Awakening and Action: The Path of True Cultivation

From the very moment of our birth, we are walking steadily toward the end of this life. There is not a single instant where this progression stops. Within the limited span of this physical life, we must learn to use this temporary body to engage in True Cultivation.

The Sacred Duty of the Practitioner

We must ensure that this temporary vessel is not exploited by karmic creditors, attached spirits, or demon crowds. Instead, we must use this body wisely to nurture our spiritual growth and elevate the quality of one's spirit. Through the process of purification, and then more purification, of our six sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind), we transform consciousness into Wisdom (Prajna), eventually reaching Awakening and rediscovering our true nature.

You must raise your awareness and recognise the preciousness of this human body. Do not squander it easily, for if you do, you risk losing the opportunity to engage in True Cultivation, reach Awakening, and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss to leave suffering and gaining happiness.

Removing the Obstacles of the Ego

Raise your awareness and understand that attachment to your own body and your own views are the greatest obstacles to your practice. They are like a massive boulder blocking your path, preventing you from seeing the way forward. Only when you have the resolve to move this boulder can you see the path clearly and continue your journey.

If you are truly aware, you will realise that if your practice still revolves around yourself, then you are harbouring selfishness. It is difficult to make progress this way. Because when your thoughts are filled with the self and personal interests, you will inevitably attract interference from karmic creditors, attached spirits, and demon crowds. You must practise with diligent practice, letting go of the self entirely. Only when there is no-self and no selfishness can your practice truly advance.

Expanding the Heart and Mind

Be aware of your own shortcomings: perhaps your compassion is insufficient, your Wisdom (Prajna) has not yet opened, your mind-capacity is narrow, or you lack a spirit of tolerance. If you cannot tolerate the faults of others or appreciate their virtues, you will inevitably feel jealousy when you see others succeed. This jealousy becomes a barrier that hinders your own spiritual growth.

The Practice of Awakening

To awaken and act means that you must nurture compassion. You must diligently practise the Precepts (Discipline), Concentration and Wisdom to extinguish greed, anger, and ignorance. Use the Precepts to discipline your conduct, use meditative concentration to steady your heart, and use Wisdom (Prajna) to illuminate your path. You must open your mind-capacity and cultivate a heart of tolerance, learning to accept the mistakes of others.

• When you see others doing well, you should rejoice in their success, praise them, and learn from them.
• If you possess a perspective of oneness, you will understand that the growth of others can also help you grow.

Raising your awareness is the reason why, within the path of Faith, Vows, and Practice, the Vow serves as the guide that gives power to your actions. Purification is the very reason we can elevate our awareness. For the practitioner, chanting then becomes a continuous, flowing stream that never stops, which is the wonderful method to maintain purification at all times and continuously elevate the quality of one's spirit.

Namo Amituofo