Advancing Through Following Causal Conditions: Words of Namo Amituofo

The Illusion of Worldly Seeking

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

Namo Amituofo's discourse:

In this world, most things are obtained through seeking. People seek family harmony, academic success, to be superior to others, an abundance of food, clothing, and shelter, health, safety, and fame and wealth. In this process of seeking, there are wishes and desires. However, these pursuits are conducted entirely within the realm of karma. Whether or not one achieves these desires is never independent of karmic conditions and the causes and effects.

For ordinary people who are reincarnated, whether one is a high official, a wealthy person, or someone living in poverty, there is often no power to transform karma. Instead, they are carried along by the force of their past actions, following the consequences as they manifest. There is a saying: if something is destined to be yours, you do not need to seek it; it will come to you naturally. If it is not destined to be yours, no matter how hard you seek, you will never obtain it.

The Vows of the Practitioner

A practitioner, however, transforms this energy of seeking into the power of a vow. They focus on the following:

• Active and persistent
• diligent practice in every moment.Seeking the True Teachings, ensuring that every action and thought does not violate the Universal Principles, Truth, and the Right Path.Engaging in the right faith and right understanding in Buddhist education: through faith, one gains understanding; through understanding, one enters into practice; and through practice, one eventually realise it.Upholding Faith, Vows, and Practice: having faith leads to vows, and having vows leads to the actual practice.Striving for the six roots are pure, so that the nature of these roots may be opened.Opening the eyes to see the true reality of all things, and opening the ears to hear the ultimate Truth.

These are the aspirations of the practitioner. By fulfilling these vows, one will eventually attain the fruit of see your true nature and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Inner Path of Purification

To seek the Dharma, one must look inward. You must reflect, observe, and change yourself from within. You must turn your attention back to your own heart, performing your duties diligently in every small detail, and always keeping a heart of gratitude.

Changing personality traits is the primary task. Changing personality traits is, in essence, to let go of the 'self'. If there is a 'self', there is a personality. If there is no 'self', where would a personality come from? Where would ego-attachment, self-view, self-possession, or the concept of 'mine' exist? In truth, all of these things are fundamentally empty.

The effort you put into changing personality traits is the very process of let go of the 'self'. This 'self' is the one bound by the karma of reincarnation, the one that exists only because of the gathering and scattering of Causal Conditions. This physical body is also a major part of this 'self', which is composed of the eight consciousnesses and the fifty-one mental factors. Therefore, to let go of the 'self' is also to let go of the attachment to the body.

Moving Forward with Ease

Be active and persistent in your purification, working to rediscover your true self. When it comes to external environments and external conditions, you must learn to advance by following Causal Conditions. Do not be attached to the outcome, but remain steadfast in your practice. By aligning your heart with the wisdom of Namo Amituofo, you will find that the path forward becomes clear, serene, and full of light.

Namo Amituofo