The Path to Diligent Practice and Awakening
Teachings from Namo Amituofo
Recorded by Venerable Fa Hui on 16 December 2023
The Vital Importance of Diligent Practice
If you wish to make genuine progress in your practice, you must remain vigilant. Do not allow yourself to slip into the comfort of indulgence, even for a moment. It is easy to tell yourself that a small lapse in discipline does not matter, or that you deserve a little relaxation. However, if you allow yourself to become lazy, this relaxation will soon become a habit that is incredibly difficult to break. You will find that your mind becomes scattered, and you will struggle to regain your focus.
Often, it is through this very state of spiritual laxity that we create negative and violate the . Think of your practice as a piece of pristine white cloth; once it is stained by carelessness, it becomes increasingly difficult to wash clean. If you allow a momentary lapse to harden into a permanent habit, you will find it impossible to realise your true nature. This is a tragic loss. Therefore, I admonish you repeatedly: do not be lazy, do not relax your discipline, and do not make excuses for yourself. If you continue to forgive your own faults, you will inevitably repeat them. If you commit a fault, you must know how to change; this is the only way to wash away the stains of impurity and return to a state of clarity. If you continue to repeat your mistakes without seeking to change, you will create great suffering, and the karmic consequences will surely manifest in your life.
The Power of Continuous Chanting
If you can maintain the chanting of the Buddha-name 24/7, your practice will become a continuous, flowing stream that never stops. You may eventually reach a state where you chant without the thought of chanting, and where there is no thought, yet the chanting continues. This ensures that your awareness remains constant and does not regress. When you feel the slightest hint of laziness or indulgence, you will immediately know how to stop it.
- Do not let your mind create ripples of agitation.Do not give your , attached spirits, or the demon crowds any opportunity to manifest.If you lose control of your mind, you become vulnerable to being manipulated, which leads to the creation of further sins.This cycle of suffering can lead to painful , or even the suffering of the hells.
Embracing the Guidance of True Spiritual Friends
When a true spiritual friend offers you advice or even a stern admonishment, you should hold gratitude in your heart. Do not respond with anger, suspicion, displeasure, or by arguing back. Such reactions only serve to pile sin upon sin, and evil upon evil. In the worst cases, this behaviour can lead to the creation of great evil, which will sever your opportunity for and cause the sufferings of aging, sickness, and death to manifest prematurely. You must be cautious and treat this with the utmost seriousness.
The Discipline of the Precepts
At the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, the words spoken by Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su are the rules you must follow; these are your Precepts. If you violate them, there will naturally come a time when you must face the consequences. and the phenomenon of drifting into other spaces are the most direct and obvious signs that your practice is faltering. When you experience these states, you must immediately reflect upon your actions and make the necessary changes. Do not allow these conditions to persist or worsen, as this will make your practice regress and leave you feeling powerless. Never underestimate the gravity of falling into drowsiness or drifting into other spaces.
The Protection of the
Listening to the sutras and hearing the Dharma is the most effective method to prevent the creation of karma and the subsequent suffering. By engaging with the teachings, you will understand what you should do and what you must avoid. You will gain insight into the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Furthermore, when you listen to the Dharma, the karmic creditors, attached spirits, and demon crowds residing within your body also have the opportunity to hear the teachings. This gives them the chance to accept resolution, receive , heal their illnesses, and dissolve their own karma. This is a prerequisite for making true progress in your practice.
The Courage to Change
You must overcome all manner of obstacles. Do not allow , personal ego, and selfishness to rise up again, for this will lead to further mistakes and the creation of more negative karma. If you make a mistake, you must change; if you make it again, you must change again. As long as you still have breath, no matter where you are or what time it is, you have the opportunity to correct your path and make progress. The only question is whether your body can withstand the effort and whether you have enough time remaining. You must be prudent and change in the present moment. Do not repeat your mistakes, for that is the only way to truly move forward.
Namo Amituofo
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Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library