Active Practice and the Wisdom of Following Conditions

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

To enter the Pure Land path and engage in true practice is a magnificent Dharma affinity. If you truly desire to leave suffering behind, achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and realise your true self, you must engage in diligent practice with an active and determined spirit.

The Urgency of Impermanence

Life is limited and fragile. If you have not yet managed to transform your karma, you will find it difficult to maintain control over your own destiny amidst the constant flux of impermanence. Once the moment of death arrives, your breath ceases, and all worldly matters come to an end. If you have not attained the necessary spiritual clarity, you will inevitably be pulled back into the cycle of reincarnated suffering, drifting aimlessly through the six realms.

True practice is the process of confronting these situations where we feel powerless. By facing these challenges one by one, you can break through your limitations, rediscover your true self, and gain the autonomy needed to save yourself and others, ultimately ensuring your rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Active Compassion and the Wisdom of Conditions

You must be active in your efforts to save beings. Observe their capacity and provide teachings accordingly. However, whether or not a being can truly be saved depends on their own Causal Conditions. For a being to be saved and enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, they must possess the necessary good roots, Blessings, and Causal Conditions.

At any given moment, even if beings receive the Buddha’s teachings, whether their good roots, Blessings, and Causal Conditions are fully matured or still require further effort depends entirely on their own accumulated fortune. Although beings may receive the Dharma, their individual progress varies significantly based on whether they possess genuine faith in the Buddha, their level of diligent practice, their success in eliminating spiritual obstacles and achieving purification, and their dedication to serving the community.

The Maturity of Dharma Affinity

Within the law of karmic conditions and the causes and effects, only those whose spiritual foundations are now fully matured can truly hear, understand, and act upon the teachings provided. If a person’s Dharma affinity has not yet ripened, the words of the teacher will encounter obstacles and will be difficult for them to absorb or accept.

The Path for Students of Hsiang Kuang

To the students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, consider this: you have already obtained the rare human body, you have heard the Buddha’s teachings, and you have encountered the Pure Land path. Since you are currently practising in the place where Namo Amituofo truly dwells, you must actively strive for purification and the realisation of your true self.

The Pure Land path is a dual-power method, relying on both self-power and the Buddha's blessings. As long as your self-power is manifested—meaning you actively change personality traits and do not fear the various tests of life—you will be able to face and overcome the desires and sensations brought about by your physical body and personality. In doing so, you will certainly receive the Buddha's blessings and the protection of the Dharma protectors. It is my sincere hope that all students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre understand this, engage in diligent practice, and realise their true self at the earliest possible time.

Namo Amituofo