Saving Beings According to Karmic Affinity

The Natural Flow of Karmic Affinity

Following karmic affinity means allowing conditions to manifest naturally, without force or attachment. In the context of spiritual practice, this means observing the potential of others and teaching them according to their specific capacity. When one has achieved success in practice—like a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, or an awakened being—one lives within the natural ability where the six roots are pure and the original nature is revealed. This natural ability is available at any moment; one can use it when needed and withdraw it when the work is done. One saves beings without being influenced by them, maintaining a state where both principle and phenomena are unobstructed. One flows naturally with the Dharma, acting with complete freedom and ease.

Saving Without Attachment

To save beings according to karmic affinity is to act without attachment to appearances. One can save beings while remaining free from thoughts and forms. Because sentient beings are attached to appearances, these forms manifest specifically for the purpose of saving them. Even though an awakened being understands clearly that sentient beings are trapped in an illusory world, one must still enter that illusion to save them. Only then can sentient beings find the opportunity to be rescued. Because beings are lost in this illusion, we use lectures and the teaching of the Dharma to help them awaken from their confusion. We help them resolve their conflicts with karmic creditors and invite spirits to receive Chao Du, allowing them to leave suffering behind and find salvation.

Transcending Time and Space

The act of saving beings according to karmic affinity is not limited by time or space. For those who have transcended these boundaries, they can enter different spaces at any time and place to save sentient beings with whom they have karmic affinity. Consider Namo Amituofo in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss:

• Namo Amituofo manifests countless billions of transformation bodies.
• These transformation bodies can reach any space within the Ten Directions of the Dharma Realm at the same time.
• They are constantly receiving beings who chant Namo Amituofo at the end of their lives, leading them into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amituofo, as the Universal Buddha, will never miss an opportunity to lead beings into the Western Land. Saving beings according to karmic affinity means that when the conditions are ripe, the beings will seek you out. It is not something that can be obtained by grasping or forcing connections. This is the true path of saving beings in the human world.

Namo Amituofo

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