Many
years after I became a priest, Jinshin, one of my members in Bucharest, asked
me about Padmasambhava. My answer was that all Buddhas, including Padmasambhava,
praise Amida’s Name as He promised
they’ll do in His 17th Vow[1].
This is a very important doctrine of Jodo Shinshu that by praising Amida’s Name
they actually praise His method of salvation which is to say His Name in faith.
Also, by saying Amida’s Name in faith and worshipping Amida alone we
automatically worship and venerate all Buddhas. This I taught Jinshin that day
to which I added that by worshipping and venerating Amida Buddha and saying His
Name we automatically worship Padmasambhava. Although the Enlightened One
called Padmasambhava promoted a different Dharma Gate on this earth (the esoteric
teachings of Vajrayana), He too, supports us, people who entrust to Amida, so if
we wish to show respect to Him, we should simply say Namo Amida Bu in faith.
During that night I had a powerful vivid dream. I saw a very blue sky and green pine trees, as well as a great mountain and started to say the Nembutsu. While I was saying Namo Amida Bu continually I was overwhelmed with an ecstatic joy and said in my mind to Padmasambhava whose presence I felt there with me: “Buddha Padmasambhava, I am a follower of the Primal Vow and this is my exclusive practice. Whenever I say Namo Amida Bu to worship Amida, I also automatically worship and praise you. Please accept this.”
I immediately felt an approval from Padmasambhava and the state of ecstasy continued. More than this, while saying the Nembutsu in that state of ecstatic joy I was floating in the air and going up the mountain. It is very hard for me to express in words the beauty of the dream, the vivid blue colour of the sky, the green of trees and the feeling of joy and ecstasy when floating in the air and up the mountain while continually saying NA MO A MI DA BU, NA MO A MI DA BU….
For me that dream was a sign from Padmasambhava himself and a confirmation that indeed all Buddhas praise Amida’s Name and encourage us to say it, and that by saying it we automatically worship all Buddhas.
I always felt a deep connection and respect for Padmasambhava and Avalokitesvara and I am sure that they, together with other Buddhas, helped me and guided me to Amida. As Shinran said:
"Sakyamuni and all the other Buddhas
Are truly our compassionate father and mother.
With various compassionate means they lead us to awaken
Supreme shinjin (faith in Amida) that is true and real."[2]
"To the evil sentient beings of wrong views
In this evil age of the five defilement, in this evil world,
The Buddhas, countless as the sands of the Ganges,
Give the Name of Amida, urging them to entrust themselves to it". [3]
During that night I had a powerful vivid dream. I saw a very blue sky and green pine trees, as well as a great mountain and started to say the Nembutsu. While I was saying Namo Amida Bu continually I was overwhelmed with an ecstatic joy and said in my mind to Padmasambhava whose presence I felt there with me: “Buddha Padmasambhava, I am a follower of the Primal Vow and this is my exclusive practice. Whenever I say Namo Amida Bu to worship Amida, I also automatically worship and praise you. Please accept this.”
I immediately felt an approval from Padmasambhava and the state of ecstasy continued. More than this, while saying the Nembutsu in that state of ecstatic joy I was floating in the air and going up the mountain. It is very hard for me to express in words the beauty of the dream, the vivid blue colour of the sky, the green of trees and the feeling of joy and ecstasy when floating in the air and up the mountain while continually saying NA MO A MI DA BU, NA MO A MI DA BU….
For me that dream was a sign from Padmasambhava himself and a confirmation that indeed all Buddhas praise Amida’s Name and encourage us to say it, and that by saying it we automatically worship all Buddhas.
I always felt a deep connection and respect for Padmasambhava and Avalokitesvara and I am sure that they, together with other Buddhas, helped me and guided me to Amida. As Shinran said:
"Sakyamuni and all the other Buddhas
Are truly our compassionate father and mother.
With various compassionate means they lead us to awaken
Supreme shinjin (faith in Amida) that is true and real."[2]
"To the evil sentient beings of wrong views
In this evil age of the five defilement, in this evil world,
The Buddhas, countless as the sands of the Ganges,
Give the Name of Amida, urging them to entrust themselves to it". [3]
[1] “If, when I attain Buddhahood, innumerable Buddhas in the lands of the ten directions should not all praise and glorify my Name, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.” (the 17th Vow). Please read my detailed explanation of the 17th Vow in my book Commentary on the Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life.
[2] Shinran Shonin, Hymn of the Two Gateways of Entrance and Emergence.
[3] Shinran Shonin, Hymns of the Pure Land (Jodo Wasan)
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