Closing Eyes to Nourish the Spirit

(This image was created by Lay Practitioner Hui Ying.)

Teachings from the Teacher
Chief Writer: Venerable HaiZe

9 June 2023

The Profound Depth of Inner Stillness

When you close your eyes, you may find that the space within your consciousness is remarkably deep and vast. If your physical body and your spirit are linked to your brain and sensory consciousness, you may drift into a dream state. In this state, you might witness various events unfolding in vivid detail, experiencing them as if they were as real as your daily life. It is often only upon waking that you realise you were merely dreaming.

This phenomenon occurs because your spirit, your body, and your consciousness are fluctuating together. When your spirit is not anchored, it becomes susceptible to external influences. It may be pulled by karmic creditors, other beings, or various external forces. Because of these influences, you lose your clarity and your awareness. This is precisely how states of drowsiness or the tendency to drift into other dimensions of space arise.

The Practice of Nourishing the Spirit

In contrast, the practice of closing your eyes to nourish the spirit is entirely different. When you do this, you are not merely shutting your eyes; you are actively maintaining your awareness. You allow your eyes and your physical body to rest, while your spirit remains in a state of clarity, alertness, and profound peace. In this state, your spirit is not pulled or swayed by karmic creditors, you are not influenced by other beings or external forces, you do not drift into the illusions of dreams, and you do not wander into the chaotic realms of space. This is how a practitioner should rest. Only by maintaining this state can you make genuine progress in your practice.

Protecting the Body-Mind-Spirit

To keep your spirit clear and bright, you must focus your attention on chanting Namo Amituofo. You should chant continuously, without interruption. By doing so, you prevent yourself from becoming drowsy or drifting into those illusory spaces. Furthermore, this focused chanting acts as a shield, preventing beings or demon crowds from causing spiritual attachment to your body.

It is vital to understand that falling into states of drowsiness, wandering into other dimensions of space, or suffering from spiritual attachment can have severe consequences. These states can accelerate the ageing of your body, lead to illness, and even cloud your consciousness, making it difficult to discern the truth.

The Path to Awakening

As a practitioner, you must learn to care for yourself and make good use of this human body. You must strive to maintain a state of Body-Mind-Spirit purification. By replacing the habit of falling into deep, dream-filled sleep with the practice of closing your eyes to nourish the spirit, you are actively cultivating and elevating your awareness.

Through diligent practice and constant purification, you create the necessary conditions to eventually realise your true nature. May you always remain clear, awake, and steadfast on the path to awakening.

Namo Amituofo