Pureland Buddhism

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Comment by Sujatin on April 6, 2009 at 9:14am

Seiyo, if you haven't had a reply yet I suggest that you send a message to Dharmavidya from his page on this site.

Comment by Seiyo on April 6, 2009 at 6:52am

Dharmavidya:

I sent you an email a few days ago regading the Spring issue of Tricycle magazine and a quote by Shinran. I know that you usually respond to questions quickly so I may have not sent it it properly. Did you receive this? I am not "bugging" you for an answer but feel I did it improperly. If you did not receive this, I would like to resend the question. Please let me know.

The question relates to a confusing statement that Shinran made regarding Pure Land practice.

Thank you!

Seiyo

Comment by richard meyers on April 4, 2009 at 2:45pm

I find myself drawn to share partly for myself and partly feeling that there might be something that might be helpful to others. I hope this is not vanity only.
At this stage of my life, following health problems and being forced to accept my own vulnerability - what matters most is that I allow myself to be true to this reality. I am not immortal. I am going to die and as far as I know that will be that. My hope is the vitality that constitutes my deeper self will continue in some form and be of help in this incredible world.

What counts is that we be kind to ourselves and to other people who are also neck deep in their own mortality and every bit as foolish.

It is so hard to realise and authentically express our inate nature. Right now something I hesitate to name (Paul Tillich describes God as 'The ground of our being' and this is how I view the measureless compassion of the Buddha) -moves in and out of my life and for this I am grateful. Still I struggle to say this adequately in words upon the page. The Nembutsu is often described as a 'bridge' and the simplicity of this is wonderful. Just putting one foot in front of the other we are connected to what is essential and in all our flawed beauty - human.

Namo Amida Bu

Comment by Dharmavidya on April 2, 2009 at 11:54am

Dear Richard - Thank you for these lovely observations - very much in the spirit of the Pureland path. Namo Amida Bu is such a relief!

Comment by richard meyers on March 31, 2009 at 4:50pm

I think what touches us is what moves us on a Heart level. The surprise of acceptance after years of failure and struggle; the on-going obsessive 'putting legs on a snake' as the zen folk say, knowing the futility of this, but also somehow knowing that another way beckoned. My hope right now is that the adage 'When the disciple is ready, the teacher appears' continues being realised. Certainly, at no time has the Dharma felt so poignantly real, plus the freedom to be as foolish as I undoubtedly am, comes as a great relief. Also the beauty of Amida's Vow means that my family and friends are also safe to shore, despite not having heard of Amida, or the Pure Land.

Comment by richard meyers on March 10, 2009 at 9:21am

In one respect I am new to Shin Buddhism, but I was touched deeply by it many years ago through the writings of DT Suzuki and also a book of interviews of Buddhist teachers in Japan 'Conversations Christian and Buddhist' by Dom Aelred Graham, in which a number of Pure Land priests figured. For me it is the unconditionality of Amida's Vow, no one, no-thing is excluded. I've also just read the wonderful interview in Tricycle, with Taitetsu and Mark Unno. I love the common sense way the 'passions' are discussed as something to be "treasured.. because they are the fertilizer for realization." The last statement about "Pungent dharma. That's Shin Buddhism". What I am starting to appreciate is the richness to be found here. So many good things coming to light for me in the midst of a difficult time personally.

Comment by caroline brazier on March 6, 2009 at 12:10pm

Greetings Seiyo

I guess those of us involved in Amida Trust from the beginning found the practice (or were found by it) together. This said, I think it was already working in Dharmavidya's heart, for he wrote a number of hymns in 1993 (which we still use in our Sunday service) most of which are focused on Amida. Perhaps as a result our French retreat centre was called the Amida centre, also in 1993.

At that time he and I were practising with Thich Nhat Hanh but once Amida Trust came into being, we found ourselves looking as a group for a shared practice. At this point Pureland groups, particularly in the US were very welcoming.

For me discovering and deepening our practice in a Pureland school has been a homecoming and a blessing. I have always had a strong relational sense of the spiritual and the connection to Amida made sense to me in a way that other practices had not. I left Christianity years ago because I did not believe the things it required me to sign up to, but my sense that the spiritual is something to which I relate, not something within me was much closer to my expeience. It also makes absolute sense to me in terms of core Buddhist teachings - how are we to get beyond self if we do not take refuge in what is beyond?

I love Pureland for its devotionalism, its sense of connection to the mystery of the measureless, its recognition of our bombu nature (thank goodness!) and its beautiful imagery - the descriptions of the Pureland in the Pureland Sutras are just so glorious - especially the smaller one.

Namo Amida Bu

Comment by Seiyo on March 6, 2009 at 7:13am

I am interested in finding out how each of you came accross Pure Land Buddhism and what keeps you going on this path. As for me, I began my Buddhist journey in the Zen tradition. I did enjoy it very much and still stay in regulat contact with my teacher even though we are now 2100 miles apart. I simply stumbled upon Pure Land in a book devoted to the Amitabha Sutra by Thich Nhat Hanh. That was it for me. It was like the adage: when the student is ready the teacher appears. I am so devoted to this path I cannot imagine any other practice (though I respect everyone for the route they take). I am especially fond of Honen.

Seiyo

Comment by GH Ho on May 21, 2008 at 1:32pm

I try to practise pureland buddhism by trying to attain the 6 perfections in my everyday life. They are 1. giving without expecting anything in return, 2. Abiding by the precepts 3.Forebearance i.e patience towards everyone I have contact with 4.Vigour i.e deligence and energy to perform my daily responsibilites in my job and household and also have time to practice buddhism, 5. concentration through chanting quietly most of the time , 6. hopefully attain some form of wisdom everyday.. It may be difficult but I will try day by day....

Comment by Kaspalita on May 21, 2008 at 8:59am

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