The Dream of Samsara and the Awakening of the True Nature

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe

Midday Offering, May 24, 2025

Words of Namo Amituofo:

Awakening Within the Illusory Dream

Whether one is truly awake or merely dreaming while within a dream depends entirely upon the state of one's heart. If your heart is already awakened, then even when you enter the realm of dreams, you remain awake. This is the mark of one who possesses true awareness—one who understands the distinction between the illusory and the real.

Beings within the six realms of rebirth are bound by the laws of karma and cause and effect. Their hearts manifest the six realms, and where their spirits wander is determined solely by what their hearts project. Because they are trapped within this cycle, they are unable to leave the dream.

The Turbulent Ocean of Karmic Suffering

Beings within the six realms of rebirth fail to understand the nature of reality. Because their hearts remain clouded, they are dominated by the laws of karma and cause and effect. They are powerless to escape the ocean of karmic suffering, spinning endlessly in its turbulent whirlpools. Their suffering is truly without end.

The one who is awake understands that the six realms of rebirth arise and cease based on causal conditions. They are able to see through these illusions. They understand that all phenomena are subject to the laws of cause and effect. By not clinging to what arises, and by not discriminating between what is pleasant or painful, they treat all beings and situations with an equal heart, remaining free from the sting of suffering.

The Detached Observer of the Play of Life

The awakened one is like a detached observer. They watch those who are still dreaming as if watching a play, seeing the highs and lows, the joys and sorrows, and the inevitable separations that occur. They know that those who enter the dream have not yet left it; their hearts fluctuate endlessly with every passing scene. They are caught in the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death, suffering the many pains that accompany these states.

The awakened one sees clearly that the dream is merely a gathering of conditions that eventually disperse. Because these conditions are subject to birth and death, they are not real; they are illusory. Worldly people are often confused by these false appearances, giving rise to a sense of 'illusory existence.' This illusion obstructs the true self-nature, covering it in dust. For some, this manifests as a light confusion; for others, it is a heavy, suffocating burden that makes progress difficult.

Refining the Vessel of the True Self

Even this physical body is an illusion. However, we must use this 'false' body to cultivate the 'true.' By using this body, we seek to rediscover our original, true self-nature. The awakened one understands this principle and is not led astray by the dream, nor are they deceived by illusory environments. Consequently, they are not pulled by the karmic creditors who seek to settle past debts.

Beings burdened by karma possess a 'karmic body,' which allows their karmic creditors to manifest to settle debts, repay kindness, or seek revenge. As a practitioner, you must use this body to rest, reflect, and cultivate. Through this body, you must nurture the seeds of goodness: compassion, wisdom, inclusivity, and the capacity of your heart to embrace all.

Walking the Path of Discipline and Wisdom

By practising the Precepts, Concentration and Wisdom, you will come to understand the true reality of all phenomena. You will no longer be deceived by false appearances or create new karma. You will be able to accept the arrival of karmic creditors with a calm heart, knowing that when they appear, if you do not allow your consciousness to become entangled, you will not create new karma.

Many disciples currently struggle to overcome the state of drowsiness and the tendency to drift into other spaces. The primary reason for this is that your personality has not yet been transformed. You remain in a 'karmic body,' acting according to your past habits. When karmic creditors appear in your dreams, you are still 'in the dream'—you do not know how to wake up or leave it. You are pulled into the dream state, resulting in the condition of drowsiness and mental wandering.

The Infinite Grace of the Holy Name

If you truly wish to understand the difference between the illusory and the real, you must be willing to listen and change your personality. If you thoroughly transform your personality, your karmic creditors will have no reason to manifest. Your karma will either be transformed or will not manifest at all. This is the essence of transforming karma. Once you have transformed your karma, you can continue your diligent practice until you reach the point of being an awakened being.

Because this is difficult to achieve through self-power alone, the Pure Land practitioner must rely on the combined strength of self-effort and Buddha-power. By engaging in prostrations, reciting the Sutras, and maintaining the Buddha-heart, Buddha-vows, and Buddha-actions, you must chant the Holy Name 'Namo Amituofo' all the way. Through this, you will receive the protection and support of Amitabha Buddha. This will help you wake up within the dream, remain unconfused by illusory states, and leave behind the condition of drowsiness. When you encounter situations, you will not be trapped or led astray. You will know how to act so that your practice proceeds without obstruction, allowing you to leave suffering behind and find happiness, and eventually, to save all beings.