The Essence of True Repentance

The Immediate Call to Change

My child, when you realise you have made a mistake, you must change immediately. To realise a fault is to have a thought of awakening. Once that thought arises, you must stop the cycle of negative thinking. The very next thought that follows should be the name of Namo Amituofo. If you continue to feel regret and continue to repent, yet you do not actually change your behaviour and continue to commit the same errors, then your repentance is empty. To repeat a mistake is to create more karma, and you will bear the burden of that repeated fault.

Therefore, the true meaning of repentance is not found in words spoken by the mouth. It is found in the reality of your actions—specifically, the firm, unwavering commitment to never repeat the same mistake again. How many of us truly understand the depth of this commitment?

The Profound Meaning of the Verse of Repentance

There is a sacred verse that illuminates the path of true repentance:

• Sins arise from the heart, so we must repent within the heart.
• When the heart is extinguished, the sins also vanish.
• When both the heart and the sins are extinguished, both are empty.
• This is what is called true repentance.

What is the true meaning of this verse? When the heart is extinguished, it means there is no longer a self-centred, grasping mind. When there is no such mind, where can karma and sin exist? They have no place to manifest. What then becomes of the sins and karmic debts accumulated over countless lifetimes? They are gone. When the heart is empty of ego, the sins are extinguished, and there is no karmic burden left. This is what we call true repentance.

Those who have realised their true nature have no such grasping heart. True repentance is simply this: change, and change again. Keep moving forward, and do not repeat your mistakes until you have realised your true nature and attained Buddhahood.

The Consequences of Empty Words

If you speak of repentance but do not act upon it, your words themselves become a source of karma. When you promise to change but fail to do so, you invite the karmic creditors who have been harmed by your past actions to wake up and seek retribution. The number of beings who seek revenge because you spoke of change without delivering it is far greater than the number of beings who would have forgiven you and accepted your Chao Du if you had truly transformed.

These beings are often driven by the pain of the harm they have suffered and their deep understanding of the laws of karma and cause and effect. They will not accept your attempts at resolution or spiritual deliverance if they see that your words of repentance are not matched by a genuine change in your conduct. The hearts of these beings are as difficult to fathom as the hearts of people in this world. As the common saying goes, one type of rice feeds a hundred types of people. The hearts of beings are just as varied.

The Plight of Attached Spirits

Regardless of whether these beings are in the human world or other realms, their hearts are complex. This is especially true for the karmic creditors and attached spirits who reside within our own bodies, and for those suffering in the ghost realm who are living in a state of seeking revenge and repaying grievances. In truth, they have nowhere else to go. If they are given a chance to be saved and leave suffering behind, they must also be willing to let go of many past grievances before they can receive the opportunity for rebirth.

At Hsiang Kuang, we see how all kinds of relationships and roles in this world eventually come to an end. When the conditions for a relationship are exhausted, the relationship itself ceases, and we move into the next stage of our journey. If we continue to entangle ourselves in these relationships, we simply shift our roles from one of seeking revenge to one of repaying kindness or grievances. This is all part of impermanence; it is the working of the laws of karma and cause and effect.

The Path to Ultimate Liberation

Therefore, I ask you to always hold the Buddha-name in your heart. By chanting Namo Amituofo, you stop the flow of wandering thoughts and prevent the possibility of aligning yourself with the energy of karmic beings. Whether it is good or evil, all of it is karma. Once these beings manifest, they need a place to go, and their destination is determined by the continuation of their karmic connections.

Do not hesitate to chant Namo Amituofo to purify your karma. The relationship between the Buddha and the one who chants is this: chanting the Buddha-name is the cause, and becoming a Buddha is the result. This is the purpose of learning the Buddha's teachings and chanting the Buddha-name. You must act accordingly.

Namo Amituofo