The Truth of Reincarnation and the Path to Awakening

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

In the life of every human being, we are born alone, we die alone, and we come and go alone. Between the beginning of life and the end of our journey, regardless of how we have lived, we must eventually face the final moment by ourselves. There is no one to accompany us, and no one to follow us into the unknown. This is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

The Solitude of the Soul

The flow of time and the formation of space are constant; they do not shift or alter based on our individual circumstances or our personal attachments. This, too, is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. While the individual is caught within the cycle of rebirth, their experiences vary greatly depending on the fluctuations of the mind. In the context of this cycle, how the mind fluctuates is itself a part of the process of rebirth. Even if our encounters and sufferings differ from one another, they are all merely fragments of the same cycle.

The Illusion of the Reincarnated Self

For the practitioner who wishes to transform their karma and see their true nature, one must face a difficult truth: the self that exists within the cycle of rebirth is an illusion. It is only after we have successfully transformed our karma that we can see the true self—the authentic being that lies beneath the surface. This true self, our original nature, has long been covered up by the physical body, various forms of pollution, and the heavy weight of karmic baggage accumulated over countless lifetimes. Today, our practice is dedicated to washing away these impurities and stopping the manifestation of karmic forces.

The Chains of Karmic Baggage

We must recognise that much of what we identify as ourselves is actually the manifestation of karmic debt. Personality traits are karmic baggage; birth, aging, sickness, and death are karmic baggage. Our joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness; our social status and academic achievements; the Five Poisons of Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt; wealth, the physical body, fame, profit, food, and sleep—all are karmic baggage. Family ties, emotional attachments, and romantic relationships are also karmic baggage. Before one has transformed their karma, this body and mind are entirely composed of such karmic forces.

As a practitioner, you must learn not to touch these triggers and not to let them be ignited. You must strive to change your personality traits so that you no longer create new karmic debt through the expression of your ego.

Returning to the Original Face

By upholding the Precepts and cultivating meditative concentration, you can help yourself avoid triggering these karmic seeds. This allows you to engage in diligent practice—even fiercely diligent practice—without being disturbed by external interference. Through this process of Body-Mind-Spirit purification, you can reach a state of absolute purity and goodness. In doing so, you will see your true self sooner and reclaim the original face you possessed before your parents were born. Namo Amituofo.