Teachings from , recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe, on December 31, 2023.
The Essence of Diligent Practice
Practice is, at its core, a process of self-directed, diligent practice. It is a path you must walk with unwavering focus, ensuring that you do not allow the interference of others to cause you to falter or come to a standstill. However, in this world, we are constantly surrounded by others. Whether we are within our families, at school, in social groups, or in the workplace, we are accustomed to living in a state of constant interaction.
The danger arises when we enter the Buddha’s gate, yet continue to carry our worldly habits with us. We habitually plan, think, compare, observe, and comment on others. We are quick to see the faults of others while remaining blind to our own. When things do not go according to our personal desires, anger arises. We feel an urgent need to be understood, to justify our own views, to explain our methods, and to offer unsolicited solutions. By bringing the "self," personal ego, and selfishness into the Buddha’s gate, we create significant obstacles to our own spiritual progress.
Turning Inward to Find the Truth
The life of a true practitioner is defined by different qualities: , Wisdom (Prajna), tolerance, a vast mind-capacity, purity, and the diligent observance of the . It is a life of gathering one's Body, Speech, and Mind to look inward rather than seeking externally. It is a life of focusing solely on one's own cultivation rather than scrutinising others. Unless you have specific duties to perform for the temple, your own heart is already in such need of purification that you simply do not have the time or the mental energy to concern yourself with the affairs of others.
If your own Body, Speech, and Mind cause others to feel unsettled, disturbed, or anxious, or if your actions lead to the breaking of the Precepts and the disruption of the temple's discipline, how can you avoid the weight of the laws of and cause and effect? How can you speak of making progress in your practice? There is an ancient saying: "It is better to stir the water of a thousand rivers than to disturb the heart of a practitioner." This highlights the vital importance of maintaining a calm and peaceful mind on the path to .
The Responsibility of Purification
Observing the Precepts and the rules of the temple is your responsibility as a practitioner. To be pure, and then to be even purer; to be good, and then to be even better—this is the standard you must set for yourself. It is a matter of self-discipline and self-management. When you finally remove impurities and attain purity, you will have reached the point where you can realise your true nature and take full charge of your own destiny.
Consider the heavy burden of the negative karma you have accumulated over countless lifetimes. If you do not engage in sincere repenting, if you do not change your ways and turn towards goodness, and if you do not work with fierce diligence to remove your deep-seated stains, how can you hope to succeed? Without the foundation of the Precepts, meditative concentration, and Wisdom (Prajna), how can you wash away the sins that manifest before you? How can you resolve the conflicts with your ? Without this, how can you avoid the interference of karma, the arrival of karmic creditors, the danger of spiritual attachment, or the influence of demon crowds?
The Sweet Fruit of Awakening
If you do not undergo the process of diligent purification, how can you ever taste the sweet fruit of Awakening? Those who have realised their true nature carry a profound responsibility. They are tasked with saving themselves and saving others, rescuing themselves and rescuing others, and awakening themselves and awakening others. This is the ultimate expression of the . By purifying your own heart, you become a beacon of light that helps all beings leave suffering behind and find true happiness. Namo Amituofo.
