Recorded and transcribed by ’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
15 October 2023.
Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offers these profound teachings on the nature of our spiritual journey:
The Great Ocean of Samsara
The path of practice is a long and arduous journey. It is much like the voyage of a ship attempting to cross from this shore to the other. In this metaphor, the shore upon which we currently stand represents the six realms of rebirth, where we are trapped in the endless cycle of suffering. The other shore is the of Ultimate Bliss, a place where one can finally find true liberation from the cycle of birth and death, or reach the state of an awakened being who possesses complete mastery over their own destiny.
There are many fellow travellers aboard this vessel, all seeking to cross the vast and turbulent waters of existence. The surface of this ocean is unpredictable; at times, it may be calm and serene, but at other moments, it can suddenly erupt into violent, towering waves that threaten to overwhelm our resolve.
The Perils of the Journey
To reach the other shore, one must successfully navigate the entire process of crossing. Regardless of the situations one encounters, those who finally arrive and are saved are like practitioners who have overcome the most rigorous tests of life. They remain diligent, continuing their practice until they realise their true nature and behold their original face.
However, many who begin the journey on this ship do not reach the destination. We see various outcomes among those who lose their way:
Some are unable to withstand the harsh winds and rain of life's challenges, and they fall overboard into the sea of suffering.
Some are overcome by fear and anxiety; upon seeing other vessels, they lose faith in their own path and abandon their journey to switch to another boat.
Some are struck by the impermanence of life—old age, sickness, and the inevitable decline of —and they collapse before they can ever reach the other shore.
These various failures are akin to a practitioner who has not truly mastered the art of chant Buddha's name. Because their practice is not deep, they remain far from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and are pulled back into the ocean of reincarnated . Others may retreat halfway, abandoning their practice to return to the mundane life of the world, only to find themselves once again trapped in the cycle of six realms of existence. Some may simply reach the end of their lifespan before they have achieved the state of an awakened being.
The Compassionate Navigator
The captain of this ship is an experienced guide who has already endured countless storms and tests. Having already reached the other shore, this awakened being possesses the wisdom and meditative concentration required to navigate these treacherous waters. Seeing that beings are suffering without end, they feel a profound sense of . They choose to return to the world to save sentient beings, acting as a navigator to help those who have boarded the ship to safely reach the other shore.
If you are one of those who have boarded this vessel, you must remember the following:
You must listen to the teachings with an open heart.
You must cooperate fully with the guidance provided by the awakened being.
You must maintain a firm and unshakable vow to reach the destination.
When the storms of life arrive, do not retreat. If you can persist with unwavering perseverance and continue to move forward, you are among those who will surely reach the other shore.
A Call to Self-Reflection
For those who have turned back halfway, or for those who have been overcome by the impermanence of old age, sickness, or death, there is still hope. When the awakened being returns again to lead the way, they will look for these same souls. They hope to find that these travellers have been transformed and are ready to board the ship once more. The goal is to finally succeed in reaching the other shore, to enter the Land of the Golden Lotus, and to never again live a life of aimless wandering, forgetting the path from which we came.
Students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, which of these travellers are you today? What kind of practitioner do you wish to become in the future? You must observe your own heart and reflect deeply upon these questions.
