The Vital Importance of Setting the Right Intention

The Heart as the Foundation of Being

The heart is the primary driver of both the body and the spirit. When your heart is calm and settled, your body and spirit naturally exist in a state of stability and peace. Conversely, when your heart is unsettled, agitated, or restless, your body and spirit will inevitably reflect that instability, manifesting as a state of inner turmoil. Therefore, if you can learn to subdue this restless heart, you will find that your body and spirit can finally achieve a state of profound harmony and balance.

The capacity of the heart is vast and can be limitless, yet many people choose to restrict it. Some allow their hearts to be filled only with the mundane affairs of their daily lives, while others possess a mind-capacity as small as a speck of dust. If your heart is only as large as a speck of dust, your ability to embrace the world and others will be equally limited. This is why, whenever you undertake any task, the intention you set becomes the compass for your heart and your behaviour. Without a clear and noble intention, you will easily drift off the path or find yourself lost in a sea of confusion without a place to anchor your spirit.

The True Essence of Bodhicitta

The focus of your intention is of the utmost importance. When you set an intention, you must consider the following principles to ensure your practice remains on the right path:

• Selflessness: Everything you do should be for the benefit of all beings, not for your own personal gain.
• Universal Compassion: When your intention is rooted in the welfare of all beings, you will naturally receive the recognition and protection of the heavenly beings and the Dharma protectors.
• Infinite Merit: An intention based on the benefit of others generates infinite merit and provides boundless benefits of the Dharma.
• Limited Blessings: If your intention is primarily driven by the desire to satisfy your own needs, it is merely a pursuit of personal interest. Such an intention generates only limited blessings and offers restricted benefits of the Dharma.

The Path of Pure Land Practice

Learning to set the right intention is a crucial step in your journey of studying the Buddha's teachings. Most beginners start their practice because they have personal requests or desires they wish to see fulfilled. However, as you gradually adjust your mindset and gain deeper insights, you will begin to set your intention toward true practice. It is essential to adjust your intention at every stage of your spiritual development.

For those who are practitioners of the Pure Land school, you must hold firmly to the teachings found in the Infinite Life Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra). The sutra teaches us to:

• Awaken Bodhicitta: Develop the supreme vow to attain Buddhahood for the sake of all beings.
• Single-Minded Recitation: Focus exclusively on the six-character name of Namo Amituofo.

Setting this intention is the cause, and the fulfillment of your vow to reach the Western Pure Land is the result. This is the fundamental understanding and method for every student of the Pure Land school, and it is an absolute necessity for your rebirth in the Western Pure Land.

The Synergy of Self-Power and Buddha-Power

If you are a practitioner who aspires to realise your true nature, you must set an even greater intention. Realising your true nature is the path to attaining Buddhahood. A Buddha is completely selfless, without a single trace of ego. A Buddha speaks for the sake of all beings, acts for the sake of all beings, and makes vows for the sake of all beings. In this current age, given the limited capacity of beings, it is difficult to succeed through self-power alone. This is why the Pure Land path is so precious; it relies on the two powers:

• Self-Power: Your own diligent practice and the sincerity of your vow.
• Buddha-Power: The infinite grace and support of Namo Amituofo, which allows you to succeed where you might otherwise fail.

By using both methods simultaneously, you demonstrate true wisdom. Once you have set your intention, you must put it into action. Fiercely diligent practice is essential for realising your true nature. It is particularly important to listen to sutras and hear the Dharma, and to accept the guidance of a true spiritual friend. Walk this path directly and without hesitation, allowing your heart to exert its full power. As you chant Namo Amituofo with a focused mind, the power of the Buddha's blessings will be present within your practice. Your vow is achieved through the combination of your initial intention and your persistent, diligent practice. Namo Amituofo.

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable Fa Hui

Namo Amituofo