PART 3:

The Four Kinds of Goodness

存好心，說好話，行好事，做好人

A piece from Practitioner Xia Lian Ju, The Four Kinds of Goodness, translated from the original piece of https://amtbpureland.cc/Ek7wp

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“Nurture a kind heart, speak kind words, do kind deeds, and be a kind person.”

These are the Four Goodnesses—a wholesome path for everyday life.

They guide us through body, speech, and thought toward goodness and kindness in the world.

What Is Good?

Goodness means choosing what is wholesome, not harmful.

It means planting good causes and receiving good results.

It helps others find relief from suffering and discover joy.

Even more, it supports their spiritual awakening—freeing them from the cycle of rebirth.

This is goodness at its highest: helping others find true liberation.

Good men and women live this way.

Those with sincere hearts live this way.

Those who have realised their true nature live this way.

Buddhas and bodhisattvas live this way.

Those who guide others toward Buddha's teachings lead by example—

showing us how to walk the path of kindness and freedom.

Plant Good Causes, Receive Good Results

In daily life, we can practice worldly goodness through the Five Precepts and Ten Wholesome Actions.

The Five Precepts are:

• No killing

• No stealing

• No sexual misconduct

• No lying

• No intoxicants

The Ten Wholesome Actions are:

• No killing

• No stealing

• No sexual misconduct

• No lying

• No divisive speech

• No harsh speech

• No idle or deceptive speech

• No greed

• No anger

• No ignorance

For those who practice Buddhist teachings, the Five Precepts and Ten Wholesome Actions are the foundation.

From there, we go deeper—purifying the mind and realising our true nature.

The Pure Land Path: Light in the Age of Decline

In this age of declining Dharma, the Pure Land offers a swift and powerful way to be liberated.

By reciting the name of Namo Amituofo, we combine our own effort with the Buddha’s vow-power.

This mutual support helps us stay steady on the path.

And when we recite the Buddha’s name,

we are also keeping a kind heart, speaking kind words, doing kind deeds, and being kind people.

It is a simple and direct way to walk toward Buddhahood.

Let all disciples make good use of this path—

and walk it with sincerity and joy.