The Guideline of Reason Proves Immortality is A Fallacy

This is the reasoning and understanding of human logic. For example, we may reflect: All realms are created from the mind. If there is a world such as ours, where good karma and bad karma are about equal, there must exist other worlds such as the three Evil Paths, with a preponderance of evil karma, as well as celestial realms, where good karma prevails. It therefore stands to reason that the Western Pure Land exists, as a result of the pure, good Vows of Amida Buddha as well as the virtues of the Bodhisattvas and other morally superior beings. — from pages 162-163, Buddhism of Wisdom & Faith by Thich Thien Tâm

In context of this text, "realms" refers to reality consisting of worlds and multiverses. Since our reality exists, it follows that the reality where the Three Evil Paths prevail also exists as well as celestial realms (e.g Tusita Heaven and other heavens). Therefore Amida Buddha's Pure Land of Bliss also exists due to the 48 Vows of Amida Buddha and the virtues of Bodhisattvas and other morally superior beings (including all sentient beings who have heard the Buddha's teachings about the Pure Land).

Thus, the mind is only empty of these realities, worlds and multiverses when disbelief prevails and faith in the Primal Vow is lacking. Such a mind is possessed by people who only believe that this reality is the only reality. Due to disbelief and lack of faith, such people are deluded. At best, they are limited in their belief and faith to one reality.

By clinging to this reality, their mind is closed to the possibility of the other realms, due to ignorance.

However, the believers of the Pure Land and other realms should not dismiss them because of their ignorance since ignorance, being the root of their delusion, is thus the source of their suffering.

Instead Pure Land followers are best to sympathize with them but not let their sympathy cause them disbelief and loss of faith due to the vain arguments of the unbelievers who lack faith in the Primal Vow.

For their delusion has blinded them to Truth, and their limited view of Truth is dependent on their belief in one reality only.

Even so, quantum theory has proven the existence of many realities. Therefore it also follows that belief in one reality only assumes disbelief in quantum theory. Thus the belief in only one reality" is based on classical physics and its related cosmology, and affirms Einstein's belief that the spooky physics of quantum theory is beyond his understanding. As well, Einstein's genius is limited.

Given that Einstein's genius is limited, belief that there are many realities is based on the Genius of the Buddha, which is just as infinite as those realities are.

However, within the context of the non-self principle that all these realities must be consistent with a finite existence, each of these realities too have a finite existence. Yet an infinite number of realities does not violate the non-self principle because an infinite number of realities does not assume infinite existence.

Likewise, Buddha Nature is limitless because even though it is of finite existence, the theory of karma suggests that its finite existence is boundless. Thus, boundless does not mean infinite. Both boundless life and boundless light are therefore of a long but finite existence.

Also, the consciousness stream (mind stream) is of a finite existence that is boundless. Thus finite is not empty of boundless, which merely means long.

Therefore boundless light means long-lasting light; and boundless life, long life.

Finally, a long life is empty of immortality and thus does not imply an immortal life.

Notes on Om Mani Padme Hum

This note is a study aid. See reference for details.

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Six syllables give praise to the bodhisattva of compassion,
Avalokiteshvara who is also known in Tibetan Buddhism as Chenrezig, and as Guanyin in Chinese Buddhism. According to Tsangsar Tulku Rinpoche's Chenrezig Sudhana, these syllables are:

Om represents:
• Six Pāramitās:
∘ Generosity
• Purifies:
∘ Pride / Ego
• Samsaric realm:
∘ Devas
• Color:
∘ White
• The symbol of the Deity:
∘ Wisdom
• (Wish them) to be born in:
∘ Perfect Realm of Potala

Ma represents:
• Six Pāramitās:
∘ Ethics
• Purifies:
∘ Jealousy / Lust for entertainment
• Samsaric realm:
∘ Asuras
• Color:
∘ Green
• The symbol of the Deity:
∘ Compassion
• (Wish them) to be born in:
∘ Perfect Realm of Potala

Ni represents:
• Six Pāramitās:
∘ Patience
• Purifies:
∘ Passion / desire
• Samsaric realm:
∘ Humans
• Color:
∘ Yellow
• The symbol of the Deity:
∘ Body, speech, mind quality and activity
• (Wish them) to be born in:
∘ Dewachen

Pad represents:
• Six Pāramitās:
∘ Diligence
• Purifies:
∘ Ignorance / prejudice
• Samsaric realm:
∘ Animals
• Color:
∘ Blue
• The symbol of the Deity:
∘ Equanimity
• (Wish them) to be born in:
∘ the presence of Protector (Chenrezig)

Me represents:
• Six Pāramitās:
∘ Renunciation
• Purifies:
∘ Poverty / possessiveness
• Samsaric realm:
∘ Pretas (hungry ghosts)
• Color:
∘ Red
• The symbol of the Deity:
∘ Bliss
• (Wish them) to be born in:
∘ Perfect Realm of Potala

Hum represents:
• Six Pāramitās:
∘ Wisdom
• Purifies:
∘ Aggression / hatred
• Samsaric realm:
∘ Naraka
• Color:
∘ Black
• The symbol of the Deity:
∘ Quality of Compassion
• (Wish them) to be born in:
∘ the presence of the Lotus Throne (of Chenrezig)

According to HH the 14th Dalai Lama,

Om symbolizes:
• the practitioner's impure body, speech, and mind
• the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha

Mani (jewel) symbolizes:
• the factors of method: (the) altruistic intention to become enlightened, compassion, and love

Padme (lotus) symbolizes:
• wisdom

Hum symbolizes:
• indivisibility
• purity achieved by an indivisible unity of method and wisdom

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References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum

Birth-Death-Life (poem)

World of life, floating gently
amidst the mire,
awash with falling raindrops,
bathed in warm sunshine --
How brief is life as it is!

Yet life comes and goes,
with death a welcome respite.
Indeed, birth-life-death
is one endless cycle of
change, the enduring constant.

After death, we all return
to the Other Side,
before we are called again
to this world of life
to help others learn of Life.

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Notes:
"Other Side" implies rebirth in the Pure Land or in the Six Realms of the hells, hungry ghost, animal, human, demigods and gods, as well as the numerous Buddhist heavens.

Buddha is Mind

One night, a Master who is a friend of this author dreamed that a yellow-robed monk came to ask him, "You practice Buddha Recitation, but what is Buddha?" Answer "Buddha is Mind." The monk continued, "How about explaining to me what you mean by Buddha is Mind?" In his dream, the author's friend improvised the following stanzas:

Each utterance of the Buddha's name following the rosary is Mind,
Buddha is clearly Mind, why waste time searching for Him?
The Buddha's sea of wisdom reconciles Mind and Realm!
Mind and Buddha are born equal.

To abandon Mind and follow the Buddha is to be still in a dream,
To be attached to the Buddha as Mind is not yet perfect comprehension;
Mind and Buddha are both originally illusory and dreamlike,
To transcend both Buddha and Mind is to arrive at the perfect City of Lights.

The Master understood the essence of Buddha Recitation, reconciling the Buddha's name with the realm of the Mind. - Thich Thien Tam, Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith