When Will You Awaken?

Teacher Practitioner Xia Lianju offers this profound guidance to all practitioners. This message was recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe, during the midday offering of the Thrice Yearning Ceremony on May 25, 2024.

The Eternal Call to Compassion

When will the doors of salvation open for all beings? They open whenever there are beings in need. Namo Amituofo never abandons a single soul, for every being is a Buddha in the making. When will you achieve the ultimate liberation? You will achieve it the moment you realise that this life is but a fleeting dream. Only when you wake from this dream can you truly be called awake.

Revealing the Original Nature

When will you realise your true self? You possess this original nature inherently, yet it remains obscured by the dust of delusion. These layers of ignorance block the radiant light of your true nature. When will you recognise the preciousness of the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre? Namo Amituofo truly abides here, a rare opportunity that is difficult to encounter in millions of years. If you practise diligently, chanting Namo Amituofo without slackening, you will surely see Namo Amituofo and reach the Western Pure Land.

The Necessity of Selflessness

When will you truly understand the suffering of all beings? When will you begin to practise with sincerity, driven by your own vow rather than being pushed by external circumstances? When you experience the consequences of the laws of karma and cause and effect, you will finally understand that every thought and intention must be selfless. You must let go of the self to move forward. Attachment to the self and personal desires only breeds pain. Only by letting go of the self and personal interests can you find salvation.

Cultivating the Path to Freedom

When will you transform your temperament and extinguish the fire of anger? When will you become a person who is kind to everyone, thereby avoiding the suffering caused by karmic creditors who come to seek balance? When will you diligently practise the Precepts, Concentration, and Wisdom to extinguish greed, anger, and delusion? Please persist in your practice without hesitation, for this is the only way to be freed from the harm of the Three Poisons. When will you overcome drowsiness and enter the higher realms of space? When will your practice progress day by day? When will you truly see through the illusions of the world and let go of your attachments? Only then will your body, mind, and spirit find true freedom.

Namo Amituofo.