The Profound Practice of Dharma Giving

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

During the first session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony on 18 May 2024, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provided profound guidance on the nature of Dharma Giving.

The Boundless Reach of Dharma Giving

Dharma Giving is far more than a positive action within the framework of Buddhist education. It is a fundamental practice that a practitioner must extend to all beings, including those who are not immediately visible. This includes:

• The karmic creditors residing within our own bodies.
• The attached spirits that influence our thoughts and actions.
• The demon crowds that may seek to obstruct our path.

To offer the Dharma to these beings is to engage in a profound act of compassion. However, the effectiveness of this giving depends entirely on the sincerity and the state of the practitioner.

The Foundation of Authentic Giving

Before you can effectively offer the Dharma to others, you must first ensure that you have internalised it yourself. The teachings you share must be those you have already mastered or are actively practising with total sincerity. When you engage in Dharma Giving, you must do so without regret or resentment. Your words and actions must be so genuine that the beings within your body can truly accept them. Only then can you achieve the desired effect of teaching and transformation.

Healing the Internal Karmic Bonds

When you undertake the education of the beings within your own body, you must recognise that you share a complex history with them. This relationship is defined by the laws of karma and cause and effect, involving debts to be repaid, grievances to be settled, and kindnesses to be returned. Unless you truly change your ways and repent for past harms, these beings will not be willing to let go of their desire for revenge. Genuine repentance is the only way to transform their hearts and make them receptive to your teachings.

Pathways of Compassionate Giving

There are many ways to practise Dharma Giving, each suited to different circumstances and different beings. These methods include:

• Giving Dharma talks that are tailored to the needs of the audience.
• Assisting in the printing and distribution of scriptures and other Dharma Jewels.
• Sharing the wisdom of the Buddha to help others find clarity.

Those who engage in Dharma Giving will naturally cultivate wisdom. The goal of this practice is not to seek reward, but to help others recognise the truth of the Buddha’s teachings, alleviate their suffering, and ultimately find liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

The Supreme Act of Compassion

The most supreme form of Dharma Giving is to introduce others to Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. By helping others enter the Pure Land Dharma Gate and encouraging them to chant the six-character name of Namo Amituofo, you provide them with the ultimate path to salvation.

For those who have not yet encountered the Dharma, you create a connection, helping the Vajra Seed of Bodhi enter their ear-roots so that it may become a permanent seed for their future enlightenment. For those who already have a connection, you strengthen it, helping them to leave the suffering of the cycle of rebirth behind and make a firm vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amituofo.