If I had to censor my love for dark humor just to save lives of the suicidal, I'd feel melancholic. So please bear with me.
Keeping that in mind and having saved my soul the LDS way, perhaps suicide might prepare my lost soul for a glory so dark that "Telestial" would only add to the confusion.
Although all Christendom might call it "hell", I'd rather call it a dark glory for the wicked, a murky destination interspersed with flashes of what is mistaken for lightning but is actually the arrival of missionaries sent by God to soothe my suffering in the afterlife.
While this cosmological rationalization of the fate of the suicidal in the afterlife may be considered too deep for my followers to fully comprehend, it is designed counter the idea that the least of the LDS glories is always full of gnashing of teeth.
For my understanding of the least of the three glories of the LDS afterlife is of the fitting end to a miserable life where the term "Telestial" comes to mean "the eventual destination of the unbelievers who enjoyed their descent into the darkest of glories only to endure the home visits of elders who minister to them for all eternity."
After long consideration of such a fate, I find it so ridiculous that my melancholy has left me smiling unexpectedly!
It is not schadenfreude - that joy on realizing that suffering is universal - which inspires my change of mood from melancholy to elation.
Rather, I am thankful to the elders and sister missionaries who I have met and helped guide me towards the Light that outshines mortal understanding.
In gratitude of how the Lord works in mysterious ways, I ask myself how any melancholy withstand Him?
It cannot.
For the unconditional love of God Almighty is such that his mercy brightens the lives of all of us who accept his Only Begotten into their lives.
References
Telestial Kingdom: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_glory#Telestial_kingdom
Showing posts with label afterlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label afterlife. Show all posts
20150205
20141118
Meditation of a Buddhist Mormon (satire)
This morning I thought about anjin and shinjin, two terms from Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.
Anjin is a Japanese Buddhist term that means peace of mind due to shinjin, a mind truly assured of rebirth in the Pure Land of Bliss.
This is not unlike the peace of mind of a righteous person who truly believes that he will go to a greater glory in the afterlife.
For Amida promised rebirth to those whose peace of mind (anjin) is due to shinjin, the true mind arising from trusting in his promise of rebirth in his Pure Land.
Even though Buddhism and Christianity have sometimes opposing views on life, I truly believe that faith in the Christ is similar yet different from faith in the promise of Amida Buddha. It certainly helps to suspend disbelief when reconciling Buddhism and Christianity in my mind.
Rather than solely relying on his own power, a Buddhist puts his faith in the Buddha, the Christian puts his faith in God.
Additionally, Jesus promised eternal life in the New Heaven and Earth after a Millennium spend under His reign. For the peace of mind gained from belief that the promise of eternal life is true arises from being truly assured of rebirth in the Kingdom of God.
Even though our present life is limited in length, the Christian promise of eternal life appears at odds with the Buddhist concept of no-self, which claims life is impermanent (limited). This is because Buddhism accepts the truth that life is full of suffering, short as it is.
Indeed, Buddhism accepts life has it is.
In contrast, Christianity has the Christ promise eternal life for us in the afterlife. While Buddhism helps me to accept life as it is, I have also allowed for the Christian concept of the afterlife.
From my point of view, there is no conflict between the Buddhist concept of no-self (life is impermanent) and the Christ's promise of eternal life in Afterlife. For this present existence is impermanent, yet the Afterlife is no less impermanent.
Even so, the Buddhist concept of the consciousness stream allows for impermanence to be transcended.
Thus that which eternal in the Afterlife is viewed as existing for an exceedingly long time, and that which is impermanent in this life is viewed as existing for a limited time.
Therefore both Buddhism and Christianity are in some ways compatible because they meet my spiritual needs in this life and they also help settle my mind about the Afterlife. This helps to redefine my concept of eternity and immortality to reconcile the transient nature of life with the apparent permanence of the Afterlife.
Yet life is a place where anything can happen.
Though this life is truly precious, I have faith that the Afterlife will be glorious. Indeed, I treasure my life because of its limitations. When it ends one day, the Afterlife awaits.
For my mind is at peace, and I am truly willing to live each day to the fullest.
