Progress in Every Step

The Stillness of the Mind

When the turbulent waves of your mind settle into a state of calm, you will find that you are making progress with every single step you take. When you chant Namo Amituofo with every step, and your heart remains entirely focused on the sacred Buddha-name, this is the true meaning of making progress in your practice. As you maintain this focus, you naturally nurture and expand your compassion.

It is our sincere wish that all beings, upon hearing the sacred name of Namo Amituofo, may join in the chanting. By doing so, they open up space within their own consciousness. Within this opened space, these beings have the precious opportunity to be liberated, to receive Chao Du, and to finally escape the suffering of the Three Evil Realms.

Extending Compassion to All Beings

This compassion extends to every corner of existence, encompassing all forms of life and spirit. This includes the natural world, such as mountains, rivers, the earth, soil, and stones; the smallest creatures, including flowers, grasses, insects, and all crawling or flying beings; the spiritual realms, such as ghost beings, wandering spirits, and those residing in the surrounding environment; and the unseen elements, such as air molecules, beings dwelling within the clouds, and those within the mist.

By chanting Namo Amituofo with every step, you ensure that you do not fall into delusions. You must let the Buddha-name flow continuously, like a stream that never ceases, dense and uninterrupted. In this natural state, your personality and ego will be subdued without force.

The Art of Continuous Chanting and Wisdom

When your heart is not attached to appearances, and you walk with a mind that is free of grasping, you reach a state where you chant without the act of chanting, and you are without thought while still chanting. This is what it means to make progress in every step. As your personality changes, you will no longer stubbornly insist on your own views. Instead, you will become gentle, courteous, and respectful towards others. This transformation is a clear sign that you are making progress.

In this state of mind, you will use your purified Six Roots—your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—to perceive the world with newfound clarity. You will be able to sensitively detect environments that are silent or filled with sound, and you will see conditions that were previously invisible to you. You will no longer rely on the tainted consciousness of the past to guide your actions. Instead, you will be able to see the people, events, and objects around you with absolute clarity and understanding.

If changes occur in your environment, you will be able to respond directly, without the need for complex deliberation. This response, arising from your practice, will naturally contain both compassion and wisdom. This is the true skill of a practitioner.

Walking the Right Path

With every step, you must keep meditative concentration in your heart, ensuring that you do not become restless or distracted. Do not allow people, events, or external environments to interfere with your progress or influence the steps you take to save beings. You must be able to clearly distinguish between what should not be done and what is in accordance with the Universal Principles, Truth, and the Right Path.

Even if you do not yet fully understand every aspect of the teachings, as long as you can listen to the guidance of Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su, you will be on the right track. Do what is right, and stop immediately when you are told to stop. If you follow this guidance, you will have no concerns about violating the Universal Principles, Truth, and the Right Path. You will continue to move forward, making progress with every single step you take.

Namo Amituofo