The Eternal Nature of Spiritual Life
Amitabha Buddha's discourse
Recorded by Venerable HaiZe on 20 May 2023
The Infinite Nature of the Spirit
What does it mean to be without beginning or end? It refers to a state that has no discernible point of origin and no point of termination. This is the true nature of your spiritual life. You have existed through countless lifetimes, and you will continue to exist beyond the boundaries of time as we perceive it. Your spiritual life is a vast, continuous flow that transcends the limitations of the physical body.
The Critical Turning Point
While you currently possess a physical form, you must understand that this life is merely a single, fleeting segment of your infinite spiritual journey. However, it is the most significant segment. This human life serves as a vital junction—a crossroads where you decide your future direction. It is the boundary between two vastly different paths:
- The path of the ordinary people, trapped in the cycle of rebirth within the six realms of existence.The path of the awakened being, who chooses to see your true nature and be reborn in the of Ultimate Bliss.
If you succeed in your practice, you distinguish yourself from the endless cycle of rebirth that has defined your past. You effectively draw a line under your previous existence, bringing the cycle of suffering to a definitive end and beginning a new chapter of eternal light.
The Choice of Eternity
If you continue to live as you have in the past, allowing your life to end in the cycle of rebirth, then this lifetime will be no different from those that came before. In the grand scale of eternity, it will be like a single spark that vanishes in an instant, lost within the vastness of the beginningless and endless cycle. You must ask yourself: do you wish for this life to be the beginning of your eternal, luminous true self, or will you allow it to be another moment that disappears into the cycle of rebirth?
The Responsibility of the Practitioner
Whether you achieve this eternal state or remain a wandering spirit depends entirely on the state of your heart and the depth of your practice. You must cherish the Fragrant Light affinity you have encountered and value the time you have to practise together. Any ability that manifests through your purification is not for your own gain; it is a condition and a tool for the work of saving beings.
If you reach the state of seeing your true nature and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, it is a tremendous blessing for both yourself and all beings. It grants you an eternal and liberated spiritual life, ensuring that your rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is unobstructed. Furthermore, it provides a precious opportunity for other beings to be saved, to be free from the sufferings of samsara, and to find their own path to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is a mission you should truly embrace and carry out with all your heart.
Namo Amituofo
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library