The Heart of the Buddha: Purifying the Mind

The Illusory Nature of the World

My children, can you maintain a heart that remains settled and unmoving, regardless of how the external environment changes? Can you see clearly and understand the truth within your own heart? You must realise that every situation you encounter today is merely an illusory environment. For those of you currently on the path of practice, these environments serve a specific purpose: you are using this false body to cultivate and realise your true nature.

Therefore, when facing any situation, you must maintain your awareness. You should use Wisdom to handle matters, aiming to elevate the quality of your spirit. Do not rely on emotions such as anger, dissatisfaction, or resentment to process what happens to you.

Choosing Wisdom Over Emotion

The way you face and handle your circumstances determines the seeds you plant and the fruits you will eventually reap:

• If you face and handle matters with a good nature, you plant good causes and reap good fruits.
• If you face and handle matters with a negative nature, you plant negative causes and reap negative consequences.

What is meant by a good nature? It is the state of being selfless, where you do not think of your own interests but instead focus entirely on the needs of others. However, the current nature of most people is a mixture of good and evil. It is difficult for them to be entirely pure, yet they are not entirely evil either. Consequently, the fruits they reap are also a mixture of both good and evil.

The Essence of a Pure Heart

A pure heart is a heart that is settled, calm, and wise. It understands that impurity is pollution and purity is clarity. This path of purification follows a natural progression:

• The Precepts lead to meditative concentration.
• Meditative concentration leads to the manifestation of Wisdom.
• By maintaining a pure heart, you are not stained by external environments.
• By maintaining clarity, you do not fall into darkness regardless of the circumstances.
• By upholding the Precepts, your heart remains at peace.
• By using meditative concentration to face movement, you are not pulled by emerging conditions.
• By using Wisdom to face ignorance, you prevent regrettable outcomes.

Nurturing the Bodhi Heart

To have a pure heart means to nurture it well. You must grow your compassion and open your eyes of Wisdom so that you can understand both principles and phenomena. Protect this heart well through your daily practice:

• Keep your pure thoughts continuous and uninterrupted.
• Allow your budding Bodhi heart to grow stronger each day.
• Do not fear when demons appear, for you know they are also illusory and you will not be in sync with them.

When you purify the heart and enter the state of no-mind or empty-mind, your true nature will manifest. You will attain a body of light and a cool, tranquil mind. At this moment, you are benefiting yourself, and you are also benefiting others. Because you are still in this world, you can work alongside the Buddha to spread the Dharma. Your light will shine infinitely, breaking through the darkness, and you will help all beings in the Dharma Realm leave suffering behind and be reborn in the Land of Peace and Joy.

Namo Amituofo