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We ordinary people often cling to the ego! When we have a little understanding, we immediately see right and wrong, good and bad, high and low, so we often find fault with people who have different thoughts from us. In the sutras, Buddha often teaches us to destroy ego and dharma attachments, but why does Buddha often talk about ego, and often use the word "I" to address the masses? Buddha is inherently egoless, but he speaks of ego for four reasons: to accommodate living beings, to destroy wrong views, so that living beings do not cling to egolessness, and finally because the Dharmakaya is inherently the true ego. The first reason Buddha speaks of ego is to accommodate living beings, why? Because the First Meaning cannot be spoken of, cannot be described, nor can it be thought of or imagined, so Buddha must accommodate worldly people and speak of ego to reveal the First Meaning, but in fact there is no real ego in the First Meaning. Although worldly dharmas have no real entity, the Tathagata can speak freely and unhinderedly in the worldly dharmas, without contradicting the First Meaning; this is due to the effect of the Accomplished Wisdom.

In Buddhism, there is a saying: “When language ceases, the place of mind action is destroyed.” Anything that can be expressed, thought about, or imagined is the second or third meaning, not the First Meaning. In the First Meaning, even the First Meaning is not real, so how can there be a second or third meaning? If there is such a thing as the First Meaning, then that meaning is not the real First Meaning. The Buddha teaches sentient beings to destroy the ego-clinging, but he speaks of the dharma-self, because he adapts to sentient beings and plants the seeds of the Buddha-dharma in their minds, causing the Self-nature to gradually manifest. In other words, although the Buddha speaks of the dharma-self, he tells us to use the nature of non-self to comprehend it; this is the Buddha teaching us how to use the Accomplished Wisdom to learn about Buddhism. The Buddha used the wisdom of Accomplishment to expound the Dharma, and we also use that wisdom to comprehend, then we will naturally understand the meaning of the Tathagata. Once we have the wisdom of Accomplishment, we will see that there is no dharma in the world that is not the Buddha dharma, there is no realm that is not the Buddha's teaching. The realms are immeasurable and limitless, so the dharma is also immeasurable and boundless, but there is no scene or dharma that does not speak of the Vairocana Dharmakaya, the True Nature. Thus, when we study Buddhism, we must first leave form (language, names, forms, etc.) and leave the mind (discrimination, attachment, delusion), then we can comprehend the First Meaning of the Tathagata. The First Meaning is the true meaning, the Second Meaning is the crazy delusion. When we leave everything, then we can see everything! For example, if a mirror is cleaned of all dirt, without a single speck of dust, then it will be able to clearly reflect all things. No matter how small the object is, the clean mirror will clearly reflect it, without missing anything.

Zen says that practicing Zen means leaving the mind and consciousness, Pure Land says that reciting Buddha's name with a single mind without distraction is also leaving the mind and consciousness, leaving the mind and consciousness is the First Meaning. What is the mind and consciousness? The mind is the Alaya consciousness (eighth consciousness), the mind is the Manas consciousness (seventh consciousness), the consciousness is the Mind consciousness (sixth consciousness). When we can leave these three consciousnesses to perceive something, then what we perceive is the First Meaning. Generally speaking, leaving these three consciousnesses to clearly understand worldly dharmas will not contradict the First Meaning; on the contrary, using these three consciousnesses to understand the Buddha dharma contradicts the First Meaning. Thus, although the Buddha spoke of the Dharma of self, if we know how to use the nature of non-self to listen and understand the Dharma, then that is the function of the Self-nature based on self-possession; that function is called the Wisdom of Accomplishment.

The teaching of the Mahayana Initial Teaching is, “Since the Self is selfless, hearing is the same as not hearing.” According to the Initial Teaching, the essence of the human universe is inherently empty, all phenomena are dharmas born from causes and conditions, all dharmas have no Self-nature, no Self-substance; therefore, the Self is truly unobtainable (unattainable). Once we leave the sixth, seventh, and eighth consciousnesses, what we manifest will all be the True Nature of the Original. Thus, the True Nature of the Original is the First Meaning.

The Mahayana Prajna School teaches: “All dharmas are empty.” The ancient sages said: “The Buddha also does not speak, and I also do not hear.” “The Buddha did not speak, I did not hear” is the true text. Because the meaning of the true text is very profound, and there is no language that can express it, ordinary people cannot understand it; therefore, from ancient times until now, the true text has only been taught in the Prajna sect of Mahayana. In the book Diamond Sutra Commentary, Layman Jiang Wei Nong said very clearly: During the Tang and Song dynasties, very few Dharma masters wanted to teach the Diamond Sutra. What was the reason? The ancient sages feared that people who did not hear the Dharma would develop misunderstandings, cling to the principle of emptiness, deny all appearances, abandon cultivation, and fall into the path of Evil Beasts of Emptiness, giving rise to great troubles. In the Mahayana sutras, it is often said: “It is better to hold on to existence like Mount Sumeru than to hold on to emptiness as small as a mustard seed.” The meaning is that those who are attached to existence can still be saved, but those who are attached to nonexistence are very difficult to save. How can one be saved by attachment to existence? Because of attachment to cause and effect, one does not dare to do bad things, often does good deeds, good has good rewards, evil has evil rewards, so people with attachment to existence can still be saved! How can one be saved by attachment to non-existence? People with attachment to non-existence believe that, after doing something, everything turns into nothingness, nothing really exists, everything is empty, there is no need to fear cause and effect, they dare to do any bad thing. Because the concept of attachment to non-existence causes many evils, Layman Giang Vi Nong said: "The ancients did not want to teach the Prajnaparamita sutras because they were afraid that after hearing it, people would not understand the true meaning, would give rise to misunderstandings and fall into the Evil Beasts of Emptiness." People who practice according to the Mahayana Prajnaparamita sect must leave the three consciousnesses (Mind consciousness, Manas consciousness & Alaya consciousness) to attain the First Meaning.

How can one leave these three consciousnesses? First, we must understand what is the meaning of mind consciousness? What is the phenomenon of the conscious mind? The discriminating mind is the sixth consciousness (Mind consciousness), the clinging mind is the seventh consciousness (Manas consciousness), the remembering mind is the eighth consciousness (Alaya consciousness). If we do not discriminate, do not cling, and do not retain impressions in the mind, then that is the First Meaning. When we see colors with our eyes, we do not discriminate, do not cling, and do not retain impressions; when we hear sounds, we do not discriminate, do not cling, and do not retain impressions; until the six senses come into contact with the six sense objects, they do not discriminate, do not cling, and do not retain impressions; then that is not using the conscious mind, and that is the First Meaning. Let us think carefully, if the five senses come into contact with the six sense objects, but the conscious mind does not discriminate, does not cling, and does not retain impressions, then is there anything left to say? There is really nothing left to say, even the Dharma has nothing to say, let alone non-Dharma. But just because of the vow to save sentient beings, the Buddha followed the sentient beings and reluctantly spoke of the dharma-self, in order to benefit sentient beings, but in reality there was nothing to say. Therefore, the dharma-sutra that the Buddha spoke was called “I heard,” that is, the dharma-self perceived by the five senses of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body. Once the five senses come into contact with the six sense objects and leave the conscious mind, the mind will become like a blank sheet of paper, without a name, without a shape, or any trace on it. If the mind were just a blank sheet of paper, then clearly there would be nothing to say, it could not be said, that is the First Meaning. If we could say it, there would certainly be a trace on that sheet of paper, that is the Second Meaning, not the First Meaning; Therefore, the First Teaching says: “Since the Self is not a Self, hearing is the same as not hearing.”

If we say that the First Meaning is simply like a blank sheet of paper, then we should just follow it to practice. Why do we need to receive, uphold, and recite Mahayana sutras? We must know that all dharmas only return to one word, “purity,” all Buddhas only return to one word, “deliverance,” and to attain “purity” and “deliverance,” we must have one word, “enlightenment.” If we want to attain both purity and delivery, we must first attain enlightenment. Now that we have not attained enlightenment, how can we attain purity and deliverance? If we have not attained enlightenment, we must rely on the Buddhist scriptures to attain enlightenment. Without the Buddhist scriptures, we will definitely not be able to attain enlightenment. The Buddhist scriptures are likened to a raft that takes us to the other shore of enlightenment. Now that we have not yet reached the other shore, and we are hasty in accepting nothingness, and have lost the boat, how can we cross the river? Only when we are truly enlightened can we leave the sutras and no longer need them. It is like a person who has crossed to the other side of the river, there is no need to carry a boat with him, wasting his effort and strength. Currently, if we have not yet enlightened the First Meaning, we must “rather accept existence as Mount Sumeru than accept nothingness as small as a mustard seed.”

