The Essential Practice of Listening
Teachings from Namo Amituofo
January 7, 2024
The Sacred Call to Listen
My dear children, you must listen closely to the words of Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su. What they share with you addresses the very challenges you face in your daily lives. If you can truly listen, put these teachings into action, and change your ways, you will surely receive immense benefits on your spiritual journey.
The path of practice is not a path of this world. To walk it, you must diligently remove the obstacles that bind you to the cycle of rebirth. These include:
- Worldly views and rigid concepts that cloud your judgement.Deep-seated habitual patterns that dictate your reactions.The influence of your personality and ego.The Seven Emotions and the that pull your heart away from purity.
These are all manifestations of that pollute your true self. This is not merely the result of actions in this lifetime, but the accumulation of countless past lives. Within these layers of karma, the laws of karma and cause and effect are deeply intertwined and difficult to discern. If you do not remove, change, and sever these attachments, it will be impossible to cleanse your mind of these impurities.
The Alchemy of Transforming Karma
True practice is the process of transforming your karma, leaving it behind, and stopping it from manifesting. When you stop the force of your past karma from appearing, you can finally move away from obstacles and suffering, allowing your original, pure nature to manifest. Within this process, there are many hidden traps of karmic pollution that you, as practitioners, may find difficult to see or understand on your own.
Even when you do see them, you may find that your negative habits are difficult to change. This is why the Buddhas and Practitioner Su are here to help. They can see these entanglements clearly and provide you with the guidance you need. If you can have faith, listen to their instructions, and commit to changing, you will find that the problems you face are actually opportunities for growth. This process of changing your ways is simultaneously the process of dissolving karma and stopping it from manifesting, which reduces the need for you to wander, guess, or make mistakes in your practice.
The Radiant Path to Buddhahood
When you sincerely wish to change your ways and listen to the teachings, you must strive not to repeat the same mistakes. Do not let your actions harm yourself or others, as this only creates more negative karma. Those who truly believe in the Buddha and understand how magnificent and rare this opportunity is will naturally listen to the teachings. They will aspire to learn from the Buddha, listen to the Buddha, and eventually attain Buddhahood.
For those who truly let go of the ego and embrace the state of , listening to the words of the Buddha brings peace. Your heart will be free from obstructions, you will be far from fear, and you will find a profound sense of inner peace without regret. If you are sincere in your vow to be reborn in the of Ultimate Bliss, you must listen to the Buddha's words. By doing so, you will become one of the superior beings in that magnificent land.
Those who wish to engage in diligent practice to realise their true nature and attain Buddhahood must also listen. Because the Buddha is one who has attained Buddhahood through his own true self, following his guidance is the most direct path to realising your own true nature and attaining Buddhahood. Namo Amituofo.
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library