What guarantees rebirth?

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Mirror
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What guarantees rebirth?

Post by Mirror »

What guarantees rebirth in Sukhavati? What is your lineage's opinion on this?

I like the idea of phowa practice, but I'm scared that I won't be able to practice it at the time of my death (car accident, heart attack, mental illness, etc.). So is there any other way to guarantee rebirth in Sukhavati from the point of Tibetan Buddhism?

From the point of mahayana Pure Land Buddhism is the only way to guarantee rebirth achieving the Buddha recitation samadhi?

I'm sorry for my lack of knowledge. Thank you for any answers.
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Konchog Thogme Jampa
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Re: What guarantees rebirth?

Post by Konchog Thogme Jampa »

Mirror wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:33 pm So is there any other way to guarantee rebirth in Sukhavati from the point of Tibetan Buddhism?
Sitatapatra is supposed to be helpful

Especially this Sadhana https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-ma ... itatapatra

I don’t have the transmission for this sadhana though so never practiced it
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: What guarantees rebirth?

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

Different traditions say different things; self-power, other power, visualization and mantra, saying Amitabha Buddha’s name ten times, and so on.
The reason to be born in sukhavati is that it provides the greatest opportunity for swift realization and buddhahood.
But if you have every opportunity to practice right now, whose to say that you aren’t already there?
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Kai lord
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Re: What guarantees rebirth?

Post by Kai lord »

Mirror wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:33 pm So is there any other way to guarantee rebirth in Sukhavati from the point of Tibetan Buddhism?
Do Nyungne (Thousand armed Chenrezig Kriya fasting practice) perfectly without flaws and breaking of vows for eight times will ripen the cause for one to be reborn in Sukhavati. Its a two day practice something like a weekend retreat.

Doing it 108 times, will not only remove all your afflictive obstructions like an Arhat, purify your eons of negative karma but also guaranteed rebith in Amitabha pure land.
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User 3495
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Re: What guarantees rebirth?

Post by User 3495 »

In Jōdo Shū it is taught that while practicing nenbutsu during one's lifetime we create a close connection with Amida and he will come to welcome us at the moment of our death to ensure we have the right state of mind for birth in the Pure Land. Practitioners do not have to achieve nenbutsu samadhi during their lifetime to achieve birth.
Mirror
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Re: What guarantees rebirth?

Post by Mirror »

Kai lord wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 9:43 pm
Mirror wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:33 pm So is there any other way to guarantee rebirth in Sukhavati from the point of Tibetan Buddhism?
Do Nyungne (Thousand armed Chenrezig Kriya fasting practice) perfectly without flaws and breaking of vows for eight times will ripen the cause for one to be reborn in Sukhavati. Its a two day practice something like a weekend retreat.

Doing it 108 times, will not only remove all your afflictive obstructions like an Arhat, purify your eons of negative karma but also guaranteed rebith in Amitabha pure land.
Thank you for your advice! :anjali:
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Könchok Thrinley
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Re: What guarantees rebirth?

Post by Könchok Thrinley »

Pick a tradition and stay with it.

AFAIK the road to Sukhavati is no different from any other practice. Just do your best, develop renunciation and two bodhicittas and follow what your tradition says how you can be reborn there. Since you practice mostly Tibetan Buddhism then reciting Amitabha or Amitayus mantra few hundred thousand times won't hurt. Or even Mani mantra.
“Observing samaya involves to remain inseparable from the union of wisdom and compassion at all times, to sustain mindfulness, and to put into practice the guru’s instructions”. Garchen Rinpoche

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For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.

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Zhen Li
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Re: What guarantees rebirth?

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Mirror wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:33 pm What guarantees rebirth in Sukhavati? What is your lineage's opinion on this?

I like the idea of phowa practice, but I'm scared that I won't be able to practice it at the time of my death (car accident, heart attack, mental illness, etc.). So is there any other way to guarantee rebirth in Sukhavati from the point of Tibetan Buddhism?

From the point of mahayana Pure Land Buddhism is the only way to guarantee rebirth achieving the Buddha recitation samadhi?

I'm sorry for my lack of knowledge. Thank you for any answers.
I practised phowa before, but now I am in Jōdo Shinshū.

For phowa (at least in the Kagyu tradition where I learned it), if you get the "sign" that your practice was a success, you don't actually have to worry about doing it at the time of death. The idea is that Amitāyus has a "hook of compassion" that will pull your consciousness to Sukhāvatī automatically.

For Jōdo Shinshū based on Shinran's writings, but actually, for Jōdo Shū too based on Hōnen's teachings, we only have to look at the wording of the sūtras to know what Amitābha achieved and promises. In the Pure Land sūtras, Amitābha guarantees birth for those who merely think of him or recite his name even ten times with a mind of faith and aspiration to be born there.

Nembutsu Samādhi can be attained by recitation but is not a requirement for birth. Only recitation is a requirement.
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cj39
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Re: What guarantees rebirth?

Post by cj39 »

Mirror wrote: Wed Jun 29, 2022 5:33 pm What guarantees rebirth in Sukhavati? What is your lineage's opinion on this?

I like the idea of phowa practice, but I'm scared that I won't be able to practice it at the time of my death (car accident, heart attack, mental illness, etc.). So is there any other way to guarantee rebirth in Sukhavati from the point of Tibetan Buddhism?

From the point of mahayana Pure Land Buddhism is the only way to guarantee rebirth achieving the Buddha recitation samadhi?

I'm sorry for my lack of knowledge. Thank you for any answers.
From the Larger Sutra,
"By the power of that Buddha's Original Vows,
All who hear his Name and desire birth,
Will, without exception, be born in his land
And effortlessly enter the Stage of Non-retrogression."

Pretty much sums it up for me.
_/\_
CJ

http://web.mit.edu/stclair/www/larger.h ... 27%20visit
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