Be excellent in all
That you do, and accept
Everyone as Buddha
Without question. O!
No one is as splendid
As the bodhisattvas.
Egoless due to daily meditation,
I hold no delusions about being a god.
For what is ego but a tool to wield for liberation?
He who wields Ego wisely uses it to benefit everyone.
What is evil but utter confusion?
What is good but true understanding?
Although all of what I write
Is metaphorical, it is
For the good of us all,
Even the white lies which hold
The Truth occulted by evil karma.
Truth arises from
The pure mind, cleansed of evil
Through daily practice
Of calm abiding and
Mindful reflection on Truth.
Achieve the pure mind
By letting go of desire
Through skillful means.
All it takes is to repeat
The Nembutsu sincerely.
For the Nembutsu
Is the tool of cleansing, and
Purifies the mind.
Wield it kindly when saying
The Nembutsu, the Name-that-calls.
He who utters the Name-that-calls
Is merely moved by the Buddha
Calling to all of humanity.
With each calling his mind is
Cleansed of anger arising from
Desire until the Pure Mind
Arises, shining bright like
The moon rising after sunset,
And the sun rising in the morn.
All things in the universe
Are impermanent,
And there is no soul at all.
Instead, there is but
The Eightfold Consciousnesses.
Showing posts with label Name-that-calls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Name-that-calls. Show all posts
20140122
Buddha Remembrance As Easy As Meditation
Buddha remembrance consists of Buddha recitation which is when the Buddhist laypeople gather together to chant the name of the Buddha.
If they are devoted to the Lotus Sutra as in the lay Buddhist sect of Soka Gakai then they chant "Namu myoho rengé kyo."
If they are of the Jodo Shinshu sect then they chant the Nembutsu ("Namu Amida Butsu").
By chanting the Buddha's name the devotees become mindful of the Buddha.
Thus is Buddha recitation Buddha remembrance.
It is said that Buddhist chanting is the easy path to enlightenment for all sentient beings.
For all sentient beings are destined to become bodhisattvas since such sincere devotion shown by chanting the Buddha's name is a fee definite sign that the Buddha is calling through his devotees.
Small wonder that the Nembutsu is known to the devout Shin Buddhist as the Name-that-calls.
As well, Buddha recitation is called the easy path in contrast to the hard path of Zen mediation.
Thus are there two paths to Enlightenment in Mahayana Buddhism.
20130427
Amida Buddha Still Calls (poem)
If I knew good and evil like Amida does,
then I'd be Buddha.
Yet all I am is a fool
who recites the Nembutsu.
This is why a fool like me
is no good to set
an example since I call
to Amida now
and then. How slothful am I!
Even so, a fool
such as this one who writes
of the Buddha
tries to show perseverance
outdoes inconsistency.
No matter how many times
I recite the Name,
Amida Buddha still calls
through me as I chant,
"Namu Amida Butsu!"
20130403
The Name-that-calls
Integral in the Pure Land tradition is Amida Buddha.
In the True Pure Land School of Japanese Buddhism are Jiriki (self-power) of the devotee and Tariki (Other-power) of Amida Buddha.
By self-power, the Pure Land devotee calls to Amida Buddha. By other-power, Amida Buddha calls to the devotee.
The calling of Amida Buddha's name is known as Buddha Recitation or Nembutsu.
Amida Buddha's promise of my rebirth in the Pure Land of Bliss is affirmed by Buddha Recitation.
When I call to Amida, it is but Amida calling to me.
This is why Nembutsu known as the Name-that-calls.
Namu Amida Butsu.
In the True Pure Land School of Japanese Buddhism are Jiriki (self-power) of the devotee and Tariki (Other-power) of Amida Buddha.
By self-power, the Pure Land devotee calls to Amida Buddha. By other-power, Amida Buddha calls to the devotee.
The calling of Amida Buddha's name is known as Buddha Recitation or Nembutsu.
Amida Buddha's promise of my rebirth in the Pure Land of Bliss is affirmed by Buddha Recitation.
When I call to Amida, it is but Amida calling to me.
This is why Nembutsu known as the Name-that-calls.
Namu Amida Butsu.
20130124
Fearlessness
When I was younger, I would put off washing dishes until the dishes, plates, and utensils were in the sink...
The longer the task of washing dishes was put off, the longer I thought the task would be.
Yet the first time I started to wash those dishes, it took 15 minutes to do.
After a couple weeks of washing dishes, I realized that washing each meal's dishes would take less than 5 minutes.
Thus fear is like the prospect of washing a week's worth of dishes, all piled in the sink.
Facing fear may even seem impossible at first.
However, repeated exposure to fear led me to see that facing each of life's fears takes less time than the first time I spent tackling all of them at once.
Since then I have faced each fear as it arises, watched as it passed by me, and forgot about it.
Today I'm certain that adding Buddha Remembrance to my daily spiritual practice has helped to ward off almost all fear.
It is amazing that uttering the Name-that-calls actually works!
Perhaps Nembutsu practice is helping me to develop fearlessness.
In this context, fearlessness is the quality of mind that is empty of fear. Yet my mind does experience fear temporarily. Then it quickly goes away.
How is this possible? It is most likely Buddha Remembrance has reduced my fear of the afterlife, which has its roots in the fear of death. With regular practice, chanting the Nembutsu has accumulated the merit of fearlessness.
Could it be that Buddha Remembrance is almost like a protective mantra? Its actual purpose is to promote other power of Amida.
For the concept of the Name-that-calls is that by uttering the Nembutsu, I believe that Amida Buddha calling to me. Far from being magical thinking; this is actually a form of self-hypnosis with the purpose of actualizing my faith in the Primal Vow.
Returning to the topic of facing fear, my faith in the Primal Vow and belief in the Name-that-calls leads me to practice Buddha Remembrance.
As a result of that spiritual practice, my mind has learned to control my fears. This quality of my mind called "control over my fears" is the quality of mind that is empty of fear called fearlessness.
As such, it is the working of my faith in the Primal Vow that actualized fearlessness.
Thus I put my faith in Amida Buddha!
The longer the task of washing dishes was put off, the longer I thought the task would be.
Yet the first time I started to wash those dishes, it took 15 minutes to do.
After a couple weeks of washing dishes, I realized that washing each meal's dishes would take less than 5 minutes.
Thus fear is like the prospect of washing a week's worth of dishes, all piled in the sink.
Facing fear may even seem impossible at first.
However, repeated exposure to fear led me to see that facing each of life's fears takes less time than the first time I spent tackling all of them at once.
Since then I have faced each fear as it arises, watched as it passed by me, and forgot about it.
Today I'm certain that adding Buddha Remembrance to my daily spiritual practice has helped to ward off almost all fear.
It is amazing that uttering the Name-that-calls actually works!
Perhaps Nembutsu practice is helping me to develop fearlessness.
In this context, fearlessness is the quality of mind that is empty of fear. Yet my mind does experience fear temporarily. Then it quickly goes away.
How is this possible? It is most likely Buddha Remembrance has reduced my fear of the afterlife, which has its roots in the fear of death. With regular practice, chanting the Nembutsu has accumulated the merit of fearlessness.
