Adjusting Your Heart: Teachings from Namo Amituofo
Words of Namo Amituofo as recorded by Venerable HaiZe
September 2, 2022
The Unsettled Heart
When your heart is not yet settled, it remains vulnerable to the influences of the external environment. In such moments, you must maintain constant awareness. You must lift up your own awareness and be ready to adjust your heart at any time. It is vital that you exercise self-restraint, uphold the , and follow the rules of practice. You must never allow yourself to become indulgent or lax.
When you allow yourself to be indulgent, your heart is already creating the seeds of negative . Once the conditions mature, you will inevitably suffer the bitter fruits of these actions. Therefore, you must learn to stop these unwholesome hearts and actions immediately; do not allow them to continue any further.
Healing Through the Power of Chanting
When you feel that your energy is low and your body is weak, the most important thing you can do is to cultivate stillness. You should:
- Practise silence: Stop unnecessary speech to conserve your energy.Regulate your breathing: Calm your body and mind through steady, mindful breaths.Focus on the Buddha-name: Let your ears listen to the sound of Namo Amituofo, and keep your heart firmly fixed upon the Buddha-name.Chant with your heart and mouth: Ensure that your internal thoughts and your external voice are both focused on the Buddha.Include all beings: Invite the beings around you and the residing within your body to chant Namo Amituofo together with you.
This practice will help your body recover its strength much sooner. Do not let your heart wander aimlessly, for it has nowhere else to find true refuge. Please remember that Namo Amituofo is the eternal reliance for everyone in their hearts.
The Importance of a Steady Mind
An unsettled heart takes on many different forms. It changes constantly depending on the place, the environment, and the various situations you encounter. This instability leaves your body, mind, and spirit exhausted, unable to find purity or peace. It leaves your spirit feeling restless and unable to take charge of your own life. As a practitioner, you must avoid this state of agitation.
You must help your heart to remain steady and avoid being swayed by external movements. Adjusting your heart at every moment and lifting up the Buddha-name to stabilise your mind is of the utmost importance. You must keep this firmly in your memory.
Transforming Karma and Reaching
No matter what environment or situation you encounter, you must always strive to keep your body, mind, and pure and free from pollution. You must work to change your personality traits so that you do not attract the manifestation of old karma. By engaging in active and persistent practice, you will finally have the opportunity to transform your karma and attain the state of an awakened being. Only then will you attain a heart that is calm, without waves, and filled with infinite light, where all things are clearly understood within your heart.
Namo Amituofo
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library