The Unceasing Path of Saving Beings

The Vow to Liberate All Beings

Why do we chant Namo Amituofo? What is the fundamental reason for this practice? We chant to realise our true nature and to attain Buddhahood. Yet, this is not a solitary pursuit. We attain Buddhahood so that we may save the countless suffering beings who are still lost in the cycle of rebirth. In truth, we strive to perfect ourselves precisely so that we have the capacity to save others.

All the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, ancestral masters, and those who have realised their true nature share a single, unwavering commitment. They have all achieved their own enlightenment for the sake of liberating others. Because of this, their footsteps in the work of saving beings never falter; they never cease. If one lacks the vow and the corresponding actions to save oneself and others, it is difficult to truly attain the Buddha's path.

Even if a practitioner is fiercely diligent in their efforts, if they only seek personal liberation, they may reach the fruits of the Four Sages, but they will not attain the supreme fruit of realising one's true nature and attaining Buddhahood. This is the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way of the universe.

The Heart: The Compassionate Master

The outcome of your practice depends entirely upon your heart. The heart is the master; it leads the body and the spirit forward. Therefore, you must put in the work within your heart, and through your actions, you must fulfil the vows you have made. To achieve success in your practice, you must:

• Be fiercely diligent in dissolving your spiritual obstacles.
• Engage in the purification of your body, heart, and spirit.
• Work towards the realisation of your true nature.

The number of sentient beings is immeasurable and boundless, and their suffering seems to have no end. You must remember that you are one of these beings. Therefore, to save others is to save yourself.

The Hidden Echoes of Past Aeons

Why is it that saving others is the same as saving oneself? It is because our physical bodies—formed by the union of earth, water, fire, and wind—are not merely flesh and bone. They contain the memories, the experiences, and the karmic imprints of countless aeons. These experiences are stored within our eight consciousnesses and the fifty-one mental factors.

Within the countless cells and the very space of our bodies, there reside many beings with whom we have karmic affinities. These include:

• Karmic creditors who have come to seek balance for past harms.
• Beings to whom we owe a debt of gratitude.
• Beings who seek revenge for past grievances.

Every thought, word, and action you manifest in this life creates new memories. These are stored within your consciousness, waiting for the right Causal Conditions to mature and manifest as karma.

The Unfolding of Karmic Threads

When your current thoughts and intentions resonate with the memories and experiences of your past lives, they trigger a reaction. This process stirs the corresponding cells and the beings residing within your body's space. This is how karma manifests in your present life. When your karmic creditors and other beings with whom you have affinities appear, they are there to settle debts, whether they are debts of gratitude or grievances from the past.

Therefore, if you wish to realise your true nature and save yourself and others, you must first address the karmic creditors within your own body. By helping these beings, you are performing an act of self-rescue. Only then will you have the opportunity to progress in your practice and realise your true nature.

The Direct Path to the Western Pure Land

Recognising Namo Amituofo and the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is the most direct path to liberation. When you chant Namo Amituofo and make the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, you are taking the shortcut to saving yourself and others, and to realising your true nature and attaining Buddhahood.

At Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, the guidance of Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su provides the fourfold assembly of disciples with the support needed to save themselves. Furthermore, the fourfold assembly has the opportunity to follow these great teachers in the work of saving the world and liberating beings. This is a magnificent and rare opportunity to practise and realise your true nature. All disciples should be active and fiercely diligent in this pursuit.

The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas teach and transform beings with infinite compassion. Their footsteps in the work of helping all beings leave suffering behind and find happiness will never cease. Namo Amituofo.