Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded and transcribed by ’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
On the path of spiritual practice, the greatest obstacle to your progress is often yourself. We frequently find our journey hindered by various forces, yet we must realise that these are not merely external problems. They are deeply connected to our own internal state.
The Root of Our Obstacles
The primary causes of the interference we experience include:
: The accumulated results of our past thoughts, words, and actions.
: Beings from our past who have come to seek balance for grievances we caused them.
Attached spirits: Beings who have attached themselves to our energy field, seeking help or revenge.
Demon crowds: Negative influences that thrive on our lack of clarity and discipline.
These interferences manifest primarily because we have not yet changed our personality and habits. When we remain unchanged, we inadvertently attract these beings to manifest before us, leading to situations where they seek to collect debts or settle old grievances.
The Cycle of Karmic Debt
If you do not possess the awareness to change your ways at this critical moment, what will happen? Even if you manage to resolve the conflict with these beings through the ceremony of , and even if you successfully invite them to be delivered, the underlying issue remains. Because your personality and habits have not been transformed, you will inevitably attract a second, and then a third, wave of karmic consequences. The cycle will continue until you address the root cause within yourself.
The Compassionate Path of Deliverance
The Buddha is infinitely compassionate. He understands that it is incredibly difficult for sentient beings to change their personality and habits. To assist the fourfold assembly of disciples in achieving success as early as possible, the Buddha continues to provide guidance through:
Resolution and Invitation: Constantly working to resolve the conflict and inviting spirits to attend the assembly.
Chao Du: Performing the ceremony to help these beings find rebirth in the of Ultimate Bliss.
Buddha’s : Providing the necessary support so that you may finally have a moment of true .
The hope is that, with the help of the Buddha’s power, you will be able to actively change your ways, practise with persistent diligence, and reach a state where you are free from interference. This is the only way to achieve true purification and realise your awakened being.
A Call to Action for the Fourfold Assembly
Changing your ways to end interference is not merely an act of saving yourself; it is a profound act of for all beings. For countless lifetimes, many beings have been trapped in the long, dark night of samsara, unable to escape. Some are still living in the past, trapped in the space of their own suffering, while others are waiting for the right moment to seek revenge, constantly disturbing the hearts and actions of the fourfold assembly. This is truly a state of immense suffering.
If you, as a member of the fourfold assembly, can truly change your personality and habits, and if you can engage in the following practices with sincerity, you will see a transformation:
Chant Namo Amituofo: Maintain a constant, focused practice.
Prostrations: Offer humble bows to the Buddha to dissolve your ego.
Buddha’s blessings: Allow the light of the Buddha to soothe the hearts of these beings.
Leading beings: Guide them into the Buddha-light, which naturally resolves grievances, dissolves karma, and eliminates interference.
By doing this, you will even find that your own states of or mental fog begin to clear. This is the true path of saving oneself while simultaneously delivering others. I hope that you will change your ways as early as possible and overcome the obstacles of your own personality and habits. Let your compassion arise, be fiercely diligent, and work to improve your shortcomings while fully utilising your strengths. To act positively for the sake of saving yourself and others is exactly what a child of Fragrant Light should do.
