The Wisdom of Following Conditions Without Grasping

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

On August 12, 2023, during the first session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provided essential guidance for all practitioners. This teaching illuminates the path of maintaining a pure heart while navigating the complex web of life's conditions.

The Art of Stillness and Purity

To follow conditions without moving the heart is to experience true freedom within meditative concentration. To be natural and spontaneous without grasping is to follow conditions while remaining within the state of purity. These two states are the foundation of a stable and liberated practice. When you can maintain this balance, you are no longer tossed about by the waves of external circumstances.

The Cycle of Karma and Destiny

In the natural world, the movement of conditions is inextricably linked to the laws of karma and cause and effect. For ordinary people, this cycle is a destiny that is difficult to escape. We are often bound by the forces of our past actions, which manifest as the circumstances we face today. However, the Buddha’s teachings offer a way out. Once you begin to transform your karma, you are no longer strictly bound by the constraints of karmic forces and destiny.

Transforming Connections into Dharma Affinity

Even when the causal conditions of your past karma manifest, you have the power to change your response. If you can use your Wisdom to transform these conditions into Dharma affinity, you are performing a great service. By doing so, you help the other person enter the vast ocean of the Buddha’s teachings. This provides them with the opportunity to:

• Leave suffering behind and find happiness.
• Navigate the sea of samsara.
• Reach the other shore of liberation.

This is the direction in which we must all strive at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre.

The Path of the Wise

The karmic conditions and the causes and effects that we have accumulated over countless lifetimes are truly uncountable. In this present life, we cannot know which conditions will manifest or when they will appear. However, if you practise diligently and your Wisdom begins to arise, you will naturally be able to transform your emotional entanglements and past connections into Dharma affinity. When you can guide others toward the path of liberation, you are acting as a wise person. This is how we achieve mutual liberation through the practice of following conditions without grasping.

Helping Others is Helping Yourself

If you have truly let go of attachments, you can follow conditions without grasping. When a condition manifests before you, you should do your utmost to help that condition enter into Dharma affinity, even supporting the other person until they achieve success in their own practice. Remember that their success in practice is also your own success. When you cultivate the mindset of helping others achieve, you will find that your own spiritual quality is elevated during your pure practice. Always remember: helping others is helping yourself, and saving others is saving yourself.

Namo Amituofo