The term immeasurable and boundless is used to describe quantities that are beyond calculation and without limit. This applies to the infinite dimensions of space, the countless number of beings, and the vastness of the dust and sand of the universe. Even the microscopic particles of air and the beings of the six realms of existence are all immeasurable and boundless.
Consider the cycle of life: one may be a human in this life, yet in the next, one might become a spirit without a body. How can we calculate the number of such spirits? They are layered upon one another, existing in numbers that are truly immeasurable and boundless. How, then, can we calculate the nature of space itself? Within space, there is more space; within that space, there is yet more. There are infinite dimensions of space.
Even within a single cup or a single sheet of paper, there exists an immeasurable and boundless amount of space and an infinite number of beings. Therefore, in any location, in any corner, in any object we use, and even within of any person—down to every single cell—there exists this immeasurable and boundless space. This infinite quality exists at all times, right beside us and all around us; our own physical bodies are no exception.
The Vastness of the Realm
In every corner of this world and in other realms, in every environment, and on every planet, there are immeasurable and boundless beings. Whether we look to the Dharma Realm, the universe, the Milky Way, the heavens beyond the heavens, other dimensions, the realms of demonic beings, or our own Earth, the beings present—whether they possess a physical form or are spirits without a body—are all immeasurable and boundless.
What, then, of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss? In the Infinite Life Sutra, the Buddha clearly tells us that the number of Bodhisattvas, Sravakas, and celestial beings in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is beyond the reach of any mathematical calculation or metaphor. There, too, exist immeasurable and boundless beings.
The Lotus Ponds of the
In this spiritual realm of ultimate bliss, within the various spaces of the four lands and the nine grades of rebirth, there are lotus ponds filled with countless lotus flowers. These flowers may bloom at one moment and wither at another. Perhaps takes a lotus pedestal to lead a soul into the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Perhaps the owner of a lotus flower in the West, who was chanting Namo Amituofo in this life, finds their next rebirth in the six realms of existence or other planetary realms; if they do not continue to chant and nourish their lotus, it will naturally wither.
The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is also an immeasurable and boundless world. Whether we speak of the beings of the Western Land, the lotus flowers, or the various phenomena and quantities that can be transformed, all are immeasurable and boundless.
The True Self and the Rarity of
From this, we can understand that wherever we are, the beings around us are immeasurable and boundless. In the midst of this immeasurable and boundless expanse, who is the true self? Only this heart, only our true self, is the real you. Yet, within this infinite vastness, how many can truly realise their true self? The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have realised their true self, and they exist in immeasurable and boundless numbers across this world and others, throughout the countless times and spaces of the past and present.
However, within the human world, how many can truly realise their true self? It is a rare and precious opportunity. At this very moment, at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia—a place where Namo Amituofo truly abides—we have the presence of Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su. Because Practitioner Su alone possesses a human body, we can see that Practitioner Su is a rare and precious individual. We can also see that the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is a magnificent and rare place, a place where one can attain Buddhahood.
The fourfold assembly should cherish this opportunity and practise with diligence. Those who hear of this place and are able to draw near to seek the Dharma will also be able to receive magnificent benefits of the Dharma.
