This is definitely not considered adequate for birth in Sukhavati in the Tibetan tradition.
Buddhas cannot hand you liberation. All they can do is show you the path.
This is definitely not considered adequate for birth in Sukhavati in the Tibetan tradition.
That's not being handed liberation, someone still has to do something. You'll still find a multiplicity of views in Tibetan temples. It all depends on who reads what.
Is the dharani Tadyatha Om Bhaishaye Bhaishaye Maha-Bhaishaye Raja Samudgate, Svaha?
The dharani starts “Namo Bhagavate Baishajye guru vairdurya…” etc. and ends with the mantra you quote.discussionbuddhist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:18 amIs the dharani Tadyatha Om Bhaishaye Bhaishaye Maha-Bhaishaye Raja Samudgate, Svaha?
Also, in which sutra does it say one gets rebirth in Medicine Buddha's pure land if one recites the dharani seven times everyday?
Me neither, I don't recall the seven times a day in the Medicine Buddha Sutra which is why I wanted to ask Malcolm if there are any references to the teaching.climb-up wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:35 amThe dharani starts “Namo Bhagavate Baishajye guru vairdurya…” etc. and ends with the mantra you quote.discussionbuddhist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:18 amIs the dharani Tadyatha Om Bhaishaye Bhaishaye Maha-Bhaishaye Raja Samudgate, Svaha?
Also, in which sutra does it say one gets rebirth in Medicine Buddha's pure land if one recites the dharani seven times everyday?
The medicine Buddha sutra describes the PureLand, but I don’t recall the seven times a day. It does discuss quite a few benefits for the dharani and and meditating on medicine Buddha (basically everything you could want), so it might be one of the things discussed that o just don’t remember.
Oh, I see, now I’m interested too.discussionbuddhist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:58 am
Me neither, I don't recall the seven times a day in the Medicine Buddha Sutra which is why I wanted to ask Malcolm if there are any references to the teaching.
There's such a thing as Medicine Buddha phowa?climb-up wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:33 amOh, I see, now I’m interested too.discussionbuddhist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:58 am
Me neither, I don't recall the seven times a day in the Medicine Buddha Sutra which is why I wanted to ask Malcolm if there are any references to the teaching.
On quick perusal I didn’t see it, only that having faith and hearing the name of medicine Buddha can bring one to his PureLand. Lama Zopa Rinpoche discusses the a medicine Buddha phowa and using the dharani for people and animals who have died, to send them to medicine Buddhas PureLand, but no discussion of a daily requirement (quite the opposite in fact, or so it seemed).
The lowest of the low have to sit in lotus buds for aeons before it opens up. The highest of the high (those with Shinjin) attain instantaneous Buddhahood upon birth according to the Pure Land sutras.
You definitely need a teacher to transmit Faith in Amitabha. That means a teacher who has already settled Faith. This is known as Faith Transmission in Jodo Shinshu.Zhen Li wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:24 amYes, the point he's making is that getting assured of birth there is difficult.
Actually, this is accepted in Japanese Pure Land as well. It's said "going there is easy and yet no one is born."
If you're interested in this, maybe start a thread in the Pure Land forum on why the Larger Sūtra says it is the "most difficult of all difficulties" to gain faith in its teachings.
As for TB, people practice all their lives to accumulate merit and realisations, and yet, at the end of the day, they rely on Amitābha to gain birth and attain actual buddhahood. Practitioners of high spiritual capacity, like Malcolm, may not need to have that reliance. But you should be true to yourself and evaluate what you feel is possible for you in this life. Remember: Buddhahood or bust. If you are just messing around reciting things and ringing bells but not improving on a day to day level and moving towards Buddhahood, then the method isn't working. Find what works for you and stick with it. You are asking lots of questions of people from different traditions on a daily basis here, but at a certain point, you need to settle down and focus.
Straight talk. NiceZhen Li wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:24 amYes, the point he's making is that getting assured of birth there is difficult.
Actually, this is accepted in Japanese Pure Land as well. It's said "going there is easy and yet no one is born."
If you're interested in this, maybe start a thread in the Pure Land forum on why the Larger Sūtra says it is the "most difficult of all difficulties" to gain faith in its teachings.
