With the Heart of Nembutsu

A person with the heart of the Nembutsu is like one whose body is possessed of its fragrance; the heart of Mahasthamaprapta is thus likened to a person possessing fragrance. Hence it is stated, he is called "one adorned with the fragrance of light." Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, possessing the heart of the nembutsu within his heart, is likened to a person imbued with incense. He therefore states, When at first I was in the bodhisattva stage I attained insight into the nonorigination of all existence with the heart of the nembutsu. Now in this world: now in this Saha world. I embrace persons of the nembutsu and bring them into the Pure Land: "Taking in persons of the nembutsu, I bring them into the Pure Land." - Shinran Shonin, Notes on the Inscriptions on Sacred Scrolls: The inscription in praise of Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta

"In the Surangama Sutra, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva tells of how he gained enlightenment through Buddha recitation, or continuous pure mindfulness of the Buddha, to obtain samadhi." - Wikipedia entry on Mahasthamaprapta - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahasthamaprapta

Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta recited the Buddha's name and reached nembutsu-samadhi by chanring the Buddha's name. His example was realized by Shinran to be the way of sages, the difficult practice.

Since the Jodo Shinshu path is the easy practice, an ordinary Pure Land practitioner is ever mindful of Amida out of gratitude for establishing the Primal Vow.

Amida's Primal Vow is that all sentient beings who hear His call will be reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss.

When the Shin Buddhist utters the Name-that-Calls, he has heard Amida calling to him from the Pure Land.

For Amida and the Pure Land of Bliss are right here in the Shin Buddhist's heart-mind.

The heart-mind is the bodhi mind, the True Mind, the mind embraced by Amida, always graced by buddha-nature.>

What is the Name-that-Calls? It is the Nembutsu that I softly change to keep Indra's Net bright and strong around the whole world.

What is Indra's Net but the compassion of billions of people to help sooth the suffering of billions more?

For Amida is both the Boundless Light of Wisdom shining on the Boundless Life of Compassion and the Boundless Life of Compassion enlightened by the Light of Wisdom?

Namu Amida Butsu

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Original post: February 15, 2006 11:48 PM PST

Homage to Great Wisdom, Great Compassion, and Great Meditation

If I no longer am attached to self,
then being attached to reward
in the Pure Land of Bliss
through Buddha Recitation
is the working of the Dharma.
Homage to Amida Buddha!

For the Pure Land arose
because of Dharmakara's Vows,
and his promised rebirth
as Amida is fulfilled
by all sentient beings
who remember his Name.
Homage to Amitayus Buddha!

Homage to Infinite Light and Life!
Homage to the Light of Great Wisdom,
Homage to Amida Buddha!
Homage to the Life of Great Compassion,
Homage to Kuan Erh Yin!
Homage to the Great Meditation,
Homage to Mahasthamaprapta!

Healing the Broken Heart Through Faith and Belief (poem)

I give thanks to the Buddha, for his role in helping us.
I give thanks to the Dharma for dependent arising explains the Four Noble Truths to us.
I give thanks to the Sangha who wrote the sutras that guide us.

When it feels like your heart has broken
free of your mind's gentle embrace,
make them whole again with breath meditation,
mantrayana and devotion to the Buddha.

May the comprehensive love of Amida tame the mind.
May the great compassion of Avalokiteshvara heal the heart.
May the active security of Mahasthamaprapta protect
one's Buddha Recitation and be mindful of Amida.

For the heart-mind, being the Bodhi Mind,
may only be formed from feelings and reason
being acted upon by one's sincere belief
that all sentient beings are our mothers!

Namu Amida Butsu

The Primordial Buddha is not a God or a Creator

"...The tantric tradition is the only one which explains the Dharmakaya in terms of Inherent clear light, the essential nature of the mind; this would seem imply that all phenomena, samsara and nirvana, arise from this clear and luminous source. Even the New School of Translation came to the conclusion that the "state of rest" of a practitioner of the Great Yoga--Great Yoga implies here the state of the practitioner who has reached a stage in meditation where the most subtle experience of clear light has been realized--that for as long as the practitioner remains in this ultimate sphere he or she remains totally free of any sort of veil obscuring the mind, and is immersed in a state of great bliss.

"We can say, therefore, that this ultimate source, clear light, is close to the notion of a Creator, since all phenomena, whether they belong to samsara or nirvana, originate therein. But we must be careful in speaking of this source, we must not be led into error. I do not mean chat there exists somewhere, there, a sort of collective clear light, analogous to the non-Buddhist concept of Brahma as a substratum. We must not be inclined to deify this luminous space. We must understand that when we speak of ultimate or inherent clear light, we are speaking on an individual level." — His Holines the Dalai Lama

What the Dharmakaya Is

Dhamrakaya is Inherent clear light and the essential nature of the mind.

All phenomena experienced in samsara and nirvana, arise from "this clear and luminous source".

Thus, the inherent clear light == the clear and luminous source == Dharmakaya

Description of the practitioner of Great Yoga

"The state of rest" of a practitioner is "the state of the practitioner who has reached a stage in meditation where the most subtle experience of clear light has been realized".

Thus the state of rest refers to the mind at rest in the samadhi called "Great Yoga"

The Stage of the Ultimate Sphere

By implication the stage of ultimate sphere is a level of meditative experience.

This stage is known as "The ultimate sphere".

Two things happen to the practitioner who remains in the ultimate sphere. He or she

1. "remains totally free of any sort of veil obscuring the mind", and
   
2. "is immerse in a state of great bliss".

The Clear Light Defined "Ultimate source" -- "the clear light" == the ultimate sphere called "clear light" == Dharmakaya "The clear light is closest to the notion of a Creator, since all phenomena, whether they belong to samsara or nirvana, originate therein." All phenomena originate in the clear light. Phenomena experienced in samsara (this life of birth and death) or in nirvana (enlightenment). The following is an error in thought that the Dalai Lama affirms to be a fallacy:: "collective clear light, analogous to the non-Buddhist concept of Brahma as a substratum." The reason why it is untrue: the deification of the clear light risks its worship which is a form of superstition. Ritual worship of deities is not Buddhist. Therefore the clear light is not a God to be worshiped. Buddhist do not worship Buddhas or Buddhist deities, for they symbolize positive qualities of the human mind and thus are used to help relieve suffering both in this world and the next. Ultimate clear light is experienced on an individual level. Therefore the clear light is not a God or a Creator. These two paragraphs imply that the deification of God and the existence of God violate the Buddhist tenet of non-self. Buddha is not A God or Creator Given that God lives a life of infinite existence that lasts an exceedingly long time called "eternal life", it follows that God is immortal, since immortality as a form of permanence lasts an infinite length of time. Non-self is understood to be the principle of impermanence. Ergo God's existence violates the Buddhist principle of impermanence which states that all sentient beings last for a finite length of time. Therefore the Primordial Buddha of Vajrayana is not a God or Creator. Instead, he represents the higher consciousness of clear light in which all phenomena of samsara and Nirvana are experienced without being attached to them. In this context, "higher consciousness" refers to the state of mind attained through deep meditation, ritual chanting and other rituals specific to Vajrayana.

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The Dalai Lama's answer on a Creator and Creation: http://hhdl.dharmakara.net/hhdlquotes22.html
Seven Virtues: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_virtues

Shurangama Sutra

The Shurangama Sutra chronicles the path of Enlightenment which the Buddha's cousin Ananda tread.

In it too is mentioned the Bodhisattva of Buddha Recitation, Mahasthamaprapta.

He represents the power of spiritual wisdom.

In Jodo Shinshu tradition, he appears in the trinity consisting of Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahasthamaprapta.