Preparing for the Final Journey

The Reality of Impermanence

My dear children, have you ever paused to consider how much time truly remains in this current life? When you look at the uncertainty of the future, do you find yourself shaking your head in hesitation? If you have not yet prepared for the moment when impermanence arrives—when your breath stops and you must bid farewell to this world—then you must begin to address this matter immediately. Taking this step is essential for your spiritual elevation.

I ask you again: have you prepared for this to be your final lifetime, so that you may never again be reincarnated into the cycle of suffering? If you have made this preparation, you must be even more diligent and cautious in seeing the truth of reality. Even if one possesses great wealth, status, or worldly glory, it is all like a fleeting dream that vanishes in the blink of an eye. You cannot take any of it with you when you depart.

Seeing Through the Illusory

You must learn to distinguish between the illusory world and the true nature of reality. Do not be deceived by these illusions; instead, maintain your awakening at all times. Only by doing so will you be able to remain steady when death approaches. At the final moment of your life, you must not be led astray by these illusions, which would cause you to forget to chant the Buddha-name.

If you follow these illusions and become lost within them, you will inevitably be pulled back into the cycle of reincarnation. At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, you are truly situated in an environment conducive to purification. However, I must ask you to look into your own heart: do you truly understand the importance of this purification? Are you capable of purifying yourself? Can you discern at any given moment whether your body, speech, and mind are in a state of purity or if they are tainted by defilements?

The Constant Practice of Namo Amituofo

If you find that your mind is pure, then continue to maintain that state. If you find that you are caught in a state of impurity, you must immediately distance yourself from it, change your thoughts, and cease the continuation of such negativity. Is your chanting of Namo Amituofo constant, 24/7? Even if you cannot maintain it every single second, you must be able to bring the Buddha-name to mind at any time.

Do not forget that having Namo Amituofo in your heart, chanting the Buddha-name with your mouth, and listening to the Buddha-name with your ears should be the most important tasks of your life. If you can truly achieve this, you will be able to purify your mind at any moment. When the trials of impermanence, old age, sickness, and death assail you, you will be able to invoke the Buddha-name and receive the Buddha's blessings.

A Call to Diligence

My dear children, you must engage in your practice with the utmost sincerity so that you can be certain of these outcomes. Only by facing these truths with a calm and prepared mind can you truly hope for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. You must continue to work hard, never become lax, and never let this purpose slip from your mind.

Namo Amituofo

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe