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.
Showing posts with label Tariki. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tariki. Show all posts
20130403
20130213
Zen and Pure Land are the Middle Way
Here is proof that masters chant in addition to zazen: http://heartofus.wordpress.com/chants/hannya-shingyo/
Hannya Shingyo (the Heart Sutra) is a Zen Buddhist chant which Zen masters and their disciples chant as part of their daily practice. This sutra was used by the Japanese Zen Master Hakuin in place of the Chinese Ch'an practice of Buddha Recitation (Nian-fo). This was done mainly to avoid the ire of the established Japanese Buddhist hegemony who profited from being intercessors between Japanese people from all walks of life and Enlightenment.
Zen practice aids its practitioners to become dedicated Buddhist practice of mindfulness, meditation being as used like a tool to control the mind.
Were they to chant any one of the Pure Land Sutras with the Bodhi Mind (determination for Buddhahood and aspiration to be bodhisattvas), if they don't achieve samadhi or Nirvana in this life, then they shall become Buddha in the afterlife called Sukhavarti.
When Zen and Pure Land are practiced as one with dedication to all sentient beings, the Buddhist who follows this mindful practice is assured Buddhahood. When belief in ekayana (one path) results in a choice between Zen and Pure Land, the Buddhist may choose between the practice of self-power (the difficult path) and of other-power (the easy path).
Why not hedge all your bets and instead of becoming only self-powered, being self-powered and other-powered bodhisattvas? Self-power is reliance on your own efforts to achieve Nirvana while other-power is based on faith in Amida Buddha's Primal Vow for the sake of all sentient beings. Thus empowered, the Buddhist who practices for all sentient beings is like a bodhisattva.
Indeed, Zen and Pure Land together combine self-power with other-power as Bodhi Mind, both to achieve samadhi in this life and to attain Nirvana in the afterlife of the Pure Land.
When one believes he is destined for the Pure Land to become Buddha, it is neither an attachment for reward nor a cheat but liberation from suffering for all sentient beings.
For all sentient beings are Buddha just as samsara is Nirvana.
I sincerely believe that both aspiration to become a bodhisattva who helps all sentient beings and determination to attain Buddhahood in this manner free me of attachment to the purported reward of the Pure Land.
May all Buddhists be dedicated their practice for the sake of all sentient beings.
Hannya Shingyo: http://heartofus.wordpress.com/chants/hannya-shingyo/
Nianfo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nianfo
20130201
Nirvana: Sudden and Gradual (poem)
Nirvana is of the sudden and the gradual.
The gradual is by one's self power
while the sudden is by the Buddha's other power.
Self power begins with one breath despite hardship,
while other power continues onwards with ease.
With single-mindedness in meditation
the sudden happens easily
aided with recitation of
Namu Amida Butsu.
The gradual is by one's self power
while the sudden is by the Buddha's other power.
Self power begins with one breath despite hardship,
while other power continues onwards with ease.
With single-mindedness in meditation
the sudden happens easily
aided with recitation of
Namu Amida Butsu.
20130124
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
Self-power of Zen & Other-Power of Pure Land
From my myopic mindset, the average Westerner who is new to Buddhism is deathly afraid of the Four Noble Truths since suffering as she knows it is depressing.
As well, because the Pure Land way will expose the follower to the truth that even Bodhisattvas may be deluded, this discourages the fearful from following Shinran on the True Pure Land Path.
Yet such people are not worthy of becoming Pure Land followers. Why? Because they cling to their fears, despite such clinging leading to the Three Evils.
Thus it takes courage to believe in the Pure Land and to have faith in the Primal Vow.
For those Buddhists who instead gravitate towards Zen have chosen self-power out of fear of Other-power. Instead of being embraced by Amida, they hold onto the Buddha in vain.
It's no wonder they are confused by Pure Land followers whose faith rests soley in the heartmind of compassion and wisdom, rather than sitting on their asses in zazen like ne'er-do-wells.
These Zen masters are so arrogant that they consider it to be cheating to choose the Pure Land way. Furthermore, they think Pure Land followers are attached to the reward of the Pure Land, which is laughable to those followers who practice Buddha Remembrance.
For all the Zen Patriarchs approved of the Nembutsu to chant as Buddha Remembrance during zazen.
Yet because of Hakuin's doing, the Nembutsu was replaced by koans because that old Zen Patriarch despised the easy practice of Buddha Remembrance.
Even so, Buddha Remembrance helps improve meditation just as meditation helps improve Buddha Remembrance.
This is why most Chinese Pure Land followers have combined Zen with Pure Land.
As well, because the Pure Land way will expose the follower to the truth that even Bodhisattvas may be deluded, this discourages the fearful from following Shinran on the True Pure Land Path.
Yet such people are not worthy of becoming Pure Land followers. Why? Because they cling to their fears, despite such clinging leading to the Three Evils.
Thus it takes courage to believe in the Pure Land and to have faith in the Primal Vow.
For those Buddhists who instead gravitate towards Zen have chosen self-power out of fear of Other-power. Instead of being embraced by Amida, they hold onto the Buddha in vain.
It's no wonder they are confused by Pure Land followers whose faith rests soley in the heartmind of compassion and wisdom, rather than sitting on their asses in zazen like ne'er-do-wells.
These Zen masters are so arrogant that they consider it to be cheating to choose the Pure Land way. Furthermore, they think Pure Land followers are attached to the reward of the Pure Land, which is laughable to those followers who practice Buddha Remembrance.
For all the Zen Patriarchs approved of the Nembutsu to chant as Buddha Remembrance during zazen.
Yet because of Hakuin's doing, the Nembutsu was replaced by koans because that old Zen Patriarch despised the easy practice of Buddha Remembrance.
Even so, Buddha Remembrance helps improve meditation just as meditation helps improve Buddha Remembrance.
This is why most Chinese Pure Land followers have combined Zen with Pure Land.
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