Diligent Practice and the Preciousness of Time

The Equality of Our Daily Struggle

In this human world, we are all bound by the same cycle of twenty-four hours in a day. To sustain this physical form, we must rely on the grains, vegetables, and fruits provided by the earth. These external environmental conditions and the inherent limitations of our physical bodies are applied to every person with perfect fairness. There is no partiality, no favouritism, and no bias in how these constraints are distributed. However, even though the conditions are equal for everyone, the outcomes of our lives differ significantly. These differences arise solely from the varying levels of diligent practice and the depth of the skills that each practitioner brings to their daily life.

The Infinite Support of the Western Land

Consider the contrast with the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. In that realm, the environment is defined by infinite light and infinite life. Practitioners there have the immense support of an eternal lifespan, which serves as a constant foundation for their spiritual growth. They do not face the cycle of reincarnations, nor do they suffer the setbacks of having to reincarnate and restart their learning process from the beginning. In the human world, however, our physical lifespan is strictly limited. When we add the constant interference of the karma we have accumulated through countless lifetimes, the time available for a practitioner to truly engage in diligent practice—to face the trials of suffering without fear and to achieve breakthroughs in their practice—is exceedingly short.

The Urgency of Finding Your True Self

Within such a brief and fragile life, the task of reclaiming your infinite Dharma Body and your true self is of the utmost importance. You truly cannot afford to let even a single minute or second pass by in vain. This is because, within any given moment, there exists the potential for a profound opportunity to realise the awakened being and find your true self. I hope that all of you, as my students, will keep this truth firmly in your hearts and never become careless or complacent.

Recognising the Traps of Samsara

Generally speaking, there are several common reasons why we allow our precious time to slip away. We must be vigilant against these distractions:

• Retaining worldly emotions and failing to truly appreciate the immense value of the time we have for practice.
• Engaging in idle chatter or allowing our minds to wander into endless delusions.
• Focusing on selfish plans and personal agendas, which keeps us trapped in our own ego-attachment.
• Allowing our focus to scatter because we are overly influenced by the changing sensations and physical pains of our bodies.

These distractions are the hidden traps of the cycle of reincarnations. As practitioners, you must constantly maintain your awareness and sharpen your focus to avoid falling into these patterns. By staying alert and dedicated, you can ensure that your time is used to move from confusion to awakening, from wrong paths to the right path, and from impurity to purity.

This teaching was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.