Buddhism As Education

Some people may say that when one chants mantras, one will also get help from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Indeed, when chanting mantras as practiced by Esoteric schools, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will also be there to help but it is not as good as chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha. When one chant mantras, one will have the help of one or two Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. To get the help of three to five Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is incredible. But when one mindfully chants the name of Amitabha Buddha, one will obtain the help of all Buddhas in the 10 directions and in the three time periods. This is why the merit of chanting the Amitabha Buddha's name is inconceivable. What does the proper thought arising means? It is "Amituofo": the most truthful and ultimate proper thought. The only important issue in our life is to constantly maintain proper thoughts, not to cling to deviated or erroneous ones and to be constantly mindful of Amitabha Buddha day and night witho

The answer to this question is, the noble qualities such as generosity, morality, etc, etc, not spoiled by craving, pride or wrong view, but founded on great compassion and wisdom which is skill in seeking merit, are to be named Parami. Further explanation, when giving dana, if it is tainted with craving, thinking "this is my dana", if it is tainted with pride, thinking, "this dana is mine", if it is tainted with wrong view, thinking, "this dana is for myself", such dana is said to be spoiled by craving, pride and wrong view. It is only the kind of dana not spoiled by craving, pride or wrong view which could be termed Perfection (the same applies to observance of morality, etc). To be qualified as a Parami, acts of merit such as dana, sila, etc should not only be free from taints of craving, pride or wrong view, but should be founded on Great Compassion (Maha-karuna) and wisdom which is skill-in seeking merit (Upaya-kosalla Nana). Mahakaruna: A

If we want to practice filial piety to perfection, we just need to single-mindedly chant the Buddha-name and seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. When we meet Amitabha Buddha, our filial piety will then be perfect. It is because, once we are in Pure Land, we will be able to recognize our parents and also all our parents in the past lifetimes and clearly know which paths they are in, so that when the conditions are mature, they will listen and accept our advice to mindfully chant the Buddha-name when we urge them to do so. This way, we will have the ability to help them, we will be able to help our family members, friends and those who have an affinity with us, from everyone of our lifetimes, transcend the Six Paths, attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land and attain Buddhhood. This is great filial piety, this is true filial piety! Single-mindedly chanting Amituofo day and night will reduce all of our wandering thoughts into one thought of Amituofo. Is Amituofo good or bad? N