Buddhism As Education

Today, many people are seriously ill. Why do people become ill? Where do illness come from? The root cause is our anger. If we can calm ourselves down and stop being angry, there will be no more illness and when we learn that we will be healthy all the time. Although there are still many people and reasons out there that can make us angry, we Buddhist call them, our karmic creditors, we do not have to be so obedient and get angry when they irritate us. If we become angry once they irritate us, then we are being fooled. We have to know the truth. They are here to make me angry. I know that and I will not follow their will. On the contrary, I will smile at them. In this way, no one can harm me. Who can actually harm us? Actually, we can only be harmed by ourselves, due to our own actions. If we can learn these, no matter how hard others try to irritate us, we will be impervious. If we can impervious, we will truly see through to the truth and let go of everything. When bad cau...

What is merit? It is purity of mind, concentration and wisdom. Think about it, if we lose our tempers, how can we maintain our concentration and wisdom? It is impossible. As for good fortune, it is our wealth and intelligence. When our mind attains Constant Mindfulness of Buddha Amitabha or One Mind Undisturbed, we can accumulate merits and virtues. But with just one outburst of temper, all is lost i.e. no more Constant Mindfulness of Buddha Amitabha or One Mind Undisturbed. Therefore, we need to remain vigilant so as not to lose our merits. The Buddha once said, if we practice the Ten Virtuous Karmas, we will not fall into the Three Bad Realms. Instead, we would likely be born in the heavenly realms if we practice these good conducts diligently. If we achieve the deep concentration along with the Four Immeasurable Minds of loving kindness [providing happiness to others], compassion [taking away bitterness of others], joy [liberating others from suffering and feeling happy for t...

When we observe all the worries, pain, bitterness, anger, good fortune, misfortune, good, evil, conflicts, confrontations and natural disasters around worldwide, we see that they are due to wrong understanding of the truth about life and the universe. From this misunderstanding, we erroneously generate emotional attachments, differentiate between others and ourselves, expand the conflicts and confrontations within ourselves to all beings, affairs, objects and the natural environment outside ourselves. This is why we are making disasters worsening everywhere. In reality, natural disasters are caused by human minds. The Buddha said, "greed is the cause of flood, anger is the cause of fire, ignorance is the cause of wind, arrogance and inequality are the cause of earthquakes". Once we understand the fundamental principles, we will understand that everything in this world and beyond arises from the mind and changes according to our perceptions. If we seek to become Buddh...

How does one subdue and transform one’s thoughts? When an evil thought arises, one should constantly have the wisdom to be aware of it and stop the wandering thoughts. For many kalpas, for which there is no beginning, ordinary being have been immersed in affliction and habits, so they naturally have many wandering thoughts. But it is said, “Do not fear a thought arising; fear realizing is too late”. When an evil thought arises, one should immediately detect it and transform it into “Amituofo”. This is indeed cultivation. In the Zen school, this is the practice of enlightening illumination. Here is where we practice transforming an evil thought into a virtuous thought, transforming an evil thought into “Amituofo”. The “Chapter on the Perfect and Complete Realization of Mahasthamaprapta” from the Surangama Sutra tell us how Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva concentrated on Buddha-name chanting from the time he took refuge until the time he attain enlightenment. He taught us that the proper...

We may want to ask, “What is the method that Bodhisattvas of the Western Pure Land practice to achieve all their faculties and having supple body and gentle mind?” It is mindfully chanting “Amituofo”. As Mahasthamaprapta Boddhisattva said, “I and fifty-two fellow practitioners…”. Fifty-two” refers to the ten stages of faith, ten stages of abiding, ten stages of practice, ten stages of dedication, ten stages of ground, the stage of equal enlightenment and the stage of wondrous enlightenment. “Fellow practitioners” refers to practitioners who shared the same aspiration and focused on practicing the Pure Land method. This tell us that from Mahasthamaprapta Boddhisattva’s initial generation of the Bodhi mind until attainment of Buddhahood, he practiced the Buddha-name chanting without any changes. This is truly inconceivable! Buddha-name chanting enables us ordinary beings to attain Buddhahood. To practice good deeds with one sincere mind means to have an absolute proper and virtuous th...

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...

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...

