The Wisdom of Loss and Recovery
Words of Namo Amituofo
Recorded on February 9, 2024
Words of Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe. Delivered during the noon offering on February 9, 2024.
The Questions of the Heart
Children, as you journey through the process of growing up, have you ever paused to reflect? What have you truly lost along the way, and what have you managed to recover? When you contemplate the inevitable cycle of birth, aging, sickness, death, what is lost, and what is regained? Even within the dedicated path of practice, do you experience loss, and what is it that you are truly seeking to recover? Furthermore, in the noble work of saving all beings, do you feel that you are losing something, or are you finding something of greater value?
These questions will elicit very different responses depending on whether you have personally walked these paths or are still observing them from afar. The answers are not merely intellectual; they are deeply rooted in the experiences of your own life.
The Archive of Our
Throughout your life, you have encountered countless changes in people, events, and environments. Consider the following aspects of your journey:
- Your academic pursuits and professional career paths.The complexities of your family dynamics and interpersonal relationships.The gradual transformation of your physical body and your unique personality.Your personal experiences with the reality of birth, aging, sickness, death.The inner journey that led you to begin your practice or to choose the monastic life.
All of these memories, thoughts, and processes are meticulously stored within your consciousness. They form the archive of your existence, shaping how you perceive the world and how you react to the challenges that arise.
The Illusion of Worldly Bonds
Often, we find ourselves deeply attached to certain activities or closely connected to specific people. However, as you deepen your practice and learn to "see through" and "let go" of these attachments, these connections naturally begin to fade. The ties that once felt unbreakable start to loosen.
Relationships with spouses, parents, children, and siblings are all subject to the laws of and cause and effect. They are like gatherings and dispersals in the wind. These relationships are merely illusions within a dream—fleeting scenes that appear and then vanish. The sooner you can "see through" and "let go" of these attachments, the sooner you will awaken to the truth of your existence.
The Endless Cycle of Rebirth
Within your consciousness, there is a record of every past encounter, every state of mind, every memory, and every instance of suffering you have endured. These are all part of the ongoing progression of the laws of karma and cause and effect. They occur repeatedly, in a cycle of loss and recovery. A spirit, in its journey through being reincarnated, simply changes into different faces and forms, altering its gender and its role in the play of life. What you lost in the past may appear again in the next cycle, only to be lost once more.
Uncovering the True Self
In the midst of these Causal Conditions, where things arise and perish, the concepts of gain and loss are not permanent. They are not real; they do not exist forever. Only by finding your true self can you truly recover what is eternal and unchanging. When you find your true self, you will no longer experience loss. This is because your true self has always existed; it was never truly lost. It was merely covered by the dust of your attachments and delusions. Now that these coverings have been removed, your true self is revealed. This is the ultimate reality.
Namo Amituofo
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About the Author
Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre
Contributed to Pure Land Buddhism knowledge library