The Saturday Vietnamese sutra lectures have already started, two Dharma Masters gave lectures on the “Shurangama Sutra” and the “Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra” respectively. There were many Vietnamese layepople who came for the Dharma, welcome all of you, please tell your friends and family this news, so that more Vietnamese laypeople can draw near the Venerable Master’s wayplace.

 

Speaking of the Dharma door of reciting the Buddha’s name, the Buddha stressed the importance of this Dharma door. He lectured on many sutras regarding the Pure Land Dharma door, such as the Five Sutras about the Pure Land---the “Amitabha Sutra”, the “Limitless Lifespan Sutra”, the “Contemplation of Limitless Lifespan Sutra”, “The chapter of Great Strength Bodhisattva’s perfectly penetration of reciting the Buddha’s name”. “The chapter of  Universal Worthy Bodhisattva’s conduct and vows ”, and the “Great Amitabha Sutra”, etc. Why did the Buddha put so much efforts in propagating this Dharma door? Because it is extremely important, and the most supreme.

In the sutras, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, these sages cooperate with each other toact out the Dharma. Performing the Dharma is like acting in a play. Similarly, we human beings live in this world is also like putting on a show, the difference is that we are lost in the play and don't know that we are acting; while the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are clearly aware of what they are doing. Why do they want to act out the Dharma? In order to teach living beings to leave defiled states. Usually when we watch a show or a movie, many defiled things are planted in our eighth consciousness,but what will happen if we watch the dharma performed  by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas ? It will plant pure and clean seeds in our mind, and increase our good roots.

 

Among the Five Sutras about the Pure Land, the “Contemplation of the Limitless Span Sutra” is a play that Buddha and Bodhisattvas performed for us. How did this sutra come about? It is a story about an unfilial child. Who is he? It is the King Asheshi. Under the influence of a evil friend Tipodaduo, he put his father in jail and forbid anybody to approach his father. What did he want to do? He was going to starve his father to death.

 

After enjailing his father, Asheshi crown himself the king.  His mother, Queen Weitixi tried to save the previous King Pingpuosuo. She spread a layer of honey and wheat on her body. In acient India, woman often decorated themselves with decoration beads, which is hollow inside, so she put grape juice in the decoration beads. Then she visited King Pingpuoso and fed him grape juice, honey and wheat. Having food to sustain his life, King Pingpupsuo, a faithful Buddhist,  bowed to the World Honored One from his prison, and hoped that the Buddha could send honored Mahamaudgalyayana (his relative) to transmit the Eight-fold precepts for him. Since the Buddha's wisdom is omniscient, and there is nothing that he doesn't know.At that time, Mahamaudgalyayana flew like a hawk to the prison and transmitted the Eight-fold precepts for King Pingposuo. The Buddha also send honored Fulouna, formost in speaking Dharma, to speak the Dharma for King Pingposuo. Therefore, the King Pingposuo had the dharma as well as food. After 21 days, King Asheshi thought that he had already starved his father to death, but after asking his underlings, he found his father was still alive!

 

The underlings told him that the Buddha’s disciples flew there, and the queen mother brought food for the former king, and they could not stop them. King Asheshi was soangry that he wanted to kill his mother. His minister said: “Ever since ancient time, there was never anyone who killed his mother. A person who kills his mother is the most inferior person! We will have to leave here.” Therefore, King Asheshi did not dare to kill his mother. Instead he confined his mother in the palace.Queen Weitixi was extremely anguished, since her son put her husband into prison  and intened to starve his father; She herself was also confined by her son. She really did not know what complicated cause and conditions led to these events. She was in great sorrow, and she wished she could leave this five –turbid evil world, and go to a worriless land  free of any affliction and suffering. She was so sad that she burst into tears, and she requested that the Buddha could send his disciples to console her.

 

After bowing to the Buddha, she looked up, and she found the Buddha appeared in front her and emitted bright brilliance, he was accompanyed by Honored Ananda and Mahamaudgalyayana, and many Heavenly Dharma Protectors. Queen Weitixi requested the Buddha to tell her a place where there is no worry and afflictions. Using his spiritual power, the Buddha showed her many pure and bright lands. However,Queen Weitixi said that she would only like to go to the Land of Ultimate Bliss where Amitabha Buddha dwells. Therefore, the Buddha showed her many adorned features of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. I just mentioned that many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas came to this world to perform and speak the Dharma for us and teach us, they left behind these Dharmas so that we can cultivate accordingly. Queen Weitixi actually was a transformation body Bodhisattva, she said: “By virtue of the Buddha’s power, now I am able to view these supreme adornments of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, however, what about the future living beings? How can they get to know this?” As a response, the Buddha revealed the sixteen methods of contemplation. Therefore, “the Buddha Speaks the Contemplation of Limitless Lifespan Sutra” is also called the “Sixteen Contemplations Sutra”. Beginning with the contemplation of a sunset, one contemplates water, then the lapis lazuli jeweled ground, the seven lines of trees, and the Three Sages in the Western Land etc., all these supremely adorned proper and dependent retributions in that land are contemplated. Even for the rebirth of the lower grade, there are some methods of contemplation. Why make such contemplations? First, contemplation can concentrate our minds, because we living beings are all attached to marks, by use of the supreme marks, we are able to give rise to a yearning mind toward the Pure Land. On the other hand, by using contemplation, living beings are able to recite the Buddha’s name single-mindedly in thought after thought, and cultivate the Pure Land Dharma door.

 

If you do not concentrate your mind, then the Dharma door of reciting the Buddha’s name will not exist, since you are just following along with the assembly when reciting the Buddha’s name, then it is as if there is no Amitabha Buddha. However, if you are single-mindedly reciting, Amitabha Buddha is there; This is a bit of my personal experience. When you are concentrated, you can really feel the compassion and the vast vows of Amitabha Buddha. At this time, the Dharma door of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is assuredly real, truly appropriate and very positive. Moreover, you can be confident that you will be reborn in that Land, that is for sure! Therefore, whether the Dharma door of reciting the Buddha’s name exists or not varies with different individuals, it depends on one's sincerity and effort. 

 

For me, the feelings of reciting the Buddha’s name aloud and in a low voice are different. When I recite in a low voice, I tend to give rise to false thinking. However, when reciting the Buddha’s name aloud, by only hearing the sound of reciting the Buddha’s name, a lot of faith in the cultivation of the Buddhadharma is generated. It  even seems that things around you all have vital energy welling forth. Why is that? When people are changing from an ordinary person to a sagely person, his mind and body will have some kind of change. When you recite the Buddha’s name aloud, since you are moving, and moving brings change, the energy and blood in your body and mind will change. Then at that time, some kind of strength will be generated, and then you can feel that Amitabha Buddha is everywhere, and you also can feel the supreme happiness of reciting the Buddha’s name, then you will feel that you are full of faith, Amitabha, Amitabha, Amitabha….!

 

Everyone of you might as well try it out, to experience the resonance and strength generated by the vibrancy of the body and mind when you recite the Buddha’s name aloud. At that time, you will feel different in your body and mind compared to usual time. When such kind of strength is generated, not only for the Dharma door of reciting the Buddha’s name, you will also feel confident and strong in your life. However, you have to focus your mind on the place behind your navel when reciting, since the source of our energy is located there. Do not recite loudly with your throat and lose your voice.

 

We will do the great transference this afternoon, so everyone, bring forth the strength and spirit of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, and be confident that we will surely be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss! We should “have” the Dharma door of reciting the Buddha’s name! I wish everybody will attain the Samadhi of reciting the Buddha’s Name, Amitabha! 

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