Faith as the cause of entering the stage of non-retrogression - commentary on the section 47 of the Larger Sutra

fragment from my commentary on the Larger Sutra

- this is a work in progress and under constant revision -  

click here to return to the table of contents 

 If in the section 46 Shakyamuni explained that there are many Mahayana followers (bodhisattvas in aspiration) in various worlds who are in the stage of non-retrogression[1] for being born in the Pure Land and attaining Enlightenment there, in section 47 He presents the causes of entering this stage:

“The Buddha said to Maitreya, ‘If there are people who hear the Name of that Buddha, rejoice so greatly as to dance, and think of Him even once, then you should know that they have gained great benefit by receiving unsurpassed virtue. For this reason, Maitreya, even if a great fire were to fill the universe of a thousand million worlds, you should pass through it to hear this sutra, to arouse joyful faith, to uphold and chant it, and to practice in accordance with its teachings. This is because there are many bodhisattvas who wish to hear this teaching but are still unable to do so. If there are sentient beings who have heard it, they will attain the stage of non-retrogression for realizing the highest Enlightenment. This is why you should singleheartedly accept in faith, uphold, and chant this sutra, and practice in accordance with its teachings.’”[2]

Before commenting on the above passage we must bear in mind that in this sutra Shakyamuni presents just one of the two paths of entering the stage of non-retrogression, that is, through faith in Amida. The Larger Sutra is, so to speak, the sutra of the Easy Path of entering the stage of non-retrogression for those who make the Mahayana aspiration to attain Buddhahood for themselves and all beings (bodhisattvas in aspirations).

The three types of prostrations - Amidaji style (video)

Click here for the explanations in Spanish

Click here for the explanations in Romanian

There are three types of prostrations presented at Amidaji temple:

1)      Half body prostration from sitting

2)      Half body prostration from standing

3)      Full body prostration from standing

1)      Half body prostration from sitting

We place our hands in gassho on the crown of our head, at the forehead, at the throat level, and at the level of the heart. Then we bow with our head touching the ground and our palms facing upwards. We slightly raise our palms and we keep them there for a few seconds. We do this three times and at the end we bow with our hands in gassho from sitting.

The Nembutsu liturgy of Amidaji temple (final version)

click aici pentru versiunea  in romana

click here for the Spanish version

last update and revised 

26th August 2019

Although we also have other services, I  decided this will be the main liturgy at Amidaji temple. Unlike other services that you can see in various temples, this one is easier to follow, especially because all parts (including the Three Invitations) are recited, not chanted. 

Tipos de Postraciones en el Templo Amidaji (vídeo)

Traducido del inglés por:

Juan Sebastián Hincapié Arana

Hay tres tipos de postraciones presentadas en el Templo Amidaji:

1)      Media postración del cuerpo comenzando sentado

2)      Media Postración del cuerpo comenzando parado

3)      Postración completa del cuerpo comenzado de pie.

Non-retrogressive Mahayana followers (bodhisattvas in aspiration) who will be born in the Pure Land of Amida – commentary on section 46 of the Larger Sutra

       
  fragment from my commentary on the Larger Sutra

- this is a work in progress and under constant revision - 
click here to return to the table of contents

Whenever the term bodhisattvas in other lands appear in the Larger Sutra (with the exception of Enlightened Bodhisattvas who do Dharma activities in various places) and especially here in section 46 and the next one, 47, it refers to Mahayana followers who have Mahayana aspirations, that is, who aspire to become Buddhas for themselves and all beings (who have the bodhi mind), who accept Mahayana teachings and the Mahayana pantheon of transcendent Buddhas, among which, Amida is the foremost in saving sentient beings.

The difference between those born in the Pure Land in the embryonic form and those born by transformation – commentary on sections 43, 44 and 45 of the Larger Sutra

A palace for those of the embryonic
birth - Larger Sutra Mandala

fragment from my commentary on the Larger Sutra

- this is a work in progress and under constant revision -  

click here to return to the table of contents

            In these sections Shakyamuni Buddha explains the causes and characteristics of two types of beings born in the Pure Land: 1) those born in “the embryonic state” and 2) those “born by transformation”.

I already explained the Primal Vow (18^th) in detail and showed that faith in Amida’s Power is the cause of birth in the Pure Land. However, the situation is that not all practitioners are able to give up entirely the attachment to their personal power in reaching birth in the Pure Land:

“If there are sentient beings who do various meritorious deeds, aspiring for birth in that land while still entertaining doubt, such beings are unable to comprehend the Buddha wisdom, inconceivable wisdom, ineffable wisdom, boundless Mahayana wisdom, and incomparable, unequalled, and unsurpassed supreme wisdom. Although they doubt these wisdoms, they still believe in retribution for evil and reward for virtue and so cultivate a store of merit, aspiring for birth in that land.’Such beings are born in a palace, where they dwell for five hundred years without being able to behold the Buddha, hear his exposition of the Dharma, or see the hosts of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas. For this reason, that type of birth in the Pure Land is called the ‘embryonic state.’”

O Verdadeiro ensino sobre Amida Buddha e sua Terra Pura

Capa da versao inglesa

Traduzido de inglês por Rafael Tages Melo

Este livro é um projeto de longo prazo que começou há alguns anos como um reação ao aparecimento na sangha internacional de alguns divergentes pontos de vista que ameaçam destruir as chances de muitas pessoas ouvirem o verdadeiro Amida Dharma. É também um trabalho em andamento, e o leitor pode esperar que eu volte de novo, mais cedo ou mais tarde, com novas edições e melhorias.

Como todos sabemos, o Dharma é o segundo tesouro do Três Tesouros (Buda, Dharma e Sangha) nos quais todos nós nos refugiamos quando nos tornamos discípulos budistas. Em termos simples, o papel da Sangha é garantir uma transmissão genuína do Dharma como era ensinada pelo Buda Shakyamuni e pelos Mestres da nossa tradição, de modo que todos nós podemos receber fé (shinjin) e alcançar o estado de Buda na Terra Pura. Sem essa transmissão adequada, não há realmente nenhuma Sangha e nenhuma possibilidade de Libertação de nascimento e morte, isto é, não há chance de nos tornarmos Budas.