Buddha as Mind

One invocation to Buddha Amitabha, if uttered properly, will immediately cause the six sense organs to become clean and clear. For instance, now while in the period of Amidist practice, the organ of sight will be clean and pure as we always look at and see the Buddha. The organ of hearing will be clean and pure as we inhale the aroma of incense. The tongue will be clean and pure as we recite Buddha's name incessantly. The body will be clean and pure as we face and worship Buddha all day long in a clean and pure place.The mind will be clean and pure as we contemplate and think of Buddha.

When the six sense organs are clean and pure, the three karmas are so cleansed; the physical evils of killing, stealing, and lust will no longer exist, nor the oral evils of hypocritical, harsh, lying or suggestive speech. There will be no involvement in the mental evils of avarice, hatred, and delusion. The Ten Good Karmas [25] will immediately be practiced. A follower of Buddha finds it most difficult to curb the evil karmas committed by the body, tongue and mind. However, with one invocation of Buddha Amitabha's name, these three evils will be checked. Eventually, perception and contemplation will be fully developed and preparation for entering the Pure Land will grow. One will surely be reborn in the Western Paradise when this present life comes to an end.

Ordinary people usually consider it difficult to become a Buddha. In fact, it is not so difficult. Both Buddhas and ordinary sentient beings are invariably molded Out of perception and contemplation. In one thought, Buddhas pervade the ten Dharma Worlds.[26] Likewise, a sentient being also pervades ten Dharma Worlds in one thought. If avarice arises at one thought, he is, indeed, a hungry ghost. If hatred arises at one thought, he is a hell-dweller. If delusion arises at one thought, he is a beast. If doubt and arrogance arise at one thought, he is an asura, a malevolent spirit. If one's thoughts fall on the five virtues regarding human relationships, as well as the Five Precepts, he will enter the world of humans. If his thoughts fall on the ten Good Karmas, he will be reborn in heaven. If his ideas are centered on the Four Noble Truths,[27] he equals the Buddha's immediate disciples. If his mind dwells on the doctrine of Twelve Links of Causation,[28] he is a Pratyekabuddha. If his ideas center on the Six Paramitas,[29] he is a Bodhisattva. If his thoughts dwell on altruism and equality, he is indeed a Buddha.

On the other hand, each person in the world has his own ideas—scholars, farmers, workmen, businessmen, soldiers, public officials, etc.—all have come to their present condition because of previous ideas.One becomes the embodiment of any fixed idea that is held in the mind.

This equally applies to the Amidist. Every day he looks at the Buddha, orally repeats the Buddha's name, physically bows and worships Buddha, mentally contemplates Buddha, and also hears Buddha's name proclaimed. At all times, his thoughts are on rebirth in the Western Paradise. In this way, he will surely be reborn in the Western Paradise, and will surely be able to realize Buddhahood.

~ On Amidism, A Short Discourse By Grand Master T'an Hsu

Cultivating Wisdom and Good Fortune While in the Pure Land

Once in the Western Pure Land, Amitabha Buddha truly helps the practitioners. Although a practitioner still has afflictions and residual habits, with Amitabha Buddha’s help, he or she has the ability to visit all the Buddhas in all the ten directions. (North, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, above and below. These ten stand for all directions.)

The sutra says that the practitioner can visit one hundred thousand kotis, or one hundred billion, Buddhas in the ten directions. There is a reason for using this number. The reason is that the Western Pure Land is one hundred thousand kotis of Buddha-lands away from our Saha world. This means that after you attain rebirth there, you can easily come back to the Saha world. You can come back to the Saha world every day. In fact, you can come back whenever you like due to this ability.

When you visit a Buddha, you will listen to the Buddha’s Dharma talk, and your wisdom will arise. Of course, you will also make offerings to that Buddha. Therefore, when you visit a Buddha, you cultivate both wisdom and good fortune. And you do so every day. This is why accomplishment in the Pure Land is much quicker than with other methods.

