What need to do when I came to a Buddhist temple?

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RonBucker
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Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:00 pm

What need to do when I came to a Buddhist temple?

Post by RonBucker »

When I first come to a Buddhist temple for the liturgy, what should I do, what should I think about, how should I pray to Buddha Amitabha?
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: What need to do when I came to a Buddhist temple?

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RonBucker wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:57 pm When I first come to a Buddhist temple for the liturgy, what should I do, what should I think about, how should I pray to Buddha Amitabha?
Your motivation should be to benefit all beings.
That is the purpose of Mahayana practice.
It is the motivation for why you recite the liturgy,
It is the motivation for why you pray,
even if you are praying for your own welfare.
That is ultimately the reason to be reborn in a pure land.
Then, even your mistakes will benefit others.
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
RonBucker
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Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:00 pm

Re: What need to do when I came to a Buddhist temple?

Post by RonBucker »

PadmaVonSamba wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 2:36 pm
RonBucker wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:57 pm When I first come to a Buddhist temple for the liturgy, what should I do, what should I think about, how should I pray to Buddha Amitabha?
Your motivation should be to benefit all beings.
That is the purpose of Mahayana practice.
It is the motivation for why you recite the liturgy,
It is the motivation for why you pray,
even if you are praying for your own welfare.
That is ultimately the reason to be reborn in a pure land.
Then, even your mistakes will benefit others.
Thank you for helping me understand Buddhism!
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Zhen Li
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Location: Tokyo
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Re: What need to do when I came to a Buddhist temple?

Post by Zhen Li »

RonBucker wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 3:17 pm
PadmaVonSamba wrote: Sat Apr 17, 2021 2:36 pm
RonBucker wrote: Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:57 pm When I first come to a Buddhist temple for the liturgy, what should I do, what should I think about, how should I pray to Buddha Amitabha?
Your motivation should be to benefit all beings.
That is the purpose of Mahayana practice.
It is the motivation for why you recite the liturgy,
It is the motivation for why you pray,
even if you are praying for your own welfare.
That is ultimately the reason to be reborn in a pure land.
Then, even your mistakes will benefit others.
Thank you for helping me understand Buddhism!
If I can offer a Jōdo Shinshū perspective, even prior to coming to a temple and even before we have heard of Amitābha for the first time, we have everything we need. Amitābha has already provided all the requirements for us to attain birth in the Pure Land and attain Buddhahood. I can only encourage you to listen to the Dharma and reflect on your own relationship to Amitābha Buddha.

With regards to prayer, the question is really what you mean by "prayer." Do you mean asking for favours or good luck? Or simply, what is the procedure for chanting or reciting liturgy? If the latter, then it is up to the temple you are attending. If the former, then I understand that we should try to gain an understanding about how, from a Buddhist perspective, everything arises due to causes and conditions and our prayer is usually not a sufficient condition to change our material situations—moreover, the ultimate question is one of motivation, as PadmaVonSamba mentions. Is the motivation to attain Buddhahood? If so, prayer is not really necessary from the Pure Land perspective. What is important and vital to all Pure Land sects, however, is the Nembutsu (Jp.; Chn. Nianfo), or recitation of the Buddha's name: Namu Amida Butsu.
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