Where is Your True Home?

The Illusion of a Permanent Abode

During the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, we are invited to contemplate a fundamental question: Where is home? Throughout our lives in this world, we dedicate immense effort to building homes to shelter our bodies and settle our minds. We believe that these structures provide us with security and belonging. However, we must pause and ask ourselves: is this truly our permanent residence? In reality, the homes we construct in this world are not permanent dwellings; they are merely temporary shelters where we cannot reside forever.

The Journey of the Spirit

Our physical bodies are subject to the laws of impermanence; they have a beginning and an end. When the physical body reaches its end, we must contemplate the destination of the spirit within. Where will it go? It is vital that we do not allow our spirits to wander aimlessly through the cycle of rebirth, lost and without a place to rest. We must prepare for the journey ahead with clarity and purpose.

Finding Peace in the Present

A practitioner dedicated to saving all beings does not discriminate between beings, lands, or locations; in every place, one may find a home for the body. If the heart is settled in the present moment, one will find peace at all times, regardless of the surroundings. To truly practise the path of compassion, one must learn to be at ease wherever one is, unburdened by the attachments of this world.

The Eternal Home in the West

The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, with its infinite life and infinite light, is the true and secure destination for the heart. It is the ultimate home where one can find lasting peace. Though the body may dwell in this human world, the heart’s true home is in the Western Pure Land. By keeping your focus on Namo Amituofo, you ensure that your spirit has a place to return to, leaving behind the suffering of this world to find true, everlasting happiness.