Transforming Sorrow into Diligent Practice

The Greatest Sorrow of the Soul

My children, what is the most sorrowful thing in this life? If you continue to wander through the six realms of rebirth just as you have in your past lives, that is the deepest tragedy. You must turn your heart towards the West. Especially for those of you who are practitioners, you must make chanting the Buddha-name and performing prostrations your daily practice. You must make a sincere vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and follow Namo Amituofo to save all suffering beings.

The suffering of the six realms of rebirth lies in the inability to be the master of one's own life. It is difficult to remain clear and bright when you are lost in the fog of ignorance. If you cannot see the truth of the facts, you will inevitably become selfish. When you place personal fame and profit above all else, you cover the truth. To commit evil acts and engage in conduct that harms others is truly a great sorrow. You must turn your heart around; you must be honest, perform good deeds, and act with selflessness.

The Power of Every Thought

Do not underestimate any negative thought. As long as a thought is driven by self-interest and causes harm to others, you must use your awareness to stop it immediately. Do not let such thoughts continue to grow. In Mahayana Buddhism, we understand that karma is created the very moment a thought or intention arises. Therefore, you should stop these thoughts the moment they appear.

Once a cause has been planted, it waits for the right conditions—whether they are external circumstances or internal states of mind—to manifest. When these internal and external conditions mature, that is when you will experience the bitter fruit of your actions. Learning the Buddha's teachings is meant to help you avoid suffering and attain eternal liberation, not to increase the bitter fruits of your karma.

Correcting Your Path

If you find that you are experiencing suffering, it is a clear sign that there is something in your practice that is not in accordance with the Dharma. You must quickly find the cause and correct it immediately. Do not follow your own desires, for doing so often leads you to violate the precepts, the sutras, or the admonishments provided by Namo Amituofo and Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju. You must know that these warnings were given to you beforehand; if you ignore them and commit the same errors, you will inevitably suffer.

Whether you are in a state of confusion or are unable to be the master of your own mind, you are still responsible for the karma you create. Therefore, you must be even more vigilant at such times and maintain your awareness. If you do not, and your karma or karmic creditors manifest, it will be a time of creating negative karma and experiencing suffering. If you do not listen to the advice given to you, if you do not transform your karma, and if you continue to be pulled and dragged by your karma and karmic creditors, you will continue to make mistakes and create evil. This is truly a great sorrow. You must turn your heart around, listen to the advice, and transform your karma.

The Path to Awakening

If you know that chanting the Buddha-name is beneficial, if you know that the Buddha's blessings are contained within the Buddha-name, and if you know that this is a rare and precious spiritual connection that offers you the opportunity to become an awakened being, then why do you still let your time pass in a state of confusion? Day after day, failing to awaken and continuing to suffer—this is truly a great sorrow. You must turn your heart around, hold firmly to the Buddha-name, believe in the Buddha, and believe in yourself.

By manifesting great strength and engaging in diligent practice, you can face your mistakes and correct them. Only then can you transform your karma and improve your situation. My children, practice is never something that can be achieved in a day or two. It is absolutely a process of moving forward step by step, following the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way, and advancing within the realm of purity and goodness.

As long as you know your faults and correct them without repeating them, as long as you are honest and maintain your awareness, you will always have the opportunity to repent and turn towards goodness, to remove defilements and attain purity, as long as you still have a single breath left. If you can do one part, you will receive one part of the benefit; if you can do two parts, you will receive two parts of the benefit. Everything will be reflected in your own Body-Mind-Spirit.

You must transform this sorrow into diligent practice. By following the teachings, you will find your way back to your true self. This is the moment you become the master of your own life, feeling cool, calm, and at ease. This is the time when you can independently save yourself and save others, and help all beings be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo.