Meditation Amidst Busyness

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

During the second session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony held on March 8, 2024, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offered these essential teachings on the nature of our practice.

The Challenge of Saving Beings

Saving beings is truly a difficult task. This is primarily because the hearts of ordinary people are rarely settled. We carry within us latent habits or bad character traits accumulated over countless aeons. These habits surface and recede in a repetitive cycle; we may correct them for a moment, only to fall back into old patterns and create negative causes once again. If one does not truly transform these tendencies, one remains an ordinary person trapped in the cycle of birth, old age, sickness, and death. As long as these patterns persist, one will continue to experience suffering and find it nearly impossible to leave suffering behind.

The True Conduct of a Practitioner

If you are a practitioner, you must embody the conduct of a practitioner. Even when you are busy saving beings, your heart must remain settled and firm. You must not allow yourself to be swayed or pulled away by the external environment. If you allow yourself to be led by external circumstances, your heart will drift aimlessly, constantly pulled in different directions. How, then, can you possibly hope to practise effectively and see your true nature?

Cultivating Stillness in the Midst of Chaos

Our busy lives serve as a constant test of a practitioner’s character and meditative concentration. You must learn to remain calm and composed, acting always within the realm of Goodness. When your heart is free from turbulent waves, you are able to see the true nature of all things with absolute clarity. Meditative concentration is a powerful force; it brings a profound sense of peace and stability to your life. It is the natural expression of a practitioner’s heart and actions. The depth of your practice will naturally manifest as different levels of inner strength and ability. Therefore, in your daily life, you must diligently deepen your meditative concentration so that when challenges arise, you can navigate them with ease and grace.

The Foundation of Daily Practice

You can cultivate this stillness through your daily practice. Consider these essential methods:

• Continuous Chanting:
• When the Buddha-name becomes a continuous, flowing stream that never stops, you can enter into deep states of meditative concentration.Sutra Recitation:
• When you recite the Sutras with clear focus, ensuring every word is distinct and your mind remains alert without becoming drowsy, you are dwelling in a state of meditative concentration.Prostrations: When you perform prostrations until your body and mind become soft and supple, it is a sign that the Buddha-name is resonating continuously within your heart and ears.

These are the fundamental skills of our path. They are accessible through your daily practice, and it is precisely through this consistent daily effort that you can attain the state of meditation amidst busyness.

Namo Amituofo