The Path of Diligent Practice

Venerable Yongning, a dedicated monastic who sought deliverance through the teachings of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, currently resides at the centre. This interview, which explores the profound nature of diligent practice and the path to rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, was recorded on April 26, 2019, by the chief writer, Shi Faxin.

Venerable Yongning speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. How much of your day is truly dedicated to your practice? How many moments do you spend with every single cell in your body resting peacefully within the sacred Buddha-name? Think about it—when you look at someone else, do you immediately focus on their faults, feeding those negative impressions into your own consciousness? It is so easy to see the mistakes of others, isn't it? Yet, when it comes to our own shortcomings, we are often blind, letting ourselves off the hook while holding others to an impossible standard.

The Mirror of the Mind

We hope for others to change, but have we truly committed to changing ourselves? While we say that practice cannot be forced, if we abandon the effort, we fall into indulgence. The sweet fruit of our labour will eventually wither. The Middle Way of practice is a standard that never wavers. Why is diligent practice so essential? Diligent practice is the act of forgetting the trivialities of the secular world—the things we obsess over, the fleeting thoughts of hunger, sleep, or desire. Most of our energy is wasted on these excessive thoughts.

When that energy dissipates, or when spiritual attachment takes hold, physical symptoms arise. These symptoms then reinforce our thoughts, making us hungrier or more tired. While the body has natural survival functions, our thoughts often amplify these needs unnecessarily. It sounds like a simple, everyday matter, but it contains profound mysteries. Look at this physical body through the lens of perspective. With the physical eyes, we see skin, blood vessels, blood, and bones. But the space within this body, and the beings residing there, cannot be calculated by numbers.

The Burden of the Physical Form

There is a powerful gravitational pull between this invisible space and the physical form. It pulls at the character traits we have carried within us for countless aeons—the good and the evil, the love and the hate. It is a complex entanglement of emotions. This is why it is said that where there is a body, there is karma. Why must practitioners, especially monastics, realise the emptiness of the four elements? This is not just for monastics; it is for every practitioner who wishes for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. We must learn to let go.

Let go of the emotional entanglements, let go of the fluctuations within the body, and let go of the body itself—which means letting go of karma. If there is still something you are clinging to, you know that your karma still exists.

Emptiness as Compassion

Emptiness is not nothingness; emptiness is compassion. Letting go is not a loss; it is the first step toward finding the light of your true self. The path of diligent practice is endless. Every day, we must dwell in purity, seeking nothing for the body, while being proactive in our vows. Namo Amituofo."