Self-Examination

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

12 June 2026

Teachings by Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju:

A practitioner grows through self-discipline and keeping the Precepts;

as spiritual achievements progress, one can see compassion increasing without decrease, smiles increasing without reduction,

and Dharma joy filling the heart;

in daily practice, one is diligent and does not miss sessions;

as drowsiness and entering space decrease, eventually disappearing,

one will finally be able to master oneself.

In the morning, do not be late or leave early for morning service, prostrations, chanting the Buddha-name, and reciting the Sutras, unless you have official duties.

When serving the assembly or performing chores, accept them joyfully without calculation, for the more you do, the more you gain.

To extinguish greed, anger, and delusion:

use Discipline (Precepts) to stop greed—do not crave wealth, form, fame, food, or sleep,

and thus sever the Five Desires.

Use meditative concentration to counteract anger—do not give rise to angry thoughts or resentment.

Use Wisdom (Prajna) to stop delusion—do not be foolish, recognise illusions, leave illusions, and find the truth.

Practise the Five Precepts and Ten Good Deeds, which are the basic precepts for practice and the cultivation of virtue:

No killing

To protect life and nurture compassion—do not kill for oneself, do not hear of killing—do not listen to the sounds of harming life, and do not see killing.

This is to respect life and not harm the lives of others.

No stealing

Regarding the belongings of others, do not give rise to the thought of taking them as your own;

once this thought arises, you create karma.

Do not take anything for your own use without the owner's consent.

No sexual misconduct

Do not give rise to feelings of lust towards the opposite sex;

or if you look at someone with such intent, once the thought arises, you have broken the precept.

No lying

Speak sincere words.

Do not speak words that are of no benefit to your practice.

No alcohol

This is to protect the precepts and safeguard yourself from breaking the first four precepts.

Keeping the Five Precepts allows one to be reborn in the human world; practising the Ten Good Deeds allows one to be reborn in the heavenly realms.

The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is the place where all superior beings gather.

What is Goodness? The Five Precepts and Ten Good Deeds are the foundation.

Superior beings refer to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and those who are pure and perfectly good;

those who enter the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss are these superior beings.

The Ten Good Deeds include no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, no flowery speech,

no divisive speech, no harsh words, no greed, no anger, and no delusion;

this is to protect the Body, Speech, and Mind so they remain within good karma. Among them:

Body karma: no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct; use these to guide body karma into goodness.

Speech karma: no lying, no flowery speech, no divisive speech, no harsh words;

use these to guide speech karma into goodness.

Mind karma: no greed, no anger, no delusion; use these to guide mind karma into goodness.

The Five Precepts and Ten Good Deeds are the basic conduct in the Buddha’s teachings;

being able to self-examine is the path towards purification, not creating negative causes, and attaining the fruit of rebirth in the human or heavenly realms in the next life;

it is also the internal self-purification and the elevation of one's character.

24/7, practise within the pure karma of "Namo Amituofo," chanting one Buddha's name to the end.

This is a matter of great importance; you must constantly self-examine and raise the Buddha-name,

as it is a necessary condition for entering the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amituofo