The Buddha-name Chanting method is suitable for everyone to learn and practice regardless of one's capability. Other methods such as Zen meditation and Tibetan Buddhism are not as easy for one to learn or practice. The Buddha-name chanting method is simple and convenient. It does not matter whether one has a Buddha image at home or if one has flowers to offer. Everyone can learn and practice. This method does not emphasize appearance or learning environment. It is the most convenient method of all. The Buddha said, "All dharmas are created by the mind". When we think about a matter [that will benefit others] every moment of everyday, never forgetting it, then this matter will not be accomplished. Why? Because when we stop thinking of benefiting others, we stop generating energy. Thoughts will truly generate inconceivable energy - this is continual mindfulness. When one understands this principle, one sees that those who are mindful of Buddha will attain Buddhahoo...

For a true practitioner who wants to have a fast, assured success in his practice in this lifetime, the Buddha-name Chanting is all he needs. One chants and read the sutras to understand the truth. Once confidence in establishing upon one's understanding of the principles and the truth, one will naturally let go of everything else. Not only did Sakyamuni Buddha used this method as the foremost method to teach all beings, but all Buddhas do the same. The Pure Land method is hard to believe but easy to practice. Only when one has great good fortune and great wisdom will one be able to believe this method.  The way to cultivate a pure mind is to mindfully chant the Buddha-name. When we are not chanting the Buddha-name, we should listen to the chanting of the Buddha-name. It is best if we can listen to our own chanting. So, we could record our chanting and when we are not chanting, listen to this recording. This is very effective. This is call, cultivating a pure mind. As ...

Wandering thoughts are afflictions and karmic obstacles. As soon as they begin to rise, we will recognize them and change them into Amitofuo. As the six senses encounter the external world and a wandering thought, which may be pleasurable or unpleasant, virtuous or unvirtuous arises, we immediately replace it with a second thought of either Amitofuo or Namo Amitofuo. This is to awaken. This awakening needs to be immediate so there is no room for delusion to grow. This is how we will effectively uncover our wisdom. When one is often mindful of good dharmas, one's mind will be virtuous. When one often contemplates good dharmas, one's thoughts will be virtuous. When one often observes good dharmas, one's conduct will be virtuous. The criterion for virtuousness is to permanently end the Ten Evil Karmas: killing, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, enticing speech, greed, anger and ignorance. When one's every thought, every...

If one does not have the Ten Virtuous Karmas as a foundation for one's learning and practice, one will not be able to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land even though one practices Buddha-name chanting. How do we know this? It is mentioned in the Visualization Sutra that one should first cultivate the Three Conditions before [beginning to] cultivate the pure karma to go to the Pure Land. The Three Conditions are the foundation of the Mahayana Buddhism. Without such foundations, one will not succeed in one's cultivation and learning, regardless of which Dharma door one learns and practices. The Three Conditions are the common foundation. They are the "true causes - the pure karmas - that the Buddhas of the three time periods cultivate to attain Buddhahood". The three time periods refer to the past, present and the future. there are innumerable Dharma doors that enable one to attain Buddhahood. all the Dharma doors are based on the foundation of the Three Con...

What if we can truly put down all the wandering thoughts, discrimination and attachments? The world will change immediately. What will it become then? The world will become a Land of Ultimate Bliss. What is the difference between our land and the Land of Ultimate Bliss? Sakyamuni Buddha introduced us to the Land of Ultimate Bliss where people of superior virtues assemble. when people's minds are virtuous, the land will be stable and secure. Everything will be wonderful, without the least defect. When people's minds are vicious, the land and everything in it will be vicious too. People with true aspiration and profound insight need to know that seeking rebirth into the Pure Land wholeheartedly and meeting Amitabha Buddha is the perfect and complete accomplishment of life. We should let go of attachments to worldly activities, both physical and mental and rid ourselves of differentiating thoughts. There is nothing worthy of worry and nothing worthy of greed. We accord wit...

According to this criterion, the minimum standard to achieve attainment in Mahayana Buddhism is to rid ourselves of a portion of our attachments, to sever the eighty-eight kinds of deviated thoughts and views. If we cannot sever these, we have not yet achieve attainment. Mahayana practitioners, who successfully sever them, reach the Initial Belief Stage. Theravada practitioners who sever various wrong views reach the stage of Stream-entering. Without these accomplishment, we will still be reincarnating within the cycle of rebirth, still having to repay our debts. However, there is still another way here: to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Otherwise, attainment is not possible. If we cannot go to the Pure Land, we will have achieved nothing at all. Seeking rebirth in the Pure Land is actually much easier than severing the eighty-eight kinds of improper thoughts and views because we do not need to sever all of them, but we can carry our remaining karma with us. As long as...