Reference:
Anjin and shinjin: http://www.trueshinbuddhism.com/content/view/36/61/
Anjin: http://diamondlikeshinjin.blogspot.ca/2010/10/anjin.html
Impermanence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence
Afterlife: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterlife
Anjin is a Japanese Buddhist term that means peace of mind due to shinjin, a mind truly assured of rebirth in the Pure Land of Bliss.
This is not unlike the peace of mind of a righteous person who truly believes that he will go to a greater glory in the afterlife.
For Amida promised rebirth to those whose peace of mind (anjin) is due to shinjin, the true mind arising from trusting in his promise of rebirth in his Pure Land.
Even though Buddhism and Christianity have sometimes opposing views on life, I truly believe that faith in the Christ is similar yet different from faith in the promise of Amida Buddha. It certainly helps to suspend disbelief when reconciling Buddhism and Christianity in my mind.
Rather than solely relying on his own power, a Buddhist puts his faith in the Buddha, the Christian puts his faith in God.
Additionally, Jesus promised eternal life in the New Heaven and Earth after a Millennium spend under His reign. For the peace of mind gained from belief that the promise of eternal life is true arises from being truly assured of rebirth in the Kingdom of God.
Even though our present life is limited in length, the Christian promise of eternal life appears at odds with the Buddhist concept of no-self, which claims life is impermanent (limited). This is because Buddhism accepts the truth that life is full of suffering, short as it is.
Indeed, Buddhism accepts life has it is.
In contrast, Christianity has the Christ promise eternal life for us in the afterlife. While Buddhism helps me to accept life as it is, I have also allowed for the Christian concept of the afterlife.
From my point of view, there is no conflict between the Buddhist concept of no-self (life is impermanent) and the Christ's promise of eternal life in Afterlife. For this present existence is impermanent, yet the Afterlife is no less impermanent.
Even so, the Buddhist concept of the consciousness stream allows for impermanence to be transcended.
Thus that which eternal in the Afterlife is viewed as existing for an exceedingly long time, and that which is impermanent in this life is viewed as existing for a limited time.
Therefore both Buddhism and Christianity are in some ways compatible because they meet my spiritual needs in this life and they also help settle my mind about the Afterlife. This helps to redefine my concept of eternity and immortality to reconcile the transient nature of life with the apparent permanence of the Afterlife.
Yet life is a place where anything can happen.
Though this life is truly precious, I have faith that the Afterlife will be glorious. Indeed, I treasure my life because of its limitations. When it ends one day, the Afterlife awaits.
For my mind is at peace, and I am truly willing to live each day to the fullest.
Reference:
Anjin and shinjin: http://www.trueshinbuddhism.com/content/view/36/61/
Anjin: http://diamondlikeshinjin.blogspot.ca/2010/10/anjin.html
Impermanence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impermanence
Afterlife: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterlife
posted from Bloggeroid
20140111
Japanese Buddhism: How to Ensure Nirvana in Pure Land for Departed Loved Ones
This article is a short guide to ensuring that departed loved ones will remain the Pure Land and eventually become Buddha.
First of all, they were True Pure Land School members and practised the Nembutsu, especially near death.
That guarantees them rebirth at the gate to the Pure Land. To open the gate to Pure Land for them, that is the purpose of the Buddhist funeral service and the memorial days. Yearly services ensure that he will stay in the Pure Land and become Buddha.
If this is but a superstition designed by Buddhist priests to ensure a livelihood, then it is a good livelihood since the Buddhist member who survives the death of a loved one are still taking care of him, even after death.
This is the epitome of filial piety. Sadly, Western society is sorely lacking in this kind of dedication to loved ones who are deceased due to superstitions about death, the dead, and dying itself.
Small wonder there are more people in the West who suffer needlessly yet admit to being Christian, Jewish, Muslim and even atheist.