Could it be that Buddha Remembrance is almost like a protective mantra? Its actual purpose is to promote other power of Amida.
For the concept of the Name-that-calls is that by uttering the Nembutsu, I believe that Amida Buddha calling to me. Far from being magical thinking; this is actually a form of self-hypnosis with the purpose of actualizing my faith in the Primal Vow.
Returning to the topic of facing fear, my faith in the Primal Vow and belief in the Name-that-calls leads me to practice Buddha Remembrance.
As a result of that spiritual practice, my mind has learned to control my fears. This quality of my mind called "control over my fears" is the quality of mind that is empty of fear called fearlessness.
As such, it is the working of my faith in the Primal Vow that actualized fearlessness.
Thus I put my faith in Amida Buddha!
Buddha Remembrance Works!
As a Pure Land Buddhist, I am not concerned with personal liberation like the Zen masters are. For that is self power (jiriki).
Rather, I am concerned with the liberation of all sentient beings by uttering the Name-that-calls (Nembutsu) in Buddha Remembrance. This is known as other power (tariki).
Buddha Remembrance is Nembutsu practice in which the follower chants the name of Amida Buddha mindfully with utmost sincerity and gratitude. Since most people may not be able to visualize the Pure Land or Amida himself, they still possess gratitude and sincerity.
Often when I practice Buddha Remembrance, I do so in short bursts to avoid entering a trance. It is important to beware of this since a trance-like state of mind may be mistaken for samadhi (mental concentration or composing of the mind).
For example, yesterday I experienced a calm state of mind, and although there was self doubt, it was easy to let go of those feelings and return to that feeling of calm.
During this time, I was at the library studying Buddhism.
You might think I learned something, and I did: the academic works of Pure Land by the Chinese Buddhist Buddhist Education Foundation are more to my liking.
For I'm not totally into Vajrayana even though some of my blog posts refer to it.
My skepticism of Vajrayana is based on Chogyam Trungpa's lifestyle and how it affected his ability to carefully pick his successor. In all fairness, it boggles the mind that Shambhala members would condone what happened, but they weathered it well.
Nor am I really into Theravada since it had the wrong idea about Mahayana. Even Zen masters are equally wrong-minded. For Mahayana is not cheating nor does it promote Nirvana, the Pure Land, or even Tusita Heaven as a reward for their respective practices.
Anyway, after my aborted attempt to find a good Buddhist book to read, I walked to the mall and had lunch. During the time I was there, I experienced this joy that comes to me more often these days.
It is because I've been doing short bursts of Buddha Remembrance consisting of silently chanting the Nembutsu (Namu Amida Butsu or the shortened version Nam'Am'da') ten to twenty times, counting them off one finger at a time.
Hey, I only have ten fingers!
To reference some words in this text, click on the labels below. If you're a novice at using Blogspot, the labels are in colored text and link to other blog posts.
Samadhi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam%C4%81dhi_%28Buddhism%29
Chogyam Trungpa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_Trungpa
Rather, I am concerned with the liberation of all sentient beings by uttering the Name-that-calls (Nembutsu) in Buddha Remembrance. This is known as other power (tariki).
Buddha Remembrance is Nembutsu practice in which the follower chants the name of Amida Buddha mindfully with utmost sincerity and gratitude. Since most people may not be able to visualize the Pure Land or Amida himself, they still possess gratitude and sincerity.
Often when I practice Buddha Remembrance, I do so in short bursts to avoid entering a trance. It is important to beware of this since a trance-like state of mind may be mistaken for samadhi (mental concentration or composing of the mind).
For example, yesterday I experienced a calm state of mind, and although there was self doubt, it was easy to let go of those feelings and return to that feeling of calm.
During this time, I was at the library studying Buddhism.
You might think I learned something, and I did: the academic works of Pure Land by the Chinese Buddhist Buddhist Education Foundation are more to my liking.
For I'm not totally into Vajrayana even though some of my blog posts refer to it.
My skepticism of Vajrayana is based on Chogyam Trungpa's lifestyle and how it affected his ability to carefully pick his successor. In all fairness, it boggles the mind that Shambhala members would condone what happened, but they weathered it well.
Nor am I really into Theravada since it had the wrong idea about Mahayana. Even Zen masters are equally wrong-minded. For Mahayana is not cheating nor does it promote Nirvana, the Pure Land, or even Tusita Heaven as a reward for their respective practices.
Anyway, after my aborted attempt to find a good Buddhist book to read, I walked to the mall and had lunch. During the time I was there, I experienced this joy that comes to me more often these days.
It is because I've been doing short bursts of Buddha Remembrance consisting of silently chanting the Nembutsu (Namu Amida Butsu or the shortened version Nam'Am'da') ten to twenty times, counting them off one finger at a time.
Hey, I only have ten fingers!
To reference some words in this text, click on the labels below. If you're a novice at using Blogspot, the labels are in colored text and link to other blog posts.
Samadhi: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam%C4%81dhi_%28Buddhism%29
Chogyam Trungpa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B6gyam_Trungpa
20130123
My Spiritual Path
This old fool (pointing to self)
is now Pure Land Zen,
the path on which the Chinese
tread, empty of mu
But full of loving-kindness.
How is it empty
of mu? Chant the Name-that-calls,
this one does each day.
Yet such practice is empty
of reward and full of joy!
Born into True Pure Land School,
this old fool did stray
while growing up, and by chance
in a book store did
he discover Master Tâm.
Of Wisdom and Faith,
this Buddhism is so full
that with each reading,
this fool is filled with pleasure
at renewing his pure vow:
Namu Amida Butsu!
is now Pure Land Zen,
the path on which the Chinese
tread, empty of mu
But full of loving-kindness.
How is it empty
of mu? Chant the Name-that-calls,
this one does each day.
Yet such practice is empty
of reward and full of joy!
Born into True Pure Land School,
this old fool did stray
while growing up, and by chance
in a book store did
he discover Master Tâm.
Of Wisdom and Faith,
this Buddhism is so full
that with each reading,
this fool is filled with pleasure
at renewing his pure vow:
Namu Amida Butsu!
20130120
Mind-stream is Conciousness-stream
Mind-stream is epitome of non-self because consciousness is empty of a permanent self.
Mind-stream also is consciousness-stream.
Basically, Buddhist practice leads to consciousness of a practitioner to return to consciousness continuum. think of continuum as transit hub to Buddha worlds such as Pure Land of Bliss which is where Amida Buddha resides.
Practice consists of meditation, chanting of the Name of Amida, and chanting of sutras related to Amida Buddha.
On follower's parinirvana (physical death) follower's consciousness returns to continuum and goes to Pure Land.
This is called rebirth in the Pure Land.
Mind-stream also is consciousness-stream.
Basically, Buddhist practice leads to consciousness of a practitioner to return to consciousness continuum. think of continuum as transit hub to Buddha worlds such as Pure Land of Bliss which is where Amida Buddha resides.
Practice consists of meditation, chanting of the Name of Amida, and chanting of sutras related to Amida Buddha.
On follower's parinirvana (physical death) follower's consciousness returns to continuum and goes to Pure Land.
