The World of Having and the Path to Awakening

The Nature of the World of Having

To exist in the world of Having is to exist within limits. What, then, is this world of Having? It is the world of impermanence and the world of karmic cause and effect. Just as the Earth itself undergoes the constant cycle of formation, abiding, destruction, and emptiness, it carries countless lives within its finite volume and surface area. In this world where we possess physical bodies, we are inevitably subject to the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. The human heart experiences constant fluctuations, rising and falling like the tides. Human life is finite and measurable, and our existence is governed by the changes of karmic cause and effect, which bind us to the cycle of rebirth.

The Web of Human Attachments

We live our lives tethered to the concept of Having, which manifests in every facet of our daily experience. Consider the many ways we define our existence through these attachments:

• Material Needs:
• We believe we must have money to secure the necessities of life, such as food, clothing, housing, and transportation.Social and Economic Structures:
• We are caught in the web of transactions, the disparity between wealth and poverty, and the pursuit of status.Interpersonal Relationships:
• We are defined by our roles within families—as parents, spouses, children, friends, and relatives—as well as our professional relationships between superiors and subordinates.Status and Identity:
• We attach great importance to our academic achievements, our careers, our social classes, and our positions in society.Emotional States:
• We are driven by the spectrum of human emotions, including happiness and sorrow, the Five Desires, and the shifting states of joy, anger, grief, and pleasure.Cosmic Distinctions: We perceive the world through the lens of the six realms of rebirth, the ten Dharma realms, and the various boundaries between this world and others.

These distinctions form the complex tapestry of karmic cause and effect, the six realms of rebirth, and the Four Sacred Realms. People live their entire lives within this framework, constantly creating new causes and receiving new fruits. Consequently, the cycle of rebirth continues without pause, and it becomes exceedingly difficult to find a way out.

The Body as a Vessel for Karma

To engage in true practice, one must understand these facts and the reality of our situation. The human body is the very place where karmic cause and effect manifest. Because we possess this physical form, we allow karmic forces to play out within us. During this process, new causes are constantly added, which in turn generate new suffering. Driven by the dictates of our karma, we lose our autonomy and remain trapped in the endless cycle of rebirth.

The World of Not Having but Having All

Only through diligent practice can we remove defilements and attain purity. In the process of purification, we transform our karma and break free from the domination of the cycle of rebirth. By doing so, we rediscover our original, pure, and undefiled true nature. This leads us into a world that is free from aging, free from illness, and where your spirit does not die. It is a world of coolness, ease, and true autonomy—a world of Not Having but Having All.

This state is attainable, but it requires you to be fiercely diligent and persistent. You must break through the obstacles of being drowsy and enter into the vast space of the spirit. You must let go of the ego and enter the world of selflessness. This world is known as the world of Awakening—the world of Not Having but Having All.

Namo Amituofo