The Flow of Time and the Path to Awakening

Words of Namo Amituofo, recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on the twentieth of May, two thousand and twenty-two.

Namo Amituofo teaches: How you perceive or view the Buddha is not the most important matter. In truth, the Buddha does not mind these perceptions at all. What truly matters is whether you, as my children, are making genuine progress and gaining wisdom from your practice. If you do not strive for this, you will let every precious second of your life slip away in vain.

The Preciousness of Every Moment

Especially here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, every single moment is incredibly rare. Whether it is a flick of a finger, a fleeting instant, or a split second, these moments are all precious. They are all golden opportunities for you to realise your true nature. You must not let them pass by lightly or allow them to be wasted.

If you can live your life constantly within a deep meditative state and within the light of wisdom, you will remain undisturbed by the outside world. You will be able to clearly understand any situation you face. By upholding the Precepts and acting accordingly, you will naturally experience the purification of your body, mind, and spirit. When you reach a state of absolute purity and absolute Goodness, that is the time of Awakening. It can happen in that very flick of a finger, that very instant, or that very split second.

The Relativity of Time Across Realms

For beings residing in different spaces, the flow of time moves at different speeds. When we look at this from the perspective of the human world, we can see how varied these experiences are:

• The Human World and the Ghost Realm: One month in the human world is equivalent to only one day in the ghost realm. Compared to the ghost realm, time in the human world flows much faster.
• The Nature of the Ghost Realm: Time in the ghost realm moves more slowly than in the human world because those who have committed evil deeds enter the ghost realm. This realm is filled with suffering, and because the suffering is intense, the time spent there feels exceptionally long.
• The Human World and the Heavenly Realms: One day in the Trayastrimsa Heaven is equivalent to one hundred years in the human world. This indicates that time in the human world flows much faster than in the heavenly realms.
• The Nature of the Heavenly Realms: Time in the heavenly realms moves more slowly than in the human world because those who have performed virtuous deeds enter the heavenly realms. This realm is filled with happiness, and because the happiness is profound, the time spent there feels long and expansive.

Therefore, space and time are not fixed constants. They change and fluctuate, and depending on the space one occupies, the flow of time will vary accordingly.

Returning to Your Original Nature

Despite these differences, Awakening is the essential process that every being must undergo to rediscover their original, true nature. Absolute purity and absolute Goodness are the necessary conditions for this Awakening. If you can diligently practise and move forward based on these foundations, you will surely succeed.

At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, under the watchful care and guidance of Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su, you should all move forward with unwavering determination. You must act in accordance with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

Navigating the River of Time

My children, time does not wait for anyone; it flows forward incessantly. Within this long river of time, every little detail you have experienced is contained within it. These experiences will eventually be covered and obscured by the relentless current of time. Only by achieving Awakening can you truly see the light that never fades. Keep your focus, stay diligent, and continue your journey toward the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amituofo