Navigating Change with a Pure Heart: Teachings from Bodhisattva Ashvaghosha

The Fluid Dance of Causal Conditions

In the context of the Buddha’s teachings, there is no fixed state of being. Everything is created by the mind alone. All changes, and the changes within those changes, are neither inherently good nor bad. For those of us facing and participating in these shifts together, if we can gain new insights from unexpected situations—or even find ourselves transformed by different developments—this becomes a vital turning point in our lives.

Usually, the students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre are accustomed to the guidance and care of Practitioner Su, who watches over them like a strict father and a compassionate mother. During this period when Practitioner Su is not physically present, it is the perfect opportunity for you to cultivate independence and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. You will find that your capacity to respond grows stronger with each experience.

This is especially true for the monastic community. Your daily ability to react with wisdom and draw inferences from one instance to another should now be applied to adapting to these changes. You must be diligent in your practice. While we follow the flow of Causal Conditions, we must also maintain the ability to adapt to any situation that arises.

Bathed in the Radiance of Namo Amituofo

Namo Amituofo is infinitely compassionate. The Buddha’s light is constantly shining upon you, settling your body, mind, and spirit. Your karmic creditors also receive this light, and some are even led into the light to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. As long as you do not allow your mind to wander into excessive thinking, these karmic creditors will not be able to interfere with you, allowing you to cultivate in peace and purity.

How fortunate you are! Beyond the presence of Namo Amituofo and Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, the memorial tablets of the thirteen generations of Pure Land patriarchs and many other venerable masters are here. This signifies that these patriarchs, along with Skanda Bodhisattva and Sangharama Bodhisattva, are all present in this place to watch over you. You must cherish this magnificent Dharma affinity and practise with sincerity.

A Sanctuary for the Soul

As time flies, the next day of spreading the Dharma will soon arrive. You must be diligent in your practice. Causal Conditions are always changing, and there are still endless suffering beings waiting for Practitioner Su to lead the students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in saving them and sending them to the West. You must learn to follow the conditions without losing your original nature, and to remain unchanged while adapting to the conditions.

For Zhang Qianyuan, his wife, and the other guests who have newly arrived at the temple, sharing this time with the students is an unexpected turn of events. In the mundane world, one would never experience rising at two in the morning in the biting cold to prostrate, walk in meditation, and chant together. You have also been observing silence, which is a brand-new experience. It provides a different perspective on what it truly means to practise. Being part of the Hsiang Kuang team is a magnificent Dharma affinity. Regardless of the circumstances, settle your body and mind here. As long as you follow Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, you will have every opportunity to heal your body, resolve conflicts with beings, and help them be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Guidance for the Path Ahead

Bodhisattva Ashvaghosha offers the following suggestions for your current situation:

• Focus on your daily lessons: During group cultivation, seize the time to complete your prostrations and other tasks. Exercise team spirit and perform your assigned duties well; this is an excellent opportunity to cultivate blessings. Keep your mind calm and peaceful, free from personal emotions or opinions.
• Purify your thoughts: Chant the Buddha-name with a pure heart. When the heart is pure, the body is pure. Purify your thoughts and avoid dwelling on worries, which only invites karmic creditors to manifest. Focus solely on chanting the name of Namo Amituofo or reciting and listening to the Sutras.
• The power of the mantra: To "give rise to all roots of goodness and achieve the fruit of Bodhi" is a positive force. If your heart is upright and sincere, you can change the outcome of any situation. Practitioner Su often reminds you to think good thoughts, be a good person, and speak good words—this is exactly what that means.

The Profound Stillness of Body, Speech, and Mind

Observing silence to purify your Body, Speech, and Mind is a vital part of your practice. It allows you to gather your body and mind in a way that is impossible in ordinary life. This is the perfect time to let your busy mind, which has been agitated by work and previous travels to spread the Dharma, settle down. Do not disregard the merit of silence. It is a method to steady the mind and avoid the delusions that cause karmic creditors to appear and seek balance. You should continue this practice.

Anchoring the Heart in the Dharma

Although we are not currently inviting spirits or writing memorial tablets, simply following the current schedule—settling into the present moment and focusing on prostrations, reciting the Sutras, and listening to the Dharma—is an excellent way to stabilise yourself and all beings, and to remove messy thoughts. When prostrating, listen to the Buddha-name, follow the rhythm with your body, and keep your eyes fixed on the Buddha statue in front of you. Do not let your mind scatter. When reciting the Sutras, do not try to analyse the meaning; simply let each word be clear and distinct as you read. When listening to Practitioner Su’s Dharma talks, listen with a pure heart to receive the greatest benefits of the Dharma. If you feel drowsy, choose a method to stay alert, such as standing in the back row, drinking water, or washing your face.

When walking in meditation, keep your hands joined in prayer at your chest, representing the ten directions of the Dharma Realm united in one heart. As you chant, visualise the Buddha-name orbiting your entire body, piercing through time and space, and reaching the Dharma realm of emptiness and all the spirits with whom you have an affinity. Let everyone chant together and move toward the golden light before the Buddha. I suggest that in the evening, after your meal and before the final rest, you include sutra copying in your group or individual practice. Copying the sutras neatly and with a focused mind is a powerful method to steady the mind and develop Wisdom.

The Alchemy of Mind and Karma

Handling unexpected situations is a challenge in this world. Whether a situation is handled appropriately depends on the subsequent results and how people perceive the matter. What is called good can be bad, and what is called bad can be good. Therefore, by working on your own mind, you can change the outcome.

Fortune and misfortune are created by the mind. Everything depends on your mental note. Good thoughts are the cause of good fruit; evil thoughts are the cause of evil consequences. Everything exists within the laws of karma and cause and effect. The changes in events are relative—they are products of the mind, karma, and the arising and ceasing of karmic conditions.

The most important ability when facing an unexpected situation is to remain calm in the face of danger. If you possess the skill of meditative concentration, you can calm and stabilise the hearts of others, making the situation much easier to resolve. If you appear flustered, it creates anxiety and makes it difficult to settle matters. This is the power manifested by meditative concentration—a form of energy. Positive energy is convincing and brings stability, while negative energy creates restlessness. Regardless of the situation, you must develop the ability to observe and respond in your daily life. This requires sensitivity; if your spirit is purified and elevated, you will possess a keen, awakened awareness.

If your Six Roots are in a state of clarity and purification, you can make effective and correct judgments in the face of sudden changes. If your Six Roots are in a state of chaos, you will struggle to face change and be unable to make beneficial decisions. By facing these moments with both compassion and Wisdom, you will be able to pass through them successfully.

This message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

Namo Amituofo