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Showing posts with label bodhi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bodhi. Show all posts

20140111

With the Heart of Nembutsu

A person with the heart of the Nembutsu is like one whose body is possessed of its fragrance; the heart of Mahasthamaprapta is thus likened to a person possessing fragrance. Hence it is stated, he is called "one adorned with the fragrance of light." Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, possessing the heart of the nembutsu within his heart, is likened to a person imbued with incense. He therefore states, When at first I was in the bodhisattva stage I attained insight into the nonorigination of all existence with the heart of the nembutsu. Now in this world: now in this Saha world. I embrace persons of the nembutsu and bring them into the Pure Land: "Taking in persons of the nembutsu, I bring them into the Pure Land." - Shinran Shonin, Notes on the Inscriptions on Sacred Scrolls: The inscription in praise of Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta

"In the Surangama Sutra, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva tells of how he gained enlightenment through Buddha recitation, or continuous pure mindfulness of the Buddha, to obtain samadhi." - Wikipedia entry on Mahasthamaprapta - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahasthamaprapta

Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta recited the Buddha's name and reached nembutsu-samadhi by chanring the Buddha's name. His example was realized by Shinran to be the way of sages, the difficult practice.

Since the Jodo Shinshu path is the easy practice, an ordinary Pure Land practitioner is ever mindful of Amida out of gratitude for establishing the Primal Vow.

Amida's Primal Vow is that all sentient beings who hear His call will be reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss.

When the Shin Buddhist utters the Name-that-Calls, he has heard Amida calling to him from the Pure Land.

For Amida and the Pure Land of Bliss are right here in the Shin Buddhist's heart-mind.

The heart-mind is the bodhi mind, the True Mind, the mind embraced by Amida, always graced by buddha-nature.>

What is the Name-that-Calls? It is the Nembutsu that I softly change to keep Indra's Net bright and strong around the whole world.

What is Indra's Net but the compassion of billions of people to help sooth the suffering of billions more?

For Amida is both the Boundless Light of Wisdom shining on the Boundless Life of Compassion and the Boundless Life of Compassion enlightened by the Light of Wisdom?

Namu Amida Butsu

Original post: February 15, 2006 11:48 PM PST

20130411

The Pure Land of One's Own Essence of Mind

Hui-Neng said:

For a fair mind,
observation of precepts (Sila)
is unnecessary.

For straightforward behavior,
practice in Dhyana (contemplation)
may be dispensed with.

On the principle of gratefulness,
we support our parents and serve them filially.

On the principle of righteousness,
the superior and the inferior stand
for each other (in time of need).

On the principle of mutual desire
to please, the senior and junior
are on affectionate terms.

On the principle of forbearance,
we do not quarrel even in
the midst of a hostile crowd.

If we can persevere until
fire can be obtained through
rubbing a piece of wood,

Then the red lotus (the Buddha-nature)
will shoot out from the black mire (the unenlightened state).

That which is of bitter taste
is bound to be good medicine.

That which sounds unpleasant
to the ear is certainly frank advice.

By amending our mistakes, we get wisdom.

By defending our faults, we betray an unsound mind.

In our daily life we should
always practice altruism,
but Buddhahood is not to be attained
by giving away money as charity.

Bodhi is to be found
within our own mind,
and there is no necessity
to look for mysticism from without.

Hearers of this stanza
who put its teaching
into actual practice
will find paradise in
their very presence.


"All of you should put into practice what is taught in this stanza, so that you can realize the Essence of Mind and attain Buddhahood directly. The Dharma waits for no one." — Sixth Patriarch Hui-Neng

Reference:
Formless stanza quote: http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/huineng/huineng3.html

20130311

March 04 Journal - Zen Readings - a partial commentary

March 04 Journal - Zen Readings:

Treatise on Sitting Meditation

Daikaku (1213-1279)


Sitting meditation is the method of great liberation; all the teachings flow forth from this, myriad practices are mastered this way. All the buddhas and bodhisattvas have entered and left by this door.

