The Truth, Falsehood, Emptiness, and Reality

The Illusion of Our Daily Lives

We live our lives in a world where truth and falsehood, emptiness and reality, are constantly intertwined. Do you ever feel a deep sense of confusion because you do not understand the true nature of the facts before you? Many people mistake the false for the true, chasing after fleeting desires with great suffering, only to find that in the end, there is nothing left. This is the tragedy of a life spent chasing shadows.

When your spirit wanders into these illusory worlds, you may begin to believe they are real. You become trapped within them, unable to find your way out. This causes your spirit to scatter and your focus to dissipate. You may find yourself becoming drowsy, drifting into a state of confusion where you are lost in space, unable to improve your situation. Is this not a reflection of the instability within your own heart? Because you are not living your life in a grounded, authentic way, your mind remains unsettled, anxious, and constantly fluctuating.

The Consequences of Losing Our Way

These conditions are common in our society today. People are often disconnected from the facts of reality. Because they have strayed from the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, they endure immense suffering. They find themselves burdened by aging and illness, unable to reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Instead, they are pulled back into the cycle of being reincarnated and falling into the Three Evil Realms. It is truly a life of profound hardship.

However, there is a path to liberation. Through the act of listen to sutras and hear the Dharma, and through the education provided by the Buddha’s teachings, you can cultivate correct knowledge and correct views. This is how you come to understand the truth, falsehood, emptiness, and reality of this world. When you understand these truths, your practice will no longer be hindered by mistaking the false for the true or the empty for the real. You will stop walking down the wrong paths that lead to regression rather than progress, and you will finally be able to see their true nature.

The Path to Eternal Clarity

The Buddha’s teachings are the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. They are the absolute facts of reality. If you can understand these teachings and follow them diligently, you will be able to protect your Body-Mind-Spirit, ensuring they remain peaceful and secure. Your practice will lead you to see their true nature, and you will attain a state where you do not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die.

If you do not understand these teachings, or if you know them but fail to apply them well, you are like someone who enters a mountain of treasures only to leave empty-handed. It is a great waste of a precious opportunity. You must clarify the truth, falsehood, emptiness, and reality of this world once and for all. If you remain in a state of confusion, unable to see clearly, you will continue to suffer from drowsiness and be pulled into states of space where you lose your autonomy.

A Call to the Fourfold Assembly

Every word I speak to you is the truth. I urge the fourfold assembly to take responsibility for your own salvation. You must take these teachings seriously and listen with your heart. You must learn to discern the truth from the false, study with sincerity, listen to sutras and hear the Dharma, and work to change your personality traits. Only then will you be able to improve your state of drowsiness, escape the confusion of these spaces, and diligently work toward seeing their true nature.

Namo Amituofo

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe