How do I Begin a Daily Pure Land Practice?
February 9, 2008 Question: I'd really like to start some kind of daily Pure Land practice and to be honest I'd be very grateful for some suggestions.
Response: First, you can place a container of clean water on the gongzhou (the table or shelf with you Buddha image, incense, etc.) if you have not already done so. Next, if you wish, light a stick of incense. If you have respiratory problems, there are some very nice smokeless varieties available. After lighting the incense, do not blow on the incense but fan it gently with your hand to put out the flame and allow it to burn slowly. Raise the lower tip of the incense to lightly touch your forehead with the incense pointed towards the Buddha and then place the incense in the holder.
In the following ceremony, which we follow sequentially, we first pay respects to Sakyamuni Buddha for teaching us about the unsatisfactory reality of our existence and of the happiness and liberation of the Pure Land. We then pay our respects to Amitabha Buddha for his compassionate vows to help all beings who request that help. Next, we begin chanting “Amituofo,” which is the main part of the session. Continue this chanting for the time you have set aside for your practice.
After chanting, we pay our respects to the bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta for their exemplary teachings of compassion and wisdom respectively, and then to all the bodhisattvas in the Pure Land for having progressed on the path of awakening. Next is the Verse of Repentance to express our deep regret for having harmed innumerable beings throughout our countless lifetimes. We conclude with the Dedication of Merit to pass on the goodness that has resulted from our chanting to help all beings end suffering and attain lasting happiness.
The following is the format for the practice.
Place container of water in front of Amitabha Buddha image. Light incense if desired.
Put palms together, bow once, and say what is in quote marks.)
“Homage to our original teacher Sakyamuni Buddha.” (One bow)
(Repeat three times)
“Homage to Amitabha Buddha.” (One bow)
(For as long as time permits, do sitting or walking meditation while mindfully chanting )
“Amituofo”
( When finished, stand and put palms together)
“Homage to Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.” (One bow)
“Homage to Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.” (One bow)
“Homage to the great pure sea of bodhisattvas.” (One bow)
“All evil actions committed by me since time immemorial,
stemming from greed, anger, and ignorance,
arising from body, speech, and mind,
I deeply repent having committed.”
(One bow)
“May the merits and virtues accrued from this work adorn the Buddha’s Pure Land,
repay the Four Kindnesses above, and relieve the sufferings of those in the Three Paths below.
May those who see or hear of this bring forth the Bodhi mind,
and at the end of this life,
be born together in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.”
(One bow, three prostrations, one bow)
Reader Comments (6)
When do we practice quiet sitting and breathing. If my mind is only filled with Amita/Amitabha/Amitayous then at what point do i say to myself inside, "okay now everyone on the set quiet please" we are practicing being quiet?
Anybody
When our minds are immersed in chanting Amitabha's name, that's our sole thought. There's no need for other thoughts, for they would just be distractions.
I know that by chanting amitabha , we can subdue any arising bad thoughts. But
I lack the dicipline. How do I dicipline myself?
Try to find something to motivate yourself. It could be the wish to end your own suffering or that of someone you love. It could be the wish to not have to be reborn again or to find real happiness. It could be fear of being reborn in the hell, hungry ghost, or animal realms or the understanding that life is impermanent and we don't know if we'll be able to practice tomorrow, or even in the next moment.
I'd also suggest studying Pure Land books more. The masters who wrote them were hoping to motivate people to practice. You can download copies at http://www.abrc.org.au/generalcollection.htm
I'm curious about Buddhism, as well as Pureland Buddhism. I have quite a few questions which always bug as I go about my daily life.
You mentioned in an earlier posting about the Buddha saying that we are not to go teach other people or point out their mistakes. Yet, when I meet a bad encounter (e.g someone being racially discriminating to me, or seeing someone do something bad to another person, which makes me want to raise the issue to the someone/the authorities so that this may stop in future, etc), I am so tempted, in my anger, to do something to that person. I tell myself that this thing I am doing to them, is the effect of the bad 'deed' they have just committed. What is your take on this?
Also, I have deep faith in Buddhism as a logical and systematic approach, almost philosophical, to life. But the other bits of it, the rebirth bits (where do we find proof? I know many people are said to be able to remember their past lives but perhaps they're just overimaginative? coincidental recounting of incidents that are taken as one's past life, or even schizophrenic people?), as well as the parts of being reborn in the Pure land if one were to harbour pure thoughts while reciting Namo Amitabha - but how can it be fair to the poor man who spends his entire life reciting it well but nearing his death, loses concentration for a split second because of something beyond his control, e.g loud noise outside his hospital ward which is something beyond his control, thus, losing a wonderful chance to be reborn in the Pure Land, as opposed to someone who has never chanted Namo Amitabha and suddenly, converts to a Pure Land follower and goes to the Pure Land just before he dies? It's so unfair.
Best,
Edmund
Very good question! I'd like to answer it as a blog entry because I'm sure others have also wondered about this. I'll cover this and your two other comments this week. Please stay tuned...