Understanding Amituofo Via The Amitabha Sutra (20th Run)
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Scene Of 18th Run At Tai Pei Buddhist Centre:
Scenes Of 10th Run At Kong Meng San:
Practice of guided mindfulness of Buddha
Practice of recitation of sutra once before detailed learning with bilingual text
Practice of guided mindfulness of Buddha
Testimonial-sharing on benefits of Pure Land practice by past participantSome Feedback From Previous Runs:
Respected Bro Shi’an, all these years, I’d been attending many of your courses, which strongly heightened the progress of my cultivation toward the path to liberation. Very often, when I’d completed each course, I developed a positive energy that purifies my tainted mind, feeling joyful and increase in my faith to be born in Amituofo’s Pure Land. May Bro Shi’an live long and healthy in Samsara, to benefit all sentient beings. Many thanks with gratefulness. Amituofo. Warmest regards, Geok Choo
Looking forward to more of your courses. True Dharma teachers are hard to find nowadays, especially one who teaches in English. Thank you for sharing the true Dharma… Not many Dharma teachers will share such true Pure Land teachings. Of course, only those who are sincere, knowledgeable and willing to help sentient beings do. Again, thank you. Amituofo, Sally
Thank you for being a good teacher, sharing your abundant knowledge about Buddhism with the students. This is the first time I am attending a Buddhist class, so it was an eye-opener for me… Many thanks for your time. I appreciate this opportunity to learn about Buddhism… Regards, Anne
Thank you, teacher Shi’an, for sharing the Dharma with us. Amituofo, Serene
I enjoyed your Buddhist lessons and they really gave me very fresh perspectives on the Pure Land tradition. Your efforts in propagating the Dharma are indeed commendable! A sincere ‘thank you’ to you! Amituofo, Zhengjie
Hi Shi’an teacher, thank you for conducting the Amitabha Sutra class. You are extraordinary, so profound in the teaching of this course, putting in so so so… much efforts. I have good karma to meet a teacher like you. Homage to you. Amituofo, Sheila
æ— å°½æ„Ÿæ�©æ‚¨çš„教导，我å�—益太多太多了。我æ¯�天都迴å�‘给您，祈求佛è�©è�¨æŠ¤ä½‘您，弘法利生，æ£æ³•ä¹…ä½�。在这末法时期，邪师説法如æ�’河沙，您勇猛直å‰�，难行能行，太å�¯è´µäº†ã€‚å�‘您致敬。阿弥陀佛。– 温温Teacher Shen Sh’an is a good mentor. Thank you. Amituofo, Lim Mae
It’s the success of the Pure Land teachings by Bro. Shi’an that motivates us to want to cultivate and share the teachings with even more of our loved ones, family and, friends, including our Dharma brothers and sisters. Amituofo, Eunice
Amituofo, Bro Shi’an! Thank you for the wonderful [first] lesson today. Finally, I came to understand Our Teacher [the Buddha] better… Sadhu, Estella
Thank you for your utmost effort and patience for conducting the lessons… Regards,Cindy
Hi Shi’an, thank you so much for the beautiful lessons you’ve given us. I’ve gained lots of knowledge from your lessons and will continue to work hard on this area. – Pauline
Amituofo, Shi’an, thanks for the selfless sharing… This is the best gift I have gotten for myself this year. Please start the other classes soon. – Jenny
Dear Bro Shi’an, I have attended the Amituofo talks conducted by you, and am heartened to find such a passionate Dharma teacher in you. – Amituofo, Phoebe
Dear teacher! I have just completed your 19th run on the Amitabha Sutra. Thank you so much for being such a wonderful teacher who made the lessons simple and fun to learn from. Regards, CindyThanks for your selfless sharing. Your class remain as interesting as that attended a few years ago. Amituofo, Hwee Sim
æ„Ÿæ�©ï¼�ç¶“ä½ ä¹‹æ‰‹æŽˆäºŽæŒ�å��å¿µä½›ï¼Œæ¨ªå‡ºæ— ä¸Šå¦™æ³•ï¼�Cynthia and me deeply appreciated it! – Keay
Really appreciate your constant reminder and encouragement to Nianfo to reach Pure Land. All the inspiring write-ups, detailed classes and resolving of doubts are very beneficial. Thank you, Brother Shi’an. Amituofo, Shan
Hi Teacher Shi’an, thank you very much for conducting the inspiring Amituofo class. Through the classes, I am able to understand and appreciate the importance and significance of Amituofo. – Audrey
Hi Bro. Shen, I am the one who sought your advice when the stray dog I was feeding passed away about 10 years ago. Many thanks for your good advice then and your very interesting classes on Tuesdays. Best regards, Thomas
Hi Bro Shian, many thanks for sharing the Precious Pure Land teachings with us. – Eng Kiang
Bro Shi’an, thank you for your insight of ‘一心ä¸�ä¹±’ in the Amitabha Sutra, that gives hopesto people of little wisdom like me. Continue with your good work to help directionless sentient beings suffering in this samsara. With metta, Boon
Hi Shi’an, thank you for the wonderful run of the Amituofo course once again. This is probably the 3rd time I’m doing this, but I must say each round is a good revision for me, to motivate and remind myself to practice diligently. And there is always something new to learn. Thank you so much. Amituofo. – Huan Ghee
I feel blessed to have attended your class. – Mandy
Hi Bro Shi’an, I’ve attended your Heart Sutra, Faith Factor, Destination Pureland courses. Currently, I am also attending Understanding Amituofo. Your lessons are always very interesting and I learnt a lot from you in pursuing my Buddhist path… Thank you, Suzanne
Dear Bro Shi’an, I want to express my sincere thanks for your great and enlightening teaching. I felt full of hope since attending the Pure Land class as I saw the direction of my future. I used to be depressive about my future direction even though I am a Buddhist for many years. After your lessons, my depression seems to have vanished into the thin air!… I have benefited immensely from your course. Once again, thank you very much! – Jon
