The Land of Peace and Joy

The Eternal Sanctuary of the Heart

Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offers us this profound guidance on the nature of the Land of Peace and Joy. We often ask ourselves, where can this land be found? In The Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra, the Buddha provides us with a clear direction: You must diligently practise to be reborn in the Land of Peace and Joy. When your wisdom is clear and your understanding is profound, your merits will be extraordinary. Do not follow your desires, violate the sutras and precepts, and fall behind others.

The Land of Peace and Joy is a pure, untainted realm. It is a land that allows all spirits and beings to live in stability, harmony, and true happiness. While it exists as the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, located beyond ten trillion Buddha-lands, it is also a state of being that we can cultivate right here and now.

The Pure Land Within

The Land of Peace and Joy is, fundamentally, the Pure Land within your own heart. If you, as a practitioner, can skilfully regulate your Body-Mind-Spirit, you transform your physical form into a sanctuary of peace. Within this body, there are countless cells and living beings; when you maintain a state of purity, you become their Land of Peace and Joy. This is the mark of a true practitioner whose spirit is in control and who has mastered the art of inner regulation.

For those who have realised their true nature, the Body-Mind-Spirit is harmonious and unified. Even when the body suffers from external harm or faces the interference of negative forces, the heart and spirit remain steadfast. They are able to face the pain and the problems brought by these challenges with a positive, compassionate, and upright attitude. By radiating positive energy and choosing to see the good, think the good, speak the good, and do the good, you create the perfect conditions to give rise to all roots of goodness and achieve the fruit of Bodhi.

Cultivating Stillness Amidst the World

Before one reaches the state of Awakening, how can one maintain this Pure Land within the heart? You must follow these essential steps:

• Uphold Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom: Your heart must possess a deep sense of stillness. By adhering to the Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom, you ensure that your heart is not swayed or disturbed by the external world.
• Restrain the Six Roots: You must learn to restrain the Six Roots and keep them pure. Do not allow yourself to be polluted by the external six dusts—the sights you see, the sounds you hear, the scents you smell, the tastes you savour, the physical sensations you touch, or the thoughts that arise from these interactions.
• Purify with the Buddha-name: Use the power of the Buddha-name to purify your entire body, paying special attention to your head, eyes, and ears. This practice protects you from the interference of the various beings residing within your own body.

Regardless of how others treat you, if you can always respond with compassion and tolerance, you are a wise person. By constantly maintaining this inner peace, you truly become a resident of the Land of Peace and Joy.

Namo Amituofo