Ven Master Xue Wu 086（5）英國英語口音字幕 To build up a happy life, start with this one word: gratefulness.
Channel: See Through and Let Go
Date: 22/12/2021

學悟法師 Understanding Buddhism 20211215 Translation by Dylan Lee
MP3: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dYhfBqvO_K0GY8hIFD-TAToVUmayOe8R/view?usp=sharing
Text: https://xuewufashi.blogspot.com/2021/12/5-subtitle-text-ven-master-xue-wu-086.html

The roots of a happy human existence, a happy human life is being grateful.

There's a saying in the Thrice Yearning Ceremony: “I am Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha is me”. That is the truth, the ultimate reality and that's the point of why there are so many names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas because they are asked to tell you that you have such a vast range of, an endless range of meritorious deeds and meritorious qualities, in the truest sense of words, there are no limits.

It's good to keep a low profile, right? It's good advice, the best advice says we should keep a low profile otherwise you will attract a lot of obstacles if you have a  high profile, if everyone knows you, that means you lose your freedom in many ways.

Don't just pray every day without knowing why, don't always think about: I want to be rich and wealthy in front of them. Trust me, the more you ask, the less you get. Don't ask (Buddha), ask yourself, have I achieved the qualities, have I paid the cost needed, the Cause and Effect, have I achieved the qualities required to retain the wealth, position, and longevity? That's the point of offering to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. 

If everyone is educated to be a decent human being and practice it through role modeling from parents, teachers and each other, it's very easy to achieve what we call World Peace that has been out of reach for so many years. With this education starting with gratitude toward each other only then can we not allow any hatred or any jealousy to overcome our rational mind, our kind heart. So this is Buddhism. Gratefulness is Buddhism.

When someone asks you: who are you?

You must answer: I am Amitabha. Who are you? I am Guan Yin Bodhisattva.  Don't say: I'm Mr. Chai or I'm Joe or John or something. No! You must be clear about your True Nature! 

What does it mean? If you can answer, I am Amitabha, that means you have transcended the “me”, you know the ego, the shell that we are living in now, the illusions that we are in now. So if I am asked: Who are you? I answer: I am Venerable Xue Wu. I'm still not there yet.

34:59 It's all about yourself. We can talk about it in relation to others but ultimately everything is surrounding this True Nature, yourself, as in your True Nature, not the illusionary shells.

So by saying the names, by reciting the names, by recognizing the names of these awakened people  (you realize) you can do that, you are like that, you are able to achieve that.

When we chant Avalokitesvara, Guan Yin, Manjushri, Ksitigarba, they're all telling us to cultivate the virtues they represent. Each of these bodhisattva have virtues that they have mastered and tried to represent. Buddha represents your True Nature, your potential, your full rounded qualities. Bodhisattvas represent the cultivation of virtues, to shine the light upon this True Nature, that means the True Nature appears when you cultivate these virtues.

If we do not cultivate our capabilities of good fortune, wisdom, and your special gifts (talents) properly,  you cannot break through this threshold and you will be stuck in your illusory shell. That's why we need to cultivate our virtues. If  you want to go to the Pure Land, we must cultivate our infinite qualities. If we don't cultivate properly, if we don't chant his name properly to the depth of our heart, you can't achieve the happiness of the Pure Land. 

A lot of people say I want to live a long life, I want to be healthy, I want to be wealthy and prestigious. Some people say I want to have a good death. If one achieves these, especially a good death they'll have a good life beyond that. So where do  all of these good qualities come from? How do we cultivate them?  How do we achieve this?

All these things we trust, all this knowledge we learn, they are just a way, they’re a method. A few days ago someone asked me: How do I achieve longevity? I told him as long as you hold the precepts of No Killing then you will achieve longevity.

Back in Shakyamuni’s time, there was a Venerable who was 160 years old. How did he achieve this longevity, this merit? Because in his past life he has held the precept of No Killing. The Bodhisattva's name represents the merits of cultivating the virtues. Buddha represents our True Nature, the inherent qualities of our True Nature.

However you must go through what Bodhisattvas did which is cultivating this virtue to shed away the darkness that shrouds this True Nature and the person they're trying to talk to is yourself, no one else, yourself, just you, there's no second person in this.