 |
| Buddhist monk helping a hungry ghost |
I. Arguments
for this ceremony
Because this ceremony has the single goal of helping all beings, especially the hungry ghosts and intermediate beings, to make a connection with Amida Buddha, listen to the Dharma about Him and entrust to Him, it is not in contradiction with the Jodo Shinshu teaching.
Although we offer them something to eat in the form of aroma, this is only a skillful means to make them more receptive. It is like you see a hungry person on the street and offer him food, shelter and a Buddhist book. When he is satisfied and safe under your roof he might be more open, due to your kind gesture, to read a few lines from the book. It’s the same with these non-human beings who are in a very difficult karmic situation and who actually feed (according to the sacred texts) on aroma. By satisfying them with the offering they might become open to Amida’s message of salvation.
While other people make offerings to spirits for selfish
reasons, asking all kinds of personal benefits from them, we just invite them
kindly to listen to the teaching about Amida, entrust to Him, say His Name and
wish to be born in His Pure Land. By having such a compassionate goal we
transform this ceremony into a Dharma instrument. Even if they receive the
aroma without paying attention to the teaching fragment at section IV, they at
least hear that we offer it to them in the Name of Amida Buddha and while
saying Nembutsu. This is enough for them to make a connection with Amida which
one day, perhaps in their present life or in a future one, will make them more
open to Amida’s message.
Also,
as mentioned above, this ceremony does not contain any idea of personal merit
or something which can be misunderstood as personal power (jiriki). Although it
may seem strange for some followers because something like this has never been
done before, it does not contradict the teaching of our school, but on the
contrary, it corresponds to the universality of Jodo Shinshu which is a Dharma
Gate for all beings, not only humans. As Shinran indicated, beings from all
forms of existence can entrust to Amida and say His Name:
"When sentient beings in the various forms of existence throughout the ten quarters,
On hearing Amida's Name of transcendent virtues,
Come to attain true and real shinjin (faith),
They greatly rejoice at what they have heard".[1]
This being the case, there is no reason why we should not teach Amida Dharma to them too, while offering them a gift to catch their attention[2].
Because this ceremony has the single goal of helping all beings, especially the hungry ghosts and intermediate beings, to make a connection with Amida Buddha, listen to the Dharma about Him and entrust to Him, it is not in contradiction with the Jodo Shinshu teaching.
Although we offer them something to eat in the form of aroma, this is only a skillful means to make them more receptive. It is like you see a hungry person on the street and offer him food, shelter and a Buddhist book. When he is satisfied and safe under your roof he might be more open, due to your kind gesture, to read a few lines from the book. It’s the same with these non-human beings who are in a very difficult karmic situation and who actually feed (according to the sacred texts) on aroma. By satisfying them with the offering they might become open to Amida’s message of salvation.
"When sentient beings in the various forms of existence throughout the ten quarters,
On hearing Amida's Name of transcendent virtues,
Come to attain true and real shinjin (faith),
They greatly rejoice at what they have heard".[1]
This being the case, there is no reason why we should not teach Amida Dharma to them too, while offering them a gift to catch their attention[2].
II. General instructions
Light special charcoals that do not produce smoke and place them on the plate – you can find such charcoals on Buddhist websites. As the substance for the aroma offering use the Sur mixing that is usually made in Tibetan traditions for aroma offering[4] and is sold on various Tibetan centres’ websites. If you cannot get such traditional mixing, use crushed biscuits which contain flour, yogurt, butter, sugar/honey and milk or make your own mixing with those elements[5]. Place the substance for offering in a new vase near the plate with burning charcoals. Whenever you say the verses for the aroma offering, take a pinch of substance and place it on the charcoals so that it produces smoke and aroma. The aroma emanated from the burning of substance is offered to the non-human beings in the categories below.
III. The ceremony
1. Taking refuge in Amida Buddha – say Nembutsu a few times
2. Awakening aspiration
All sentient beings, without exception, have been my parents, brothers and sisters in the course of countless lives in many states of existence. Thus, I must help them entrust to Amida Buddha and be born in His Pure Land where they will attain perfect Enlightenment.
For this reason I will make the following ceremony to offer them aroma and the teaching about the unconditional salvation of Amida Buddha.
3. Verses when offering the aroma
Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu
In the Name of Amida Buddha I offer this nourishing and beneficial aroma to all beings who protect the Dharma and the disciples of Buddha.
In the Name of Amida Buddha, may they be healthy in body and mind, always receive whatever is necessary and beneficial for them, including food, water, clothes, and shelter. May all their obstacles be removed and may they create indestructible connections with Amida Buddha, entrust to Him, say His Name (Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu
In the Name of Amida Buddha I offer this nourishing and beneficial aroma to all beings who rule and protect this country, this region and this land, to all who rule over the mountains, the waters, the valleys, the forests and the rocks.
In the Name of Amida Buddha, may they be healthy in body and mind, always receive whatever is necessary and beneficial for them, including food, water, clothes, and shelter. May all their obstacles be removed and may they create indestructible connections with Amida Buddha, entrust to Him, say His Name (Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu
In the Name of Amida Buddha I offer this nourishing and beneficial aroma to all beings[10].
In the Name of Amida Buddha, may they be healthy in body and mind, always receive whatever is necessary and beneficial for them, including food, water, clothes, and shelter. May all their obstacles be removed and may they create indestructible connections with Amida Buddha, entrust to Him, say His Name (Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu
In the Name of Amida Buddha I offer this nourishing and beneficial aroma to all beings, of any kind, who feed on aroma and smells.
