Real Buddhists Sit in Meditation. Right?

Question: Could you please send me an explanation as to why, as Pure Land Buddhists, we should always be Mindful of Buddha (Nien-Fo) and why we should chant the Buddhas name as much as possible. Our little Sangha thinks that I must be crazy to chant the Buddhas name. Real Buddhists sit in meditation. Maybe they will listen to you, they sure do not listen to me on this subject. :-)

Response: It takes three great eons—billions of billions of years—for us to become enlightened through personal practice. The Buddha attained enlightenment through meditation because he had practiced for those billions of years and had finally reached the point where he was just one breath away from enlightenment. He was able to let go of all attachments—all attachments—and to perfectly calm his mind. Perfectly and continuously. He was able to slip the boundaries of space and time, and perceive universal, unchanging truths.

This was something even the two most highly accomplished meditation masters of his time had not been able to accomplish. If even they were unable to match the Buddha's achievement, how can we be sure we can?

And what if we cannot?

We will continue to be reborn in the cycle of rebirth, to continue suffering. Unable to help ourselves. Unable to help others.

The Buddha knew this. And he taught the Pure Land method, taught us to single-mindedly chant "Amituofo" to end our suffering and that of others.

To attain lasting happiness and help others attain it as well.

So we're not crazy...we're doing what the Buddha wisely and compassionately advised us to do.

Twill Grows Up

We should repay the kindness of others;

we should let go of our anger.

Spend less time holding grudges

and more time repaying kindness.

Twill had been looking forward to the human’s picnic for weeks. As a teenage ant, he was too young to have been to one yet, but had heard all about them from listening to the older ants. There would be so much wonderful food there. And lots of ants too. Maybe he’d even get to meet some really cute girl ants.

 Twill was lost in his daydream when his mother called to ask if he had finished his chores and studied for his final exam. Since he hadn’t done either, he didn’t answer her. He knew that if his mother found out he would be stuck in the apartment and not get to hang out with his buddies. He decided he’d go see them now without telling his mother. There’d be plenty of time later for studying and chores.

He slipped out and quietly closed the front door behind him. He had only gone a dozen steps down the tunnel when his mother opened the door and stuck her head out. “Hello boys,” she called out to Twill’s friends at the end of the tunnel.

Then she looked at Twill. “Twill, have you finished studying and doing your chores?”

Twill was so embarrassed! Why did his mother have to treat him like a baby. He was a teenager for Pete’s sake! Twill gruffly retorted, ”I’m busy now, Mom.”

Twill’s mother stepped out into the tunnel and looked at him. Sighing, she said, “Twill, you’re not going anywhere until you finish your work. Back into the apartment. Now.” To Twill’s friends she said, “Twill will have to join you later after he’s done.” 

Twill stormed back into the apartment and angrily began doing his chores. As he was washing the dishes, putting out food for their pet grub, and packing the food his mother had fixed for the queen, he muttered to himself about how unreasonable his mother was. Why did she always go on about school and chores? Didn’t she know he had important things to do? He was almost an adult!

Was she always going to treat him like a child?

He was still very upset when he took out the trash. It was so unfair. And embarrassing. How would he ever face his friends again! He sat down on the ground, propped his elbows on a piece of wood and his chin on his hands. Why were parents always nagging their kids? If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. They never understood. Parents thought only about what they wanted their kids to do, not what their kids wanted.

After some time, he heard footsteps behind him. When he turned to see who it was, he saw that it was his mother.

“Son, I’m sorry you’re upset. You have chores to do because you’re almost an adult now, and I depend on you. And you have to study hard because a good final grade will get you that job you want.

“Twill, meeting our responsibilities is something we all need to do. And meeting them happily, or at least not unhappily,” she said as she smiled, “will make whatever we are doing more enjoyable.”

“Now, I have to get this seed inside. I came out here to find one because you’re going to need it for your final exam. After the picnic, when the other students start looking for them, they’ll be hard to find. I’ll go now and put it in your room for you.”

Twill watched his mother turn to leave. Now he felt terrible. Here he had been angry and complaining about her when, as usual, she had been thinking of helping him.

Not sure how to apologize, he called to her, “Mom?” She turned around to look at him.

Looking down at his feet, he said, “Thank you.” Then he looked up at her. “I really mean it. And I’m sorry.” The smile on her face could only come from a mother. He got up and ran over to the door. He opened it for her, and then helped her carry the seed back to his room.

It is better to remember the kindness of others

than to hold on to our anger.

No Longer Vexed

The path of practice can never be free of obstacles. Where there are people, there are disputes, annoyances, conflicts and all sorts of disagreeable  circumstances. Rather than expecting a smooth path, you ought to strengthen your will power when confronting difficulties. Remember, when your attention does not focus on adversities, you will neither cling to them nor be vexed by them. Then, you will be able to practice with an unfettered mind.

~ Analects of Master Kuang-ch'in

Like Looking Through a Gauze Curtain

People generally do not understand the meaning of Amitabha Buddha and thus disparage this practice. They think that chanting “Amituofo” is too easy and that anyone can do this, even a three-year-old child. No one understands the profundity of the name Amitabha Buddha. Who can fully understand it? Only Buddhas can fully understand the inconceivability of this name! In other words, even Equal-enlightenment Bodhisattvas cannot thoroughly understand it.

The understanding of Equal-enlightenment Bodhisattvas is compared to one’s looking at the moon through a gauze curtain. A person can see the moon through the gauze curtain, but there is still something between the moon and this person. To Equal-enlightenment Bodhisattvas, understanding the profundity of Amitabha Buddha is like looking at the moon through a gauze curtain. That is why this nianfo method is called a method that is hard to believe. One who truly believes has good roots and good fortune. It is aptly said in this sutra: “One cannot be born in this land with few good roots, good fortune, and favorable conditions.” Good roots, good fortune, favorable conditions, and belief—it is very difficult for one to have [all four].

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

 

The Mind Like a Soiled Sponge or Like a Clear Mirror?

When we empathize with another, we feel what they feel. We understand their situation and can relate to their problems. We remember situations where we encountered difficulties similar to what the other is experiencing. Empathizing with them, their suffering becomes ours.

Isn't this a good thing? The way a caring person reacts to the suffering of another?

If we don't handle the suffering correctly, no.

When the Buddha encountered Angulimala, a serial killer, the Buddha understood and knew the terrible suffering that Angulimala was undergoing. The Buddha also understood and knew the suffering of all the past victims and of their loved ones. If the Buddha had taken in all that suffering—like a sponge—it would have tainted his calm, clear mind.

Instead, the Buddha saw everything perfectly—like a mirror. Seeing everything perfectly, his mind retained its clarity. And in an instant, he knew the right words to say to enable Angulimala to wake up from his nightmare and to turn away from killing.

As ordinary beings, when we act from empathy, our mind acts like a sponge, absorbing all the pain, anger, and fear that is overwhelming the other person. We are like a compassionate person who jumps into a raging river to save a drowning man.

Too late we realize that, never having learned how to swim, now we too are drowning.

The alternative?

View the suffering of the other as if in a mirror. See everything clearly. Then react calmly. And if there is a way, we will be much better able to discern it and help the other person.

So we have a choice as to how to react to the suffering around us.

We can absorb it and like a sponge become increasingly soiled with time.

Or we can see it clearly and remain pure while we truly help others.