December 10, 1992
Religious martyrs do not die for their religions, but they die indeed for their faith in divinities, their ideal of serving humanity and sentient beings.
Once having pursued the ideal of serving, the human body is like ephemeral dust. It only has a meaning when we consider it as a means to achieve the purpose of bringing understanding and enlightenment for ourselves and others. It only has a meaning of service by which, we can learn and progress, through many levels of perception, so that our super-knowledge can gradually be reinforced, integrated and advance to the sphere of the transcendental mind; to understand and learn thoroughly the changes of the human mind for more effective service.
Is the human body the only means for immeasurable evolution?
We should not be narrow-minded and limit it in a mundane selfish manner, and confine it to the human laws of boundless selfishness. We could never learn about it completely even if we shall always advance. The human body is an extreme complex mechanism containing a holistic micro universe, defying all human studies and discoveries. Our corporeal body is a sũtra without word, a micro universe though diminutive but still so immense. The micro universe has all things inside the macro universe. To study the macro universe, we may start by gradually learning about our own nature.
Once we have learned and discovered our nature, we could reach the supersonic channel to recognize all the past and future without thinking, as the knowledge inside us is also in harmony with the macro universe, and both are oneness, indivisibly.
The recognition of oneness between the universe and us will give us peace and serenity to serve, to act accordingly to the cycle of spiritual development for universal interests.
Therefore, to serve effectively we need to know well who we are. For what purpose we are here? What or who do we belong to? The universe or the people? What is eternal existence? Is it spiritual or material? What is homogeneity of all beings? What is an individual, and what are others? Do we have free choice or our choice is imposed by others? What is true freedom? What is FREEDOM IN ENLIGHTENMENT?
FREEDOM IN ENLIGHTENMENT is the freedom in knowledge, choice, and decision of ourselves in each living environment that we depend on to serve our ideals.
Once we have freedom in enlightenment, we shall know what to do, who we are, to decide for each situation that does not go against the religious Way and mundane life. This is difficult for those who implement the Way and sacrifice without profit. We truly sacrifice for ideals when we are no longer ourselves but have integrated in our ideals.
We are our ideal, and the existing ego should completely disappear, both physically and spiritually. We should realize this in every second of our living. This is the only way to carry out our ideal effectively.
Namo Amitãbha Buddha
Namo the Great Tranquil Ocean of
Mahã-Bodhisattvas