Passing Through Every Gate to Awakening

The Stagnation of the Heart

If you find that your practice is merely passing day by day, yet you cannot see where the problems lie, you may feel yourself becoming drowsy or notice the onset of old age and illness. Please understand that this is not a problem of the days themselves; it is a problem of the heart. True practice is not about merely filling time; it is about the profound work of reclaiming the original self—the self that existed before your parents gave birth to you. This is the cool, free, and autonomous self. This is the true self, the authentic you, rather than the self that has been ravaged by the cycle of reincarnation, birth, old age, and sickness. It is the self that is no longer controlled by karma or the persistent demands of your karmic creditors.

The Endless Dream of Samsara

The self that has been trapped in the cycle of reincarnation is a self that is currently dreaming. You have not yet awakened. You are living through one dream after another, unable to rouse yourself from this slumber. The world in which you currently reside, along with all the beings surrounding you, is almost entirely in this state. Everyone is simply dreaming different dreams. Within these dreams, you wander endlessly through the six realms of existence. Each realm serves as the backdrop of your dream, and you are the protagonist within it. Consider the vast array of beings who are all, like you, still dreaming and yet to awaken:

• Inanimate elements: A blade of grass, a drop of dew, a molecule of air, a grain of soil, a single grain of rice, a pair of chopsticks, a sheet of paper, or a pen.
• Animal life: A snake, a mouse, an ant, a frog, a dog, a cat, or a cow.
• Spiritual and celestial beings: A demon, an asura, a celestial being, or a human being.
• Suffering spirits: A ghost realm being, or a spirit suffering in the hells.

There are countless beings, all of whom are currently lost in the dream, waiting for the moment of true awakening.

The Path to Clarity

The Four Sacred Realms represent a state of gradually waking up. In these realms, one no longer dreams, no longer enters the cycle of reincarnation, and is no longer controlled by the heavy weight of karma. One begins to gain true autonomy. From the level of the Arhat, the Pratyekabuddha, and the Bodhisattva, up to the Buddha realm, every step of spiritual elevation is a moment of becoming slightly more awake. However, even the sages of the Buddha realm have not yet seen their true nature; they have not yet truly and fully awakened. The only beings who are truly awake, who no longer fall into the dream, are those who have attained the state of an awakened being and achieved Buddhahood. They are no longer deceived by the illusions of the dream world.

The Vow of the Western Pure Land

The sages of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss are different. Even when they enter the dream world, it is not because they are pulled in by the force of karma. Instead, they enter based on their vows—the vow to save all suffering beings. Today, however, we can see many holy beings who have descended from the Western Pure Land who have not yet seen their true nature. They have become submerged in the cycle of reincarnation, unable to free themselves to return to the West, and their spirits are suffering under the heavy burden of karma.

A Rare Opportunity at Hsiang Kuang

Fortunately, you have obtained a human body in this lifetime. You are living in a time when Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su are all manifesting in the world simultaneously. To be gathered here at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is truly magnificent. This is the most wonderful time to see your true nature and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss! I urge all students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre and all members of the Dharma assembly to cherish this rare and difficult-to-encounter opportunity. Resolve your obstacles, pass through every gate, exit the dream world, and attain true awakening. Let go of delusions, remove impurities, transform consciousness into wisdom, and break through delusion to attain enlightenment. May you see your true nature, achieve success, fulfill your wish to be reborn in the West, and spread the Pure Land teachings throughout the six realms, the Four Sacred Realms, and the vastness of the Dharma Realm and the galaxy. Namo Amituofo.