Good morning all fellow students! Yesterday I lectured on the first two lines of “Treatise on Response and Retribution”, “Neither misfortune nor good fortune will come without reasons and conditions, we incur them”. There are countless cases, examples and accounts of past dynasties within the “Compilation of Treatise on Response and Retribution”. We need to be familiar with and consider every one of them. Due to time restrictions, we cannot explain all but will select and emphasize important points.

The Buddha often tells us in Mahayana sutras that “everything arises from our minds”. This is the Buddha’s correct perception and is also the meaning for “we incur them”. Ancient patriarchs told us that ordinary beings have many wandering thoughts and these can be categorized into three types: wandering thoughts of the past, present and future. If we often dwell on past honor or disgrace, feelings of gratitude or resentment, joy and sorrow in life, all these are wandering thoughts of the past. This is especially so for the elderly. Invariably they recall their youth and repeatedly tell their life stories to younger people repeatedly. These old stories belong to wandering thoughts of the past.

Sometimes we currently hesitate whether or not something should be done. These are wandering thoughts of the present. The third type is wandering thoughts of the future. In fact, future events are unpredictable. Some people there are many unlikely occurrences such as wealth, status or power. These thoughts are categorized as wandering thoughts of the future.

These three categories of wandering thoughts are infinite and immeasurable. They continue to arise one after another without interruption. We cannot belittle these wandering thoughts assuming they are nothing. This would be wrong. The rise of one wandering thought is one seed of causal karma. When a cause merges with a catalystic condition, an effect is generated. Good thoughts will generate good effects and bad thoughts will surely generate bad consequences. The reward or retribution of good and bad thoughts perfectly matches the cause we have planted. This is the source of good fortune and misfortune. We should remember, contemplate and practice the teachings of the Sages.

There is a story in the “Compilation of Response and Retribution” which is also mentioned in “Liao-Fan’s Four Lessons”. During the Song Dynasty, there was a man named Zhong-Da Wei. His story was very well-known. Not only did people during his time know the story, but later generations also knew about it as it was recorded in books.

One day, while he was in office at the Imperial Palace, he was brought before King Yama, the king of the Hell realms. Today, most people find his story difficult to believe, thinking it to be a fairy tale, but it is an actual event. When I was little, I encountered a similar situation, which I remember very clearly. I lived in a small city, which had been established during the Han dynasty, two thousand years ago.

In my youth, we lived in the countryside for a short time. It was approximately a two and half-hour walk to town, about twenty-five kilometers, not that far. I was living at my grandmother’s house. Two houses down from hers, a neighbor who was severely ill said a town god (as in Taoism) wanted to take him for some work. Some asked him what kind of work? "To be a mover" was his answer. The town god wanted to move and had captured many people to be his movers. The neighbor was one of them. What could be done to help him? He said, “Burn paper money so that I can hire people to replace me. Then, I would not need to go.” Therefore, his family members burned a large amount of paper money, paper horses and paper men. He probably hired people because he soon recovered from his illness.

Everyone was puzzled when they heard that the town god was moving. They realized why three days later when the City Temple (ruled by deity) was occupied by military forces who used the temple as their quarters. They destroyed all statues of the deities. The town god knew that the temple would be overtaken by the military and moved three days before it happened. We personally witnessed this truth. As stated in a proverb, “Spiritual beings dwell three feet over our head”. Whether we believe it or not, spirits do exist.

Today, we no longer read books by ancient virtuous people or believe their sincere advice. I have personally seen many cases and deeply believe the recorded accounts in the ancient books. The majority of the accounts in “Spiritual Collections”, “Notes from Yuewei Chamber” and “Confucius’ Unspoken Words on Spiritual Beings and Unusual Events” are actual facts, not unfounded fabrications or fables.

When King Yama led Zhong-Dai Wei into the spiritual world, the judge checked his entire life record of good and bad deeds. Astoundingly, the outcome of his bad records was piled as high as a mountain and his single good deed consisted of only one scroll. In other words, throughout his life, he only practiced one single good deed. Once he learned this, he asked, “ I am not even forty years old, how could I have committed so many bad deeds? The judge answered him, “The rise of every bad thought is recorded and filed in the nether world. It does not have to be carried out through action. Once the bad thought is carried out, the offense will be much more severe. Every bad or improper thought is recorded.

Mr. Wei then asked what his good deed was. Up to this point, King Yama was furious because Mr. Wei had more bad than good deeds. Later, the king brought a scale for the two records to be weighed. Surprisingly, the bad records were lighter than the single scroll of good deed. King Yama was delighted. Mr. Wei asked King Yama what was his one good deed. One time, the Emperor wanted to construct a bridge. Zhong-Da foresaw that it would waste money and cause hardships for the citizens, so he submitted a proposal asking the Emperor to reconsider the matter. However, the Emperor ignored his proposal. If the Emperor had listened to him, he would have accumulated much greater good fortune. Due to his sincerity and good intentions, his one good deed outweighed all his bad deeds.

From his case, we can see the need to reflect upon ourselves. King Yama told him, “Because of the countless misdeeds you have committed, there will be obstacles in your future. You were destined to become a Prime Minister. But now you have lost the opportunity”. Subsequently, he became a minister of Civil Administration, generally known as minister of internal affairs. He was one rank lower than that of Prime Minister.

Doing good or bad results in the Three Karmas of thought, speech and deeds. We commit misdeeds from dawn until dusk through our every thought, word and deed. If our thoughts, words and deeds accord with the Ten Good Conducts, then it is good. If it is contrary to them, it is bad. This is a general standard for differentiating good from bad. Other meticulous conducts are too numerous to count. Frankly, today in Buddhism, people can no longer meet the standard of Buddhist precepts and codes of behavior.

