..续本文上一页hould have patience with all our feelings. So, I am wondering, should we express our feelings or should we hold them inside

　　 Sometimes I hold them all inside because I want to be patient, and I find later on that I want to explode. What shall I do about that

　　Ven. Master: If you are really being patient, then you want to empty yourself, it”s not that you hold your feelings inside. What use is it to hold them all inside

　　 Why do you want to keep all that garbage inside for

　　 If you hold feelings inside, then your guts get really filthy! The power of an atomic bomb is really great, but represssed feelings have more power than an atomic bomb. If you are not afraid of being pulverized by it, then go ahead and bottle up your feelings. That idea is really scary.

　　Student: You mentioned earlier that every religion has its good and bad points. What are the bad points of Buddhism

　　Ven. Master: Buddhism has a lot of shortcomings. One is cheating people, taking people”s money and using it for themselves. For example, a monk will tell people to make offerings to him so that they may plant blessings. But his blessings are all gone. Basically, a monk or nun, should not touch money. But why do so many left home people still have money in their pockets

　　 Left home people in Buddhism should only eat one meal a day, at noon, and should sleep under a tree in one place only for one night. No matter the religion, whether it has a lot of followers or a few, either a great religion or a small one, they all have similar failings. But what we do is cover up our shortcomings. We don”t let others see them. We only allow others to see our good points and we keep the bad things covered. Within each religion, we can find Patriarchs, if there are both few short-comings and few strong points, and if everything is done properly. Now all of the religions of the world are claiming they are poverty-stricken, and this is a shortcoming.

　　Student: Can the Master instruct me as to how I might strengthen my will

　　Ven. Master: Why do you want to stengthen your will

　　Same person replies: Because it”s not strong enough.

　　Ven. Master: Who took it away from you

　　Same person replies: I have it here, right with me.

　　Ven. Master: If it”s there with you, why come and ask me how to strengthen it

　　Same person: Good question. Practice it.

　　Ven. Master: If your will is yours, then why are you asking me about it

　　 If it is yours, then just take it back. If you”re the one who has lost it, you need to find it and take it back yourself. You shouldn”t ask me how you can get it back.

　　Same person: It”s not for sure that I lost it, but I do want to strengthen it.

　　Ven. Master: When did you lose it

　　 why do you have so much willpower invested in running after women

　　Same person: I understand! (Much laughter.)

　　Ven. Master: Since you can strengthen your will to do that, then how come you can”t find the will power to do other things

　　Same person: Well, it”s come back again!

　　Ven. Master: Quickly! questions!

　　Student: How can someone who is not necessarily a Buddhist learn to let go of bitterness that affects relationships with people around you

　　Ven. Master: What is the bitterness

　　Student: Like when a boy you like doesn”t pay attention to you.

　　Ven. Master: What problem do you have with that

　　Student: (Unable to reply.)

　　Ven. Master: "Everything is a test to see what you will do. If you don”t recognize what”s in front of you, if I don”t recognize what is in front of me, if he doesn”t recognize what is in front of him, then we have to start anew." If you have difficulty, then you should "truly recognize your own faults and not talk about other people”s faults. Because other people”s faults are just your own faults. If y…

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