The Urgent Need to Maintain the Buddha-Name

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

First Session, 30 March 2025

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju:

The Radiance of an Awakened Heart

To the fourfold assembly of disciples, those who have realised their true nature have successfully attained the state of deep peace and wisdom through the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi. Within them, the sound of the Buddha-name naturally orbits and flows without interruption. At every moment, they do not depart from the Buddha; their hearts are like the Buddha’s, their vows are like the Buddha’s, and their actions follow the Buddha’s. Indeed, they are one with the Buddha.

Practitioners must understand that cultivating goodness is the most essential task. Before one has fully transformed their karma, they still possess a body bound by karmic retribution. If the Buddha-name leaves your mind, deluded thoughts immediately arise, and afflictions manifest. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that the Buddha-name is chanted 24/7, so that chanting then becomes a continuous, flowing stream that never stops.

The Twofold Power of the Pure Land

In the Pure Land path, there are two forces at work: your own effort in chanting and the compassionate Buddha’s blessings that support you. If you forget the Buddha-name, your heart will lack meditative concentration, and your deluded thoughts will have no end. If you discover that your physical actions or speech are inappropriate or contrary to the Dharma, you must be vigilant. This includes the following forms of negative speech:

• Lying: Speaking untruths that deceive others.
• Flowery speech: Using seductive or frivolous language.
• Double-tongued speech: Creating discord between people.
• Harsh words: Using abusive or aggressive language.

When you engage in such actions, you create negative karma. These are all signs that your past karma has manifested. You must be alert, stop these behaviours immediately, and quickly return to chanting the Buddha-name.

Guarding Against the Shadows of Interference

Listen closely to the Buddha-name; let every word and every phrase be inseparable from the Buddha. Grasp the Buddha-name firmly and do not delay. In a single instant, if deluded thoughts are not abandoned, afflictions will arise. The demon crowds and various spirits will immediately manifest to create interference. When you are under such interference and lose your meditative concentration, you will again forget to chant. If your deluded thoughts continue without pause, your intentions will create negative causes, which will inevitably lead to evil consequences. This is the state of a mind that has not achieved stability, where one is easily turned by external situations.

The Final Journey Home

You must build your attainment through your daily practice. If you encounter emergency situations, or even if you fall into a state of severe illness or danger, you will then have the strength to keep your intentions focused and maintain the Buddha-name. If, at the time of death, your daily practice has not yielded true attainment, you will experience scattering of the mind and fear. If the Buddha-name is far from you, this is a sign of entering the Three Evil Realms.

Please, quickly return to chanting the Buddha-name. Keep the Buddha-name in your mind at every moment and never forget the Buddha. This matter is of the greatest importance. If you forget, you will lose a great benefit. Namo Amituofo.