Dialogue with the Buddha: Seeking Dreams
Teachings from Namo Amituofo
September 29, 2017
The Fleeting Currents of the Human World
Life in this human world is like a fish swimming through the vast, turbulent waters of existence. We drift aimlessly through the relentless currents of birth and death, caught in a cycle that is as fleeting, insubstantial, and illusory as a dream. Like floating clouds drifting across the sky or water flowing endlessly toward the sea, our lives are in a state of constant, unpredictable flux, shifting through a myriad of forms, roles, and states of being. This is the profound reality for those who dwell within the dream of samsara, remaining unaware of their true, original nature. We are like actors on a stage, playing out roles that have no permanence, yet we mistake these roles for our true selves.
We spend our entire lives seeking, chasing, and grasping after these dreams, yet have we ever truly arrived at a destination of lasting peace? We often find ourselves fleeing in the middle of the night, restless, anxious, and unfulfilled, never finding a moment of true wholeness or completion. In this dream, we are foolishly attached to our fleeting emotions, laughing at illusory joys and weeping over transient sorrows. Our vitality, our spirit, and the events of our years flow away with the relentless passage of time, leaving nothing behind for us to hold onto when the dream finally fades. We are chasing shadows, hoping to find substance in a world that is fundamentally empty.
to the Truth of Stillness
To be free from this madness is to be a person of true awakening. Our actions and their consequences are deeply interdependent, woven together by the laws of , and one who relies on the truth will find moments of profound, life-changing reflection. If one who dwells within the dream can finally awaken to the reality of their situation, the heavy dust of the physical body falls away. What remains is the pure, original nature that has always been present, waiting to be realised. We have tasted the nectar of life, experiencing the world's myriad flavours, yet the truth of stillness has already been revealed to us. Why, then, do we still seek an end to our wandering without turning inward to the source? We must learn to look past the surface of our experiences to find the stillness that lies beneath.
We all know that we have traversed the cycle of birth and death for countless eons. We have turned suffering into our constant companion, drowning in the vast, turbulent sea of spiritual obstacles. Within this sea of beings and dusty bodies, we must awaken our spirits from the deep darkness of ignorance. Now is the time to attain the fruit of awakening and clearly understand the nature of our worldly existence. There is no companion in the sudden flash of lightning; there is only the profound peace of stillness. To follow the path as it truly is—this is the practice of true awakening, the only way to return home to the of Ultimate Bliss. We must let go of our attachments and embrace the clarity of the Truth.
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Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
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