Master Jing Jie - No matter what dharma you practice, it's crucial to keep progressing 修行要上路佛號要帶一點氣勢

(English Subtitles) Lectured by Master Jìng Jiè (淨界法師) from Taiwan. Subtitles:
Great monk, I have a good friend who is nice and said he was confident to go to the West for sure, because he believes there are buddhas and believes there is the Bliss World. He pays homage to the Three Jewels very much and feels that the Saha World is boring and reincarnation is suffering. However, he only likes to read Buddhist books and never participates in communal practice or did regular morning and evening lessons. Occasionally, he thinks of it and chants a few Buddha's name. He never dealt with vexation or bad habits, and he often got mad. Will Amitabha receive a man like him? This is it. The karma we are creating are either karma of birth and death or karma of Pure Land. The ordinary people will create both karma. Rare people can shut off all the karma of birth and death in the Saha World unless he practices very well.
1:00
Consciousness-only theory says: How do we know our rebirth karma is the strongest? Because the strongest leads first. It brings up an issue of Increasing Karma. That is to say, if a Pure Land Buddhist recites the Buddha more and more times.
For example, he recites 10 times a day on the first day, then 20 times, 30 times in the 3rd years, 100 times in the 4th years. What is it? It's increasing, and this karma is strong. This person is likely to get reborn. He is in a state of progress. If you recite 1000 times a day in the first year, then 800 in the 2nd year, then become 600, and it's over. You are decreasing. You have no momentum.
2:00
So, can he be reborn or not? See if his practice has been on track. If he really build up good roots and truthfully contemplate the faults of the Saha World. Though he still has bad habits. But if he loses his temper, say three times a day, then twice a day, and now down to once every two days. Oh, this man has hope. His karma is decreasing, and his virtue is increasing. He definite will be reborn. So you have to see his momentum, the head of momentum. So, when a person is in progress, he is very likely to be reborn. He is increasing step by step. He is living water. This person's practice is on track. He has the idea to maneuver his heart to build up good roots
3:00
and knows the method to subdue his vexation. Therefore in his life, his wrongdoing is decreasing and his virtue is increasing. This person will be reborn 100%. The most awful is those, on the contrary, who chant 1000 times the first year, 500 times in the 2nd year, then 300 times, and it's finished. You didn’t made progress at all because you haven’t nurtured your roots well. Because good roots can cure delusions, indicating you didn't practice diligently. There are two types of practitioners, one type is to form bond with others. He goes here today, and goes there tomorrow. The second type is those who have goals. He has faith and volition, and is on the right track.
4:00
He has nurtured good roots with prajna and often brings up Buddha's name. Therefore, he is progressing and may be admitted. The scariest ones are those who still have no goal, and are wandering and scattered. When your mind is distracted, you are finished because you can't focus your mind power.
You have been dealing with delusion and karma since beginningless, those are strong enemies. Your heart is broken into pieces and you were unable to resist.
So, you have to focus and set up your goal and be on the track as soon as possible. Then you will see your progressing, and you fault is lessening,
5:00
your good roots are growing, and you know it. Your virtue has been circulating in your body. In addition, practice some meditation and insight, chant the Buddha, bow and repent every day. You will find that you are making progress. Your vexation is fading away, the conversion to Amitabha is blooming. You can feel that your life is reversing, and you are hopeful because you are growing. You are creating an increasing karma toward the Pure Land. If you go reversely, that will be awful. In fact, everyone of us are practicing the Pure Land with delusions. But, how do you make sure your Pure Land karma is the strongest when you are dying? That is, you have to make it increasing. This is the simplest way to judge – you are progressing.
6:00
Even if he's making slow progress, at least he's making progress. That is living water, and you life has immeasurable potential. No matter what dharma door you practice, try to keep you progressing. This is crucial. Because people can not keep their current state. The human life is dynamic. You have two possibilities, either progress or regress. If you say: I will keep the original status. People are no longer in their original state. The you today is different from the you yesterday. Both physically and mentally, life is changeable.
So, to avoid regression, the only thing you can do is progression. Make you progress a little bit every day. At this time, your practice has momentum.