The Practice of Pure Land
Mr Li Bingnan often said that only two or three out of ten thousand Pure Land practitioners are able to actually attain rebirth. It is because these two or three practitioners truly believe, accept and practice, while the other do not really do that.
These 9997 practitioners chant with their mouths only and are not mindful in their chanting. They have yet to eliminate their afflictions and residual habits. they are still attached to fame, prestige, gain, wealth, the 5 Desires and the 6 Dusts. When this is the case, even the Buddhas cannot do anything to help these people.
Those who can accept the Pure Land method possess great roots of goodness, good fortune and good causes as well as conditions. If we did not really have the best root nature, it would be impossible for us to accept the Buddha Mindfulness Chanting method. Those who can accept it and practice earnestly can neutralize the transgressions accumulated over infinite lifetimes with the merits of their chanting.
The Pure Land is a gathering place for the utmost virtuous people. Once reborn there, we will be a member of this assembly and the equal of such virtuous people as the Bodhisattvas Samantabhadra, Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta.
We should put into practice Venerable Master Yinguang's teachings of maintaining the five [human] relationships, faithfully fulfilling one's responsibilities, avoiding being polluted by that which is bad, keeping a respectful and sincere mindset, believing in and vowing to practice the Buddha-name chanting method and aspiring to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
The causes and conditions of how the Land of Ultimate Bliss came about were different from those for the other Buddha Lands. The causes and conditions fro the latter were complicated and not simple; good ones and bad ones were mixed together. In the Western Pure Land, Dharmakara chose only pure and virtuous Dharmas.
His purpose was to provide a wonderful learning and practice environment for the beings from all the Buddha Lands in the ten directions who truly generate the great mind and who aspire to understand and transcend the cycle of birth and death, and attain Buddhahood in one lifetime. He wanted to provide the best learning and living environment.
Having good roots means that we have firm belief and firm vows. We have firm belief that we do not have the slightest doubt about the Pure Land teachings. We have firm vows when our one and only wish is to attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss and we let go of everything in this world except this wish.
We must have these two conditions to be considered as having good roots.
These 9997 practitioners chant with their mouths only and are not mindful in their chanting. They have yet to eliminate their afflictions and residual habits. they are still attached to fame, prestige, gain, wealth, the 5 Desires and the 6 Dusts. When this is the case, even the Buddhas cannot do anything to help these people.
Those who can accept the Pure Land method possess great roots of goodness, good fortune and good causes as well as conditions. If we did not really have the best root nature, it would be impossible for us to accept the Buddha Mindfulness Chanting method. Those who can accept it and practice earnestly can neutralize the transgressions accumulated over infinite lifetimes with the merits of their chanting.
The Pure Land is a gathering place for the utmost virtuous people. Once reborn there, we will be a member of this assembly and the equal of such virtuous people as the Bodhisattvas Samantabhadra, Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta.
We should put into practice Venerable Master Yinguang's teachings of maintaining the five [human] relationships, faithfully fulfilling one's responsibilities, avoiding being polluted by that which is bad, keeping a respectful and sincere mindset, believing in and vowing to practice the Buddha-name chanting method and aspiring to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
The causes and conditions of how the Land of Ultimate Bliss came about were different from those for the other Buddha Lands. The causes and conditions fro the latter were complicated and not simple; good ones and bad ones were mixed together. In the Western Pure Land, Dharmakara chose only pure and virtuous Dharmas.
His purpose was to provide a wonderful learning and practice environment for the beings from all the Buddha Lands in the ten directions who truly generate the great mind and who aspire to understand and transcend the cycle of birth and death, and attain Buddhahood in one lifetime. He wanted to provide the best learning and living environment.
Having good roots means that we have firm belief and firm vows. We have firm belief that we do not have the slightest doubt about the Pure Land teachings. We have firm vows when our one and only wish is to attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss and we let go of everything in this world except this wish.
We must have these two conditions to be considered as having good roots.
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