Originally posted by Peace For All:
Can chanting this title of the Lotus Sutra still be able to rebirth in western paradise?
All views and opinions will be greatly appreciated!Thank you =)
In the Contemplation Sutra of Amitabha states that even for hinayana who as long as they have faith and aspiration to be 'reborn in western paradise', there should not be any problem. there's no discrimination for Amitabha's Vow. all discrimination fall on sentient beings.
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all discrimination fall on sentient beings.
Buddha and Buddha are one (triple bodies). Pureland is pureland are one(4 levels of PL).
if you are sitting next to a Buddha, be it Shakyamuni or Amitabha, what we, ordinary people see is samsaric environment. while what the Buddha see is pure land as described in Amitabha pureland sutra. a defiled mind see a defiled land. a pure mind see a pure land.
Amitabha PL can be here if realised non-discrimination .
There is a passage from the Avatamsaka Sutra (Book5,9.Gatha)
Some lands have a Buddha
And some land do not.
Some have just one Buddha
And some have countless Buddhas.
If a land has no Buddha,
Then a Buddha from another world
Will mistically appear there
To manifest the works of Buddhas-
Our world, the Southern Jambudvipa was without a Buddha,so Shakyamuni mistically appeared here, to teach us the activity of Amida Buddha. He Did not intended to teach a supramundane doctrine,only wanted to reveal the 48 vows of Amitabha, especially of his 18.th vow. In this vow Amida promised us, that whoever think of Him, or utter His Name, with faith that person in the end of the life will enter in His Paradise, moreover He will appear at his deathbed,and personally escort him to the Pure Land.
Amitabha is the primordial Buddha,and His Land is out of the Samsara.
Shakyamuni many times called the Nirvana as Amita. This Land is an environmental appearence of Nirvana. As Vasubandhu wrote in the Jodoron:
"The adornaments of the Land of Amitayus Buddha are phenomenal
aspects of a wondreous realm wich has arisen from the utmost reality."
Amida Buddha incarnated Himself as Dharmakara Bodhisattva in order to
create the Pure Land. His Name has three meaning:
1."The letter "A" of the Dharma" (The A is the symbol of the Pure
Land and Amitabha)
2."The essential mode of Dharma activity.
3."Dharma Tresury".
Amitabha, the Dharma Treasury (That is, Dharmakara) with essential
mode of Dharma-activity, created the Pure Land.
The Dharma Tresure has four parts: Nitya (permanence)
Sukha (blessing) Atman (true self) Subha (purity)
They are called the Four Gunaparamita, and are in contrast to the Trilakshana, wich is: Anitya (Impermanence), Dukha(suffering),Anatman (no-self),
as well as to Asubha(impurity).
So Dharmakara Bodhisattva inkarnated from Dharmakaya Amitabha, (Lokanatha Amitabha, or Lokesvararaja,also known in His secret Name as HRIH) created the Pure Land and become Samboghakaya Amitabha. His emanation (Nirmanakaya Amitabha) appeared in our world as Shakyamuni Buddha.NAMUAMIDABUTSU --Rev.Anraku
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Hi Peace For All,
May I reply on behalf of Reborn76...
With regards to chanting the 御題目 Odaimoku, �無妙法蓮�經 Namu My�h� Renge Ky�, it does not matter chanting as Namu or Nam as it is a linguistic issue.
This is further explained by Rev. Ryuei Michael McCormick in his article here: http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/GohonzonShu/003C.html .
On Nichiren Shonin's 4 Admonitions, it is explained by Rev. Ryuei in pg. 3 of Nichiren Shu News issue 190 here: http://nichiren-shu.org/newsletter/nichirenshu_news/Nichiren190.pdf .
Furthermore, you can refer to the thread made earlier on Nichiren Buddhism here: http://sgforums.com/forums/1728/topics/184840 .
Gassho,
Ceaser Naga aka Supa Naga