(Venerable Master Miu King)

(28)     What is the difference between having faith and not having faith? To have the desire of entering the stream of the Noble ones is having faith.

(29)     If you harbor an intense greed and anger in daily life, it will influence you when you practice meditation. If the afflictions of greed and anger constantly arise, it will gradually decrease your wisdom. Therefore, “Virtuous teachings of the Noble Ones will not be able to enter your mind.” This is called bondage and is, therefore, an obstacle.

(30)     If we don’t forget the mind of renunciation and Bodhicitta, we will naturally follow the teachings of the Dharma.

(31)     If one maintains mindfulness according to the principle of the Dharma teachings, one will not lose the mind of renunciation and Bodhicitta. Even if they are forgotten temporarily, they would be easily remembered.

(32)     What is the deterioration of Buddhism? What is the flourishing of Buddhism? Buddhism deteriorates due to the low attainments of Buddhists; Buddhism flourishes due to the high attainments of Buddhists.

(33)    It should not only be at the last moment of our life that our mind be undisturbed and non-deluded but it should be this way also during our daily life. We should reinforce ourselves to have an undisturbed and a non-deluded mind while practicing the Four Foundations of Mindfulness according to the teachings of the Yogacaryabhumi Sastra and the Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra.

(34)     If you can really practice the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, i.e., using Samatha (serenity) and Vipassana (insight), you will gradually decrease afflictions and increase wisdom. Naturally, you will gain the happiness which results from your love of learning the Dharma. The Dharma will help people achieve Nirvana, and this is a true statement. What is wisdom? Learning and practicing the Dharma is wisdom. The Dharma is like sweet dew. Learning the Dharma is like continuously adding sweet dew to your life.

(35)     It is great to have faith in the Pure Land teachings and be able to chant the name of Amitabha Buddha. But, can we actually be reborn in the Pure Land? I think we should study the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra to increase our wisdom and to make our mind non-deluded. The important point is to make sure our mind is not deluded while we are alive. We should pay attention to this point.

(36)     We are disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha. As disciples of Sakyamuni Buddha, when we are learning the teachings of the Dharma in the conventional (Saha) world, we should practice as follows: learning the Dharma, practicing the Noble Path, and attaining the Noble Path. Hence, the sequence should be as follows: faith, understanding, practice, and enlightenment.

(37)     The method of achieving maximum result within the shortest period of time is to have right mindfulness. Right mindfulness should be maintained at every moment: during meditation and outside of meditation.

(38)     Home is the hoard of afflictions. Leaving home and living in a temple to enter the monastic life, you are only changing your objects of condition. After learning the teachings of the Dharma, we are then able to subdue our problems and not indulge in our afflictions. When we are capable of doing that, then we can be considered to be a virtuous person. When you continuously learn the teachings of the Dharma, you will be able to use the Dharma to subdue and not indulge in our afflictions. Using the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and Prajna wisdom to subdue the mind, we will gradually be able to eliminate all afflictions and become a Noble being.

(39)     The Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra said, “By contemplating that all phenomena are empty of self-nature, no birth, no permanent form, and no changeability, one will be able to realize the ultimate truth of all things. All phenomena are without action and without form arising”. If we only read this without reflection it would be useless. However, if we can reflect on the teachings during daily actions , living, sitting, and sleeping, and maintain attentiveness accordingly, with the help of Samatha (serenity), our strength will gradually increase and reach new heights, and finally we will attain the forbearance of no dharma arising.

(40)     The Madhyamika (Middle School) declares: “All phenomena are empty of self-nature”. All phenomenal existences are dependent upon causes and conditions; therefore, they are empty of self-nature. The teaching of the Consciousness-only school declares more subtly: “All phenomena that can be named and defined are ultimately empty”. Names /terms and their definitions are also dependent upon causes and conditions. They are empty in self-nature, too. However, if we don’t learn the teachings of the Consciousness-only (Mind-only) school, we won’t know: “all things that can be named and defined are ultimately empty of self-nature”. The usage of this saying is very penetrating.