As for TB, people practice all their lives to accumulate merit and realisations, and yet, at the end of the day, they rely on Amitābha to gain birth and attain actual buddhahood. Practitioners of high spiritual capacity, like Malcolm, may not need to have that reliance. But you should be true to yourself and evaluate what you feel is possible for you in this life. Remember: Buddhahood or bust. If you are just messing around reciting things and ringing bells but not improving on a day to day level and moving towards Buddhahood, then the method isn't working. Find what works for you and stick with it. You are asking lots of questions of people from different traditions on a daily basis here, but at a certain point, you need to settle down and focus.
It is based on a passage from Ārya Amitābhavyūha Sūtra:
Lama Zopa Rinpoche describes what he calls medicine Buddha phowa in “Ultimate Healing.”discussionbuddhist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:19 pmThere's such a thing as Medicine Buddha phowa?climb-up wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:33 amOh, I see, now I’m interested too.discussionbuddhist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:58 am
Me neither, I don't recall the seven times a day in the Medicine Buddha Sutra which is why I wanted to ask Malcolm if there are any references to the teaching.
On quick perusal I didn’t see it, only that having faith and hearing the name of medicine Buddha can bring one to his PureLand. Lama Zopa Rinpoche discusses the a medicine Buddha phowa and using the dharani for people and animals who have died, to send them to medicine Buddhas PureLand, but no discussion of a daily requirement (quite the opposite in fact, or so it seemed).
Thank you, but the Larger Sutra states:Malcolm wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:28 pmIt is based on a passage from Ārya Amitābhavyūha Sūtra:
Ānanda, any sentient beings who repeatedly thinks of the aspects of that tathāgata, generates immeasurable quantities of roots of merit, totally dedicates themselves to generating the thought to awaken (bodhicitta), and offers supplications to be born in that world, when the time of death draws near will see before them the Tathāgatam Arhat, Samyaksambuddha Amitābha surrounded by many groups of bhikṣus. Upon seeing Bhagāvan Amitābha, they will die with a mind of utter faith, and be born in that world, Sukhavati."
Shinjin wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:55 pmThank you, but the Larger Sutra states:Malcolm wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:28 pmIt is based on a passage from Ārya Amitābhavyūha Sūtra:
Ānanda, any sentient beings who repeatedly thinks of the aspects of that tathāgata, generates immeasurable quantities of roots of merit, totally dedicates themselves to generating the thought to awaken (bodhicitta), and offers supplications to be born in that world, when the time of death draws near will see before them the Tathāgatam Arhat, Samyaksambuddha Amitābha surrounded by many groups of bhikṣus. Upon seeing Bhagāvan Amitābha, they will die with a mind of utter faith, and be born in that world, Sukhavati."
(3. The lower grade)
[25] The Buddha said to Ananda, "The lower grade of aspirants are the devas and humans in the worlds of the ten quarters who sincerely desire to be born in that land. Although unable to do many meritorious deeds, they awaken aspiration for the highest Enlightenment and single-mindedly concentrate on Amitayus even ten times, desiring birth in his land. When they hear the profound Dharma, they joyfully accept it and do not entertain any doubt; and so, remembering the Buddha even once, they sincerely aspire to be born in that land. When they are about to die, they will see the Buddha in a dream. Those aspirants, too, will be born in the Pure Land. Their merit and wisdom will be next to those of the middle grade of aspirants."
http://web.mit.edu/stclair/www/larger.h ... 0aspirants
Nowhere does it mention the four requirements here.
I was going to add this to my response above, but I can't edit the post.discussionbuddhist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 1:19 pmThere's such a thing as Medicine Buddha phowa?climb-up wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 8:33 amOh, I see, now I’m interested too.discussionbuddhist wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 7:58 am
Me neither, I don't recall the seven times a day in the Medicine Buddha Sutra which is why I wanted to ask Malcolm if there are any references to the teaching.
On quick perusal I didn’t see it, only that having faith and hearing the name of medicine Buddha can bring one to his PureLand. Lama Zopa Rinpoche discusses the a medicine Buddha phowa and using the dharani for people and animals who have died, to send them to medicine Buddhas PureLand, but no discussion of a daily requirement (quite the opposite in fact, or so it seemed).