This is called rebirth in the Pure Land.
20130116
Sincerity Isn't Cheating but Non-attachment
I am sure after reading about the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, the devas and devis — the whole Buddhist pantheon, the gentle reader is confused.
When I wrote that "Buddhism is not a religion; it's a psychology", it stands to reason that Buddhism as a toolkit is a religion, a psychology, and a philosophy.
However, there may be people who still don't get it — they scratch their heads when I say "All Buddhas point to Sakyamuni Buddha."
For the purpose of the Buddhas is to focus on a Buddhist term like "compassion", not for followers to adore one of them like a god, even though Adi-Buddha isn't even a Buddhist god. He represents the whole Buddhadharma as ultimate reality.
Yet that revelation is beyond human comprehension for the average person. And so it should be.
For not everyone is capable of fully comprehending what Buddhism actually is.
It's like a bunch of blind men trying to discover what an elephant is.
As long as each of us has made up our minds what Buddhism is, our cognitive biases will kick in and filter out everything else.
This even happens to people who are of the opinion that the Pure Land way only serves to leave a few followers with attachment to the idea that Buddha Remembrance is a cheat because it offers the reward of an easy path to Enlightenment.
This is not so, because anyone with such an attachment is letting his ego guide the way to rebirth in the human realm and thus is only causing himself suffering.
This is because the practitioner who says the Nembutsu thinking that it is a free pass to the Pure Land is not saying it with sincerity.
Rather, when a Pure Land practitioner practices Buddha Remembrance with sincere intent to be reborn in the Pure Land, she has faith in the Primal Vow to be reborn in the Pure Land.
For the reason why Buddha Remembrance is called the Name-that-calls is that the practitioner sincerely believes that Amida Buddha is calling through him, for this is to clearly affirm the sincere intent to be reborn in the Pure Land.
I for one say the Nembutsu with this intent and in doing so, burn off karma so that I may be reborn in the Pure Land.
In burning off karma in this way, the Nembutsu practitioner is assured rebirth in the Pure Land.
Therefore it is actually not a cheat or attachment. For there is no expectation of reward. Both attachment and reward require a soul that lives after death.
According to the non-self principle of Buddhism, it is not my soul that is reborn in the Pure Land, it is the fruit of my actions ( the sincere practice of Buddha Remembrance).
It is not "I" who is reborn as a bodhisattva but karmic merit accumulated by chanting the Nembutsu transforms the seed of Buddha Nature planted when the faithful hears the Buddha's teaching is transformed into Self Nature.
For the karmic merit of chanting acts like fertilizer to help the seed of Buddha Nature transcend this life when this body dies, and be reborn in the Pure Land. Amida nurtures the resulting Self Nature as bodhisattva into its awakened form called Buddha.
This foolish one's sincere chanting of the Nembutsu is empty of attachment and thus is non-attachment.
As well, sincerity in the belief that one will be reborn in the Pure Land means the same as having faith that one will be reborn there, which is the same as non-attachment.
Thus Buddha Remembrance (the practice of the Nembutsu) is empty of attachment due to faith in Amida Buddha and belief in the Primal Vow.
Pure Land Buddhists do not see rebirth as reward for their faith, but as working of Other-power.
When the practitioner's faith in Amida and belief in the Primal Vow is sincere, Amida embraces this old fool on his deathbed. The 48 Vows assure him of this.
Therefore the Pure Land path is not a cheat and is but non-attachment due to sincere practice of the Nembutsu.
By such Buddha Remembrance, one realizes the concept of non-self. In realizing non-self, Amida nurtures the seed of Buddha Nature in the heartmind of this foolish one. As a result, one is truly assured of rebirth in the Pure Land at this deathbed. For that is what it says in the 48 Vows of Amida Buddha.
For I was not born a Buddhist for my own Nirvana but for the Nirvana of all sentient beings. Therefore I practice Buddha Remembrance by chanting the Nembutsu for all sentient beings.
Namu Amida Butsu
When I wrote that "Buddhism is not a religion; it's a psychology", it stands to reason that Buddhism as a toolkit is a religion, a psychology, and a philosophy.
However, there may be people who still don't get it — they scratch their heads when I say "All Buddhas point to Sakyamuni Buddha."
For the purpose of the Buddhas is to focus on a Buddhist term like "compassion", not for followers to adore one of them like a god, even though Adi-Buddha isn't even a Buddhist god. He represents the whole Buddhadharma as ultimate reality.
Yet that revelation is beyond human comprehension for the average person. And so it should be.
For not everyone is capable of fully comprehending what Buddhism actually is.
It's like a bunch of blind men trying to discover what an elephant is.
As long as each of us has made up our minds what Buddhism is, our cognitive biases will kick in and filter out everything else.
This even happens to people who are of the opinion that the Pure Land way only serves to leave a few followers with attachment to the idea that Buddha Remembrance is a cheat because it offers the reward of an easy path to Enlightenment.
This is not so, because anyone with such an attachment is letting his ego guide the way to rebirth in the human realm and thus is only causing himself suffering.
This is because the practitioner who says the Nembutsu thinking that it is a free pass to the Pure Land is not saying it with sincerity.
Rather, when a Pure Land practitioner practices Buddha Remembrance with sincere intent to be reborn in the Pure Land, she has faith in the Primal Vow to be reborn in the Pure Land.
For the reason why Buddha Remembrance is called the Name-that-calls is that the practitioner sincerely believes that Amida Buddha is calling through him, for this is to clearly affirm the sincere intent to be reborn in the Pure Land.
I for one say the Nembutsu with this intent and in doing so, burn off karma so that I may be reborn in the Pure Land.
In burning off karma in this way, the Nembutsu practitioner is assured rebirth in the Pure Land.
Therefore it is actually not a cheat or attachment. For there is no expectation of reward. Both attachment and reward require a soul that lives after death.
According to the non-self principle of Buddhism, it is not my soul that is reborn in the Pure Land, it is the fruit of my actions ( the sincere practice of Buddha Remembrance).
It is not "I" who is reborn as a bodhisattva but karmic merit accumulated by chanting the Nembutsu transforms the seed of Buddha Nature planted when the faithful hears the Buddha's teaching is transformed into Self Nature.
For the karmic merit of chanting acts like fertilizer to help the seed of Buddha Nature transcend this life when this body dies, and be reborn in the Pure Land. Amida nurtures the resulting Self Nature as bodhisattva into its awakened form called Buddha.
This foolish one's sincere chanting of the Nembutsu is empty of attachment and thus is non-attachment.
As well, sincerity in the belief that one will be reborn in the Pure Land means the same as having faith that one will be reborn there, which is the same as non-attachment.
Thus Buddha Remembrance (the practice of the Nembutsu) is empty of attachment due to faith in Amida Buddha and belief in the Primal Vow.
Pure Land Buddhists do not see rebirth as reward for their faith, but as working of Other-power.
When the practitioner's faith in Amida and belief in the Primal Vow is sincere, Amida embraces this old fool on his deathbed. The 48 Vows assure him of this.
Therefore the Pure Land path is not a cheat and is but non-attachment due to sincere practice of the Nembutsu.
