Hard-hitting Words by the Venerable Master

by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua, January 9, 1993

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Ling Yang-gang: What instructions does the Venerable Master have for Taiwan's current situation?

Venerable Master: Communist policies change by the moment. You cannot trust them. Many people from Hong Kong go to China to invest. They gain some profit at the start, but after a while, they go bankrupt. The Communists will not do anything by which they do not reap some gain. Investors in China walk into their trap quite willingly. You should remind people in Taiwan to never go and do business in China.

Ling Yang-gang: The last time the Venerable Master talked to me, you mentioned the Confucian idea of "when one is established, one can help others become established; when one understands, one can help others understand." This makes a lot of sense. Hurting others and helping ourselves only create contention.

Venerable Master: Right! That is the source of contention. Those who are in higher positions ought to be considerate and treat others as they would themselves. They must make sure that citizens live in peace and harmony. It would be an inauspicious omen for the world if even a little country like Taiwan cannot be governed well, to the extent that people are obsessed with getting rich and will use any means to that end. Contemporary Taiwan is like China during the Southern Song Dynasty. Having to flee, the then rulers sought refuge by moving the capitol to a small place. There, everyone fought over power and money. People like Wumu Yue were actually killed. "The future of the nation would be glorious if there were good people of worth there." If you kill all the loyal officials and good people, then the nation will be endangered.

In governing the nation we must receive our lessons from history. Times of order and leadership that treated its citizens the way is treats itself were eras that thrived. Since the Communists won China through manipulation, it will definitely experience internal chaos in the future. "People must humiliate themselves before others will humiliate them."


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