Buddhism

It is really interesting how they explore different topics about common places and differences between Chan and Zen. It made me also understand some things about Zazen and Silent Illumination.

“If we actually touch fire, we will certainly be burned, but if we merely say the word fire without actually touching it, we won’t be burned. Likewise, if we only think of the word fire, our heads will not be set ablaze. Therefore, the definition of fire, whose nature is to burn all things, cannot itself be the reality of it.”

Kosho Uchiyama

I read a book that promised magic powers. Then, trying it out, it was ... impressive.

Then I abandoned it for a few years.

Then I picked it up again seriously. Made sense of it for myself. Studied awareness and its ways, and so on.

...

You?

“After the one thought-moment in which, realizing the transience of birth-and-death in our own flesh, we once genuinely and directly entrust ourselves through saying Namu-amida-butsu, the self is no longer the self. Then, as our hearts are Amida Buddha’s heart, our bodily actions Amida Buddha’s actions, and our words Amida Buddha’s words, the life we are living is Amida Buddha’s life.

Three mental poisons: greed, hate, delusions.

Racism is based on all three.

Fascism is based on all three.

Colonialism is based on all three.

Dualism is based on all three.

Time to reflect.

#Buddhism #Zen #Freedom

In order that all beings who have been my mothers May quickly be liberated from samsara and May attain perfect enlightenment, I dedicate all merit accumulated by Myself, and all ordinary and enlightened beings in the three times As well as the merit of the innately pure Buddha-nature.

https://garchen.net/chakrasamvara/

Watching my own partner give birth has given me a new appreciation for mothers, how much they physically, mentally, and spiritually go through to bring us into this world and take care of us. All beings have done this for us and deserve to be free from suffering.

Happy Mother’s Day.

This is my favorite statue of Amida Buddha, and it is unique since Amida is depicted in the act of looking back, quite strange considering its standard representation According to the legend behind the statue, in 1082, in Eikandō’s Amida-dō Hall, in the dim hours before dawn on February the fifteenth, a miracle occurred. The monk Eikan (1033–1111) was deep in his daily practice of circumambulating a statue of Amida Buddha while reciting Amida’s name. Eikan believed that by diligently performing this practice—called the nenbutsu—he could achieve rebirth in Amida’s western paradise, where enlightenment was guaranteed. It is recorded that Eikan recited the nenbutsu 60,000 times each day. As he paced around the statue, Eikan saw something that made him freeze on the spot: the wooden statue of Amida gracefully descended from its lotus-shaped dais and began to walk ahead of him, as if leading him toward paradise. As Eikan gaped in amazement, Amida paused. He looked back over its left shoulder, to where Eikan stood dumbstruck. “Eikan, stop dawdling,” said Amida. It is believed that Eikan was so inspired by this vision of Amida urging him forward to the Pure Land that he begged the statue to remain in the same posture in order to inspire others. The “Looking-back Amida” (Mikaeri Amida) has been at Eikandō ever since.

南無阿弥陀仏🙏🏼

Like, you are in a dark room, shining the flashlight on stuff. Part of a couch, a lampshade, the corner where the walls meet, etc.

Also, it's one of those focusable flashlights. Twist it one way and the light is small and sharp and bright. Twist it the other way and it's a big dim spread out light.

Also, if you are like most of us, the hand holding the flashlight is afflicted with chronic spasms. Always moving the light all over the place. Here, there, over there, etc. Jerking and jumping and wiggling.

In the Ikkamyōshu scroll, Dogen likens 'satori' to a shining pearl and says that even if a person doubts that he or she is not a Myōju (pearl), that in itself is already a 'Ikkamyōshu', and concludes by saying: 'The progress and retreat in the Black Mountain Cave (Kurozan Oniguro) is only an Ikkamyōshu (shining pearl). (The activity of advancing and retreating in the midst of hesitation is nothing other than the manifestation of 'satori'). Kurozan Oniguro is a mountain with a hell beneath it, mentioned in the Abhidharma Treatise, and is said to be the abode of the demon god, which in turn refers to the state of being caught in the grip of afflictions. Here, Dogen says that the practice of advancing and retreating through trial and error in the midst of vexations is the very practice that embodies 修証一等Shusho Ittō (practice is itself embodiment of satori),and is nothing other than 'satori'. It is not that we are moving towards the goal of 'satori', but that we have already realised 'satori' at each moment of our practice in this wandering world, in the sense that we are 'lost and enlightened'.

Consider the 2. Concentration and the other thing.

Both bring stillness (among other things) but via 2 different ways.

It's like making peace with your neighbors.

One way is to put up a big privacy fence.

The other way is to make friends with them.

"What do you call the Great Way that is very easy to recognize and easy to practice. But which no one in the world can recognize and practice. Please show it to me."

"These words are right. Living apart from the world and hold the mind aloof to it, not doing a single thing, is called practicing the way. Not seeing a single thing is called seeing the way. Not knowing a single thing is called cultivating the way. Not practicing a single thing is called practicing the way. It is also called easy to know and is also called easy to practice."

At that time Vimalakirti approached and said to me, ‘Ah, Shariputra, you should not assume that this sort of sitting is true quiet sitting! Quiet sitting means that in this threefold world you manifest neither body nor will. This is quiet sitting. Not rising out of your samadhi of complete cessation and yet showing yourself in the ceremonies of daily life-this is quiet sitting. Not abandoning the principles of the Way and yet showing yourself in the activities of a common mortal-this is quiet sitting. Your mind not fixed on internal things and yet not engaged with externals either-this is quiet sitting. Unmoved by sundry theories, but practicing the thirty-seven elements of the Way-this is quiet sitting. Entering nirvana without having put an end to earthly desires-this is quiet sitting. If you can do this kind of sitting, you will merit the Buddha’s seal of approval.