By such Buddha Remembrance, one realizes the concept of non-self. In realizing non-self, Amida nurtures the seed of Buddha Nature in the heartmind of this foolish one. As a result, one is truly assured of rebirth in the Pure Land at this deathbed. For that is what it says in the 48 Vows of Amida Buddha.
For I was not born a Buddhist for my own Nirvana but for the Nirvana of all sentient beings. Therefore I practice Buddha Remembrance by chanting the Nembutsu for all sentient beings.
Namu Amida Butsu
20130111
The Good Antidote
For me Buddhism is a good antidote for belief in superstition and the supernatural.
Such beliefs arise from ignorance, regardless of the volumes of knowledge associated with superstitions such as numerology.
All I need to do to counteract superstition and belief in the supernatural is to meditate until my mind is cleared of all doubt. It is easy to discern whether particular symbols are superstition.
Take for example the number 13. It's just a number to me. When I was a child, I used to believe that 13 might have some supernatural significance.
Today, it's an unlucky number to the superstitious but not to me. In fact, I think of it as a "lucky" number because 13 is a prime number, the second in the series starting with 11 and ending with 19.
However, there is no luck involved: for numbers only have use to do math.
As for belief in the supernatural, I have long practiced Buddhism and believe in it so strongly that my belief in the supernatural as a child is all gone.
Indeed, the supernatural may have emotional appeal to the spiritually ignorant, but to Buddhists, the Buddha has greater appeal.
To me, the supernatural has little appeal at all because my faith in the Buddha is stronger than the childlike world of make-believe.
For meditation has trained me to wield my imagination as a tool that helps me to see Buddhism as a toolkit designed to think critically, and to entertain skepticism about
other belief systems.
Furthermore, Buddhism helps me to enshrine most of the various aspects such as Buddhas and bodhisattvas as qualities of the mind. In a way, the Buddha world called Pure Land of Bliss could be considered a state of mind, once I suspend disbelief and use my imagination to envision it through meditation.
By doing so, I am not practicing a superstition or engaging the supernatural. Rather, I am maintaining the clear mind to see through superstitions as unneeded distractions.
With clarity of mind, I see that faith in the Buddhadharma as practiced through Buddha Remembrance helps me to see the folly of believing in the supernatural.
For the Nembutsu, being the Name-that-calls, may be considered as Amida Buddha calling through me. This shows how closely I treasure the Buddha.
Even so, I must stress that meditation is practiced by Buddhists to clear the mind so that the sutras can be understood and applied to one's life.
As for the Nembutsu, it help me to remember the Buddha, and to develop the Bodhi Mind that arises from meditation.
Through faith in the Buddha am I truly freed from ignorance which is perpetuated by superstition and belief in the supernatural.
For Buddhism is a good antidote for ignorance.
Such beliefs arise from ignorance, regardless of the volumes of knowledge associated with superstitions such as numerology.
All I need to do to counteract superstition and belief in the supernatural is to meditate until my mind is cleared of all doubt. It is easy to discern whether particular symbols are superstition.
Take for example the number 13. It's just a number to me. When I was a child, I used to believe that 13 might have some supernatural significance.
Today, it's an unlucky number to the superstitious but not to me. In fact, I think of it as a "lucky" number because 13 is a prime number, the second in the series starting with 11 and ending with 19.
However, there is no luck involved: for numbers only have use to do math.
As for belief in the supernatural, I have long practiced Buddhism and believe in it so strongly that my belief in the supernatural as a child is all gone.
Indeed, the supernatural may have emotional appeal to the spiritually ignorant, but to Buddhists, the Buddha has greater appeal.
To me, the supernatural has little appeal at all because my faith in the Buddha is stronger than the childlike world of make-believe.
For meditation has trained me to wield my imagination as a tool that helps me to see Buddhism as a toolkit designed to think critically, and to entertain skepticism about
other belief systems.
Furthermore, Buddhism helps me to enshrine most of the various aspects such as Buddhas and bodhisattvas as qualities of the mind. In a way, the Buddha world called Pure Land of Bliss could be considered a state of mind, once I suspend disbelief and use my imagination to envision it through meditation.
By doing so, I am not practicing a superstition or engaging the supernatural. Rather, I am maintaining the clear mind to see through superstitions as unneeded distractions.
With clarity of mind, I see that faith in the Buddhadharma as practiced through Buddha Remembrance helps me to see the folly of believing in the supernatural.
For the Nembutsu, being the Name-that-calls, may be considered as Amida Buddha calling through me. This shows how closely I treasure the Buddha.
Even so, I must stress that meditation is practiced by Buddhists to clear the mind so that the sutras can be understood and applied to one's life.
As for the Nembutsu, it help me to remember the Buddha, and to develop the Bodhi Mind that arises from meditation.
Through faith in the Buddha am I truly freed from ignorance which is perpetuated by superstition and belief in the supernatural.
For Buddhism is a good antidote for ignorance.
20121103
The Nembutsu is the Name-That-Calls
When I say the Nembutsu,
Amida is calling, not I.
For the Name-that-calls
is Amida calling to me.
Namu Amida Butsu.
When I say the Nembutsu,
it is as though the flames of hell
become rain from the heavens above
while I say Namu Amida Butsu.
Namu Amida Butsu.
When I say the Nembutsu,
The Name-that-calls calls for me
from the Pure Land of Bliss.
Namu Amida Butsu
Namu Amida Butsu
Amida is calling, not I.
For the Name-that-calls
is Amida calling to me.
Namu Amida Butsu.
When I say the Nembutsu,
it is as though the flames of hell
become rain from the heavens above
while I say Namu Amida Butsu.
Namu Amida Butsu.
When I say the Nembutsu,
The Name-that-calls calls for me
from the Pure Land of Bliss.
Namu Amida Butsu
Namu Amida Butsu
My Smile Reminds Me of The Face I Had Before I was Born
One day an aged Zen master met an old lady who was unlike most that he'd encountered.
While most old people were glum and gloomy, this lady was happy and lively. On her arm was basket filled with pretty flowers.
"Hello, Ma'am," he said. "How are you doing?"
"Hello, honoured master. I am fine."
"Why are you so bubbly and full of cheer?"
"Well, though I am old and grey, I know that soon when I am gone, I shall be reborn in the Pure Land and will meet Amida Buddha, all my deceased relatives, and perhaps even Saint Shinran, too."
"Ah, but where is this Amida Buddha?"
"Right here," replied the old woman, pointing to her heart with a smile on her face. Then she gave the Zen master a flower, and went merrily on her way.
To himself, the master exclaimed, "Now that woman knows the Pure Land intimately."
One Zen koan that is posed to a Zen practitioner is the question, "What is the face that you had before you were born?"
While "Mu" would be the stereotypical Zen answer, I feel that the smile of peaceful bliss, constitutes the Shin Buddhist's answer.
In the Pure Land of Bliss, Buddha-essence incarnates as a bodhisattva. That bodhisattva receives instructions from Amida to prepare for the wonderful journey in the human realm.
In the human realm, that bodhisattva is transformed into Buddha-essence which is incarnated in a human being as a karmic seed being nurtured by positive life events in preparation for the spiritual mission which all Buddhists undertake: to be of service to others.
