Worst Enemy, Best Friend

Question: Is it appropriate to pray to Amitabha Buddha for help in getting better? I wouldn't think it appropriate to pray for worldly blessings like wealth or success, but for something that is so intense and life-crippling that the pain I sometimes long to end the pain by ending my life, and thus end my chance to cultivate for who knows how long, I feel that maybe it's appropriate. What do you think about this? The frustrating thing is that in every other way I'm healthier now than at any other time in my life.

One positive is that I do have plenty of time for focusing on the chanting, and the vulnerability of this body and life, that is ever apparent now, is a great motivator. So it's not all bad, for sure. But I often feel that I need a miracle. So should I pray to Amitabha Buddha for help on this?

Response: I believe it appropriate to ask Amitabha to help you and to help all those in suffering, including those who you have harmed in the past. A sense of regret for all the harm we have done and a sincere apology can help to reduce our current suffering. As you are asking for help, think of how you would be able to help others if you were well. In this way, you're not asking for help for just yourself, but for those you in turn can help.

The painful reality is that the suffering we feel is the result of suffering we caused others. Not becoming angry, even with ourselves or for the conditions that lead to our suffering, will help us repay the karmic debts we currently find ourselves owing,

When in pain, I know it is very difficult to focus on practice. But the irony here is that with pain, we are less attached to this body and more anxious to go to the Pure Land.

So the very source of our suffering can also become the source of our liberation.

Good dharmas

The Buddha said in the Ten Virtuous Conducts Sutra that bodhisattvas have a method that can help them end all sufferings in the Three Evil Paths. The method is being often mindful of and contemplating wholesome thoughts, and observing wholesome behavior and speech night and day, not having even the slightest non-virtuous thought. This way, one will end all evils forever and perfectly accomplish good dharmas—wholesome thoughts, behavior and speech.

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 Conducts: killing, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, enticing speech, greed, anger, and ignorance.

When one’s every thought, every word, and every action accords with the Ten Virtuous Conducts and the virtues innate in the true nature, one will be free from all sufferings in the evil paths.

~ Ven. Master Chin Kung

Revelations

If I am angry with others – I reveal the anger that I have for myself.

If I am critical of others – I reveal the criticism that I have for myself.

On the other hand:

If I am loving of others – I reveal that I am capable of loving myself.

If I have compassion for others – I reveal that I am capable of having compassion for myself.

~ A Reader

Nothing Exists on its Own

 The cloud transforms into rain.

The rain waters the earth.

The earth nurtures the seed that becomes a flower

watered by the rain that was the cloud.

Nothing exists on its own.

When the Mind is Pure

When we contemplate carefully, we see that all the complex problems throughout history and around the world arise from contradiction, conflict, opposition, and inequality. When we probe deeper, we see that the root of conflict is the conflict between the true nature and the acquired habits of humanity. In other words, it is the conflict between altruism and self-benefit.

Therefore, the Buddha taught this fundamental principle: “When the mind is pure, the land will be pure. When the mind is at peace, all beings will be at peace. When the mind is impartial, the world will enjoy equality.” He taught us to purify ourselves, enrich our spiritual life, return to our original goodness, and achieve harmony of body and mind. This way, all the contradictions, conflicts, oppositions, and inequalities in the world will naturally be resolved.

~ Ven. Master Chin Kung