Believe in Your True Nature

The Journey of the Soul

Most people arrive in this human world driven by the momentum of their past karma. If you are fortunate enough to encounter the Buddha’s teachings, to chant Namo Amituofo, and to make the sincere vow to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land, you have already set yourself upon a noble path. By cultivating merits and virtues and dedicating them to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, you are transforming your small, personal aspirations into the vast, compassionate vows of a Bodhisattva. This is how one adorns the Buddha’s land and prepares for the final moment of life, when, through the power of your chanting, you may be led by Namo Amituofo to enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss with ease.

A Rare Opportunity in the Golden Light

At this very moment, Namo Amituofo is residing here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This presence allows all beings to chant the Buddha’s name and truly perceive the Buddha. Through the sacred process of Chao Du, beings are bathed in golden light and guided into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Such a convenient and swift method of liberation is an opportunity that is difficult to encounter even in millions of years. It is a rare blessing that has manifested in our time.

The Power of Believing in Yourself

I urge all students of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre to believe in yourselves. Through diligent practice and the transformation of your personality traits, you must learn to let go of the obstacles you have created for your own progress. When you truly believe in your own potential, you will realise that you are capable of more than you imagine:

• You can realise your true nature and save yourself from the cycle of reincarnated suffering.You can end the suffering that has plagued you for countless lifetimes.You can extend this compassion to help yourself and all sentient beings with karmic affinity to leave suffering behind and find rebirth in the Western Pure Land.

The Path of Diligent Practice

In your diligent practice, you must understand a vital truth. Before your meditative skills are fully matured and before you have realised your true nature, you must rely on the compassionate power of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su to help you and your karmic creditors enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, thereby avoiding the pain of the cycle of reincarnated suffering. However, ultimately, you must rely on yourself to complete the journey. You must seize this precious time to realise your true nature and achieve your own liberation.

Awakening the Bodhicitta

Always remember to cultivate the Bodhicitta—the heart that seeks to save oneself and all beings, and to realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood. You must chant Namo Amituofo 24/7; never forget to keep the Buddha-name in your heart. You must chant the Buddha-name well, until it resonates deeply within your heart and permeates every cell of your body. When your mind becomes empty and still, even the beings within our bodies will be willing to follow your lead and chant along with you. This is the true meaning of purification, and it is the very essence of the practice to save yourself and others, reaching the Western Pure Land and finding one's own Buddha nature. Namo Amituofo. Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable Fa Hui.