Thursday
Dec252008
Snowed under in Australia
December 25, 2008 I've been receiving emails and phone calls to see if I'm okay. Not to worry, I'm still here! ;-)
I just got buried under some files for my Teacher that need urgent work. While I'm digging out, I invite anyone who would like to write some comments about their practice or maybe how the holidays were this year compared to other years or your thoughts for next year or what is currently on your mind.
I look forward to reading your comments and will back to writing something myself in a few days.
Thank you for your patience!! And I hope everyone had a happy and peaceful holidays.
Reader Comments (6)
My cultivation started after i recovered from a fatal denggue
fever,prior to that i learnt about amitabha through my family who
read about dharmakara in the amitabha sutra.
As i progressed in my cultivation i searched for english sutra's which were very
limited, but i didnt' give up looking.I would dedicate all my
merits to all the obstacles and to encountering english sutra's which i eventually came upon. Then i got a fatal denggue fever as i progressed, i would later recover entirely from it and encounter the buddhist cannons which were translated in english.After i recovered i would be able to memorize the great compassion mantra,somehow i didn't put much effort but today i can recite it.Sometimes even in my dreams, i would be able to recite it too.
In my early cultivation *i was still studying then* i had plenty of time to do them..i would refuse to sleep b4 i did my daily recitation before sleep,no materr how tired i was,i would still sit through my recitation,to some extent Isitting.i actually progressed alot compared to now *since i started working* altho i would recite every night but it wasn't consistent, i read the lotus in the pureland would just wither away if i wasn't consistent..somedays i would recite somedays i wouldn't that in-consistentcy made me think alot about the "RETREAT" and on the quote that told us on samantabhadra's warning to the masses..and some other quote's but i'm continously trying to 'not -retreat' trying to make progress, i guess in the larger picture these are obstacles in cultivation to never retreat.,in addition i read other buddhists texts too during my free time i hope that helps in cultivation too..Hope i have given u a short story on my cultivation.
Speaking about this is very difficult for me. I feel like im betraying everything I've been taught to believe. Its not just about pleasing others. I dont understand why at one point, I was so into Buddhism but I am not anymore. I dont feel genuine.
So where my practice is concerned, I simply read. I dont pray really.. I dont recite. I just read as many books on buddhism as I can. And I try to learn and apply the teachings to my everyday life. It is making a difference. I can sense a more softer side emerging,someone who thinks more, looks beyond and tries to understand others more. Thats all I can do until I resolve the uncertainties in my heart.
Thank you for allowing us this space to write our thoughts.. :)
Are believing because generally everyone agrees and everyone follows, are we living with our eyes open or closed.
I remember in one of the text that the buddha said don't just follow what he thought but he asked us to investigate to truly understand. He wanted us to see for ourselves what was true and what was false. He didn't convert other people but he showed them the Way and had them find out for themselves.
I know quite many Mahayana Sutras in ENGLISH.
If you want to know, email me at luckysmile20(AT)hotmail(DOT)com.
I will be happy to share.
I also know a few but extremely important Buddhist Teachings in ENGLISH!
Right now, I'm using other's computer, so I couldn't give you the link.
you can email and ask me.
or I can post them up here when I get to my own comp.
as for my practice.... T_T
at first was vigourous... never feel sleepy when Nian fo and daily ceremonies...
the practice was quite consistent.... at least everyday managed to sit and Nian Fo.
but weirdly, after a few months.... I started yawning and feel very sleepy when I sit and Nian Fo o.O"
and not consistent as well....
but now I told myself, no matter what, at least have to sit and Nian Fo, even if its just a while
or else, the lotus will wither and die T_T
so no matter what, lets try to at least sit and Nian Fo even if its just for a few minutes rather than we didn't Nian Fo at all in a day....
I would like to share Sutras in English, just in case people here needs them.
http://www4.bayarea.net/~mtlee/
Many of the important Mahayana Sutras are available here, both in English and Chinese.
http://www.ymba.org/mindseal/content.html
Amitabha Sutra in English with Patriach Ou-i's commentary.
http://www.ymba.org/BWF/bwf0.htm
Title of the book: Buddhism of Wisdom & Faith: Pure Land Principles and Practice
by Master Thich Thiem Tham. A very important book for Pure Landers.
http://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks.htm
Many e-books can be downloaded here.
Theravada, Mahayana, general Buddhism books can also be found here.
http://www.ymba.org/freebooks_main.html
Publications of the Sutra Translation Committee of the US and Canada.
http://www.budaedu.org/en/
You can request Buddhism books from this site to your house for free.
Many important books here, Theravada, Mahayana and General Buddhism books.
I think this site is Master Chin Kung's.
Master Hsuan Hua's Teachings in English:
http://www.cttbusa.org/dharmatalks.asp
http://www.gbm-online.com/talk_hsuan_hua.asp
http://www.drba.org/online/audio/category.asp.html
Good Website on Pure Land in English:
http://www.amtbweb.org/tchet262.htm
http://www.amitabha-gallery.org/
This is almost all my source for Good and important Mahayana Sutras, dharma talks and books on Pure Land.
Thank you for all the links!
Ven. Master Chin Kung founded the Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation http://www.budaedu.org/en/ which is in Taiwan for the printing and no charge distribution of books on all schools of Buddhism. However, it is not Teacher's site.
Also, as a note for new readers, books are donated for free distribution at many Pure Land Buddhist societies and the Corporate Body and sent to those who request them. Asian Buddhists understand that while there is no charge for books, it costs money to print and distribute the books and other Dharma materials, so they make a donation to the organization that sent the books. Many societies are small and do not have a large memberships that can cover these expenses. So while there is no charge, those who understand know that unless they at least cover the cost of postage, the next time someone wants a book, there may not be any.
We are each responsible for keeping the Dharma flowing for the next person in line.
Another site for Pure Land, general Buddhism, and books for children is through the portal at http://www.abrc.org.au/elibrary.htm
I'm glad you like the Amitabha Pureland site at http://amtbweb.org/index.html and the Amitabha Gallery at http://www.amitabha-gallery.org/. The two sites along with the Amitabha Buddhist Retreat Centre site and this blog form a virtual sangha. It is my honor to be so closely associated with both the Amitabha Pureland and the Amitabha Gallery sites. The webmasters are dedicated and amazingly easy and enjoyable to work with. (Plus they graciously help me out when I get in over my head on my sites!!)