The Western Pure Land is the realm of non-action Nirvana, that is, the realm of One Mind, but because sentient beings rely on the ability to perceive, the realm that appears becomes false. When we have abandoned all thoughts and there are no more realms in our minds, then we will realize that the non-action nature of the Pure Land is only One Mind. The Western Pure Land is a manifestation of the True Nature of the Original Nature, the Saha world is also a manifestation of the True Nature of the Original Nature, and even the countless countless worlds are still manifestations of the True Nature of the Original Nature. Generally speaking, of all realms, no realm can go beyond the Self-nature, so the Self-nature has another name, the Wonderful Existence of True Emptiness. Only when we understand this will we know that the merit of Self-nature is truly limitless.

All the realms that Buddha spoke of, from the realms of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Sravakas, gods and humans to the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals, there is no realm that is not the realm of each and every living being. Therefore, the supporting and main reports of Amitabha Buddha, of the Pure Land and of the Bodhisattvas in that land are also the supporting and main reports of each and every living being. Zen calls Self-nature “the appearance before being born by parents.” Thus, Self-nature is one’s true self, one’s original face. Buddha appeared in the world and founded the Buddhist teachings for no other purpose than to educate living beings, in order to restore one’s own appearance. In other words, we are lost in ourselves, so the Buddha teaches sentient beings the way to find ourselves again, which is called the Buddha Dharma. Therefore, whether we accept the Buddha Dharma or not, the Buddha Dharma and we always have a very close relationship, inseparable.

Because we cannot find our original face outside, but must only find it within ourselves, the Buddha calls those who seek the Dharma outside the mind as outsiders. That said, isn't the daily act of us seeking to learn the Buddha Dharma from the sutras an outsider? Yes, it is still considered outsiders, why? Because from the sutras we find this and that, all of which are things spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha, not things that come from our own enlightened Self-nature, so it is still considered outsiders. So, what is considered the Buddha Dharma? We rely on the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha and the Great Patriarchs to lead the Self-nature to manifest, then that is the Buddha Dharma. For example: There are two candles, one is the Buddha's candle that is always lit, and the other is our candle that has not been lit. If we know how to use the Buddha's candle to light this candle of ours, then that is the Buddha Dharma. But if we do not know how to use the other candle to light this candle, then this candle will never light up, so it cannot be called the Buddha Dharma. Therefore, the Buddha said, "Seeking the Dharma outside the mind is practicing an evil path." Therefore, a true Buddhist practitioner must know how to borrow the Buddha's wisdom flame to light up the Self-nature, then that is the true Buddha Dharma. If we want to study Buddhism in a true way, we must know how to borrow the light of wisdom from the Buddha, from the Patriarchs and from the ancient dharma masters to develop our Self-nature. That is, we must know how to borrow the Prajna texts from the sutras and from the discourses of the ancient dharma masters as light to illuminate the light in our Self-nature, to restore our own bright Self-nature. Only then is it the true Buddha Dharma. If we do not understand this principle clearly and keep considering their things as our own Buddha Dharma, then we will forever only be chasing after the outside, chasing after others, and will forever remain outsiders. When the Buddhas of the three times see us studying Buddhism like this, they will all have to shed tears and cry out in injustice!

We must also know that the Buddha Dharma is used to develop the bright Self-nature, not for us to rely on the Buddha. We study Buddhism to know how to develop wisdom, to understand the true nature of the universe and human life that the naked eye of ordinary people cannot see. That truth is the cause and effect through the three lives of the past, present and future. Everything that we have to come into contact with every day, there is nothing that is not the result of karma that appears from the cause we ourselves created in the past. Now that we encounter the conditions that arise, the result immediately appears, then of course we have to accept it ourselves, no one can take it for us. Therefore, a Buddhist who has wisdom must know how to create good deeds and eliminate evil deeds; while a person without wisdom will let his mind run after external things, sow many evil karma, and destroy his good karma seeds. Everyone has the same Prajna wisdom, the difference between each person is only whether or not he knows how to use it. A person who knows how to apply Prajna wisdom will illuminate the entire Dharma realm; Those who do not know how to apply the wisdom of Prajna cannot realize that: Originally, the ten dharma realms have only existed within their own minds. Enlightenment is due to this and not due to anything else!

