The Path of Selflessness

The Heavy Burden of the Self

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

To have a self is to carry the heavy weight of karmic forces from the cycle of rebirth into this world. This self is a complex construct that we cling to, defining our existence through various worldly labels and attachments. Consider how many aspects of this self we identify with:

• Our Social Identity: We cling to our family lineage, our parents, our relatives, and the names we are given.
• Our Personal Attributes: We define ourselves by our gender, our academic achievements, our professional expertise, and our unique personalities.
• Our Physical Form: We are attached to our outward appearance and the way others perceive us.
• Our Mental Constructs: We hold tightly to our subjective views, our personal opinions, our fleeting feelings, and our emotional states.
• Our Ego: We are preoccupied with both our external reputation and our internal pride, constantly seeking to protect our face and our status.

All of these elements together form what we call the self. As long as we remain attached to these, we are bound by the cycle of rebirth.

The Transformation of the Practitioner

Once one enters the path of practice, and especially when one leaves the household life to become a monastic, one must truly forget the home one left behind. This is the moment to commit oneself fully and wholeheartedly to the path of cultivation. When you truly leave the home life, you are no longer the person defined by worldly karma or secular names. You no longer possess a distinct personality, and your physical appearance becomes secondary to your spiritual mission. Every practitioner shares the same surname—the surname of the Buddha—and carries a monastic name that signifies a new beginning.

In this state of practice, you must relinquish your own subjective views, your personal opinions, and your internal emotional reactions. You must transcend the duality of gender and the attachments of the heart. When you no longer seek to protect your reputation or your ego, your mind becomes as clear and transparent as the open sky. Your education, your expertise, and your talents are no longer tools for mere survival in the world; they are transformed into instruments for saving yourself and delivering all sentient beings.

Purifying the Inner World

You must realise that you are not alone; you are a vessel for countless beings. Within your own body and mind, there reside immeasurable and boundless beings, including your karmic creditors, attached spirits, and demon crowds. During your practice, these beings must also receive the benefit of purification. They must be saved and liberated alongside you. Only when you help them find peace can you be free from the obstacles and entanglements of your own karma, thereby opening the possibility of reaching the state of an awakened being.

Therefore, a practitioner must be willing to discard the self that is trapped in the cycle of reincarnation. Only by letting go of this ego can you resolve the karmic conflicts you have created in the past. When you release the self, you create the space for these beings to be reconciled and liberated.

The Supreme Path to the Pure Land

In the practice of the Pure Land, the most effective method is to single-mindedly recite the name of Namo Amituofo. You should follow the guidance provided in the Infinite Life Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra). The sutra teaches us to "arouse the Bodhi mind and single-mindedly recite Namo Amituofo" and to "give rise to all roots of goodness and achieve the fruit of Bodhi."

The contents of the sutras are the direct words of the Buddha. Since all Buddhas walk the same path, to believe in and follow the teachings of the sutras is to have true faith in the Buddha. When you make your vows and put them into actual practice, you are fulfilling the three essential requirements for rebirth in the Western Pure Land: Faith, Vows, and Practice. This is the true, practical application of the Buddha's teachings.

Namo Amituofo