Saving Others, Saving Oneself

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

On the twelfth of April, 2025, during the second session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offered these profound teachings on the interconnected nature of saving others and saving oneself.

The Ripple Effect of Goodness

Within the laws of karma and cause and effect, to assist another is, in truth, to assist oneself. When you encounter a being in need and extend a helping hand, you are planting a seed of goodness within your Alaya consciousness. This act of kindness is not lost; it becomes a powerful force. When these conditions are ripe in the future, and you yourself are in need of support, this very same karmic affinity will manifest, and you will naturally receive the assistance of noble people.

Breaking the Cycle of Samsara

For accumulated lifetimes, we have drifted through the six realms of rebirth, our actions a mixture of good and evil. We have been trapped in the cycle of samsara, unable to find our way out. Yet, today, we possess the magnificent Dharma affinity to encounter Namo Amituofo, our Teacher, and Practitioner Su. Because we have received the benefits of the Dharma, we now have the precious opportunity to be saved and to enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

If you can introduce others to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss and encourage them to chant the holy name of Namo Amituofo, you are offering them the key to leaving suffering behind and attaining Buddhahood. When they hear the Buddha’s teachings and enter the Pure Land, they too will have the chance to be saved.

The Heart of Bodhicitta

True practice is not merely about seeking personal liberation. It is about cultivating Bodhi—the heart that seeks to save all beings. This selfless and no-self intention is incredibly precious. It is not just about seeking your own escape from suffering; it is about hoping that all beings can also be saved and find liberation. This is the essence of the Bodhisattva path. Because one person who attains Buddhahood can save immeasurable and boundless beings, when you help someone else reach that goal, you are effectively helping countless others to be saved.

The Vow of Dharmakara Bhikshu

Consider the example of Dharmakara Bhikshu. He made the Forty-eight Great Vows, vowing that all beings would attain Buddhahood alongside him. Over five kalpas of time, he fulfilled every single vow, establishing the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. In doing so, he attained Buddhahood himself, becoming the one we now call Namo Amituofo. When you walk the Bodhisattva path, you must make such vows. When your vow power is perfected, that is the moment you attain Buddhahood.

The Immeasurable Merit of Compassion

The merit of helping others attain Buddhahood is truly inconceivable. When a being you have helped reaches Buddhahood, they dedicate their merit back to all, and you, in turn, receive that merit. It is a cycle of boundless grace. If you are a being connected by karmic affinity, and you practise according to the Forty-eight Great Vows, you will surely receive the blessing of Namo Amituofo.

Namo Amituofo