对善知识要有坚定不移的信心｜Having Unwavering Faith in Your Teacher

Always turn your attention inward. As Venerable Master Hsuan Hua taught, all external circumstances should be examined by reflecting within yourself. Examine your mind and heart — are you mindful of the Buddha? Are you in a wholesome state? Have you transformed adverse conditions into opportunities that aid your practice? This is of utmost importance. 

Even when confronted with a "bad friend" — someone who seems harmful to your spiritual growth — you should strive to turn that relationship into a positive aid for your cultivation. Such an ability is truly mastering the art of practice! This is what we call adverse conditions as a superior cause (逆增上缘). If you can adopt these conditions to foster your growth, you will never lack good teachers on your path.

However, if you lack this skill, even in the presence of a virtuous teacher, you may create negative karma. A venerable sage once remarked, "Over time, you will begin to have discriminatory thoughts towards me and start finding fault in me. This is because, as humans, the longer we interact with someone, the more prone we become to arrogance and self-righteousness. During initial encounters, we might exhibit politeness, but such courtesy is often superficial. Even if their respect is genuine and they present their best selves, how long can this persist? 

It's like weightlifting. A person may be able to lift 150 kilograms in a moment of effort, but can they carry the barbell everywhere in their daily life? Of course not. The ability to lift the weight proves their strength in the moment but does not necessarily reflect their sustained capacity. Similarly, one may begin to focus on the perceived faults of even the most virtuous teacher.

However, if you persevere with unwavering faith, unshaken by misleading thoughts, and do not allow your doubts to undermine your conviction, your relationship with your teacher will grow purer and deeper over time — whether this takes three, five, or ten years. In Buddhism, we are taught to cultivate a long-term mindset, for such perseverance is rare and is no small achievement. You will find your confidence in your teacher becoming increasingly pure and firm, and your respect and gratitude will only deepen. But if you give up, the path ends there. True discipleship lies in persistence.

Even in the presence of a true teacher, you may find yourself developing discriminatory views, wrong perceptions, or even negative thoughts. Yet, if your faith is strong enough to overcome these, there is no need to be afraid. Do not despair, thinking, “I am such a flawed person; how could I have such thoughts toward my teacher?” This is not an issue to fear — take it step by step. Gradually, you will find that your overall attitude toward your teacher becomes one of growing reverence and gratitude.