In Mahayana Pure Land Buddhism, Buddha Recitation is the most important thing. Keeping your mind sticking to the Name of Amitabha Buddha is really needed. When you are not reciting the Amitabha Buddha's Name, your mind is probably thinking other things. And thus, this mind focus on Buddha has become the determination of being reborn in the Pureland.
Think this seriously. If you don't take recitation seriously as a part of your life, how can you be able to recite Amitabha Buddha's name near your death moment? This is similar to the situation when a student is facing an examination. If the student doesn't study hard during the normal school days, how can he face the examination and hopes to pass the exam? That's what we call the Practice of Pure Land Buddhism.
Besides, the FAITH and VOW to be reborn in the Western Pure Land are also the most important factors. How do you call yourself to have faith if you can't even recite up to a certain number or even increment in number after a certain time. For example, somebody may say I believe in Amitabha Buddha, but if he can't even spend his time in recitation for at least ten thousand times a day, how can you redeem your FAITH?
In fact, which from what I have learnt, people of the past could recite up to one hundred thousand of "Amitabha" every day. The number is an important factor during your early stage of practice. The more you recite, the more you have confidence. Some people would say that it's the focused mind that counts. Indeed, that really matters. But, I would say that continuously practice of large number of recitation will ensure more to change the scattered mind to a focused mind. How to do you expect to get focused, if you don't even want to focus with that early scattered mind? Remember that nobody is perfect. Only people who strive hard on practice will reach perfection in a skill.
Another thing is the VOW. Every Pure Land Practitioner should vow to be reborn in Amitabha Buddha's Western Pure Land. And this vow is the main factor that keeps you to keep on recite Amitabha Buddha's Name. The Vow also shows you how much Faith you have in Buddha, the Pure Land, and the Buddha's Vow on Welcoming you to His Pure Land on your death crucial moment. Practitioners also should set the Vow to be reborn in Western Pure Land in the form of Buddha Recitation number daily. How many times of Amitabha Buddha recitation do you recite in a day? Is it 10,000 times? Or more than that number? Many Pure Land Masters have suggested that the recitation should reach the number up to 100,000 times a day. At least, start with 10,000 times every day without any absence. Some even stressed that if you have set your recitation target to 10,000 times a day, you must finish it before you go to bed, even if you are tired or sleepy. To reach this target daily and to keep it going on and on for years (up to 20 years above until the end of your life), recitation should be starts from the morning. This is because your mind will be in the best condition after a night rest.
Although number of recitation is stressed repeatedly, also try to focus the mind on recitation. After a long period of recitation (take 20 years as example), the scattered and vexed mind will set down to a calmer mind which mean you have the ability to control your anger, greed, worry and other mind disturbance. Gradually, you will also recite Amitabha Buddha's Name in your heart even if you don't realize it at all. At that stage, you are reciting Amitabha Buddha's Name all the time. Then, you'll of course have the real confidence to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha.
Showing posts with label Pure Land Buddhism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pure Land Buddhism. Show all posts
How should Buddhist fellows face good and bad situations?
In everyone's daily life, there are good and bad times. Good and bad situations will just come to you without invitation. The situations can be others' manner towards you, their speech towards you and also how they see you. You probably care too much about others.
In fact, you should do your best to live in a proper way. Setting good examples for others is not an easy thing. Sometimes, you probably have done your best towards others, but they just ignore you. Don't take this too hard in yourself as you are just making yourself in sufferings. The Buddha has taught us to watch our mind, speech and actions in everyday life, because we can easily hurt others by our speech or actions, perhaps by thinking bad about others, we will also influence them through our mind indirectly.
Then how should we face good and bad situations? When good situations come to you, don't let your greed arise. Let's learn to curb our arise. For example, when you are earning more today, don't let your greed grows by thinking to earn more. Be always contented and grateful with what you have today and always do your best, always make good use of the good situation like donating a little money to the needy. Or you can use your earning to support the reprinting of Buddhist books or sutras.
When bad situations come to you, don't let your anger or hatred arise. Let's learn to let go and forgive others. Remember that you yourself are also imperfect, how can you expect others to be perfect when somebody has done bad to you. Also remember the law of karma. Buddhism is a teaching about present life, past life and future life. So, we should think that perhaps we have done wrong before. Moreover, throwing anger or hatred will only make things worse. Don't dwell in sadness. Learn to let go.
The Pureland Mahayana Buddhism stress on reciting "Namo Amitabha Buddhaya" (Namo Amituofuo) or just Amitabha (Amituofuo). This should be done by Pureland followers when facing good and bad situations. They keep on such recitation to keep their mind in Pure state and vow to be reborn in Western Pureland. That's how they face good and bad situations.
In fact, you should do your best to live in a proper way. Setting good examples for others is not an easy thing. Sometimes, you probably have done your best towards others, but they just ignore you. Don't take this too hard in yourself as you are just making yourself in sufferings. The Buddha has taught us to watch our mind, speech and actions in everyday life, because we can easily hurt others by our speech or actions, perhaps by thinking bad about others, we will also influence them through our mind indirectly.
Then how should we face good and bad situations? When good situations come to you, don't let your greed arise. Let's learn to curb our arise. For example, when you are earning more today, don't let your greed grows by thinking to earn more. Be always contented and grateful with what you have today and always do your best, always make good use of the good situation like donating a little money to the needy. Or you can use your earning to support the reprinting of Buddhist books or sutras.
When bad situations come to you, don't let your anger or hatred arise. Let's learn to let go and forgive others. Remember that you yourself are also imperfect, how can you expect others to be perfect when somebody has done bad to you. Also remember the law of karma. Buddhism is a teaching about present life, past life and future life. So, we should think that perhaps we have done wrong before. Moreover, throwing anger or hatred will only make things worse. Don't dwell in sadness. Learn to let go.
The Pureland Mahayana Buddhism stress on reciting "Namo Amitabha Buddhaya" (Namo Amituofuo) or just Amitabha (Amituofuo). This should be done by Pureland followers when facing good and bad situations. They keep on such recitation to keep their mind in Pure state and vow to be reborn in Western Pureland. That's how they face good and bad situations.
Amitabha Buddha, the compassionate Father of all sentient beings
In Mahayana Buddhism, especially the Sukhavati or Pure Land Sect, Amitabha Buddha is always said to be the compassionate Father of all sentient beings.
Once I've ever heard about this from a Dharma VCD. The speaker of the Dharma VCD was a monk. He said that we as Buddhist practitioners of the Pure Land Sect should recite the Buddha'name with utmost sincerity. When your life in this world has come to its end, where would you return?
Once I've ever heard about this from a Dharma VCD. The speaker of the Dharma VCD was a monk. He said that we as Buddhist practitioners of the Pure Land Sect should recite the Buddha'name with utmost sincerity. When your life in this world has come to its end, where would you return?
Master Guang Qin
Venerable Master Kuang Ch'in (Guang Qin Lao He Shang - 廣欽老和尚, 1892-1986) is one of the great master who propagates Pure Land Buddhism. His advice on Buddhism cultivation has inspired and benefits many buddhists, especially Pure Land Buddhism.
Daily Recitation of Amitabha Buddha's Name
Master Da An (Da An Fa Shi) is one of the Buddhist monks who propagates Pure Land Buddhism. He advises us to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha earnestly and he also advises us to put the recitation into a daily practice.
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