To practise Buddhism effectively, you need a Master to guide you. Relying solely on yourself won’t lead to success, and you may lose direction in your practice. Many people are practising Buddhism, but it’s essential to understand where your efforts will ultimately lead. Someone once asked me, “If I follow you, can I reach the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss?” I can state with confidence, drawing on reliable sources, that Venerable Master Yinguang, in his Collected Writings’ Essence, said:
“Reciting Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s name is a great reliance in the present age, and all people should be encouraged to chant it. For those practising the Pure Land school of Buddhism, in addition to chanting the Buddha’s name, they may also chant Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s name. For those who have not made a resolve [for rebirth in the Western Pure Land], they should focus entirely on chanting Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s name… By chanting Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s name and aspiring for rebirth in the Western Pure Land, their aspiration may also be fulfilled.”
This emphasises that everyone should chant the holy name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Practitioners aspiring to be reborn in the Pure Land must abandon worldly attachments—including the body, family, and material concerns—holding only a single thought of reaching the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is the practice of the Pure Land School of Buddhism. While chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha, it is also essential to chant the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. I’ve shared with you before that the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door can help deceased individuals ascend to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This has already been verified. After reciting Little Houses, some deceased individuals received notification from the Heavens granting them access to the Western Pure Land. Those who have not made the resolve must start immediately by reciting scriptures and focusing wholeheartedly on chanting Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s name. As Venerable Master Yinguang said, “By chanting Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s name and aspiring for rebirth in the Western Pure Land, their wishes may also be fulfilled.”
Think about it—you are following me, praying to Guan Yin Bodhisattva, and practising the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door. Can you also reach the Western Pure Land? Not only can this Dharma Door help you attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land, but it can also help you ascend to even higher heavenly realms. Moreover, this path allows you to practise at home while simultaneously reaping benefits in your current life. That is why I tell you this Dharma Door is extraordinary, and you must practise diligently.
Here are the key points I want to share about practising the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door:
1. The Wondrous Mind of Perfect Enlightenment: The “Wondrous Mind of Perfect Enlightenment” refers to your true mind, which aspires to guide and awaken others. It encompasses wondrous methods. What does a wondrous method mean? It involves a mind that is proper and sublime. In other words, when you share the Dharma to awaken sentient beings, you approach it with a wonderful mind. This is the essence of a wondrous method, which requires skilful means to guide others effectively. To guide and awaken others successfully, you must apply skilful and wondrous methods. Only when you achieve awakening and your understanding becomes harmonious and complete will you experience profound enlightenment. Otherwise, your life may fall into a mundane routine—waking up, eating three meals a day, sleeping, and repeating the cycle. Such a person is like a “three-waiting individual”—waiting to eat, waiting to sleep, and waiting to die. What is the point of living like this? Days pass by without purpose or meaning. Instead, you should focus on meaningful activities. What constitutes meaningful activities? Performing meritorious deeds, helping your family achieve liberation and freedom from suffering, and dedicating your efforts to guiding and awakening sentient beings around the world. With a wondrous mind, you can spread the Dharma effectively and experience profound enlightenment.
2. The True State of Still Light: “Still light” refers to light that is calm, focused, and collected. Think about it: is dispersed light or concentrated light more effective? Which type of light shines farther? Still light symbolises a peaceful, stable light that reaches a higher spiritual state. When someone cultivates their mind to the point of achieving true serenity and perfection, they reach a state where nothing can disturb or sadden them. This marks their spiritual success. Remember to let this true state of still light constantly appear before you. When faced with emergencies or while seeking something important, remain calm. Stability and composure in this world are manifestations of “still light.” Only by maintaining this serenity can you perceive the true state of understanding. For example, when someone meditates in front of a Bodhisattva, their thoughts become clear, and they may perceive things that are normally invisible. If you don’t achieve this state and instead obsessively try to perceive spiritual realms, you may fall into delusion. Desperately striving to see what is beyond your reach can even lead to a state where not even Buddhas or Bodhisattvas can save you. As I have explained before, to transcend life and death, become awakened to Buddhist teachings, and see the state of the Bodhisattvas, you must achieve “partial awakening.” This involves breaking your comprehension into stages. For example, you might grasp one principle in a specific situation while remaining unclear about another. It’s like having an “aha moment” for one thing but not yet fully comprehending everything—that is partial awakening.
3. Complete Comprehension and Perfect Understanding: True understanding arises when you fully grasp the principles you have realised. This is called “complete comprehension.” It’s not enough to gain insight into just one aspect. For example, understanding that “good deeds bring good results and bad deeds bring bad results” is important but not sufficient. You must achieve complete comprehension and perfect understanding. Got it?
