The Path to Absolute Purity

During the third session of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony, we reflect upon the profound quality of Purity. This state is not merely an abstract concept; it is the very foundation of our practice and the ultimate destination of our spiritual journey.

The Four Facets of Purity

Purity manifests in four profound ways that we must strive to realise in our daily lives:

• Pure and Clean:
• The state of being free from the stains of the Five Poisons.Clear and Bright:
• The state where the heart is luminous and free from the fog of ignorance.Cool and Refreshing:
• The state of inner peace that remains undisturbed by the heat of the Five Desires.Thoroughly Transparent: The state where the original nature is fully revealed without obstruction.

These qualities are visible to you every single day, and you hear of them in every moment of your practice. My dear students, have you truly awakened to this? How much of this truth has entered your heart? How much benefit have you truly gained from your practice?

The Gradual Unfolding of the Heart

The journey toward awakening is a process of constant refinement. Consider the relationship between purity and pollution:

• When you gain one measure of purity, it enters your heart and makes it one measure brighter, thereby reducing your internal pollution by one measure.When you gain ten measures of purity, it enters your heart and makes it ten measures brighter, thereby reducing your internal pollution by ten measures.

You must continue this process until you reach a state of total purity. When your heart is entirely filled with this light, all traces of pollution are removed. This is the very moment of becoming an awakened being.

The Radiant State of the Awakened Being

When you reach this state of complete purification, your body, heart, and spirit will be transformed:

• Entirely pure and transparent:
• You will see through the illusions of the material world.Entirely pure and unstained:
• You will no longer be affected by the karmic dust of the six realms.Entirely bright and without darkness:
• The wisdom of your original nature will shine forth.Cool and refreshing without coldness:
• You will abide in the eternal peace of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.Thoroughly awakened and unobstructed: You will understand the Universal Principle, the Truth, and the Right Way.

May you all strive diligently to reach this state of absolute clarity. Namo Amituofo.

Recorded by the Buddha's disciple, Venerable HaiZe.

Namo Amituofo