The bodhisattvas of the Western Pure Land have the ability to travel to all the Buddha Lands and any place in the entire Dharma Realm. The sutras teach that the past has no beginning and the future has no end. From this, we know that space [in Buddhism, it is called Dharma Realm] is immensely vast. This is the area the bodhisattvas cover in their travels - the vastness of the Dharma Realm. If they have an affinity with a place, they will manifest themselves there to benefit the beings. Like Sakyamuni Buddha, all Buddhas lecture according to the level of the audience. when the people in the audience have different capacities, there are many sutras that the Buddha would not speak. But, they would definitely speak the three Pure Land sutras. Why? Because these sutras are suitable for all beings. These are the sutras that all Buddhas must speak. That is, they must introduce Pure Land teachings to all beings. If the beings' conditions have matured and this being believes, mak...

About 3,000 years ago, the Buddha knew completely what was going to happen in society today. He did not fail those of us who truly sought transcendence, who truly sought enlightenment. In the Great Collection sutra, he said that in the Dharma-perfect Age, one could succeed in cultivating by observing the precepts; in the Dharma-ending Age, one could succeed in cultivating by learning the Pure Land method. The Buddha was telling us, the people today, that we will definitely succeed in our cultivation if we learn and practice the Pure Land method. The most important thing in our cultivation is to correct our wrong behavior. If we are not happy with a person or a thing, it will obstruct our rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, because our minds are not pure. This is why it is hard to attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss and why Mr Li Bingnan said that only one or two our of 10,000 Pure Land Practitioners succeed in attaining rebirth there. Most practitioners only manage...

Venerable Master Yinguang spoke of small size cultivation centers with no more than twenty practitioners. Small centers will be easy to maintain. There is no need to ask for donations or contributions, no need to hold Dharma assemblies or ceremonies for helping the deceased attain a better rebirth and no need to confer precepts or to give lectures on the sutras. However, it is hard to find practitioners of the same mind, Pure Land centers could not completely follow Venerable Master Yinguang's instructions, but he added one thing: a lecturing session. Why? Because if we do not understand the Pure Land teachings, we may gradually lose our enthusiasm. The more we listen to lectures on the sutras, the more we will understand the Pure Land teachings. Listening to lectures on sutras will help us to dissolve our doubts, developing confidence and strengthen our belief and vow. It will therefore guarantee our success in this lifetime. We should do nothing else but listen to lectures o...

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 Pur...

When we go to the western Pure Land, we are like elementary school students. But there are also university students, post-graduate students and PhD students in the same classroom. When we face difficulty, they will help us. An inconceivable world! Therefore, attaining rebirth in the Land of Common Residence of Ordinary Beings and Saints, the first of the four lands, is the same as attaining rebirth in the Land of Expedient Liberation because arhats are our fellow practitioners. It is also the same as attaining rebirth in the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light, the highest of the four lands because Buddhas are also there with us. Although there are uncountable number of methods, their objectives are the same. It is often said, 'all the roads lead to Rome' and 'all methods are the same'. Pure Land practitioners should never criticize or slander Zen, Esoteric or any other schools because their objectives are the same as ours; they simply follow different methods of p...

With faith, vow and the recitation of the name of Amitabha Buddha, we will be able to be reborn in the Pure Land and never again fall back in our practice. Up until now, we have made progress in one lifetime only to fall back for lifetimes after that. This is constant progression and retrogression is why it is taking us so long to attain enlightenment. But once, we are in the Pure Land, we will never fall back again, which will allow us to attain our goal much more quickly. And as we are progressing, we will learn the infinite ways in which we can help all those we have vow to help be liberated from suffering as well. What is the nature of the mind? An example, which is easy to understand, is called purity of mind in the Pure Land school. when our minds are pure, all of our deeds will be good. Thus, we will accumulate far more than just 10,000 good deeds. Amitabha Buddha is a name of millions of virtues. As we gradually come to understand the true reality, we will realize that w...

Purity, impartiality and enlightenment are the guidelines for learning and practicing. what are we learning? We are learning to, first, cultivate a pure mind, second, cultivate an impartial mind and third, be awakened and not deluded. Purity, impartiality and enlightenment are three in one, one in three. The Pure Land school focuses on the cultivation of a pure mind. When the mind is pure, the land will be pure. The connection between us and Amitabha Buddha of the Western Pure Land lies in a pure mind. Amitabha Buddha is Sanskrit. Amitabha means 'infinite', Buddha means 'awakening'. This name therefore implies infinite enlightenment. 'Infinite' describes that which is innate in the true nature: infinite wisdom, infinite virtues and abilities, and infinite auspicious marks. These three categories of  'infiiteness' covers all the infinities in the entire universe. 'Amitabha Buddha' is the name of the true nature. That is why Venerable Mast...