Playing the Game of Life: A Message from Lay Practitioner Zhao Puchu
The Twenty-sixth Letter of Lay Practitioner Zhao Puchu
August 18, 2017
The Great Lecture Hall of Life
Life is a grand lecture hall. This is not to say that my life as Zhao Puchu was particularly spectacular, nor that I possessed some secret mastery over the art of living. Rather, it is because I now exist only as a spirit. Without the limitations and obstructions of a physical body, I am able to perceive the myriad states of human existence with a clarity that was previously impossible. The game of the worldly realm is, in truth, not very enjoyable. It is a cycle that rarely offers a truly satisfying conclusion. One round ends, and immediately, the next begins. The forces of opportunity and destiny act as the dice in your game, and wherever they land, you are compelled to play. Everyone and everything that appears in your life is merely a fellow player in this grand, unfolding drama.
Are You the Master or the Puppet?
You are the protagonist of your own game. Whether you can truly lead the start and finish of this game, or whether you can make the process exciting and meaningful, depends entirely on how you choose to play. If you play carelessly, the control of the game will naturally slip from your hands. You will easily become lost in the confusion of the entire experience. You will find yourself acting as a mere puppet or a marionette, tossed about by the whims of the game’s turning wheel, unable to exercise your own true potential. When the game eventually declares that you are out, you must obey and leave, with no room for negotiation. As for what happens after you are out, you are simply ushered into the next round. This cycle of endless transitions continues, but who can truly know when the final round will arrive?
The Wisdom of Use Without Ownership
If you play this round well—treating it as if it were your very last—you will approach every detail and every challenge with caution and sincerity. You will not be easily ensnared by the traps set within this game, and you may even find the strength to transform the entire situation. Ultimately, a game is just a game. The famous words of Practitioner Su, 'Use everything, but own nothing,' are perfectly suited to this situation. If you desire to possess any scene or object within this game, you will surely suffer a total defeat. You will have trapped yourself within the illusory world of the game. While everyone else finishes their game, you will remain stuck inside. You must never fall into the trap of greed for any of the illusions presented within this game.
The Golden Key to Ultimate Liberation
Perhaps you might ask, 'How can I play this game well?' I, Zhao Puchu, can tell you clearly: do not have a 'self.' Regardless of the challenges or the dramatic highs and lows that appear in the game, you must remain unmoved. Everything should be allowed to pass naturally. Once a situation has passed, it is simply the next scene. Do not be stained by it, and do not carry your ego into it. When you break through all the levels of this game, you can successfully enter the of Ultimate Bliss. Only then is the game truly over. Before you are ready, the game will not be opened again. In the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, you can fully restore your spirit and enrich yourself. Once you have sufficient momentum and certainty, you may choose to challenge the high-difficulty game of the worldly realm once more.
The Path to the Western Pure Land
Within this game, there is a golden key to victory: the six-syllable name, 'Namo Amituofo.' Every obstacle and every level can be overcome using this golden key. As long as you hold firmly to this key, breaking through layer after layer of challenges, entering the ultimate Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss will be guaranteed. Play this game well! This is the final round, and this time, you must break through all difficulties and ascend directly to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!
Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Fajing.
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library