No matter what you do, if it benefits sentient beings, you must persevere. Even when faced with obstacles or difficulties, adjust your approach, improve your method, and never abandon your path halfway, lest you leave suffering beings to cry out in vain. The path of practice is not a sprint; it is a profound journey of the spirit that requires unwavering commitment.
The Long Journey Toward
Realising one's true nature and attaining Buddhahood is not a path that yields short-term results or immediate success. It is a monumental undertaking that often requires the accumulation of good roots, , and Causal Conditions over many lifetimes. To purify yourself and remove the deep-seated stains of past , you must inevitably pass through various tests and trials. Even if you fail a test, you must remain courageous, face your errors directly, and strive on with renewed effort. As long as you do not retreat from your initial intention, there will come a day of success.
Do not abandon your path halfway, for to do so is to drift away from the Buddha's path. Consider how precious this human body is; you have the rare opportunity to hear the , realise your true nature, and achieve rebirth in the of Ultimate Bliss. If you lose this chance, who knows how long you must wait to regain a human body and hear the Pure Land teachings again? How long will you remain trapped in the cycle of reincarnation, suffering in the darkness of ignorance?
The Life-Saving Elixir of the Holy Name
On the path of practice, as long as you follow the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way—not falling into deviant ways or side paths—you must continue forward, regardless of the setbacks or slander you may encounter. Believe in yourself and believe in the Buddha. Persevere, and do not let yourself be severed from the truth, lest you fall into the confusion of the world and lose your spirit. As long as you have a single breath remaining, no matter when or where you are, you must keep the holy name of in your heart.
Do not let the name leave your lips, your heart, or your body for even a fleeting moment. Living in this dangerous Five Turbidities and Evil World, the name of Namo Amituofo is your life-saving elixir. If you wish to save the world, you need the purification and protection of Namo Amituofo to reach the state of Awakening. If you wish to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, you must single-mindedly chant the name of Namo Amituofo to nourish your lotus in the West, allowing the Buddha and the lotus to carry you into that magnificent land.
Waking from the Dream of Samsara
When you seek the Dharma, you must learn to let go. Do not be bound by attachments or entanglements that are difficult to sever. Everything in this world is like a dream; when the dream ends, the scenery vanishes. If you are still lost in the dream and find it hard to wake up, you must persevere. Exert all your strength and cry out: Namo Amituofo. Even if the dream does not end, you will wake up yourself, suddenly realising the truth and seeing your original face. As Master Yongjia once said: In the dream, there are clearly six realms of existence, but after awakening, there is only emptiness and no great universe.
Mastering Amidst the Five Turbidities
When you cannot master your own mind, you are being mastered by your karma. You are like a puppet in the hands of a puppeteer; you wish to go West, but you are pulled East; you wish to go East, but you are pulled West. You know you should not complain or feel anger, and you should practise patience and tolerance, yet you find it difficult to control yourself. When anger and resentment manifest, you create negative karma and suffer the consequences. This is the state of being unable to master oneself.
You know you should not think certain thoughts, yet you think them. You know you should not act in certain ways, yet you act. You know you should not have personal ego or bad habits, yet when a situation arises, your ego and habits appear immediately. You know you should be humble and modest, yet you remain arrogant. You understand you should be gentle, kind, respectful, frugal, and yielding, yet you remain aggressive. These are all signs of being unable to master oneself. Practice is difficult when you are in this state, and your body and mind will suffer. Fortunately, you are on the path of the True Teachings. You must repent, practise diligently, and change your ways. Persevere, do not be discouraged, and do not give up. Only through breakthroughs will you find the opportunity to move forward and be reborn in the Western Pure Land.
The Beacon of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
True skill and the act of spreading the Dharma to benefit the world will inevitably encounter jealousy and obstacles. You must overcome these with (Discipline), Concentration and Wisdom. Use immovable wisdom and a heart of to face any changes in the external environment. The more obstacles you face, the more firmly you must stand your ground. Your heart for spreading the Dharma must not be shaken. Persevere, and all obstacles will crumble on their own.
The path of growth in practice is not always smooth sailing; it requires the guidance of a true spiritual friend. From ancient times to the present, all the ancestral masters have had influential figures in their practice. They were transformed and taught by them, learning to truly change their ways and working tirelessly. Even if they took a step back, they persevered, stepped forward again, and relied on firm determination to achieve great things for the Buddha's teachings.
The dust, the mountains, the rivers, the earth, the flying and crawling creatures, and all beings in the six realms possess hearts that are dry and impoverished. They need the Dharma water of the Western Pure Land of Amitabha to nourish them. The Four Sacred Realms, often called the scorched sprouts and rotten seeds, can be cleansed by going to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Helpless and wandering hearts need the great wisdom and guidance of Namo Amituofo. Bodies in pain and spirits disturbed by false thoughts need the Buddha, the Great Physician, to heal them. The survival energy of the galaxies in the universe, which has been exhausted, needs the energy of the six-character holy name of Namo Amituofo to be replenished. Wandering spirits everywhere can chant the holy name of Amitabha and go to the Western Pure Land to find peace. The causal conditions for Awakening are so magnificent, and the methods of are so inconceivable—all of this has manifested right here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.
Being born as a human and encountering the Buddha's teachings—especially here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the place where Namo Amituofo truly abides—is a rare blessing. The Buddha's purity, equality, compassion, and great awakening should be manifested here. The Buddha's great vows and great heart should be spread from here to every corner of the Earth and the entire Dharma Realm.
Practitioner Su has worked diligently in this Pure Land, leading the fourfold assembly of disciples through various hardships and slander. Having endured ruthless winds and rains, tasted the cold and warmth of human relationships, and faced treatment without mercy, Practitioner Su remains unafraid of obstacles. Standing tall and moving forward with perseverance, Practitioner Su has finally realised the Dharma Body and has been blessed by the presence of Namo Amituofo, the Teaching Master of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, who truly abides here. This is an unprecedented event, praised by all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and ancestral masters.
Students of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre possess magnificent blessings. Having heard, seen, and been able to follow this path, you must persevere. Do not have the slightest bit of laxity or arrogance. Realise your true nature early, attain Buddhahood, spread the Pure Land teachings, and allow all sentient beings in the Dharma Realm who have the affinity to enter the precious land of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. May the holy name of Namo Amituofo be forever chanted throughout the human world and the Dharma Realm.
Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
