Forgetting the Self and Letting Go of the Self

Words of Namo Amituofo:

Who are you, really? When you look into the mirror or reflect upon your life, what do you see? Are you merely the name you were given at birth? Are you the physical body you inhabit at this very moment, with all its fleeting sensations and burning desires? Are you defined by your roles—the child of your parents, the spouse of your partner, or the parent of your children?

We often identify ourselves with the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. We see ourselves as bodies that age, lose their strength, become distorted by illness, and finally face the end of life. But is this physical form truly who you are? Is your heart, with its unpredictable moods and endless cravings, the real you? Are your emotions—the joy, the anger, the sorrow, the happiness, the instability, and the constant anxieties—the essence of your being? Even your spirit, the three hun souls and seven po souls, must be examined: are they at peace, and is your true self truly able to take charge?

The Illusion of the Worldly Self

All of the aspects mentioned above belong to the limited, false self that people commonly call "I." Because this body is a false construct, relying on it to achieve lasting liberation is like building a house on sand. If you use this body to seek blessings and wisdom, you are merely accumulating things that are limited and will eventually be exhausted. However, if you use your true heart to help others and to save sentient beings, you are walking a different path.

This is the path of working without attachment:

• Working without the intention to work: You act for the sake of all beings without a sense of "self" doing the action.
• Acting without the intention to act: You perform your duties naturally, as if they are not being performed at all.
• Moving forward with a pure heart: You proceed directly on the path of practice without being swayed by personal desires.

By doing this, you cultivate merit. Unlike worldly blessings, this merit is something you can carry with you, and it is truly infinite.

The Transience of Names and Forms

If you wish to progress in your practice, you must learn to forget the worldly self and let go of the worldly self. This includes your name, your body, your sensations, your desires, your social status, your roles, your work, and all the various emotions and anxieties that define the unstable "self."

Consider your name. Is your name truly you? Names can be changed, and throughout your many lives, you have held countless names. You have been a member of the Li family, the Zeng family, the Lin family, the Zhuang family, the Wang family, the Liu family, and so many others. If you look at the history of all surnames, you will find that you and your family members have been part of them all. Therefore, a name is not permanent. When your breath stops, even if your name remains in this world, your body will have turned to ashes, and your spirit will have drifted to an unknown destination.

Cultivating Merit Beyond the Worldly Self

Is this body truly you? The cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death is the ultimate proof of its impermanence. The worldly self is merely a collection of karma and the karmic conditions and the causes and effects of your past actions. It is a state of constant flux, changing at every moment. To prevent the manifestation of negative karma, you must reduce your external attachments. Your lifestyle should be as simple as possible:

• Daily consumption: Keep your food, clothing, and living arrangements simple.
• Social interactions: Limit your unnecessary social engagements to maintain a quiet mind.
• Material needs: Reduce your reliance on external comforts to avoid the traps of the world.

By simplifying your life, you avoid triggering the Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt. You also avoid planting the seeds of wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep—which lead to the hells and cause endless suffering. Do not be attached to or infatuated with any person, object, or situation. Such attachments will only cause your spirit to sink into the ocean of confusion and karma.

Awakening to Your True Self

In contrast to the worldly self, your true self is your original nature. This is the true self-nature that everyone possesses, which can be rediscovered after diligent practice and purification. This true self is:

• Harmonious: It follows causal conditions with ease and grace.
• Cool and free: It is not disturbed by external environments but instead has the power to transform them.
• Constant: It is a state of eternal, unchanging joy.
• Pure: It is forever clean, untainted by the dust of the world.

When you let go of the false, you allow the true to manifest. This is the goal of your practice—to return to the source, to leave suffering behind, and to find the happiness that never fades. Namo Amituofo.