Thank you, Bro. Shen for your engaging lessons and advice… Thank you very much for your great efforts in sharing your Dharma knowledge on Amituofo with us. Really deeply appreciate it… The last lesson provides learners with a very succinct and concise knowledge on the sutra… I personally appreciate the part where you clarified on ‘å–„æ ¹ç¦�å¾·’… Thanks so much for the clarification. Also appreciate the part on why there is a repetition of the Buddhas’ praise of the six directions… Thank you for the beginning part of the course when you emphasised the hard facts that we can pass away at any moment. This part establishes a real purpose for us to learn Nianfo (and not to put it off any further). Once again, thank you for being such a great Dharma teacher. Amituofo, AihuaHi Shi’an, really appreciate the lessons you have taught me. I will definitely try and put these teachings into my daily life practice, especially being such a young Buddhist myself. Thank you also for always guiding and helping my Mom when she has any queries about Buddhism. This has really helped us be more compassionate and humble in our own way. Once again, thank you for all the teachings and may Amituofo guide and protect you wherever you may be. Stay safe too! Amituofo, Hayley
Hi Bro Shi’an, you are a dedicated and knowledgeable Buddhist trainer… Hope to see you again soon. – Patrick
Hi Bro Shi’an, I have attended and enjoyed your sharing and teachings very much. – Lex
Deepest gratitude to you for all the lessons, all the teachings, all the sharing, all the effort, all the time, all the wisdom, all the compassion. Otherwise, I would not have learnt the Buddha’s teachings with understanding. Thank you. May you be well and happy, be blessed and make it to Pure Land. Amituofo. Regards, Su Ann
Hi Shi’an Laoshi, I would like to express my gratitude to you for conducting this course in great detail, especially explaining to us in layman terms for《佛说阿弥陀ç»�》. Before attending this course, I felt that I was lacking in faith, probably because there was no 善知识 [good-knowing spiritual friend] around me to 表法 [express the Dharma]. So I decided to sign up for a Dharma course, hoping to deepen my understanding of the Buddha’s teachings. Best regards, Candy
Thank you, Bro. Shen for your engaging lessons and advice. Amituofo, Aihua
Hi Brother Shi’an, thank you very much for conducting the course. I had learned a lot from the course, and will make 念佛 [practice of mindfulness of the name of Amituofo] as part of my daily ‘homework’. I look forward to your ‘Destination Pureland’ course. Thank you very much. Amituofo, Nancy
Once again, thanks for giving us the opportunity to learn about Pure Land teachings. With metta, May
Thanks for teaching us. We are still chanting [Amituofo] every night (with both of my parents). Hope to hear from you when you will be conducting Mandarin version. I will ask both of them to attend. Warmest regards, Hsiu Li
Brother Shi’an, thanks for the insightful and motivational Amitabha Sutra course on the journey to Western Pure Land. We have faith, and with group practice, it will help us to aspire towards it with the Three Provisions… Amituofo, Chew Eng
The best decision I made was to go ahead to sign up for your ‘Understanding Amituofo Via The Amitabha Sutra’ course last year. I truly benefited a lot from it… Thank you so much. – Rosalind
I attended the first lesson (last Thursday) and I enjoyed it. – Jenni
You are my good teacher… in fact, great one! – Lam
Sincere thanks for your highly engaging and light-hearted lectures. They are truly enjoyable and I have learnt much as a result of your gracious sharing of meaningful life examples. – Peter
Dear Bro Shen Shi’an, thanks for the notes and Dharma teachings which I enjoyed very much. Again, thanks sharing the best gift… which is the Dharma. Amituofo, Doris Tan
I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for your great Amitabha Buddha lessons. Every time I attend it, a lot of my doubts are clarified. – Lewis
One certainly increases faith in this most supreme and wonderful Dharma door after listening to your most passionate and convincing facts. Thank you, and I am very fortunate to be part of the audience. Respectfully, Rosaline
May I thank you for making the Dharma class an insightful and interesting experience for a first-timer like myself. Looking forward to attending more of your coming classes. Amituofo, Evelyn
Amituofo, Teacher Shi’an, thank you. I am very grateful that I was able to attend your lessons recently. I learnt a lot… and your lessons are fun and interesting. – Pearlyn
I enjoyed the course tremendously and it has helped me in clearing some of my doubts, to appreciate and understand Buddhism. Thanks to Bro Shi’an for his time and efforts. Thanks, Doreen
Dear Teacher Shi’an, thank you for your time and patience in teaching us… I’m a newbie Buddhist. I consider myself fortunate that the course allowed me to start off on the right foot, as there are many confusing and false teachings in our age. I was able to understand and appreciate the Dharma more deeply due to the real life examples used during the lessons. As such, my faith strengthened. I’m looking forward to join the 48 Vows of Amitabha course. Thank you. Sincerely, Teddy
Thank you for the course. I have enjoyed it very much and have learnt a lot… Thank you very much for the time and dedication you have for the class. Your passion is infectious! I look forward to taking more courses with you. – Patricia
Hi Shi’an, I just wanted to say thank you for the lessons over the last 10 weeks. I have learnt so much from you about Pure Land. I am glad I took the plunge and attended this course. Your rock solid, unwavering faith continues to inspire me and makes me vow even more to be reborn in Pure Land. I especially enjoyed the sutra lesson today. Your lessons are always interesting and inspirational, never with a dull moment. You teach with humour, examples and analogies that are current which makes it easy to relate to everyday life.
