Teachings on the Nature of the Spirit by Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju

The Crossroads of the Spirit

During the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, we gather to reflect upon the most fundamental questions of our existence. Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offers us guidance on the nature of the spirit, the soul, and the consciousness. We must ask ourselves: where is our spirit heading? Is it destined to descend into the hells to endure suffering, or is it destined for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss?

The answer lies in your ability to seek your true nature. You must allow your self-nature to take command of your life. By carrying your physical body forward as you practise, you can save beings and guide them toward the Western Pure Land. To maintain the purity of your spirit, you must learn the methods of purification and ensure that you practise them with absolute sincerity and diligence. For the sake of your spirit no longer being reincarnated, and for the sake of seeing your true nature and guiding beings to the Western Pure Land, what you learn at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is precisely the way.

The Weight of Accumulated Lifetimes

The quality of your spirit is not a random occurrence; it is the result of everything you have done, thought, and felt throughout your accumulated lifetimes. Your body, mind, and spirit have been shaped by these past actions. When we look at the potential destinations for our spirit, we see three distinct paths:

• The Six Realms of Rebirth:
• In this state, your life is governed by your karma, your karmic creditors, and the attached spirits that seek balance for past grievances.The Four Sacred Realms:
• Here, you have escaped the cycle of rebirth, yet you have not yet found your Dharma Body.The Western Pure Land: This is the ultimate destination where you escape the cycle of rebirth, see your true nature, and attain the power of the Dharma Body to perform Chao Du for infinite suffering beings.

Walking the Righteous Path

The elevation of your spirit depends entirely on your heart, the conditions you cultivate, your diligent practice, and your commitment to seeing your true nature. Ultimately, this leads to rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Regardless of your current circumstances, you must clearly distinguish between the true and the false, and between the superficial and the real.

You must follow the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, moving forward step by step. By focusing your efforts on seeing your true nature and walking the path toward the Western Pure Land, you will eventually reach a state where you will never retreat. This is the promise of the path we walk together. Namo Amituofo.

Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.