The Power of Thoughts and the Awakening of Faith
Teachings from Bodhisattva Ashvaghosha
Recorded on February 20, 2019
The Foundation of True Faith
The creation of the text, The of Faith, was driven by more than just the faith of practitioners. It required immense courage and an unyielding spirit of persistence. This foundational work is structured into five distinct sections, each serving as a guide for the seeker:
- The Section on Causal Conditions:
- Understanding the origins of our spiritual journey.The Section on Establishing the Meaning:
- Defining the core truths of the .The Section on Explanation:
- Clarifying the profound principles of the path.The Section on Practising Faith:
- Cultivating the heart to believe deeply.The Section on the Benefits of Cultivation: Realising the fruits of our diligent practice.
Everything in this universe arises from Causal Conditions. The primary reason for composing such a treatise was to help beings escape the cycle of birth and death and ultimately attain Buddhahood. However, we must also ask ourselves: is our faith truly correct? Right Knowledge and Right View are the most essential prerequisites for genuine faith.
Guarding the Gate of the Mind
When you encounter setbacks, spiritual obstacles, or crises on your path of practice, you must learn to observe your own thoughts. Are they rooted in Goodness or in darkness? Can you clearly identify the nature of your own mind? When a thought arises, what actions follow? What is the true essence of each passing thought?
A practitioner who understands their own thoughts knows whether their heart is truly aligned with the Way. If your heart is not anchored in the Dharma, it will drift. Without meditative concentration, you will inevitably be swayed by external conditions. This instability leads to the fluctuation of the mind, which in turn gives rise to even more delusions. To remain steady, one must cultivate a heart that is clear and pure.
The Supreme Practice of Chanting
It is of vital importance to truly believe that you are a Buddha. When you hold this conviction, a firm and unwavering heart naturally emerges. The greatest form of diligent practice is the ability to observe and guard every thought and intention at all times. If you wish to reduce your delusions and quiet the noise of the mind, there is no better method than chanting Namo Amituofo.
Without the practice of chanting, the heart has no anchor. The key to successful practice is whether the Buddha-name truly enters your heart. How does one achieve this? By ensuring that every thought and intention is focused on remembering and chanting Namo Amituofo. When you reside firmly within the Buddha-name, your mind naturally becomes pure, free from delusions and scattered thoughts. This is the state of Right Awakening—the supreme, perfect, and complete that leads directly to the path of Buddhahood.
The Compassionate Sacrifice of Practitioner Su
The Bodhisattvas of the Western Land of Dharma Nature have witnessed the immense price Practitioner Su has paid to perform and to invite back the three hun souls and seven po souls of the fourfold assembly of disciples. Often, the of these disciples are unwilling to resolve their grievances, causing Practitioner Su to endure great physical pain and suffering in his own body. Yet, Practitioner Su harbours no fear; he is filled only with boundless .
He continues to conduct Dharma assemblies to save the karmic creditors of the fourfold assembly, a feat that only one who has attained the Western Land could accomplish. Even when the physical pain is so severe that he cannot use his voice to chant the sutras, Practitioner Su maintains a heart of pure compassion. He continues to counsel and resolve the conflict with gentle words: "Let us resolve this conflict now. Go to the Western Land and chant Namo Amituofo diligently. I will personally send you to the Western Land."
With every word of counsel, he feels the deep suffering of sentient beings. Practitioner Su takes this suffering upon himself. The sentient beings, moved by his compassion and seeing the Buddha’s light of salvation, become willing to let go of their resentment. They chant Namo Amituofo and are reborn in the Western Land, bowing in gratitude to Practitioner Su. Only through faith in the Buddha can one be reborn in the Western Land. This is what The Awakening of Faith repeatedly emphasises: one must have faith in the Buddha, and one must have faith in one's own ability to become a Buddha. With such faith, everyone can attain Buddhahood. Namo Amituofo.
Ashvaghosha
Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Haiyuan
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
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