I appreciate all the effort you have put into the course preparation. After having done this 12 times before, I imagine that one with less faith and conviction could feel bored or worse, complacent teaching similar materials over the years. In this case, I feel that as you grew spiritually over the years. Your faith has strengthened continually and your passion to teach the Dharma is incredible! You are truly a wonderful, motivational and inspirational teacher. Lastly, in a nutshell, you have taught me more in the last 10 weeks than “where I used to go to weekly” in the last 40+ years. Therefore, I thank you and I salute you. I look forward to attending more of your future courses. (P/S: Notice how many times I use the word ‘inspirational’? ;)p Amituofo, P.H.
Highly recommended! – JacHi Shi’an è€�师, just want to let you know that I enjoyed the Amituofo course very much (even though you must have heard this the umpteenth time already). Thank you very much for your dedication and for putting so much thought in your lessons to help us learn the Dharma in such a simple, interesting and inspiring way. I am really glad to have this opportunity to learn from you and hope to be able to attend more of your classes. Amituofo! – Hvi Chun
Highly recommended. Shi’an è€�师 is one of the best English Dharma teachers. – Kok Meng
Thank you for giving the interesting lectures on the Amitabha Sutra. Thank you for conducting the Amituofo class in English. It really benefits those who do not know Mandarin like me. After attending your class, I understand Buddhism much better. Anyway, I will be attending your next Heart Sutra class. Thank you once again for all your hard work in translating and explaining the sutras in English for us. – Judy
Hi Shi’an Laoshi, we enjoyed the course very much and will sign up for the “Destination Pureland” and “48 Vows of Amituofo” course… We really appreciate your effort in sharing the 净土法门 and have gained a lot of knowledge from you! Thank you! – Chor Leng & Sock Har
Hi Bro. Shi’an, a big Thank You to you. I had benefitted a lot from attending your courses since June 2014, and I felt that it was Amituofo who guided me to attend these courses. Before I attended these lessons, things seemed to go downhill (but I did not tell any colleague about them)… Then came a day, a colleague asked me whether I had attended any Dharma lessons out of the blue, and few days later, another colleague asked whether I wanted to attend a Buddhist talk… After these two incidents, I really sat down to look for Dharma classes… Things are much better now. I will continue to Nianfo. Thank you. – Regards, Mary
阿彌陀佛 (Amituofo). This course is definitely worth attending. Not only did I learn more about 阿彌陀佛, it had given me more understanding and faith to continue Nianfo. It is through understanding that one will have faith and strike for a breakthrough… I will continue to Nianfo and had urge my family members to do so as well. 阿彌陀佛. – Teng KL
I enjoy your class very much… Thank you for your detailed reply and explanation. They have certainly cleared much of my doubts. Looking forward to learn and understand more from your coming sessions… Thank you for sharing your knowledge in Pure Land teachings with us so generously. Overall, I find the course beneficial and interesting. I can now appreciate the meaning of Nianfo better. I also appreciate the fact that while Nianfo is one of the “simplest” ways to practise [the Dharma], the benefits and the power of Nianfo are enormous! In fact, there was a night when I was having a nightmare. I could feel that I was terrified in my dream, with some demonic creature shadowing me everywhere I went. I tried to shake it off but to no avail. I knew it was a dream, but it felt very real and there were no way to run away. I started chanting Amituofo’s name… As I kept chanting, I literally watched the creature “melt” away and disappear in the dream. Amituofo. – Jason
Dear Teacher Shi’an, I certainly have benefited very much from the course on ‘Understanding Amituofo’. Yes, I followed your instructions by reciting “Amituofo” when I get up and before I sleep, when I travel in trains and buses, while walking and whenever I have the opportunity. I chose this Dharma Door and aspire for birth in Amituofo’s Pure Land… Thank you very much for your great valuable teachings and I deeply appreciate all your dedicated effort and hard work in guiding sentient beings to the Pure Land path. Your teachings are very clear and materials used are very good. I rejoice in all your merits. With clasped palms, Patricia Choo
Thank you for conducting the “Project Rebirth” and “Understanding Amituofo” course. Indeed, it opened up my mind and I am looking forward to completing the courses and retaking them again in your next run as I believe new questions will always arise in our minds. I also look forward to your Heart Sutra course and course on Dashishi Pusa’s teachings {‘The Mindfulness Factor’)… Thank you for all the teaching and sharing imparted throughout the classes. I truly enjoyed them and learnt a lot from the classes. – Soon Kiat
I want to thank you for giving such interesting and enjoyable lessons on 阿弥陀佛ç»� and 心ç»�. Hope to learn more from you through the upcoming lessons! ; ) – Yvonne
Thank you for your lessons, which made it easy for me to understand the Dharma. I really appreciate your efforts. – Soon Kee
Thank you very much for your valuable Dharma lessons… Shi’an Laoshi, thank you very much for taking the time to put these wonderful Dharma treasures [articles] together to share with us. I share them with my family and friends too, and they now look forward to hearing more Dharma stories. Hope they will attend class too to learn more. May all be well! Thank you and Amituofo, Jerinne : )
Thank you for making the lessons interesting… I always look forward to the lessons as it is the only time I can take a break from attending to worldly affairs. – Rosalind
Thank you for sharing your knowledge during those classes. It as been enlightening. – Julia
Thank you for the insightful and interesting lessons. – Boon Ser
The ‘Understanding Amituofo’ course has been immensely interesting. Shi’an has a knack of breaking down difficult concepts into accessible information, which we can easily relate to in our everyday lives. This course will be useful even for Pure Land practitioners who already know something about the teachings. Shi’an always explores new perspectives that surprises us. His humorous approach to teaching and the use of clear, simple language is a major plus. There was never a dull moment. I enjoyed the classes tremendously! Amituofo, Wei Peng
