The Many Faces of the Spirit

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

Namo Amituofo’s Discourse:

The Endless Cycle of Changing Forms

The spirits of beings bound by karma have existed throughout a timeline without beginning or end. Within this vast expanse of time, you have constantly changed your appearance, shedding one form to take on another countless times. You have travelled back and forth through the six realms of existence, and even when you are reborn within the same realm, your face and form are never the same. This is because your karmic conditions and the causes and effects are always shifting.

Among the infinite number of beings, no two individuals share the exact same karma. Consequently, every being presents a unique appearance. You are each an individual entity, defined by your own specific connections and the distinct differences in your good and evil karma. The various faces you have worn throughout your many lives are merely the manifestations of your karmic bodies.

Seeing Through the Illusion

Regardless of how these lives appear to you, they are all but illusory dreams. You must learn to view your existence in this way. A wise person is one who can maintain this perspective. Through diligent practice, you will be able to distinguish between the false and the true, and between the illusory and the real. Do not be deceived by your temporary physical form, and do not be led astray by the illusions of the world. You must understand that you are here to engage in True Cultivation, for only then can you find your way back to your true self-nature.

The Freedom of the Awakened Spirit

Once you have rediscovered your true self-nature, you can use your physical form as a tool to deliver sentient beings. You will no longer be confused by the body or pulled by the illusions of the world. Instead, you will manifest the cool, refreshing clarity of one who is not deceived, and the profound Wisdom (Prajna) of one who is not led astray. The spirit itself remains unchanging and eternal.

Those who have attained liberation can act with autonomy. When the karmic conditions and Dharma affinity with other beings mature, they can rely on their vow power to enter the six realms of existence, or travel to this world and others. They may manifest in different faces, different identities, and different genders, all for the purpose of delivering sentient beings. In the arising and ceasing of these connections, the hope is always that beings may be saved, leave suffering behind, and find rebirth in the Western Pure Land.

The Burden of Karmic Debt

However, if a being has not yet been saved and has not continued their connection with the Dharma, the affinity will come to an end, and they will drift apart, with no chance to gather again. Although beings may rely on the vow power of Buddha or Bodhisattva to continue their practice, if they have the vow but lack the actual practice, they will still be unable to gather again and will fail to receive the benefits of the Dharma.

Those who are still governed by their karmic debt have no choice and cannot act with autonomy. They are driven by their karma to be reborn in the six realms of existence, or in this world and others. Throughout one life or many, they are caught in the cycle of settling old debts and incurring new ones, repaying kindness and seeking revenge for past grievances, and experiencing the inevitable results of the cause and effect (Karma) of good and evil. If you fail to stop your negative karma and transform it, you will remain under the control of these forces, spinning endlessly in the cycle of rebirth. This is the life of a spirit that remains trapped in different faces.

Returning to Your Original Face

It is my sincere hope that all students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre will cherish the face you currently wear as a member of the fourfold assembly. Under the guidance of Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su, you must work to rediscover your pure spirit. Only then will you be able to see your original face.

Namo Amituofo