Although your physical body is present here at the Hsiang Kuang Buddhist Centre, following the guidance of the Buddha and Practitioner Su, one must ask: where is your heart? Has your heart truly found peace? Has it truly settled down? Your heart resides within your body and acts as the master of your physical form. It exists in tandem with your spirit. The state of your heart is the ultimate reflection of your level of practice.
For those who have attained true skill in their practice, the heart possesses a profound meditative concentration. It is not limited by time or place; it can be everywhere and go anywhere. In contrast, the Buddha and those who have realised their true nature are said to have no-mind. They are free from the attachments and fluctuations that plague ordinary beings.
The Many-Mindedness of Ordinary Beings
Ordinary beings, however, possess a heart that is often scattered and fragmented. We have many minds, and these minds are all different. We harbour good intentions and bad intentions, and we are constantly caught in the traps of discrimination, comparing ourselves to others, and perceiving high and low states. Because of this, if you wish to succeed in your practice, you must first learn to settle your heart. To do this, you must first regulate your heart.
Once you have brought your heart into a state of balance, you must use the to maintain that meditative concentration. By doing so, you protect your heart from the interference of evil influences, and only then can it truly settle. When the heart is settled, becomes stable.
The Harmony of Body, Mind, and Spirit
When your heart is settled, you are no longer disturbed by the voices of the beings within your body. You are no longer moved by their words or by the external environment. When the heart is settled and the body is stable, the beings within you also gradually calm down in this peaceful environment. Naturally, your spirit will also settle and will not be easily led astray by external forces.
When your body, mind, and spirit are all settled, your practice has achieved success. If a person comes to learn the Buddha’s teachings with such a heart, or if a practitioner can maintain such a state, then is within reach.
The Necessity of Self-Effort
Those who have not yet realised their true nature often find that their hearts are not settled. This is a common struggle. In such cases, one must rely on the to regulate the heart. You must rely on the guidance of , your teachers, and Practitioner Su to help rectify this heart of yours. However, your own heart must cooperate with this process. You must initiate your own effort, which we call .
If you do not cooperate, no matter how much we try to rectify your heart, our efforts will be in vain. The result will be that your heart remains exactly as it was before. We can only stand by and sigh, watching as your spirit is led away into other spaces, and watching as your body falls into a state of deep, unconscious .
The Path to Clarity
This scene is not unfamiliar to us. It can be seen at any time during the . Namo Amituofo, your teachers, and Practitioner Su see these situations very clearly from the front. The outcome depends entirely on which heart can settle, which heart can awaken, and which heart can manifest its innate, sensitive awareness.
A heart that is settled will not be led away.
A heart that is settled will not enter into other spaces.
A body that is settled will see its state of drowsiness improve significantly, to the point where it is rarely seen.
Therefore, settling the heart is of the utmost importance. It is the fundamental condition that every practitioner must meet if they wish to realise their true nature. May you all work diligently to settle your hearts and return to the path of light.
