The Buddha taught us that life is both a dream and filled with suffering. In this life of dreams and suffering, those who find themselves in Amitabha’s embrace, and experience his compassionate deliverance, are truly blessed.

       Dreams don’t just happen when we’re asleep - we’re living in one right now! Samsara itself is one endless dream. That’s why we shouldn’t become despondent during hard times or overly elated during good times. After all, this whole life is just a transient dream we haven’t woken up from.

       As Buddhists, we need to understand that everything arises from countless interconnected factors. Nothing happens by itself or has any permanent essence - it’s all illusory and temporary. The ups and downs of life, our fortunes and misfortunes - they all have their reasons for appearing in our lives. But they’re just passing moments, neither everlasting nor unchanging. That’s why we should take life as it comes and not take things too seriously.

       As ordinary beings, we’re all caught up in greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. We each carry our own burdens and attachments. We struggle to truly understand, forgive, and care for one another. We find it hard to open ourselves up completely. Even with our closest relationships - spouses and children -  no matter how loving and devoted we all are, and no matter how much time we spend together, deep down we remain alone. As a Taiwanese saying goes: “Who truly knows what lies in another’s heart?” Even the most loving couples struggle to share their deepest torments and secrets. As the Infinite Life Sutra says, “In this world of desires and attachments, we are born alone, and die alone, coming and going all alone.”

       What is life really like? We’re like cattle being led to market, each step taking us closer to death. Even the rich and powerful can’t escape King Yama’s final judgment. In the same sutra, it says, “When life draws to its close, we’re overcome by fear and regret.” We wonder  -  does life continue after death or simply end? If it continues, are we headed toward suffering or peace? This uncertainty breeds anxiety. Ultimately, all our unwholesome actions, suffering, and fear stem from ignorance. Ignorance leads to negative karma, which leads to suffering. It’s ignorance that keeps us unsettled.

       There’s a story about an American traveler who visited a philosopher’s home in the last century. He was startled to find just a room full of books, a table, and a chair - no other furniture, no fancy decorations. 

       “Where is your furniture?” the traveler asked.

       The philosopher responded: “Where’s yours?”

       “I don’t have any - I’m just passing through,” replied the traveler.

       “Same here,” said the philosopher.

       That’s us in this world - just passing through, driven by karma.

       Today, there are over eight billion people on Earth. Almost all of them will be gone within a hundred years. A few might live longer, but they too will follow eventually. Most people flinch at the mention of death, some even consider it bad luck to see, hear, or think about it. This just reveals our deep fear of dying. But no matter how much we fear it, we can’t escape it. Avoiding it only makes it more terrifying when it finally catches up to us. If we face it head-on, we might find a way past that fear. As Buddhists, we need to move beyond our fear of this eventuality, not shy away from it, and look it straight in the eye.[5] 

(Translated by the Pure Land School Translation Team;
edited by Householder Fojin)