Hi
I have read somewhere on the net that Da Bei Zhou cannot be recited at certain time or night time.
May i know what time Da Bei Zhou cannot be recited?
What is the effect if a person recite Da Bei Zhou at that time?
Thank You!
Oh really ? I have never heard of the timing restriction for reciting Da Bei Zhou. I recite it anytime of the day and it seems that the devotees at the temples also recite it anytime of the day (morning, afternoon and evening). I don't know about night because I hardly go to the temple at night.
I also never heard before. Don't think so :)
@ longchen, @wisdomeye,
what's your comments on this?
thanks.
Hi Snowing,
I dun recite the Da Bei Zhou, so i can't say for sure. But most probably, there is no restriction. However, reciting mantras depends on each person's situation. For instance, the Da Bei Zhou invokes many dharma protectors and so forth, whether this may create certain feedbacks or not is very hard to say. Why dun u tell us what time u r chanting and if there have been any problems n so forth...
But if this is juz general question, i think juz do it during normal waking hours and in your home shd be alright and very meritorious.
According to my Mahanyana buddhist peers, some shifu will not recommend their lay person to recite Earth Store Bodhisattvas sutra in their own home.
It was said the recitation will attract the wandering spirit into one home. Beside, if the layperson is not sincere in the recitation, the spirit will not be able to receive the necessary merits and will create harvoc in the residence.
Not sure, if anyone has heard before.
Originally posted by reborn76:According to my Mahanyana buddhist peers, some shifu will not recommend their lay person to recite Earth Store Bodhisattvas sutra in their own home.
It was said the recitation will attract the wandering spirit into one home. Beside, if the layperson is not sincere in the recitation, the spirit will not be able to receive the necessary merits and will create harvoc in the residence.
Not sure, if anyone has heard before.
I chant Earth Store Bodhisattvas sutra almost every day. I am so diligent in chanting this sutra is because there was once my loved one was ill (doctors said the illness cannot be cured because it is in the genes) but recovered (90% cured) after my friend asked me to chant Earth Store Bodhisattvas sutra and transfer the merits to him.
Till today, I am still chanting this sutra everyday.
Last time I also dared not to chant, I thought it is for the deceased only. It was not long ago, I heard many Buddhists told me that this sutra is not just for the deceased but also for the living (阴阳两利)。
I also like to know is it ok to chant at home ? AEN or anybody who knows.
Share this link below regarding people who got cured by chanting Earth Store Bodhisattvas sutra.
Originally posted by reborn76:According to my Mahanyana buddhist peers, some shifu will not recommend their lay person to recite Earth Store Bodhisattvas sutra in their own home.
It was said the recitation will attract the wandering spirit into one home. Beside, if the layperson is not sincere in the recitation, the spirit will not be able to receive the necessary merits and will create harvoc in the residence.
Not sure, if anyone has heard before.
I heard of this before... but version is a little different.. It's more of don't chant at night at home because it will attract spirit to the house. I heard that some chants are meant to for both living and the dead so that they can receive enlightenment.
Chant at home, if do properly, finish the whole sutra and do sincere dedication, definitely no problem...
Last time i juz leave the recording playing in someone's room and then they say they get a lot of disturbances...
anyway, i think you must do sincerely and dedicate to ALL sentient beings and can also mention all wandering spirits in the vicinity. Chant sutras sure have beings come to listen and receive merit, not juz this sutra.
Please dun be scared of unseen beings... we should have love and compassion and wish to help them... they only want your help. As a practitioner, you should be completely motivated to help them, not try to juz drive them away. When u dedicate merit sincerely, they will receive it and be very happy and also very grateful to you.
Practitioner sure meet such things, dun be worried or scared... juz go on doing what you are doing with pure motivation and strong faith.
Originally posted by reborn76:According to my Mahanyana buddhist peers, some shifu will not recommend their lay person to recite Earth Store Bodhisattvas sutra in their own home.
It was said the recitation will attract the wandering spirit into one home. Beside, if the layperson is not sincere in the recitation, the spirit will not be able to receive the necessary merits and will create harvoc in the residence.
Not sure, if anyone has heard before.
i dun think so. You can't be not sincere if you chant the whole sutra and dedicate to all beings...especially if you do everyday but during practice, if one is diligent and doing correctly, one's creditors will come, sometimes that is the case... it is not juz some wandering spirit but someone you owe from the past. In that case, one have to slowly resolve through repentance and dedication of merit, slowly as one practise on, one will be able to go through it and come out stronger.
This is something everyone has to face. We did wrong things in past and now we have to face it. Dun face it through dharma way, have to pay in much more difficult way, right? Debts always have to pay back!
Believe in Buddha's words. Dun juz believe what you hear from others... for example, i heard once, some master said, dun keep this sutra in your house because it will invite in spirits... please read what is said in this sutra, sutra said if you keep this sutra in the house, there will be protection, not harm.
