Returning Home Fully Laden

A New Beginning on the Eternal Journey

The conclusion of one journey is merely the commencement of the next. The path of spreading the Dharma is truly endless. Regardless of how your current voyage through life has unfolded, the next life will be yet another beginning. This present life is the future life of your past, and therefore, no matter what you have experienced through the trials and tribulations of worldly existence, or whether your life is just beginning as you strive for your family and career, meeting the Buddha’s teachings and the Pure Land path of Namo Amituofo offers you a fresh start. If you possess true faith, true vows, and true practice, your life will undergo a profound and magnificent transformation.

However, while the Holy Name of Namo Amituofo is something that everyone can easily recite, how many truly understand the essence of Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss? How many are truly of one heart, one vow, and one path with the Buddha? There are still so many who have the intention to chant and purify themselves, and who have the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, yet because they lack the connection to a true spiritual friend, they find themselves without a way to seek help. Consequently, they remain trapped within the cycle of rebirth.

The Perils of the Cycle of Rebirth

This world is a place where ordinary people are reincarnated, driven by the relentless turning of the wheel of karma. One life ends, only to be replaced by the beginning of another. Our thoughts and contemplations are ceaseless, and our Body-Mind-Spirit remains in a state of constant, turbulent fluctuation, never finding a moment of true stillness. For those fortunate enough to step onto the path of rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the journey is fraught with dangers:

• Many creatures are struck down by the great winds and heavy rains of life, left without anyone to save them.Many encounter the thorns and rugged paths of existence, crying out in helplessness while covered in wounds.Many face crossroads without guidance, choosing the wrong path and wandering further and further away until they are lost and anxious, eventually losing their vow to seek the Dharma.

Some are cautious and diligent, managing to reach the very end of the path. They are but one step away from stepping into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, yet because they look back, lose their focus, or are distracted by the interference of their karmic creditors, they fall into the Celestial Realm or other realms instead. Like small boats attempting to dock for fuel and rest, they are pushed away by the relentless waves of karma. They struggle in vain until their final drop of energy is exhausted, left drifting powerlessly in the ocean, uncertain of what the future holds.

The Great Ship of Compassion

At this very moment, a great ship appears on the horizon. It is a vessel sailing toward the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, moving steadily across the surface of the sea. It is filled with abundant energy, and its decks are stocked with all the sustenance and water required for the journey. Though it has a captain, it carries few crew members or passengers. When this great ship encounters those small boats drifting in the sea—their crews starving, sick, and suffering beyond endurance—they do not hesitate to board the great ship to save their lives. Yet, they are often reluctant to abandon their original small boats, even though those vessels are already battered, broken, and on the verge of sinking. The great ship is so vast, seemingly without boundaries, that it can accommodate many such small boats. Thus, the captain, in his infinite compassion, pulls the small boats onto the great ship.

After some time, under the guidance of the captain, the crew members of the small boats finally recognise the truth: their own vessels are no longer fit for use and pose a constant danger of sinking. Keeping them on the great ship does not benefit the ship, but rather increases their own burden and pressure on their Body-Mind-Spirit. Consequently, they become willing to let go of their small boats, finding peace on the great ship as they continue their voyage toward their destination: the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Captain and the Crew

This great ship is the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. The captain is Practitioner Su, who remains humble and modest, referring to himself simply as a lay practitioner. The crew members are the Venerables and lay practitioners within the temple. The crews of the small boats are those who share the same destination but are currently weak, suffering from illnesses of the Body-Mind-Spirit, and have lost their way. They have boarded the great ship to become part of this voyage. The small boats represent the heavy karma they have been carrying. Now, these suffering individuals, through the care of the great ship, the captain, and the crew, are gradually recovering their health and are journeying together toward the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

In truth, the captain has already travelled back and forth to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss countless times, bringing with him immeasurable and boundless suffering beings who had no one else to save them. The captain comes from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. He sails his ship upon these waters to save those who are lost and helpless, providing a clear direction so that everyone may reach the destination of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss without worry for food or clothing.

The Endless Mission of Saving Beings

The heart of Namo Amituofo to save beings has not diminished in the slightest as time has passed in the blink of an eye, nor is it hindered by the actions beings have taken in this world. Practitioner Su, who has realised his true nature, views all as one. He hopes that every student of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre can, like him, realise their true nature and attain the Dharma Body. He wishes for them to have the ability to save themselves and others, to rescue themselves and others, and to help those connected by karmic affinity and all spirits to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is the manifestation of the great power and the Ultimate Vow of Practitioner Su. The students of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre receive the grace of Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, growing and refining themselves through the frustrations of learning until they, too, realise their true nature.

Life truly requires a firm will and foresight so that one is not overwhelmed by the torrent of karma. Beings are immeasurable and boundless, and the work of saving them is without end. Beings suffer in the cycle of rebirth with pain that cannot be described; they do not understand the scriptures and the Dharma, and without anyone to teach them, they enter the path of delusion. They cannot find an exit, their suffering seems to have no end, they do not know of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and they are unable to enter it. Even those who have come again by the power of their vows must develop their original nature to have the ability to save themselves and others. Therefore, wherever there are beings, there is a need for lectures. Since beings fill the vastness of the Dharma Realm and space, their numbers never decrease with the passage of time. Thus, the work of giving lectures and helping beings understand the Truth and the reality of existence is truly without end.

The Clarity of the Awakened

The world is filled with complex, intersecting fluctuations. Those whose eyes are open can see many spirits floating in the air, especially at the sites where lectures are held. Many of these spirits come from the bodies of those listening to the teachings or are spirits from various places who have come to listen. These spirits all have a karmic affinity with the speaker and the listeners from past and present lives, or they are spirits connected to the vow made by the speaker. When the speaker has the ability to fulfil the vow they originally made, these spirits with karmic affinity will come one after another to be in sync or to seek merit.

The transmission of information throughout the Dharma Realm is virtually unlimited and occurs at a speed that far exceeds the speed of light or sound known to the public. As soon as a thought arises, the vastness of the Dharma Realm knows of this thought and its source almost simultaneously. This is especially true for spirits at higher levels of space, who are aware of it even before the person themselves is conscious of it. Therefore, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas often remind the public to be cautious with every thought and intention. If one can reach a state of no-mind and no-thought, that is the attainment of profound meditative concentration.

Those who have attained no-self can see the ego-attachment and views of others more clearly. Those who are selfless can see the selfishness and greed of others more plainly. Those who do not claim credit, do not seek fame or profit, and are humble and modest can perceive the subtle arrogance and pride of others more acutely. Those who have no thoughts are perfectly clear about the instability and the arising thoughts within the hearts of others. Practitioner Su, who has realised his true nature, is such a person.

Returning Home Fully Laden

No matter which angle one takes to view the life of Practitioner Su, he is always returning home fully laden. This recent trip to Yilan to spread the Dharma, initiated by the request of Mr. and Mrs. Zhang Qianyuan to turn the wheel of the Dharma, has created immeasurable and boundless Dharma affinity. Now that it is coming to a successful conclusion, it is also a journey of returning home fully laden for Mr. and Mrs. Zhang Qianyuan.

All of you should remain with Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, seizing every day, every minute, and every instant, for every time and place is an excellent opportunity to realise your true nature and save beings. All students should be fiercely diligent and persistent. It is my prayer that all students will be of one heart and one vow with Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su, that you may realise your true nature soon, and that in this life, you too may return home fully laden to the Western Land.

Namo Amituofo.

This message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.