The Arising and Ceasing of Causal Conditions: Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju

The Interwoven Tapestry of Causal Conditions

On the fourteenth of April, 2019, during the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provided these essential teachings. Whether sentient or insentient, all things in this world exist because of the manifestation of Causal Conditions. It is not merely in this present life that we have encountered one another; we must have known each other in the distant past. The arising and ceasing of these conditions are intertwined, weaving a vast net that covers us all. Though we have forgotten the layers of our past, the seeds we planted are now ripening. Only when we experience the fruit do we realise how terrifying the causes were. We are covered in wounds and must engage in deep repenting to clear our karmic debts.

Navigating the Illusory Sea of Emotion

The illusory sea of emotion is filled with danger at every turn. Many sentient beings sink into its depths, lost in the cycle of rebirth. The arising and ceasing of conditions is the very definition of impermanence. Our lives are but a dream, filled with the ups and downs of sorrow, joy, and attachment. When we wake up, we find that all is empty. Where have the people gone? We see only the foolish person trapped in delusion and the woman lost in emotional attachment. They are caught in the cycle of samsara, unable to find their way home.

The Rare Opportunity for Liberation

The arrival of the Buddha is not an ordinary event; it is a magnificent and rare occurrence that is hard to encounter in countless kalpas. Do not treat this encounter lightly. Through the arising of these conditions, you may realise your true nature and fulfil your long-held vows. Those who are connected by karmic affinity to save the world should return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Do not wait until the conditions cease, only to sigh in vain. This teaching was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.