Philosophical Sayings About Worldly Matter (XLVIII)

Once you are set to achieve a goal, pursue it with doggedness and refuse to be distracted by anything deceptively attractive. A mountain climber should not stop to pick leaves and branches on the way, or he will never reach the top. This applies to everything.

(This is a translation of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Wan Ko Yeshe Norbu’s philosophical sayings about worldly matters originally written in Chinese.)

---

 Below is not an official translation, just for reference.

For anyone who has sincerely made a concrete and righteous wish - and has set forth aspirations - it is crucial to make it perfectto see it through, to strive earnestly to turn those aspirations into reality. One must not abandon their goals midway, swayed by illusions encountered along the way that deter them from progressing. and staying on the illusion way. For example, when we do something, it is imperative to strive for its success. One should not be sidetracked by other occurrences, allowing distractions to interfere with what needs to be done. If you do so, you will abandon the initial goals and seeking new paths mid-journey, which can impede the fulfillment of both the initial and final aspirations, leading to a delay in one's significant endeavors.

For instance, envision making a vow to travel from Sichuan to Beijing to accomplish a great task. In this scenario, one must reach Beijing without diverting to Xi'an and stopping there, nor should they be enticed by Henan, opting to halt the journey upon seeing something captivating. Such delays would prevent the Beijing mission from being completed in the end.

Those aspiring to achieve significant undertakings, akin to those aiming to climb great heights, cannot prune branches or pick leaves to squander time and deviate midway. One should not linger at a midway point like Huacheng, just like in a Buddhist case where Shakyamuni Buddha aimed to guide people to the Pure Land but encountered individuals who became reluctant to proceed midway. The Buddha informed them about a wonderful city ahead, promising happiness upon reaching it. Though the individuals could only vaguely see the city, they summoned the courage to press on, eventually reaching the city and halting there, not willing to go any further only to halt there. Later, Shakyamuni Buddha explained that the place was just Huacheng, an illusory city, and not the ultimate destination. He said to them, "You can not pause here; you have to continue forward because this is not your true final destination." Therefore, this illusory city is not their final destination.

Encouraged once again, they continued their journey and eventually reached their ultimate destination. In essence, one cannot be like those who pause at Huacheng or those who become unwilling to proceed midway, like the individuals in the Buddha's example. Certainly, Huacheng is a case from Buddhist teachings, illustrating that Shakyamuni Buddha aimed to guide people to the Pure Land, and when they became reluctant midway, he told them about a wonderful city ahead. Since they could already see the city, they mustered the courage to proceed, utilizing all their strength to reach it. As a result, they arrived at the city but refused to continue further. Later, Shakyamuni Buddha explained that the place was Huacheng, not the ultimate destination. They could not linger there; they had to press on. This serves as a lesson to people, emphasizing that they must not pause like those at Huacheng. If they halt midway, they will not reach their final destination, and their ultimate goals will remain unfulfilled. This truth is unalterable and applies to all endeavors and achievements in the world.

However, the master also imparts another piece of wisdom— that one's resolve must be upright. If one's resolve is not upright, it will not suffice. When the resolve is upright, one must persist until the end, without wavering or halting midway.

The master here conveys to people that we must not halt midway like those who encountered Huacheng. If we pause midway, our ultimate goals cannot be achieved, and we will fail to climb to the summit. This holds true for all endeavors and achievements in the world; it is an unchangeable truth. Simultaneously, the master also imparts another piece of wisdom, emphasizing that our karmic path must be upright, because if it's not, we won't have the ability to persevere. If our resolve is not upright, it will not be ok. When the karmic path is upright, one must persist until the end, without wavering or halting midway.