The True Purpose of Human Life

The Fragile Vessel of Human Existence

What is the true purpose of possessing this precious human body? We often find ourselves caught in the relentless cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. We spend our days striving for worldly goals: earning wealth, building families, raising children, and seeking status, fame, or power within society. However, we must ask ourselves: is this all there is to life?

Perhaps the true purpose of our existence is to break free from the shackles of destiny. We are here to practise, to rediscover our true nature, and to live with a heart that is cool, calm, and free. Our mission is to save ourselves and to save others, eventually achieving rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Whether your life appears grand or ordinary, you must consider how you will spend your remaining time. How will you eventually depart from this world, and where will you go? These are the most important questions for the next stage of your life.

A Rare Opportunity in the Vast Ocean

We operate under the laws of karma and cause and effect. Every action we take in this human world serves to settle past debts or create new ones. Are you here to pay off the karmic debts from your past, or are you continuing to create new negative karma? You must be extremely careful and cautious in every step you take.

Since you have obtained a human body, it is because you upheld the Precepts and practised Goodness in your past lives. As Shakyamuni Buddha once taught, the opportunity to be born as a human is incredibly rare. It is as difficult to obtain as a blind turtle in the vast ocean surfacing once every hundred years, only to perfectly align its head with a hole in a piece of floating driftwood; or as rare as a handful of sand taken from the earth, where only the few grains remaining in the crevices of your fingers represent the rarity of this human life.

Therefore, regardless of whether you are rich or poor, healthy or suffering from illness, you must affirm the value of your existence. You have been born as a human in this life, which gives you the unique opportunity to learn the Dharma, transform your karma, and change your destiny. You must cherish this chance. If you let this life pass by in vain, the opportunity to obtain a human body in future lives is extremely slim.

The Sacred Vow of the Diligent Practitioner

Why does a practitioner choose to leave the household life? It is because they understand the suffering of all beings trapped in the six realms of rebirth. They choose to dedicate this life to the service of others, offering their body, mind, and spirit to the vast universe. By regulating the mind and body, purifying the self, and realising the true nature, they gain the ability and the skill to save beings from suffering. This is the fundamental mindset of those who choose the monastic path. If they can open their hearts and achieve Awakening, it is a great blessing for all beings. Never forget this noble intention.

Returning to the Embrace of the Compassionate Father

Many are born into this world with a specific mission. Perhaps they have come from the heavenly realms or the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, having seen their former family members and karmic connections suffering in the human world. They have made a vow to descend to this world to save beings and guide them back to the Western Pure Land. Yet, many have become lost in the illusions of the secular world and have not yet returned to their true home.

Today, our compassionate father, Namo Amituofo, has come to this world. You have encountered Him, which is an opportunity that is difficult to encounter in millions of years. Do not let your personal challenges, difficult habits, or spiritual obstacles cause you to lose heart or distance yourself from our compassionate father. Doing so would only lead you into a deeper abyss of suffering. Instead, you should be more diligent and strive to break through these barriers. As long as you work tirelessly, repent, and keep your vow to return to the Western Pure Land, you will receive the help of the Buddha, and your wishes will be fulfilled.

The Cleansing Waters of Sincere Repentance

Repentance and changing one's ways have always been the fastest methods to wash away spiritual obstacles and rediscover one's true nature. However, it is rare to see someone who truly repents from the heart. If one could truly do this, their life would be vastly different from what it is now.

True repentance is not about performing superficial rituals. It involves deeply reflecting on your own mistakes within your heart, making a genuine commitment to change and never repeating those errors, and acknowledging the arrogance and ego that prevent you from admitting past faults. Because people have long forgotten what a sincere heart looks like, it is difficult to find those who truly repent, and even harder to encounter those who have realised their true nature. Now that you have encountered the path, you must seize this opportunity to learn and be taught, so that you may one day realise your true nature.

Awakening to the Infinite Light of the Truth

What is the purpose of life? It is to seek the Truth, to learn the Dharma, and to rediscover your true nature. It is to ensure that you no longer enter the six realms of rebirth, to live freely in this world, and to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is how you ensure your life is not lived in vain. You must believe that you and all beings possess the Buddha-nature, and that you, all beings, and the Buddha are one entity. No matter how many setbacks you have experienced, when illness or spiritual obstacles manifest, view them as tests of your faith in the Buddha. If you remain steadfast and do not doubt, you will pass this test, and your practice will take a great leap forward. You will be closer to purification, Awakening, and the Western Pure Land.

Because you have found Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land, your life has taken on a completely different meaning. By relying on Namo Amituofo, your body and mind will find peace, and you will transform your illusory body into one of keen awareness. You must understand that when your true nature manifests, it is filled with infinite light and Wisdom. Many problems will be resolved with ease. Now that your good roots, blessings, and Causal Conditions have matured, you have encountered the great teacher, Namo Amituofo. You must face and overcome all problems in your practice, including overcoming drowsiness and the interference of different spaces. Those who act as Dharma protectors must especially cultivate Bodhicitta and support the teachings, for only then will they receive the greatest benefits.

This illusory life, whether it ends in success or failure, is merely a part of the laws of karma and cause and effect. Once these conditions manifest, they simply exhaust a portion of your past karma. There is no way to stop the passage of time. However, if you use this false life to cultivate the Truth, transform your karma, change your destiny, and rediscover your true nature, you can live in the present moment. You can use your limited time to save yourself and others, teaching and guiding beings to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, thereby creating infinite vitality.

Compassion and Wisdom are the universal medicine for all spiritual ailments. With Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land as your reliance, your heart will be enriched and strengthened, and you will no longer feel lost or helpless. The infinite light of the Buddha illuminates the earth and comforts every helpless heart. In this very life, sever your ties to the cycle of rebirth and all emotional entanglements, and you will be reborn freely in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Shi Haiyuan.

Namo Amituofo