Previously, we created too much evil and did too little good, so in this life we rarely encounter things that please us, and too many things that do not please us; this is called karmic obstacles. That karma obstructs our pure minds, preventing our Buddha nature from being revealed. What is Buddha nature? Buddha nature is great enlightenment, and great enlightenment is Prajna wisdom; therefore, those who do not have Prajna cannot see Buddha nature. Prajna includes three types; These are: Prajna Text, Prajna Contemplation and Prajna True Nature:

· Prajna Text is the text taught by the Buddha in the Mahayana sutras, is the Buddha's incarnation with the power of the Buddhas' blessings, causing those who uphold the sutras to develop the Bodhi mind, practice the Bodhi path, and attain the Bodhi fruit. Therefore, those who always uphold and recite Mahayana sutras will soon develop the merit and good roots from their own mind to attain great Prajna wisdom, and see Buddha nature. Therefore, Prajna Text is also called the Cause and Effect of Buddha nature.

In the Buddha Recitation chapter of the Tripitaka, it is said: “The Buddha told Sariputra: People who do not understand the dharmas are all covered by words. Therefore, the Tathagata knows that language is deviant. Even if they have even a little bit of language, this person will not attain the truth.” The Buddha told Venerable Sariputra that all those who cannot understand all dharmas are covered by language and will not attain the truth. Why? Because they do not know the emptiness of dharmas, they give rise to a mind of attachment to self and dharmas. As long as there is still attachment, even one sentence or one word spoken is not true. Because all languages are incorrect and erroneous, whenever there is language there is a covering, whenever there is a covering there is an obstacle in the mind, unable to attain the truth. For that reason, those who know how to read sutras, not only know how to read sutras with words, but also know how to read sutras without words.

Because sutras without words are free from all coverings and deceit of language, they are called True Sutras Without Words. However, we ordinary people cannot understand sutras with words, so how can we read True Sutras Without Words? To be able to read the True Sutra without words, one must first read and understand the sutras with words, must know how to use the Prajnaparamita texts in the sutras to initiate cultivation, accumulate good roots and merits until the wisdom to recognize the profound and secret places contained in the Prajnaparamita texts arises, then one can understand the True Sutra without words. So, what is the True Sutra without words after all? In fact, the True Sutra without words is just “one thought not born;” the practitioner from that thoughtless, pure and clear mind can understand the true meaning of the Tathagata, that is the True Sutra without words.

When we have accumulated much merit, cultivated many good Bodhi roots and practiced many Bodhi paths, attained the perfection of the Six Paramitas, and all virtues are complete, at that time we will naturally attain one thought not born and emptiness present. At that time, our mind will be clear, when the mind is clear, all dharmas will be clear; at that time we do not need to read the sutras with words but still understand the Buddha Dharma to the point of the ultimate principle and nature. Why? Because at that time our mind is connected with the Buddha's mind, our wisdom is connected with the Buddha's wisdom, then why do we need to read sutras with words? The proof is that the Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng did not know how to read, but because his mind was pure, not a single thought arose, he naturally understood all worldly and otherworldly dharmas. Whatever anyone asked, he could explain clearly, lucidly, and deeply. However, we must know that the Sixth Patriarch is a Buddha, a Bodhisattva reincarnated to manifest the Dharma, to teach sentient beings, not an ordinary person. We cannot learn Buddhism in his way. We are ordinary people full of delusions, discrimination, and attachments, so we must rely on the Prajna text in the Mahayana sutras to think and contemplate to recognize the true source of the Dharma.

