Knowing Right from Wrong: The Key to Wisdom We Thought We Held

**Summary:** Venerable Thích Chân Quang shares that Buddhist wisdom begins with knowing right from wrong, but truth is often distorted by bias and emotion. Let us find our way back to the path of awakening.

Have you ever wondered: Why does my child not receive praise while the neighbor's child does? What do you think then? Perhaps you find ways to put them down, blaming the teachers... That is the moment we lose the truth. And there is another truth: The world is fiercely competitive, and even religion becomes a battlefield. But amid this whirlwind, the Dharma remains, waiting for us to return to wisdom.

**The world is in competition, and even faith becomes a battlefield**

When Venerable Thích Chân Quang visited a countryside temple, he shared a profound dharma talk with us. He pointed out that out there, nations are racing in technology, weaponry, and even religion. Many religions propagate their faith by any means—through tricks, techniques, or coercion. They have political and intelligence systems backing them. They send people to remote villages, marrying locals to spread their faith. Then, once they have gathered followers, they manipulate the entire country.

"We must not allow any other path to infiltrate our region. If we cannot do great things, we do small things. Within our area, our family, our neighborhood. Do not let a single follower of another path enter."

**Buddhism is the path of wisdom**

He emphasized: In this era, intellectuals do not believe blindly. They need understanding. Buddhism has the advantage because it is the path of wisdom, of seeing reality as it is. But if we only cling to old rituals and demand belief, Buddhism will struggle to enter the hearts of the young. We need openness and reform.

"Buddhism is the path of wisdom. Buddhism is the path of seeing reality as it is, not the path of mere belief."

**That wisdom begins with knowing right from wrong**

What is wisdom in the Dharma? Venerable Chân Quang gives an example from the Lotus Sutra: The Buddha sits on a lotus throne in empty space, with light shining from the Summit of Existence down to the Avīci Hell. That is knowing the ultimate nature of merit and sin. A person of wisdom is one who knows what is sin, what is merit, what is right, what is wrong.

"Knowing what is sin, knowing what is merit, knowing what is right, knowing what is wrong. It is that simple. That is precisely the saint."

**The trap of sentiment and bias**

But in reality, how do we know right from wrong? He tells a story: Your child does not get a reward, the neighbor's child does. You immediately justify: my child is smarter, the teachers are biased. Why? Because you love your child more. That is bias. Bias makes us blind, unable to accept truth. This is the difference between ordinary beings and saints.

"Most beings in this world cannot accept the truth, cannot accept what is right and what is wrong, but only see everything according to their sentiment, their bias."

**A lesson from a story within the temple**

This trap occurs not only in daily life but even within the Buddha's gate. For example, you admire a monk because he is kind and talkative. One day the abbot disciplines that monk, you feel angry and speak ill of the abbot. You think you are right, but in fact you are wrong.

"When we encounter a situation, we immediately think wrongly. We always choose what is wrong."

Therefore, spiritual practice is training to see reality clearly, even if it goes against our feelings.

**Conclusion**

The dharma talk "Knowing Right from Wrong" is not lofty theory, but a very practical reminder: Do not let sentiment blind reason. Whenever facing a situation, ask yourself: Is this right or wrong? Am I seeing the truth or seeing through bias? If you find yourself justifying what is wrong, stop. That is the first step on the path to becoming a saint. Let us return to the Buddha's wisdom, so our hearts are light as clouds, and our vision is clear as the blue sky. Namo Shakyamuni Buddha.