=== translation: jp ===
日本仏教：ディパーテッド愛する人のために浄土に再生を確実にする方法
この記事は去っ愛する人が浄土に残り、最終的には仏になることを確実にするのショートガイドです。
まず第一に、彼らは真の浄土学校のメンバーであった、特に死の近くで、念仏を練習した。
それは彼らが浄土にゲートで復活を保証します。彼らのために浄土にゲートを開くには、それは仏教の葬儀や記念日の目的です。毎年のサービスは、彼が浄土に滞在し、仏になることを確認してください。
これはですが、愛する人の死を存続仏教のメンバーはまだ死の後、彼の世話をしているので、生活を保証するために僧侶によって設計された迷信は、それは良い生活であれば。
これは親孝行の縮図である。悲しいことに、西洋社会が痛んにより死、死んで、そして自分自身を死に約迷信に死亡している大切な人への献身のこの種のに欠けている。
小さな不思議不まだクリスチャン、ユダヤ人、イスラム教徒、さらには無神論者であることを認めるに苦しむ欧米の多くの人々があります。
=== transliteration: romaji ===
Nihon bukkyō: Dipāteddo aisuruhito no tame ni jōdo ni saisei o kakujitsu ni suru hōhō
Kono kiji wa sa~tsu aisuruhito ga jōdo ni nokori, saishūtekini wa Futsu ni naru koto o kakujitsu ni suru no shōtogaidodesu.
Mazu daiichi ni, karera wa shin no jōdo gakkō no menbādeatta, tokuni shi no chikaku de, nenbutsu o renshū shita. Sore wa karera ga jōdo ni gēto de fukkatsu o hoshō shimasu. Karera no tame ni jōdo ni gēto o hiraku ni wa, soreha bukkyō no sōgi ya kinenbi no mokutekidesu. Maitoshi no sābisu wa, kare ga jōdo ni taizai shi, Futsu ni naru koto o kakuninshitekudasai.
Korehadesuga, aisuruhito no shi o sonzoku bukkyō no menbā wa mada shi no ato, kare no sewa o shite irunode, seikatsu o hoshō suru tame ni sōryo ni yotte sekkei sa reta meishin wa, sore wa yoi seikatsudeareba.
Kore wa oyakōkō no shukuzudearu. Kanashī koto ni, seiyō shakai ga itan ni yori shi, shinde, soshite jibun jishin o shini yaku meishin ni shibō shite iru taisetsunahitohe no kenshin no kono tane no ni kakete iru.
Chīsana fushigi fu mada kurisuchan, yudayahito, Isuramu kyōto, sarani wa mushinronshadearu koto o shitatameru ni kurushimu Ōbei no ōku no hitobito ga arimasu.
Original post: April 15, 2013 2:39 PM PDT
First of all, they were True Pure Land School members and practised the Nembutsu, especially near death.
That guarantees them rebirth at the gate to the Pure Land. To open the gate to Pure Land for them, that is the purpose of the Buddhist funeral service and the memorial days. Yearly services ensure that he will stay in the Pure Land and become Buddha.
If this is but a superstition designed by Buddhist priests to ensure a livelihood, then it is a good livelihood since the Buddhist member who survives the death of a loved one are still taking care of him, even after death.
This is the epitome of filial piety. Sadly, Western society is sorely lacking in this kind of dedication to loved ones who are deceased due to superstitions about death, the dead, and dying itself.
Small wonder there are more people in the West who suffer needlessly yet admit to being Christian, Jewish, Muslim and even atheist.
=== translation: jp ===
日本仏教：ディパーテッド愛する人のために浄土に再生を確実にする方法
この記事は去っ愛する人が浄土に残り、最終的には仏になることを確実にするのショートガイドです。
まず第一に、彼らは真の浄土学校のメンバーであった、特に死の近くで、念仏を練習した。
それは彼らが浄土にゲートで復活を保証します。彼らのために浄土にゲートを開くには、それは仏教の葬儀や記念日の目的です。毎年のサービスは、彼が浄土に滞在し、仏になることを確認してください。
これはですが、愛する人の死を存続仏教のメンバーはまだ死の後、彼の世話をしているので、生活を保証するために僧侶によって設計された迷信は、それは良い生活であれば。
これは親孝行の縮図である。悲しいことに、西洋社会が痛んにより死、死んで、そして自分自身を死に約迷信に死亡している大切な人への献身のこの種のに欠けている。
小さな不思議不まだクリスチャン、ユダヤ人、イスラム教徒、さらには無神論者であることを認めるに苦しむ欧米の多くの人々があります。
=== transliteration: romaji ===
Nihon bukkyō: Dipāteddo aisuruhito no tame ni jōdo ni saisei o kakujitsu ni suru hōhō
Kono kiji wa sa~tsu aisuruhito ga jōdo ni nokori, saishūtekini wa Futsu ni naru koto o kakujitsu ni suru no shōtogaidodesu.