In the past, the Buddha spent forty-nine years preaching the Dharma, yet he said, "The Buddha has never preached the Dharma." So in the end, did the Buddha preach the Dharma or not? If it is said that the Buddha did not preach the Dharma, then where did the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, the Vajra Sutra, the Shurangama Sutra, the Infinite Life Sutra, the Amitabha Sutra, etc. come from? And if it is said that the Buddha did preach the Dharma, then why did the Buddha not admit that he had preached the Dharma? In the Vajra Sutra, the Buddha said: “If anyone says that I preach the Dharma, he is slandering me,” and then the Buddha said: “Whoever deviates from the sutras by even one word is a demon speaking.” These two statements seem to be very contradictory. How should we ordinary people understand them correctly? In fact, the Buddha did not admit that he had preached the Dharma because he meant to teach: Whoever reads the sutras or listens to the Dharma but clings to words and phrases will immediately obstruct the true meaning of the Buddha. Because the true Dharma cannot be expressed in any language, even the Buddha cannot express it. Why? Because what the Buddha said is only a temporary expedient method used to open up the power, point the way, establish the direction, and reveal the truth, and the truth can only be understood through the power of contemplating the Prajnaparamita. The Buddhist scriptures are like a finger pointing at the moon, and the moon is like the true meaning of the Buddha; if we mistake the finger for the moon, it means we still do not understand the true meaning of the Tathagata. We should not listen and understand only vaguely, then hastily discard the scriptures; doing so is no different from someone who has not yet reached the other shore but hastily abandons the boat.

· Contemplating the Prajnaparamita is the wisdom that illuminates all dharmas, like a lamp illuminating a room to clearly see everything in it. Those who practice Mahayana sutras must, from the Prajna texts, enter into samadhi, think, contemplate, and clearly examine the profound meaning contained in the Prajna texts. Only then can it be called Prajna Contemplation.

In the Infinite Life Sutra, the Buddha told Venerable Ananda: “Listen, think carefully, I am explaining and explaining for you.” The Buddha’s meaning is: Those who read sutras and listen to the Dharma must listen and memorize the Prajna texts, then use that to single-mindedly contemplate, think, consider, and practice; because that is the cause for the birth of Buddha nature. Practitioners from this cause attain samadhi, and then from samadhi attain the true nature of Prajna. This way of practice is called Prajna Contemplation or has other names such as Practicing Based on Textual Contemplation, Practicing Contemplation or Enlightened Contemplation; that is, while translating sutras, reciting sutras, or listening to sutra lectures, practitioners use awareness to enter samadhi, to give rise to true and unfalsified understanding. Because wisdom arises in this concentration, the sutra also calls Contemplation of Prajna “contemplation, meditation.” Translating sutras, reciting sutras, or listening to sutra lectures are also the practices of “contemplation, meditation.” The things about meditation here are all meditation of wisdom in the Six Paramitas of Mahayana Buddhism, not the non-thought meditation of outsiders. Non-thought meditation of outsiders only attains concentration, but in that concentration, the true nature of Prajna cannot arise, so it is called meditation without thought.

Practitioners, because they know how to apply the Contemplation of Prajna method while reading sutras and listening to dharma, can see dharmas that help them transcend the three realms, and attain sainthood. The things that they know are all thanks to the lamp of Contemplation of Prajna shining, making the dharma they practice clear. Therefore, those who study sutras must use Prajna wisdom to illuminate their own inner mind. Only when one has the power of Prajna Contemplation can one begin to develop the ability to develop Buddha nature, so the Prajna Contemplation method is also called Realizing Buddha nature.

The Prajna Contemplation method must be practiced at all times, places, and in all activities, not just during the time of reading sutras, reciting Buddha's name, reciting mantras, or meditating. In daily life, we apply the Prajnaparamita Contemplation method by always keeping our mind calm, pure, clear, without discrimination or attachment, to think and choose the best measures, with the best capacity to solve all problems, in order to achieve the best results. The word “best” here includes two things: good dharma and good karma. Good dharma is not greedy, not angry, and not ignorant; good karma is purity and happiness, free from all afflictions, suffering, and calamities. If we do not apply the energy of Prajnaparamita Contemplation but instead use the blind energy arising from the mind of greed, anger, and delusion, we cannot achieve truly good results; and even if we achieve the desired goal with that mind of greed, anger, and delusion, in the future we will still have to pay the karmic price with successive calamities occurring. Therefore, the Dharma of Prajna Contemplation must be practiced in every thought, every word, and every action of one's own at all times, in all places, and in all interactions with people and things. Because practitioners know how to apply the Dharma of Prajna Contemplation in this way, they will escape all suffering and quickly see the Buddha nature. Therefore, Prajna Contemplation is also called Realizing the Buddha nature.

