Do Not Indulge Yourself

Teachings from Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable Fa Hui on the first of March, 2025.

Namo Amituofo teaches us: Do not indulge yourself. To indulge means to be lax, to be permissive, or to treat one's own spiritual progress with indifference. When we speak of the self in this context, we are referring to the ego—the 'I' that we cling to so tightly.

The Illusion of the Temporary Self

In our practice, we must not indulge this 'self.' We must understand that this 'I' is merely a temporary vessel. It is the false body, the false self that we use to find the eternal truth. It is the self that remains trapped within the cycle of karma and rebirth. Once you begin to indulge this temporary self, the inevitable result is suffering. You create the causes of suffering, and you will surely reap the fruits of that suffering.

If you have not yet received the Buddha’s teachings, or if you have received them but still do not truly understand the laws of karma and cause and effect, the cycle of rebirth, or the nature of your own true self, you remain vulnerable. You will often find that your life is not under your own control. Instead, you are being led by:

• Your karmic creditors, who seek to balance past grievances.
• Attached spirits, who influence your thoughts and actions.
• Demon crowds, who thrive on your confusion and lack of discipline.

Because you are not the master of your own spirit, you create negative karma, and you spend your entire life wandering through the various sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

The Subtle Traps of Indulgence

How exactly do we indulge ourselves? It happens in the quiet, everyday moments when we choose the path of least resistance. We indulge ourselves when we:

• Know that an action is wrong, yet we choose to do it anyway.
• Know that we should perform a virtuous act, yet we choose to remain idle.
• Know that certain words should not be spoken, yet we speak them regardless.
• Know that we should speak the truth or offer comfort, yet we remain silent.
• Know that we must uphold the precepts, yet we allow ourselves to break them.

Why does this happen? It happens because your true self is not in charge. You are allowing your personality, your selfish desires, and the influence of those who seek revenge to dictate your path. By doing so, you plant the seeds of negative karma—seeds that can grow into the causes of the hells, leading you to experience the fruits of that suffering.

The Five Roots of Attachment

Often, our personal needs and selfish desires become far greater than our vow to practice. When our vow is weak, we are easily pulled by external or internal conditions. We fall into the trap of the five roots of the hells, which are the desires for: wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. We crave more material gain, more sensory pleasure, more recognition, more food, and more comfort.

We tell ourselves that it is fine to eat a little more or sleep a little longer. However, these small choices accumulate, forming habits that are difficult to break and eventually hardening into heavy karma.

The Path to Purification

Do not think that a small evil is insignificant, and do not think that a small good is not worth performing. Any small act of evil must be stopped immediately. Do not indulge yourself by allowing these small evils to reappear, for they will eventually accumulate into a great evil that obscures your path.

In your practice, you must be vigilant. Every single thought and action carries the weight of the laws of karma and cause and effect. Every indulgence is a form of pollution. Do not let these habits become a burden that prevents you from achieving an awakened being and purification. Do not indulge yourself and allow your Body-Mind-Spirit to suffer. This is a matter that every practitioner must take with the utmost seriousness.

Namo Amituofo