Life in this world is like people living in a house that is on fire.
That fire is our passions and desires for worldly things, even if it is peace of mind. If for one minute we follow even one passion, then we are lost as our heart is aflame in desire.
If we cling to this world as reality and ignore cultivating the spiritual aspect of our lives, then truly are we worldly. In becoming fans of the world, we forget that the world is only a reflection of the society it reflects.
Thus life is like a house on fire.
People take this world as reality pursuing worldly projects and pleasures without realizing that the house is on fire and will soon burn down (due to the inevitability of death).
Bodhisattva - the Bodhisattva ideal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva#Bodhisattva_ideal
Showing posts with label bodhicitta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bodhicitta. Show all posts
20140625
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
"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
20100720
Notes on the Female Buddha Tārā
Known as Jetsün Drolma in Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism) and Ārya Tārā in India, Tara is the female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhsm. She appears as the female Buddha in Vajrayana.
She is the "mother of liberation" who represents the virtues of success in work and achievements, which is one of the eight parts of the Eightfold Noble Path, right livelihood.
In Japan she is called Tarani Bosatsu, and Tuoluo in Chinese Buddhism, where Kuan Yin is more popular.
On Tara, HH the Dalai Lama said:
• There is a true feminist movement in Buddhism that relates to the goddess Tārā. Following her cultivation of bodhicitta, the bodhisattva's motivation, she looked upon the situation of those striving towards full awakening and she felt that there were too few people who attained Buddhahood as women. So she vowed, "I have developed bodhicitta as a woman. For all my lifetimes along the path I vow to be born as a woman, and in my final lifetime when I attain Buddhahood, then, too, I will be a woman."
Within the Buddhist tradition Tara is bodhisattva, deity, and saviouress.
As deity, she personifies the perfection of wisdom (Prajnaparamita). As bodhisattva, she personifies compassion and action. As saviouress, she is the Mother of Buddhas.
References
Female Buddha Taras Mantra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibm1QysfhgQ
Wikipedia entry for Tara: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tara_(Buddhism)
Prajnaparamita: http://thenewheretics.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/the-perfection-of-wisdom-in-eight-thousand-lines/
She is the "mother of liberation" who represents the virtues of success in work and achievements, which is one of the eight parts of the Eightfold Noble Path, right livelihood.
In Japan she is called Tarani Bosatsu, and Tuoluo in Chinese Buddhism, where Kuan Yin is more popular.
On Tara, HH the Dalai Lama said:
• There is a true feminist movement in Buddhism that relates to the goddess Tārā. Following her cultivation of bodhicitta, the bodhisattva's motivation, she looked upon the situation of those striving towards full awakening and she felt that there were too few people who attained Buddhahood as women. So she vowed, "I have developed bodhicitta as a woman. For all my lifetimes along the path I vow to be born as a woman, and in my final lifetime when I attain Buddhahood, then, too, I will be a woman."
Within the Buddhist tradition Tara is bodhisattva, deity, and saviouress.
As deity, she personifies the perfection of wisdom (Prajnaparamita). As bodhisattva, she personifies compassion and action. As saviouress, she is the Mother of Buddhas.
References
Female Buddha Taras Mantra: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibm1QysfhgQ
Wikipedia entry for Tara: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tara_(Buddhism)
Prajnaparamita: http://thenewheretics.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/the-perfection-of-wisdom-in-eight-thousand-lines/
20100615
The World is Ephemeral (poem)
To the dreamer, the world is ephemeral,
both within and without the mind.
No one actually comprehends this truth,
except for the Awakened.
Yet who is this dreamer
that sees all yet is in all of us?
No one truly knows for certain,
except for the Awakened.
So let the dreamer sleep in peace,
lest the world dissolve into the Void.
No one certainly has tried,
except for the Awakened.
For the beauty of Awakening
from this dream is boundless joy
being at one with all,
unconditioned and free.
both within and without the mind.
No one actually comprehends this truth,
except for the Awakened.
Yet who is this dreamer
that sees all yet is in all of us?
No one truly knows for certain,
except for the Awakened.
So let the dreamer sleep in peace,
lest the world dissolve into the Void.
No one certainly has tried,
except for the Awakened.
For the beauty of Awakening
from this dream is boundless joy
being at one with all,
unconditioned and free.
20100422
Clear Mind, Awakened Mind (poem)
I. The Heartmind
Heart of compassion,
mind of wisdom:
where these two qualities
intersect is the heartmind.
For the heartmind is contained
in all sentient beings,
ripening in the musk and mire
of worldly experience
by the foolish one who hears the Buddha's call.
Once he hears the Buddha's call,
this foolish one is the clear heartmind;
and as he simultaneously replies
with the Name-that-calls
the awakened heartmind is this foolish one.
II. Awakened by the Buddha's Call
Awakened by the Buddha's call,
this foolish one utters the Name-that-calls,
which is the Buddha calling.
Awakened by the Name-that-calls,
this foolish one becomes serene and tranquil,
with unwavering faith in Amida Buddha.
Awakened by Amida Buddha,
this foolish one is clear about the Primal Vow,
truly entrusting in the Name-that-calls.
Heart of compassion,
mind of wisdom:
where these two qualities
intersect is the heartmind.
For the heartmind is contained
in all sentient beings,
ripening in the musk and mire
of worldly experience
by the foolish one who hears the Buddha's call.
Once he hears the Buddha's call,
this foolish one is the clear heartmind;
and as he simultaneously replies
with the Name-that-calls
the awakened heartmind is this foolish one.
II. Awakened by the Buddha's Call
Awakened by the Buddha's call,
this foolish one utters the Name-that-calls,
which is the Buddha calling.
Awakened by the Name-that-calls,
this foolish one becomes serene and tranquil,
with unwavering faith in Amida Buddha.
Awakened by Amida Buddha,
this foolish one is clear about the Primal Vow,
truly entrusting in the Name-that-calls.
20060111
Jiriki and Tariki
In Jodo Shinshu, the term jiriki refers to self-power while the term tariki refers to Other-power.
Such power is not corporeal; it is merely a form of perception.
Yet such a change in perception touches the heart deeply.
For it is through faith that the Pure Land practitioner is embraced by Amida, and thus deeply moved to utter the Name-that-Calls.
Links:
Bodhicitta (man's aspirations for Enlightenment), Jiriki and Tariki: http://www.nembutsu.info/bandluan.htm
Such power is not corporeal; it is merely a form of perception.
Yet such a change in perception touches the heart deeply.
For it is through faith that the Pure Land practitioner is embraced by Amida, and thus deeply moved to utter the Name-that-Calls.
Links:
Bodhicitta (man's aspirations for Enlightenment), Jiriki and Tariki: http://www.nembutsu.info/bandluan.htm
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