People with the power of Prajna Contemplation, clearly knowing the Buddha nature, will recognize the manifestation of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas everywhere, at all times, and right in their own hearts to preach the Dharma and educate themselves. People with the power of Prajna Contemplation will recognize for themselves that all things that happen in life, whether good or bad, favorable or unfavorable, are phenomena of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas expounding the Dharma. Because right in these phenomena, one can see the Buddha nature, therefore, Prajna Contemplation is also called Realizing the Buddha nature. Furthermore, a person with the power of Prajna Contemplation not only knows that Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are present in his own mind, but also knows that the ten directions of the Dharma realms, from hell, hungry ghosts, animals to all Buddha realms, are all present in his mind and are connected with his mind, never separate from each other. Therefore, we know that whoever wants to go to any realm can go according to his mind; all of this is due to the power of Prajna Contemplation. Because of the power of Prajna Contemplation, we know very clearly that: The path to the Buddha's land or to the Avici hell only starts from this one mind. Once we have clearly understood this principle, then of course we no longer dare to create anything, do not dare to have any thoughts, only like to do good deeds, keep a pure mind and recite Buddha's name to correspond to the Buddha's realm.

What is the Buddha's realm? Buddha is enlightenment, that is, not delusion. A person who is fully enlightened is a Buddha, a person who still has a little bit of deluded thought is a sentient being. Therefore, the ancient sages said: “One thought of enlightenment is one thought of Buddha, one thought of enlightenment is one thought of Buddha. One thought of delusion is one thought of a sentient being, one thought of delusion is one thought of a sentient being. Always being enlightened is always being a Buddha, always being deluded is always being a sentient being.” A person who practices the Prajnaparamita Contemplation Dharma realizes that all thoughts, actions, and appearances are all deluded and crazy, all five aggregates of form and mind are not real, even the ten directions and dharma realms are just shadows, then that is seeing the Buddha nature, so it is called Realizing the Buddha nature. If one sees all the above as real, but does not realize that thoughts, actions, and appearances are all deluded and crazy, then that is called ignorance. Therefore, the Buddha said, the difference between a Buddha and a sentient being is only one thought of enlightenment and one thought of delusion. Because Buddha and sentient beings are both present in our mind, everyone has the right to freely choose whether to become a Buddha or a sentient being.

What is the Bodhisattva realm? Simply put, whoever often thinks of the benefit of sentient beings is a Bodhisattva, and whoever often thinks of his own benefit is a demon. A Bodhisattva only knows others but not himself; while a demon only knows himself but not others. These two elements are very opposite. However, because a Bodhisattva still sees sentient beings to save, he cannot yet reach the realm of the Buddhas. The realm of the Buddhas is as the Diamond Sutra says: “All sentient beings have been saved, there is no more sentient being to save.” Why? Because the Buddha has swept away all dharmas, left all appearances, so in the Buddha there is no longer the appearance of person, self, sentient beings and lifespan, so there are no more sentient beings to save. Therefore, although the Buddha saves countless sentient beings, he does not see a single sentient being to save. Therefore, if anyone practices the Dharma of the Six Perfections and Ten Thousand Practices, he will be born into the Bodhisattva realm. Whoever practices the Dharma of Contemplation on the Prajnaparamita will be born into the Buddha realm.

What is the Pratyekabuddha realm? Whoever practices the Dharma of contemplating the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, that is, ignorance gives rise to action, action gives rise to consciousness... until birth gives rise to aging, aging gives rise to death, will know that ignorance is the root of birth and death, and ignorance comes from the three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion. Therefore, those who practice the Dharma of contemplating the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination must cut off all ignorance so that there will be no more birth and death. How can we cut off the root of ignorance? The Buddha taught to practice the Dharma of the Three Pure Learnings of Discipline, Concentration, and Wisdom to cut off the root of the three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion, then we can transform ignorance into wisdom. When we have wisdom, we will naturally understand what is good and what is evil; If we do not have wisdom, we cannot clearly and truly recognize good and evil deeds, misfortunes and blessings. When we destroy ignorance and develop true wisdom, our mind will be bright, clear and pure; then the Dharma body will appear, that is called Pratyekabuddha or Pratyekabuddha.

