The Wisdom of Flowing Water

The Hidden Life Within the Flow

Consider the nature of flowing water. It is not merely a physical substance that sustains our biological life; it is a vast, interconnected web of existence. Within the movement of water, there exist countless dimensions and spaces, and within each of these spaces, sentient beings reside. There are realms that our physical eyes can perceive, yet there are also vast water-spaces that remain invisible to us, where beings of the spirit realms dwell. Every single water molecule is, in itself, a form of life. Whether it is a visible creature swimming in the current or an invisible spirit residing in the hidden spaces of the water, every one of them is a living entity.

The Storehouse of History

Every life, without exception, possesses an Alaya consciousness. This includes:

• Every individual water molecule
• Every tiny grain of sand at the bottom of the riverbed
• The fish, shrimp, and microscopic organisms that inhabit the water

This Alaya consciousness acts as a storehouse, recording every experience that a spirit has undergone throughout accumulated lifetimes. It is the essence of the spirit that exists within the water molecule, the sediment, and the myriad creatures of the deep. It is vital to realise that you and I have, at some point in our long journey through the cycle of rebirth, been a part of these water spaces. Over the course of countless aeons, we have experienced an infinite number of events. We have played countless roles across the six realms of existence, in this world and in others, and across innumerable dimensions of space.

Our Connection to All Beings

Throughout all these experiences, every life we have encountered—including the people we have known, the objects we have touched, and the natural environment around us, such as the dust, the earth, and the very molecules of the air—is a sentient being with whom we share a karmic affinity. Once you achieve success in your practice, you will realise that it is not only your parents, teachers, and karmic creditors from this present life who are waiting for you. There is a vast multitude of these sentient beings with karmic affinity who are waiting for your success so that they, too, may obtain deliverance.

The Urgency of Deliverance

Our parents and teachers from accumulated lifetimes, our karmic creditors, and our family members may have been trapped in the cycle of rebirth for an incredibly long time. They remain submerged within these various spaces, unable to find a way out, unable to obtain deliverance, and still waiting for the salvation that only your practice can provide. They are still beings within these spaces, longing for the light of the Buddha's compassion. The water continues to flow, and these sentient beings with karmic affinity continue to wait. Therefore, I urge all of you to be fiercely diligent in your practice. Do not delay. Strive to achieve awakening in this very lifetime so that you may save these beings and guide them to rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Namo Amituofo.