The Path of Transformation: Changing One's Ways

Words of Namo Amituofo, recorded by Venerable HaiZe

December 10, 2022

Namo Amituofo's discourse:

The Vow of the Heart

When you make a vow before the Buddha, your body must follow through with action. Your heart must align with the heart of the Buddha, matching your vows with your deeds. This requires a heart of utmost sincerity and deep respect. Although we may still possess a secular heart filled with impurities and attachments, we must seek the Buddha's blessing to cleanse these worldly stains. Even if we find it difficult to change our personality traits, we must pray for the Buddha's blessing to awaken our true awareness.

Do not allow yourself to be led astray by your karma. If you keep your heart focused on the Buddha's path, Namo Amituofo will surely assist you in your journey toward the Pure Land. Do not fear the difficulty of changing your personality traits. If you must change, do it again and again. The only true danger is the refusal to change, choosing instead to follow your own wayward impulses.

The Courage to Change

If you find it hard to change, continue to try. Keep refining yourself. As long as your vow has not faded, there will eventually come a day when you succeed. Namo Amituofo wishes for you not to be discouraged. Maintain your Faith, Vows, and Practice, and you will surely achieve this transformation. This process of change is the very essence of your practice; it is the purpose of your spiritual journey. Once you reach one milestone, continue to move forward, taking each step with firm, steady resolve.

Do not fear the arising of karma. Keep your heart firm and steady. By walking alongside Namo Amituofo, you will realise your vows. This is the duty of every disciple of the Buddha. Continue to purify your heart, and then purify it again. Strive for ever-greater Goodness, washing away the dust and grime accumulated over countless lifetimes. There will come a day when you realise your true nature, attain Buddhahood in this very life, and return to the Western Pure Land to save yourself and all other beings.

The Nature of the Self

Changing personality traits is a task that every member of the fourfold assembly must face. Our personality traits are manifested from being reincarnated. If you truly wish to leave this cycle of rebirth, you must learn to let go. If you continue to grasp tightly to your ego, how can you ever hope to escape the cycle of birth and death? Our personality traits are often a construct formed by our upbringing, our environment, and our desperate need for self-protection.

Now that you have begun to study the Buddha's teachings and engage in diligent practice, you must seek your true self. Within the Buddha-land, everything is done in accordance with the Buddha's actions. To be a person who truly embodies no-self and is dedicated solely to saving others, you must understand that because there is no self, there is no need for self-protection, and thus, no personality traits can arise. When you are focused entirely on the welfare of others, becoming selfless and impartial, only then will you have the opportunity to become an awakened being, save yourself, and guide all beings back to the Western Pure Land. Namo Amituofo.