The Root of Nirvana is Found in Adversity (poem)

Even though I speak of
love and compassion,
patience and wisdom,
the disciple who believes
that they only arise
out of peaceful situations
will never find love,
compassion, patience,
or wisdom on a good day,
because they arise out of
the muck and mire of a bad day.
For the root of Nirvana is not
found by contemplating your navel
but by dealing in adversity!

How to Ensure Non-Retrogression of the Mind

A Pure Land treatise on the Buddha Recitation Samadhi has explained the "ten practices of non-seeking" to eliminate the ten major obstacles encountered by practitioners on the path to Enlightenment. These ten major obstacles encompass all obstructions and impediments. Therefore if we follow the ten non-seeking practices, all obstacles will disappear. These ten practices are:

1. We should not wish that our bodies be always free of diseases and ailments, because a disease-free body is prone to desire and lust. This leads to precept-breaking and retrogression.
   
2. We should not wish that our lives be free of all misfortune and adversity, lest we be prone to pride and arrogance. This leads us to be disdainful and overbearing towards everyone else.
   
3. We should not wish that our mind cultivation be free of all obstacles because, in such a case, our knowledge would be exceptional. This leads to the transgression of thinking that we have awakened, when in fact we have not.
   
4. We should not wish that our cultivation be free of demonic obstacles, because our vows would not then be firm and enduring. This leads to the transgression of thinking that we have attained Enlightenment, when in fact we have not.
   
5. We should not wish that our plans and activities meet with easy success, for we will then be inclined to thoughts of contempt and disrespect. This leads to the transgression of pride and conceit, thinking ourselves to be filled with virtues and talent.
   
6. We should not wish for gain in our social relations. This leads us to violate moral principles and see only the mistakes of others.
   
7. We should not wish that everyone, at all times, be on good terms and in harmony with us. This leads to pride and conceit and seeing only our own side of every issue.
   
8. We should not wish to be repaid for our good deeds, lest we develop a calculating mind. This leads to greed for fame and fortune.
   
9. We should not wish to share in opportunities for profit, lest the mind of delusion arise. This leads us to lose our good name and reputation for the sake of unwholesome gain.
   
10. When subject to injustice and wronged, we should not necessarily seek the ability to refute and rebut, as doing so indicates that the mind of self-and-others has not been severed. This will certainly lead to more resentment and hatred.

Thus, we can see that life, while full of obstacles and impediments, can be summarized in ten points:

• Sickness of the body
  
• Misfortune and adversity
  
• Hindrances and impediments to cultivation
  
• Demonic obstacles to fulfillment of vows
  
• Failure in activities and undertakings
  
• Indifferent or treacherous friends
  
• Opposition from many quarters
  
• Hostility in return for good deeds
  
• Loss of wealth and reputation
  
• Subjection to injustice and wrongs.

Thus, in merit there is misfortune, in misfortune there is merit, in freedom there are obstructions, in obstructions there is freedom. Realizing this, cultivators in the past have used "obstacles as conditions for progress." They have said, "If others do not bother and disturb us, success in the Way is difficult to achieve." This is because contempt, slander, calamity, injustice and all other obstacles are the "yardsticks to measure the practitioner's level of attainment." Remaining patient and calm in the face of such impediments, the cultivator demonstrates that he has reached a high level of practice. If it were not for these obstacles, how could his level of attainment be measured? In truth, it is not that the practitioner seeks obstacles and impediments, but that he must be ever-vigilant, for the Way is full of dangerous and unforeseen events. He should prepare himself for all eventualities so that when faced with actual obstacles, he can remain calm and unruffled. An Elder Master once said: Only those with wisdom and strong determination can apply these ten practices. As long as they meditate, are enlightened and hold steadfastly to these ten practices, even if they enter the realms of the demons, the demons cannot make them retrogress. Even though they may be in the realms of form, sound, fame, fortune, love, hate, right, wrong, prosperity, decline, success, failure ... they will still be calm and at peace. Thus, if we are deluded, all good and favorable circumstances can become conditions obstructing the Way. If we truly understand that all disease, suffering and demonic obstacles are inherently empty and false, lacking true substance, they cannot harm us in any way. The wise should apply the above ten points in the following way:

