The Path of Total Release

Words of Namo Amituofo. Chief Writer: Venerable HaiZe.

October 29, 2022.

Amitabha Buddha's discourse:

The Compassionate Call to Release

My children, it is time to let go. You have carried these burdens for far too long, and they only serve to weigh down your spirit and obscure your true self. To walk the path of the Buddha, you must be willing to release everything that keeps you bound to the cycle of reincarnated existence.

You must begin by releasing the heavy baggage you have accumulated throughout your life:

• External Knowledge: All the academic learning and worldly information you have gathered since childhood.
• The Need for Validation: The constant, exhausting pursuit of applause, praise, and external approval.
• Anxiety and Fear: Your deep-seated uncertainty regarding the future and your persistent unease with the present moment.
• The Five Desires: The cravings for wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep that distract you from your spiritual purpose.
• The Five Poisons: The deeply ingrained habits of Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt.
• The Sufferings of Life: The inevitable cycle of birth, aging, sickness, death that causes you such profound pain.
• The Ego: Your ego-attachment and the self-centred views that define your limited perspective.
• The Past: All those memories and experiences you cling to, even though you know you should release them.
• The Competitive Mind: Your desire to win, your need to be right, and the constant urge to compare yourself to others.
• Arrogance and Self-Protection: The defensive walls you build to protect your ego, and the belief that you are somehow superior to others.
• Delusions and Discriminations: The various false perceptions, dualistic thoughts, and selfish motives that cloud your clarity.

The Necessity of Absolute Surrender

You must continue to refine your heart and mind, changing again and again until these negative tendencies are entirely eradicated. If you truly wish to see your true nature, you must be prepared to release everything you possess. The list above is merely a starting point; you must be thorough and uncompromising in your practice.

Do not leave even a single trace of attachment behind. This includes your very body, which you must learn to view without clinging. When you are truly free of these attachments, you will find that you are no longer obstructed by anything. You will realise that, in essence, you were always empty, yet you allowed yourself to become filled with the dust of the world.

Returning to the True Self

Why do we suffer? It is because our physical senses interact with the external world, creating discriminations, karmic conditions, and impurities. These interactions generate karma, which then drives us further into the cycle of reincarnated existence. If you do not let go of these attachments, the possibility of seeing your true nature remains out of reach.

My children, the Pure Land path is the supreme method for achieving Buddhahood. It is not enough to simply understand the need to "see through" and "let go"; you must recognise the truth of your existence. You must place your complete, unwavering faith in the six-character name of Namo Amituofo.

The Unbroken Path of Chanting

Do not doubt, and do not hesitate. Once you have made your vow, you must commit yourself with a heart that is completely settled and determined. You must practise by chanting the name of Namo Amituofo without interruption, straight through to the end. Continue this practice until your mind is perfectly pure and perfectly good, until you finally see your true nature. This is the only way to return home to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amituofo