Let faith not fade

If I remember correctly, 8 years ago, my Master Venerable gave a lecture called “Have Faith in the Three Jewels", which left a great impression on me.

Buddha is a fully enlightened being who saves sentient beings.

Dharma is the truth, the truth of suffering - emptiness - impermanence - no-self.

The Sangha is a group of learners, harmony and purity.

All of us have heard these things at least once in our lives, right? As a Buddhist, everyone knows it by heart.

When we look at the existing life, we realise that nothing is perfect, and flawlessly beautiful. In the sutra, it depicts a perfect magical world with a clear blue sky. On the contrary, the reality of this life is full of insecurity like a dark gray color of the sky on a stormy day. 

The sutra describes the pure Land of Ultimate Bliss with the daily chant: "...this land is truly dignified" but the reality of life on earth is so harsh: competition, gaining and losing, which is impure… It’s unbearable!

Those who vow to follow the footsteps of the Tathagata, left behind the worldly dust (all mundane things that can cloud the  bright self-nature), open their hands with pure love. However, for whatever reason, those whom we met with similar appearance are unenlightened ordinary people with sin...? It’s unbearable!

Hey destined fellow! Buddha taught us to walk the middle path with flexible feet, strong hands and bright eyes. We live in a temporary realm. Thus, having or not having, pretty or not pretty, good or bad, it is just temporary. Unless a lotus flower blooms in a pure heart, then relying on a Saint, that is no longer a matter of discussion. Yet! destined fellow, let’s have a good look at the two sides of the hand, let’s open your arms to embrace the imperfection, and let’s open your heart to love the difficulties. In our hearts, there is a lamp that needs to be maintained. The lamp carries the light of faith in people, in life and if not in everything: to believe in the good, and to avoid the bad…

Faith that is ignited by good oil, a durable wick, a strong curtain, a stable lamp base, won’t have to worry about the lamp going out or wobbling. Unless we want to.

And one more thing: truth-tellers are, in any case, worthy of trust and respect.

Wish you have faith

 Tâm Cung

 Translated into English by Thai Nhuoc Don