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra

Ways I Have Changed Since Becoming a Pure Land Buddhist

Question: How do you feel you have changed since being a Pure Land Buddhist?

Response: I must confess this is an entry that never occurred to me. But the question is a very good one. Not because I have so much progress to report, but because what little progress I have made could encourage others. And even a little progress can make a definite difference in our lives.

Now for those changes...

I'm more patient

My mother noticed this one. This might well have been one of the first ways I changed since I remember her mentioning this when I was still a layperson.

This one I will always be exceptionally grateful for. I had the wonderful good fortune to live with my mother for the last three years of her life. She commented periodically that I was very patient with her. This was a blessing because it enabled her to worry less about being a burden, which she never was. Even my very imperfect patience improved what could have been a difficult situation and helped lead to many good times for both of us.

I’m calmer and struggle less

And I accord with conditions more. While I still try hard to meet my responsibilities, I’m improving at letting go when things don’t work out as hoped for. The struggling less is a relief. I understand causality much better then when I first read about it as a teenager.

I understand the person who always gives me a hard time is enacting something I created in the past. And that if I can resolve it—or at least not make it worse—things will be easier in my future. I realize that whatever I have or do not have is likewise the result of my own karmas. So there’s no one out there to blame. I realize that good thoughts and behavior today will improve my tomorrows; if not in this lifetime, then at some time in the future. I realize that having expectations sets one up for disappointment.

I’m more relaxed

This one is a result of the above changes. Being even a little more patient and accepting has reduced my daily stress. When I get upset or angry, I get over it more quickly than I used to. When I’m in a situation that is less than ideal (i.e. frequently), I can get out my chanting beads and start “Amituofo, Amituofo, Amituofo...” or simply chant silently to myself.

I smile more

This one is partially because I'm recognizable as a Buddhist nun. Being aware that I am noticeable and that most people guess what I am, I'm less invisible. And I’m very aware that I need to set a good example as a Buddhist. I must confess that giving up my invisibility was very difficult at first and can still be problematic at times. Basically, I prefer invisibility. I view my current situation as one of life’s little ironies. :-)

Being fairly practical, I decided some years ago that if people were going to think "Buddhist nun," I needed to be sure they didn't think "angry” or “unhappy” Buddhist nun. So I kept reminding myself to smile in public. Gradually, the rewards of my practice and studying caught up. Smiling is no longer something I need to keep reminding myself to do.

I’m less judgmental

Becoming increasingly aware of all the things I have done—and continue to do—wrong, I’m a bit less critical of others. Understanding causality helps on this one as well. We’re all just struggling to deal with what we created in the past. And in the cycle of rebirth, the degree of suffering will vary from person to person and realm to realm, but essentially we are all suffering. So it’s pointless and unthoughtful to get upset with others when they fail to follow the little scenarios in my mind.

I talk less

And thus I get into less trouble! It's amazing how much time we have to spend trying to undo the harm done after saying what we wish we hadn't. It's equally amazing how much time we can spend talking about nothing important. As is said “Speak less, chant more.”

I live more simply

Before I became a monastic I lived and worked in a one-bedroom apartment. Now I live and work in one room. Everything: personal items, work items, library, computers are all contained in a single room.

And a plain room at that. I have always loved color and even on a budget (and sometimes over) decorated my homes. Now the ambience of my room is "monastic cell." From colors and plants and silk flowers and paintings and family-treasured furniture, I have gone to white and taupe, and everything out of sight.

Also, almost everything I wear is brown and having been the style for Chinese monastics for well over a thousand years, is the ultimate "classic look." I say this humorously, but dressing simply does save a lot of thought and time—and money.

I work more

For someone brought up with a very strong work ethic, this is a benefit. Plus, since the "work" I do is what I chose and love (okay, most of the time ;-)), working more is a joy.

