The True Meaning of Vows and Desires

The Direction of Our Aspirations

During the third session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offered essential guidance on the nature of our vows and desires. He reminded us that the direction in which we focus our intentions determines the trajectory of our entire life.

People in this world often direct their vows and desires outward, seeking to accumulate worldly gains. These pursuits typically include:

• Wealth and financial security
• Property and housing
• Material comforts such as vehicles
• The fulfilment of family life, including a spouse and children
• The pursuit of health, academic success, fame, and social status

These external goals are rooted in the world of form and are ultimately transient, yet they consume the energy and focus of most people throughout their lives.

The Path of Internal Cultivation

In contrast, those who study the Buddha's teachings direct their vows and desires inward. This is the path of the practitioner, where the focus shifts from the external world to the cultivation of the heart and mind. The true aspirations of a practitioner include:

• Maintaining a state of active and persistent diligent practice
• Ensuring that one's spiritual progress is guaranteed to grow
• Seeking the profound state of Awakening
• Working to save yourself and others, reaching the Western Pure Land and finding one's own Buddha nature

When we shift our focus from the external to the internal, we begin to align ourselves with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

The Trap of Discrimination

However, we must be cautious. To have a desire is to have an attachment, and to have an attachment is to have a heart that is not yet pure. When we hold onto desires, we inevitably create a sense of 'self' that leads to:

• The perception of high and low status
• The habit of making discriminations between things
• The tendency to engage in constant comparison with others

These mental habits create ripples in the mind, disturbing our inner peace and preventing us from seeing our true self. We must be vigilant in avoiding these traps, as they are the primary obstacles to our spiritual progress.

The State of No-Mind

The true self-nature is inherently equal, possessing no concepts of high or low, no discrimination, and no comparison. To reach this state, one must cultivate a heart that is empty of desire and free from emotional fluctuation. When you achieve a state of 'no-mind'—where there is no seeking, no desire, and no mental agitation—the results are profound:

• Your karmic creditors will no longer be able to find you, as there is no 'hook' of attachment for them to grasp.
• The seeds of your past karma will not manifest, as the conditions for their growth have been removed.
• You will perceive the oneness of all things, becoming perfectly in sync with your true self.

By letting go of all external seeking, you enter the state of emptiness. In this stillness, you will finally see your true nature. This is the ultimate goal of our practice, recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe, who served as the chief writer for this message. Namo Amituofo.