Escaping Suffering (Part II)

Xuefeng

To escape suffering, there are several techniques that can be used: first, repentance; second, practice; and third, prayer.

Whenever repentance and prayer are mentioned, they are often mocked by smart people as religious superstition, self-deception, self-comfort, wishful thinking, mental rigidity, or as narcotic substances for weak individuals who have been defeated by social competition and are trying to escape from the reality of life.

Smart people have their reasons, but we are simple, honest people. In a society where smart individuals dominate and gain all the advantages in competitive markets, we honest people are inherently failures, naturally sheep in a wolf pack. Those who enter Lifechanyuan are the weaker members of society. Since we are sheep, we must never fight with wolves; losing is inevitable. Even if we win occasionally, our hearts will be filled with guilt and unease.

When it comes to outward development and expansion, we don’t have the ability for that, so we must turn inward and explore and develop within. Our inner world is vast and free, a realm where we can roam freely. Even if we are imprisoned, as long as our hearts are not barren, who can limit our freedom?

The sage says, "I examine myself three times a day." We are not sages, so we should examine ourselves three times a day even more diligently.

How do we examine ourselves? — Through repentance!

What should we repent for? First, think about the wrong things we have said or done today. For example, did I tell a lie today? Did I, a poor person, bully other poor people? Did my actions today meet the expectations of heaven, earth, and people? When I was suffering, did I curse heaven or others? Did I work hard today? Was I diligent? Did I cause unnecessary trouble for those around me? Did I fall into bad habits today? And so on. If even one item applies, then repentance is necessary.

How to repent? Acknowledge your wrongs in your heart and describe in detail the process of your mistakes and how you need to improve.

To whom should we repent? We should repent to the Greatest Creator. Repentance is an inner activity and does not require going to a church or temple to repent in front of someone or a statue. It is not necessary to speak loudly or intentionally make others see or hear.

After repentance, we must practice — that is, we need to make specific improvements in our daily life. If we repent every day but continue with the same actions, then repentance becomes meaningless.

The third step is prayer. The best way to pray is according to the teachings of Jesus. The main content of the prayer should be to praise the Greatest Creator. As long as the day has passed peacefully and smoothly, whether it was with rare delicacies or simple meals, as long as we’ve had enough to eat and have a place to shelter from the wind and rain, we should feel grateful. We should thank the Greatest Creator. Next, we should thank all those who have benefited us in prayer and ask the Greatest Creator to bless them. We should also forgive those who have hurt us and hope they will have a good life. Finally, we should pray to the Greatest Creator for a peaceful, happy, and joyful life and ask for guidance to enter higher spiritual realms.

Repentance and prayer mainly serve to purify our hearts and gradually move our LIFE’s nonmaterial structure toward perfection. It is essential not to let repentance become an excuse or form of self-deception, nor should prayer turn into greed or curses. For example, praying, "the Greatest Creator, I hope that person’s whole family suffers," or "I hope I trip over a million-dollar bill tomorrow," or "I wish I could marry three wives," is not prayer; it is cursing and daydreaming.

Do repentance and prayer have practical effects and significance?

The universe is holographic, and the spirit of the Greatest Creator pervades all spaces. Every thought of ours is closely connected with the Greatest Creator’s spirit. If a small thorn pricks our toe, our brain senses it in an instant. Repentance and prayer are forms of communication with the Greatest Creator. Meanwhile, our thoughts send out waves like a radio station broadcasting across vast negative cosmic spaces, and the deities and Buddhas will sense them and effectively help us.

Why not try it for 100 days? After 100 days, those around you will notice that you’ve changed — becoming more understanding, reasonable, optimistic, and calm. Of course, this is not the main point. The primary result is that your physical and psychological state will subtly shift towards health, and your LIFE structure will evolve toward a higher spiritual realm.

In this way, you can escape life’s suffering.