This is also an interesting topic and maybe it's worth a separate thread. But I have been taught a few times that we can take Master Shinran or Rennyō as our teacher. There's actually not the specification that the teacher needs to be alive or present before us. Hōnen, for instance, relied on Shandao's writings to gain Shinjin but did not himself meet Shandao.Konchog Thogme Jampa wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 5:38 pmYou definitely need a teacher to transmit Faith in Amitabha. That means a teacher who has already settled Faith. This is known as Faith Transmission in Jodo Shinshu.Zhen Li wrote: ↑Thu Jan 27, 2022 3:24 amYes, the point he's making is that getting assured of birth there is difficult.
Actually, this is accepted in Japanese Pure Land as well. It's said "going there is easy and yet no one is born."
If you're interested in this, maybe start a thread in the Pure Land forum on why the Larger Sūtra says it is the "most difficult of all difficulties" to gain faith in its teachings.
As for TB, people practice all their lives to accumulate merit and realisations, and yet, at the end of the day, they rely on Amitābha to gain birth and attain actual buddhahood. Practitioners of high spiritual capacity, like Malcolm, may not need to have that reliance. But you should be true to yourself and evaluate what you feel is possible for you in this life. Remember: Buddhahood or bust. If you are just messing around reciting things and ringing bells but not improving on a day to day level and moving towards Buddhahood, then the method isn't working. Find what works for you and stick with it. You are asking lots of questions of people from different traditions on a daily basis here, but at a certain point, you need to settle down and focus.
This is a point lost here as I’m the only one who mentions it.
I’m more interested in actual experience that’s what I trained in where I practiced in London not long expositions and citations from books. It’s a lived experience an actual relationship in the case of Jodo Shinshu
This is definitely a difference between common Mahayana on the one hand, and Vajrayana as well as Zen on the other. Dogen, for example, makes it absolutely clear that real Zen lies in the interaction between teacher and student.Zhen Li wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 3:38 am This is also an interesting topic and maybe it's worth a separate thread. But I have been taught a few times that we can take Master Shinran or Rennyō as our teacher. There's actually not the specification that the teacher needs to be alive or present before us. Hōnen, for instance, relied on Shandao's writings to gain Shinjin but did not himself meet Shandao.
Rennyō said, for instance, that if someone lacks faith, let them listen to the scriptures of our tradition (i.e. KGSS) repeatedly, up to a hundred times. If they don't have Shinjin after that, then they lack the karmic roots.
I am not saying that there is no interaction between teacher and student. Just that we ultimately rely directly on the Buddha as a teacher. As Shinran writes:Malcolm wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 3:44 amThis is definitely a difference between common Mahayana on the one hand, and Vajrayana as well as Zen on the other. Dogen, for example, makes it absolutely clear that real Zen lies in the interaction between teacher and student.Zhen Li wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 3:38 am This is also an interesting topic and maybe it's worth a separate thread. But I have been taught a few times that we can take Master Shinran or Rennyō as our teacher. There's actually not the specification that the teacher needs to be alive or present before us. Hōnen, for instance, relied on Shandao's writings to gain Shinjin but did not himself meet Shandao.
Rennyō said, for instance, that if someone lacks faith, let them listen to the scriptures of our tradition (i.e. KGSS) repeatedly, up to a hundred times. If they don't have Shinjin after that, then they lack the karmic roots.
We can take humans or Shinran as an intermediary teacher. But even TB takes refuge in the Buddha before the Guru.It appears that disputes have arisen among followers of the sole practice of nembutsu, who argue that "these are my disciples" or "those are someone else's disciples." This is utterly senseless.
For myself, I do not have even a single disciple. For if I brought people to say the nembutsu through my own efforts, then they might be my disciples. But it is indeed preposterous to call persons "my disciples" when they say the nembutsu having received the working of Amida.
Of course there are virtuous friends in common Mahayāna, but it’s just not same relationship as one has with one’s teacher in Vajrayana and Zen.
No, actually the Guru jewel comes first. This is ubiquitous in TB.But even TB takes refuge in the Buddha before the Guru.
There you go. This is why TB doesn't work for everyone, it depends a lot on karmic connections. Actually, the same is true with Pure Land. It's not the practitioner who chooses the practice but the practice that chooses the practitioner.Malcolm wrote: ↑Fri Jan 28, 2022 4:39 amOf course there are virtuous friends in common Mahayāna, but it’s just not same relationship as one has with one’s teacher in Vajrayana and Zen.
No, actually the Guru jewel comes first. This is ubiquitous in TB.But even TB takes refuge in the Buddha before the Guru.