In the Name of Amida Buddha, may they be healthy in body and mind, always receive whatever is necessary and beneficial for them, including food, water, clothes, and shelter. May all their obstacles be removed and may they create indestructible connections with Amida Buddha, entrust to Him, say His Name (Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu
(say Nembutsu many times when you reach this category of beings)
In the Name of Amida Buddha I offer this nourishing and beneficial aroma to all beings who are now in the intermediary state between death and next rebirth and have not found a body yet.
In the Name of Amida Buddha, may all their obstacles be removed. May they create indestructible connections with Amida Buddha, entrust to Him, say His Name (Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu.
(say Nembutsu many times when you reach this category of beings)
4. Teaching:
Now that you have received this nourishing and beneficial aroma, please listen attentively to the teaching about the unconditional salvation of Amida Buddha:
All beings are born and die repeatedly and their lives are
filled with various kinds of suffering. The form you have now and everything
that happens to you is the effect of your karma, that is, of your deeds, words
and thoughts from previous lives. Also, what you do, say and think during your
present life will influence the rest of your life and future lives. There is
only one escape from this endless cycle of birth, suffering and death – to
entrust yourself with all your heart to Amida Buddha and say His Name, Namo
Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, wishing to be born in His Pure Land
after death.
The Pure Land was created by Amida Buddha so that all
beings, including you, be able to reach it easily after they die in the present
form. There, in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha, you will be free from all
suffering and you will never die again.
Amida Buddha is supreme in the universe, all-knowing and
forever free from the repeated births and deaths, and any type of suffering.
Having Great Love and Great Compassion, He made the Vow to bring to His Pure
Land all beings, regardless of their spiritual capacities, who entrust to Him,
say His Name (Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land after death.
This is why I ask you to please, have faith in Him, say His Name (Namo Amida
Bu), and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
The state of mind in which you say the Name of Amida has no importance, so you can say Namo Amida Bu without any worry. No matter the state of mind you are in, or if you have or don’t have any spiritual capacities, you are accepted as you are by Amida Buddha.
Namo Amida Bu means "I entrust to Amida Buddha/I take
refuge in Amida Buddha/Homage to Amida Buddha" and "thank you Amida
Buddha for saving me as I am".
Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu
(After offering the teaching you can say Nembutsu for five minutes or one big nenju)
5. End of ceremony
Now that you have been satisfied with the aroma offering and the teaching about Amida Buddha, I’ll invite you again, some other time, to receive the same gifts. Whenever you hear this bell ringing three times, please know that you are invited here to receive aroma offering and teaching.
6. Eko (merit
transference)
May all beings receive the infinite merits of Amida Buddha[11], entrust themselves to Him, say His Name in faith and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
Namo Amida Bu
Now that you have received this nourishing and beneficial aroma, please listen attentively to the teaching about the unconditional salvation of Amida Buddha:
The state of mind in which you say the Name of Amida has no importance, so you can say Namo Amida Bu without any worry. No matter the state of mind you are in, or if you have or don’t have any spiritual capacities, you are accepted as you are by Amida Buddha.
Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu, Namo Amida Bu
(After offering the teaching you can say Nembutsu for five minutes or one big nenju)
5. End of ceremony
Now that you have been satisfied with the aroma offering and the teaching about Amida Buddha, I’ll invite you again, some other time, to receive the same gifts. Whenever you hear this bell ringing three times, please know that you are invited here to receive aroma offering and teaching.
May all beings receive the infinite merits of Amida Buddha[11], entrust themselves to Him, say His Name in faith and wish to be born in His Pure Land.
Namo Amida Bu
[1]The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.331
[2]Of course, you can catch the attention of non-human beings without this type of ceremony, as you can simply say the Nembutsu and read the teaching text because there are always some spirits around. Wherever there is a genuine sangha and temple non-human beings may join in listening the Amida Dharma and can receive faith. However, you might draw the attention of more beings if you do this ceremony.
[3]If you cannot do the ceremony outside your house, then leave the window open and make the ceremony in front of your altar. Do not put the offering directly on the altar but on a special table in front of the altar.
[4]The Tibetan style aroma offering (Sur ceremony) is different than the present ceremony. I was inspired from the Tibetan Sur ceremony but adapted it to fit into the context of Jodo Shinshu teaching.
[5]Flour, yogurt, butter, sugar, honey and milk are considered in many Buddhist texts to be beneficial for nonhuman beings, so they can be used in these ceremonies.
[6]Dharma Protectors are of a great variety, including spirits, asuras (demigods), gods, etc. Because they are converted to Buddhism, they are eager in protecting the Dharma and sincere Buddhist disciples.
[7]Because their lives are very long and are present in these lands for thousands of years before we were born, they think they are the lords of these lands and are respected as such by other nonhuman beings. Among various categories of non-human beings there are different hierarchies just like in our human world.
[8]If you find it easier, you can offer the aroma only to 1) Amida and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, 2) all beings, and then to 3) beings who feed on aroma and smells and 4) beings in the intermediate state. Then of course, you continue with the other sections. This is a shorter version. However, my advice is to mention the whole hierarchy of beings.
[9] This is an aspiration for all beings in whose name we offer the aroma to Amida and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If there are any nonhuman beings around and they rejoice in the offering done to Amida in their names they automatically receive the karmic merit of this act and make a powerful connection with Him. The benefit for them is both physical (as their state of existence is improved) and spiritual. In the sacred texts we find examples of nonhuman beings who receive something which is given directly to them or in their names to the Buddhas or virtuous Buddhist followers. This is also why in this ceremony I combine direct giving with giving in their names to Amida and all Buddhas and Enlightened Bodhisattvas.
[10]This includes beings of any type and from all the ten directions of samsara.
[11]We do not consider ourselves to have true merits, so we wish all beings to receive the perfect merits of Amida.
0 comentarii:
Post a Comment