How to Prevent the Mind from Being Defiled by Phenomena

When facing right and wrong, or others' faults, and when we cannot empty or avoid these situations but must resolve these interpersonal matters, what should we do? We should contemplate and practice the illusory and unreal nature of interpersonal situations, contemplating that all phenomena are without self, without others, without sentient beings, and without the appearance of events. If we must discuss interpersonal matters verbally, it should only be an objective evaluation at the level of the conscious mind, resolving matters rationally and appropriately. Internally, do not let your mind become agitated, do not get drawn into the narratives of interpersonal affairs, trapped and unable to extricate yourself. Otherwise, you will lose all powers of awareness, and the notions of self, others, sentient beings, and events will all manifest. Moreover, you will grasp them as real, and your mind will be tainted by the appearances of events. These tainted karmic seeds will be stored in your own Tathagatagarbha, and you will personally experience the karmic retribution in future lives—gaining little while losing much.

How could any wise person store others' faults in their own mind, polluting their own field, burdening future lives, and failing to attain purity? When seeing others' faults, introspectively examine your own mind—do not blame others without blaming yourself. Each person's practice is their own responsibility; who can practice on behalf of others, achieve for them, while bearing the karmic consequences themselves? This makes no sense!