Starting Spiritual Practice
Can a sense of justice without compassion resonate with Lord Guan?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
Not necessarily. Having a sense of justice is good, but you also need compassion. If you insist that you are right and focus entirely on correcting others while having no love for them, you may not resonate with Lord Guan.
In my understanding of faith, resonance also depends on your own intentions and behavior. When drawing close to Guanyin Bodhisattva, for instance, learn the Bodhisattva’s great compassion. When drawing close to Lord Guan, learn justice and understand what you should and should not do, while retaining compassion. Do not become someone obsessively self-righteous in the name of justice.
Reciting sacred names and scriptures are ways for us to draw close to deities and Buddhas. After believing and accepting the teachings, we also need to act on them and learn their love for living beings. Spiritual practice means correcting ourselves as well as taking action and contributing. In this way, faith enters our daily lives.