Thus it is the prime objective of a Shin Buddhist to be reborn in the Pure Land so that the Buddha-essence incarnated within is reborn as a bodhisattva to prepare for future rebirth in the human realm. Furthermore, the aspiration of a Buddhist is to be reborn in a Buddhist family.
Is this the same as reincarnation? No, because the Buddha-essence is not a soul. It is but a karmic seed which is nurtured by the positive life experience of the person within whom it incarnates. Most of the life experience is spiritual in nature, and suitably ought to be Buddhist.
If the Buddha-essence is incarnated in a person born to a family who is not Buddhist, then the karmic seed lies dormant until that person hears of Amida Buddha and his 48 Vows, and aspires to become a Buddhist. Otherwise, that seed lies dormant.
If, after hearing those 48 Vows, a person aspires to be reborn in the Pure Land, then iss there anything that he does to prevent rebirth? Because his aspiration to be reborn in the Pure Land is activated on hearing Dharmakara's 48 Vows, it still requires sincere practice on his part to prepare for rebirth. Therefore, the Buddhist is still required to practice the Five Precepts (non-violence towards other sentient beings, refraining from theft, appropriate sensual conduct, speaking the truth, and refraining from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness).
However, reciting Nembutsu is supposed to generate spiritual merit and sow seeds of good karma to help undo failure to follow the Five Precepts, provided that the Buddhist practitioner follows the precepts.
Returning to the question "What is the face I had before I was born?", if the answer is "peaceful bliss", then the question then becomes, "What is the face of peaceful bliss?" The answer is, a smile.
To quickly achieve such bliss, the Buddhist practitioner is advised to practice the Name-that-calls (the Nembutsu) with utmost devotion and sincerity.
This makes it easier to visual the thirteen contemplations found in the Amitāyus Meditation Sūtra. However, not everyone is able to complete the contemplations without a visual guide.
Such a visual guide is found in the Taima Mandala.
Since the thirteen contemplations are not for the average layperson, usually the Nembutsu suffices, provided that the practitioner knows why: to hear Amida's call to be reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss. This is why it is called the Name-That-Calls.
In Chinese Pure Land Buddhism, the Nembutsu is known as as Nianfo, and the practice of reciting the Nianfo is called Buddha Remembrance.
Since this Pure Land is the Buddha world of Amida Buddha, it is both a state of mind (peaceful bliss) and an afterlife (the Pure Land of Bliss). Knowing that I go there after my death relieves me of all anxiety about death. Being relieved of such anxiety, I still recite the Nembutsu to achieve the state of mind called "peaceful bliss".
For a mind bathed in the calm waters of such bliss is freed of anxiety about death. Being freed of such anxiety, I am able to realize that happiness is a journey, not a goal. Knowing happiness is a journey, the practitioner is free to enjoy life as it is.
What is life as it is? Well, for one thing, it surely is not life as it is supposed to be, which for most people is disappointing. If life is supposed to be easy, then people experiencing hardship would be disappointed. If life is supposed to be hard, then people should be relieved that it is sometimes easy. In any case, life as it is supposed to be is a life that is so unsatisfactory that a person may wish for a life more satisfactory. In the end, experiencing life as it is is satisfactory.
For life as it is is a life which is enjoyed, and the path to such a life is obtained by reciting the Nembutsu mindfully, with the aspiration of being born in the Pure Land.
Returning to the question, "What is the face I had before I was born?", I can only answer "peaceful bliss" and claim not to know what that face looks like. It is not the Nembutsu's purpose to know that.
Yet, on deeper examination of the question, it becomes possible to see the only similarity between my face and the face I had before I was born is a smile!
When I smile while reciting Nembutsu and when I smile while meditating, my mind is becalmed and peaceful bliss arises.
For the smile is the result of bliss.
So the more precise answer to the question "What is the face I had before I was born?" is to smile and hand the Zen master a flower.
While most old people were glum and gloomy, this lady was happy and lively. On her arm was basket filled with pretty flowers.
"Hello, Ma'am," he said. "How are you doing?"
"Hello, honoured master. I am fine."
"Why are you so bubbly and full of cheer?"
"Well, though I am old and grey, I know that soon when I am gone, I shall be reborn in the Pure Land and will meet Amida Buddha, all my deceased relatives, and perhaps even Saint Shinran, too."
"Ah, but where is this Amida Buddha?"
"Right here," replied the old woman, pointing to her heart with a smile on her face. Then she gave the Zen master a flower, and went merrily on her way.
To himself, the master exclaimed, "Now that woman knows the Pure Land intimately."
One Zen koan that is posed to a Zen practitioner is the question, "What is the face that you had before you were born?"
While "Mu" would be the stereotypical Zen answer, I feel that the smile of peaceful bliss, constitutes the Shin Buddhist's answer.
In the Pure Land of Bliss, Buddha-essence incarnates as a bodhisattva. That bodhisattva receives instructions from Amida to prepare for the wonderful journey in the human realm.
In the human realm, that bodhisattva is transformed into Buddha-essence which is incarnated in a human being as a karmic seed being nurtured by positive life events in preparation for the spiritual mission which all Buddhists undertake: to be of service to others.
Thus it is the prime objective of a Shin Buddhist to be reborn in the Pure Land so that the Buddha-essence incarnated within is reborn as a bodhisattva to prepare for future rebirth in the human realm. Furthermore, the aspiration of a Buddhist is to be reborn in a Buddhist family.
Is this the same as reincarnation? No, because the Buddha-essence is not a soul. It is but a karmic seed which is nurtured by the positive life experience of the person within whom it incarnates. Most of the life experience is spiritual in nature, and suitably ought to be Buddhist.
If the Buddha-essence is incarnated in a person born to a family who is not Buddhist, then the karmic seed lies dormant until that person hears of Amida Buddha and his 48 Vows, and aspires to become a Buddhist. Otherwise, that seed lies dormant.
If, after hearing those 48 Vows, a person aspires to be reborn in the Pure Land, then iss there anything that he does to prevent rebirth? Because his aspiration to be reborn in the Pure Land is activated on hearing Dharmakara's 48 Vows, it still requires sincere practice on his part to prepare for rebirth. Therefore, the Buddhist is still required to practice the Five Precepts (non-violence towards other sentient beings, refraining from theft, appropriate sensual conduct, speaking the truth, and refraining from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness).
However, reciting Nembutsu is supposed to generate spiritual merit and sow seeds of good karma to help undo failure to follow the Five Precepts, provided that the Buddhist practitioner follows the precepts.
Returning to the question "What is the face I had before I was born?", if the answer is "peaceful bliss", then the question then becomes, "What is the face of peaceful bliss?" The answer is, a smile.
To quickly achieve such bliss, the Buddhist practitioner is advised to practice the Name-that-calls (the Nembutsu) with utmost devotion and sincerity.
This makes it easier to visual the thirteen contemplations found in the Amitāyus Meditation Sūtra. However, not everyone is able to complete the contemplations without a visual guide.
Such a visual guide is found in the Taima Mandala.
