On the third of May, 2025, during the second session of the , Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provided profound guidance on the nature of our spiritual journey. You may find yourself asking: why do we seek the Dharma? We seek it because our hearts, our bodies, and our spirits are burdened by suffering. Perhaps you find yourself unable to resolve certain matters of principle or daily life, and you yearn for a path to clarity.
It is important to understand that these sufferings are not the result of a single lifetime, nor are they merely the product of the present moment. They are the bitter fruits of negative causes that we have sown ourselves. If you wish to find a solution, you must first exert your own effort. Only when your own sincerity and practice are established can the power of the Buddha provide the necessary support to assist you. It is the union of these two forces—your own diligent practice and the compassionate power of —that leads to true success.
The Path of Renunciation
Why does one choose the path of renunciation? Is it simply because the Causal Conditions have matured, or is it a deliberate, conscious choice to resolve the deep-seated suffering of existence and to seek the ultimate Truth? When you live within the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, you must be able to distinguish between clarity and confusion.
If you are lost in confusion and suffering, you are trapped by your own obstacles. In such a state, it is difficult to see things with a clear and thorough understanding. You are like a traveller lost in a thick fog, unable to discern the path ahead.
The Clarity of an Awakened Being
The distinction between the Buddha and the demon lies in the clarity of one's vision. Those who have achieved see the world with absolute clarity. They are able to identify the problems they face and address them directly. When a practitioner has attained true skills and achievement, they possess the following qualities:
They can clearly distinguish between the Buddha’s teachings and the deceptive paths of demons.
They can discern the difference between the ultimate Truth and false, misleading theories.
They can differentiate between the sincerity of the true heart and the emptiness of a hypocritical mind.
They can clearly perceive the difference between the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and the cycle of rebirth in the six realms of existence, such as the hells or the heavenly realms.
With this clear understanding, the practitioner is able to stop doing evil and instead move towards Goodness. Those who have realised their true nature use the Buddha’s teachings to subdue the influence of demons. They use the Truth to dismantle false doctrines, and they replace their hypocritical thoughts with a sincere heart.
Transforming and Awakening
By making the vow to chant Namo Amituofo, you create the causes necessary to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This practice allows you to end the cycle of rebirth in the six realms. You let go of the causes that lead to the hells and instead cultivate the causes that lead to the heavenly realms, eventually transcending even those to reach the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Before you have transformed your karma and achieved Awakening, you are often tossed about by the waves of the cycle of rebirth. You are influenced by the manifestation of and the causes and effects of your past. Because you are confused, you are turned by your environment rather than being the master of it. In your ignorance, you create negative karma through your Body, Speech, and Mind, which will inevitably lead to negative consequences.
However, once you have transformed your karma and achieved Awakening, you will realise your true nature and attain Buddhahood. You will have a clear and thorough understanding of the true reality of all things. You will no longer be confused, and you will have the capacity to teach those who are still lost. You will be able to guide them from chaos to clarity, from confusion to Awakening, and provide them with the opportunity to realise their true nature and attain Buddhahood. This is the sacred transmission of the Buddha’s teachings.
Namo Amituofo
Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe
