The Vital Importance of Keeping the Precepts

The Thrice Yearning Ceremony is a profound opportunity for all beings to connect with the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. During the first session of this sacred ceremony, Namo Amituofo offers vital teachings regarding the foundation of our spiritual journey: the keeping of the Precepts.

The Burden of Accumulated Habits

For any practitioner, the Precepts are the lifeblood of spiritual progress. We carry the heavy weight of the "self," personal ego, and selfishness that we have cultivated over accumulated lifetimes. These deep-seated habits are like thick layers of dust obscuring the brilliance of our original nature. Whether we are striving for moral conduct or seeking to realise our true nature, these ingrained tendencies act as significant obstacles. They are the hidden currents that pull us away from the Right Way, constantly creating new karma that binds us to the cycle of rebirth.

The Peril of Knowing Yet Breaking

There is an ancient saying: "The gates of the hells are crowded with practitioners." This is a sobering reminder of the power of karma. When a practitioner is pulled by the force of their past actions, they find it incredibly difficult to overcome the manifestation of karma. Even when one knows the Precepts, if one lacks the strength of meditative concentration, one may still break them. When we know the Precepts but choose to violate them, we lose the very foundation of our practice. If we cannot maintain our discipline, how can we hope to avoid the suffering of the lower realms? It is the lack of vigilance that leads to the creation of hellish karma.

Wisdom: The Shield Against Karma

The Bodhisattvas possess a profound clarity: they fear the cause, whereas ordinary beings only fear the result. To avoid creating the causes of suffering, one must rely on wisdom and the light of Prajna. Before one has realised their true nature, confusion will arise within the mind at any moment. We must use the Precepts as a protective shield to block the emergence of wandering thoughts. This is why a crucial part of our daily practice is the cultivation of meditative concentration. It is the tool we use to face the various waves of internal and external thoughts that ripple through our consciousness.

The Path to Stillness and Awakening

The ultimate goal of our practice is to reach a state of meditative concentration where we are free from the turbulence of wandering thoughts. When the mind is still and empty of such distractions, we are truly on the path to Awakening. Those who have realised their true nature walk through this world with a heart of compassion, dedicated to the work of saving infinite beings. They are able to keep the Precepts naturally, without creating new karma. By moving from confusion to awakening, we align ourselves with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way. Namo Amituofo encourages every practitioner to cherish this path and to hold firmly to the Precepts as we journey toward the Western Pure Land.