Since the thirteen contemplations are not for the average layperson, usually the Nembutsu suffices, provided that the practitioner knows why: to hear Amida's call to be reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss. This is why it is called the Name-That-Calls.
In Chinese Pure Land Buddhism, the Nembutsu is known as as Nianfo, and the practice of reciting the Nianfo is called Buddha Remembrance.
Since this Pure Land is the Buddha world of Amida Buddha, it is both a state of mind (peaceful bliss) and an afterlife (the Pure Land of Bliss). Knowing that I go there after my death relieves me of all anxiety about death. Being relieved of such anxiety, I still recite the Nembutsu to achieve the state of mind called "peaceful bliss".
For a mind bathed in the calm waters of such bliss is freed of anxiety about death. Being freed of such anxiety, I am able to realize that happiness is a journey, not a goal. Knowing happiness is a journey, the practitioner is free to enjoy life as it is.
What is life as it is? Well, for one thing, it surely is not life as it is supposed to be, which for most people is disappointing. If life is supposed to be easy, then people experiencing hardship would be disappointed. If life is supposed to be hard, then people should be relieved that it is sometimes easy. In any case, life as it is supposed to be is a life that is so unsatisfactory that a person may wish for a life more satisfactory. In the end, experiencing life as it is is satisfactory.
For life as it is is a life which is enjoyed, and the path to such a life is obtained by reciting the Nembutsu mindfully, with the aspiration of being born in the Pure Land.
Returning to the question, "What is the face I had before I was born?", I can only answer "peaceful bliss" and claim not to know what that face looks like. It is not the Nembutsu's purpose to know that.
Yet, on deeper examination of the question, it becomes possible to see the only similarity between my face and the face I had before I was born is a smile!
When I smile while reciting Nembutsu and when I smile while meditating, my mind is becalmed and peaceful bliss arises.
For the smile is the result of bliss.
So the more precise answer to the question "What is the face I had before I was born?" is to smile and hand the Zen master a flower.
20100720
Nembutsu Muzen
Muzen is no Zen, the emptiness of Zen.
Muga refers to emptiness of self; mushin refers to emptiness of mind.
Emptiness refers to the heart-mind being empty of ego through mindful practice of meditation.
In meditation, each breath brings together the body and mind as one.
Together, body and mind works as one without thought of the self as the body-mind.
Thus, muga mushin is when self and mind act as one until no-mind and no-self remain.
No-mind is the egoless state of mind when one is mindful of the Buddha. Though one is mindful of the Buddha, one is essentially at one with the world.
No-self is that selfless state of mind when one utters the Name-that-calls, the Nembutsu, as though Amida Buddha is calling.
This is the essence of muzen.
Muga refers to emptiness of self; mushin refers to emptiness of mind.
Emptiness refers to the heart-mind being empty of ego through mindful practice of meditation.
In meditation, each breath brings together the body and mind as one.
Together, body and mind works as one without thought of the self as the body-mind.
Thus, muga mushin is when self and mind act as one until no-mind and no-self remain.
No-mind is the egoless state of mind when one is mindful of the Buddha. Though one is mindful of the Buddha, one is essentially at one with the world.
No-self is that selfless state of mind when one utters the Name-that-calls, the Nembutsu, as though Amida Buddha is calling.
This is the essence of muzen.
20100712
Nembutsu: Extraordinary, Ordinary and Mundane
The magick of
Nembutsu is that it is
easy practice!
How extraordinary!
Being easy practice, it is
called the non-magic of Nembutsu,
How ordinary!
Yet the Nembutsu practice
helps one to transcend
the ordinary as extraordinary,
and see as sacred
both non-magic and magick.
How mundane!
Commentary:
"Magick" and "non-magic" refers to the sense of awe arising when ordinary and mundane activity is revered as spiritual practice.
Within this context, "magick" refers to the ability of the devotee to experience the mundane life as deeply spiritually inspiring. He is to transcend the paradox of "magick as non-magic".
Indeed, everything in the world has a spiritual essence, especially the ordinary.
Furthermore, "non-magic" refers to the ordinary and mundane aspects of life whose spiritual essence felt not seen.
Indeed, Buddha Remembrance is revered as spiritual practice yet it consists of the ordinary and mundane activity of Nembutsu.
"Nembutsu" refers to all Buddhist practice related with Amida Buddha.
While the mundane world is mystified by the Nembutsu, the diligent practitioner remains in awe of it throughout his lifelong practice.
"Easy practice" refers specifically to the Nembutsu, be it meditation or chanting.
As the sublime spiritual activity, Nembutsu is mainly practiced in two different ways: chanting Amida's name and sitting meditation. It can vary from sincere recital of the Buddha's name to Nembutsu meditation to Vajrayana empowerment.
"Extraordinary" is related to mystery, to which most religious practices are to the untrained mind.
"Ordinary" is the complement of extraordinary. It refers to the commonly found qualities of life which are not exceptional in any way especially in ability, degree, quality or size. However, it can be pure and simple.
Like "mundane", it refers to this world. Indeed, in the context of this commentary, mundane itself describes the ordinary, while it tends to be found only in ordinary everyday life.
Thus, extraordinary refers to the unknown qualities of this world which are out of the ordinary and definitely far from mundane.
To the person inspired by Nembutsu practice who respects the ordinary and mundane as sacred, observing the sunset is as inspiring as seeing the Dalai Lama.
This sacredness is considered extraordinary in these modern times because it is very rare. Hence the term, "magick".
Yet ordinary everyday acts in that person's life may be seen as extraordinary when it has a positive influence on the mind.
In seeing the non-magic of Nembutsu as magick, the true devotee transcends its mystery.
For seeing the ordinary as extraordinary is to see the magick of Nembutsu.
Nembutsu is that it is
easy practice!
How extraordinary!
Being easy practice, it is
called the non-magic of Nembutsu,
How ordinary!
Yet the Nembutsu practice
helps one to transcend
the ordinary as extraordinary,
and see as sacred
both non-magic and magick.
How mundane!
Commentary:
"Magick" and "non-magic" refers to the sense of awe arising when ordinary and mundane activity is revered as spiritual practice.
Within this context, "magick" refers to the ability of the devotee to experience the mundane life as deeply spiritually inspiring. He is to transcend the paradox of "magick as non-magic".
Indeed, everything in the world has a spiritual essence, especially the ordinary.
Furthermore, "non-magic" refers to the ordinary and mundane aspects of life whose spiritual essence felt not seen.
Indeed, Buddha Remembrance is revered as spiritual practice yet it consists of the ordinary and mundane activity of Nembutsu.
"Nembutsu" refers to all Buddhist practice related with Amida Buddha.
While the mundane world is mystified by the Nembutsu, the diligent practitioner remains in awe of it throughout his lifelong practice.
"Easy practice" refers specifically to the Nembutsu, be it meditation or chanting.
As the sublime spiritual activity, Nembutsu is mainly practiced in two different ways: chanting Amida's name and sitting meditation. It can vary from sincere recital of the Buddha's name to Nembutsu meditation to Vajrayana empowerment.
"Extraordinary" is related to mystery, to which most religious practices are to the untrained mind.