Most of my time spent working is on projects of my choosing. A fellow nun suggested I do a little book, so I did Heart of a Buddha. I thought an image of Amitabha Buddha suitable for someone's meditation table packaged along with chanting music would be helpful, so I did the writing and design work for Pure Land Chants. I thought a book with 365 daily thoughts would be helpful, so I did Path to Peace. Now I'm writing a children's book based on a Confucian classic. Also, I work on translations and have a dedicated and talented group of people to work with, so that too is most enjoyable.

I am happier

Thanks to all the above and much more,

I am happier since being a Pure Land Buddhist.

Exclusive Pursuit

Recently, I was asked if I had noticed an improvement in certain abilities since I had been a nun for several years. Did my brothers perhaps have an increase in their abilities since they had been monastics for a longer time? For example, was I or my brothers better able to see auras?

Another recent question was how I would incorporate other practices into my Pure Land practice?

And a third was could someone (a Pure Land Buddhist) chant a certain mantra since it was said to reduce fear.

My response to all is "No.”

Whether it's trying to see auras or to develop other abilities, these would be distractions. And we become easily attached to our distractions. When I am chanting “Amituofo” or the Amitabha Sutra, I don't want to be distracted by any other practices. The best way to succeed on our path to enlightenment is exclusive pursuit. One goal—one practice.

Anything else takes time away from my first priority in this lifetime: rebirth in the Pure Land. Once there, I can develop other abilities and learn all the other methods the Buddha taught. There I'll have the best teachers: Amitabha Buddha and bodhisattvas who are further along the path than I.

All the methods to attain enlightenment taught by the Buddha are perfect. We just need to find the one that is suitable for us and then put all other methods and practices aside. Seeing auras and developing other abilities won't help me get to the Pure Land. So I set them aside.

Practices from other belief systems won't help me get to the Pure Land. So I set them aside.

For a Pure Land Buddhist, chanting a mantra from another method to reduce fear is not as effective as chanting “Amituofo.” First, for a mantra to be effective one must be focused on it from start to finish. So from a purely practical standpoint, the longer the mantra is, the greater are the chances of being distracted. I stand a much greater chance of remaining completely concentrated during “Amituofo” than during the recitation of a long mantra.

Even if I could focus perfectly during that mantra, for a Pure Land Buddhist, nothing surpasses becoming one with Amitabha Buddha. When my mind focuses solely on him, I become one with him. Being one with Buddha, how could I possibly feel fear? Why chant this mantra for one situation and that mantra for another? For them to work, I have to spend time perfecting my concentration in them. Why not devote my time to perfecting “Amituofo”?

Chanting mantras from other methods won't help me get to the Pure Land. So I set them aside.

It seems that as humans, we are always in a rush to acquire “more.” For many people that is more everyday stuff. But spiritual seekers take craving in a different direction. We’re like spiritual Oliver Twists. We too are asking “Please sir, more?”

Don’t seek more in a broader sense. Strive for it in a narrower sense. Instead of trying to pick up all the stones you see and lugging them around with you, pick one and keep polishing it until it shines with clarity and reflects perfectly.

Exclusive pursuit—pick one practice and perfect it.

Living Will

Whatever our wishes for our final arrangements, the more we plan and tell others what we wish, the easier it will be for our family members and the more likely what we wish will be carried out. The following is a sample living will for a Pure Land Buddhist, which stresses the importance of not touching the body of the deceased person for a minimum of eight hours. As humans, we are very attached to our bodies, believing they are "I." Thus it can take many hours for the consciousness to completely leave the body. During this time, if we disturb the body in any way, we can cause the person great pain.

Ideally, the deceased will be at home in the final days. Many hospitals are willing to work with families to arrange this. When my mother had a stroke and we were told that she would require feeding tubes, my sister and I both declined as my mother had prepared a living will many years before and we knew what she wanted. I then said I wished to take my mother home for her final days. The hospice I selected was able to very quickly make arrangements with the hospital after the hospital staff verified that there was a living will. 

