Pollution and purification are fundamentally matters of the heart. When the heart is polluted, it becomes dim and obscured; when it is bright and pure, it radiates clarity. This state of being, whether stained or pristine, is determined entirely by your heart and is manifested through your actions. How you live and how you think are inseparable; they are the two sides of the same coin that define your spiritual journey.
When your heart and your actions are in perfect unity, you are in a state of true purification. This is because your heart is open, with nothing to hide, nothing to cover up, and no heavy burdens to carry. However, when your heart and your actions are divided, you fall into the trap of pollution. This discord arises when you perform improper deeds and then attempt to conceal them within your heart. Carrying the weight of such deception prevents you from feeling the cool, refreshing breeze of liberation. You remain far from the state of an awakened being.
The Supreme Method of Purification
To cleanse the heart, there is no method more effective than holding fast to the name of . From the very first moment you ignite your aspiration to the final attainment of Buddhahood, this single Buddha-name serves as the most profound tool for purification. You should sincerely invite every aspect of your being to join you in this diligent practice:
Every cell within your physical body.
All of your who seek balance.
Any attached spirits that may be present within your energy field.
The demon crowds that often lead us astray.
When you chant Namo Amituofo, you invite all these beings to join you in the light of the Buddha, turning the entire environment of your body, mind, and spirit into a place of harmony and peace.
The Ocean of and the Spreading Stain
The fluctuations of your mental note are, in themselves, a form of pollution. This is because your thoughts are intimately connected to your , and they are closely related to the flow of your karma. Think of your karma as a vast, turbulent ocean. Within this ocean, there are countless phenomena, with goodness and evil mixed together in a chaotic swirl. Once your heart touches these ripples, it becomes difficult to maintain clarity.
When you focus on any single point of negativity, that point becomes the centre of a spreading stain. It is much like dropping ink onto a piece of absorbent paper; once the ink begins to spread, it is incredibly difficult to clean. You cannot simply wipe it away in an instant; instead, you must patiently and diligently purify it, bit by bit, through the constant application of the Buddha-name. If you can instead maintain a heart that chants the six-syllable name of Namo Amituofo, with each thought following the next without any impurities, the Buddha-name acts like pure, flowing water. Wherever this water passes, the original colour of your true self / self-nature can gradually be restored.
The Power of Stillness and Restraint
Meditative concentration is a vital condition for maintaining this purity. Furthermore, distancing yourself from environments that breed pollution is an essential aspect of your practice. You must learn to restrain your (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind) by turning your focus inward rather than seeking satisfaction in the external world. When you chant Namo Amituofo 24/7, it becomes like a continuous, flowing stream of water that never stops, constantly washing away the dust and grime that accumulate in your heart.
Once you have been stained, you must undergo the process of diligent purification. You must purify, and then purify again. You must learn to "see through" and "let go" of your attachments. Only then will the original, pure face of your true self / self-nature be revealed. If you have not yet been stained, you are already pure; you are already free from the need to "see through" and "let go," for there is nothing to hold onto in the first place. By taking purity as your foundation, you will naturally find it easy to realise your true self / self-nature.
Namo Amituofo
Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe
