The Lamp of the Heart: Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

Within every individual resides a lamp of the heart, an inner light of self-nature that serves as a constant guide. This lamp is not merely a metaphor; it is the essence of your being, containing within it infinite wisdom, virtue, and auspicious characteristics.

The Shadow of Ignorance

When this lamp is covered by the heavy clouds of ignorance, it cannot shine upon the path ahead. Consequently, the heart loses its direction. You may find yourself lost in the Five Turbidities and Evil World, drowning in the vast, turbulent ocean of karma. In such a state, one must ask: when will the light of the heart finally manifest again?

If the lamp of your heart feels as though it is about to be extinguished, do not despair. The moment you hear the Buddha’s teachings and begin to practise the Pure Land path, you have reached the time of your salvation.

The Path to Re-ignition

By encountering the compassion of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and by following the guidance of a true spiritual friend, you can break through delusion and attain enlightenment. This is the process of re-igniting your lamp:

• Listening to the Dharma: Opening your heart to the wisdom of the Buddhas.
• Practising the Pure Land Path: Engaging in daily recitation and prostration to purify the mind.
• Receiving Guidance: Allowing the teachings of a true spiritual friend to clear the dust of your past karma.

Once the lamp is re-lit, your true self-nature is revealed.

The Transmission of the Lamp

After reaching Awakening, the lamp of your heart will shine with brilliant clarity. This light is not meant for you alone; it has the power to illuminate the darkened hearts of other beings, bringing them into the light of the Buddha’s compassion. This is the sacred transmission of the lamp—a continuous chain where light passes to light, and brilliance reflects upon brilliance.

A Call to the Fourfold Assembly

At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su work together to protect the fourfold assembly of disciples. We must ask ourselves: what is the state of our own inner lamp?

• Is it flickering, waiting to be fully ignited?
• Is it already bright and continuing to shine?
• Or is it a light that appears only occasionally, only to be covered again by the dust of worldly attachments?

You must diligently protect your lamp. As the layers of dust and defilement within your heart begin to fade, you must ensure they do not return. Do not allow your heart to be covered by the stains of the world once more.

The Manifestation of the Buddha

Continue your practice until the lamp of your heart is fully illuminated. When this light shines, it will brighten the heavens and the earth, and even reach into the realms of the unseen. It will penetrate through the space of the ten directions and transcend the three periods of time. This is what it means for the Buddha to manifest in the world. Namo Amituofo.