To face regret, Venerable Master Hsuan Hua taught that you must use your true mind to sincerely acknowledge and correct your mistakes. Instead of dwelling in guilt or hiding your faults, you must completely let go of the past, resolve to do good, and actively move forward with a renewed spirit.
Venerable Master Hsuan Hua's core teachings on handling regret and moving toward spiritual awakening include:
1. True Repentance is from the Mind
Recognize and admit: The first step to awakening is the willingness to say, "I was wrong". Hiding your mistakes or insisting you are right only conceals the issue.
Disappear the offense: Master Hsuan Hua emphasized that offenses come from the mind and disappear because of the mind. True repentance means using your true mind to confess, letting go of the memory of the fault, and clearing the mental burden entirely.
The "washing" process: He compared repentance to washing dirty clothes. If you don't wash them, the stains remain. Without repentance, the impurities of the mind provoke a chain of further mistakes.
2. Reform and Make a Fresh Start
Change your ways: As the saying goes, "If you correct your faults, they vanish". Acknowledging a mistake is only the foundation; you must resolve never to repeat it.
The past is gone: Master Hsuan Hua often encouraged cultivators to adopt the attitude: "Regard everything in the past as if you died yesterday. Regard everything in the future as if you were born today." Regret is a form of clinging; letting go stops the "mad mind" and allows your true wisdom to shine.
3. Take Action through Merit
Offsetting your karma: Beyond internal reflection, the Master taught the importance of establishing merit to atone for past offenses. By actively doing good deeds, reciting sutras, or participating in formal ceremonies (such as the Ten Thousand Buddhas Jeweled Repentance), you can transform the heavy energy of regret into virtue and wisdom.
Endless devotion: Because our past mistakes are vast, the practice of purifying the body, mouth, and mind should be continuous and unwavering.
For a deeper look into the Master's practical guidance on purifying the mind and correcting your faults, you can read the Sutra in 42 Sections with Commentary via the City of 10,000 Buddhas site, or explore the Bowing and Reflection teachings from the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association.
