Our true eternal life depends not on daily food but on the Amitabha Buddha’s fundamental vow and his powerful name.

       Without the Buddha’s compassionate light, no matter how bright the sunshine is, it may not break the darkness in our minds.

       Without the enlightened life bestowed upon us by the infinite light and infinite life, we may forever be entrapped in samsara, worthless like the walking dead.

       Without the six-character name^[1] that paves and leads the way from the Saha world to the Land of Ultimate Bliss, our effort, no matter how great, may lose all sense of direction.

        Except for the matter of life and death, everything is negotiable. So we recite his name solely and persistently, and we will forever requite his immeasurable kindness.

        I hope everyone will concentrate on nianfo and achieve rebirth to become Buddhas so that Amitabha Buddha’s vows and cultivation over immeasurable kalpas, the appearance of Sakyamuni Buddha in this world to teach us the Dharma, and the testimonies of the Buddhas of the ten directions are not in vain.

        In this world, we can make thousands of mistakes, but not this one.

       All other mistakes have no consequence, but not this one.

       That is one mistake that we can not afford to make.

       Namo Amituofo! As long as we do this one thing right, all things are right. If we do it right, we will be reborn in the Pure Land and attain Buddhahood. Nothing else is comparable to being a Buddha. If we do this one thing wrong, all things are wrong—instead of becoming a Buddha, you continue to be entrapped in the endless cycle of birth and death. What else can be more wrong?

       Therefore, we must exercise our wisdom and hold on to this precious opportunity. A wise person does not necessarily know everything, but s/he knows this, the most important thing in life. So, seize this opportunity. Never let it go.

       Namo Amituofo!

       May the resulting merit be distributed to all sentient beings without discrimination.
       May we all aspire to perfect enlightenment for the sake of other beings
       And be reborn in the Land of Peace and Joy.

(Translated and edited by the Pure Land School Translation Team)

^[1] The six-character name in Chinese pinyin is Na-mo A-mi-tuo-fo.