The Path of Active Practice: Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju

The Essence of Active Practice

To be a practitioner who acts with diligence is to embody both compassion and wisdom. You must recognise that countless beings are trapped in suffering, with no one to rescue them. It is this profound realisation that should drive your own diligent practice. By working hard to purify your body, mind, and spirit, you will eventually achieve success in your spiritual path. Only then will you possess the necessary meditative concentration, the boundless equality, and the wisdom required to save all suffering beings.

The Power of Daily Practice

You must be diligent and active in your process of self-purification. This requires a steadfast commitment to your daily practice. Whether you are performing prostrations, chanting the name of Namo Amituofo, or reciting the Sutras, you must understand the profound impact of these actions:

• Prostrations: Every movement in a prostration is supported by the Buddha's blessings, making it one of the fastest ways to dissolve your spiritual obstacles.
• Chanting Namo Amituofo: In every single utterance of the Buddha-name, you are working to eliminate the heavy karmic sins accumulated over immeasurable eons of birth and death.
• Reciting the Sutras: This practice aligns your mind with the wisdom of the Buddhas, providing a clear map for your journey toward awakening.

You must adopt this way of life. Be active in changing your personality traits and resolving conflicts with all beings. As the realities of aging, sickness, and death draw near, you must hasten your practice to see your true nature. Achieve success early, so that you may follow Namo Amituofo to save countless suffering beings.

The Infinite Compassion of Namo Amituofo

Namo Amituofo is profoundly compassionate and inclusive toward all beings. He knows that we are often powerless to resist the weight of our own karma. Therefore, He allows us to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss while still carrying our karma. He hopes that every being will seize this opportunity to enter the Buddha-land, where they can listen to the Dharma, wash away their past, and attain Buddhahood in a perfect environment free from worry and distress. Namo Amituofo understands that our karmic burden is too heavy to overcome through self-power alone. The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, which He has created, is designed to benefit all beings throughout the entire universe; no one is excluded from His embrace.

The Magnificence of the Western Pure Land

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is filled with countless beings of the Sound-Hearer path, who respectfully surround Namo Amituofo to listen to His teachings. Within the Western Land of Dharma-Nature, there are infinite spaces. In these spaces, countless beings who have received Chao Du, as well as those from the demon crowds who have surrendered, are gathered. This includes famous figures from China's five-thousand-year history and immeasurable, boundless beings who have been saved. They are all actively listening to Practitioner Su deliver Dharma talks and participating in the Dharma assemblies. By listening to these lectures, they come to understand the Buddha's teachings and the nature of the Western Pure Land, gaining magnificent benefits. They then actively engage in chanting, prostrations, and reciting the Sutras, which is the most excellent way to save oneself and be saved by the Buddha.

Achieving Oneness with the Buddha

You must actively chant Namo Amituofo all the way to the end. When you chant until your mind is empty and you even forget the act of chanting, when you reach the state where this heart is Namo Amituofo and Namo Amituofo is this heart, you have achieved a state of oneness. This is the moment when the Buddha's path is attained. Namo Amituofo is so compassionate that as long as you are willing to call upon His name, arouse the Bodhi mind, and single-mindedly recite Namo Amituofo, He will help you fulfill your wishes. This is the practical application of His compassionate vow to save countless suffering beings. Namo Amituofo wishes for all suffering beings to know this method, to actively and persistently chant His name, and to receive the support of His blessings to resolve their suffering. Making the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss through this practice is the most active and magnificent path one can take.

Our Mission at Hsiang Kuang

At this very moment, Namo Amituofo is residing here at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. The fourfold assembly of disciples at Hsiang Kuang must actively follow Namo Amituofo, the Teacher, and Practitioner Su in the work of saving countless suffering beings. This is the most active form of practice—to save oneself while being saved by the Buddha. Namo Amituofo.