Esp. now alot of problems to do with natural disasters, i have very strong faith if one practises Earth Store Bodhisattva well, one will not need to worry too much about natural disasters. This is not juz me saying, other peoples' experience also prove....Eg, Meng Can old monk also said something about this in his commentary.
Originally posted by wisdomeye:Chant at home, if do properly, finish the whole sutra and do sincere dedication, definitely no problem...
Last time i juz leave the recording playing in someone's room and then they say they get a lot of disturbances...
anyway, i think you must do sincerely and dedicate to ALL sentient beings and can also mention all wandering spirits in the vicinity. Chant sutras sure have beings come to listen and receive merit, not juz this sutra.
Please dun be scared of unseen beings... we should have love and compassion and wish to help them... they only want your help. As a practitioner, you should be completely motivated to help them, not try to juz drive them away. When u dedicate merit sincerely, they will receive it and be very happy and also very grateful to you.
Practitioner sure meet such things, dun be worried or scared... juz go on doing what you are doing with pure motivation and strong faith.
Interesting you said that, because when I was 9 I used to play Heart Sutra casette every night. Then I moved into a very ulu house for 9 months (temporary rent cos we're moving to somewhere else), I could sense it was haunted. During one time when I was playing heart sutra casette, I clearly saw a hand not mine, a ghostly hand coming up from below and it seemed to me that it needed something.
I was totally freaked out at that time. But my mom knew that the ghosts wanted us to dedicate merits to them, so we did that. My mom mentioned seeing something (can't remember what) when we left that house it seems that the ghosts were thanking us.
wisdomeye,
I have chanted at night in my home a couple of times before since night time were the only free time left for me after working hours and after those nights, I did not notice any mishap...
Originally posted by snowing:wisdomeye,
I have chanted at night in my home a couple of times before since night time were the only free time left for me after working hours and after those nights, I did not notice any mishap...
You won't have problems unless your house is haunted.
I used to play heart sutra in my old house for very long, no problem, only when I moved to the rented house that I saw ghost.
Originally posted by Dawnfirstlight:I chant Earth Store Bodhisattvas sutra almost every day. I am so diligent in chanting this sutra is because there was once my loved one was ill (doctors said the illness cannot be cured because it is in the genes) but recovered (90% cured) after my friend asked me to chant Earth Store Bodhisattvas sutra and transfer the merits to him.
Till today, I am still chanting this sutra everyday.
Last time I also dared not to chant, I thought it is for the deceased only. It was not long ago, I heard many Buddhists told me that this sutra is not just for the deceased but also for the living (阴阳两利)。
I also like to know is it ok to chant at home ? AEN or anybody who knows.
Earth Store? Is it Di Zang Wang Pu Sa Ben Yuan Jing?
Originally posted by An Eternal Now:Interesting you said that, because when I was 9 I used to play Heart Sutra casette every night. Then I moved into a very ulu house for 9 months (temporary rent cos we're moving to somewhere else), I could sense it was haunted. During one time when I was playing heart sutra casette, I clearly saw a hand not mine, a ghostly hand coming up from below and it seemed to me that it needed something.
I was totally freaked out at that time. But my mom knew that the ghosts wanted us to dedicate merits to them, so we did that. My mom mentioned seeing something (can't remember what) when we left that house it seems that the ghosts were thanking us.
Paiseh... Andy Lau's version counted? I like it very much
Originally posted by 2009novice:
Paiseh... Andy Lau's version counted? I like it very much
Whether or not spirits are listening to the sutra shouldn't bother you too much. In fact you should rejoice in sharing it with other sentient beings.
What does it mean by "dedicating merits"?
Originally posted by 2009novice:Earth Store? Is it Di Zang Wang Pu Sa Ben Yuan Jing?
Yes, I think not many Buddhists know that by chanting this sutra can also cure sickness. I think it is mainly for those sickness which are due to bad karma.
Hmmm ... whether one can or cannot chant certain sutra in house is rather subjective. In fact, my buddhist peers did pinpoint to her Shifu that Earth Store Bodhisattvas promise in his sutra that he will protect the place from spirits disturbance. However, the problem lie not the Bodhisattvas promise but the layperson own merits and vows. Example when a spirit tries to get the layperson attention through disturbance or sighting to request for help. The layperson may freak out as he may not be able to discern the spirit request. That person may in turn blame the Bodhisattvas for not being able to fufill his promise. However, have the layperson forgotten since the moment he wanted to recite this sutra, he has begin on a Earth Store Bodhisattvas journey to be like him.
Famous vows
1) If I do not go to hell to help them there, who else will go?
2) if the hell is not yet empty, I vow not to become a Buddha.
Welll, according to her, it is ok to recite in the temple during the mass recitation due to the vast triple gem merits.
