From This Moment On: Returning to Your True Nature

The Fading Echoes of Innocence

Amitabha Buddha's discourse asks us to reflect upon the passage of time and the changes that have taken root within our hearts. How many of us can truly say when our original, simple nature began to fade? At some point, the innocence we once held was replaced by the complexities and sophistication of the world. We traded our bright, refreshing smiles for faces heavy with worry and the burdens of life. We once possessed a gentle, obedient spirit, yet over time, this was supplanted by a stubborn insistence on our own opinions, our own agendas, and our own rigid personalities.

Is this truly what it means to grow? Must we lose our authentic selves to navigate the world? The answer is no. It does not have to be this way. You have the power to reclaim the clarity that has always been yours.

Awakening to the Light of Namo Amituofo

My dear children, from this moment on, you must make a conscious choice to transform your life. You can begin this journey of renewal right now:

• Use the sacred name of Namo Amituofo to purify the complexities and worldly sophistication that have clouded your mind.
• Replace your sorrow and heavy burdens with the light of compassion and the clarity of wisdom.
• Exchange your stubborn insistence on self-importance for a heart that is soft, gentle, and direct.

By making these shifts, you are not merely changing your behaviour; you are returning to the very essence of who you are.

The Fleeting Sands of Time

Life is finite, and we must ask ourselves: how much of our time has already passed, and how much truly remains? For most people, before one has reached the state of an awakened being and achieved freedom over the cycle of birth and death, this remains an unknown variable. We do not know if we have enough time left to complete this vital transformation. However, the moment you resolve to change, the path opens before you. As long as your intention is firm, you can begin this transformation in the present moment.

Walking Together Toward the Western Pure Land

I believe that here, on the precious land of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, every member of the fourfold assembly (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) will be delighted to witness the positive changes in one another. We live together as a community, united by a singular, noble purpose:

• We strive to not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die, so that we may be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
• We practise diligently to realise our true nature, not only to save ourselves but to help all beings.

The achievement of one practitioner can inspire and uplift everyone, helping the entire community move forward together. Furthermore, the beings in the spiritual realms are waiting with deep longing to be saved and to leave their suffering behind. They require the presence of awakened beings like Practitioner Su, whose Dharma Body is manifest in this world, to spread the Buddha’s teachings far and wide.

It is our collective mission to ensure that the education of the Buddha is accessible to all. Let the name of Namo Amituofo guide everyone to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Let this message be transmitted throughout the Dharma Realm and into the heart of every single being.

Namo Amituofo