Self-Purification is the Key

Xuefeng

September 3, 2007

At Dar es Salaam Airport, I observed people casually discarding scraps of paper onto the ground. At Singapore Airport, however, not a single piece of litter could be found; people consciously maintained the pristine public environment.

In high-end hotels, no one spits on the ground, while in small roadside eateries, people spit freely, people spit freely.

Shops that are elegantly decorated, clean, and tidy often have few customers, while chaotic and cluttered ones are packed. Many people decide whether to enter a shop based on the appearance of its displays and storefront. If a shop appears too perfect, people may feel intimidated, perceiving themselves as unworthy of entering such a luxurious and refined space.

In some homes where everything is tidy, orderly, and spotless, guests often feel restrained. Their speech and posture become cautious, and they dare not act casually.

Similarly, when viewing nude images in erotic magazines or on websites, people might feel an overwhelming desire to embrace and engage in sensual acts. However, when viewing nude paintings by master artists in an art gallery, such impulses vanish, replaced by a profound sense of beauty that uplifts the spirit and soul.

Even when faced with a living, naked beauty, if her figure reflects the golden ratio of perfect curves, her demeanor exudes purity, her speech is elegant, and she radiates compassion and harmony, it is impossible for anyone to entertain impure thoughts. Sexual impulses dissipate, leaving only admiration and reverence. Being in her aura feels like an exquisite happiness; even a single glance provides an indescribable satisfaction. Some might feel it an unparalleled honor to serve her eternally. Any act of disrespect would leave one feeling deeply ashamed of their soul’s flaws and inadequacies.

Perfect things elevate people, fostering nobility and civility, steering them away from base desires and guiding them toward the heavenly kingdom.

These examples reveal a profound truth: Self-Purification is the Key.

“Self-purification is the key” means that when one achieves inner and outer perfection and elegance, others will naturally refrain from tarnishing or desecrating it. Dirty places invite litter and spitting, while clean and tidy environments inspire people to restrain themselves and strive to maintain the beauty.

To prevent others from littering or spitting in your courtyard, you must first create an attractive and clean environment. To stop people from gossiping about you, you must first cultivate a perfect heart and exhibit refined speech and behavior. Just as the saying goes, “Where flowers bloom, butterflies naturally gather.” Self-purification prevents desecration.

We often notice an abundance of flies in certain places and complain about how annoying they are. In truth, the fault lies not with the flies—“flies don’t land on unbroken eggs.” Flies avoid clean and beautiful places. If there are many flies, it’s because the environment is too dirty. To keep flies away, the best solution is to improve your surroundings.

Many parents complain about their children associating with bad company, blaming those people. However, such complaints are misplaced. The problem lies not with those individuals but with the children themselves, and ultimately, with the parents.

The more beautiful a place, the fewer people frequent it. Conversely, the dirtier and messier a place, the more crowded it becomes. Crowded places are rarely ideal, while tranquil spots are more likely to be beautiful. This explains why the Thousand-Year World is sparsely populated, the Ten-Thousand-Year World even more so, and the Celestial Islands Continent the least of all. Similarly, the Human World is densely populated, the Animal World even more so, and Hell is the most crowded of all.

When art is profound, its audience is limited. The more refined and perfect a LIFE’s structure is, the lonelier it becomes in the Human World, as there are fewer kindred spirits. When your emotions are as subtle as a flowing stream and your thoughts as ethereal as mist, how can ordinary people understand? The grains of sand by the sea are delicate, but the silt in the lotus pond is even finer. The wind is subtler than the silt, and the light is more delicate than the wind. Emotions that stem from the soul are subtler than light. As this subtlety increases, fewer people can appreciate it. When one’s heart enters the antimatter world, their emotions become so refined that they are imperceptible, almost empty. How can the people of the human world appreciate them? It becomes intangible, mysterious. Therefore, such individuals become increasingly lonely. However, the “ugly duckling” among the ducks will inevitably find resonance with the swans it encounters. Once it spreads its wings and joins them in flight, loneliness will vanish, for it has transcended isolation and found its kind.

In summary, to dwell in a beautiful environment, one must first achieve self-purification. “Purify your intentions.” Do not blame your surroundings, as everything around you is drawn by yourself—be it your parents, spouse, children, siblings, colleagues, friends, race, environment, era, and so on. Everything is of your own making.

The gate to the heavenly kingdom is narrow because self-purified individuals are scarce, whereas complainers and blamers are abundant.