Mazu daiichi ni, karera wa shin no jōdo gakkō no menbādeatta, tokuni shi no chikaku de, nenbutsu o renshū shita. Sore wa karera ga jōdo ni gēto de fukkatsu o hoshō shimasu. Karera no tame ni jōdo ni gēto o hiraku ni wa, soreha bukkyō no sōgi ya kinenbi no mokutekidesu. Maitoshi no sābisu wa, kare ga jōdo ni taizai shi, Futsu ni naru koto o kakuninshitekudasai.
Korehadesuga, aisuruhito no shi o sonzoku bukkyō no menbā wa mada shi no ato, kare no sewa o shite irunode, seikatsu o hoshō suru tame ni sōryo ni yotte sekkei sa reta meishin wa, sore wa yoi seikatsudeareba.
Kore wa oyakōkō no shukuzudearu. Kanashī koto ni, seiyō shakai ga itan ni yori shi, shinde, soshite jibun jishin o shini yaku meishin ni shibō shite iru taisetsunahitohe no kenshin no kono tane no ni kakete iru.
Chīsana fushigi fu mada kurisuchan, yudayahito, Isuramu kyōto, sarani wa mushinronshadearu koto o shitatameru ni kurushimu Ōbei no ōku no hitobito ga arimasu.
Original post: April 15, 2013 2:39 PM PDT
20130406
The Finest Place to Practice (poem)
It is because of attachment
to the many distractions of worldliness
that, despite decades of meditation,
many devotees of the Middle Way fail
to develop even a single siddhi.
Therefore, do not become attached at all
to anything in this world,
lest you give up meditation in haste
and return to worldliness,
only to obtain rebirth in the Hells.
However, even if you develop
a siddhi, try not to show off,
lest your attachment delude you.
It is better to take up Vajrayana,
and devote yourself to a Tibetan guru.
Yet, it is said that the Nembutsu
will surely lead to Amida
and his Pure Land of Bliss. O!
The Name-that-calls is
all that the Pure Land practitioner needs!
For the Pure Land is
the finest place to practice and decide
if you wish to return
to help others by being of service
to other sentient beings in Samsara.
to the many distractions of worldliness
that, despite decades of meditation,
many devotees of the Middle Way fail
to develop even a single siddhi.
Therefore, do not become attached at all
to anything in this world,
lest you give up meditation in haste
and return to worldliness,
only to obtain rebirth in the Hells.
However, even if you develop
a siddhi, try not to show off,
lest your attachment delude you.
It is better to take up Vajrayana,
and devote yourself to a Tibetan guru.
Yet, it is said that the Nembutsu
will surely lead to Amida
and his Pure Land of Bliss. O!
The Name-that-calls is
all that the Pure Land practitioner needs!
For the Pure Land is
the finest place to practice and decide
if you wish to return
to help others by being of service
to other sentient beings in Samsara.
20130219
The Tibetan Buddhist Afterlife As Metaphor
In the Tibetan Buddhist afterlife, a pious devotee — rich or poor, laity or priest, men, women or children — will be escorted by a deity who protects him and carefully explains what is happening.
Together, they travel until they come before Yama — the Lord of Death. His actions in this life are then measured by Yama, who counts out black and white seeds representing negative and positive karmic actions.
If there are more black seeds of negative actions, then he will be led to the hell realm by Yama.
If there are more white seeds of positive actions, then he will be escorted to the many paradises and Buddha worlds,
From the figurative and symbolic aspect, the Tibetan afterlife is the metaphor for the disciple's initiation by his guru. Death refers to the figurative death of the disciple's worldly life.
The hell realm refers to anger and its destructiveness to a person's psyche.
The deity who protects symbolizes the yidam of the disciple, which is the root of spiritual accomplishment.
All those many paradises and Buddha worlds represent the perfect purity of all phenomena.
References:
Description of afterlife:
Yidam : http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Yidam
Together, they travel until they come before Yama — the Lord of Death. His actions in this life are then measured by Yama, who counts out black and white seeds representing negative and positive karmic actions.
