The Art of Quiet Listening and True Transformation

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

22 July 2023

The Power of Quiet Listening

Can you truly listen quietly to the counseling of others? Can you accept every word they say without holding onto your own opinions or justifications? Can you, based on what they say, diligently change your ways? This is a fundamental question for every practitioner who seeks to walk the path of the Dharma.

This is especially important when you are in the presence of a true spiritual friend. They see your problems clearly, even when you cannot see them yourself, or perhaps you do not even understand where the problem lies. At such times, please listen. Do not let your pride or your desire to be right stand in the way of your growth.

Letting Go of the Ego

In the state of quiet listening, you must let go of your ego-attachment and your own views. You must release your opinions, your justifications, your explanations, and your personal feelings. These are all manifestations of your personality within the cycle of rebirth and the expression of your karma. When you cling to these, you are merely feeding the very forces that keep you trapped in samsara.

We must ask ourselves: what kind of practitioner do we wish to be? Are you going to be someone who clings to the belief that your own views are correct, carrying heavy burdens that are difficult to release? This path allows your karma to manifest, attracting karmic creditors, and leading to states of being drowsy, being influenced by other spaces, and suffering from the afflictions of old age and illness.

The Path of Purity

Alternatively, will you choose to be a humble and modest practitioner who does not cling to the self? By listening quietly and changing your ways, your karma has no way to manifest, and you will not attract karmic creditors. You will become a pure practitioner, untainted by the dust of the world.

• Humility: By being humble and modest, you open your heart to the wisdom of the Dharma.
• Non-attachment: By not clinging to your own views, you allow the light of your true nature to shine through.
• Transformation: By changing your ways through quiet listening, you effectively purify your karma.

These two paths are vastly different. One leads to continued suffering in the cycle of rebirth, while the other leads to the purification of the body, mind, and spirit. If you wish to walk the path of purity, you must start with the practical action of quiet listening and changing your ways. Only then can you receive true, tangible benefits in your practice. Namo Amituofo.