The Wisdom of Extending Life Through Practice

The Boundless Light and the Cycle of Samsara

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is a realm of infinite light and infinite life, where all beings are destined to attain Buddhahood. In contrast, beings within this worldly realm are trapped in the cycle of rebirth, constantly rotating through the six realms of existence. Our lifespans in this world are not random; they are strictly determined by the laws of karma and cause and effect. We are bound by the seeds we have sown in the past, which manifest as the conditions of our present life.

For those of us engaged in spiritual practice, the ultimate goal is Awakening. We aspire to transform our karma and reach a state where we are no longer subject to the constraints of a predetermined lifespan. When we achieve this, we gain mastery over life and death, no longer limited by the cycle of rebirth.

The Sorrow of the Wandering Spirit

If we fail to transform our karma, we will inevitably encounter the sufferings of old age, sickness, and death as dictated by our past actions. When our allotted time in this life expires, we face the agony of death and are pulled back into the cycle of rebirth. It is a profound tragedy to spend a lifetime in practice only to fail to reach Awakening, as this necessitates another journey through the suffering of the six realms of existence.

In truth, for practitioners in the human world, this pattern has repeated itself over countless aeons. Life after life, we have wandered in the darkness of samsara. One must ask: when will we finally fulfil our vow to reach full Awakening? Many practitioners naturally wish to extend their lives, hoping to have more time to practise, reach Awakening, and eventually know the time of their own passing so they may return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss with complete freedom.

The Path of Diligent Practice

How can one achieve this wish? You may consider the following suggestions to deepen your practice and purify your Body-Mind-Spirit:

• Continuous Chanting: Practise chanting Namo Amituofo 24/7. Aim for a state where your chanting is continuous, reaching a point where you chant without the conscious effort of chanting, and where the absence of chanting is still a form of chanting.
• The Power of Discipline: By upholding the Precepts, your meditative concentration will naturally deepen, and your wisdom will manifest. This allows you to halt the negative karma and bad consequences that would otherwise manifest during your practice.
• Subduing Delusions: Use the pure intent of the Buddha-name to subdue your wandering thoughts and negative tendencies. When you do this, the suffering of the Body-Mind-Spirit that would normally be caused by bad karma is effectively suppressed.

The Virtuous Heart and the Fourfold Good

As you continue to chant diligently, you will enter the state of Buddha-Recitation Samadhi, which is a clear manifestation of your meditative concentration. This purification of your Body-Mind-Spirit allows you to transform the suffering of your karmic retribution, marking the moment when you truly cut off delusions and transform your karma. To support this, you should cultivate the following habits:

• Think Good: Maintain positive and wholesome thoughts at all times.
• Speak Good: Use your speech to uplift, encourage, and bring peace to others.
• Do Good: Perform virtuous deeds that benefit all beings.
• Be Good: Strive to be a person of integrity and kindness.

These are the four goods of the human world. If a person can live in this way, they are truly walking the path of Goodness.

The Ultimate Return to the Western Land

If you are a practitioner of the Pure Land school, you must go further. You must strive to give rise to all roots of goodness and achieve the fruit of Bodhi. Furthermore, you must make the vow to give rise to Bodhi and focus your entire mind on chanting one Buddha's name to the end. By letting go of the past and not clinging to the future, you focus entirely on the present moment, chanting Namo Amituofo all the way. This is the time to cultivate goodness, purify your heart, and transform your karma.

Continue your diligent practice until you are entirely pure and entirely good. This will lead you into Awakening, where you will realise your true nature and attain Buddhahood. Once you have transcended the cycle of rebirth, your life will no longer be dictated by karmic fate. When you work to save the world and rescue suffering beings, you will have the opportunity to freely travel to and from the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, with the ability to extend your life and know the time of your passing with absolute clarity.

Namo Amituofo