The Profound State of Forgetting the Self

The Power of Total Immersion

My dear children, have you ever experienced a moment where you were so wholeheartedly devoted to a task or a creative work that you completely lost track of time? In such moments, you might forget to eat, forget to rest, or even neglect the basic needs of your physical body. In that state of deep focus, you forget the self. You set aside your personal desires, your cravings, and your constant internal monologue of what I want or what I need. There is only a singular, pure intention to complete the work at hand.

This state of being—where you are completely absorbed in the present moment—is a state of no-self. If you can bring this same intensity, this same unwavering spirit, to your spiritual practice, you will surely achieve great success. To forget the self and enter the state of no-self, with the sole purpose of saving beings, is the true attitude that every practitioner should cultivate.

The Path of Purification

While you must maintain this selfless dedication, you should also provide appropriate care for the basic needs of your physical body. To save beings effectively, one must possess true attainment. Only then can you avoid being influenced or led astray by the very beings you are trying to help. The process of practice is, in essence, a process of constant adjustment and purification. You must work diligently to remove the various habits and ego-driven tendencies that you have accumulated through the cycle of rebirth.

You must also learn to overcome the karmic obstacles that manifest as the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death. By transforming your karma, you allow your original nature to manifest. When you reach the stage of Awakening, you will be able to walk the path that is neither biased nor crooked. Only then can you truly teach and save beings, helping them to leave suffering behind and find happiness, and encouraging them to make the vow to chant Namo Amituofo and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The Mission of Hsiang Kuang

For the monastics and practitioners at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, Awakening is not the final destination; it is a vital step in the process. The ultimate purpose of our practice is to save beings, to help them leave suffering behind, and to guide them to make the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. When a practitioner truly forgets the self, they may still possess a human body, but they are no longer bound by its sensations, its physical limitations, or the pain of aging and illness.

They are able to maintain a state of stability and peace within their spirit. Their heart does not ripple with the waves of external circumstances, especially the negative fluctuations of emotions or the highs and lows of the ego. By maintaining this stability, their practice remains consistent and firm.

Merging with the Vows of Namo Amituofo

Those who have forgotten the self always keep the Buddha in their hearts, and everything they do is for the sake of all beings. Namo Amituofo knows this, understands this, and will always protect such a practitioner. When you immerse your heart into the vast ocean of the Ultimate Vow of Namo Amituofo, you are acting in perfect harmony with the Buddha’s own heart and vows. This is what it means to be a true child of the Buddha, walking the Buddha’s path with the Buddha’s own actions. Namo Amituofo.