Teachings from Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju, recorded and transcribed by ’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe.
On the first of June, 2025, during the second session of the , Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offered these profound teachings on the of Perfect Harmony.
The Supreme Path of Perfect Harmony
Any method that truly assists beings in attaining Buddhahood is known as the One Vehicle, the Dharma of Perfect Harmony. The Dharma Gate is precisely this supreme, all-encompassing path. When you engage in the practice of chanting the name of Namo Amituofo, you are planting the seed of Buddhahood, and the eventual attainment of Buddhahood is the fruit that will surely ripen. This path is uniquely compassionate, as it is suitable for all beings regardless of their spiritual capacity, age, or gender. Whether one is of high, medium, or low capacity, the practice of chanting the Buddha's name remains the most direct and effective way to return to one's true nature.
Integrating the Six Perfections
In the broader teachings of Buddhism, practitioners are encouraged to cultivate the Six Perfections to reach . These are:
Generosity: Giving of one's resources, time, and Dharma to benefit others.
Discipline: Maintaining pure conduct and upholding the .
Patience: Enduring hardships and maintaining a calm heart in the face of adversity.
Diligence: Persisting in one's practice without flagging or distraction.
Meditation: Cultivating a focused and tranquil mind.
Wisdom: Realising the true nature of reality and the emptiness of all phenomena.
When you chant Namo Amituofo with a sincere heart, you are simultaneously cultivating these Six Perfections and the Three Studies of Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom. It happens naturally and effortlessly. By immersing yourself in the Buddha-name, you are constantly bathed in the Buddha’s , which will lead you to the perfect accomplishment of the Buddha-way.
The State of Perfect Harmony
To become a Buddha is to walk the same path as all Buddhas. In this state, one is perfectly harmonious in both principle and practice. This harmony is not merely about how one interacts with the world; it is a total, all-encompassing state of being. It manifests as perfect harmony in how one saves beings, perfect harmony in , perfect harmony in wisdom, and perfect harmony in all the laws of the world. Everything is unified and unobstructed.
Purification and Rebirth
For those of you practising in this world, your goal is to chant the Buddha's name and make the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. If you can chant with such sincerity that Namo Amituofo comes to lead you, you will be bathed in the Buddha’s light. This light will purify your body, heart, and spirit, elevating the quality of your spirit to a higher plane. Upon your passing, your spirit will be guided by Namo Amituofo into the Western Pure Land, where you will enter one of the Four Lands, Three Grades, and Nine Levels, corresponding to the quality of your spiritual attainment.
The Practice at Hsiang Kuang
Therefore, while you are in this world, you must be diligent in your practice. Your primary task is to chant Namo Amituofo to purify your body, heart, and spirit. At the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Goombungee, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, we are currently blessed because Namo Amituofo is truly residing here. Under the guidance and teachings of Namo Amituofo, Practitioner Su, and myself, the focus for the fourfold assembly of disciples is clear: let go of the past, for it is gone; do not grasp at the future, for it has not yet arrived; in the present moment, chant Namo Amituofo all the way, from your initial aspiration until you attain Buddhahood.
This is the most vital method of practice. I urge all disciples to take this method to heart and to implement it with absolute certainty. By doing so, you will reap the great benefit of and realising your true nature. Furthermore, it is a great stroke of fortune for all beings that Namo Amituofo and Practitioner Su are here to guide you into the Western Pure Land. You must cherish this rare and precious opportunity to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Namo Amituofo.