• Turn suffering and disease into good medicine
  
• Turn misfortune and calamity into liberation
  
• Turn obstacles into freedom and ease
  
• Turn demons into Dharma friends
  
• Turn trying events into peace and joy
  
• Turn bad friends into helpful associates
  
• Turn opponents into "fields of flowers"
  
• Treat ingratitude as worn-out shoes to be discarded
  
• Turn frugality into power and wealth
  
• Turn injustice and wrongs into conditions for progress along the Way.

We can see, then, that good or bad, success or failure always depends on the mind. Therefore, while beginning cultivators are very leery of obstacles, high-level masters are at times eager to face them.

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Buddhism of Wisdom & Faith: Pure Land Principles and Practice: http://www.ymba.org/BWF/bwf92.htm#ensure

The Power of Dharma Practice

I'm a Buddhist, and have the power called Dharma practice consisting of the skillful means of Buddha Remembrance and meditation, both of which aid mindful practice.

It has the potential to burn away evil karma, and accumulate merit through good thoughts and deeds.

As a True Pure Land School (Jodo Shinshu) Buddhist, the skillful means called Buddha Remembrance (Buddha Recitation) consists of 7, 21 or 49 recitations of Amida Buddha's name (Namu Amida Butsu).

Known as the Nembutsu, it has a special name only within Jodo Shinshu circle as the Name-that-calls. For when a Pure Land devotee calls out Amida's name, it is Amida calling through her.

When I was young, I went to the Fraser Valley Buddhist temple to learn about our faith. However, as a child I was prone to taking wring action that built up evil karma.

In Buddhism, evil karma is defined as calculated actions that serve the self, and through ignorant craving, leads to the ego controlling the mind.

It wasn't until over 20 years ago, that I first started meditating.

Though, it's been only about a month since I started reading Thich Thien Tâm's book Buddha of Wisdom and Faith, and was moved to commit myself to Chinese Pure Land School and using my education as a True Pure Land School student.

Even though a few Buddhist claim that it isn't wise to study outside of Pure Land tradition, I have studied Vajrayana but only have an intellectual grasp of it. It's only been very recently that I have discovered that tantra can be practiced by one person without delving into the intimacies of tantrism.

Additionally, to help empower the mindful part of my Dharma practice, I also listen to Buddhist chants and dharanis, along with Hindu Veerashaivist chants.

My Buddhist chants and dharani playlist consists of:

• Amitabhâ Buddha Dharani and Mantra,
  
• Buddha Bar Meditative Music,
  
• Shingon Buddhist Chant,
  
• Karanda Mudra Dharani by Ani Choying,
  
• Mantra of Avalokitshvara (a Tibetan incantation), and
  
• Relaxing Buddhist Music

My Veerashaivist chants playlist consists of

• Akka Mahadevi Vachana,
  
• Rudram,
  
• Skanda Sashti Kavacham (sung by the Soolamangalam Sisters), and
  
• Vachanadalli Nâmâmruta Tunbi (sung by Sangeeta Katti)

And just for variety, while not distinctly Buddhist, I listen to the Yoshida Brother's Ibuki and to Yoshida Kiyoshi's Rising Sun, since I find music using the three-stringed shamisen to be pleasing to the ear, and very invigorating.

As well, I also have started a music hobby in which I remix music of the Experimental genre. After creating each of my songs, I take pictures to compile into a video to be used with that particular song. Often though, the video portion does not match the music.

Currently I am thankful to Thich Thien Tâm for writing Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith, which has inspired me to recommit to my Buddhist faith. As a result of reading his book, I have a strong faith in the Primal Vow, and sincerely believe in Amida Buddha's Pure Land of Bliss.

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.