Where does suffering come from? It arises from the heart, and it is born from the seeds of confusion and karmic actions. Because beings are driven by this deep-seated confusion, they remain trapped within the cycle of rebirth, finding it incredibly difficult to break free. We wander through the six realms of existence, life after life, forgetting that our past existences were almost entirely spent growing within an environment dominated by the —greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt—and the : wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep.
Even when we are in the midst of suffering, we often do not realise it. We follow the crowd, blindly creating the causes for further suffering. By the time we taste the bitter fruit of these actions, it is often too late. This is the tragedy of suffering without awareness. Furthermore, there are those who cannot even perceive their own state, continuing to sow the seeds of misery and reaping the painful results. For instance, we are constantly reminded of the need to change our personality traits and habits, yet these patterns are so deeply ingrained that they remain unchanged, leading us back into the same cycles of distress.
The Heavy Waves of Karmic Currents
The suffering we experience today is the manifestation of causes sown in past lives. If we do not change our personality and our fundamental way of being, the causes we sow in this present life will inevitably lead to further suffering, either in this lifetime or in the lives to come. It is said that if one’s were not heavy, one would not be born into this worldly realm. We are like beings floating and sinking in an endless ocean of karma, tossed about by the waves of the six realms of existence.
deeply wishes for all beings to be liberated from this misery. This is why, in the very first of the Forty-eight Great Vows, it is clearly stated: All beings, including those in the realms of the Yama kings and the three evil realms, who come to be born in my land, will receive my -transformation. They will all attain supreme, perfect and will never again fall into the evil paths.
The Compassionate Vow of Deliverance
Once beings from the three evil realms are born into the of Ultimate Bliss, they will never again enter those lower realms. They will reach the day of attaining Buddhahood, where they will no longer experience any suffering, but only receive all happiness. Consider the former Yama kings of the first to tenth halls of hell, who were led into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss by the of Practitioner Su. Consider also the sixty jailers who, during every , are led by Practitioner Su to the Western Pure Land. The moment they enter the West, they become part of the holy assembly. This is the vow Namo Amituofo made, born from the knowledge of the immense suffering endured by beings in the evil paths.
The Fundamental Work of the Heart
Therefore, because suffering originates in the heart, the Buddha’s teachings require us to work on our hearts to leave suffering behind. This is the only way to address the problem from the fundamental level. However, the heart and nature of ordinary beings are unstable. It is not easy to transform a heart filled with wrong views, desires, and delusions into one that is upright and pure. One must encounter a true spiritual friend, a Buddha, a , or an ancestral master to receive guidance; only then is there a genuine opportunity to leave suffering behind.
This is why made the Forty-eight Great Vows. Every single vow is intended to help beings resolve their suffering and find liberation. The Eighteenth Vow, the vow that ten recitations are sufficient for rebirth, is the greatest hope for all beings in this worldly realm to chant Namo Amituofo and be reborn in the West. For the past ten kalpas, Namo Amituofo has already led an immeasurable and boundless number of beings from the Ten Directions into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
A Golden Opportunity in the Fragrant Light
At this very moment, Namo Amituofo truly abides at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. This presence is specifically for the purpose of leading beings from the Ten Directions into the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. All beings in the Dharma Realm should understand this clearly and cherish this opportunity, which is as difficult to encounter in millions of years. Namo Amituofo has already entered this world, waiting for all beings to come forward. This life is the time to see Namo Amituofo and enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
