Spiritual Connection: What Are You Connecting With?

This dharma talk by Venerable Thich Chan Quang helps us understand the nature of spiritual connection. It guides us in choosing whom to connect with, so that we may receive wholesome results in our practice. Have you ever raised a dog and felt its loyalty and love for you? That bond brings joy and protection. But if you connect with a bad person, you will face harmful consequences. So, in the spiritual world, when we establish a connection with deities, Buddhas, or spirits, what do we receive?

Every Connection Brings Results

Venerable Thich Chan Quang begins his teaching with an obvious truth: no one lives alone in this world. Each of us has karmic connections with other beings. These relationships, whether with humans or animals, always leave behind either good or bad results. We are born into life through cause and effect (karmic law) and conditions (dependent origination). This has been true across many lifetimes.

If we connect with good friends, they will stop us from doing wrong and guide us toward goodness. Conversely, connecting with bad people makes it easy to be dragged into harmful activities. The teacher says that each connection yields different outcomes. In the spiritual realm, every act of worship or trust is also a connection. A correct connection leads to good results; a wrong connection brings many afflictions (kleshas).

The Unconscious and the Door to the Supernatural

Venerable Thich Chan Quang explains that within each person, there are two parts: the conscious and the unconscious. The conscious mind holds thoughts and emotions we can recognize. The unconscious consists of deep, hidden activities we cannot see, yet they influence us greatly. Remarkably, this unconscious part connects with the supernatural world.

He states that the vast mass of the unconscious in our mind automatically attaches itself to the spiritual realms. Therefore, everyone has the ability to sense other dimensions, though the mechanism of communication differs for each person. Some can perceive spirits, while others cannot. Yet, all possess a natural instinctive belief in the existence of the invisible world, which is unavoidable.

How Complex Is the Spiritual World?

Buddhism describes the spiritual world as incredibly complex through the concept of the three realms and six paths. It is not simply divided into hell and heaven. The teacher gives an example of a man who abused his wife and children but also worked as a forest ranger, performing many meritorious deeds. Where does he go after death? Cause and effect (karmic law) is a vast map with many layers.

Because of this complexity, we must examine our religious life carefully. Do not let superstition or baseless promises lead you astray.

Beware of Wrong Connections

The teacher warns about those who cultivate spirit armies or use ghosts for control. They may know secrets and perform feats that impress others. However, any exploitation must be paid for. He explains that if we exploit others’ power to commit evil, then when we grow old and weak, unable to control them or feed them properly, those spirits will turn on us and cause our death.

This is an unwholesome connection that brings heavy karmic consequences. We must stay far away from this path.

Right Connection Through Compassion

In contrast, consider a Buddhist disciple who makes offerings to hungry ghosts and recites sutras for them with a heart full of compassion, seeking no personal gain. This connection is entirely different. By helping spirits and creating merit, they naturally receive protection. The teacher shares a story: sometimes at midnight, we wake up startled and fully alert, unaware that a thief outside was frightened away. This is because spirits protect us when we have previously helped them.

Just as a dog guards the house, grateful spirits silently watch over us. The key is to connect with the spiritual world through compassion, without craving power or exploiting others.

Look back at your own spiritual life. Who are you connecting with? Is it with the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, or with superstitious forces? Let the light of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma) be your guide. Practice compassion, generosity, and daily cultivation. Right connection will lead us to the shore of enlightenment, helping us live in peace with deep blessings from merit. Namo Amitabha Buddha!