Master Jìng Jiè - The Golden 10 years of Life that Determine the Achievement of Learning Buddhism

(English Subtitles) 決定學佛成敗的人生黃金十年 Lectured by Master Jìng Jiè (淨界法師) from Taiwan.
subtitles:
I think the so-called golden 10 years determine the success or failure of learning Buddhism. What's the golden 10 years? The first five years of learning Buddhism are very important and lay the foundation. And then the last 5 years at the end of your life. As long as you operate well in these 10 years, you will succeed. In fact, success or failure depends on these golden 10 years. If you learn very little in the first five years of practicing Buddhism, it may be unlucky for you in this life.
Why? I am still young, you said. Because if you learn little knowledge and insights from the Buddha in 5 years, you will come up with another way to practice based on your own delusion. Then, if you look at this way of practice according to the right insight of dharma, you will find it seems to be right, but it is wrong, and it's the most terrible.
1:00
You say he understands, but he actually doesn’t. You say he doesn’t understand, but he seems to understand. This is the most awful. If he's a blank slate, he is humble and can be molded from scratch. But he is like hanging in the air. When you are teaching him, he says: I know everything. But you listen to what he said, it seems right, but it's wrong. Thus, he lives this life in a muddle, which seems right but is actually wrong. So you have not seen life clearly, your insight is wrong, and your operations will be wrong too, which is normal. When you do not understand clearly, you will operate in a muddle. You seem to go the right way, but actually you go astray. You look like practicing but will not achieve. So you are bewildered in this life, only have a good affinity with the Three Jewels.
2:00
Why are the first 5 years the golden years? Because you are building a new thinking model at that time. Therefore, those who don't learn in the first place, but figure it out on their own are the hardest to ferry. As dharma masters, we know these people are the harder to ferry than those who know nothing. So these five years decide the direction he will take and the way he will go.
Why are the last five years important? Because you have to finish well. I don’t believe that a person can say at the end of his life that he wants to let go after a busy life, and then let go. To be honest, I don't believe. Don't you need preparation? No need transition? Don’t you need a stage of retrieving heart? I really don't believe this. Therefore, from the perspective of Pure Land Sect, if you can grasp these golden ten years well, you will succeed.
3:00
For the first 5 years, figure out how to get positive thoughts when your life is coming to an end. Many Pure Land believers now live in a blind spot. He always believes that positive thoughts at the end of life are to recite the Buddha's name well. Everyone's thoughts are confused when they are dying, and no one can recite the Buddha's name properly. Unless you have attained the samadhi of being mindful of Buddha.
The requirement for being reborn in the Pure Land is not to recite the Buddha's name well, but not to have upside-down thoughts. Once you set the wrong goals, you're screwed and you'll be heading in the wrong direction for the rest of your life. You've got the wrong information. If one step is wrong, the following steps are also wrong, and all efforts will be in vain. Therefore, he does not understand the principles of Pure Land Sect. There is one more issue. We Pure Land Buddhists don't like to learn doctrines
4:00
but like to see some successful and inspiring cases. In fact, success can not be replicated. His success has nothing to do with you. Give it a try. He can succeed by doing this in 3 years, but you will not succeed by doing this in 10 years, just try it. Because everyone has their own process. Have you experienced his infinite life? You haven't. Everyone's practice is case-by-case. You should look at other people’s failures. Most failure cases are similar and worth your reference. Most of us like to look at other people’s success cases, which is wrong. His success has nothing to do with you. Success cannot be copied because all methods are created based on conditions. Actually, I'm more concerned about his failure to be reborn. Because everyone’s failure conditions are similar.
5:00
Just look at 10 failure cases and you will know where the problem lies. All because he turned upside down at the end of his life It's not he doesn't chant Buddha's name well. His mental quality is very poor. In the face of karma and vexation, he has no way completely, just can't do anything about it. Can you use Buddha's name to suppress it? Can you overcome it? You use actions to practice, but you don’t contemplate rationally. Vexation and karma have been active in your heart life after life. You have practiced Buddha's name for only a few lives, and you try to suppress it with Buddha's name.