On the other hand, I have another friend who really like and chant Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra on a regular basis at his room even when in Australia. Nothing has happened to him. So it is a matter of individualistic choice. I think proper Buddhist foundation is the key. Right understanding. Perhaps my buddhist peer's foundation was not strong therefore her shifu advise in that manner. As for Dawn and others who has been doing fine in one home, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
.
DEDICATION OF MERITS is skillful means of sharing of one joyful acts with our loved ones. in fact, I have this experience with my dead brother. During his earthly life, he is quite bad temper once he even used his shoe to throw at our home Buddhist altar. Last year he passed away in an accident, our family did a number of merits for him such as copying Lotus Sutra and placing with his ash; recitation; writing Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo on paper; offering incense and offer lamp in the temple.
In Jan this year, I dreamt about him. I went to this place when half naked people are hangup in pole like manner. They are suffering being link up like a chain. When the nite fall, they are queuing to get a portion of the food. Some bowls were empty, half full or quarterly filled. My brother appear and his bowl was full. He told me that there was this friend who will always bring food for him to eat. Subsequently, he said that from certain days onwards we can prepare a dizhu -地主神altar in a particular spot in the kitchen area to make offering to him which we did as per instructed.
I was very taken back by the dream. After much recollection, I realised that the so called friend might have been a manifestation of bodhisattva. During each recitation we dedicate the merits with this Lotus Sutra Chpter 25, Kuan Yin verse to him.
He is endowed with transcendental powers
and widely practices the expedient means of wisdom.
Throughout the lands in the ten directions
there is no region where he does not manifest himself.
In many different kinds of evil circumstances,
in the realms of hell, hungry spirits or beasts,
We always pray for the Buddha and holy ones to manifest themselves, to preach the Dharma to him to relieve his suffering.
Eversince the dream, I realised that the Buddhist teaching of dedication of merits is so profound that though we see not with our eyes yet its effect in the invisible spiritual realm is so vast.
Gassho
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Originally posted by reborn76:Hmmm ... whether one can or cannot chant certain sutra in house is rather subjective. In fact, my buddhist peers did pinpoint to her Shifu that Earth Store Bodhisattvas promise in his sutra that he will protect the place from spirits disturbance. However, the problem lie not the Bodhisattvas promise but the layperson own merits and vows. Example when a spirit tries to get the layperson attention through disturbance or sighting to request for help. The layperson may freak out as he may not be able to discern the spirit request. That person may in turn blame the Bodhisattvas for not being able to fufill his promise. However, have the layperson forgotten since the moment he wanted to recite this sutra, he has begin on a Earth Store Bodhisattvas journey to be like him.
Famous vows
1) If I do not go to hell to help them there, who else will go?
2) if the hell is not yet empty, I vow not to become a Buddha.
Welll, according to her, it is ok to recite in the temple during the mass recitation due to the vast triple gem merits.
On the other hand, I have another friend who really like and chant Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra on a regular basis at his room even when in Australia. Nothing has happened to him. So it is a matter of individualistic choice. I think proper Buddhist foundation is the key. Right understanding. Perhaps my buddhist peer's foundation was not strong therefore her shifu advise in that manner. As for Dawn and others who has been doing fine in one home, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
.
DEDICATION OF MERITS is skillful means of sharing of one joyful acts with our loved ones. in fact, I have this experience with my dead brother. During his earthly life, he is quite bad temper once he even used his shoe to throw at our home Buddhist altar. Last year he passed away in an accident, our family did a number of merits for him such as copying Lotus Sutra and placing with his ash; recitation; writing Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo on paper; offering incense and offer lamp in the temple.
In Jan this year, I dreamt about him. I went to this place when half naked people are hangup in pole like manner. They are suffering being link up like a chain. When the nite fall, they are queuing to get a portion of the food. Some bowls were empty, half full or quarterly filled. My brother appear and his bowl was full. He told me that there was this friend who will always bring food for him to eat. Subsequently, he said that from certain days onwards we can prepare a dizhu -地主神altar in a particular spot in the kitchen area to make offering to him which we did as per instructed.
I was very taken back by the dream. After much recollection, I realised that the so called friend might have been a manifestation of bodhisattva. During each recitation we dedicate the merits with this Lotus Sutra Chpter 25, Kuan Yin verse to him.
He is endowed with transcendental powers
and widely practices the expedient means of wisdom.
Throughout the lands in the ten directions
there is no region where he does not manifest himself.
In many different kinds of evil circumstances,
in the realms of hell, hungry spirits or beasts,We always pray for the Buddha and holy ones to manifest themselves, to preach the Dharma to him to relieve his suffering.
Eversince the dream, I realised that the Buddhist teaching of dedication of merits is so profound that though we see not with our eyes yet its effect in the invisible spiritual realm is so vast.
Gassho
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo
Very true.. dedicating merits truly works and I have heard many stories like yours which are real testimonies to its importance.
Thanks for sharing :)