasing in severity and frequency. Last month, in Australia, a practitioner brought me three books on "Ancient Prophecies". In two weeks, I had finished the books and understood that what I had read in the past were only excerpts. Due to my insufficient cultivation, I was unable to understand without reading the whole book. So, I read the original book by Nostradamus, recognized around the world as a great prophet. He was like Mr. Kong in "Liao-Fan's Four Lessons". Nostradamus' predictions about future changes and societal disorder were very accurate, but he did not tell us how to resolve them. Mr. Kong's predictions about Mr. Liao-Fan's future were very accurate, but he was unable to tell him how to change it.

Mr. Liao-Fan was extremely fortunate to meet Zen Master Yun-Gu who taught him that we create our own destiny and thus, we can change it. Mr. Liao-Fan was able to do this. Throughout Chinese history, there have been many people like Mr. Liao-Fan. Once we are able to understand these principles and methods, we also will be able to create and change our own destiny. In this way, our future will be bright. However, it is not easy to understand these principle and methods, so we need to put forth the effort to learn them.

Here in Singapore, we have the opportunity to lecture extensively on great sutras. These teachings have been clearly explained to us but do we genuinely understand them after listening to a few lectures? Not really. Hearing and listening to these principles only a few times cannot build our confidence, much less help us to deeply understand them. Fortunately, the "Flower Adornment Sutra" is very long. At the rate we are progressing, I estimate that it will take approximately fifteen years to complete the entire lecture series. If the conditions to become immersed in and to practice the teachings for fifteen years exist, then many people will become awakened. But, without this much time, we will not be able to achieve attainment.

If we are unable to listen to live lectures, then the alternative is to choose a secondary method like listening to audio or videotapes or downloading from the Internet. When we immerse ourselves in the teachings and practice daily, without interruption, it will take three to five years of accomplishment to build up our confidence. Modern people are different from ancient people who had calm minds and hearts that were honest and kind. Today, people are brusque, impatient and impetuous.

Without these three to five years of being immersed in the teachings, we cannot build up our confidence. With eight to ten years of study, we can truly understand the teachings and the way to practice. I myself am a good example. Throughout my life, my mind has been calm and peaceful because I have no desires. I do not compete with others or ask for anything. Therefore, my mind has been calmer, more peaceful than others. This has been a great help in my learning and practice.

If our minds are unsettled, impatient, impetuous and have strong desires for fame, wealth, lust, food/drink and sleep as well as the Six Dusts of sight, sound, smell, taster touch and thought, then these will become the greatest obstacles to our cultivation. They will only result in our committing bad karmic deeds. And this is why we have not achieved in our practice. When one individual practices, that individual attains good fortune. When one family practices, that family attains good fortune. When people in one region practice, that region can be exempt from disasters.

Singapore is not that big. I have been lecturing here for around twelve years. Why is it that with the same amount of time spent in lecturing, results can be seen here but not in other regions? Because the education received by Singaporeans is different from that of other regions. Singaporeans are honest, well mannered and law abiding. Thus, they are able to think and practice earnestly after listening to Buddhism. When they feel that something is good, they work hard. As more people work hard, it becomes the accepted thing to do.

There is a good reason why Singapore, although a very small country, is well respected by people all around the world. Education is the primary reason. I understand that Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew received a British education. If he had received a (traditional) Chinese education, then the government would be even better than it already is. The Chinese have genuine wisdom and extensive experience. We need to understand what we are taught in Chinese education.

From the Han Dynasty (twenty one hundred years ago) to the early part of this century, the three goals of this education have never changed. First, it teaches us to understand the relationship between humans and how to behave as a decent person. Second, it teaches us to understand the relationship between humans and nature. Third, it teaches us to understand the relationship between humans and the beings and spirits of heaven and earth. If we thoroughly understand these relationships, then we are sages.

Buddhist education has three goals. Whether Theravada or Mahayana Buddhism, whatever school, all have three goals in their teachings. First, to refrain from all wrongdoings and practice good deeds. In the Five Vehicles of Buddhism (Humans, Heavenly beings, Sound Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas), the teachings help us to be born as a human or heavenly beings and not into the lower three bad realms. Second, to change from delusion into awakening so we will be able to transcend the six realms of reincarnation. While transcending, we become an Arhat, a Pratyekabuddha, a Bodhisattva or a Buddha. Third, to change from an ordinary person to become a sage, in other words, to transcend the Ten Dharma realms. In the "Flower Adornment Sutra" we learn that this is to become a Dharma Body Bodhisattva.

If we do not know and understand the guiding principles of the Buddha's teachings, then what are we learning? Only when we genuinely understand them, will we know the kindness of others and be able to repay our gratitude. Many worldly people do not know the kindness of others. Therefore, they do not know to repay their gratitude. In Mahayana Buddhism, knowing the kindness of others and repaying their gratitude is a required practice for Second Ground Level Bodhisattvas. So, even high level Bodhisattvas practice repaying gratitude. Second Ground Level Bodhisattvas have eight courses in their practice and this is one of them.

We also need to constantly bear in mind that we need "to practice filial piety for our parents and to be respectful of our teachers and elders". This is the foundation of our practice. From this we expand and praise filial piety and respect to include all sentient-beings. The "Brahma Net Sutra", a precept sutra, explains that "All men are my father. All women are my mother". This is unsurpassed filial piety and respect.

Today, many people are surprised when they see our sincere loving-kindness and our unconditional giving to religious groups and to people from different cultures. I explain that we are practicing the teachings of the "Flower Adornment" for we understand that all sentient beings throughout the entire universe are our pure Dharma Body. Knowing this, how can we not care for, support and give to others. If everyone understood this and was willing to do likewise, then there would be no more natural or human-made disasters. This is practicing Buddhism. But, how many people truly understand?

We need to daily adopt what we have learned into our every thought and deed. Therefore, we must truly exert ourselves to learn and practice the teachings in the "Treatise on Response and Retribution". The cases, examples and accounts on cause and effect are richly collected into the "Compilation of the Treatise on Response and Retribution". It would take too much time to study every one of them. I can only remind practitioners to earnestly recite and uphold its teachings and to seek our own happiness and good fortunes. This is all for today. Thank you.