Who can truly claim they've never done wrong? Some might say, "Yes, I've done wrong, but I've done more good." In truth, if we examine carefully, our negative actions typically outweigh our positive ones. Living in this troubled and defiled world, we're all affected by delusion due to our befuddled thoughts, and plagued with deep rooted greed, anger, and ignorance. All these naturally lead to unwholesome rather than wholesome actions. The more we examine ourselves, the more humbled we become. This self-reflection softens our hearts and removes pride. We can no longer pretend to be accomplished practitioners, amassing great merits. Instead, we humbly acknowledge that: "For someone like me, what path besides reciting Amitabha's name could save me from KingYama’s judgment and the fires of hell?"

        There is always something to learn from those around us. Often, we don’t readily see our own shortcomings. Yet, the greed, anger, ignorance, and arrogance we notice in others act as a mirror, reflecting our true selves. Since all sentient beings share these afflictions, we should learn to be understanding, and forgiving. We should also be grateful for the lessons they offer, as they help us improve ourselves.

        All things are fundamentally one. There’s no distinction between friends and foes, self and others. Learn to see everyone as your own parents or children. Accept, respect, and care for each other. Do not compare, judge, resent, hate, or be hostile.。

        When discord arises in a group, everyone should reflect. Whether there is friction or accord among group members depends on the state of minds of the individuals. As Mencius said, “When you fail in something, look for the cause within yourself.” When what we say or do does not achieve its intended effect, we should examine ourselves rather than point fingers at others. Without self-reflection, we cannot improve.

        Buddhist practitioners need to grasp this fundamental principle: pay our karmic debts with grace. How? Through non-contention at every level. Understanding that the adversities and sufferings we experience are the result of our past karma, we should accept them gracefully. Don’t react with retaliation. However, don’t just suppress them while harboring resentment inside, as it may affect our mental well-being. True non-contention means maintaining genuine inner peace, seeing all beings as one interconnected whole, while letting go of both ego and grudges.

        We are all interconnected in this universe as there is no true separation between self and the world around us. All sentient beings share the same Buddha nature. While some beings currently take the form of animals as a result of karmic retribution, when the blessings of our human existence are depleted, we too may be reborn as animals.

        Everything we experience in this life results from karma accumulated over countless past lives. Losing human rebirth means falling into the three wretched realms - hell, hungry ghosts or animals. As Master Shandao taught: “We are all iniquitous ordinary beings, subject to the endless cycle of rebirth. Since time immemorial, we have lived, died, and been reincarnated without hope of escaping samsara.” Recognizing this shared karmic condition, we should be considerate, forgiving and caring towards one another. This way, we are repaying our karmic debts with grace while avoiding creating new ones.

        While paying our karmic debts, we should avoid incurring new ones by keeping the five precepts and following the ten virtues. Of course, as ordinary beings, our good intentions often exceed our abilities. What's the solution? Keep a repentant heart and recite Amitabha's name regularly. Understanding that others, just like us, struggle to live up to their good intentions helps us be more patient and accepting of one another.

(Translated by the Pure Land School Translation Team;
edited by Householder Fojin)