The Wisdom of Listening to Counsel

Teachings from Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

The Turbulent Currents of a Life Without Dharma

In this life, before you have had the opportunity to hear the Buddha’s teachings or engage in diligent practice, how many of the events you have experienced were truly under your control? Most of your life has been governed by the force of your own karma. Within this existence, your good and negative karma have been intertwined, creating a complex web of experiences. You have spent much of your time lost in the fog of confusion, driven by the Five Poisons and the Five Desires: Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt, as well as the attachments to wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep. These mental afflictions have clouded your judgment and steered your actions, keeping you tethered to the cycle of rebirth.

The Inner Universe of Countless Beings

Your physical body is not merely a solitary vessel; it is home to countless beings and trillions of cells. These beings are all caught in the relentless cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. They are constantly affected by the fluctuations of your mind, rising and falling with every thought and intention you generate. Within your body, there exists a vast, universe-like space filled with these countless beings, all of whom are inextricably linked to your own spiritual state.

The Endless Cycle of Karmic Debts

Both within your body and in the external environment, you are surrounded by countless other beings. Every moment, you are all turning within the orbit of the cycle of rebirth. You are constantly engaged in a series of interactions that define your existence: settling debts, repaying kindness, or seeking revenge. These actions take place in your daily life and are deeply embedded in your personality. Through these interactions, you continuously sow new seeds of good and negative karma. When the conditions mature, you will inevitably reap the corresponding fruits of these actions. It is these laws of karma and cause and effect that shape the entirety of a person’s life.

The Vital Importance of Accepting Guidance

When you are fortunate enough to encounter Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, those who have realised their true nature, or true spiritual friends, they can see the hidden causes behind your life. If your thoughts, intentions, speech, or actions violate the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, they will offer you counsel. When this happens, you must listen to their advice. You should accept it with an open heart, repent for your mistakes, and change your ways. This is the only way to stop the manifestation of negative karma and avoid creating new negative causes that will lead to future suffering. This is because Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and true spiritual friends live their lives in perfect alignment with the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

A Path to Eternal Purity and Buddhahood

The fourfold assembly at Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre, in particular, must listen to this counsel. Under the guidance of Namo Amituofo, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, and Practitioner Su, you should always know how to act and what to do. If you have made a mistake, you must be willing to correct it; this is how you avoid unnecessary suffering. Through diligent practice, you can purify your body, mind, and spirit, and remove all traces of impurity. By doing so, you can attain the state where you do not grow old, not get sick, and the spirit does not die, eventually achieving rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Continue to purify yourself, continue to cultivate goodness, and you will rediscover your true self and attain the fruit of Buddhahood.

Namo Amituofo