Settling the Heart: A Path to True Stillness

Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offers these teachings, recorded by the chief writer, Venerable HaiZe, on the twenty-second of October, 2022.

The mind is like the surface of a lake, constantly disturbed by the winds of emotion. We experience fleeting moments of calm, only to be swept up in new waves of turbulence. How can one find true meditative concentration or lasting purity in such a state? We have been reincarnated through the six realms for countless lifetimes, drifting between them. When will we finally stop this endless turning?

The Lost Original Nature

Our true self has been obscured, and we have lost the ability to master our own lives. We remain silent and stagnant, drifting aimlessly in the vast ocean of karma. We suffer, we plead for help, yet we continue to sink deeper into the depths of our own making. Our spirit was originally clear and radiant, like a polished mirror, but it has become dim, covered in the grime of worldly attachments. When will we finally purify these defilements so that our spirit can once again behold the light?

The Call to Settle the Heart

You must ask yourself: when will you finally settle your heart? This is the most important question of your life. Regardless of your past studies or how you have navigated the world, you must now:

• Let go of the past and all previous attachments.
• Enter the Fragrant Light and follow Namo Amituofo with a sincere heart.
• Be active and persistent in your search for your true self.
• Follow the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way in every action.
• Chant Namo Amituofo to purify yourself of all dust and defilements.

Returning to the True Face

By committing to this path, your spirit will eventually become clear and bright once more. You will see the light of your own nature and recover your original, true face. This is the ultimate goal of our practice: to save ourselves and to save all beings, leaving the cycle of birth and death behind forever. Together, we shall return to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amituofo