If conditions are not ideal, the presence of a living will will help family members know what the person wished so the best possible arrangements can be made. And of course, preparing a living will and discussing it in advance with family members will help family members who have different beliefs clearly undersatdn the individual's wishes so they may honor them.

Living Will

To my family and all those concerned with my care: I, __________________________________, of ____________________________________________ being of sound mind, make this statement as a directive to be followed if for any reason I become unable to participate in decisions regarding my medical care.

Upon my death and transition into the next life, I do not wish to be reborn as a ghost path or an animal. I do not wish to suffer. Instead, I wish to follow Amitabha Buddha and to arrive at his Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. To all my family and friends, I wish to ask for your assistance so that I may not suffer, but instead remain calm and peaceful to prepare for my arrival to the Western Pure Land.

In the event that I should suffer from a terminal illness to the extent that doctors foresee no possible recovery, I ask that no medical treatment be undertaken. Should I already be in the hospital at this point, I wish to be checked out and brought home. Please notify my assigned family member or friend __________________________________
at telephone number(s) ________________________ and _________________________.

Once home, please position me in the most comfortable, natural position in which I may rest. The assigned family member or friend will lead others in chanting “Amituofo.” Should I decline to the point where I lose consciousness and am no longer aware of my surroundings, the assigned family member or friend shall have full authority in making any decisions regarding my well-being. If this person cannot be contacted, please find a Buddhist master or Buddhist believer to aid in the chanting of “Amituofo” until the assigned person can be reached.

Within twenty-four hours prior to and after my death, I would like to ask my friends and family to comply with the following:

1. Do not touch or move my body or even my bed.

2. Do not change my clothing.

3. Do not place dry ice or other substances on my body. Sandalwood incense may be burned if there is any odor.

4. Do not let a breeze blow directly onto my body.

5. Do not allow the scent of alcohol, onions, scallions, garlic, or chives to enter the room.

6. Do not smoke, cry, or talk in the room.

My purpose for asking this is to create an atmosphere in which I may remain calm and at peace. The only sound I wish to hear is “Amituofo,” so that he may escort me to the Pure Land.

If I am at home upon my death, my family should take turns chanting “Amituofo” for eight to twenty-four hours. At this point, I will be ready to be moved, washed, and dressed. This period of chanting is the best time to assist me to be calm and peaceful. All funeral arrangements can be made afterwards. If I should pass away in the hospital, please follow hospital policy and chant as much as is allowed.

During my terminal illness and within forty-nine days after my death, all family members should adopt a vegetarian diet. I do not wish for any killing to be associated with my death. All funeral offerings must be vegetarian. The use of alcohol is strictly prohibited. Funeral arrangements should be kept simple, and proper Buddhist etiquette should be followed. I do not wish for any unnecessary excess.

Within forty-nine days following my death, I sincerely ask my family members and friends to seek my rebirth into the Pure Land, and to perform good deeds such as giving offerings to the Three Jewels of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, printing sutras, helping the needy, and so on. These good deeds will help me to attain additional good karma, and further assist me in arriving at the Pure Land. Most important is for my family to sincerely chant “Amituofo.”

In order for me to benefit the most and to peacefully arrive at the Pure Land, the above points must be followed. This will not only benefit me but all those involved as well. In this manner, I wish for everyone to learn and to believe in Buddhism. Thus, everyone can arrive at the Pure Land, as well.

Amituofo to all.

These directions express my legal right to request or refuse treatment. Therefore, I expect my family, doctor, and all those concerned with my care to regard themselves as legally and morally bound to act in accord with my wishes.

Signed______________________________________

Date_________________

Witness: I declare that the person who signed this document, or asked another to sign this document on his or her behalf, did so in my presence and that he or she appears to be of sound mind and free of duress or undue influence.

Witness_____________________________________

Date_________________