When Will the Cycle of Revenge End?

The Storehouse of Infinite Lives

Teachings from Namo Amituofo, recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe. Within the Alaya consciousness, there is stored the entirety of our experiences across accumulated lifetimes. Our heart and our spirit exist together. The life of the spirit is without beginning and without end. Before one reaches an awakened being, the consciousness and the heart-spirit remain inextricably linked.

Since time immemorial, we have formed countless connections with others. If you have ever formed a bond of enmity with someone, or if there exists a relationship of seeking repayment for past grievances, these individuals are known as your karmic creditors. These connections are not merely limited to this current life; they span across the vastness of time and space.

The Endless Web of Karmic Debt

The spirit may travel through many different realms and locations, including:

• The six realms of existence, which encompass all forms of life in samsara.
• The Four Holy Realms, where those who have attained higher levels of spiritual achievement reside.
• Various worlds, planets, and dimensions beyond our current perception.

In each of these spaces, the spirit remains for different durations, often taking on different physical forms and appearances. Consequently, in these various dimensions, you have had parents, teachers, karmic creditors, and family members who appear in many different guises. The underlying cause and effect governing these relationships never deviates from the fundamental patterns of seeking repayment, settling debts, repaying kindness, or seeking revenge for past grievances.

The Suffering of the Cycle of Rebirth

If both parties remain trapped within the cycle of rebirth, governed by the heavy weight of karma, the cycle of retribution continues unabated. You seek revenge in this life, and they seek to settle the score in the next. How can such a cycle of revenge ever truly end? It continues to grow and consume beings without pause, and within this process, we are all subject to the inevitable suffering of birth, aging, sickness, death.

This is the terrifying reality of samsara, and it is the primary reason why beings find it so difficult to escape. We are caught in a web of our own making, spinning through lifetimes of conflict and pain.

The Path of Liberation through Pure Land

However, there is a way out. If you can embrace the education of the Buddha’s teachings, and through the Pure Land method of chanting Namo Amituofo, you can begin to change your destiny. You must be active and persistent in your practice:

• Practise diligent purification of your body, mind, and spirit.
• Strive to change your ways, correcting the errors of the past.
• Devote yourself to cultivating both blessings and wisdom without reservation.
• Listen to the sutras and hear the Dharma, allowing the teachings to enter your heart and mind.
• Invite your karmic creditors to listen to the Dharma alongside you, so that they too may benefit.

By engaging in this process of resolution and Chao Du, you can elevate your own spirit. It is my sincere hope that you, along with your karmic creditors, can let go of the past. There is no past, and there is no future; there is only the present moment.

Chanting Namo Amituofo All the Way

You must chant one Buddha's name to the end. When you and your karmic creditors chant together, you can both receive the Buddha's blessings, dissolve your karma, and reduce your transgressions. In this way, both parties can receive the benefits of the Dharma. If you remain trapped in a space defined only by debt, repayment, and grievances, the suffering is truly beyond words.

The Pure Land method of chanting Namo Amituofo, supported by the power of the Buddha's blessings, can help both you and all beings leave suffering behind. I hope that all students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre can be diligent in their chanting. As you do so, your karmic obstacles will naturally be resolved, your negative personality traits will have no room to manifest, and you will be able to make steady progress toward your goal of Awakening. Namo Amituofo.