Do Not Disturb Yourself: Teachings on Inner Stillness

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

December 19, 2025.

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju:

The Origin of Inner Turmoil

Where does the disturbance in your practice originate? It arises from within your own heart. If your heart possesses meditative concentration and remains unmoved, external environments cannot disturb it, and disturbance has nowhere to manifest. There is a saying: The world is naturally peaceful; it is the foolish who disturb themselves. You must face all things with a calm and level heart.

Disturbance often manifests because of karma. It brings about the suffering of ageing and illness. Sometimes, it is the constant agitation of your emotions and the Five Desires that will not cease. At other times, your true self feels unsettled and unable to take charge, leading to a state of mental scattering where you find it difficult to focus your mind.

The Weight of Past Lives and Personality

Disturbance also persists because your personality has not yet been transformed. The formation of your personality is not something that happened only in this lifetime; it has been cultivated throughout aeons of time. Having experienced countless events across the six realms of existence, these traits remain within you even today. Consequently, you often manifest rigid attachment and stubborn views, which act as obstacles to the purepurification of your practice.

The Influence of Demonic Forces

Furthermore, there is the interference from demon crowds, which obstructs your progress on the path of practice. These demon crowds often seek out those whose demon nature is similar to their own, using spiritual attachment to influence them. They manifest their demon nature through your own temperament, intensifying your negative behaviours. This is clearly visible in those who are consumed by a strong sense of self and possess a personality that is rigid and difficult to subdue.

The Path to Liberation Through Chanting

How can you practise without being affected by these disturbances? The answer is to chant Namo Amituofo and chant one Buddha's name to the end. 24/7, you must continue to chant, ensuring that your heart is filled only with the Buddha. The Buddha-name has the power to subdue your messy thoughts and false perceptions.

As the great Master Hongyi once said, "Speak one sentence less, and chant Namo Amituofo one time more. When your deluded thoughts are extinguished, your Dharma Body will come to life." This is the precious experience of those who have succeeded in their practice, encapsulated within these profound teachings. You must let these words enter your ears and your heart, and then put them into action. By doing so, you will be able to grow in virtue, cultivate compassion, and subdue the demon influences, allowing you to advance further along the Buddha's path.

Namo Amituofo