No quotes please.

I want to start with a bit of a story. A few months ago I was laid off.

I was too stressed from the layoff to eat and lost a lot of weight. My doctor said I may have cancer. I started going through tests ultimately to find out I am clear. My friend at the same time was diagnosed and died of cancer shortly after.

I found a job right away, but my other friend and coworker didn't. For the last ~10 months I searched for jobs for with him until I knew he had healthcare and medicine.

Now that he is employed I feel like I lack a purpose. I wonder why I survived and thrived when so many others can't. I really don't feel I deserved that.

I always found Buddhism interesting but a few months ago it just clicked. It was like I found where I should be. There's no temple near me that is in English and I'm far too shy for a local community. I'm kind of following what I think is a path with no clear direction at times.

I feel the need to solve the world's problems. I just don't know how. I don't know where to start. I just want to help. And I want to be a better whatever I am. I didn't take any vows. I don't really know how to proceed. Heck I don't even think I meditate correctly. I'm still alive when others are not; and I want to take advantage of that. I want to make the world better.

I'd like your input.

Edit; I got a lot of work to do. Thank you all for your kind words.

Once our false thinking has completely ceased, There is neither start nor finish, beginning nor end; In the oneness of Buddha and sentient being Say Namu-amida-butsu

If so then I'd like to talk.

The Name of the Buddha of Infinite Life, Whose brilliance outshines the lights of other Buddhas, Is above relative planes of delusion and enlightenment; So he is praised as the Buddha of Inconceivable Light.

When we receive this teaching with joyful faith, The Buddha and we sentient beings are no longer separated; Because his three modes of acts and ours correspond to each other, He is also called the Buddha of Unhindered Light.

佛道をならふといふは、自己をならふ也。自己をならふといふは、自己をわするるなり。自己をわするるといふは、萬法に證せらるるなり。萬法に證せらるるといふは、自己の身心および他己の身心をして落せしむるなり。悟迹の休歇なるあり、休歇なる悟迹を長長出ならしむ。

To study the Way is to study the self. To study the self is to forget the self. To forget the self is to be enlightened by all things of the universe. To be enlightened by all things of the universe is to cast off the body and mind of the self as well as those of others. Even the traces of enlightenment are wiped out, and life with traceless enlightenment goes on forever and ever.

“The Buddha said to Ānanda and Vaidehī, “After you have seen this, next visualize the Buddha. Why the Buddha? Because buddha tathāgatas have cosmic bodies, and so enter into the meditating mind of each sentient being. For this reason, when you contemplate a buddha, your mind itself takes the form of his thirty-two physical characteristics and eighty secondary marks. Your mind produces the Buddha’s image and is itself the Buddha. The ocean of perfectly and universally enlightened buddhas thus arises in the meditating mind. For this reason, you should singlemindedly concentrate and deeply contemplate the Buddha Tathāgata, Arhat, and Perfectly Enlightened One.”

南無阿弥陀仏🙏🏼

Yesterday I watched this movie for the first time, and although I already knew there was a scene with Amitabha Buddha, I didn’t expect so many reference spread all over. Anyway, it is a really nice movie, with many important topics, I highly suggest it!

I thought it would be nice to have a space to share whatever you want if it's a thought, practice, or experience you had throughout the week.

I am planning to post these on Monday moving forward.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.selfhostcat.com/post/336808

Sutras

• The Heart Sutra
• The Lotus Sutra
• The Diamond Sutra
• The Longer Amitabha Sutra

Books

• The heart of the Buddha’s Teachings - Thich Nhat Hanh
• Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith - Thich Tien Tam
• Hoofprint of the Ox: Principles of the Chan Buddhist Path as Taught by a Modern Chinese Master - Shengyan (Sometimes spelled Sheng yen)
• The Jewel Ornament of Liberation - Gampopa

Websites

• https://studybuddhism.com/

The Venerable Subhuti said to the Buddha, “In times to come, will there be people who, when they hear these teachings, have real faith in them?”

The Buddha replied, “Do not speak that way, Subhuti. Five hundred years after the Tathagata has passed away, there will still be people who appreciate the joy and happiness that come from observing the precepts. When such people hear these words, they will have faith that this is the truth. Know that such people have sown wholesome seeds not only during the lifetime of one Buddha, or even two, three, four, or five Buddhas, but have, in fact, planted wholesome seeds during the lifetimes of tens of thousands of Buddhas. Anyone who, for even a moment, gives rise to a pure and clear confidence upon hearing these words of the Tathagata, the Tathagata sees and knows that person, and they will attain immeasurable merit because of this understanding. Why?

“Because that person is not caught in the idea of a self, a person, a living being, or a life span. They are not caught in the idea of the Dharma or the non-Dharma; a sign or no-sign. Why? If you are caught in the idea of the Dharma, you are also caught in the ideas of a self, a person, a living being, and a life span. If you are caught in the idea that there is no Dharma, you are still caught in the ideas of a self, a person, a living being, and a life span. That is why you should not get caught in the idea that this is the Dharma or that is not the Dharma. This is the hidden meaning when the Tathagata says, ‘Bhikshus, you should know that the Dharma that I teach is like a raft.’ You should let go of the Dharma, let alone what is not the Dharma.”

The Buddha asked Subhuti, “In ancient times when the Tathagata practiced under the guidance of the Buddha Dipankara, did the Tathagata attain anything?”

Subhuti answered, “No, World-Honored One. In ancient times when the Tathagata practiced under the guidance of the Buddha Dipankara, he did not attain anything.”