Everything is Mind-Only

During the second session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, we reflect upon the profound truth that everything is mind-only. This teaching, delivered by Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju and recorded by Venerable HaiZe, invites us to examine the very core of our existence: the heart.

The Boundless Capacity of the Heart

The heart is not merely a physical organ; it is the fundamental essence of our being. Its capacity is truly inconceivable. It possesses the power to manifest the six realms of existence and the four holy states. It can encompass the entire universe, yet it can also become as small as a single speck of dust. It is as vast as the infinite void, yet it remains the singular point from which all our experiences arise. When we speak of the heart, we are speaking of the architect of our reality.

The Duality of the Ordinary Mind

For ordinary people, the heart is a landscape of constant fluctuation. It is a place where goodness and evil, purity and turbidity, brightness and darkness, clarity and contamination all coexist. We often find ourselves caught in this duality, unable to distinguish between the impulses of our true self and the shadows cast by our past actions. This internal state is not static; it is shaped by the interplay of our past karma and the influence of our karmic creditors. Whether we are trapped in the cycle of rebirth or moving toward the transformation of our karma, the outcome is determined entirely by the state of this heart and the actions that follow.

The Struggle for Mastery

The crucial question we must ask ourselves is: who is in charge of our heart? Is it our true self, or is it the weight of our past karma and the interference of our karmic creditors? We can visualise this struggle as a balance of power within our own minds:

• If our karmic creditors hold two parts of the influence, our true self retains eight parts of the mastery.If the influence of karmic creditors increases to five parts, our true self is left with only five parts of control.When karmic creditors dominate eight parts of our heart, our true self is reduced to a mere two parts of influence.In the most severe cases, if karmic creditors take full control of all ten parts, our true self has no room left to act.

This is the reality of a life governed by the cycle of rebirth and the heavy burden of karma. When we allow external forces to dictate our thoughts and actions, we lose the ability to steer our own spiritual journey.

The Freedom of the Awakened Being

In contrast, those who have realised their true nature exist in a state of complete autonomy. For these awakened beings, there is no interference from karmic creditors. They have returned to the source, allowing their true self and their Six Sense Organs—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—to function in perfect harmony. Because they can see the truth of reality clearly, they no longer create new karma. They are not swayed by the external environment, nor are they turned by the dust of the world. They are the ones who have achieved true mastery, dwelling in a state of profound peace and coolness. Let us strive to cultivate this same clarity, ensuring that our heart remains the master of our path, leading us safely toward the Western Pure Land.

Namo Amituofo