The Essence of Truth and Falsehood
Words of Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe
Teachings from Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
On the twenty-eighth of June, 2025, during the noon offering, Namo Amituofo provided these profound teachings to guide our practice.
The Illusion of the World
Recognising the difference between truth and falsehood is a necessary lesson for every practitioner. Beings of the six realms of existence reside in different spaces, and the human world is merely one of these realms. Within these countless spaces, there are infinite beings living out their lives. For these beings, one must ask: is the space they occupy and the role they play at this moment truly real, or is it merely a temporary illusion?
You must come to understand that every situation you encounter in this world—whether you have seen it before or are experiencing it for the first time—is unfolding within the framework of and the causes and effects. Consider the nature of these interactions:
- Causal Conditions: Things come together when the conditions are right.
- Dissolution: Things drift apart when those conditions are exhausted.
- Constant Flux: Because these phenomena are born from shifting conditions, they are not fixed or permanent.
Everything in this world is in a state of constant change and instability. Therefore, we must recognise these experiences as false appearances.
The Eternal Nature of the True Self
In contrast to the shifting world, your true self is constant and immovable. It is not subject to the cycle of birth and death, nor is it governed by the appearance of karmic conditions and the causes and effects. It is an eternal existence that does not diminish or fade, even as your spirit is reincarnated through the six realms of existence. This is what we call the Truth.
Your heart and your spirit exist together, and your true self coexists with them. Where the spirit is, the true self is also present. While your spirit may be caught in the cycle of , it does not necessarily remain in one world forever. It can be reborn into other realms, moving from this place to another based on the momentum of its own karma. Although the destination of the spirit may change, the true self remains eternally present, even if it is obscured by layers of pollution that prevent it from manifesting clearly.
The Falsehood of the Physical Body
This physical body is not a permanent existence. Life in this world is bound by time. When this false body has exhausted its purpose, it will inevitably decay and perish. This is why we refer to it as a false body. When your time in this world comes to an end and your life concludes, your spirit will be guided by your karma to its next destination.
The Unchanging Heart of the Buddha
The of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, along with their vow to help all beings leave suffering behind and find happiness, is the True Heart. This heart never retreats. It does not change with the passage of time or the shifting of space. However, the hearts of ordinary beings are unstable. They are hearts driven by karma, constantly caught in the currents of impermanence.
If a practitioner’s faith in the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, or their vow and practice to seek rebirth in the of Ultimate Bliss, begins to waver or change because of the manifestation of karma or the influence of external environments, then that heart is a false heart, not the True Heart. The True Heart is constant and unchanging, while the false heart is swayed by the tides of karma.
A Call to the Fourfold Assembly
To the fourfold assembly of disciples, I ask you to reflect upon your own journey. You seek the , you practise, and you vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, as well as your aspiration for . Whether these aspirations can truly be realised depends entirely on the state of your heart:
- Is your heart true, or is it false?
- Is your heart constant and immovable, or is it easily swayed by the momentum of your karma?
Namo Amituofo
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Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
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