The term 'master of the house' refers to those who hold influence and carry the weight of responsibility. In the context of a nation, the masters of the future are the children and teenagers of today. However, we must ask ourselves: what is the current state of our youth? When we look at the Buddha’s gate, the masters are the Three Jewels—the Buddha, the Teachings, and the Sangha Community. The Sangha bears the sacred duty of transmitting the Buddha’s teachings, yet we must also reflect on the current situation of the Sangha.
In the tradition, the master of the house is every individual who practises chanting the Buddha’s name. When you reach the state of 'chanting without chanting, and no-chanting while chanting,' you are not only benefiting yourself by finding liberation and securing rebirth in the Western Pure Land, but you are also benefiting all beings. At this stage, you become the finest example for others to follow. You demonstrate how to chant, how to remain in sync with the Buddha, and how to ensure that the Buddha’s can truly reach you.
The Power of Buddha’s Blessings
As a practitioner of the Pure Land, you rely on your own efforts, which then allows you to receive the immense power of ’s blessings. Those who possess true vision, or those who have found a true spiritual friend, are able to see the distant future from their current position. By starting to make improvements in the present, they secure long-term stability for the future.
If we can provide our children and youth with the right spiritual development from an early age, we set them on a path of virtue. We must nurture within them the following qualities:
: The heart that feels for the suffering of others.
Goodness: The inclination to act with kindness and integrity.
Gratitude: The recognition of the kindness we receive from all sources.
Contentment: The peace that comes from knowing when one has enough.
By providing this positive guidance, we cultivate masters who possess the inner strength to face the difficulties and obstacles that inevitably arise during their growth.
The Foundation of Buddhist Education
If, throughout their development, these individuals are guided by those with foresight and true spiritual friends, they will surely become the pillars of the nation or the great leaders within the Buddha’s gate. In the process of nurturing these future masters, Buddhist education is of paramount importance. Central to this is the education regarding the laws of and cause and effect, which is a fundamental lesson that everyone should receive from a young age.
Understanding the laws of karma and cause and effect allows one to distinguish between Goodness and evil. It serves as an internal mechanism for self-reflection and vigilance. It is a powerful force that helps one avoid committing wrongdoings and prevents the accumulation of negative karma over the long term. From childhood, one can be taught to chant the name of Namo Amituofo. Through the combination of one’s own efforts and the Buddha’s blessings, one can achieve Body-Mind-Spirit purification. This process helps to avoid and reduce the pollution and obstacles that cloud our nature, making it easier to awaken the natural abilities of , eventually leading to the state of an awakened being.
This is the guidance and cultivation required for the present and future masters of the Pure Land. Once this foundation is laid, one can truly enter the path of saving the world and helping all beings. Namo Amituofo.
