Awakening from the Half-Awake State

The Morning Call to Practice

My dear children, have you ever experienced the sensation of performing your morning service while in a state of being half-awake? This is a common challenge, particularly for the students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre. Your day begins early, with the wake-up board sounding at one-fifty in the morning, followed by the commencement of the morning service at two-fifteen. Many among the fourfold assembly have experienced the struggle of prostrating, chanting the Buddha-name, and reciting the Sutras while caught in this hazy, half-awake state.

The Clarity of a Fully Awakened Mind

Once you are fully awake, you begin your daily duties. At that point, you are finally working with a clear and alert mind. However, consider the profound difference if you were to awaken the moment the board sounds. If you were to join the assembly in prostration, chanting, and recitation with complete clarity, the results would be transformative. When you are truly present, you will find that:

• Every syllable of the Buddha-name is heard clearly and distinctly.
• Every prostration is performed with sincere reverence and deep respect.
• Each word of the Buddha-name flows naturally from your heart and lips.
• You can recite the entire Sutra without wandering thoughts, maintaining a direct and focused connection to the text.

When you complete your morning service in this state of total presence, you will feel a sense of boundless energy and fulfilment as you welcome the beginning of your day. This state of practice is entirely different from the experience of finishing your morning service only to wake up fully once it is already over.

Moving from Confusion to Awakening

If the students of Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre can resolve to change this, the results will be remarkable. Do not learn, listen to the teachings, or perform your duties while in a state of confusion. Instead, strive to learn, listen, and act with a clear and awakened mind. The outcomes of these two approaches are worlds apart.

The Path to Spiritual Success

If you remain in a state of half-awake confusion, you will find yourself standing still, or perhaps even regressing and eventually being left behind. Conversely, if you choose to face your practice with diligence, breaking through your lethargy and carefully attending to every single task with a vigilant heart, you will see true progress. If you can truly achieve this, you will find that your practice advances day by day, and you will surely achieve spiritual success much sooner. Namo Amituofo.

Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe