By Shi Fa Rong

1. At the Time of Rebirth, the Buddha Need Not Come
At the moment of rebirth, the Buddha need not come to guide us, for the Buddha is inherently present and has never been separated from us. The notion of the Buddha coming to receive us is a skilful means to help beginners understand more easily. In truth, the Buddha-nature is already within us and does not require external seeking. If we become attached to the idea of the Buddha appearing to guide us, we may instead be misled by demonic forces or external paths, as they too can manifest the appearance of the Buddha to lead us astray. If we follow them, we may lose our way and not know where we are headed.

As the Diamond Sutra states: “If one sees me in form, if one seeks me in sound, such a person is practicing a misguided path and cannot see the Tathagata.” The true form of the Buddha is not revealed through external appearances or sounds but through inner awakening and right mindfulness. Therefore, the key to rebirth lies in maintaining right mindfulness, letting go of attachments to internal and external phenomena, and keeping the mind free from confusion. In this way, we naturally resonate with Amitabha Buddha and are reborn in the Pure Land.

If we follow the “Amitabha Sutra”: “If there are good men and women who hear about Amitabha Buddha and hold his name, whether for one day or seven days, with one mind and without distraction. When the person is about to die, Amitabha Buddha and the saints will appear before him. When the person dies, his mind will not be confused, and he will be reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land.” It means to maintain the state of mindfulness and one-pointedness, let go of the inner thoughts and external false appearances, that is, the mind will not be confused and naturally correspond with Amitabha Buddha, and be reborn in the Pure Land.

Maintaining the state of mindfulness and non-attachment, we can be like what Master Guangqin said: “No coming and no going, nothing happens.” Returning to the consciousness that we originally have, which does not come and go, is to find and settle in our self-nature – Amitabha, the state of awakening. Let go of everything, be mindful and chant the Buddha’s name; Amitabha Buddha is my mind, my mind is Amitabha Buddha, why should we worry about not being able to be reborn?

2. Buddha and Demons, Sesame and Sky: A Single Thought Between Awakening and Delusion
If our minds dwell on trivial matters and become entangled in petty concerns, our minds become as small as a sesame seed. But if we can let go of such attachments, our minds expand like the sky, vast and all-encompassing, free and unobstructed. Whether white clouds or dark clouds fill the sky, the sky remains unchanged, embracing all. Thus, we must choose whether to live with a broad and open mind, free and at ease, or to remain trapped in narrow-mindedness and obsession.

As the saying goes, “Lay down the butcher’s knife, and immediately become a Buddha; pick up the butcher’s knife, and immediately become a demon.” The distinction between Buddha and demon, between the narrowness of a sesame seed and the vastness of the sky, lies in a single thought—the choice between awakening and delusion.