The True Purpose of Our Daily Life
Words of Namo Amituofo
Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe on November 11, 2023
The Sacred Vessel of the Physical Body
Why do you consume food? What is the true purpose behind this daily act? You eat to nourish this physical body, providing the necessary energy for your internal organs and cells to function so that this life may persist. Yet, the survival of this body is not an end in itself. You must realise that this body is a vessel. It is only when this body survives that you are able to continue your practice, to grow your goodness and your Buddha-heart, and ultimately, to reach .
Why do you wear clothing? You wear it to protect this physical body from the biting cold, the freezing winds, or the scorching heat of the sun. Therefore, your attire should be simple, warm, modest, and dignified. Do not dress in a way that stirs the desires of others, causing them to experience afflictions or to commit negative . Your clothing should serve only to cover and protect, never to incite the in yourself or those around you.
Simple Living for the Path of Truth
Why do you seek shelter? You live in a house to protect this physical body from the elements—from the wind, the rain, and the harsh sun—so that you may not be harmed or destroyed. Therefore, everything you possess should be sufficient for your needs and nothing more. Do not pursue luxury or extravagance. To indulge in such things is to nurture your desires, waste your wealth, diminish your , and damage your wisdom.
Why do you walk and move about in this world? You do so to attend to necessary affairs, allowing this body to function smoothly within the world. When you interact with the outside world, keep your life simple and avoid unnecessary disturbances. If a particular association or activity disturbs your peace of mind or hinders your practice, you must have the courage to cease that interaction. By doing so, you avoid creating further negative karma.
The Perilous Roots of the Five Desires
Food, clothing, shelter, and movement all exist solely for the sake of the physical body. Therefore, do not pamper this body too much. If you pamper it, it will become arrogant and lead to your downfall. If you follow your every whim, your mind will become chaotic and lose its focus. Therefore, you must have few desires and be content. Seek only the Right Way and keep your life simple.
The Five Desires—wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep—are the five roots that lead to the hells. Do not let greed arise, for it is from greed that the Five Desires are born. From these, all manner of negative karma arises: greed for wealth, greed for lust, greed for fame, greed for food, and greed for sleep. When greed arises, the desires of become difficult to restrain, and your actions will inevitably deviate from the truth. To satisfy these bodily cravings, you allow your every thought and intention to fluctuate, creating endless negative karma.
The Fragility of the Wandering Spirit
When greed arises, your spirit can never find peace. Your three hun souls and seven po souls will follow your desires and your mind, becoming entangled by external conditions. You will fall into a state of being drowsy, entering other spaces, and your spirit will become scattered. Your will struggle to remain focused, becoming fragmented and losing its power of judgement. Your reactions will become slow and inadequate.
If you are in such a state, how can you be a vessel capable of enduring the tests of all beings and the illusions of this world? How can you possess the perseverance and the firm vow to practise without ceasing? How can you accumulate merit and wisdom, and gather the —Faith, Vows, and Practice—necessary for your rebirth in the ?
The Precious Opportunity for Awakening
The human body is precious because it allows you to use the false to cultivate the true, to find your way back to your true self. Only then can you enter the world to save beings without being swayed by them. I have briefly outlined the importance of the body. This body can assist you in your practice to reach Awakening. However, if you do not use this body wisely for practice, but instead allow it to lead you back into the ocean of suffering and the cycle of rebirth, it is truly a great pity.
Beyond merely nourishing your desires, this body can also be used to act out the —Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt. This will cause your to appear, leading you to suffer the pains of birth, aging, sickness, death, and creating further negative karma. All of you must grow in wisdom and discernment. Do not miss this opportunity to practise and reach Awakening. Namo Amituofo.
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library