Never Give Up on the Path to Awakening

The Mirage of Worldly Despair

Many people in this lifetime find themselves retreating from their aspirations. Whether due to obstacles, discouragement, or a sense of failure, they often abandon their previous efforts. These interests may include unfulfilled dreams, academic pursuits, career goals, or the complexities of family and interpersonal relationships. While it is true that from the perspective of our eternal spiritual life and the ultimate Truth, these worldly concerns are transient, illusory, and subject to the cycle of arising and ceasing, they feel incredibly real and painful to those who do not yet understand the nature of reality. Many fall from a place of hope into a dark abyss of despair.

If such a person has studied the Buddha's teachings and has taken the time to listen to sutras and hear the Dharma, they will understand that in this world of constant changes, all suffering arises from karma. Once the karma is experienced, it vanishes; it is simply a part of one's destiny. One must realise that hard work does not always yield the expected results. If one can understand this, one can face these situations with equanimity, without attachment, and without being swayed by external circumstances. Even after experiencing pain, one can pat oneself on the shoulder and remind oneself that the past is gone. One must let go, not cling to what has passed, and realise that living in the present moment is the most important thing. Only then can one continue to move forward.

Alchemising Shadows into the Light of Diligence

This is even more critical when walking the Buddha's path. In the selfless work of saving sentient beings, one may encounter slander, criticism, jealousy, and various obstacles. One must never give up. Instead, one should transform these negative energies into positive motivation. The more one faces such challenges, the more one must press forward with fierce diligence. One must not be lazy or slacken, but continue until one reaches Awakening, recovers one's original natural abilities, and realises the Dharma Body. When this is achieved, all previous misunderstandings will naturally dissolve.

The magnificence of the Buddha's teachings lies in the development of our inherent self-nature. We must recover this nature bit by bit until it is fully restored. This is the full manifestation of Awakening, where the original compassion, Wisdom, auspicious characteristics, and omnipotence of the Tathagata are revealed. Once this power is attained, one can use it to save infinite sentient beings, helping them escape the cycle of rebirth and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Rare Treasure of the True Teachings

Once you have entered the Buddha's gate and are walking the righteous path, you must recognise how rare it is to encounter the True Teachings within the cycle of spiritual life and death. With a true spiritual friend to guide you, you must never abandon your practice or your sincere vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss because of temporary setbacks. No matter how great or powerful the resistance you encounter, you must not easily give up. If you achieve Awakening, you will create the opportunity for vast numbers of suffering sentient beings to be saved.

Personal karma and various obstacles may manifest at any time. The path to seeking the Dharma and achieving Awakening is a bright and glorious road, yet in a limited human life, many practitioners may give up halfway or pass away before seeing results. This interrupts the progress made in this lifetime, and one may not know when one will encounter the True Teachings again in the future. Therefore, if one wishes to achieve success in practice, longevity is a vital condition. Unless one has achieved the freedom of life and death through Awakening, no one knows when the impermanence of death will arrive. Thus, one must not be lax for even a single second; one's skills are perfected in these very moments, and Awakening manifests within this very time.

The Infinite Compassion of Namo Amituofo

In the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, there is infinite life, an environment of infinite light, and the natural progression through the four lands and nine grades that leads everyone upward until practice is perfected. This means that practice is not limited by time or lifespan. Even if it takes many eons to achieve, it is all contained within infinite life. Beyond the ability to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss while carrying karma, this is one of the magnificent and dignified aspects of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss—it is the boundless grace of Namo Amituofo toward all beings burdened by karma.

If one looks at the matter of Awakening from a long-term perspective, encountering the True Teachings in this age of the Dharma’s decline is already rare; encountering the Pure Land path is even rarer. If one can achieve Awakening, it is the rarest of all. Awakening is not achieved in a single lifetime; it is the result of cultivation and the accumulation of merit over past lives. Only by encountering the Pure Land path in this life, guided by a true spiritual friend, and by refining one's nature, is there an opportunity for it to manifest.

A Vow to the Students of Hsiang Kuang

Students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, all these conditions are already present for you. Under the guidance and care of Practitioner Su, you have the opportunity to resolve grievances with your karmic creditors, change the "self," personal ego, and selfishness, and help sentient beings be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Most importantly, you have already developed the heart to seek supreme, perfect enlightenment. You must overcome all difficulties. No matter what setbacks or challenges you encounter, you must never retreat. Your faith in the Buddha, your desire to seek the Dharma, and your firm, righteous heart must never be abandoned until you achieve Awakening and attain Buddhahood.

Once the Buddha's path is achieved, you will surely propagate the Pure Land teachings, save sentient beings universally, and enable all creatures to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

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

Namo Amituofo