Cultivating the Heart: Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju

The Heart as the Source of All Practice

The Buddha’s teachings are fundamentally the teachings of the heart. To truly practise, one must begin by putting in the work from the heart. This is the primary direction for any practitioner who wishes to rediscover their true self and to effectively teach others to understand the Buddha’s teachings.

When your heart changes, your body and spirit will naturally follow. If the heart remains unchanged, even if the body and spirit appear to have shifted, they will inevitably revert to their original state. This is especially true for those deeply ingrained habits, stubborn concepts, and fixed personality traits that have been with us for countless lifetimes.

The Fragility of a Wandering Heart

If your heart has not truly come to believe in the Buddha, or if you have not acknowledged your past mistakes and developed a sincere wish to change, you will lack the necessary momentum to progress. Without the guidance and support of a firm vow and a heart of compassion, you will often find yourself failing halfway through your journey. You will be fragile, and the moment you encounter obstacles or setbacks, you will likely retreat.

• Lack of Faith: If you do not truly believe in the Buddha, you will be plagued by doubt and strong subjectivity, making it difficult for the Buddha’s power to support you.
• Lack of Vows: Without a clear, unwavering vow, your practice lacks the direction needed to overcome the cycle of rebirth.
• Lack of Compassion: Without the foundation of compassion—the desire to alleviate the suffering of all beings—your practice remains self-centred and limited.

The Two-Power Method of Liberation

To cultivate from the heart, faith in the Buddha must be your first priority. When you work from the heart, you can effectively utilise the Two-Power Method of the Pure Land school. By combining your own self-effort with the infinite power of Namo Amituofo, you can save yourself and help other beings leave suffering behind to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Because our spiritual obstacles are so heavy, this task cannot be accomplished by self-effort alone. You must rely on your own resolve to begin the work, while simultaneously relying on the Buddha’s power to assist you. Only then will you have the opportunity to transform your karma and realise your true self.

The Steadfast Path to Buddhahood

You must develop a firm, unchanging vow and a heart of compassion that understands the suffering of all beings. When this compassion becomes the foundation of your life, your body and spirit will manifest a steadfast will. You will no longer be swayed by external environments, nor will you retreat when you encounter difficulties. You will hold firmly to the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss in this very lifetime.

You must understand that only by relying on Namo Amituofo and chanting His name to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss can you truly save yourself and others. This is the only way to leave suffering behind, find true happiness, and attain Buddhahood. Just as Practitioner Su has diligently practised to rediscover his true self and can now freely travel to and from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, this is a goal that all students of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre can achieve through diligent practice and awakening. Namo Amituofo.