Thank you for teaching us about Amituofo in such a simple way yet with so much for us to take away. I really appreciate your kindness and sincerity in conducting this course. I am inspired… I am already looking forward to your next courses, ‘The Faith Factor’ and ‘The Heart Of The Heart Sutra’. I must say that I always just feel happy going for the Saturday classes. Thank you for your time sharing your knowledge with us. Amituofo, Weena
Dear Shi’an teacher, thank you very much for sharing so much about Amitabha Buddha. Appreciate very much for spending your precious time to try to share as much as you can. – Rebecca
阿弥陀佛. Great talk this morning. – Shirley
Dear Shi’an, I am glad we did not missed last Saturday’s class. The lessons are getting interesting and inspiring… Thank for sharing the wonderful Living Dharma… Thank you very much for illustrating your lessons for us with your real life experience on death. We truly enjoyed your last Saturday session… Thank you & best regards. Amituofo, Susan, Linda & Ricky
Bro. Shen Shi’an shares his personal experiences and anecdotes in his lessons which make the class interesting. I look forward to his class every week… Many thanks for replying and clearing my doubts regards to Buddhism. It being a pleasure attending your lessons. Amituofo, Ricky
Nianfo (mindfulness of Amituofo) is one of the best life skills, or also ‘death skill’ that one should learn! Why? Knowing where one will go after death gives me peace of mind. And when unhappy thoughts arise, nianfo switches the state of mind to something neutral for me. When I get very angry, in some instances, I will get gastric pains. Once, I went to a corner to nianfo quickly, and within one minute, my state of mind changed and I was no longer angry. [Note: Nianfo can lead to experience of spiritually blissful well-being too.] – Adeline
I’m very encouraged by your knowledge and your enthusiasm. Despite overrun of time, you still pursued to complete the last lesson with passion… Thank again for dedicating your life for teaching Buddhism. We need more people like you… I’m looking forward to your (future) talks… You do a great job in influencing another person with Buddhism. Thanks, and have a great day! – Amituofo, Doreen
I attended your Amituofo class and found it to be informative and encouraging. Indeed I’m impressed by your relentless efforts and your meticulous attitude in explaining the sutra. Thanks. – Mdm Shen
Dear Bro. Shi’an, thank you to you, who made this course possible for the benefit of English educated brothers and sisters. A round of applause to you!! Sadhu 3x. – Susan
Dear Bro Shi’an, thank you for conducting this course, without which I wouldn’t have the privilege of learning about Amituofo and the Pureland practice. Also, your ‘unconventional’ way of teaching enables us to just relax and listen in class knowing that the notes (with lots of helpful links) will be sent to us via email later. Thanks to your good effort, I had definitely learnt and gained a lot. May you be well and happy! With Metta, Audrey
As my exposure was more to Theravada teachings, I did not know much about Pure Land but intrinsically I know that Amituofo and Pure Land exist and rebirth in Pure Land is achievable. I am glad I made the effort to attend this class because the knowledge that I gained strengthened my faith in Amituofo and dispels the doubt and misinformation that I was exposed to. I urge everyone to come with an open heart and mind to learn about Amituofo. It is the best gift for yourself! With deep appreciation, Amituofo, Karuna
“Dharma Teacher Shi’an is very sincere and earnest in delivery of his courses. Always filled with many interesting and creative analogies or metaphors to let us have a better idea and understanding. The various creative media used and implementation of the element of humour brings the Dharma classes alive without boredom, very often allowing me to feel inspired and invigorated with renewed energy after the lessons. Really appreciate the amount of effort Teacher Shi’an put into preparing his classes. Hope that the work of Teacher Shi’an will continue and benefit more of us!” – Ricky
‘Enjoying the course very much. Hope to have the chance to attend the same course again in future. It brings a lot of joy and peace. Wonderful!’ – Amituofo, Huimin
‘It was a very rewarding 10-lesson course. It enriches me even more in understanding Buddhism and Amituofo.’ – Rosie
‘Hi Teacher Shi’an, I really enjoyed this course, there are so much things to learnand I have gained a lot of knowledge from you. I will definitely attend more of your courses in future.’ – Best Regards, Amituofo, Pu-ling
‘Dear Dharma Teacher Shen, thank you for conducting the Understanding Amitabha Buddha Course. You earnestly put in good and detailed research into the preparation for conducting such a course, the result of which the audience appreciated. This is the hallmark of a good teacher. Moreover, you patiently use current examples of existing situations in daily lives to make the topic as real and penetrating as possible for the minds of the listeners. Good work.’ – Andrew
“The course was taught in a manner which could be easily comprehended by someone with minimal knowledge of Buddhism. Thank you for your efforts in motivating all participants by making the lessons interesting through sharing of real stories, and for relentless encouragement of us to nianfo. åŠŸå¾·æ— é‡�! Amituofo.” – Jos
“I enjoyed all the 10 lessons. They were all excellent and I have gain much knowledge.” – Gerald
“Thank you very much for your class. I have learned very much from youand it inspires me to want to practise more. Thank you.” – Fucai
“I feel that your frequent use of examples to illustrate your points is very useful to me, especially as a beginner who find some topics rather abstract. It is also these examples used that makes the lessons interesting…” – Danny
“Thank you very much for having these sessions. Hope to see you again.” – Amituofo, Alex