What is the realm of the Sravakas? Those who want to find the root of suffering to eliminate suffering must practice the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths. The root of suffering arises from two defilements contained within the mistaken views and thoughts of living beings; those two defilements are defilements of views and defilements of thoughts. Defilements of views have eighty-eight qualities, defilements of thoughts have eighty-one qualities. The Buddha taught living beings to use the thirty-seven Bodhi-aids to destroy those two defilements. When living beings destroy all two defilements of the three realms, they will attain the four fruits of Arhat, that is, no birth, no death, no more reincarnation of birth and death.

What is the realm of heaven? Those who practice the Five Precepts and Ten Good Deeds are practicing purity in the three karmas of body, speech, and mind. The Ten Good Deeds are: The body does three good deeds: not killing, not stealing, not committing adultery; the mouth has four good deeds: not lying, not gossiping, not harsh speech, not speaking two-facedly; the mind has three good deeds: not being greedy, not being angry, not being ignorant. Whoever has these merits will be born in the heavens of the Desire Realm, called the Earthly Dwelling Heavens like the Four Heavenly Kings and the Trayastrimsa Heavens, but cannot be born in the Empty Dwelling Heavens like the Yama Heavens, the Tusita Heavens, the Nirmanakaya Heavens, the Paramita Heavens, and the Paramita Heavens. Only those who have the effort to practice meditation can be born in the Empty Dwelling Heavens. The Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception Heaven of the Formless Realm is the highest heaven of the twenty-eight heavens in the three worlds. If the practitioner in the heavenly realms continues to diligently practice meditation, he will transcend the three realms, escape the cycle of birth and death, and attain the fruit of Arhat.

What is the realm of the human realm? If the practitioner practices the Dharma of “doing no evil, only doing good,” he will not lose his human body. Doing good will be rewarded with good, doing evil will be rewarded with evil. Those who in their previous lives cultivated both blessings and wisdom will be born into a wealthy family, everything will go smoothly, they will be healthy, live long, and have a dignified appearance. Those who in their previous lives did not cultivate blessings and wisdom will suffer in this life, be born into poverty, have many illnesses, die young, have an ugly appearance, and have six incomplete senses (blind, deaf, mute, handicapped, etc.); this is all due to the law of cause and effect that is never different. If one is born into a miserable state in this life and does not bother to cultivate good dharmas, then the next life will be even more miserable. If one now vows to practice, one can definitely change one's realm; in this life or in the next life, one will encounter a better realm. Those who practiced in their previous lives will have everything favorable in this life; but if one relies on the present blessings and does not continue to strive to practice to make it better, one will definitely have to suffer in the future. This principle of good and evil karma is very simple, everyone can understand it clearly. Whether one encounters favorable or unfavorable circumstances in the next life is entirely up to oneself. Even if Buddhas and Bodhisattvas want to help, they cannot do so because supernatural powers cannot overcome karma. Therefore, one should not commit unwholesome deeds and then hope for Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to protect and help one; this will never happen.

What are the realms of the four Evil Beasts? If a sentient being often has a fighting mind, he will be born in the Asura realm. If a sentient being often has a greedy mind, he will be born in the animal realm. If any sentient being is often angry, he will be born into the realm of hungry ghosts. If any sentient being is often infatuated and ignorant, he will be born into the realm of hell. What you sow is what you reap; the ten dharma realms are ten paths that we ourselves choose; therefore, the Buddha said: “The ten dharma realms are only in our own mind.”

· True nature of Prajna: By practicing the Dharma of Contemplation of Prajna, one attains the Right cause and realizes the True nature, so the True nature of Prajna is also called the Right cause of Buddha nature, which is also the Buddha nature of the First Meaning of Emptiness. What does that mean? When we have Contemplation of Prajna, we will know the true meaning contained in the Prajna texts in a truly and unerring way, which is called attaining the True nature, which is recognizing the dharma nature as “suchness.” That Dharma nature as it is is the Original Emptiness, also known as the True Nature of Prajna.

In short, only when we have thoroughly understood the three types of Prajna: the Prajna of Letters, the Prajna of Contemplation, and the True Nature of Prajna, will we know the Three Causes of Buddha-nature: the Buddha-nature of Dependent Origination, the Buddha-nature of Realization, and the Buddha-nature of True Origination. A person who knows the Three Causes of Buddha-nature or has Prajna will know that the ten Dharma-realms are contained within this one mind, but will not see that any Dharma-realm is real, so he will attain the One Mind.