Change and Change Again, Advance and Advance Again

Words of Namo Amituofo. Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe. 17 July 2026. Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju teaches: Practice is a continuous process of correcting one's ways and purification. Through purification, one can change their personality traits, changing and changing again, advancing and advancing again. If you change one part of your personality, your practice advances by one part; if you change two parts, your practice advances by two parts. In this constant process of changing and advancing, when you have refined your personality until not a single trace remains, your true self—which is usually obscured by personality—can naturally manifest. Within the true self, there is no existence of personality, nor are there subjective views, personal opinions, or ideas. For Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and those who have realised their true nature, the teachings they manifest through their conduct and words are directed at the specific people, matters, objects, and circumstances of the time. Therefore, there is no fixed Dharma; it varies according to the situations of the students at that time to achieve the effect of teaching according to their capacity. This is also the flexibility of the Buddha’s teachings. [[BLOCK_0]] The personalities of beings in the Jambudvipa world are stubborn and difficult to tame. The demon crowds are stubborn and difficult to tame, and people’s personalities are the same; therefore, they are often in sync with the personalities of the demon crowds, allowing the demon crowds to enter the body and become attached spirits, interfering with the Body, Speech, and Mind, making it difficult for this body to be the master, and leading to the creation of many sins. [[BLOCK_1]] Practice is achieved through purification, and personality traits change accordingly; the innate abilities of the true self can then manifest. Once these innate abilities manifest, the true self naturally appears; this is also the purpose of practice. [[BLOCK_2]] The adjustment of personality traits cannot be achieved overnight. Personality is formed through the cycle of karma and cause and effect over accumulated lifetimes, and it remains in the Alaya consciousness—that is, in the eighth consciousness—and does not disappear from one's thoughts. If those with open eyes were to see it, they would realise that the personality manifesting now is the same as the personality from past lives. [[BLOCK_3]] In worldly Dharma, changing and changing again, advancing and advancing again, is done to obtain what one seeks in the world. People live under the influence of karma and are polluted by it. Through practice, by changing and changing again, and advancing and advancing again, the Alaya consciousness can also be purified, which means the spirit is purified. Then, through this process of changing and advancing, the Alaya consciousness is finally purified, transformed into Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom, and the true self manifests. [[BLOCK_4]] If people in the world can change and change again, and advance and advance again in their character and moral foundations, they can be in sync with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Naturally, after entering practice and purification, their character and true self will be in sync, which will reduce many obstacles to practice and help the true self to manifest. [[BLOCK_5]] Whether one begins practice as a child, a youth, or an adult, the personality and habits formed in the world will become obstacles to practice after entering the Buddha’s gate. After diligent practice, the parts that were originally blocked can be cleared, and when one can have an "Aha!" moment regarding matters that were previously incomprehensible, it means that one's practice has advanced. By chanting one Buddha's name to the end, one can clear the blockages and gain an "Aha!" moment regarding matters that were previously incomprehensible. In the process of changing and changing again, and advancing and advancing again, one will eventually find the true self. Namo Amituofo [[BLOCK_6]]