Two to Start a Quarrel

It takes two to start a quarrel. When one party has awakened, the enmity is dissolved. We should not wait for the other party to awaken; we should be the ones who are awakened. Once we are awakened, the enmity is dissolved.

We would not mind being taken advantage of or being deceived. We single-mindedly dedicate ourselves to learning and practicing Buddhism and mindfully chanting “Amituofo” and endeavor to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land at the end of this lifetime.

When we are reborn in the Western Pure Land, our wisdom, capabilities, virtues, and abilities will be uncovered. We will then be able to come back to the Nine Dharma Realms to help those who have an affinity with us. What affinity? Repaying kindness, taking revenge, collecting debts, and repaying debts.

We help those who have these four kinds of affinity with us. As long as there is affinity, with wisdom and expedient means, we will be able to help them end delusion and attain enlightenment, and to help them transform from ordinary people to sages. When we help others achieve these goals, we also achieve in our cultivation of virtues, wisdom, and good fortune.

Whether intentional or unintentional, obstructing others or harming others to benefit ourselves is something that we must not do. Our lives are short. When we try to benefit ourselves, how much benefit can we gain and for how long can we enjoy it? And for this, we will have the retribution of falling into the Three Evil Paths. The length of time we suffer there far exceeds the amount of time we enjoyed those fleeting benefits.

Why would we want to do such a foolish thing?

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra