The Wisdom of Starting Anew

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

24 November 2023

Namo Amituofo’s discourse:

The Power of a New Beginning

As long as you still have a single breath, even if your life seems to have crumbled into ruins, you possess the capacity to begin the process of reconstruction anew. Do not be discouraged by past failures or the wreckage of previous efforts. If you are truly willing to change your personality traits, you can begin to adjust your practice. This is the moment when diligent practice leads to progress, the transformation of karma, and the eventual realisation of your true nature as an awakened being.

The Art of Mindful Response

When you are faced with a question and your initial impulse is to provide a negative response—to say no, to express unwillingness, or to claim that something is impossible—I ask you to pause. Please wait for a few seconds. Take the time to chant the Buddha-name ten times before you allow your words to pass your lips. Only then should you answer the question and explain the situation to the other person.

This is because, upon hearing a question, you may feel that the reality is not as the other person describes. If you have experienced the situation differently, you may be influenced by negative energies. This influence can easily trigger anger. Your words may then be laced with resentment and subjectivity, and you may inadvertently adopt a condescending or lecturing tone. In such a state, you are no longer the master of your own mind. You are being controlled by external influences. If both parties insist on their own views, how can the situation ever be resolved?

Cultivating Compassion and Wisdom

It is best to stop wandering thoughts and begin the process of adjusting your state of mind once more. Only when you can speak with a calm, gentle, and peaceful tone should you offer your response. By doing so, you uphold Right Mindfulness and avoid creating negative karma through your Body, Speech, and Mind.

How should you face such situations in your daily life while listening to sutras and hearing the Dharma? You must cultivate compassion, tolerance, and a vast mind-capacity. You must act in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha and Practitioner Su. You must correct your erroneous concepts and mistaken views. Do not rely on subjective habits or habitual patterns of behaviour, for that will only lead you to repeat the same mistakes. This is the very moment to change your personality traits. You must act in this way, speak in this way, and view the world in this way.

Namo Amituofo