“Hi Shi’an, appreciate very much for your teaching. The lessons are really valuable. The materials are well prepared and carefully written. They are very useful for recap. Initially I was quite hesitant to register for the course. I thought I would probably drop out mid way because it was on Saturday – a day when my work schedules are tight, and the location [Kong Meng San for 10th Run] is quite inconvenient for me.. but your lessons were really so knowledgeable and interesting, that I wouldn’t want to miss them. In fact, I had been looking forward to them. Among all, I found that the topic about the interruption between each life [due to death]… to somewhat have an awakening effect on me. Since then, I have started to nianfo everyday, and it has been consistently carried out for 3 weeks! I hope I have all the time to continue the practice and be mindful of Buddha every moment. I will recommend your teachings to my friends and family members.” – Thanks & Regards, Mee Nah
“Thank you very much for your sharing of Pure Land practice. I have enjoyed every session of the course. I had supposed it to be a serious and dull subject. However, you had made it interesting and fun through your jokes and excellent illustrations. Unfortunately, I missed the last session due to a family commitment. The course structure flowed very well and is very suitable for a layperson to understand Pure Land Buddhism in a progressive manner. Your constant encouragement to get us to clarify our doubts through email [and in person] was very useful. Now, I have a much better understanding of Pure Land practice. I look forward to furthering my understanding and practice on Pure Land Buddhism. Thank you once again.” – Amituofo, Lar Kee
“Thank you for the teaching and sharing of experiences. I also like to thank Brother Steven for sharing his experience with all of us. It showed us how someone practised what was learnt.” – Amituofo, Lisa
“Dear Bro. Shi’an, ‘The Gift of Truth Excels All Other Gifts.’ Thank you for sharing the Pure Land Teachings with us. You have delivered the teachings in a very concise, interesting and creative manner. We enjoyed the lessons very much and have benefitted a lot from them. We are glad to have an excellent Dharma teacher like you in the Buddhist world. Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu! Amituofo!” – With appreciation, Tuck Khuen, Amy, Ivy, Doris & Joey
‘Very informative and lively lessons. Lecturer Shen makes the wonder.’ – Huan Xi
‘My wife and I were there. I must say that you are extremely engaging; there was never a dull moment in the 2 hours (of each lesson)… It has been really enriching and enlightening… This is a definitive course for me spiritually. It answered many important questions for me. Why am I here in this life? What will happen to me after this life? Where will I go to after this life?‘ – Teng Leng
‘I enjoy your teaching and your jokes to keep us awake… haha.’ – Regards, Tracy
‘Dear Teacher Shen, thank you for your teachings… Thank you for all the knowledge put in simple, digestable words in a light-hearted mood. The lessons are well pacedand after each lesson, the faith in me grows a little bit more. I’m glad my hubby signed me up for the course as I didn’t see the need to attend since I could access to the sutra and notes of the previous round he attended. After the end of last week’s 8th class and Bro. Steven’s sharing, I walked out of… feeling very happy despite the drizzle… Once on the bus, [using another way to practise mindfulness of Amituofo], I quickly whipped out my handphone to text ‘Amituofo, Amituofo… [in Chinese]’ and almost filled the length of 12 messages during the 17-minute ride. Once home, our 89 cm tall son fell down from a dining chair, where he was standing to drinkcereal. He landed sideways, unhurt and with no crying or words of discomfort. He had spilt half of his drink, and was still holding the cup. Both hubby and myself were 2-3 arm lengths away. We witnessed this and was speechless. It was as if our son was ‘lifted’ and merely placed on the floor [to break his fall]. We’re not sure if this is the blessing of Amituofo’s protection, but we are sure that nianfo [being mindful of Amitabha Buddha] is wonderful and great! May you have a great Amituofo day!’ – Emily
‘拨æªå¯¼æ£ï¼Œå¼•é¢†ç¾¤è¿·’ – Zhi Hai
‘I have enjoyed every session of your interesting teaching so far. And I am sure I will continue to enjoy the rest too.’ – Lar Kee
‘I must say I have been enjoying your classes very much and I find the stories inspiring.’ – Yin Fong
‘I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that I enjoy attending your Saturday evening classes…’ – Yalin
‘Thank you for the series of good and beneficial courses. Really enjoyed them and now have a better understanding of Amituofo… The pace and the build-up of the sessions is good, and you have made it very easy to follow and understand. Thank you for making them so lively and wonderful!’ – Camilly
‘It is great that you are committed to the propagation of the Dharma (and I must say that you do have a ‘gift’ for making it accessible)… I hope you will continue the good work in propagating the Dharma in the simple and interesting way that is characteristic of your style. With the Greatest Bodhicitta, William‘
‘Your teachings thus far has raised my faith factor and I am grateful to you for your sharing… I appreciate your generous sharing of the Dharma Teachings. It is indeed a very admirable deed. May the merits of the Triple Gem continue to bless you. I found your teachings educational, and to have enhanced my spiritual life.’ – Jenny
‘Thanks for sharing about Amituofo… Your lessons keep people coming back. Congrats for your great job!’ – Jina
“I am in your class. I like the way you teach – very funny and not boring. Otherwise, I can fall asleep quite fast!” – Diana
“Dear Teacher Shi’an, I would like to thank you for sharing your [email] write-up… I truly enjoy reading it and understand Buddhism better. Appreciate your constant sharing with us.” – Eliza
“Thank you so much for teaching us about Amituofo and Pure land. Truthfully speaking, I was amazed and didn’t expect that there’s so many teachings for the above.” – Silvi
“8 lessons had attended (so far), I had turn with conviction. Thanks.” – Andrew
“This is rare opportunity hearing a good Dharma session about the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha. Please accept my deepest bow and true appreciation of what you have organized.” – HardyEnjoyable class and topic. Always looked forward to Saturdays because of the class. Thank you! – KM Teo
