Realising the Profound Meaning of the Dharma

The Boundless Ocean of the Dharma

It is said that if the Dharma is not explained by someone, even the most intelligent person cannot fully comprehend it. This statement reveals the vast and boundless nature of the Buddha's teachings, which cannot be contained by worldly knowledge alone. When a teacher of the Dharma is in harmony with the Buddha-heart and the Buddha-vows, and when they put these teachings into practice in their own life, they receive true benefits. By sharing the Dharma they have realised, they enable those who listen to open their hearts, understand the profound meaning, resolve their doubts, and live out the vitality of the Buddha's teachings. Consequently, they can propagate the Dharma in this world, allowing all beings in the Dharma realm of emptiness to receive the true benefits of the Buddha's teachings.

Transcending the Illusion of Words

Bodhisattva Asvaghosa taught that when learning the Dharma, one should not cling to the appearance of words, the appearance of names, or the appearance of mental projections. Once you fall into the trap of attachment, it becomes difficult to penetrate the true philosophy of the Dharma, and this creates obstacles to realising your true nature. The words and names associated with the Dharma are merely auxiliary tools for learning. Those who wish to truly understand the Dharma, and even those who seek to realise their true nature, must be able to interpret the underlying philosophy conveyed by these words and names without being limited by them. Furthermore, they must be able to use these words as a practical means of teaching and transformation.

Mental projections are what the mind clings to. If your heart turns according to external conditions, it is a heart governed by karma. Before one attains meditative concentration, the objects that an unfocused mind clings to will change according to the state of the mind. Therefore, one must not cling to these things in order to maintain a pure heart. If you cling, you become stained, and you are no longer seeing the true reality. Those who have realised their true nature remain unmoved, not turned by external environments, but instead, they are able to transform the environment themselves.

The Great Physician of the Spirit

The Buddha is the Great Physician because the education of the Buddha's teachings is found in both physical conduct and verbal instruction. By putting in the work to regulate the heart, purify the heart, and transform one's thoughts, the physical condition of the body naturally changes. This, in turn, helps students and those suffering from illness to realise the profound meaning of the Dharma and receive its benefits. The Buddha's teachings are an education that integrates the body and the spirit. Through the Six Roots of the human body—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—the teachings are absorbed into the heart, leading to clarity and the purification of the Six Roots.

In particular, the Pure Land Dharma Gate, through the combined power of one's own efforts and the Buddha's blessings, allows one to wash away the dust and grime accumulated over countless lifetimes. By putting these teachings into practice, one uses the false to cultivate the true. Using this impermanent physical body, one engages in pure practice to allow the infinite Dharma Body of one's true nature to manifest. If one encounters a teacher who is skilled in explaining the Dharma, they can explain this process through names and words that the listener can understand, enabling them to realise the profound meaning of the Dharma until they attain Awakening.

The Ineffable Truth of the Heart

The Buddha's teachings are the Dharma of the heart. The heart inherently contains the meaning of being inexhaustible. Although we use words and names to explain the Dharma, no matter how eloquent or exhaustive our explanations may be, it is always difficult to fully express the wonderful meaning of the Buddha's teachings. Therefore, the meaning that cannot be expressed is contained within the phrase: "Only by personal verification can one truly know."

When Shakyamuni Buddha spent forty-nine years teaching and transforming beings, He famously said that He had "no Dharma to teach." This is because the Dharma is inherently infinite and is simply the way things are. It is based on acting according to the Truth, following the causal conditions of the moment, and operating without limitations of person, time, or place. Therefore, with a heart of equality and without attachment, one can face any situation, teach all methods, and not cling to a single word or phrase. This allows the listener to realise the profound meaning of the Dharma, resolve all matters, and naturally find solutions to their problems.

The Path to True Realisation

Since there is no distinction of high or low in the Dharma, and all people possess an equal Dharma-nature and true self, why is there a difference in the capacity for Awakening? This is due to the obstacles created by the karma of reincarnation over countless lifetimes, which leads to differences in confusion and enlightenment. Different methods are needed to teach and guide individuals, to resolve their confusion, and to help them realise the profound meaning of the Dharma so they may enter the state of Awakening.

In summary, how can one realise the profound meaning of the Dharma?

• For both the teacher and the listener:
• A single phrase of the Dharma, when absorbed into the heart, has the potential to change a life. The goal of Buddhist practice is to realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood. If the teacher has realised their true nature, their precious process of practice and the Dharma they teach will surely be adapted to the individual's capacity, helping practitioners overcome various obstacles to realise the profound meaning and attain Awakening.Purification:
• Chanting the Buddha's name, performing prostrations, and reciting the Sutras are methods for purification and meditative concentration. When you can be focused in the present moment, you purify your body and mind. Everything becomes clear, and every thought becomes pure. This is one of the important conditions for learning the Dharma, realising its profound meaning, and attaining Awakening.Do not cling to the impermanent and illusory body and self:
• All people and things related to you—family, wealth, status, property, and career—are not things you can possess forever. They are all phenomena of arising and ceasing due to causal conditions. The birth, aging, sickness, and death of the body are also within this cycle of arising and ceasing. However, the spirit within the body, through the study of the Buddha's teachings, can realise the profound meaning of the Dharma, attain the state of no-birth and no-death, and achieve liberation and rebirth in the Western Pure Land, thus not wasting this life.Invite spirits:
• Invite your karmic creditors and attached spirits to receive Chao Du and be sent to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Inviting spirits can resolve the physical illness, suffering, and worries within your own body, bringing clarity. This is also a method to help purify the body and mind.Draw close to true spiritual friends and good mentors:
• True spiritual friends and good mentors possess the characteristics of right knowledge and right views, and their Six Roots are pure. They can clearly see the problems of others, help them improve their erroneous views and actions, and assist in resolving difficult situations.Make good use of the Dharma Jewel to transmit the sound of the Dharma:
• Use the Buddha's name, the Buddha's words, and the content of Dharma lectures so that you can hear the meaning of the Dharma at any time, preventing deluded thoughts from arising.Faith, Vows, and Practice:
• Believe in yourself and believe in the Buddha. Based on the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, put these teachings into actual practice. Step by step, with your feet firmly on the ground, you will realise the profound meaning of the Dharma, and there will eventually come a time when your wishes are fulfilled.Develop the capacity of compassion and Wisdom in your heart:
• This is the greatest benefit of learning Buddhism in this world and is an important condition for realising your true nature.Grow roots of goodness and achieve the fruit of Bodhi:
• The cause of good thoughts and good intentions leads to the good fruit and good rewards, which in turn leads to the fruit of realising one's true nature without thoughts or attachments. This is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. The fluctuation of mental notes is a powerful force for change. Make good use of this method to nourish and irrigate your life, creating the opportunity for your own Awakening.Change your personality traits and habits:
• Personality traits and habits are obstacles to realising your true nature and are also the greatest reasons for being trapped in the six realms of rebirth. You must be diligent in changing your ways to gain the opportunity for purification and Awakening.There is always a place for Awakening: At all times and in all places, there are opportunities for realisation. If you have continuous small awakenings, there will eventually be a time for a great Awakening.

When does one attain Awakening in life? If there is a beginning, there is an end. If there is no beginning, there is no end. Since it was originally non-existent, how could it exist? Both "non-existence" and "existence" are illusory appearances that rise and fall according to causal conditions. If you can realise the profound meaning of the Dharma and remain without fluctuations or waves, you will have left suffering behind, realised your true nature, manifested your pure Dharma Body, and saved yourself and others to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

These teachings were recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Haiyuan.

Namo Amituofo