Dialogue with the Buddha on the Nature of Discrimination

The Heart as the Compass of Practice

Practitioner Shi Faxi, a disciple of the Buddha, once reflected on the many trials encountered during the journey of spiritual practice. We now understand that these challenges are, for the most part, the manifestations of our karmic creditors. Once we realise this, we must learn to repent sincerely. Furthermore, we must guide these beings toward rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is the true essence of practice; this is the true measure of our spiritual skills. We humbly invite the Buddha’s compassion to provide us with guidance.

Namo Amituofo offers these teachings: The path of practice is a journey of the heart. How you walk this path—whether you perceive it as smooth or difficult—depends entirely upon your own heart. It is the direction of your heart that determines your final destination. Whether you encounter favourable circumstances or adverse conditions, these are merely opportunities for refinement. They do not hinder your rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Do you understand the true meaning of this? The manifestations of your karmic creditors do not obstruct your path to the West; only your own self-imposed obstacles can do that.

The Illusion of Obstacles

If you indulge in self-pity and resentment, you will find it difficult to move forward. This is exactly what the demons desire. As everyone knows, the difference between a Buddha and a demon is clear. A Buddha acts with boundless compassion, while a demon acts with selfishness. How could a Buddha witness the suffering of spirits and not feel deep compassion? If one does not possess this compassion, one is not a Buddha, but a demon. The demon and the Buddha are of the same nature, yet they differ in their light and darkness. The gap between them is defined by whether one possesses compassion or its opposite.

Compassion: The Bridge Between Buddha and Demon

To be unaware of the suffering of others is the height of selfishness. To refuse to save beings from their suffering is the mark of a great demon. You have been fortunate enough to obtain a human body, yet you allow yourself to be trapped by desires. What should the suffering beings think of this? They are filled with anger. Why is this so? Let me explain it clearly to you.

Within the Dharma realm of emptiness, everything is a spirit. Whether it is the myriad forms of life or inanimate objects, all share the same breath. We are all of the same body. How can there be any discrimination? How can there be a distinction between high and low? Whether they are your family members or strangers, they are all part of the same whole. Why is there such a difference in how you treat them? Some you know through karmic affinity, while others are strangers. Sometimes you smile with compassion, and other times you look upon them with hatred.

The Truth of Oneness

In every direction, there are connections. They are everywhere, just like the soil in a foreign land. Among these beings, some are kind and some are malicious. We are like a handful of sand poured into the ocean, drifting with the waves. Eventually, we will reach a shore—perhaps the same shore, perhaps a different one. We are reborn in different places, in different states of wealth or poverty, nobility or lowliness. Are we all in human bodies? Are we all healthy? We may share the same mother’s womb, yet we are different species—some human, some animal, some crawling creatures. We are born according to our karmic affinities.

This is also a form of self-attachment, self-delight, and self-obsession. We are all like scattered sand, taking on different forms upon rebirth. Yet, in the state of no-birth, there is no form. We all exist in the same world, entangled with one another through our karmic affinities. When a thousand affinities manifest, our thoughts are stirred and we become bound by them. We are caught in a web of mutual entanglement. When will this cycle of rebirth end? We are all one body; how can there be any discrimination?

Breaking the Chains of Discrimination

The karma we experience today is the result of discrimination. Whether we feel joy or hatred, it is all a form of discrimination. Whether we see ourselves as spirits or as humans, it is still discrimination. Take, for example, the practitioner Shi Faxi. This physical body has a name, but the spirits residing within it are not just one. They are immeasurable and boundless. However, if you realise that we are all of the same body, then there is only one. If you insist on discrimination, then there is an immeasurable number of beings.

• The Nature of Discrimination: Every moment, different spirits manifest. When will they all be gathered together? Or will they remain scattered? As long as you discriminate, you remain trapped.
• The Path to Liberation: Follow the karmic results of your life. Practise the great compassion of oneness. Return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss together with all beings.
• The Final Goal: Rejoice in the result, and ignore the waves of the mind. If you do not, you may invite great disaster.

Begin your practice diligently. All things in the universe are empty and unreal. The only Truth is the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Faxi.

Namo Amituofo