Here is the window of direct communications with the readers.
Here, the sutras we study are the teachings of Buddha.
Here, the direction of our study is inward exploration.
Here, the method we explore is self-awareness.
Here, the point of our exploration is enlightenment.

Q: When we fail, it is understandable that we feel pain. However, when we succeed, why is it that we also feel pain?
A: There is pain in both failure and success. Evidently, pain has nothing to do with failure or success. Failure and success are external events; pain is an internal feeling.

Q: How do we get rid of pain?
A: To discover the happiness within.

Q: How do we discover the happiness within?
A: To understand and to know oneself.

Q: Isn’t it true that every normal person understands and knows himself?
A: Not true. Very few people really understand and know themselves. If we did, then we would not have so much greed, anger, and ignorance. As long as we have these qualities, pain is inevitable.

Q: Is there a way to truly understand and know ourselves?
A: Yes. This way is the cultivation of oneself.

Q: What is cultivation?
A: It is the way to change our behaviors; the behaviors that are habitual.

Q: What is so habitual about us?
A: When we were children, we rushed to grow old. When we were young, we rushed to get married. After we were married, we rushed to move from a small house to a big house, change ordinary cars to luxury cars, low salary to high salary. We keep putting on make-ups to enhance our appearance. We strive to be perfect, to be better. We are always constantly and endlessly trying to change and to redirect ourselves. That is our habitual nature. Cultivation is to correct our habit of making constant changes. You can also say that cultivation is not to cause more changes. Buddha once said: My way is “to cultivate not to cultivate, to do not to do”, “Cultivate the no-changing behavior, walk the no-moving path”.

Q: Then, we do not need to cultivate at all?
A: It is not that we do not need to cultivate, but that we must have a deep understanding of what cultivation is.

Q: How will we cultivate to truly change ourserlves?
A: You do not need to change yourself.

Q: Then how do we get rid of greed, anger and ignorance?
A: You are still talking about changing yourself.

Q: Shouldn’t we get rid of greed, anger and ignorance?
A: The problem here is that the way you go about changing yourself will not get rid of these three poisons.

Q: Isn’t there any way counter-acts to get rid of these three poisons?
A: Yes, there are, but they will not succeed.

Q: Are there not many people who have managed to do this?
A: Let us analyze this. Whether we try to fix it or change it, we are either choosing something or asking for something. In other words, we want to change our conditions from bad to good; from having greed, anger and ignorance to not having them.

Q: Is there anything wrong with that?
A: Yes. The desire of not having greed, anger and ignorance is in itself “greed.” When we want to distant ourselves from them, we are having “anger.” Not knowing the true resolution is “ignorance.” Therefore, when we try to change ourselves, we have not effected true changes, but merely changing the form of our greed, anger and ignorance. We have actually created another illusion that further fools us.

Q: How do we truly change ourselves?
A: By not trying to change, change has occurred. It is just that these changes by themselves are not enough.

Q: Would you please clarify further?
A: True change must be accompanied by awareness. Darkness is negative. It is meaningless to change it or to defeat it. The real solution is to bring in the light. No matter how dark and for how long, as long as there is awareness, darkness will disappear. The light of one lamp can overcome the darkness of a thousand years. In the deepest of our soul, greed, anger and ignorance are negative. There is nothing we can do to them. To fix them is actually reinforcing them. They are the darkness within. As long as we bring in the light, our self-awareness, the darkness will disappear.

Q: What is awareness?
A: Awareness is understanding and knowing.

Q: What is the target of awareness?
A: The target is ourselves. We must be aware of ourselves, know ourselves.

Q: Do you mean we do not know ourselves?
A: Correct. Very few people truly know themselves. In fact, most people never even thought of wanting to know themselves in their entire lives; let alone knowing.

Q: Don’t we know how to go to work, go home, eat, sleep, put on warm clothing when cold, take medicine when sick, be careful with safety and watch our behaviors? Are these not the knowing of ourselves?
A: What was just described is not true knowing, but false knowing. These knowing were derived from our minds. They originate from our sense of separation, which is based on greed, anger and ignorance. These knowing are very shallow, not much higher than that of the animals. These limited knowing do not allow you to know what you are, what you are doing, and why. These shallow understanding actually make you know even less of yourself.

Q: In what condition do we start to become aware of ourselves?
A: When you become aware that you really do not know yourself, your knowing has begun. You have entered the journey of self-awareness.