The Vigilant Heart: Teachings on the Path of Practice

The Necessity of Vigilance

To be careful is to be truly vigilant. As you walk the path of practice, you must understand that the cycle of reincarnation is a treacherous journey. No matter how cautious you believe yourself to be, if you have not encountered a Buddha, a true spiritual friend, or a virtuous guide, you will remain trapped within the six realms of existence. You will wander aimlessly, coming and going through countless lifetimes, suffering without end, and finding it nearly impossible to escape.

The Peril of Straying from the Righteous Path

Practice is not a solitary endeavour. If you lack a true spiritual friend or a virtuous guide to provide instruction and direction, you must be extremely careful. Without such guidance, it is all too easy to deviate from the righteous path and fall into wrong or demon practices. Once you have strayed, it becomes incredibly difficult to turn back. If you continue on such a misguided course, you will inevitably face the suffering of the lower realms and the hells.

The Dangers of the Stubborn Heart

You must be careful! If you insist on acting alone, driven by a stubborn personality and refusing to listen to wise counseling, you are at great risk. Such a heart is prone to entering the demon path, where the mind becomes difficult to transform. By doing so, you not only distance yourself from the Buddha-heart and the state of an awakened being, but you also make it certain that you will fall into the lower realms and the hells.

The Reality of Karma and Attachment

Be careful! When your mind is filled with continuous thinking, you create the conditions for your past to manifest. Consider the consequences of this mental state:

• Your karmic creditors will appear one by one to seek balance.
• Various beings will manifest as spiritual attachments within your body.
• The suffering of birth, aging, sickness, death will manifest according to your karma.

If you have not encountered Practitioner Su to guide you toward the West, how can you possibly achieve rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss?

The Importance of a Focused Mind

Be careful! If you remain frequently drowsy or allow your mind to be scattered and restless, your spirit will never find peace. When your consciousness is lost or detached, it cannot be gathered or focused. If you cannot maintain a steady, focused mind, how can you participate in the work of the Buddha? How can you hope to rediscover your true nature as an awakened being? Without this focus, there is no opportunity to save yourself, no opportunity to save other beings, and no opportunity for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This message was recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.