Changing the Personality to Nothingness

The Path to Realising One's True Nature

On the fourth of August, 2024, during the first session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju provided profound guidance on the nature of our spiritual practice. Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe, these teachings illuminate the essential work required for those who seek to realise their true nature.

If you wish to realise your true nature, you must ask yourself: to what extent must I change my personality traits? The answer is absolute: you must change until not a single trace of your old personality remains. This is because the true self is inherently empty; within the true self, there is no such thing as a personality. Therefore, as long as you cling to your personality, you cannot see your true self.

The Metaphor of the White Cloth

Think of your true self, your original nature, as a piece of pure white cloth. Throughout accumulated lifetimes, this cloth has been obscured by the filth of ignorance and various karmic obstacles. Layer upon layer of dirt has stained the fabric, until it appears entirely black, and the original whiteness is no longer visible. Today, your spiritual practice is the process of removing this filth, layer by layer, through diligent practice until you reach the very bottom of the fabric.

The filth that has become embedded in the white cloth is stubborn. If you do not purify it down to the deepest level, you will be unable to see the deep-seated "self," personal ego, and selfishness that have taken root within you. Even when you begin to see these traits and wish to remove them, you will find that they are incredibly difficult to eradicate. However, if you do not remove them, you cannot restore the cloth to its original, pristine whiteness. This is why you must be active and persistent in your purification.

The Illusion of Progress

Before the filth is completely removed, you may often believe that you have worked hard to change your personality traits. Yet, you never know when a specific situation or condition will manifest. When it does, your old personality may suddenly reappear, and your past karma may manifest once again. In those moments, you realise that your personality is still there, lurking beneath the surface. The filth is, in essence, your personality. Removing only the surface-level dirt is insufficient, for the filth trapped at the bottom remains. You must wash it away thoroughly and with great vigour.

The Power of Namo Amituofo

In the process of removing this filth, those who have faith in the Buddha and who chant Namo Amituofo with a single-minded heart will receive the Buddha's blessings. By using the Buddha-name to purify the filth, you will eventually reach a state where all impurities are removed. This is what it means to change your personality traits to nothingness. Only then will you be able to see the entire piece of cloth as clean and pure, and only then will you truly see your true self. This true self is the original face you possessed before your parents were born—a state of pure Goodness and absolute clarity.

Namo Amituofo