Everything is as yesterday, yet nothing is the same. This profound observation reflects the constant, underlying flow of impermanence that governs our existence. We often look at our lives and perceive a sense of continuity, yet this is merely a surface-level illusion. Within the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, death, the process of change is relentless.
Even in the most subtle moments, where we feel that nothing has shifted, change has already taken root. This applies to all things in the universe: every person, every object, and every scene we encounter. While they may appear to be exactly as they were yesterday, in truth, they have already transformed. Everything we see before our eyes is caught in the currents of and the causes and effects of impermanence. Eventually, all things must decay and pass away.
The Reality of the Cycle of Rebirth
Within the cycle of rebirth, we are subject to the inevitable decline of our physical forms. We must realise the following truths about our worldly existence:
The loss of beauty: No face remains forever youthful or radiant; the passage of time ensures that all will eventually age.
The frailty of : Our physical forms cannot exist indefinitely; they are destined to experience the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, death.
The constant flux: Because we are trapped in the cycle of rebirth, we are constantly subject to the rise and fall of external circumstances.
If you can practise diligently and realise your true self, you will transcend these limitations. Through such , the body may age, but the spirit remains vibrant and untouched by the decay of the world. By focusing your heart on the path of liberation, you can ensure your rebirth in the of Ultimate Bliss.
The Stillness Within the Heart
Often, our hearts appear calm and undisturbed, like a still pond. We believe that we are as we were yesterday, yet this is frequently a misunderstanding. In reality, there are subtle movements within the heart that we fail to notice. If you allow your heart to follow the changes of the external environment, rising and falling with every passing event, you are merely experiencing the manifestations of impermanence.
However, if you can realise your true self, you will find that even when the external world is in motion, your heart remains unmoved. It stays constant, like a deep ocean that remains calm beneath the surface ripples. Consider the night sky: it is filled with countless stars, appearing much as it did yesterday, yet it is already different. Within the vastness of space, infinite changes occur in every instant. Because we cannot perceive these shifts, we assume the sky is the same, yet it has already moved beyond our previous understanding.
The Unchanging Nature of the Western Pure Land
In contrast to the shifting world, our true self is inherently free and at ease. It does not change; it is fundamentally constant, unmoving, and complete. It has the capacity to manifest all phenomena, yet even as the external world transforms, the pure self-nature remains in a state of eternal meditative concentration.
This is the essence of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. It is a world that manifests from the true self of Buddha, built upon the foundation of His Forty-eight Great Vows. Because these vows are perfectly fulfilled, the Western Pure Land possesses a stability that transcends time:
The power of the vows: Even after countless aeons, the Forty-eight Great Vows remain as firm and unshakable as the day they were made.
Fulfillment of wishes: Beings in the Western Pure Land can manifest whatever they desire through the power of their vow, lacking nothing.
Eternal consistency: No matter how many aeons pass, the purity and perfection of the Western Pure Land never change.
We invite you to contemplate these truths and seek the stability that only the path of Namo Amituofo can provide. Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