"Ordinary" is the complement of extraordinary. It refers to the commonly found qualities of life which are not exceptional in any way especially in ability, degree, quality or size. However, it can be pure and simple.
Like "mundane", it refers to this world. Indeed, in the context of this commentary, mundane itself describes the ordinary, while it tends to be found only in ordinary everyday life.
Thus, extraordinary refers to the unknown qualities of this world which are out of the ordinary and definitely far from mundane.
To the person inspired by Nembutsu practice who respects the ordinary and mundane as sacred, observing the sunset is as inspiring as seeing the Dalai Lama.
This sacredness is considered extraordinary in these modern times because it is very rare. Hence the term, "magick".
Yet ordinary everyday acts in that person's life may be seen as extraordinary when it has a positive influence on the mind.
In seeing the non-magic of Nembutsu as magick, the true devotee transcends its mystery.
For seeing the ordinary as extraordinary is to see the magick of Nembutsu.
20100710
Nembutsu Zen (poem)
Remembering the Buddha
is the Name-that-calls...
Mindful of the Buddha,
self and mind flow on...
Namu Amida Butsu!
Pure mindfulness rests
in the bosom of no-self
when peace is at hand!
Selflessness cannot rise
by calculation;
rather, no-mind clearly flows
in serenity...
Namu Amida Butsu!
is the Name-that-calls...
Mindful of the Buddha,
self and mind flow on...
Namu Amida Butsu!
Pure mindfulness rests
in the bosom of no-self
when peace is at hand!
Selflessness cannot rise
by calculation;
rather, no-mind clearly flows
in serenity...
Namu Amida Butsu!
20100707
Not Clinging (poem)
Not clinging to belief,
my heart-mind is embraced by Amida
whenever he calls through me.
Namu Amida Butsu.
Because it arises
from not clinging to Amida,
my faith is unwavering.
Namu Amida Butsu.
The above poem was inspired by reading "Reflections on the Religious Case Against Belief" by Carl von Baeyer of the Saskatoon Unitarian Church.
Through this poem, I am freeing my heart-mind of clinging to ideology with regard to my faith.
For each time one calls to Amida gives less fuel for belief to burn until all that is left is faith.
Many thanks for Mr. von Baeyer for inspiring me to study the Buddhist Upādāna.
References:
Reflections on The Religious Case Against Belief: http://www.ucsaskatoon.org/wp/guest-speakers/reflections-carse
Clinging or Upādāna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na#Buddhism
http://gandhara.blogspot.com/search/label/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na
my heart-mind is embraced by Amida
whenever he calls through me.
Namu Amida Butsu.
Because it arises
from not clinging to Amida,
my faith is unwavering.
Namu Amida Butsu.
The above poem was inspired by reading "Reflections on the Religious Case Against Belief" by Carl von Baeyer of the Saskatoon Unitarian Church.
Through this poem, I am freeing my heart-mind of clinging to ideology with regard to my faith.
For each time one calls to Amida gives less fuel for belief to burn until all that is left is faith.
Many thanks for Mr. von Baeyer for inspiring me to study the Buddhist Upādāna.
References:
Reflections on The Religious Case Against Belief: http://www.ucsaskatoon.org/wp/guest-speakers/reflections-carse
Clinging or Upādāna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na#Buddhism
http://gandhara.blogspot.com/search/label/Up%C4%81d%C4%81na
20100603
Jodo Shinshu: The Teaching of Our Tradition
No. 30 in the collection of Rennyo Shonin's letters, Gobunshoo: 'The Teaching of Our Tradition'.
If you wish to know thoroughly the essentials of the teaching recommended in our tradition and attain birth in the land of bliss, you should, first of all, know about the entrusting heart of Other Power.
What is the entrusting heart of Other Power for? It is the provision by which helpless beings like us can easily be born in the Pure Land.
How is it to have the entrusting heart of Other Power? It is simply to awaken a single thought of entrusting with single-minded and unwavering reliance on Amida Tathagata without any qualms; then the Buddha unfailingly sends forth the embracing light and keeps you within it while you are in this Saha world. This is precisely how your birth is settled.
Thus, the Nale-That-Calls (Namo Amida Butsu) is itself the entrusting heart of Other Power has been established in you by hearing the Buddhadharma. Please understand that this entrusting heart reveals how the Name-That-Calls works through you.
Therefore you should not doubt that by attaining this entrusting heart of Other Power, you will easily be born into the Buddha-field of Sukhavati to hear the word of Amida.
How wonderful is Amida's Primal Vow!
How could we express our deep gratitude for Amida's benevolence?
We should express our gratitude for Amida Tathagata's benevolence by simply reciting the Name-That-Calls while awake.
What should be our motivation for saying the Name-That-Calls?
Remember to express our joyful gratitude and appreciate the benevolence of Amida Tathagata for saving us.
Primal Vow: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primal_Vow
If you wish to know thoroughly the essentials of the teaching recommended in our tradition and attain birth in the land of bliss, you should, first of all, know about the entrusting heart of Other Power.
What is the entrusting heart of Other Power for? It is the provision by which helpless beings like us can easily be born in the Pure Land.
How is it to have the entrusting heart of Other Power? It is simply to awaken a single thought of entrusting with single-minded and unwavering reliance on Amida Tathagata without any qualms; then the Buddha unfailingly sends forth the embracing light and keeps you within it while you are in this Saha world. This is precisely how your birth is settled.
Thus, the Nale-That-Calls (Namo Amida Butsu) is itself the entrusting heart of Other Power has been established in you by hearing the Buddhadharma. Please understand that this entrusting heart reveals how the Name-That-Calls works through you.
Therefore you should not doubt that by attaining this entrusting heart of Other Power, you will easily be born into the Buddha-field of Sukhavati to hear the word of Amida.
How wonderful is Amida's Primal Vow!
How could we express our deep gratitude for Amida's benevolence?
We should express our gratitude for Amida Tathagata's benevolence by simply reciting the Name-That-Calls while awake.
What should be our motivation for saying the Name-That-Calls?
Remember to express our joyful gratitude and appreciate the benevolence of Amida Tathagata for saving us.
Primal Vow: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primal_Vow
20100601
Use The Nembutsu to Transcend Fear of Death
With each call the Name-that-calls helps he who calls to transcend the fear of death.
That Amida Buddha and his Pure Land exist as a result of fulfillment of his 48 Vows is true because of millions of Pure Land followers' belief in him. It is that belief which helps them to transcend fear of death, because they will be reborn in the Pure Land due to their faith.
Fearless of death, the devotee is not foolish. She does not act or behave in a manner to risk death, but her conduct is such that each act is done out of devotion to Amida. She also practices all the Buddhist virtues faithfully. Through but one call to Amida, the resulting bliss helps her transcend fear of death.
Bliss leads to serenity, and serenity of mind leads to the pure mind which enjoys the non-practice of the Name.
For the non-practice of Nembutsu helps one to develop calm insight to comprehend the Buddhadharma and put its teachings into practice. The reason why the Name-that-calls transcends the fear of death with each call is because faith in Other Power motivates the devotee to utter the Name with sincere gratitude and out of pure joy.
