Where Are You Going?

Xuefeng

October 9, 2007

Throughout history, countless people have engaged in spiritual practice. I want to ask: Why are you practicing and cultivating? What exactly are you cultivating, and what are you practicing?

Some may say, "I practice and cultivate to become a good person." But I ask: What kind of person is considered a good person? Is a president a good person? Is a billionaire a good person? Is a prostitute a good person? Is a shepherd a good person? Is a beggar a good person? You must have a standard, a direction, and a goal, right? Furthermore, I want to know: Why do you feel the need to be a good person? What’s wrong with being a bad person? Why not be a bad person?

Some may say, "I practice and cultivate because I want to go to heaven." I want to ask: Where is heaven? Have you been there? Have you seen it? Who told you there is a heaven, and can they prove it? How far is heaven from Earth? Do you go by train, by spaceship, or on foot? Can just anyone go to heaven? If so, why bother with practice and cultivation? If not, what level of practice and cultivation must you achieve to enter heaven?

No matter where you plan to go, you must first determine whether that place even exists, whether the scenery is beautiful, if it is suitable for living, its location and basic conditions, the distance, and the available routes of transportation. Moreover, you need to know whether the people there will let you in or if you need any credentials, visas, or gifts. How can you be sure that you can reach that place and live there? Otherwise, isn’t this pursuit too blind? What if you end up walking straight into a den of wolves?

Some may say, "As long as I recite the words of Jesus every day, I can go to the kingdom of heaven." That’s all well and good, but the question is: Will Jesus recognize you? Because Jesus once said, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven.” How can you be sure that Jesus will recognize you and allow you into the kingdom of heaven? And what is the kingdom of heaven that Jesus spoke of?

Some may say, "As long as I chant the Buddha's name every day, I can go to the Pure Land." I want to ask: Where is the Pure Land? How do you get there? Are you certain that chanting the Buddha's name will take you to the Pure Land? Can anyone who chants the Buddha’s name go there? If so, then I should be able to go to the Pure Land by just sitting at home and chanting, right? Did the Buddha ever tell you there is a Western Pure Land? I know that the Buddha said nothing about this.

Some may say, "I practice and cultivate to become a celestial being." I want to ask: What is a celestial being? How is a celestial being different from a human being? Where do celestial beings live? What do they eat, drink, and do for fun?

Some may say, "I practice and cultivate to understand the truth of things and to live with clarity." I say: Great! But if your method is wrong, even in your seventies or eighties, you may still not "unlock the secret of an ancient weapon". If that happens, wouldn’t all your efforts be in vain?

Some may say, "I practice and cultivate to attain the Tao." I want to ask: What is the Tao? Where is the Tao? How do you attain it? And after attaining the Tao, what then? What will happen?

Some may say, "I have a powerful master guiding me. As long as I follow my master, I’ll reach the ideal destination." I want to ask: Can your master make you grow even one centimeter taller? If not, how can you be sure that he can lead you to the ideal place? Did your master come from the ideal place? If so, can you prove it? If not, could he himself be lost?

Some may say, "I read certain scriptures, listen to certain teachings, and feel filled with Dharma joy." I want to ask: What is Dharma joy? Would injecting heroin or taking ecstasy also fill you with joy? A fly might land on dog poop and say, “What a delicacy! I am filled with joy.” But a bee would shake its head, lamenting, “A pitiful creature, only fit to eat feces!”

Some may say, "I practice and cultivate to ensure a better next life, so I won’t suffer in the next life, and so I can enjoy wealth and honor in the next life." I want to ask: Do you know your past life? If you don’t know your past life, how do you know your next life? If a bowl of soup at the Bridge of Forgetfulness wipes out all your memories and the newborn person has nothing to do with you, what benefit does your current practice and cultivation bring? It’s like some parents who scrimp and save to leave a large inheritance for their children, but the children, because of that inheritance, indulge in pleasure and end up penniless. Now, are you loving your children, or are you harming them?

Dear reader, where exactly are you heading? How do you plan to get there? Do you have any secret methods? Could you share them with me?

Who is the best teacher in the world? Please introduce them to everyone, or at least share one of their core teachings.