The Foundation of Faith
The Seventeenth Letter of Venerable KaiLin
August 31, 2017
August 31, 2017
Venerable KaiLin writes:
How many people truly understand the purpose of their spiritual practice? When you look at the motivations of those who walk the path, you must ask yourself: how many are merely seeking supernatural powers or sensory responses? How many are genuinely practising to help all beings? Furthermore, how many practitioners truly comprehend that the ultimate goal of our journey is to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss?
The Challenge of True Faith
In this worldly realm, the development of genuine faith is a monumental task. As knowledge becomes increasingly accessible, it often creates rigid frameworks within your mind. These intellectual structures act as boundaries, limiting your perspective and preventing you from opening your mind-capacity to accept the unknown. When you allow these frameworks to dictate your reality, you inevitably fall into the trap of doubt. This skepticism is a significant failure in the study of the and represents one of the most potent forms of within this Five Turbidities and Evil World.
Without personally seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, or touching the truth, many people maintain a protective shield around themselves. They interact with people, events, and objects through this layer of self-defence. Because of this, they are unable to offer their true heart when relating to others. This is a profound obstacle to your practice. When you harbour doubts about your true spiritual friend or the sutras, you cannot honestly listen to the teachings and absorb them fully. You have already constructed a high wall within your heart, blocking out both the good Dharma and the lessons meant to guide you. You continue to live within your own comfort zone, pretending that you have heard nothing, letting day after day pass by in vain.
Breaking Down the Walls of the Mind
It is time to step outside of the high walls you have built around your spirit! Look up at the sky; it is vast, boundless, and encompasses everything. It does not distinguish between high and low, nor does it harbour any discriminations. It is a single, unified existence that contains all things. You must open your mind-capacity and expand your field of vision. Allow yourself to see the sky that belongs to you, and go forth to verify everything that is written in the sutras.
You must pursue and seek that world of true freedom. When you finally step into that state of being, you will realise that you can no longer remain in this current world. There is only one path forward: to head toward the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. You must make the same Ultimate Vow as Namo Amituofo and perform the same Buddha-actions. You must strive to possess the same infinite Wisdom as the Buddha. Everything you do should be for the purpose of helping all beings awaken from their confusion.
Establishing a Solid Foundation
When you help others wake up from their blindness, you allow them to believe that they, too, can become a Buddha. You help them realise that they have the capacity to save other beings and that they can be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Once you possess this true faith, you have established a firm foundation for your spiritual achievements. As long as you continue your diligent practice and constantly transform your habits, you will have the certainty of being reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
This is how you will finally escape the floating dust of your many lives and break through the waves of the sea of this worldly realm. You are capable of transcending this cycle of rebirth, provided you hold fast to your faith and never waver in your commitment to the path.
Written by Venerable KaiLin at Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre.
The content of this teaching was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Faxi.
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library