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Dharma Talk, Buổi Tối, Bách Lâm Tự
If a tourist agency offered tickets to the Pure Land, many would rush to sign up, imagining an easy life of walking meditation and listening to the Dharma through the wind and birds. However, upon arrival, one might be disappointed by the crowds and the inability to get close to Amitabha Buddha. Furthermore, those habituated to running and hurrying on Earth would disturb the peace of the Pure Land. It is therefore essential to learn to walk peacefully on Earth first, establishing oneself in the here and the now. With enough mindfulness and concentration, the Pure Land manifests in the present moment; it is in the heart, not solely in the future.
This teaching resonates across traditions, illustrated by a Catholic nun realizing the “Kingdom of God is now or never,” and a Protestant minister using Buddhist practices to heal. The blue sky, sunshine, and children’s faces belong to the Pure Land, and nature teaches the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. By mastering the art of walking meditation, one carries a “mobile Pure Land,” transforming environments like airports, markets, or the Great Wall of China into sacred spaces. Walking with the feet of ancestors and using “Buddha eyes” to look cultivates understanding and compassion.
Buddhism must be renewed to offer concrete practices, such as the Five Precepts, that help the younger generation and busy people transform suffering and conflict. During the Q&A, the importance of understanding an individual’s suffering before offering a method is highlighted, alongside the necessity of a Sangha to support practice. Finally, the concept of “Amitabha as true nature” and “Pure Land in the heart” is clarified not as a mere idea, but as a reality experienced through the energy of mindfulness, concentration, and insight.
