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Buddhism:
An Education of
Purity and Goodness
Nurturing Selfless Hearts and Wise Minds
Messages from Namo Amituofo.
Received by: Venerable Hai Yuan
Translated by: Hsiang Kuang English Team
26th March 2023
Education shapes us from the moment we enter this world. From our earliest interactions, it is essential to foster an education rooted in purity and goodness.
What is an education of purity and goodness?
It is a teaching that instils compassion instead of selfishness.
It is an education that discourages harming others to satisfy personal desires.
It emphasises gratitude, encouraging us to see even the smallest acts of kindness as heartfelt offerings that should never be taken for granted.
We learn to appreciate the safe and nurturing surroundings we live in and understand that such blessings are not easily obtained.
This education teaches respect for all life, including even the smallest creatures. For example, instead of killing mosquitoes or insects, one can simply guide them away. Such practices nurture compassion, tolerance, and other virtuous qualities.
Teaching begins at birth and should nurture an understanding of morality and how actions lead to their consequences (karma!). The earlier this education starts, the better.
Ancient wisdom highlights the importance of prenatal education. It is believed that a fetus can sense the world beyond the womb. Gentle, kind sounds during this time can soothe the unborn child and help shape a calm, virtuous character. This wisdom, passed down from our ancestors, has fostered the continuation of humanistic values and virtuous character in Chinese culture.
A child raised with an education of purity and goodness grows to be gentle, free from competitiveness or constant comparison with others. Naturally, such a person does not activate negative karma (What goes around comes around!) and therefore avoids unnecessary suffering.
This education allows one’s inherent nature (The Buddha Nature!) to shine brightly.
In Buddhist teachings, the highest ideal of 純淨純善—Perfect Purity and Goodness—is represented by the sacred name of “Namo Amituofo” (Namo Amitabha Buddha), which embodies the essence of this education. The earlier children are introduced to it—even as they listen from within the womb—the greater the blessings they receive.
Its teachings purify the heart and mind and strengthen good thoughts. This has profound and lasting effects on both the growth of the unborn child and the upbringing of young children.
Through faith and the repetition of this sacred name, a child is showered with the blessings and guidance of Amitabha Buddha and the heavenly guardians, offering protection and wisdom throughout their journey.
Namo Amituofo