Let me share some insights on chanting the Buddha’s name. Many people ask me, “Master, why do I struggle to chant effectively?” Here’s what I want to explain: you must “gather in the ears and listen attentively” while chanting—this kind of listening involves truly using your heart to hear. For example, when reciting sutras, you need to focus and ensure there are no gaps or omissions. If you chant too quickly, you might feel as though parts of the chant are missing. If you realise midway that you’ve skipped a sentence or something is incomplete, start over. Otherwise, even if you finish the chant, it won’t be as effective. This is why it’s crucial to listen attentively to your own voice while chanting. Over time, this practice helps unify your body and mind. Remember, using your ears to listen attentively is essential. I’ve told you before: all those who are mindful of the Buddha’s name must listen carefully to their own recitation. This will help you concentrate and deepen your merit and virtue. No matter who you are, adopting this method of attentive listening brings only benefits—it has no downsides. Do you understand now?
As Buddhist practitioners, you must believe in the “three powers.” These essential forces exist within us and around us, playing a vital role in our practice.
First, the Power of the Dharma: You must have faith in the power of the Dharma—it is truly inconceivable. Wherever you go, as long as you recite the name of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, you will feel a response, and misfortune will transform into safety. This is the power of the Dharma. No matter the difficulties or disasters you face, if you sincerely call upon Guan Yin Bodhisattva, her boundless Dharma power will come to your aid. I don’t even need to elaborate further, do I? Each of you has already experienced the protective blessings of Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Dharma power. Isn’t that right?
Second, the Power of the Buddha: The power of the Buddha is equally inconceivable, just like the power of the Dharma. The power of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is limitless, which is why we say “Buddha-dharma is immeasurable.” Simply thinking about the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas fills you with strength and enhances your wisdom. Can ordinary people possess such extraordinary power?
Third, the Power of Inner Merit and Virtue: The power of inner merit and virtue is also inconceivable. What does this mean? In practising Buddhism, one must cultivate their inherent nature. All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature. The power of merit and virtue arises from the accumulation of good deeds performed in this life and past lives. These merits and virtues together constitute the power of your inner merit and virtue. Awakening your inherent nature activates this innate merit and virtue within you. Merit and virtue can help you overcome disasters and eliminate karmic obstacles, making it incredibly important. Now, let me ask: how many of you truly possess substantial merit and virtue? Do you recall the Buddhist phrase, “Perfect and complete merit and virtue”? Can you claim your merit and virtue are perfect and complete? Most of you cannot. You may perform some good deeds today but stop tomorrow. If you encounter even minor difficulties, you might cease reciting sutras altogether. This reflects human nature—a lack of faith and insufficient merit and virtue. You must believe in yourself and consistently engage in meritorious deeds. As your merit and virtue accumulate over time, they will shield you in times of difficulty. At present, your merit and virtue are insufficient. While you may have gathered some merit and virtue, the weight of your karmic obstacles from past lives and this life remains too great for you to overcome. This is why you continue to endure so much suffering. It all comes down to inadequate spiritual power and a lack of merit and virtue. Do you understand?
How can you uncover these three powers in your life? How do you uncover the boundless Dharma power of the Bodhisattvas? How can you uncover the infinite power of the Buddhas? And how do you uncover the inconceivable power of inner merit and virtue? The answer lies in the power of faith, vows, and practice. Firstly, you must have faith. You must firmly believe that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will save you and that their Dharma power is boundless. Secondly, you need the power of vows, which means making great vows and committing yourself to take action. Thirdly, practice means taking real action. Having the power of vows alone is not enough—you must follow through with them. Simply reciting sutras or making verbal commitments without taking action is ineffective. Why do some Dharma Doors focus on action while others emphasise recitation? It’s because some Dharma Doors are centred on refining conduct, while others focus on cultivating the mind. In reality, spiritual practice requires both—refining your conduct and cultivating your mind. Equanimity means starting from the same point—working together to cultivate the mind and make progress. However, this does not mean that those who commit good deeds are equal to those who do bad deeds. Such an interpretation would deny the law of cause and effect. You must remember: true progress comes from dedicated practice, supported by my guidance and teaching; without it, your cultivation will not lead anywhere.
Faith, vows, and practice are the most essential aspects of cultivation. Faith means trusting in the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas—have faith. Vows mean making a firm commitment to achieve something. Practice means putting those vows into action. Some disciples vow to recite sutras but fail to follow through, while others engage in many activities but lack the power of vows. To uncover the three powers, you must rely on faith, vows, and practice.