Blessings, superstitions, faith and the Amithaba recitation practice

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The talk by Venerable Fatzang explains blessings, superstitions, faith and the Amithaba recitation practice. If you understand Mandarin, or has someone who can translate the teaching for you, there are some important lessons in this video worth paying attention to. Highly recomended.

The following are some summarized takeaways and nuggets of wisdoms after viewing, taken down as notes for reference, in case you don't understand Mandarin and like to learn something from it.

• The question initially asked concerns the issue of superstition some had percieved of Buddhism, particularly of the lack of acceptance regarding chanting, blessings, and the inconceivable methods by those who are prone to using logical mind to appreciate Buddhism.

• Blessing is meant to boost one's conviction towards one's pursuit, much like the cheerleading team cheering the team on, which has no direct impact in the sporting outcome but boosts morale nevertheless. The notion of blessing is similar in nature.

• So, in that regard, blessing by the Buddhas serves to motivate us towards Buddhahood or enlightenment. Beliefs about ceremonial practices or even scripture recitations bringing about sense of blessings which may seem like superstition, but it brings about benefits of increasing one's motivation towards spiritual pursuits.

• Basically, it is about faith. There is no difference between the Buddha nature of the Buddhas and our own Buddha nature, in that that quality is identical (much like sea water in different ends of the ocean having the same quality as water). But, do we have the faith in that we have the Buddha nature?

• Blessings presumably derived from the practices or from the Buddhas is helping us to increase that faith, much like cheerleading, as previously mentioned.

• Faith (about our own Buddha nature and potentiality) is important because it makes a great world of difference in the benefits Buddha dharma practice would bring.

• As we recite Amituofo (Buddha Amithaba's name), which bestows the benefit of rebirth into the Pureland upon death in this life, the greater the faith the better. Though no faith works too, so long as the Amituofo recitation is done. Which incidentally/ironically takes some faith! (Just read out A-Mi-Tuo-Fo aloud now).

• The simile is said of the size of our faith being like the size of port receiving incoming waves. If the opening is wide, when waves of energy is transferred from other end of the ocean to the receiving end, more energy can be received, in comparison to a smaller port with smaller opening which will recieve limited energy.

• This waves of energy transferred from other end of the ocean is somewhat like the connection of Buddha nature of the Buddhas to us.

• Though we also have the same Buddha nature, it is often obscured by our bad karma. With us increasing our faith the way the receiving opening of the port is widened, that we also have the same Buddha nature, we can receive the benefits of Buddha's blessings better, which would effect positive transformations of our life.

• While a lot of what is known about the Buddha's power, or power of Buddha nature, or Mahayana Buddhism's practices is inconceivable, one can still strive to develop some understanding of its workings (if one wishes) while continually to adopt the practice of reciting Amituofo.

So go on and recite A-Mi-Tuo-Fo and find out more about this nianfo practice today.

As Master Hua said, first comes the practice, then comes the faith.

Try it first, and worry about faith later.

Sometimes you just need this small and short karmic connection... to receive some blessings to change your life positively.

Posted using Proof of Brain