The Buddha’s Teaching on the Meaning of Chao Du

The Inconceivable Dharma Affinity

On the morning of June 25, 2017, a disciple observed the morning walking meditation and witnessed Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su performing the sacred act of Chao Du, guiding immeasurable and boundless beings toward rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The disciple humbly requested the Buddha’s compassionate teachings on this profound matter.

Namo Amituofo offers these teachings: The Dharma affinity we share is truly inconceivable. It is rare to encounter such a connection across countless lifetimes. In this world, I have unfolded the gate to the Pure Land, offering a path of liberation for all.

At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the morning practice continues day after day. We perform Chao Du for all those with whom we have a connection, and the number of beings saved at any given moment is immeasurable. Within the vast Dharma Realm, there are sentient beings and there are those we consider non-sentient, such as the spirits residing in the physical world—wishing to be as free as the wind, mountains & rivers. All possess the same Buddha-nature, though they manifest in a myriad of different forms.

The Nature of the Six Realms and Ten Directions

The six realms of existence and the ten directions are each constrained by their own boundaries. By observing the various actions and paths one takes, one can discern whether they are truly on the path to liberation. The void is boundless, and the Dharma Realm is endless. Within this profound and subtle Dharma, how many people throughout history have truly understood its depth?

Space is composed of dense, overlapping layers, each containing the infinite. What is meant by the capacity of the mind? A wise person should clearly understand this. Everything we perceive is like a magical illusion, appearing for a moment and then vanishing into emptiness. What, then, can we truly call our own? Our lives are but a fleeting moment, passing in the blink of an eye.

The Illusion of Worldly Status

When we reach the end of our lives, the path ahead is uncertain. We wander in the darkness, lost and drifting. Consider the contrast of existence:

• Those who are wealthy and powerful in this life may find themselves crawling like ants in the next.
• Those who are poor and humble in this life, if they maintain a heart of Goodness and act with virtue, may attain great prosperity in the future.
• The one who is famous today, receiving applause on the stage, may tomorrow be forgotten, with few to remember their name.

Who can say if our current state is merely a dream within a dream? We all possess the same original Buddha-nature, and we all carry the seeds of our actions within our hearts. Whether we act with intention or without, we are all cycling through the endless rounds of samsara.

The Pure Land at Hsiang Kuang

Today, one may shine with brilliance, only to be left in the shadows tomorrow. This, too, is part of the illusion. When will we awaken? At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, we practise the Thrice Yearning Ceremony. Leading the assembly, I, Namo Amituofo, guide the boundless beings present here toward the Western Pure Land. Each one of them has the potential to become a Buddha.

Within the Buddha-land, in the Western Land of Dharma Nature, the number of beings is too vast to record. Yet, when a single sincere Buddha-name is recited, it resonates throughout the Pure Land of Namo Amituofo. Do not limit yourself; do not place boundaries upon your own potential.

A Call to Awakening

Observe the temple at this moment. The moon has watched over the ages, and the sun has risen countless times. The land itself is a pure body. The white temple stands in the centre, and every day at one-thirty in the morning, while the world sleeps, the disciples have already begun their morning service.

Though the eyes see only physical forms and the ears hear only the sounds of chanting, in truth, there are immeasurable beings present. As the sound of the Sutras is recited, it carries into the void. As the Buddha-name is chanted during the walking meditation, Practitioner Su leads the assembly. Through the power of contemplation and the merit of lifetimes of practice, we transcend the limitations of space. Space contains space, and again, space contains more space. How could one ever count such a number? The immeasurable and boundless beings are saved, and the physical world—wishing to be as free as the wind, mountains & rivers—is purified.

The flowers, trees, and grass smile; the lake water shimmers with light. Even the kangaroos hop with joy, their families leaping together. This is the Western Land, for Namo Amituofo truly abides here. I only hope that all who have a connection with this place will awaken a single, sincere thought of faith. Come here, and you will understand. Every day, immeasurable beings are saved, and this continues month after month, year after year. You, too, are one of them.

Namo Amituofo