Awakening and Non-Awakening: The Path to True Nature

The Luminous Clarity of the Awakened Heart

An awakened being is one who possesses true faith. To be true is to be without bias; to cease evil is to be without fault. When you can be awake in every situation, you are in sync with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Your understanding will align with the Truth, and your actions will be guided by the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

Your thoughts must be selfless, your words must be free from evil, and your life must be dedicated to the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Your work should nourish your spirit, and your heart should remain in a state of non-action. Right view is the underlying principle of all things. While events may differ in their appearance, in their essence, they are all equal.

When you achieve awakening, do not allow your mind to become muddled. You must remain clear and luminous, never falling into the darkness of confusion. When all thoughts are extinguished, all phenomena are seen as empty. It is only because we possess a physical form that we experience the passage of years and the span of a lifetime. Because we have no attachment to the self, we gain true freedom. Because there is no ego, we can embrace the myriad selves of all beings.

The Infinite Reach of the Spirit

Every being is a part of our own body, and thus we can understand any one of them. Every spirit is our own spirit, and thus we possess infinite connection. This awareness—this awakening—is something that every person possesses. Whether you are an adult or a child, elderly or young, or even a being within the six realms of existence, this awareness is naturally present. However, it is often covered by the ignorance and karma of the cycle of rebirth, making it difficult to perceive.

When the spirit awakens from the illusions of the world, it begins to understand that every feeling, every perception, and every intention is merely a result of Causal Conditions. They arise and they cease; they are like scenes in a dream. Once you understand this principle, your awareness begins to function. You will no longer be controlled by external conditions; instead, you will move with the flow of Causal Conditions, finding peace wherever you are.

The Dance of Emptiness and Form

Awareness naturally functions when it is clear. If there is no Causal Condition, there is no sensation. If there is no cessation of conditions, there is no arising of new ones. When conditions neither arise nor cease, this is the nature of emptiness. When there is no sensation and no suffering, the cycle of birth and death is severed. You then see the true reality and the emptiness of all things. When you are awake at every moment, every place is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. When principle and phenomena are integrated without obstruction, and your true self takes charge, you have attained true liberation.

Because Causal Conditions arise and cease, we experience the continuity of birth and death. This is the appearance of the world. As long as there is sensation, there is suffering. This is why the term suffering exists. People in this world continue to revolve in the six realms of rebirth because they are not awake. They have lost their awareness, allowing karma to take control, which leads to endless hardship.

The Shadow of the Unawakened Path

• Living in suffering: You are trapped in a cycle where one hardship follows another.
• Wasting the human body: You do not realise how precious this human body is and squander it on trivialities.
• Ignoring mortality: You do not realise that life is limited, that old age and death are approaching, and that the cycle of rebirth awaits.
• Ignoring karma: You do not realise that the consequences of your karma are right before your eyes, and you continue to sink deeper into them.

If emotion enters your heart, it will disturb your will. You will think and rethink, dwell and dwell, and eventually lose your righteous thoughts. The ups and downs of gain and loss will disrupt your practice, easily agitating your heart and leaving you without peace or meditative concentration. Greed is difficult to satisfy; you take and take, yet you never feel enough, and your heart remains restless. If anger arises, it burns down the forest of your merits, leaving everything in ashes. Why would you ever let such things happen?

To mistake the false for the true is ignorance. To remain unaware is to be lost. You suffer within this state, not knowing that you are trapped in a cycle of endless pain. Beings in the animal realm, or even the smallest creatures, live and die, die and live, for hundreds or thousands of years, finding it difficult to escape.

The Living Practice of Constant Awareness

Where can this awareness be seen? It is seen when you know when to be still and when to act. It is the ability to judge when to remain silent, when to speak little, or when to avoid the mistakes that come from excessive speech. By not allowing your words or actions to create negative karma, you ensure that your affairs proceed without disaster. This is the functioning of awareness.

In your daily activities—walking, standing, sitting, lying down, eating, or dressing—you take only what is necessary and respond to situations appropriately. By not creating karma or making mistakes, you are exercising your awareness. When your eyes observe the four directions and your ears listen to all sides, you are clearly aware of the changes in your environment. You can respond appropriately without your heart being moved. This is awareness.

To adapt appropriately, to draw inferences from one instance to many, and to be sharp and capable of accomplishing tasks—this is awareness. When dealing with people and things, you know right from wrong. You prevent problems before they arise, avoid dangerous situations, and ensure that no regrets occur. This is awareness. To correct your mistakes and never repeat them is awareness. To be prepared before the need arises, to act decisively and correctly, and to ensure that things proceed smoothly without obstacles—this is awareness.

The Return to the Source of Buddhahood

Knowing the suffering of the cycle of rebirth, you seek the Buddha's path to liberation and work to save all connected beings so they may leave suffering behind. By practising Faith, Vows, and Practice, and by wishing for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, you can achieve the Buddha's path. This is the fruit of great awakening.

The cycle of rebirth is endless. Now that you have heard the Buddha’s teachings and know that your awareness is inherent, you must apply it 24/7. Constantly raise your awareness, and you will awaken. When your spirit and heart arise, you will remain unconfused even amidst a thousand changes. This is the manifestation of your true nature and the appearance of your Buddha-nature. This is the path of learning to be a practitioner, realising one's true nature and attaining Buddhahood.

Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

Namo Amituofo