The Preciousness of Life: Teachings from Namo Amituofo

The Miracle of Our Beginning

My children, how incredibly difficult it is to obtain a human body. From the very moment of conception, when the father's essence and the mother's blood unite, a new life begins to grow. This physical body is nurtured by the mother, who offers her own vitality and endures the gradual decline of her own physical strength to sustain the life within her womb. How many mothers have faced critical illness or even lost their lives during this profound process of creation? The process of birth is a perilous threshold between life and death for both mother and child. When all goes smoothly, both are safe; however, when complications arise, the path is fraught with danger, and the risk of loss is great.

The Debt of Gratitude

As you grow, regardless of the circumstances of your upbringing, you are protected by the presence of your parents. Because of them, you are spared the suffering of being an orphan or the hardship of begging for survival. When you reflect upon this with a heart full of gratitude, you must realise that the highest way to repay your parents' kindness is to achieve awakening through the Buddha's teachings, to become an awakened being, and to dedicate your life to saving others. As you mature and become independent, you each find your own path in the world. Regardless of your age today, or the depth of your life experiences and your journey in the Buddha's teachings, the opportunity you now have to practise at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre is not a coincidence of this single lifetime. It is the result of deep, accumulated Dharma affinity from the past.

The Rarity of This Opportunity

This precious life has now led you away from the mundane world. Whether you are a monastic or a lay practitioner, you are now cultivating your practice within this sacred Buddha-land. If you did not have that deep, pre-existing Dharma affinity, you would not have this opportunity today. Therefore, you must cherish the preciousness of this human body. Do not let your days pass by in vain. You must use your most diligent practice to change your ways and make every single moment count. We must live with the awareness that our time is a gift, and we must use it to return to the path of truth.

Why Life is Truly Precious

Life is precious for many profound reasons:

• The Rarity of the Human Body: It is a vessel that is incredibly difficult to obtain, providing the unique conditions necessary for spiritual growth.
• The Opportunity for Awakening: It offers the chance to study the Buddha's teachings, to chant Buddha's name, and to eventually become a Buddha.
• The Transformation of Spirit: The spirit within this temporary physical body can use this life to cultivate the truth and rediscover the original, true self.
• The Clarity of Truth: Through learning and contemplation, one can recognise the reality of the world, elevate the spirit, and avoid becoming lost in the illusions of the external environment.
• The Power to Help Others: By achieving awakening, you gain the ability to assist others in their own journey toward liberation.
• The Mission of Salvation: It allows you to save beings, helping them leave suffering behind and find rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
• The Continuity of the Dharma: It provides a way for the Buddha's teachings to be preserved and passed on to future generations.

Namo Amituofo.