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Date: Saturday, March 22, 2019
Album: Fo Qi in Seoul, Korea (Day 1)
Ref ID: A682E6B4F2244D03804AD5B41C5B2279
Highlights​
  • ​Translator: Sarah Kim
 
  • Karmic Obstructions
  • 49-Day Service is Prevalent in South Korea
  • The 49-Day Service Nowadays is for the Living
  • Entering the Buddha Recitation Samadhi

Master YongHua > The mind must be clear.

All right?

And usually it's not, because we have karmic obstructions from the past.

Just give the example of people who are sick at the time of death. There's a clear message that the karmic debts, the karmic creditors, the creditors are here, are there to collect; to prevent them from going to the Pureland.

So in Korea here, I am told that a lot of families go to the temple and get the 49-Day service and I praise that. It's a very, very particular (inaudible) to get; it should be preserved because it's very helpful to the deceased.

(interruption)

But if you ask the Sunim's for help, they are (inaudible) reciting the Sutras an hour a day. Am I told, right? Every day. That helps. It's very helpful towards helping the deceased not fall to the lower realms of the hells, hungry ghosts, and (inaudible).

So in the case, the gentleman who asked that I eat a lot of meat and at the time of death, what are my chances of going to the Pureland? If you eat a lot of meat then you are accumulating a lot of killing, karmic debts.

So let's say at the time of death and you wish to go to the Pureland. And these creditors are aware of that. Naturally, of course they will come and do everything they can to confuse your mind. And when your mind is that confused, you cannot attain rebirth to the Pureland. So Master Hsuan Hua's answer is correct. If you wish to go to the Pureland try to avoid creating offenses. Because these offenses will be the obstructions to your rebirth to the Pureland later when you die.

But does it mean ...
You are also implying does it mean that if you eat meat, you cannot attain rebirth to the Pureland?

And the ...
But he also wants to know if he eats meat, does that prevent him from going to the Pureland? I said the answer is, "No, it won't."

It makes it much more difficult for you to go to the Pureland. Cause logically, these creditors will come and try to confuse you when you die. And if you receive help , you receive protection and you resolve these karmic debts, then you still have a chance to go to the Pureland.

Does it make sense?

So if there are obstructions, if you find a way to resolve these obstructions for rebirth to the Pureland; you still can attain rebirth to the Pureland.

Translator > So obstruction ...

Master YongHua > [Chinese]

Master YongHua > Yeah.

Master YongHua > [Vietnamese]

Translator > So, can you repeat one more time, Master? I'm sorry.

Master YongHua > If you have obstructions to rebirth to the Pureland; if you find a way to resolve these obstructions, you still can attain rebirth. So, as far as the Buddhists are concerned, the first thing you want to do is avoid falling to the lower realms. Meaning that your mind should be free from thoughts of anger, thoughts of greed, thoughts of stupidity.

For example, let's say you are in a hospital and you are very sick; you're in pain. So you're in pain for a long time. So naturally, you're mind will be angry; and you pass away and you die. That last thought you have, is the thought of anger. Why am I hurting? Why aren't the doctors able to help me? Because of the thought of anger right there, you will fall to the hells. That's what your creditors will do to you.

So far so good?

So unless you receive help from the temple, external help, to resolve those karmic debts during the 49-Day period; you will fall.

So the Buddhist know that. The Buddha taught us that -- Be careful; you can easily fall. That's why the Buddhists are taught during the 49-Day period after death, you should, the family, the relatives should be creating merit and virtue, creating blessings on behalf of the deceased in order to help the deceased. And in doing that, not only do you help the deceased not fall to the lower realms, the three evil paths, but you can also help them get to a good birth; For example, go to the human realm or the heavens.

What happen to the Catholic person here? Is he still here? Ah, he's gone. Okay.

But in order for you to go to the Pureland, it's much, much more; it requires much more work than that. Many more blessings.

Does it make sense?

That's why rebirth to the Pureland, contrary to a lot of people who teach Pureland, it's very, very difficult to achieve.

All right?

Imagine that you go to a place where you don't ever have to work for ever. And in one lifetime, that long, very long life span, where you never have to work, you have whatever you need. And, you live like that until you become a Buddha; that requires a lot of blessings.