Traveling through time and space.

Chapter 61: Ups and downs and breakthroughs in spiritual practice (XV) "Old thoughts resurface, awaken and maintain your original aspiration"

At the foot of Lingxu Mountain lies a quaint little town. Every market day, the place is bustling with people and bustling with activity. Amin and several of his disciples descended the mountain to purchase essential supplies for the monastery. Sunlight streamed down the bluestone pavement, and the cries of vendors echoed incessantly.

Amin wore simple monk's robes, his face serene, yet amidst the hustle and bustle of the world, his heart was subtly moved. When an elderly man recognized him as the eminent monk from the mountain, clasped his hands in greeting, and showered him with praise, calling him "a man of great wisdom and virtue, a role model for us ordinary people," Amin felt a surge of pride. This glimmer of pride rose like a wisp of smoke within him.

He was instantly alert, as if a voice deep within him rebuked him, "This is greed for fame, A-Ming, don't lose yourself!" A flicker of regret flashed in his eyes, and his steps paused slightly. The disciples noticed something was wrong with their master and gathered around with concern.

"Master, what's wrong with you?" asked disciple Huijue.

Amin shook his head slightly and said with a wry smile: "Master was almost trapped by the obsession with reputation just now." He looked at the mountains in the distance and fell into deep thought and reminiscence.

Once, when he first began practicing Buddhism, he witnessed the veneration of eminent monks and masters, and secretly yearned for their like. At that time, his understanding of the "hearing-based stage" in the Yogacarabhumi Sutra was still shallow. He had only heard of the Buddha's various virtues, but had not truly grasped the true meaning of practice. As his practice deepened, he thought he had overcome his desire for fame, but then, unexpectedly, the old desire resurfaced.

Ah Ming hurried back to the temple with his disciples. He walked straight to the Buddhist hall and slowly knelt before the solemn Buddha statue, his heart filled with remorse. "Disciple Ah Ming, today, I have been seduced by fame and fortune in this world and forgotten my original intention. This is truly a serious mistake. I practice cultivation to save all living beings and pursue liberation, not to covet this vain glory." His voice trembled slightly, and he touched his forehead to the ground, his heart filled with remorse like a tidal wave.

After rising, Amin gathered his disciples in the meditation hall. With a solemn expression, he recounted his experiences: "My disciples, what I experienced today serves as a warning. We practitioners are like walking through a thorny bush. If we are not careful, we will be harmed by worldly obsessions."

The disciples all listened in awe. One of the young disciples, Huiming, couldn't help but ask, "Master, how can we completely cut off these old thoughts?"

Amin took a deep breath and said, "This requires constant inner observation and awareness. The Yogacarabhumi Sutra, in its chapter on 'Thoughts Contributed to Thought,' teaches us to deeply contemplate the Buddhist principles and use wisdom to discern the rise and fall of thoughts. When thoughts of greed, anger, and delusion arise in our hearts, we must immediately notice them, as if spotting a thief in the darkness, and drive them out without mercy."

However, this is easier said than done. In his daily practice at the monastery, Amin discovered that some disciples faced similar dilemmas in different situations. Some, after their living conditions improved slightly during monastery renovations, began to yearn for their comfortable lives. Others, after interacting with and receiving praise from other monasteries, felt a surge of pride.

Ah Ming realized that this wasn't just a personal problem for his disciples; it was a challenge the entire practice community faced together. He decided to strengthen the monastery's practice standards and teachings. After consulting with several elders, he instituted a more rigorous system of meditation and self-reflection. In addition to the regular morning and evening chanting and meditation sessions, a dedicated "Mind-Observation Moment" was added, allowing disciples to deeply analyze their thoughts and examine any signs of relapse.

During a group meditation session, Ah Ming sat in front of his disciples, directing their aura with his powerful concentration. Suddenly, he noticed that the aura of his disciple Huiwu was becoming erratic. After the meditation session ended, he called Huiwu aside.

"Huiwu, do you have a lot of distracting thoughts in your mind when you are meditating?" Amin asked softly.

Huiwu lowered his head and said shamefully, "Master, while I was meditating, I thought of my family back home. I couldn't suppress my longing for them, and then I began to complain a little about my hard life in the monastery."

Amin sighed and said, "Huiwu, while family ties are certainly hard to give up, since we've chosen the path of spiritual practice, we must understand that all things in the world are impermanent. Your longing for your family and your desire for a comfortable life are obsessions that hinder your spiritual practice. You should be guided by the 'Practice and Accomplishment Stage' in the Yogacarabhumi Sutra. Through continuous spiritual practice, transform these obsessions into compassion for all beings and a diligent commitment to the Dharma."

After hearing this, Huiwu nodded firmly with tears in his eyes: "Master, I understand. I will practice diligently to overcome these distracting thoughts."

As time went by, the monastery's spiritual atmosphere became increasingly intense. Under Amin's guidance, the disciples supervised and encouraged each other, gradually learning to maintain inner vigilance in various situations.

However, the temptations from the outside world continued. A wealthy businessman, having heard of A-Ming's reputation, visited the temple and offered to donate a large sum of money, on the condition that A-Ming hold a special prayer ceremony for his family and publicize his family's merits during the ceremony. This was undoubtedly a huge conflict of interest.

Ah Ming knew that accepting this offer, while it would bring substantial material benefits to the monastery, would violate the Buddhist principles of equality and universal salvation. He rejected the wealthy businessman's request without hesitation, saying, "Donor, before the Dharma, all beings are equal. The monastery will not grant special treatment based on money. We practitioners follow the guidance of the Dharma and are not tempted by fame or fortune."

The wealthy businessman was displeased by Amin's resolute attitude and started to spread slanderous words about the temple and Amin. This caused some believers who were unaware of the truth to become suspicious of the temple, and the temple's reputation was affected.

Amin faced immense pressure, but he remained steadfast in his faith in Buddhism. He gathered his disciples and told them, "This is a test. We cannot be shaken by external slander. We must respond to these false claims with a higher level of spiritual practice."

During this difficult time, Amin devoted himself more deeply to the practice of the "Sravakayana" and "Pratyekabuddhayana" in the Yogacarabhumi Sutra, drawing strength from the wisdom of the Sravakayana and Pratyekabuddhayana. He led his disciples in seclusion, focusing on the cultivation of their own minds and the understanding of the Dharma.

After a period of dedicated effort, the monks at the monastery achieved remarkable breakthroughs in their practice. Through their own virtue and wisdom, they gradually dispelled the misunderstandings of the outside world. Witnessing the monks' perseverance and achievements, believers flocked back to the monastery, their respect for it deepening.

Standing at the temple's gate, Ah Ming gazed upon the pilgrims, a flood of emotion filling his heart. He knew the path of spiritual practice was endless, and old thoughts could return at any moment. But as long as he remained steadfast in his original aspiration and guided by the Dharma, he could steadily advance on this fraught path, constantly advancing toward higher realms of spiritual practice—the "Bodhisattva Land" and even the "Buddha Land."