The Fragrance of the Heart: A Spiritual Offering
Words of Namo Amituofo
Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable Fa Hui, on January 26, 2025
The Fragrance of a Pure Heart
What is known as the 'Heart-Incense' is the sublime fragrance that emanates from a heart of pure goodness. This incense is not a physical substance that one can purchase or light; rather, it is a spiritual manifestation composed of the most noble qualities of the human spirit. It is woven from the threads of sincerity, purity, respect, , wisdom, mind-capacity, tolerance, and the original nature of the true self.
When you offer a bundle of this Heart-Incense to the Buddhas, it far surpasses any material offering of wealth or worldly goods. It is a gift of the spirit that resonates throughout the Realm.
The Boundless Power of Dharma Offerings
The achievements you attain through your own spiritual practice are considered a 'Dharma offering.' This is the most magnificent and supreme form of offering one can make. Why is this so? It is because when your practice reaches the point of being an awakened being and you attain Buddhahood, you gain the ability to save immeasurable and boundless beings. This capacity to rescue others from suffering is why the Dharma offering is infinitely superior to the offering of material wealth.
Material wealth is finite and will eventually be exhausted, whereas the work of saving beings is immeasurable and never ceases. The merit gained from offering to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is boundless, as it creates a profound Dharma affinity between the practitioner and the Buddha. Through this affinity, you yourself receive the fruit of liberation and are saved by the Buddha.
When you offer this Heart-Incense with a mind that is free from attachment—a mind that does not dwell on the act of giving—it is far more powerful than any offering made with a physical form, a calculating mind, or an attachment to the act of giving itself.
The Challenge of Manifesting True Purity
Manifesting this Heart-Incense is not an easy task. It requires a heart that is perfectly pure and perfectly good, for this incense is an intrinsic part of your original, true self. Sentient beings trapped within the cycle of reincarnated existence are often governed by the laws of and cause and effect. Their thoughts and actions are frequently dictated by the forces of their past deeds, making it difficult for them to take charge of their own minds. Consequently, the Heart-Incense remains hidden, obscured by the dust of worldly existence.
If you live your life trapped in the concepts of 'self,' selfishness, and discriminatory thoughts, you are living in a state of pollution and creating negative causes. Even in your spiritual practice, if you hold onto a sense of 'self,' if you are driven by personal desires, or if you rely solely on intellectual knowledge, you are still operating within a state of pollution. If your practice does not lead to true results, you are failing to live up to the offerings of the beings who support you, and you are failing the teachings of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, patriarchs and venerable masters, and true spiritual friends. This is, in effect, creating negative karma, which only highlights how difficult it is to truly manifest the Heart-Incense.
A Universal Offering Beyond Time and Space
The offering of the Heart-Incense is not limited by time, location, or age. It does not distinguish between this world and other realms. Because it is composed of sincerity, purity, respect, compassion, wisdom, mind-capacity, tolerance, and the true self, it does not change based on external circumstances. It can exist at any time and in any place. It is the embodiment of the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.
It is important to remember that actual, diligent practice is far superior to mere words. When you offer the Heart-Incense, it is not only known by the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, patriarchs and venerable masters, and true spiritual friends; the sentient beings in the Dharma realm also receive the benefits of this compassion, wisdom, and the power of your true self. Through this, they too can receive the benefits of the Dharma and find the strength to leave suffering behind.
The Path to and Heart-Incense
To cultivate this, you must engage in the practice of chanting the Buddha's name. You must arouse the mind and single-mindedly recite Namo Amituofo. When you chant until your practice reaches a state of unified concentration—where you chant without the thought of chanting, and where the absence of thought is itself the chanting—the Heart-Incense will naturally manifest. This is the most magnificent Dharma offering you can provide. Namo Amituofo.
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Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library