During the Ming dynasty, Masters Lian-Chi and Ou-Yi did everything they could to advocating “Sami Precepts”, which already has lowered the standards for being virtuous (from the time of Buddha Shakyamuni). If we can abide by the ten precepts and the twenty-four codes of behavior, then we are truly the Buddha’s students. Unfortunately, with the improvement of our standard of living, our moral values have declined. We no longer can abide by the ten precepts and the twenty-four codes of behavior.

Master Hong-Yi upheld the Five Fundamental Precepts and the Ten Good Conducts throughout his life. Master Hong-Yi was a monk with virtuous conduct and proper bearing. Because he knew he could not abide by the monk precepts, he addressed himself as a laymonk and abided by the Five Fundamental Precepts and the Ten Good Conducts.

Actually, Master Hong-Yi was not the first who called himself a laymonk. We can read in books, it was Master Ou-Yi’s student, Chen-Shi, who used this title. Master Ou-Yi was an earnest cultivator. After he was ordained, he relinquished the Monk Precepts. Why? Because it was difficult to meet the standards of the monk precepts. Since, the monk precepts were not properly passed down, it is not possible to uphold them.

Master Ou-Yi said that after the Southern Song Dynasty, there were no more ordained monks, so how would they attain the monk precepts at the end of the Ming dynasty. The monk precepts existed in name only. Hence, after the ordination, Master Ou-Yi relinquished the precepts. Throughout his life, Master Ou-Yi abided by and upheld the Sami and Bodhisattva precepts. Since Master Ou-Yi called himself a Sami, his student could not do the same. Instead, his student, Cheng-Shi, called himself a laymonk. We read that Cheng-Shi was the first to call himself a laymonk. In recent years, Master Hong-Yi also used this title. He was true to this title.

Practicing in our present time, if we are able to abide by the Five Fundamental Precepts and the Ten Good Conducts and mindfully chant "Amituofo" and seek birth into the Western Pure Land, then we will surely be born there. Why are there many people who long to be born into the Pure Land, but are unsuccessful? It is due to obstacles, the unwillingness to let go of worldly affinities. This is very important. All those who seek birth into the Pure Land must let go of all attachments and not be the least tainted by them.

In this life, if we have conditions to do good deeds on behalf of society and all people, then we need to do everything we can to do so. In this way, we will establish many good affinities with all sentient beings. In Buddhism, this is extensively establishing our dharma affinities. Master Xu-Yun, whom we are all familiar with, made use of his dharma affinities and his great influence to establish many way places to help young venerables cultivate. Once, the way places were established, he would let go of all control and never interfere or inquire about them. This is practicing great good fortune. We would do well to learn from him.

With the small influence we have, which is incomparable to Master Xu-Yun’s, we have encouraged numerous capable people to generate their Bodhi minds in establishing small way places. Today, there are over fifty Amitabha Buddhist Societies throughout the world, each independent of the other. We use our influence to begin the establishment of Buddhist societies. Once they are completed, we do not interfere or question how they are run. If we interfere and still have attachments, then we cannot attain birth into the Western Pure Land. By completely letting go of all worldly affairs in body and mind, we will be assured of being born into the Western Pure Land. This is very important.

Whether or not we can attain birth into the Western Pure Land lies in ourselves, not in the external environment. We must not pollute ourselves with prestige, wealth, the Five Desires and the Six Dusts. The Buddha taught us in the sutras that wealth, lust, fame, food or drink and sleep are five causes to be born in the Hell realm. If we cling to any one of the causes, we cannot escape from the Hell realm, so how can we attain birth into the Western Pure Land? We should bear in mind not to have greed or attachments. Therefore, we should joyfully accord with all conditions and not seek them. We should be content with all conditions, live simply with sufficient food and clothes and wholeheartedly practice the path to Enlightenment.

Throughout my life, my only work has been to give dharma talks, to propagate the teachings to benefit all sentient beings. I have not concerned myself with anything else. I neither own a way place nor have students. All the venerables in the past were accepted by the late president, Mrs. Han-Ying Gao. She also selected their Dharma names. I hope everyone will learn and practice earnestly and diligently.

Now, I am in my older years or as the ancients said, I have reached "the time to die". At seventy-three or eighty-four, no invitation is needed from King Yama of Hell. We can go on our own. What is there that we cannot bear to part with? Throughout my life, I have not managed people, matters or money. If I allow myself to do so now, it will be a grave mistake. I have let go of my worldly attachments and concerns, and dedicated myself to working for the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as long as I am alive.

We may begin our fifth training class later this year. Once the school premises at Yio Chu Kang have been approved, the number of students attending the training class may increase. The present students will become teachers. Each will teach two new students. This is a very special educational system. Therefore, you need to prepare adequately for it. Earnestly prepare and study “Practical Skills in Giving Lectures” and the “ Studies of Buddhist Lecture Courses”. In the future, each teacher will oversee two students, three students at the most.

Our educational teaching method is unique. I will check on the student’s progress at the completion of the course. Former students can pass on their skills to new students. Regarding the teaching materials on Buddhist texts, you can choose the “Infinite Life Sutra”, the “Amitabha Sutra” or shorter ones like the “ Sutra on the Eight Realizations of Great Beings” and the "Sutra of Good Fortune and Misfortune"(Ananda asks the Buddha is Practicing Buddhism a Good Deed). We have many reference materials available on these sutras. You can choose any one and prepare in advance. Many of the lectures have been typed and are very good reference materials. This is all for today. Thank You.