“I would like to thank you very much for your tireless teaching during your stay in Jakarta. The seminar really gave me a whole new perspective on Buddhism… I couldn’t have made a better decision than registering. A lot of the teachings were affirmative and complementing of what I’ve understood about Buddhism so far.” – William“I had the impression that it would be a ‘dry’ and boring class initially. Thank Buddha you have the ability to make us giggle or laugh during class. It is a ‘good investment’ to sign up for your class.” – Irene
“Thanks for the very interesting sessions. It has been an enjoyable experience attending your class… Thanks for the very inspiring 10 sessions.” – Bee Lay
“Dear Brother Shi’an, We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to you for conducting the Amitabha Sutra class. You are able to explain the sutra clearly and have provided excellent examples and illustrations. My husband, Lawrence, and I, together with our friends truly enjoy your class and we have gained a better understanding Amitabha Sutra. We also want to thank the volunteers for manning the registration booth every Saturday and the ushers… Once again, thank you for your excellent teaching. Rejoice. Namo Amituofo!” – Lay Ling & Lawrence
“The Amitabha Sutra class that you are conducting is really Great, Informative, Enlightening and Beneficial. We start to appreciate the Sutra and Buddha’s Teaching more… Amituofo.” – Choon Fah
“Thanks very much for weeks of enlightening and insightful edutainment. The ‘before/after effect’ (like Marie France) of Pureland teachings is indeed profound. I must say I’ve progressed rapidly in ‘faith, vows and practice’, thanks to your passionate and generous sharing.” – Han
“Thank you for the insightful answers! I look forward to Lesson 2 this Saturday.” – Amituofo, Yong Guan
“I should also thank you because you have inspired me to spread these wonderful Dharma especially about the Pureland to more people.” – Amituofo, Huan Ghee
“Ha ha ha u are a funny guy. Every time during the class, we look at your action and the way u give usexample really make me laugh. Tks and keep up the good job.” – Sherlis
“U r one of the best teachers I ever seen.” – Maggie
“Creative presentation… Very motivated and knowledgeable.” – Brenda
“Very relevant, very well-researched, very informative, knowledgeable and inspiring.” – AL Lim
“Instructor is very very very good.” – KH Lee
“Very applicable [lessons]… He [teacher] knows how to relate to people and make suitable analogies.” – Lay Eng
“Teaching is very lively, interesting, [and teacher is] knowledgeable.” – Irene Ng
“[Teacher is] very skilful and very knowledgeable.” – Lay Keow
“[Teacher is] approachable, knowledgeable and helpful.” – CC Lim
“[Teacher] interacts with the audience well.” – Melvin
“[Teacher is] very resourceful and speaks clearly. [Course is] very informative. I am glad I attended this course. I found my spiritual goal.” – Meow Lin
“Interesting mix of visuals, videos, testimonials, slides and co-relation between the different [Buddhist] practices.” – Suzanne
“Use of analogies and examples help for understanding concepts. Testimonials help to to strengthen faith. Use of graphics and videos make the contents more interesting.” – Rebecca
“Good introduction, especially to the curious.” – HH Lau
“Very informative… It’s interesting to listen again [by attending again in future].” – Nicole
“[Teacher is] very skilful, informative and interesting… Very good, should make it more lessons.” – CF Lim
“The course has let me know more about Amitabha Buddha and his Pure Land and increased by faith more and more.” – Ruth
“Great. Thank you.” – Cathy
“[Teacher is] relatable, able to explain concepts well. [Course is] informative, entertaining and interesting.” – Wei Ting
“Good knowledge and enthusiasm demonstrated. Good research and presentation…” “Thank you for your kind effort in promoting Pure Land practice. Amituofo!” – Anon8
“Keep up the good work – sure go Pure Land.” – FS Lam
“[Teacher is] very good, experienced, able to explain things in simple concise manner, and is friendly and approachable…” “Look forward to more of such courses in English. Well done!” – LK Loh
“[Teacher is] well versed in Buddhism and able to explain clearly.” – SH Voon
“His passion and compassion for the Pure Land teaching is very evident!” – LH Heng
“[Lessons] flow smoothly with ample examples… [Teacher is] knowledgeable and proficient.” – CH Kok
“Well presented. [Teacher] has passion for whatever he is teaching.” – Siying
“Very comprehensive notes complemented by informative emails. Excellent teacher. Teacher Shi’an is a very dedicated teacher. He is able to relate the sutra to us in an easy-to-understand manner. The lessons flow very well and are well paced.” – Lay Ling & Lawrence
“[Teacher is] very skilful, passionate and knowledgeable. This is a very good course. It helped to clarify a lot of my doubts and strengthened my faith.” – VM Ho“[Teacher is] humorous and adorable.” – WK Koh
“Just want to let you know that I have enjoyed your 10 lessons on Understanding Amituofo. I now have a better understanding about Buddhism. I am looking forward to your new classes, please let me know the dates and place when available.” – Josephine Yap
“The instructor is very motivational and impactful.” – Meilin
“I think your lessons are very much well prepared. You have done much research. I can understand that it is difficult to do that. Well done! What matters most to me is the content. And you are humourous and friendly as well. Excellent!” – PS Chan
“Thank you for an educational and interactive first lesson. Fresh perspective and insight gained. My hubby and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Look forward to the next class. We enjoy every lesson. The path to Pure Land is simple and fuss free. Coming from the past 15 years of Theravada Buddhist teachings’ background, this is refreshing and would certainly add depth on our Dharma pursuits. We have never had a structured and systematic education on Buddhism of any branch although all our lives we are connected to it from birth. The laoshi (teacher) Shen Shi’an is engaging, witty and knowledgeable. Teacher is very well prepared, eloquent, knowledgeable and systematic. – Lye Wai Fun
“I really enjoy the class. Thanks for making the class interesting and engaging.” – Hazel
“Thank you for conducting the class on Pureland Buddhism. It was funny yet insightful.” – Louisa
