Recorded and transcribed by ’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
On November 28, 2025, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offered these essential teachings on the importance of maintaining a focused heart and mind.
The Essence of a Focused Heart
The heart must be focused and singular in its intent. Those who can truly concentrate their hearts on the present moment find that they can easily accomplish their spiritual goals. When you are engaged in your practice, whether it is during your morning service, prostrations, chanting, or reciting the Sutras, you are in the process of purification and training your heart to achieve meditative concentration.
The Method of Daily Practice
When you are performing prostrations or chanting the name of Namo Amituofo, you must be entirely present. Your focus should be solely on the Buddha-name. Consider the following approach to ensure your practice is effective:
Every word and every sentence must be clear and distinct.
Let the sound enter through your ears and be received directly into your heart.
Your eyes should observe the image of the Buddha, and your mouth should chant the Buddha-name with sincerity.
When you are reciting the Sutras, the same principle applies. Each word and sentence within the text must be clear. Let the words enter through your ears and be received into your heart. Do not attempt to contemplate or analyse the meaning while you are reciting; simply recite each word directly and clearly, one after another.
The Fruits of Diligent Practice
If you can conduct your daily practice in this manner, you will experience profound and transformative benefits. The Buddha's will be able to permeate your being, and this energy will flow through your entire body. This focused practice serves several vital purposes:
It effectively stops wandering thoughts from arising.
It improves states of being drowsy or the tendency to drift into other spaces during your practice.
It purifies your body, heart, and spirit, allowing you to successfully cultivate meditative concentration.
Listening to the with a Pure Heart
When you are listening to the Dharma, you must also maintain this same level of focus. Listen directly to the words spoken by the teacher. If you understand, then you understand; if you do not understand, simply let it go. Do not cling to the need for intellectual comprehension.
If you can listen in this way, you provide a great service to all the beings connected to you. Your focused listening helps your , attached spirits, and demon crowds to listen to the Dharma alongside you. This allows these beings to understand the Buddha’s teachings, comprehend the truth, and become willing to resolve their conflicts. Furthermore, this practice purifies your body, heart, and spirit, which effectively elevates the quality of your spirit. Through repeated listening, you will find that you can grasp the essence of the teachings and gain an infinite understanding of the Dharma.
The Pitfalls of Intellectual Analysis
If you approach listening to the Dharma with a desire to analyse, think, or solve doubts about the teachings, you are merely engaging in worldly learning and memory. This approach is limited and will not allow you to achieve the true effects of purification, the elevation of your spiritual quality, or the infinite understanding of the Dharma's meaning.
Therefore, you must keep your heart focused on every single thing you do in the present moment. If you can maintain the Buddha in your heart 24/7 and chant Namo Amituofo without interruption, your practice will surely achieve success. Namo Amituofo.