The First Meaning is the true text, the pure and equal dharma, the true nature of all dharmas, only this dharma can produce the effect of compassion. Because the Great Compassion of No Cause and Effect, the Same Body, is the virtue, the virtue and ability inherent in the True Nature; therefore, if we want to learn the compassionate mind of the Buddha, we must first personally enter the realm of the First Meaning. If we cannot penetrate the First Meaning, then no matter how we study Buddhism, it will only be forced, and we will not be like the Buddha. Why? Because in the First Meaning there is no self, if there is still a self, then we cannot open the Great Compassion of No Cause and Effect, the Same Body, the Great Compassion. The Diamond Sutra clearly states that “the four characteristics are all empty,” so where does that self come from? When we truly see that the four characteristics are all empty, then it is called the First Meaning or the First Meaning of the Middle Way. The First Meaning is truly no person, no self, no living beings, no recipient, but because of following the world, the Buddha, from his true nature, arose the compassionate action and spoke the words of the self.

Buddhas always abide in the First Meaning, so they have no language and no thinking. If that is so, then how does the Buddha teach sentient beings? The Buddha must transform the First Meaning into the Second Meaning, that is, he must transform the true words into the words of the self to teach the sutra, so that sentient beings can receive the Buddha Dharma and attain true benefits in their own realm of wisdom. If the Buddha always abides in the First Meaning, not even a thought arises, does not speak at all, and does not have any language, then how can he teach sentient beings? If the Buddha did not speak of the self, sentient beings would never be able to hear or know the Dharma to study, discuss, learn, and answer questions to attain enlightenment. Therefore, the Buddha had to transform the First Meaning into the Second Meaning, that is, to transform wisdom into consciousnesses (mind, Manas, and Alaya), which is also to transform wisdom into discrimination, attachment, and retention of impressions, to give rise to effects to educate sentient beings. That wisdom is called the Wisdom of Accomplishment. Thus, the Wisdom of Accomplishment is to transform wisdom into consciousness to manifest the effects of the four Bodhi wisdoms; that is, the Wisdom of Accomplishment, the Wisdom of Wonderful Observation, the Wisdom of Equality, and the Wisdom of Great Perfect Brightness, for others to enjoy, not for oneself to enjoy.

In Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, wisdom and consciousness simultaneously begin to function, there is no order before or after. The Buddha himself uses the four Bodhi wisdoms to give rise to the effects of compassion, so there is no discrimination, no attachment, and no retention of impressions. In other words, the Buddha is the eight consciousnesses and four wisdoms simultaneously working; for oneself they are the four wisdoms; for others they are the eight consciousnesses. The Buddha's eight consciousnesses are transformed by the four wisdoms, so they are neither deluded nor troubled. This is called the Middle Way of the First Meaning of Truth. Living beings do not know how to use the four wisdoms, they only know how to use the eight consciousnesses, so in all dharmas they give rise to a mind of discrimination, attachment, and retention of impressions; this is an extremely troublesome matter. What is that trouble? That trouble is the eight consciousnesses of living beings that manifest the six paths of samsara. The six paths of samsara are transformed by one's own eight consciousnesses, and then one must sometimes sink and sometimes rise in them, unable to escape; like a silkworm trapped in a cocoon of its own making and unable to escape. Who can save me? No one can save me, the one who can save me is still myself. Except for myself, no one can save me! Although the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas with great compassion want to save us, they cannot help us. If they could save us, they would have saved us a long time ago. There is no need for us to bow down and beg from past lives until now, but we are still stuck in the cycle of birth and death.

Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can only save us by teaching us the true nature of reality. When we are enlightened and understand the true nature of reality, we will naturally know how to escape from the three realms. What is that method? That method is exactly the same as the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas used when they were cultivating, which is to no longer use the conscious mind, so we are forever liberated and will not fall into samsara. Therefore, we must clearly understand that in our daily lives, when the six senses come into contact with the six sense objects, we must remember the deep root of our illness, which is discrimination, attachment, and retention of impressions. This illness is extremely frightening. It is the culprit that creates the six realms of samsara, the endless suffering from past lives until now. If someone has the ability to not discriminate, not be attached, not retain impressions when the six senses come into contact with the six sense objects, then that person has become a Buddha, a Bodhisattva, and has escaped the three realms. Countless Dharma doors, countless sutras and treatises all speak of this same principle, there is no other principle. All of Buddhism teaches us to transform our concepts into wisdom. Once we transform consciousness into wisdom, our karma will be completed.

