Coming and Going at Will

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

On the nineteenth of December, 2025, during the third session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju shared these profound teachings on the nature of true freedom.

The Boundless Horizon of Freedom

To come and go at will is a state of profound spiritual attainment. In the mundane world, people often perceive coming and going as merely moving from one physical location to another, a simple function of the physical body. However, for the practitioner, this concept transcends the physical realm. When we speak of moving between the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, and the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, we are describing the ability to traverse space with complete freedom. This is the result of deep practice, the manifestation of the mastery of one's Body-Mind-Spirit.

Mastery Over the Physical Form

Coming and going at will is the outward expression of an awakened being whose body, mind, and spirit are entirely free. Regarding the body, this freedom is achieved through a deep understanding of the laws of karma and cause and effect, as well as the inherent sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. One must recognise these as the fundamental truths of the six realms of rebirth. By engaging in diligent practice and chanting Namo Amituofo 24/7 without interruption, the practitioner ensures that their body remains under their own control. They are no longer subject to the interference of karmic creditors, nor are they controlled by spiritual attachments or the influence of demon crowds.

The Clarity of a Radiant Mind

Regarding the mind, the awakened being operates strictly within the Universal Principles, Truth, and the Right Path. When they encounter the suffering of other beings, they act to save them and alleviate their pain, provided that these actions do not violate the Dharma. A true practitioner possesses the wisdom to distinguish between the real and the illusory. They are not easily deluded by external environments or sensory inputs. Because their mind is clear and they perceive the ultimate truth, they can move through the world with ease and act with complete freedom.

The Unfettered Spirit

Regarding the spirit, the practitioner remains free regardless of their physical circumstances. Whether they are facing the natural processes of aging, enduring physical pain, or suffering from a disability, the spirit remains unburdened. It is capable of leaving the physical body at will, ensuring that the spirit itself does not suffer even when the body is in distress. A dedicated practitioner must come to understand that the body, mind, and spirit can function as one, yet they can also be separated when the situation calls for it—such as when one is engaged in the noble work of saving oneself, saving other beings, and saving the world.

This is the ultimate achievement of the great, compassionate vow: to come and go at will, unhindered by the constraints of the material world, and to remain forever dedicated to the liberation of all beings.

Namo Amituofo.