On Sameness and Difference

Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded by Venerable HaiZe.

On the third of June, 2022, during the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offered these profound insights into the nature of existence.

The Illusion of Form and Difference

Consider the vastness of the universe, the countless galaxies, and the myriad worlds that exist within this realm and beyond. From the six realms of existence to the four holy realms, the ten directions of the Dharma Realm are filled with diversity. We see the three realms of goodness and the three evil realms, all appearing distinct and separate. One might ask: where do these things find their commonality, and where do they truly differ?

The answer lies within the heart. It is the heart that gives rise to all forms and states of being. This is the root of all differences. Each being carries their own thoughts or senses, which store the karmic seeds of countless lifetimes. Because our pasts are all different, the thoughts or senses that compose the 'I' we perceive today are also unique to each individual. The person you are in this life, and the person you were in the past, are both stored within these thoughts or senses and the physical body. This is the nature of a dream within an illusion; no two scenes or experiences are ever truly the same.

The Journey to Purity

All beings are currently clouded by defilements, which is why we have fallen into the turbidity of the world. The process of remove defilements and attain purity is the essential path for every practitioner. If you can awaken, you will finally see the sameness that underlies all things. Once the thoughts or senses and the defiled environment are severed, you will no longer be disturbed by external conditions that trap the heart. This allows the heart to reveal its original, pristine appearance.

The Universal Buddha-Nature

Through this process, you can rediscover the true self and see their true nature, a treasure that every single being possesses. This is the point where all beings are the same. The light of the true self shines without end. It illuminates the mountains, the rivers, and the earth; it shines upon this world and all others; it lights up the entire universe and the Milky Way.

This light is the essence of the Buddha—the Buddha-heart and Buddha-nature. It is the original face that all creatures and beings share. Even in the state of emptiness, this nature can be found. Out of this emptiness, all things arise. One who has attained this state can perceive all things with absolute clarity. Prajna wisdom arises from this emptiness; it is a state of knowing nothing, yet there is nothing that it does not know. This is your original, true face.

Namo Amituofo