From beginningless time until now, we have been accustomed to using our conscious mind too deeply, so it is not easy to transform consciousness into wisdom. The most troublesome and troublesome thing in studying Buddhism and in our daily lives is our habit, the habit of using consciousness but not wisdom to perceive a problem. When we encounter something happening before our eyes, we immediately give rise to thoughts and become confused and deluded, causing discrimination, attachment, and retaining impressions to grow even more. This is a very big mistake of Buddhists today. Therefore, the word enlightenment is extremely important. If one does not realize the First Meaning, there is no purity and no salvation. From ancient times until now, there have been many great monks who have truly transformed consciousness into wisdom. Of course, many people will say that they are all reincarnated Bodhisattvas, who have cultivated for many lifetimes and eons, so they can do so, while we ordinary people cannot do it. If we are deluded by this saying, the harm will be extremely serious. Could it be that the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the three generations appearing to speak sutras and preach the Dharma are just a joke, and have no real benefit to us? Actually, what people say is partly true, not completely wrong. The correct thing to say is “good roots from many lifetimes and eons.” However, what standard do we use to say that we ourselves do not have good roots from many lifetimes and eons? The Infinite Life Sutra states: “If in previous lives we did not cultivate blessings and wisdom, we would not be able to hear the Dharma here. Those who have made offerings to the Tathagatas should joyfully believe in this matter” and “If in future lives, until the Dharma is destroyed, there will be living beings who have planted good roots and have made offerings to countless Buddhas. Because of the Tathagatas’ powerful blessings, we will now obtain such a vast Dharma door, and if we uphold and uphold it, we will attain the vast Wisdom of All-Knowing.” Just by relying on these two verses of the sutra, we see that the Buddha has affirmed that we have many good roots from many lives and many kalpas, so now we can meet this sutra and practice this Dharma door. We should joyfully believe in the Buddha’s words.

The Buddha has clearly affirmed that in this life, when we meet the Pure Land Dharma door, we must have sufficient causes and good roots. However, why is it that even though we have so many good roots, we still cannot confirm rebirth in this one life? Master Shandao said: “The nine grades of rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss are different because sentient beings encounter different conditions.” In other words, if other people have good roots, we also have good roots. Since time immemorial, we have always had good roots, but because we encounter different conditions, there are nine grades of rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. If someone encounters the most excellent conditions, they will attain the highest grade of rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Those who cannot be reborn are those who encounter poor conditions. Although our causes and good roots are the same, because we encounter different conditions, some people are reborn and become Buddhas in this life, while others must continue to transmigrate in the three realms to continue cultivating. Therefore, we must know how to value this condition and not lose it. What is this condition? The condition for rebirth is nothing more than three conditions: First, meeting a good spiritual teacher; second, being able to consult the Buddha Dharma with a good spiritual teacher; third, meeting a pure place of practice together. But, who is the true good friend? The true good friend is someone who has right knowledge and right view, is someone who truly understands clearly, does not misunderstand the Buddha Dharma, and has a dharma eye for the Dharma method he practices. If we follow that good friend in our practice, we will not go astray. If we can join that good friend in the same Dharma realm, encourage and train each other, our practice will become effective. Moreover, if we can live together in the same Dharma hall with that good friend, then the affinity for rebirth will be even more excellent.

The Infinite Life Sutra says: “Meeting a good friend, hearing the Dharma, or practicing, this is also difficult” which refers to the three affinities mentioned above; thus we know that cultivating and attaining enlightenment is nothing more than a single word of affinity. “Meeting a good friend, hearing the Dharma, or practicing” is an extremely excellent affinity, helping us to be reborn in this life. Now, we take the ancients who have attained rebirth as models to follow and learn from because they understood the sutras correctly, practiced according to the Buddha's teachings, and had real achievements. They are our true good friends. What method did the ancients who have attained rebirth use to practice? They deeply penetrated one discipline, cultivating for a long time until they achieved enlightenment. Those who deeply penetrate the Pure Land Dharma door must not only memorize a sutra of the Infinite Life Sutra or the Amitabha Sutra, but also memorize the commentary of this sutra; this is the ancients' method of practice! The ancients achieved success by practicing like this, so this method certainly cannot be wrong. From ancient times until now, even lay people are no exception, they also practiced according to this method, diligently throughout their lives, devoting all their efforts to one sutra and achieving success. If you do not have true wisdom, do not perceive clearly like the ancients, then you should not naturally act as a teacher or master to others, causing them to make the same mistakes as you. If one is conceited, considers oneself to be intelligent and talented, and thinks of a different framework for practice than Buddhism, then that is a huge mistake.