If there are more black seeds of negative actions, then he will be led to the hell realm by Yama.
If there are more white seeds of positive actions, then he will be escorted to the many paradises and Buddha worlds,
From the figurative and symbolic aspect, the Tibetan afterlife is the metaphor for the disciple's initiation by his guru. Death refers to the figurative death of the disciple's worldly life.
The hell realm refers to anger and its destructiveness to a person's psyche.
The deity who protects symbolizes the yidam of the disciple, which is the root of spiritual accomplishment.
All those many paradises and Buddha worlds represent the perfect purity of all phenomena.
References:
Description of afterlife:
- Delok: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=D%C3%A9lok
- Buddhist afterlife beliefs: http://www.near-death.com/experiences/buddhism04.html
- Lingza Chokyi's Near-Death Experience: http://www.near-death.com/experiences/buddhism02.html
- Four Great Kings: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Four_Great_Kings
- Four Heavenly Kings: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Heavenly_Kings
- Guardian King of the South: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Virudhaka
- Guardian King of the South: http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Virudhaka
- Lokapala: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lokapala
- The Four Heavenly Kings "are invoked ... and exhorted to behave ... and protect the Dharma and its practitioners in the Shurangama Mantra".
- The Four Heavenly Kings "are invoked ... and exhorted to behave ... and protect the Dharma and its practitioners in the Shurangama Mantra".
Yidam : http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Yidam
20130112
My Buddhism is Unconditional Love in Action
Jodo Shinshu (True Heart of the Pure Land Way) shows how the Other Power of Amida is unconditional love put into action.
It led a Tendai monk to surrender to destiny and abandon the monk's life, marry and develop the easy practice which leads to enlightenment despite karma.
This easy practice is known as Buddha Remembrance, a mantrayana practicing the Nembutsu while viewing it as the Name-that-calls, that with every utterance of it is Amida Buddha calling to the practitioner.
Indeed, with every call to Amida, the practitioner is that much closer to the Pure Land of Bliss. Once there, he is assured to become a Buddha.
On realizing this to be true, the practitioner is full of joy, because faith in Amida relieves him of the anxiety over the afterlife.
There is no rebirth in this human realm. Most assuredly, there is only rebirth in the Pure Land for practicing this Buddha Remembrance earnestly.
Perhaps this is the easiest way to become a buddha since you do not need to waste self-power sitting in zazen on your hemmorhoids! Besides, it fulfills the Primal Vow.
For Nembutsu recitation is truly the working of the Other Power of Amida Buddha.
The Primal Vow: http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/beliefs/id10.html
It led a Tendai monk to surrender to destiny and abandon the monk's life, marry and develop the easy practice which leads to enlightenment despite karma.
This easy practice is known as Buddha Remembrance, a mantrayana practicing the Nembutsu while viewing it as the Name-that-calls, that with every utterance of it is Amida Buddha calling to the practitioner.
Indeed, with every call to Amida, the practitioner is that much closer to the Pure Land of Bliss. Once there, he is assured to become a Buddha.
On realizing this to be true, the practitioner is full of joy, because faith in Amida relieves him of the anxiety over the afterlife.
There is no rebirth in this human realm. Most assuredly, there is only rebirth in the Pure Land for practicing this Buddha Remembrance earnestly.
Perhaps this is the easiest way to become a buddha since you do not need to waste self-power sitting in zazen on your hemmorhoids! Besides, it fulfills the Primal Vow.
For Nembutsu recitation is truly the working of the Other Power of Amida Buddha.
The Primal Vow: http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/beliefs/id10.html
20121103
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.
20100619
Pure Land Sunset
Today I saw sunset approach, and was reminded of the glorious sunset I dreamt about the night before, which lit up the sky with its redness.
Rather than reach for my camera, I just looked at it, and reflected on my dream.
Why is it that that dream stays in my mind at that time, but I did not spend more time gazing at that glorious sunset?
If it is because reality pales before the monkey mind, then it is due to me treasuring my mind over the five senses.
For I value my mind because of the desire that it be prepared for the next life.
According to Vajrayana, the color red is associated with Amida Buddha and the Pure Land.
Thus my dream of the red sunset symbolizes the afterlife, and future rebirth in the Pure Land.
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