That this is true is inconceivable to ordinary people, yet is understood by the faithful. There is no mystery involved in this practice, only simple faith in the Name-that-calls.
Thus do I place my faith in the Buddha.
20100517
The Primal Vow Fulfilled
If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and call my Name, even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. Excluded, however, are those who commit the five gravest offences and abuse the right Dharma.
-- The Primal Vow
- With each call the Name-that-calls
helps he who calls to
transcend the fear of death. O!
Who is it that calls,
"Namu Amida Butsu"?
- By fulfilling all of
his Forty-Eight Vows,
Amida Buddha and
his Pure Land exist;
all his many followers
confirm this by calling:
"Namu Amida Butsu".
- Because they will be reborn
in the Pure Land
out of faith in the Primal Vow,
they call fearlessly:
"Namu Amida Butsu".
- Tho' fearless of death, no fool
is the devotee:
she does not act or behave
to risk death, but calls:
"Namu Amida Butsu".
- Devoted to Amida,
she practices all
Buddhist virtues faithfully,
her pure mind hears Him call:
"Namu Amida Butsu."
- Bliss leads to serenity,
and serenity,
to the pure mind to enjoy
calling of the Name:
"Namu Amida Buddha".
- For the Name-that-calls helps one
to develop bliss
to understand the Dharma,
and practice it now.
"Namu Amida Buddha".
- Faith in Other Power moves
her pure heart deeply.
Out of sincere gratitude
the devotee calls:
"Namu Amida Butsu."
- Inconceivable is He,
Amida Buddha,
to all but His devotees,
who faithfully call:
"Namu Amida Butsu".
- "Namu Amida Butsu".
20100503
An Unconventional View of Shinjin
"If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and call my Name, even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. Excluded, however, are those who commit the five gravest offences and abuse the right Dharma." - the 18th Vow of bodhisattva Dharmakara
Of the 48 Vows that Amida Buddha fulfilled, the 18th Vow is most precious to Pure Land followers.
In Shin Buddhism it is known as the Primal Vow.
Shinran, the founder of Jodo Shinshu, the Japanese Buddhist school which evolved into the post-modern form of Shin Buddhism, advocated that birth in the Pure Land is settled in the midst of life.
As a Shin Buddhist, my birth in the Pure Land is settled in my lifetime. When I entrust myself to Amida Buddha, birth there is settled at that moment.
In my present life, my spiritual journey consists of Shinjin, which is faith, belief, devotion and godliness. The Shin Buddhist concept of Shinjin in English may be limited by the devotee's understanding of the definitions for the term:
1. Faith
2. Belief
3. Devotion
4. Clear heartmind
By saying the Nembutsu out of sincere gratitude, I place my faith in Amida's Primal Vow. For belief in both Amida Buddha and my rebirth in the Pure Land of Bliss is based on that Vow. Thus am I devoted to the Buddha.
For the essence of the first three definitions for Shinjin is expressed succinctly in the Name-that-calls.
Within the context of the Buddhist concept of no-self, clear heartmind refers to humility. Hence the concept of the Name-that-calls, which consists of saying the Nembutsu out of sincere gratitude with the belief that it is Amida Buddha calling. This is known as Buddha Remembrance.
Since Amida is the Buddha of the Pure Land, clear heartmind refers to the pure mind that promotes calm insight to perceive the spiritual essence of Buddha Nature.
With calm insight, one is able to see Amida Buddha and the Pure Land as spiritual concepts symbolizing the bodhisattva way, and out of devotion, purify the heartmind through mindful practice with the intent to awaken all sentient beings to Sakyamuni Buddha and his Buddhadharma.
For the devout Shin Buddhist, shinjin as clear heartmind implies one takes faith in Amida Buddha's Primal Vow, believes in Amida Buddha and his birth in the Pure Land, and is devoted to saying the Name-that-calls with sincere gratitude. Yet this clear heartmind is not derived from the concept of man as god but from faith in Amida's Primal Vow that the devotee will be born in the Pure Land.
Due to the Buddhist concept of no-self, clear heartmind is derived from the non-practice of Buddha-Remembrance. By saying the Name-that-calls with sincere gratitude, one calls out to Amida Buddha with the belief that Amida calling to them.
In Buddhist psychology, clear heartmind refers to spiritual qualities of the mind associated with a bodhisattva. With respect to shinjin, clear heartmind is associated with faith, devotion and belief.
Indeed, shinjin as clear heartmind consists of belief in Amida, devotion to Amida and faith in Amida's Primal Vow that one's birth in the Pure Land is fulfilled.
Of the 48 Vows that Amida Buddha fulfilled, the 18th Vow is most precious to Pure Land followers.
In Shin Buddhism it is known as the Primal Vow.
Shinran, the founder of Jodo Shinshu, the Japanese Buddhist school which evolved into the post-modern form of Shin Buddhism, advocated that birth in the Pure Land is settled in the midst of life.
As a Shin Buddhist, my birth in the Pure Land is settled in my lifetime. When I entrust myself to Amida Buddha, birth there is settled at that moment.
In my present life, my spiritual journey consists of Shinjin, which is faith, belief, devotion and godliness. The Shin Buddhist concept of Shinjin in English may be limited by the devotee's understanding of the definitions for the term:
1. Faith
2. Belief
3. Devotion
4. Clear heartmind
By saying the Nembutsu out of sincere gratitude, I place my faith in Amida's Primal Vow. For belief in both Amida Buddha and my rebirth in the Pure Land of Bliss is based on that Vow. Thus am I devoted to the Buddha.
For the essence of the first three definitions for Shinjin is expressed succinctly in the Name-that-calls.
Within the context of the Buddhist concept of no-self, clear heartmind refers to humility. Hence the concept of the Name-that-calls, which consists of saying the Nembutsu out of sincere gratitude with the belief that it is Amida Buddha calling. This is known as Buddha Remembrance.
Since Amida is the Buddha of the Pure Land, clear heartmind refers to the pure mind that promotes calm insight to perceive the spiritual essence of Buddha Nature.
With calm insight, one is able to see Amida Buddha and the Pure Land as spiritual concepts symbolizing the bodhisattva way, and out of devotion, purify the heartmind through mindful practice with the intent to awaken all sentient beings to Sakyamuni Buddha and his Buddhadharma.
For the devout Shin Buddhist, shinjin as clear heartmind implies one takes faith in Amida Buddha's Primal Vow, believes in Amida Buddha and his birth in the Pure Land, and is devoted to saying the Name-that-calls with sincere gratitude. Yet this clear heartmind is not derived from the concept of man as god but from faith in Amida's Primal Vow that the devotee will be born in the Pure Land.
Due to the Buddhist concept of no-self, clear heartmind is derived from the non-practice of Buddha-Remembrance. By saying the Name-that-calls with sincere gratitude, one calls out to Amida Buddha with the belief that Amida calling to them.
In Buddhist psychology, clear heartmind refers to spiritual qualities of the mind associated with a bodhisattva. With respect to shinjin, clear heartmind is associated with faith, devotion and belief.
Indeed, shinjin as clear heartmind consists of belief in Amida, devotion to Amida and faith in Amida's Primal Vow that one's birth in the Pure Land is fulfilled.
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