Laotze said in the Tao Te Ching that "the kind of beauty that is considered beautiful by everyone is unsightly; the kind of kindness that is considered kind by everyone is unkind."

Beauty is also kindness. Kindness is good; unkindness is not good. Our inherent nature is replete with that which is beautiful and good; we do not need makeup or fabrication. Our inherent self, without any embellishment, is the best and most perfect state. But people are unable to abide in that best place. They actually give rise to the false and always practice what is pretentious and mended. Wearing a façade, they stir up lots of problems, looking for things to do when there is nothing to be done. Everyone considers our original face most beautiful, but we go and add other mixtures and water to it, bringing inauthenticity into that which is authentic. Everyone has this bad habit! We have created a global trend that fosters phoniness. People use each other without regard for morals. We learn meditation so that we may return to our origin, back to the true and unpretentious state, changing everything that is not real.

Look at how visitors from around the world visit Reno and Las Vegas every day to gamble. I have never seen anyone so enthusiastic about giving as they are with gambling! Some say, "Giving is also like gambling! The Earth Store Sutra says, 'give up one and reap millions.' If you do not gamble, how could you reap millions by giving up one?" This seems sound, but you should know that the retribution the Sutra is talking about is in the future and not here and now. Most people's vision is not far enough, so they think Reno and Las Vegas are practical for the present -- they may win. Actually, their winning already includes elements of loss. You will not win for sure, you get to the casino and put down your bet. If you lose, you lose your capital. If you give, you will definitely not lose, but win.

In terms of giving, you reap however much fruit for however much good roots you put down. Therefore there is no losing in giving. But people are not enthusiastic about it. They are crazy about gambling because they only see the gain before them. They clearly know that giving is good, but they do not act on it. They clearly know that gambling is bad, but they insist on doing it. Although they only have one in a million chance of winning, they still give it a shot, which could make them lose everything. If they give, then as long as you are building merit, you will definitely reap its harvest in the future. Most people miss this principle, therefore, it is said, "the kind of beauty that is considered beautiful by everyone is unsightly; the kind of kindness that is considered kind by everyone is unkind."

Gambling creates offense karma while giving accumulates merit Meditation can eliminate delusion and give rise to wisdom. But look around the world and see how many people are willing to meditate? How many are not willing to meditate? The same idea applies to gambling. Those who do not want to meditate are like gamblers; those who want to meditate are like charitable people.

Everyone! Do we understand the critical point of Buddhadharma is right here? Where is the demarcation? It lies between greed and no greed. As we do merit, we must do as if we're not doing. Although it says that we give up one to gain millions, we ought not to think this way. If so, there is already an offense. Every thought that occurs is inevitably an offense, nothing but karma. Having one false thought is to plant the cause of an offense; having two false thoughts is to plant the cause of two offenses. Karma is invisible, if so, one person's karma from offenses would be enough to burst open space! You should all understand this idea profoundly and avoid going with the flow, acting as absurd as most people. Meditating is about learning not to be absurd and not taking a thief for one's son. With that, you may understand the basic