Why is it that so many practitioners of the Gate fail to achieve true results in their practice? Many become trapped in the superficial aspects of the path. Some are attached to the mere name of the Buddha, while others focus obsessively on the mechanics of their practice. They may count their beads and chant the Buddha-name tens or even hundreds of thousands of times a day, yet their hearts remain unchanged. Most of this is simply confusion.
Furthermore, some people listen to Dharma talks repeatedly, treating the words like precious treasures. They may hear a key point and feel a momentary sense of understanding, or perhaps they hear exactly what they want to hear. However, they never truly implement these teachings to transform their lives. After a few days, they forget the lesson or the initial inspiration fades. They then seek out new terms, new concepts, or new sensations, repeating the same cycle over and over. They remain stuck in the same place, day after day, wasting precious time. This is a state that most practitioners fail to notice, which we call spiritual attachment.
Verifying Your Practice Through Dharma Protectors
To truly progress, you must learn to examine yourself. You can verify the quality of your practice through the presence of our Dharma protectors. Whether or not you are truly protected is something you can know within your own heart. If you have the support of Dharma protectors, it indicates that your body, speech, and mind are aligned with Goodness. If you do not feel this support, it means your practice is not in accordance with the True Teachings, and you should adjust your approach immediately.
Only through genuine practice—by changing your character and heart—can you make progress. Even if you move forward step by step, the Dharma protectors will continue to watch over you as long as you walk the righteous path. Eventually, you will reach the other shore. I have observed that the fourfold assembly at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre shares a collective heart for saving the world. Every member of this salvation team is protected by the Dharma protectors. However, if one deviates from the righteous path, one will inevitably face the consequences of . Therefore, the standard of practice for the fourfold assembly at this temple is stricter than in most other places. You must be extremely mindful of every thought and intention. Only a pure and kind heart will increase your and Wisdom.
The Living Example of Practitioner Su
I have seen that Practitioner Su is the only one who engages in diligent practice through daily prostrations and the recitation of the Infinite Life Sutra. He does not merely read the text; he follows every single sentence in his practice and uses the sutra to verify his own progress. When Practitioner Su gives Dharma talks, he often says, "To see the Infinite Life Sutra is to see the Buddha." If every practitioner of the Pure Land Dharma Gate could truly live out every sentence of the Infinite Life Sutra, they would certainly achieve . Practitioner Su does exactly this. Every word spoken by the Buddha is clearly written in the Infinite Life Sutra, and Practitioner Su never keeps these teachings to himself. He shares them and tells every member of the fourfold assembly how to truly put them into action. For those who follow his guidance, Awakening is within reach.
The Path to True Awakening
Practitioner Su’s daily prostrations and reading of the sutras are all for the purpose of saving beings and opening his Wisdom. Naturally, he receives the of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. To achieve Awakening, one must let go of the "self." You must be selfless, disregard your own physical comfort, and think only of how to benefit the masses. When you do this, you will naturally receive the care of the Dharma protectors and the heavenly beings. I, Sangharama, have observed that no matter how busy Practitioner Su is, his heart is always filled with either the Buddha-name or the Infinite Life Sutra. He maintains a state of purity, free from delusions and messy thoughts. His heart is clear and bright, and every cell in his body undergoes constant purification, and then more purification. The way he utilises his is truly miraculous, and the depth of this skill is something only Practitioner Su himself can fully know. If the fourfold assembly wishes to achieve Awakening soon, you must truly listen, truly change, and truly practise. Do not engage in superficial efforts; only then can you succeed.
Every day, I see that the light of Practitioner Su is brilliant, and it grows brighter with each passing day. He seizes every moment to give Dharma talks and teach, all to ensure that the best of the Buddha’s teachings are preserved for thousands of generations to come. Only through such methods can we save immeasurable and boundless beings. We make the vow to save all beings, and we make the vow to attain the supreme Buddha's path.