Commentary: Sitting meditation is the main practice of Rinzai Zen, which Daikaku founded. "Great liberation" refers to freeing the mind from the petty distractions of everyday life. "All the teachings flow forth from this" — All the teachings of Zen are rooted in sitting meditation, and are derived from this method of great liberation. "Myriad practices are mastered this way" — Many forms of great liberation are mastered by sitting meditation. Even the buddhas and bodhisattvas have practiced this method of great liberation.


'What does it mean that sitting meditation is the root source of all the teachings?'

Meditation is the inner mind of the enlightened ones, discipline is their outer character, doctrine is their speech, Buddha remembrance is the invocation of Buddha's name; all come from the enlightened mind of the buddhas. Therefore it is considered fundamental.

Commentary: "Inner mind of the enlightened ones" refers to the mind of buddhas and bodhisattvas, the awakened mind that practices daily meditation. "Discipline is their outer character" refers to their ability to follow a master faithfully. "Doctrine is their speech" — Awakened disciples do not gossip idly, but speak freely of the various aspects of Zen, with the desire to help others but not to preach. The doctrine of the Buddha is simple: practice sitting meditation to free oneself from the delusions and distractions of daily living, and then help others do likewise. "Buddha remembrance is the invocation of Buddha's name" — The invocation of the Buddha's name, Nembutsu, is called "remembering the Buddha", i.e. putting together the Buddha from the various parts of the disciple's mind. Imagine if you will that Buddha-nature as a diamond shattered into many pieces by the stone mind called Ego. Nembutsu, the chanting of Buddha's name — Namu Amida Butsu — helps bring together the shattered peices of Buddha-nature. This is what remembering the Buddha is all about. "All come from the enlightened mind of the buddhas" — meditation, discipline, doctrine and Buddha remembrance arise in the awakened mind due to the karma of the Bodhi Mind in action. This is the essence of Buddha Nature. Hence, sitting meditation is the root source of the teachings of the Buddha.

'The method of meditation is formless and thoughtless; spiritual qualities are not obvious, and there is no proof of seeing reality, so how can we believe this?'

Your own mind and the enlightened mind are one. If you do not know your own mind, on whom can you call for witness and proof? Other than seek the identity of mind and Buddha, what proof do you seek?

Commentary: The above is straight-forward. "Seek the identity of mind and Buddha" — to do this requires only that the disciple practices daily sitting meditation.

'How should we practice this method? Even if we practice we are not sure of attaining enlightenment and fulfilling buddhahood; and if it is uncertain, even if we do practice, what is the benefit?'

The enlightened mind itself basically has no delusion or enlightenment. This is actually the subtle art of those who realize thusness; even if you don't become enlightened, when you sit once in meditation you are a Buddha for that sitting; when you sit for a day in meditation, you are a Buddha for a day; when you sit in meditation for all your life, you are a Buddha all your life.

Commentary: "The subtle art of those who realize thusness" mdash; Sitting meditation is the subtle art. Thusness is also known as suchness and shunyata. Enlightened disciples are those who realize thusness. The terms "a Buddha for that sitting", "a Buddha for a day", and "a Buddha all your life" refer to the state of mind and attitude of the disciple who practices sitting meditation. Thus, they imply dedication to Zen.



Original post: March 16, 2004 0058H
Update posted: March 8, 2013 1203H

20060302

How to Treat People

Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you'll help them to become what they are capable of becoming.
-Goethe

What people ought to be is spiritually awake.

When one is spiritually awake, then it's easy to accept help to affirm one's faith in Amida's Primal Vow.

When one is spiritually awake, it's easy to treat them as if they are what they ought to be: good people.

When the spiritually awake person helps other people to become what they are capable of becoming, everyone's heart is close to the Pure Land!

20051105

What "Buddha" means

Buddha means "wisdom and enlightenment."

Essentially Buddha means "wisdom". When one practices meditation, Buddha means "enlightenment".

The original Sanskrit word "Budh" - to awaken - is related to the word "Bodhi" which means "awakening."

Thus Buddha has much deeper meaning than this simple explanation can provide.