By Miao Yi

This year, the monastics on the Holy Mountain embarked on their annual retreat with a difference. In previous years, the process involved taking precepts, reciting them, and being tested on their understanding—an exercise that inevitably consumed some brain cells and triggered adrenaline surges. This year, however, the compassionate Holy Master Ziguang Shang Shi instructed his disciples to maintain constant mindfulness of the precepts and align their conduct with them. As a result, the formal precept-taking process was waived, allowing the monastics more time for spiritual reflection—to review the past, contemplate the present, and envision the future.

From the very beginning, Holy Master Ziguang Shang Shi meticulously arranged the retreat quarters. I felt Holy Master’s love and care in nurturing his disciples. Each space was transformed into a sacred cave for contemplation, with every detail—bed placement, pest control, and cooling designs—thoughtfully attended to. Apart from daily duties, these quarters became sanctuaries where the monastics could rest, shielded from the summer heat and immersed in the invisible yet powerful energy blessings from Holy Master.

It was during this retreat that the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, first taught by Sakyamuni Buddha, were handed to us by Holy Master himself on small cards, symbolizing his hopes for our cultivation. Yet, truly understanding and applying these teachings required daily listening, contemplation, and practice under the guidance of the Holy Master. Only by breaking them down, internalizing them, and integrating them into daily life could we embed these truths in our hearts and hold them firmly in our hands.

The Noble Eightfold Path, also known as the Eightfold Holy Path, serves as a guide for cleansing impurities, whether in the mundane world or in the Pure Land. In life, we constantly face the accumulation of internal and external dust and filth, requiring conscious effort to cleanse them. The Holy Master once expounded on the true function of the Eightfold Path in Buddhist cultivation:

“The Noble Eightfold Path is the best cleansing agent for removing filth. How does the cleansing agent work? It turns impurity into purity. To cleanse internally, one must rely on Dharma practice to attain awakening. Only the those who have achieved certain awakening can truly purify themselves, while the unawakened remain unable to do so.”

True purity brings a sense of peace. Each night, as I walked across the vast square beneath a starry sky back to my retreat quarters, I gazed into the depths of the universe. Tranquility and serenity filled my heart, free from worries, at ease. Over the past decade, the Holy Master has tirelessly developed this sacred land—a sanctuary of energy where Buddha’s children purify their body, mind, and spirit. It stands as a site for true Dharma, bridging the mundane world with the realm of the divine.

After the retreat completed, at the Dharma Convention on Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Enlightenment Day, the compassionate Holy Master delivered an even deeper teaching on the significance of “Righteousness” at the Goddess of Mercy Temple:

“The prosperity of a place relies on Righteousness. Righteousness is what Sakyamuni Buddha taught through the Noble Eightfold Path. Everything—what we say and what we do—shall align with it. In this Dharma Vanishing Era, the True Dharma shall take precedence; this is the core principle. The hearts of sentient beings should be upright and oriented toward Righteousness. Whether in business, or any undertaking, good development is only possible by following the Righteousness path.”

Many people in the secular world fail to understand this: without Righteousness, there can be no peace. If one cannot discern whether their thoughts, words, and actions are righteous, they might unknowingly sow karmic seeds, unaware of when or where the resulting consequences may arise. Therefore, the key to a stable and fulfilling life lies in aligning with the Noble Eightfold Path. The most essential approach is to follow Holy Master Ziguang Shang Shi in studying the Dharma, applying wisdom during the cultivation of Righteous Dharma, and progressively understanding and practicing the Eightfold Path. This is the true foundation for achieving peace, prosperity, and a meaningful life.