Recorded and transcribed by ’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
November 9, 2025.
Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju:
Irrigation is a fundamental component of any successful endeavour. In the context of practice, when a practitioner makes a vow to seek rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, every single sound of the Buddha-name acts as a life-giving force. It is through these continuous, sincere recitations that the lotus belonging to the practitioner begins to sprout and flourish within the lotus pond of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
The Essential Nutrients for Spiritual Growth
You are the gardener of your own lotus in the Western Land. To ensure it grows into a magnificent, radiant bloom, you must provide it with the proper nourishment through your daily practice:
Chanting Namo Amituofo: This is the primary act of irrigation, providing the essential moisture for your lotus to thrive.
The Eight Meritorious Waters: By maintaining a pure and focused practice, you draw upon the Eight Meritorious Waters as the sacred source of growth for your lotus.
Reciting the Sutras: This serves as the vital nutrients, strengthening the very foundation of your lotus as it matures.
Listening to the : By regularly listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma, you provide the necessary light to help the wisdom of your lotus grow and expand.
As a practitioner, you must strive to maintain pure and good thoughts at all times. Allow your lotus to grow within an environment of purity and goodness. If your thoughts become tainted or if you harbour unwholesome intentions, your lotus in the Western Land will inevitably be affected. It may show signs of stunted growth, impurity, or a lack of vitality.
Cultivating Resilience and Strength
When you encounter difficulties or obstacles in your life, how you respond determines the strength of your lotus. If you are able to face these challenges head-on and actively break through them with the power of your practice, your lotus will grow strong, resilient, and powerful. However, if you choose to retreat, escape, or follow a misguided path when faced with adversity, your lotus will appear weak, fragile, and may even begin to wither.
The Boundless Capacity of the Mind
The size and magnificence of your lotus in the Western Land are a direct reflection of your own mind-capacity. If your heart is narrow and focused only on small, selfish concerns, your lotus will appear weak and small. If you cultivate a great and compassionate heart, your lotus will manifest as grand and majestic. When your mind-capacity becomes as vast and boundless as the universe itself, your lotus will be incomparably magnificent, reflecting the infinite nature of your true self.
A Continuous Stream of Devotion
Students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, each of you is a gardener of your own lotus. You must be diligent and sincere in your cultivation, managing your practice with care every day, every hour, and every single second. You must irrigate your lotus without ceasing.
When your chanting then becomes a continuous, flowing stream that never stops, you are effectively irrigating your lotus in the Western Land 24/7. In this state of constant devotion, your lotus will appear full and vibrant, growing steadily because it is nurtured by the profound vow to attain Buddhahood for the sake of all beings. It is my sincere wish that the lotus of every student at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre may grow in exactly this way.
