Moving Externally, Still Internally

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

On the twenty-first of November, 2025, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offered these profound teachings on the nature of true stillness amidst activity.

The Essence of Inner Stillness

To move externally while remaining still internally means that no matter how the physical body moves or interacts with the world, the heart remains completely unmoved. This is the natural state of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, the great ancestral masters, those who have realised their true nature, and those who have attained deep meditative concentration. In the human world, we possess a physical body, and to achieve this level of mastery, one must engage in diligent practice until it becomes second nature.

When Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and ancestral masters manifest in their various forms—whether through their reward bodies or their transformation bodies—they do so to save beings with karmic affinity. In these moments of activity, they demonstrate the state of moving externally while remaining still internally. This is a vital method for saving beings without becoming entangled in the world themselves.

The Mastery of the True Self

When one’s true self is able to take charge, the spirit remains stable, settled, and unmoving, completely free from external interference. In this state, one can observe the conditions, the people, the timing, and the environment with perfect clarity. One flows naturally with the Dharma, acting according to the needs of the moment while the heart remains in a state of profound stillness. This is the reason why those who have achieved success in their practice can teach and guide sentient beings without being disturbed or influenced by the confusion of those they seek to help.

The Path of Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom

For those who are diligent in their practice, the path is clear. Through the continuous observance of the Precepts, one removes defilements and attains purity. By keeping the mind settled and unmoving, one establishes the cause for Wisdom to manifest, eventually leading to the fruit of Awakening. Therefore, the Three Learnings of Precepts, Samadhi, and Wisdom are the fundamental studies of the Buddha’s teachings. They are the essential guidelines that every practitioner must follow and uphold.

Living the Practice in Daily Life

Those who move externally while remaining still internally maintain a state where the body, mind, and spirit are unified, even while the body is in motion. Because the heart is unmoved in a deep meditative state, one can see the situations within the environment with absolute clarity. From this stillness, an inexhaustible source of Wisdom emerges. The practitioner is then able to integrate compassion and Wisdom into practical action. This is the true skill of one who has mastered the art of moving externally while remaining still internally.

This skill of the heart and this ability to remain still in action must be cultivated in daily life. It is not restricted by time or space. When the heart is not disturbed, the body can adapt to the myriad changes in the environment, allowing one to perform the work of saving beings at any time and in any place. This is the true, authentic accomplishment of a practitioner.

Namo Amituofo