The Path from Confusion to Clarity

The State of Your Heart

My children, do you know whether your current state is one of confusion or clarity? In a state of confusion, one is unaware of being lost and does not know how to wake up; or, one may know that one has entered a state of delusion, yet remains unable to wake up.

To be clear and awake is to reach Awakening and leave suffering behind. You understand that you must never again fall back into the darkness of confusion. You realise that you have wasted much time and endured much suffering. Now, you are always in a state of clarity, and you are able to help those who are lost or struggling to wake up.

The Diversity of Beings

Beings may have a body or be without one; they may have a form or be formless; they may be large or small, tall or short. Regardless of their appearance, all possess consciousness, and it is upon this consciousness that their existence and the space they inhabit are manifested.

If beings are lost in confusion, they may still be able to hear kind words, which provides an opportunity to wake up. If they are completely obscured, they can only survive by following their basic instincts.

The Process of Clearing Obstructions

If there is insight amidst the confusion, they are gradually clearing away their obstructions, revealing their original nature. When the obstructions are fully removed, they recover their clarity. They can clearly see their past delusions, ignorance, and the difficult situations they faced. They know that it was this confusion and delusion that caused their suffering, and that by waking up, they have found the way to leave suffering behind.

The Three Levels of Spiritual Capacity

The speed of awakening depends on one's spiritual capacity:

• Those of sharp capacity: They achieve total Awakening in a single moment, resolving their confusion and clearing away all difficult situations.
• Those of medium capacity: They must resolve their confusion and clear their difficult situations one by one. Through this process, they gradually emerge from their deep sleep until they reach full clarity.
• Those of dull capacity: They are lost too deeply. Every instance of confusion and every difficult situation must be addressed again and again. After clearing an obstruction, it becomes blocked again; after it is blocked, it must be cleared again. They often fail to resolve all their confusion and clear all their difficulties within a single lifetime, and so they continue to cycle through life after life.

The Guidance of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre

Today, the students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, under the teachings of Namo Amituofo and Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and under the guidance of Practitioner Su, hope to resolve their confusion and clear their difficult situations. May you find your breakthrough, achieve clarity, and reach Awakening and complete the path to Buddhahood. Namo Amituofo.

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