#tags-top <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3Dpfbid036cKGaiWdiZqo3b2nSqKfeyEzECZBbJzkKgQ54WidBysZQcysnmjjVHYVg4Y24rhml%26id%3D100033165156246&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="289" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> --- #tags-bottom <br> We simply need to avoid afflicting others. That is the essence of cultivation. Stay away from doing things that afflict other people. Don’t make grand statements like, “I’m here to save humanity.” Instead, think, “I should not afflict others.” Eat the shit, but don’t give shit to others. For those who want to practice the HuaTou (話頭), the first thing I want to tell you is: stop creating bad karma. What matters in HuaTou practice is not merely the HuaTou itself. Many people think that all they need to do is keep working on the Huatou, but the foundation of the practice is to stop creating bad karma. Otherwise, no matter how much you practice, you will not get anywhere. Whether you practice the HuaTou or another Dharma, the foundation is the same: stop creating offenses. People practice wonderful Dharmas such as the Five Great Heart Mantras, the Shurangama Mantra, and the HuaTou, yet they overlook this basic principle. They may recite the Buddha’s name for twenty years and wonder why they still cannot enter Buddha Recitation Samadhi. If you continue creating offenses, naturally you will have difficulty entering Samadhi. This is also why repentance is so important in cultivation. The purpose of repentance is to recognize our mistakes, repent, and change. To change means that we stop committing the same offenses. Only then do we have a chance to make progress in our cultivation.