The Ripples of the Heart

Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju’s Teachings, recorded by Venerable HaiZe.

3 June 2022

My dear children,

Can you truly perceive the subtle movements within your own heart? Are you aware of the ripples that stir your consciousness throughout the day? Think about your daily life. How many hours do you allow your heart the opportunity to find peace? How often is your mind completely still, free from any ripples, and resting in a state of profound tranquility?

The Turbulent Waters of Confusion

Even if you feel only a micro-wave—a tiny, almost imperceptible tremor—it is still a disturbance. It is still a ripple that disrupts the mirror-like surface of your original nature. These heart waves have the power to stir up vast, turbulent sprays of confusion. When these waves crash, they leave your heart vulnerable to the relentless impact of karma. They erode your inner strength and leave you suffering in ways that are truly unbearable.

The Sanctuary of Meditative Concentration

If your heart possesses meditative concentration, it acts as a protective shield. It guards your inner sanctuary against the chaotic influences of the world. When your heart becomes purely good and perfectly clean, it begins to shine with a brilliant, white light. It becomes untainted, transparent, and flawless. This is the very moment of Awakening—the moment you realise your true nature.

The Compassionate Strength of the Awakened

My dear children, the path to saving the world and rescuing suffering beings is not a simple one. It truly requires the qualities of those who have realised their true nature:

• Compassion: A heart that feels the pain of others and seeks to alleviate it.
• Wisdom: The clear insight to see through the illusions of the material world.
• Mind-capacity: A vast, expansive heart that can hold and understand all beings.
• Tolerance: The ability to accept and forgive, even in the face of great adversity.

Only with these qualities can one possess the great power needed to face the fierce, overwhelming force of karma and break through the most difficult of life's dilemmas.

Finding Stillness in the Name

Whether these heart waves arise from your own internal thoughts or from external circumstances, there is a remedy. By constantly holding the six-character name—Namo Amituofo—in your mind, you allow it to penetrate deep into your heart and your Six Roots. This practice serves several vital functions:

• It facilitates the purification of your Six Roots, cleansing the sensory inputs that connect you to the world.
• It acts as an anchor, preventing the mind from being swept away by external dusts.
• It allows the turbulent waves of your heart to finally settle into a state of perfect, unmoving peace.

Namo Amituofo