The Preciousness of the True Heart
Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju
Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe
The Foundation of Sincere Repentance
The True Heart is profoundly precious. It is the most vital tool we possess on the path of spiritual cultivation. In particular, when you can use your True Heart to feel genuine shame and offer sincere repentance for the negative you have created in the past, you create the necessary conditions for the understanding and resolution of conflicts with all beings. Without this sincerity, it is difficult to truly move forward.
If you have not yet changed your personality traits, and if you have not yet truly understood the suffering of other beings, you will remain trapped in cycles of pain. Even when your karma manifests and your appear to seek balance, you may find yourself suffering from the physical pains of ageing and illness. If you do not place yourself in their position and consider the perspective of your karmic creditors, you will fail to grasp the gravity of the situation.
Developing True Empathy
You must understand that the suffering you experience at this moment is not even one-thousandth, or even one-ten-thousandth, of the suffering that those beings endured because of your past actions. If you do not realise that their suffering is, in essence, your own suffering, it will be difficult for a genuine sense of shame and repentance to arise from within your heart. If you do not truly recognise your own faults, it becomes nearly impossible to undergo the deep repentance required to make those beings willing to resolve their grievances and depart from your body. Only through this process can you achieve the relief or complete removal of your pain.
The Purification of the Heart
The preciousness of the True Heart lies in its purity. It is free from all defilements. Only when you possess this purity can you exert the transformative power of the True Heart to turn impurity back into purity, thereby allowing your Body, Speech, and Mind to undergo a fundamental change. Think of the True Heart as a lamp that has been covered by layers of dust and cloth. When these layers of covering are removed, the True Heart can finally shine forth with its innate light. This light is so powerful that it benefits everyone:
- Your karmic creditors are soothed by the light of your sincerity.Attached spirits are given the opportunity to find peace.Even the demon crowds can be influenced to turn towards Goodness and purity.
Living with the True Heart
Because the True Heart is unstained, only by seeing the True Heart can you see your true self. Those who have realised their true nature treat others with the True Heart and approach every task with the same sincerity. The True Heart is entirely without falsity. If there is any trace of falsity, it is not the True Heart. If there is any sense of being forced, it is not the True Heart. If there is any attachment or obstruction, it is not the True Heart. To walk the path of the Buddha is to return to this state of absolute, unadorned sincerity. By doing so, you align yourself with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, ensuring that your journey towards the of Ultimate Bliss is steady and true. Namo Amituofo.
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