Sending Away the Dust to Reveal Your True Nature

Words of Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

On this day, the thirty-first of January, 2025, Namo Amituofo offers this guidance to all beings.

The Renewal of the Heart

As the world welcomes the New Year, people everywhere rejoice, hoping for a year filled with auspiciousness and joy. This desire for a fresh start is a natural longing of the human heart. However, true renewal is not merely about changing our external circumstances; it is about addressing the dust and grime that have accumulated within our own minds over countless lifetimes. To welcome the new, we must first be willing to clear away the old.

When we speak of this dust, we refer to the layers of karma and attachment that obscure our true self. When these karmic ties are finally exhausted and the dust is swept away, we are able to see our original, true face. In that moment, the light of our true self shines forth, illuminating the vastness of the universe.

The Path of Returning to the Source

To reach the state of an awakened being, one must cultivate a mind that is free from the stains of attachment. In this state, there is no longer any room for the turbid and evil or the heavy burdens of the past. When the mind is pure and filled with goodness, the influence of karmic creditors and spiritual attachment naturally fades away. This allows the Six Sense Organs: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind to function with perfect clarity and purity.

Transcending the Five Turbidities

We currently reside in the Five Turbidities and Evil World, where the pull of worldly desires is incredibly strong. To enter the path of practice and seek liberation while living in such an environment is a profound challenge. It is not an easy journey, and you must be prepared to face many obstacles. You must be diligent, constantly breaking through your own limitations, again and again. This process of breaking through is the very essence of transforming karma, and it is the only way to secure the opportunity for true progress.

The Luminous State of Awakening

Purity and flawlessness are your original nature. We were all born with this inherent brightness, yet we have allowed it to be covered by layer upon layer of dust, resulting in the ordinary people and the karma-bound body we inhabit today. Practice is the essential work of transforming this karma. Sending away the dust is the necessary process of returning to who you truly are. This is not limited to any specific time or place; you must be vigilant in sending away the dust at every moment, ensuring that no new stains are allowed to settle.

When you finally reach the state of an awakened being, your body becomes subtle, clear, and bright. Like a polished surface, the dust of the world cannot find a place to cling and simply falls away. In that state, there is no longer a need to actively remove stains, for you are naturally clean, transparent, and luminous. This is how you were always meant to be.

Namo Amituofo