“Information is well put across in a congruent and easy to absorb and systematic manner.”– Tingji
“Thanks for delivering such an interesting presentation that is beneficial for us to ha
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“Thanks for delivering such an interesting presentation that is beneficial for us to have a better fundamental understanding of Buddhism. The organising committee is very committed to make this class a success, and tried their best to provide a conducive environment for the participants.” – Yong Leow
“[The teacher is] very knowledgeable.” – Candy
“Many thanks for your interesting lesson at the Amitabha Sutra class yesterday. I enjoyed it thoroughly.”– Kok Leong
“The trainer has done an excellent job in bringing Mahayana teachings to English-speaking Buddhists. He is able to dispel the myth that Chinese Buddhism is suitable only to illiterate old men and women. May the trainer be able to help more sentient beings to contact the teachings. May Buddhas and Bodhisattvas support him in his endeavor.” – Anon3
“It was an enlightening session for the lesson that you have conducted today. Thank you for imparting the knowledge on the ‘crash course’ (on Buddhism for the first lesson). Things I learn in your lesson today: To re-ignite my compassion to all beings, including those that I previously do not like due to heavy office politics. Your passion in Buddhism that energised my learnings. It was another informative session yesterday and I can understand the concept well, through your interesting presentation.” – Jeffrey
“[The teacher] is lively and can sustain attention.” – Anon4
“There are many comparisons to our daily lives to reinforce learning.” – Anon1
“This is a great course. I am thankful for this affinity that led me to this course and enable me to start walking the spiritual path.” – Anon2
“[The teacher] can explain very well!” – Bee Ting
“[The teacher is] well researched and well prepared.”– Jono
“Instructor allows us to email him questions in doubt which benefits beginners.”– Anon5
“Yes, very good and very relevant. You have also made it very interesting.” – Pearly
“[The teacher is] knowledgeable and humorous. The course is very informative and interesting.”– Anon6
“[The teacher is] a well learned practitioner.”– Richard
“Very engaging style of presentation.”– Anon7
“Straight to the point with good illustrations.”– Lam
“I enjoyed the first lesson yesterday night as you were an engaging and humourous teacher. Thanks.”– Yingying
“Many thanks for the inspiring sharing on 10 July.”– Hui Ping
“I find the course informative and delivered in an interesting manner.”– CH
“Many thanks, Shi’an! It was a very fruitful learning experience! Amitoufo!” – Jennifer
“Must tell you that we enjoy your class. It is very comprehensive, with easy to understand and lively presentation.”– Rita
“Your clarion call on high importance and high urgency of learning the route to Pureland was depicted with a ‘think out of the box’ (manner) effectively. Witty dialogue on the multi-purpose use of Amituofo’s name remains vividly in my mind. Leaves us much to practice. Thank you for being a wonderful teacher by bringing the Dharma to us in a simple, interesting and fun way. In all the classes, we had been educated and entertained! It was the very first time that we ever attended a structured course, though we are ‘Buddhists” all our lives. Lessons were joyfully taught by a highly knowledgeable and energetic instructor who engaged your attention and captivated your imagination by the power of interesting visuals and sometimes comical parables.” – Lye Wai Fun
“Dear Bro Shi’an, I really enjoy your class on Amituofo. Learn many things everytime I go for the class. Today’s testimonial is also really inspiring! Amituofo” – Tiong Han
“Brother Shi’an, You are a great teacher; your teachings alone are a tremendous inspiration to those like me who have good karmic affinity to listen to you. You soldand I bought the ticket to Pureland on the very first lesson in March last year. That’s how inspiring you are! Thank you. 阿弥陀佛 _()_ ” – Steven
“Thanks for the guidance. I have re-evaluated your advice and implemented it. The outcome is encouraging. Thank you for your statement that kept me motivated and not giving up. Thanks for making a difference in our lives.” – Jeffrey
“Dear Teacher Shi’an, thank you for answering my doubts. Now I have a clearer view… I am so grateful to have you as a Teacher and I know that you will try your very best to answer each and everyone of your students’ queries. I really appreciate your time and effort as it is not an easy task.” Amituofo, Tracy
“Hi Shi’an, I want to thank you for giving me better insights of the sutra, as well as instilling in me more faith. I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to attend your class. It is very difficult to find good English Buddhist classes and interesting teachers. I hope you can conduct more classes so we English educated ones would not miss the opportunity to understand and appreciate the Buddhist teaching and to reach Pure Land. Your class is super, never one moment boring and time just flies. I wish it never ends. Every moment is motivating, interesting, soft-selling but never forcing, well presented and delivered. Very good visual and presentation material. I believe that only those with faith and passion like you could conduct such classes. Academics would present and speak without conviction, but your easy style and passion makes the class alive, interesting and motivating. Shi’an good job!! Please don’t stop, we need your guidance. Thank you again.” – Amituofo, Pauline
About The Teacher:
Shen Shi’an (沈时安) is an independent Buddhist teacher, author, researcher, translator, editor and publisher. He was a founding member of the Dharma Propagation Division of Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery (Bright Hill Temple) in 1997. Holding a Master of Arts degree in Buddhist Studies that covered all major Buddhist traditions, he served as the Dharma Trainer & Project Coordinator in its Community Development & Training Department until 2011, focusing on research-writing, teaching and answering of media queries on Buddhism. He was the founder of the temple’s Youth Mission, book purchaser for its Awareness Place project, and the Chief Editor of the Web & Library Department, that supported Buddhanet.
