The Practice is Your Own Affair

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

The Solitary Path of the Heart

Spiritual practice is entirely your own affair. It has nothing to do with external people, events, objects, or environments. Whether you make progress in your practice or you regress, it is always your own business. It concerns you alone, and it does not involve anyone else.

When you are engaged in your own practice, you must not allow yourself to be influenced by the world around you. This includes the criticism or praise you receive from others, the words, actions, or facial expressions of those around you, and the perceived progress or status of other practitioners. If you find that your practice is regressing, you must look within yourself for the cause. It has nothing to do with the outside world.

The Vigilance Against Mental Distractions

Do not seek external connections or cling to phenomena. In every thought and intention that wanders outside, your heart becomes polluted, which inevitably leads to regression in your practice. Furthermore, do not compare yourself to others. Such comparisons only create obstacles and hinder your own spiritual growth.

Do not be swayed by external circumstances or the needs of the physical body, which trigger the Feelings, Perceptions, Mental Formations, and Consciousness. You must remain vigilant against being stained by emotional states such as joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness, the five desires of wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep, and the five poisons of Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt. When these influences take hold, spiritual obstacles and various forms of suffering manifest, causing your practice to regress.

The Radiance of Self-Reflection

Instead of succumbing to these distractions, you should focus on long-term cultivation of compassion, wisdom, mind-capacity, and tolerance. Self-discipline and self-reflection are the essential components of your own practice. A self-disciplined person is one who can keep the Precepts, follow the rules of conduct, and practice silence. They strictly guard their Body, Speech, and Mind to ensure that their three karmic actions remain pure. By doing so, they prevent the mind from rising in fluctuation, which would otherwise pollute their Body, Speech, and Mind and lead to the creation of negative karma and subsequent suffering.

The Infinite Path of the Buddha-Name

You must be wise. You should chant Namo Amituofo all the way. Use the purity and goodness inherent in the Buddha-name to purify your Six Roots. The Three Learnings of Precepts, Samadhi, and Wisdom, as well as the Six Perfections, are all contained within every single recitation of the Buddha-name. This is the fastest way to practice and the most convenient path to rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Call to the Hsiang Kuang Community

Students of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, you must listen to the teachings of Namo Amituofo, the guidance of your teacher, and the leadership of Practitioner Su. You must listen, take these words into your heart, and integrate them into your true self. This is the most important task for your own practice. If you can truly do this, you will surely make progress and eventually reach Awakening.

Namo Amituofo