Layman Giang Vi Nong spent forty years working on the Diamond Sutra, and finally wrote a book entitled Diamond Sutra Commentary, which was the achievement after forty years of studying the Diamond Sutra. Layman Chau Chi Am studied the Heart Sutra, which has only two hundred and sixty words, but he had to spend forty years of effort, pouring all his energy into this one sutra to write a Commentary on the Heart Sutra; that was the achievement after forty years of studying the Heart Sutra. Layman Ha Lien Cu closed his door and did not receive guests for ten years to collect the Infinite Life Sutras into the most perfect Mahayana Buddha Speaks of Infinite Life Sutra, the Pure, Pure, Equal, and Enlightenment Sutra, the most perfect ever; That was his achievement after ten years of dedicated study of the Infinite Life Sutra. The compilation of the Buddha Speaks of the Mahayana Infinite Life Sutra, Adornment of Pure and Equal Enlightenment by the Great Elder Layman Xia Lianju, was devoted by his disciple, the Layman Huang Nianzu, who devoted the remaining ten years of his life, not minding his old age and many illnesses, working day and night without rest, diligently compiling and commenting to complete the commentary book; that was the achievement of Mr. Huang after ten years of study. These great Laymen knew how to follow the Buddha's teachings, dedicated themselves, put in their efforts, received, recited, copied, made offerings, and because the person who preached only one sutra, without mixing it with any other sutra, they were able to have such great achievements left for the world. If we want to have the same achievements as them, we must also truly devote all our efforts from ten years to the rest of our lives to one sutra that we choose as our direction of practice. We don't need anyone to know us, don't need anyone to ask about us, ten years of solitary diligence, hard work in studying, for those who study the sutras, for those who compile and comment on the sutras, for those who expound the sutras, one day we will have complete enlightenment in this life. After enlightenment, we will enter the First Meaning, see our mind and nature, become Buddhas in one lifetime, and understand all the sutras and dharma, that's why it is said: "If you understand one sutra, you will understand all the sutras."

Nowadays, people who practice cultivation often go astray, why? Because of greed for dharma, they want to listen to everything, read every book, and want to understand too many things, the result is that after reading many things, they don't understand anything, they don't understand any dharma. Even if they do understand, it is only superficial common knowledge, not the First Meaning. To tell the truth, reading so much, listening to so much but not even having common knowledge, what they say is completely wrong, not in accordance with the principles, why? Because we have not yet entered the realm of the First Meaning, everything we say is false and not real. Because we clearly understand this, we do not have the thought of belittling the Buddhist scriptures, belittling the ancient people's profound cultivation methods, abandoning the Buddha Dharma, and following methods created from the minds of the people. In short, any method of cultivation that is separate from the methods that the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and ancient sages taught and embodied in their practices as examples is completely wrong. We must definitely cultivate one subject over a long period of time, penetrate one subject deeply, in order to hope to enter the realm of the First Meaning.

If we choose the Buddha Speaks of the Great Vehicle of Infinite Life Sutra compiled by Layman Xia Lianju, we should also read the commentary on this sutra by Huang Nianzu, or listen to the commentary of Venerable Master Jingkong. Read or listen to it once every day, and repeat it over and over again throughout our lives, without interruption for even a single meal. There will come a time when we will attain the Samadhi of Reciting the Buddha's Name. Why? This sutra teaches: “Thinking of the Pure Land, Amitabha Buddha, all the merits and adornments day and night, wholeheartedly taking refuge, bowing and making offerings, this person will die without fear or panic, without confusion in his mind, and will immediately be reborn in the Pure Land.” Because the mind is concentrated on this one sutra, without thinking of anything else other than Amitabha Buddha and the Pure Land, the mind is not frightened, not afraid, and not confused when faced with changes in the worldly scene; that is the realm of the Buddha Recitation Samadhi. If we are concentrated on one sutra, we will soon open our wisdom. We should definitely not read many other sutras and give rise to three minds and two ideas, and will not be able to penetrate the realm of the Buddha Recitation Samadhi. In the Pure Land Dharma door in particular, if we truly study Buddhism in order to liberate ourselves from birth and death, we must recite only one Infinite Life Sutra, or one Amitabha Sutra, or one Contemplation Sutra on Infinite Life. Do not recite two or three sutras. We must only penetrate one subject, do not be greedy to penetrate many subjects. Only by practicing like this can we attain the Samadhi of Buddha Recitation.

What is the realm of Buddha Recitation Samadhi? It is the First Meaning! Worldly people think that the self is real, so they give rise to the desire to enjoy that self. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas also speak of the self, but that is only a false self that appears to accommodate living beings, to educate and benefit living beings. That self absolutely does not arise from a deluded mind, discrimination, or attachment. The practice of accommodating living beings is the great compassion that radiates from the True Nature of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for others to enjoy. The Infinite Life Sutra, the Western Pure Land with all its majestic virtues such as forests, houses, towers, ponds, streams, etc. are all made of seven treasures, all are the forms and functions revealed from the egoless body of Amitabha Buddha, in order to give living beings true benefits. A wise person must know how to enjoy the treasures given by Amitabha Buddha, then that is truly the good roots and blessings from many lives and many kalpas coming to maturity.

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