In this world, people are constantly caught within the grip of the and the Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt that cloud our true nature. We are perpetually buffeted by the : sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touch, and thoughts. Because our body, mind, and spirit follow these external conditions, our state of being is never stable; it is constantly shifting with the tides of the world.
When your mind is agitated and lacks a settled, unmoving quality, you inadvertently invite your to manifest. You remain bound to your past . When your body, mind, and spirit are stirred into waves of affliction, you inevitably suffer. This leads to the cycle of aging, sickness, and death, pulling you back into the vast ocean of reincarnated existence. If one were to slander the Goodness of the Buddha’s teachings, how could one possibly escape the evil consequences of the hells?
The Foundation of Discipline and Concentration
As a practitioner, you must learn to distance yourself from the Five Desires and the Six Dusts. You must engage in diligent purification and focus on the (Discipline), Concentration and Wisdom. When you uphold the Precepts, you possess a protective shield for your body and mind. You no longer live in fear of breaking the rules, for you cease to create negative karma and, consequently, you do not have to endure evil consequences.
Through this, your mind becomes settled and unmoving. You develop a profound sense of stability, and your meditative concentration begins to manifest. In this state of pure, settled concentration, the natural capabilities of your Six Roots—the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—begin to reveal themselves.
The Manifestation of Wisdom
The six spiritual powers—Divine Eye, Divine Ear, reading minds, knowing past lives, Divine Foot, and extinction of outflows—emerge naturally according to the degree of your purification and your past causal conditions. When you finally reach , these six powers will manifest in their entirety.
If you are one who chants , you must have faith in the Buddha and faith in yourself. You must understand that by chanting, you will certainly receive the Buddha's . In the continuous, uninterrupted flow of this pure , if you uphold the Precepts and engage in diligent practice, your meditative concentration is strengthened, and your mind remains settled and unmoving. Within this state of purity, Wisdom (Prajna) naturally blossoms.
The Path to Ultimate Peace
Chanting Namo Amituofo is a method that assists you in cultivating the Six Perfections—Generosity (Giving), Discipline (Precepts), Patience (Endurance), diligent practice, Meditation (Concentration), and Wisdom (Prajna)—simultaneously. By cultivating these Six Perfections alongside the Precepts (Discipline), Concentration and Wisdom, you will hasten the perfection of your practice, allowing your Prajna wisdom to manifest and leading you to Awakening. This is the vital importance of maintaining a settled mind while chanting Namo Amituofo.
Before you reach Awakening, this physical body is merely a temporary vessel formed by the four elements, subject to the laws of karma and cause and effect and constant change. If you allow yourself to be driven by your karma and the influence of your karmic creditors, you will remain trapped in the suffering of aging, sickness, and death. Therefore, I urge you to listen to sutras and hear the . You must come to understand Namo Amituofo and the of Ultimate Bliss.
By clearly understanding the laws of karma and cause and effect and the true nature of all things, you will be able to resolve the conflict with your karmic creditors. This understanding will help your practice, allowing you to move away from afflictions, worries, and suffering. You will keep your mind settled and unmoving, eventually attaining Awakening. You will not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die, as you are reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
