Where Do I Abide? The Journey of the Wandering Spirit

The Wandering Spirit Across the Dharma Realm

I have wandered through the wind and the clouds, and I have traversed the vast mountains and the expansive earth. I have existed within the depths of the oceans and the flow of the rivers, and I have even dwelt within the searing flames beneath the ground. Throughout the beginningless cycle of time, I have taken many forms. I have been the smallest crawling creature, and I have inhabited the bodies of animals and insects. I have permeated the life force of flowers, grasses, and trees, existing within both the sentient and the insentient.

My journey has taken me through every corner of the universe. I have experienced the realms of the Asuras, the heavens, and the human world. I have also suffered in the realms of animals, hungry ghosts, and the hells. In these endless cycles of rebirth, I have played countless roles:

• I have been a noble, a king, or a person of high status.
• I have been an ordinary person, a beggar, or one lost to memory.
• I have been a powerful general, a common soldier, or even the very weapons and warhorses used in battle.
• I have taken the form of a demon, and I have also walked the path of practice to achieve great success.

The Illusion of the False Self

I have entered the vastness of the Dharma Realm and the infinite expanse of the galaxy. I have existed within the constraints of space, yet I have also been bound by the limitations of a false body. In this physical form, I have been subjected to the inevitable cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death. I have carried the heavy weight of karma within this body, and as my physical form arises according to conditions, it must also fade away when those conditions cease.

I am a spirit—a spirit whose life has no beginning and no end. I am present everywhere; there is not a single place where I am not found. I am one of the countless beings in this universe. I am constantly searching for a place to return to, and I am always waiting for the time to go home. But when, and how, can I truly enter that place of return?

The Burden of Delusion, Discrimination, and Attachment

What I perceive as "myself" is merely a false self. I am driven by the momentum of my past karma, drifting through the six realms of rebirth, unable to take charge of my own destiny. At this very moment, I am still deeply entangled in the heavy burdens of delusion, discrimination, and attachment. These three poisons are so deeply rooted that it is incredibly difficult to let them go.

However, there is a better way. It is far better to let go of this false self, to reach the state of no-self. By relying solely on the power of the Buddha and practising without regret, we can change our trajectory. If you chant Namo Amituofo with diligent practice, you will receive the Buddha's blessings. This will allow you to enter the state of letting go of the self, to reach the state of no-self, and to finally find your way back to your true self.

Returning to the True Nature

When you no longer follow the pull of your past karma, you will no longer be trapped in the cycle of rebirth. You will finally be able to take charge of your own life. Your true nature is the true reality—it is eternal, joyful, selfless, and pure. It is cool, calm, and free. It is not born and does not die; it is not defiled and not pure; it is not increased and not decreased.

This true nature is fused with the vastness of the Dharma Realm; it is one with all things. The three bodies of the Buddha—the Dharma Body, the Reward Body, and the Manifestation Body—are also one. This is the true self, and this is where I truly abide. Namo Amituofo.