The Path of Progress in Practice: Teachings from Namo Amituofo

Teachings from Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

The Foundation of Faith

Faith in the Buddha is the most essential requirement for any practitioner on the Pure Land path. When you possess true faith, you activate your own inner strength, which then allows you to receive the boundless blessings of Namo Amituofo. Through this process of purification, your practice will naturally advance. As your original nature begins to reveal itself, you will find yourself firmly established on the path to saving all beings, leaving suffering behind, and securing your rebirth in the Western Pure Land.

Defining True Progress

What does it mean to have progress? In the context of the Dharma, progress is defined by the absence of regression. It is a state of constant, steady movement toward the light. The fourfold assembly of disciples should frequently reflect upon their own practice to determine if they are truly moving forward. You may measure your progress by observing these signs:

• Deepened Understanding: When you listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma, you are able to grasp the profound meaning and experience moments of genuine awakening.
• Transformation of Temperament: You actively work to change your personality and temper. To reach a state where not even a trace of negative personality or temper remains is a sign of significant progress.
• Expansion of Virtues: Your compassion, wisdom, mind-capacity, and ability to tolerate others are steadily growing, and you feel filled with the joy of the Dharma.
• Clarity of Mind: You notice a marked improvement in your ability to overcome drowsiness and mental fog during your practice.
• Devotion to the Buddha-name: You maintain the chanting of Namo Amituofo throughout the twenty-four hours of the day, showing that your skills in Buddha-recitation are maturing.
• Consistency in Daily Practice: You perform your daily practice without fail, never arriving late or leaving early, demonstrating a disciplined and sincere heart.

Progress in Body, Mind, and Spirit

True progress must manifest in every aspect of your existence. Consider your physical state: are you experiencing the vitality of a practitioner, or are you simply succumbing to the natural aging and illness that afflict the world? To maintain a healthy body and a clear mind as you age is a sign of progress. In terms of your Body, Speech, and Mind, you must strive to think only good thoughts, see only the good in others, speak only kind words, and perform only virtuous deeds.

Regarding your mind, progress is found in your ability to regulate and transform your thoughts. Every thought that arises should be directed toward purity and Goodness. Regarding your spirit, progress is seen in the absence of internal obstacles. Your soul and spirit should be stable, firmly anchored within your body, with your mental energy focused and unified.

Resolving the Karmic Debt

Many of us carry the heavy burden of personality traits and confusion accumulated over countless lifetimes. Because of this, the beings residing within our bodies are often caught in a cycle of seeking revenge and repaying grievances. If you can dedicate this deep heart to the service of all beings across the universe, your life becomes truly invaluable. When you follow Namo Amituofo in the work of saving the world and rescuing beings, you must first save the beings within your own body. By chanting the Buddha-name, you can help them enter the Dharma-Nature Land.

The Hsiang Kuang Path

At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, your progress is supported by the ability to hear the words of the Buddha and the teachings of the masters. This is a process of heart-to-heart communication, where you receive the messages of Namo Amituofo and Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, as well as the messages from beings in the spirit realms. Through the process of inviting spirits to hear the Dharma and resolving conflicts, we hope that the karmic creditors, attached spirits, and demon crowds of the fourfold assembly can find peace, leave the body, and accept Chao Du.

Ultimately, the goal is to reach a state of pure thoughts, or even the state of no-thought. Even when the external environment is in motion, your heart remains unmoved. You are able to transform the environment rather than being controlled by it. This state of cool, refreshing freedom is the hallmark of those who have realised their true nature.

Namo Amituofo