Make a U-turn in front of the Malaysian Veterinary Department and wait for the traffic light to turn green
Search
Once the light turns green, make a gentle right turn and gradually merge into the left lane.
Stay in the left lane, reduce speed, and make a left turn at the Puzhao Temple sign to enter the temple grounds gradually.
Once the mind releases its hold on this seemingly real world and body, many burdens, defilements, and afflictions within begin to lighten. No longer panicked by the thought of losing everything in death, one faces it with greater composure.
"Prajñā is wisdom; pāramitā is perfect accomplishment or stages of practice. Practicing prajñā leads to perceiving the emptiness of the five aggregates, and its purpose is to liberate all suffering. Thus, perceiving emptiness is prajñā, while transcending suffering is pāramitā."
I remember when I first began studying Buddhism, this same monk would often lead evening chanting sessions beneath the bodhi tree, especially on Sundays. The devotees would gather to make offerings to the Buddha and the tree deity while the monk recited scriptures and gave brief, practical Dharma talks. His chanting was melodious, and his teachings were profound yet accessible. I often found myself deeply immersed in the recitations and benefited greatly from his words.
The functions of our six faculties and six consciousnesses are, in essence, the holistic functioning of the mind. When unified concentration is attained, the six faculties interpenetrate, and their functions become unobstructed. This is a highly advanced state of cultivation." Thus, even if suffering beings cannot cry out, Avalokiteshvara still perceives their anguish and manifests accordingly to offer relief.
Silent Illumination, championed by the Sòng dynasty master Hóngzhì Zhèngjué (宏智正覺), had faded in China but endured in Japan as "just sitting" (shikantaza). Master Shèngyán, through direct engagement with Hóngzhì’s teachings and Tang-era Chán’s living spirit, recognized this method as an ancient skillful means.
It is true that I enjoy drinking tea. It is true that I collect and care for teapots. And it is also true that I admire the profound artistry of the tea ceremony. But to say that I am "proficient" in it? That, I must deny. After all, to truly master any discipline or art is no easy feat—it requires meeting numerous conditions, many of which I lack.
I was already familiar with the huatou method, but the master’s detailed explanations gave me even greater clarity and confidence. As I immersed myself in practice, the huatou arose continuously—neither too tight nor too loose—and wandering thoughts ceased to arise. My entire being merged into the inquiry, the process clear and illuminated, the mind at ease as the doubt stirred by the huatou grew ever more pervasive.
The one who benefits most deeply during a Dharma talk is the speaker themselves. The act of teaching forces us to synthesize and clarify the Dharma, leading to profound personal realization. Sharing these insights with others becomes the greatest reward. This is why, when propagating the Dharma, I often find myself immersed in deep joy, as if bathing in an ocean of Dharma.