Cultivating a Compassionate Heart: A Dialogue with Namo Amituofo
A Record of the Disciple Shi Faxi
September 6, 2017
The Boundless Power of
On the sixth of September, 2017, the disciple Shi Faxi humbly prostrated before Namo Amituofo, requesting the Buddha's compassionate guidance. The disciple asked how one might cultivate a heart of true compassion, and how this could be used to transform the hearts of all people in the world, guiding them toward a state of pure goodness and virtue.
Namo Amituofo responded with profound wisdom, explaining that compassion is a force of immense power. When one acts with true compassion, the path of the True Teachings becomes easy to follow. The capacity of the heart is truly boundless, and it is through this vastness that one gains the ability to save all suffering beings. Compassion is not merely a feeling; it is the very foundation of our practice.
Navigating the Currents of Impermanence
The world we inhabit is constantly changing, much like the sea transforming into mulberry fields over time. In this cycle of rebirth, nothing remains permanent, and the traces of our existence are like smoke that vanishes into the air. The days and months flow on in an endless stream, and within this flux, nothing is ever truly certain. We live in an impermanent world, where our hearts are often tossed about by the winds of fate and . When our hearts follow these external disturbances, when will we ever find a moment of true peace and stillness?
Often, our hearts are like muddy water, stirred up by the dust of the world, lacking the original stillness that is our true nature. We are consumed by the fire of the , and in such a state, how can we possibly experience the cool, refreshing clarity of purity? The Buddha’s compassionate is the remedy for this. It lies in the art of regulating and nourishing the heart. We must learn to nourish the Tathagata-nature within us and allow the heart of the Tathagata to grow and flourish.
Nourishing the Tathagata-Heart
The capacity of the heart is vast, stretching out like an endless ocean. It is boundless, selfless, and free from the constraints of the ego. When your heart is filled with pure, great compassion, you become one with the Buddha's Great Vows, the Buddha's Great Power, and the Buddha's state of non-attachment. Nurturing the goodness of the heart begins with truly knowing the heart itself. Nurturing the capacity of the heart is achieved through the manifestation of great power in your daily practice.
A heart of compassion has the power to transform the world into a realm of pure goodness. By nurturing this compassionate heart, you become capable of practising the good Dharma with consistency and devotion. When you possess good knowledge and good views, your karmic actions are transformed. When your heart is pure, clean, and white, there is no room left for impurity or defilement to take root.
The Mirror of Pure Wisdom
Like a bright, clear moon shining through a tranquil heart, your inner clarity will dispel all shadows. When you reach this state, why would there be any room for sorrow or grief? The is a state of absolute purity, and it is the Dharma-heart of the Pure Land gate. The pure image that resides within your heart is the Tathagata itself. The Dharma-form is a reflection of the heart, and the great Dharma that dwells within the heart is the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre; it is, in truth, the great Pure Land itself.
The Buddha asks you: Do you possess an equally clear heart? Do you hold the same wisdom and the of Prajna? Bodhi is vast and high, comparable to Mount Sumeru. If your heart is like a mountain, it possesses an incomparable, lofty strength. If your heart is like the surface of the ocean, boundless and vast, and you rely firmly upon the good Dharma, then your heart will truly become the Buddha-heart. This message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Faxi.
Namo Amituofo
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library