He is the founder and editor of TheDailyEnlightenment.com since 1997, one of the largest independent Buddhist inspirational e-newsletters with over 33,500 members, editor of ‘Be a Lamp Upon Yourself’, ‘The Stonepeace Book (Volume 1-2)’, ‘Awaken: Gateway to Buddhism (CD-ROM)’, author-editor of ‘The Daily Enlightenment: Reflections For Practising Buddhists (Book 1-7)’ and the bestselling graphic novel, ‘The Amazing & Amusing Adventures of Sam & Sara: The Zen of All Kinds of Stuff!’ (He is the author-editor-translator of 15 books.) He also contributes occasionally to magazines such as ‘Nanyang Buddhist’, ‘Awaken’ (for which he was Contributing Editor), ‘For You (Information)’ (for which he was invited to be an editorial board member) and ‘Eastern Horizon’. He served with the film selection team of a Buddhist film festival, writes movie reviews for BuddhistChannel, a Buddhist news network, and created Dharma@Cinema, which shares the Dharma through detailed film reviews.
With retranslated sutras and treatises, he has taught on the Pure Land teachings at Singapore Buddhist Federation, Kong Meng San, Pu Ji Si Buddhist Research Centre and Poh Ming Tse. He also leads the Pureland Practice Fellowship, which he founded in 2008. He was also invited to be a group counsellor for the ‘Theory And Practice Of Pure Land Buddhism’ course at Singapore Buddhist Lodge, and to be its commemorative magazine’s chief editor. He was also invited to teach Sunday School teachers on how to discern controversial ‘Buddhist’ groups. He is also occasionally invited to conduct Dharma discussions for youths of tertiary institutions’ Buddhist societies (NTUBS, NUSBS, SIMBB, NPBS, NYPBS, SPBS) on various subjects, and to introduce Buddhist perspectives at Secondary Schools (St. Patrick’s School, Manjusri School and its Buddhist Interact Club), Junior Colleges (Catholic Junior College) and International Schools (UWCSEA, SJII). He was also invited to share on Buddhism by Dharma Drum Mountain (Singapore), Fo Guang Shan (Singapore), Tai Pei Buddhist Centre, Singapore Buddhist Mission Youth, Singapore Buddhist Youth Mission, Wat Ananda Youth, Buddha Of Medicine Welfare Society, The Buddhist Union Dharma Centre, Buddhist Fellowship, Dot Connections Growth Centre and Kampung Senang. He has also been invited to Indonesia (Ekayana Buddhist Centre) and Malaysia (Than Hsiang Temple) to teach.
He was a committee member of the Inter-Religious Organisation, through which he served in interfaith harmony projects by writing and giving of talks, having represented Buddhist points of view at national events held by NACLI, NHB, NHG, SAF, SPF, MHA, ACM, SPM, STB, OnePeople.sg, IRCC and MCYS. He was also chosen to be a volunteer member of the Publications Consultative Panel under Singapore’s Ministry Of Communications And Information’s (MCI) Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) for 2 years, and invited to extend his stint. He also co-runs Moonpointer.com, a blog that promotes creative-writing, and Purelanders.com, which archives hundreds of English articles on the Chinese Pure Land teachings. He is also the founder of Facebook pages such as Buddhist Confessions & Resolutions, Cinema Dharma and Buddhist Vegan Fellowship.
He has a ‘Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate, completed (Feb 2017), T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell’ (a subsidiary of Cornell University), with which he uses to promote Maha-Veganism, as taught by the Buddha. He can be reached at tdethedailyenlightenment.com for invitations to share the Dharma via articles and talks.
Interview In Buddhist Magazine: http://moonpointer.com/new/2011/07/interview-with-shen-shianPublished Works (Books and articles written, translated, edited):
[01] The Daily Enlightenment 1: Reflections For Practising Buddhists
[02] The Daily Enlightenment 2: Reflections For Practising Buddhists
[03] The Daily Enlightenment 3: Reflections For Practising Buddhists
[04] The Daily Enlightenment 4: Reflections For Practising Buddhists
[05] The Daily Enlightenment 5: Reflections For Practising Buddhists
[06] The Daily Enlightenment 6: Reflections For Practising Buddhists
[07] The Daily Enlightenment 7: Reflections For Practising Buddhists
[08] Amitabha Sutra: The Sutra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of Amita Buddha
[09] The Sutra In Which The Buddha Speaks Of Immeasurable Life: Section On Amitabha Buddha’s Forty-Eight Great Vows
[10] The Great Buddha Crown’s Surangama Sutra’s Section On Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva’s Perfect Penetration With Mindfulness Of Buddha
[11] Guanshiyin Bodhisattva’s Universal Door Chapter
[12] The Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra
[13] The Pure Land Passport: The Three Great Essentials When Approaching Death
[14] The Faith Factor: The Treatise On Ten Doubts About Pure Land
[15] The Stonepeace Book Volume 1: One Hundred Illuminating Inspirational Sayings
[16] The Stonepeace Book Volume 2: One Hundred Enlightening Inspirational Sayings
[17] The Amazing & Amusing Adventures Of Sam & Sara: The Zen Of All Kinds Of Stuff
[18] Be A Lamp Upon Yourself (Editor)
[19] Awaken: Gateway To Buddhism (CD-ROM) (Editor)
[20] With Same Vow And Practice (Editor)
[21] Various Articles in ‘For You Information’ magazine
[22] Various Articles in ‘Nanyang Buddhist’ magazine
[23] Various Articles in ‘Awaken’ magazine
[24] Various Articles in ‘Shi Cheng Chao Yin: Singapore Buddhist Lodge Newsletter’
[25] Article in ‘Eastern Horizon’
[26] Various Articles in ‘Buddhist Channel’ website
[27] Various Articles in Singapore’s Inter-Religious Organisation’s 2009 Commemorative Magazine for the China-Singapore Religious and Cultural ExhibitionAbout Free Course Book:
