Achieving Freedom from Birth and Death

Teachings from Namo Amituofo, recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe.

On the thirteenth of March, 2022, Namo Amituofo offered these profound teachings to all beings:

The Duality of Body and Spirit

My children, you must clearly recognise a fundamental truth regarding your existence. Your physical body and your spirit coexist, yet they are two separate organisms of life. Your physical body is a manifestation shaped by the various actions and deeds of your spirit throughout your past lives, combined with the specific Causal Conditions of this lifetime. It is composed of the four great elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—and it is bound by the constraints of time and a finite lifespan.

Every person living in this world possesses a different duration of life. This is not a matter of chance, nor is it something you can decide for yourself, such as choosing to live for as long as you desire. Instead, your lifespan is governed by the laws of karma and cause and effect, which are strictly executed according to the natural order of the universe.

The Path of the Awakened

There is, however, an exception to this rule: the path of practice. Those who have realised their true nature attain a life of freedom from birth and death. Practitioner Su is one such example. Because they are no longer controlled or manipulated by the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death, they are able to observe the Causal Conditions of the world. For the sake of saving beings, they can choose to remain in this world for as long as is necessary to fulfil their vows.

While this level of mastery is rare, it is, in principle, accessible to everyone. This is because every single being possesses the same true self. As long as you can rediscover and return to your true self, you will possess the necessary conditions to attain this same freedom from birth and death.

The Rigorous Journey of Practice

However, the path to finding your true self through practice is one that requires fiercely diligent practice. It is not a journey for the faint of heart. To realise this state, you must possess three essential pillars:

• Faith:
• A firm and unwavering belief in the teachings and the path.Understanding:
• A deep, clear comprehension of the Truth and the Universal Principle.Practice: The consistent application of these teachings in your daily life.

You must be prepared to overcome the various trials that test your Body-Mind-Spirit. This includes confronting the Greed, Anger, Ignorance, Arrogance, and Doubt, and the wealth, lust, fame, food, and sleep that cloud your vision.

Purification and the Return Home

You must learn to remain undisturbed by the interference and temptations of your Feelings, Perceptions, Mental Formations, and Consciousness. You must learn to see through the illusions of this world and let go of your attachments. By passing through these tests, one after another, you allow your Body-Mind-Spirit to undergo continuous purification.

In this state of constant refinement, you will naturally maintain the manifestation of your inherently good nature. As you continue to purify yourself, becoming ever more refined and ever more virtuous, you will eventually reach a point where there is not a single trace of impurity left, nor a single point of unwholesome thought remaining. Only then will your original, true self be fully revealed. Only then will you truly attain freedom from birth and death, and be able to travel back to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss with complete ease.

Namo Amituofo.