Forgetting Our Original Nature

The Eternal Record of Our Existence

In the first session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony held on June 7, 2025, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provided profound guidance on the nature of our existence and the importance of our practice. We must understand that every aspect of our past body, heart, and spirit is meticulously recorded. Nothing is ever lost; every detail is stored within the Alaya consciousness. This includes the following components of our being:

• Form: Our physical body and its material manifestations.
• Feeling: The sensations we experience through our senses.
• Perception: The thoughts and mental images we form.
• Mental Formations: Our behaviours, habits, and actions.
• Consciousness: Our speech, intentions, and the ultimate destination of our spirit.

Because every thought and action is stored without omission, this serves as the very source of the laws of karma and cause and effect. Nothing escapes this record, and therefore, there is no possibility of oversight in the cosmic accounting of our lives.

The Unbroken Chain of Karma

We must deeply contemplate the principle of karma that links our past, present, and future lives together. This principle spans across three distinct phases of our existence:

• The Past: This does not merely refer to our previous life. It encompasses the entire journey of our spirit, which has existed without beginning or end, stretching back through countless lifetimes until the very last one.
• The Present: This refers to the entirety of our current life, from the moment of our birth until this very day.
• The Future: This refers to the life to come, continuing the journey of our spirit which remains without beginning or end.

People in this world often forget their past and lose sight of their original nature. They may even fail to remember the events that have occurred within this very lifetime. Yet, despite our forgetfulness, every single event has been recorded in the Alaya consciousness. This is why we must be extremely cautious in our speech and conduct. While all phenomena are empty in nature, the laws of karma and cause and effect are not.

The Weight of Our Karmic Burden

Whenever our current thoughts and consciousness touch upon the Alaya consciousness, the causes we created in the past—if the conditions have matured—will manifest as results in the present. Within this process, we encounter the influences of our parents, teachers, family members, and our karmic creditors from this life and from countless past lives. The results of these karmic seeds can manifest in two ways:

• Good Results: These bring about various forms of happiness and joy.
• Evil Results: These bring about various forms of suffering, including the inevitable cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

Our accumulated karma can be as vast as the great ocean and as heavy as Mount Sumeru. Therefore, you must be diligent and careful in your words and actions. Do not provoke the manifestation of your dormant karma.

The Path of Purification

True practice is the process of Purifying the body, heart, and spirit. Adhering to the Precepts is essential, as it acts as a protective barrier, preventing us from triggering the manifestation of negative karma and allowing the process of purification to take place. Meditative concentration is our inherent, natural ability. When we are in a state of purification, this concentration can manifest, which in turn helps our innate Wisdom (Prajna) to emerge.

The Supreme Shortcut to Buddhahood

When you forget your original nature, you become lost in the cycles of the past and the future. The most effective method to avoid triggering negative karma and to continue the work of Purifying the body, heart, and spirit is to simply chant Namo Amituofo all the way. The power of merit and the majestic power contained within the Buddha-name are truly magnificent and should never be underestimated.

This is the most convenient shortcut to becoming a Buddha, as it relies on the dual support of our own efforts and the compassionate power of Namo Amituofo. You must hold firmly to this practice.

Namo Amituofo