Fierce Diligence on the Path to Awakening

Teachings from Namo Amituofo, recorded by Venerable HaiZe.

March 4, 2022.

Namo Amituofo teaches that a proactive and positive mindset is a vital foundation for one's spiritual life. When you cultivate such a state of mind, the actions that follow become inherently beneficial. This positive energy does not merely affect you; it radiates outward, creating harmony and growth for everyone and everything you encounter.

The Radiance of a Proactive Heart

Consider the profound impact of your positive intentions on the world around you. When you maintain a proactive and wholesome mindset, you contribute to the well-being of your immediate environment, which becomes a space of peace and clarity; your personal life, as you gain the strength to overcome obstacles; the broader community, including your family, society, and the nation; the monastic community, which thrives on the collective dedication of its members; and all living beings and creatures, who benefit from the compassionate energy you radiate.

When we discuss this in the context of spiritual practice, we must understand that the journey begins with the individual. Through various methods of practice, you undergo a process of purification. As you purify your body, heart, and spirit, you will notice that the people, events, and objects in your life begin to change as well. This is the natural result of your internal transformation.

Transcending the Chains of Karmic Weight

Initially, we all arrive in this world carrying the weight of our past karma. This is what we call our dependent retribution—the circumstances we are born into. However, as you deepen your practice, you begin to shift the dynamic. Instead of your life being dictated by your circumstances, your circumstances begin to align with your inner state of purity.

At this stage, you have successfully transformed your karma. Your true nature is no longer controlled or manipulated by the forces of karma or the cycle of reincarnated life. You become the master of your own destiny, and you begin to realise your true nature. This state of self-mastery and Awakening is the ultimate goal for every sincere practitioner.

The Unyielding Path of Fierce Diligence

To reach the goal of transforming your karma and achieving Awakening, a proactive and positive mindset is an absolute necessity. In the Buddha’s gate, we call this fierce diligence. Without the process of fierce diligence, it is nearly impossible to achieve the result of Awakening.

Throughout history, the ancestral masters and venerable masters have demonstrated this in their own practice. They each developed unique methods to overcome laziness and the physical challenges of the body. Because their desire to seek the Dharma was so sincere and their vows so earnest, they received the support of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, as well as the protection of the heavenly beings. This support helped them break through various trials, allowing them to realise their true nature and fulfil their vows much sooner.

The Sacred Vow of the Practitioner

Fierce diligence requires a combination of boldness, courage, compassion, and wisdom. There is no such thing as gaining something for nothing in this world, and this is even more true on the path of spiritual practice. This is a fundamental realisation that everyone who steps onto the path of practice must accept.

At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, we do not fear the trials that come with fierce diligence; we only fear the laziness that prevents us from being diligent. Whether you spend your day in a state of confusion and laziness, or whether you spend it in a state of diligence and fierce practice, the day will pass all the same. The question is: how will you choose to spend your time?

The Eternal Resonance of the Buddha-Name

No matter how you spend your day, always remember to keep the Buddha-name in your heart. Let your thoughts, your vows, and your actions be inseparable from the Buddha. For those who study the Pure Land path, and especially for the monastics, it is essential to chant with a pure and good heart. You must chant until you reach the state where you are chanting, yet there is no sense of a self chanting—this is the basic skill required to truly save the world and help all beings.

If you do not maintain this focus, your chanting will be interrupted by external distractions. When the moment of death arrives, any external disturbance will cause your mind to waver. How, then, can you maintain the single-minded focus required to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss? A pure and good heart helps you maintain this single-minded focus, allowing you to see Namo Amituofo and the lotus platform, and to be led into the Western Pure Land.

If you chant with a messy, distracted mind, it is difficult to be in sync with Namo Amituofo. It is not that the Buddha has failed to come to receive you; it is that your own heart is not pure, not good, and not focused. When the sacred name is interrupted, you fail to protect your heart and see the Buddha. Your spirit does not ascend the lotus platform, and in an instant, you lose the opportunity to follow the Buddha into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Therefore, the fourfold assembly of disciples must focus single-mindedly on the sacred name of Namo Amituofo. You must move forward with fierce diligence. Once you have achieved the state of deep peace and wisdom through Buddha-Recitation, rebirth in the Western Pure Land is assured. You will then be able to lead even more beings who have a karmic affinity with you into the Pure Land to practise, gaining immense benefits and fulfilling the vow to save yourself and others, reaching the Western Pure Land and finding one's own Buddha nature.

Namo Amituofo.