Do Not Let Your Heart Be Moved

The Essence of Stillness

To remain unmoved is a profound skill within the Buddha’s gate. Your true self is inherently unmoving and tranquil, like the deep ocean beneath the surface waves. When you allow your heart to remain undisturbed by external environments, you ensure that your inner state is not swayed by the shifting conditions of the world. In the language of the Dharma, this means the practitioner—the true reward—does not follow the dependent reward of the external environment. This is the fundamental condition for saving beings. If you lack this stability, your heart will inevitably fluctuate with the impermanence of the world and the diverse nature of the beings you encounter.

The Perils of a Wandering Heart

When your heart is in constant motion, you become vulnerable. This internal turbulence acts as a beacon, drawing forth dormant karma and inviting your karmic creditors to manifest. It creates openings for spiritual attachment or interference from demon crowds, all of which serve as significant obstacles to your practice. Why does the heart move? It moves because it has not yet achieved true meditative concentration. Therefore, the most urgent task for every practitioner is to settle the heart and bring it to a state of absolute stillness.

The Foundation of Precepts, Samadhi, and Wisdom

The Three Learnings of Precepts, Samadhi, and Wisdom are the pillars you must strictly uphold in your practice. You must take the Precepts as your foundation. When the Precepts are firmly guarded, meditative concentration will naturally arise; when concentration is established, wisdom will manifest. This is the natural progression of the path. Once you have donned the monastic robe, observing the Precepts is no longer a matter of personal preference or willingness; it is an absolute necessity. You have been witnessed by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as a guide for both humans and heavenly beings. Your every action and word serves as a benchmark for the fourfold community of disciples.

The Purity of the Path

In your training, the observance of the Precepts is the root of all Dharma. These are not merely worldly rules; they are the means to cease desire and achieve total purification. You must remain untainted, allowing your inherent Goodness to shine forth until not even a trace of an evil thought or a harmful intention remains. Every thought and intention is critical. The moment a desire arises, you have already breached the Precepts. In particular, the desire for sensory pleasure is a major transgression. Do not touch it, do not dwell upon it, and do not let your heart be moved by it. Only then can you attain true meditative concentration. Without this stillness, you cannot achieve the fruits of your practice. You must be extremely cautious and diligent in this regard.

Namo Amituofo