Breaking Through: Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju

The Obstacles to Your Awakening

During the first session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, we are reminded that the path to liberation requires a constant, courageous effort to break through the barriers that hold us back. You must break through the heavy fog of drowsiness and the agitation of a restless mind, for these states make it difficult for you to remain the master of your own consciousness. You must also break through the sudden, intrusive waves of past memories and experiences that pull you away from the present moment.

When you are listening to the Dharma, do you find your eyes closing, drifting into other spaces, and finding it difficult to wake? Or perhaps you wake for a moment, only to close your eyes and drift away into those spaces once more? This is a sign that your spirit is being pulled away. You must break through the limitations of your physical body. Do not let these physical sensations cause your mind to fluctuate. Furthermore, you must break through the control exerted by your karmic creditors and attached spirits, who seek to keep you bound to the cycle of rebirth.

The Path of Diligent Practice

How does one achieve this breakthrough? The method lies in a total transformation of your inner life:

• Thoroughly change the "self," personal ego, and selfishness:
• You must let go of the ego-attachment and selfishness that define your old self.Eliminate subjectivity:
• Release your rigid ego-attachment and personal views, which only serve to cloud your judgment.Practise with fierce diligence:
• Bring forth a resolute determination and translate it into actual, consistent action.Uphold Precepts (Discipline), Concentration and Wisdom:
• These are the pillars of your practice.Increase your meditative concentration:
• Do not be easily swayed by the external world.Resolve conflicts with karmic creditors:
• Perform Chao Du to help them leave suffering behind and be reborn in the Western Pure Land.Reduce your external desires: Limit your cravings for the things of this world.

Maintaining Awareness and Purity

Do not allow yourself to become immersed in memories. Once you enter those other spaces, your soul is pulled out of your body. If it does not return, your spirit becomes scattered, making it impossible to gather your strength, leading only to further drowsiness and weakness. You must raise your level of awareness at all times.

If delusions or wandering thoughts arise, you must use your awareness to examine them. Immediately raise the Buddha-name to cut through these thoughts instantly. Focus on the purification of your Six Roots. The less your senses are swayed by the external world, the more you can purify them. By doing so, you will reach the state of pure goodness and achieve the ultimate goal of becoming an awakened being. This teaching was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

Namo Amituofo