Venerable Shen-Kai
Answers
To many "Amitabha Buddha" is a symbol of Buddhism. To some
practitioners of Buddhism chanting or reciting "Amitabha Buddha" is
a method of cultivation. What is the meaning of Amitabha Buddha,
what is the intent in chanting "Amitabha Buddha and how does this
work? Once again, the Bliss Compass endeavours to dispel any
misconception and show us the blissful culture of
Buddhism.
1. We often hear of Buddhism practitioners chanting
Amitabha Buddha; what is the meaning of Amitabha?
Amitabha
means infinite brightness, infinite life and infinite merits.
Indeed, it means infinity of all that is good. Generally, people
only know that Teacher of the Western Pure Land (or Western
Paradise) is Amitabha Buddha. But they do not know that they also
have within themselves a Pure Land and Amitabha. This is known as
the 'Pure Land of the Mind' and the 'Own-Nature
Amitabha'.
2. Since we also have Amitabha Buddha in our mind, how should we
cultivate so that we can manifest our Own-nature Amitabha?
i. If somebody scolds me with unkind words,
I shall respond by saying "Amitabha Buddha". By this, not only am I
not accepting the abuse, in contrast the infinite brightness that
illumines with the recital of "Amitabha Buddha" eliminates the
darkness brought by the abuse.
ii. If somebody gives me a present,
I shall say "Amitabha Buddha". By this I mean, "thank you very
much". Therefore, not only do we have infinite brightness in our
heart, by virtue of giving the giver shall have infinite blessings
and merits as well. In this way, we are in spiritual union with
Amitabha Buddha.
iii. If
I see someone who is well endowed, good-looking, kind and peaceful,
I shall remark "Amitabha Buddha". By this, I congratulate the
person for having such attributes similar to the Amitabha Buddha. I
compliment him as Amitabha Buddha to mean that he is similarly well
endowed.
iv. If
I see a student studying, I shall say "Amitabha Buddha". It is also
acceptable if you say that he is very hardworking or very clever.
However, sometimes an intelligent person may be fooled by his own
intelligence. There is no guarantee that a student who does well in
his studies now will definitely grow up to be good. But, when we
use the name "Amitabha Buddha" to compliment him, then we evoke the
brightness to illumine in him. Not only will he do well in his
studies and his career, he will also be a Bodhisattva when he grows
up, or even become Buddha someday.
v. If
we happen to pass by an abattoir, a place where pigs, cows or other
animals are slaughtered, and since we understand that the effect of
the karma of killing is rebirth in the realm of hell, and we make a
verbal comment to that effect, is it appropriate? While we do not
know whether the person who is committing the killing will be
reborn in hell, but when we speak of hell, we immediately strike a
resonance with hell. Because suffering and darkness prevail in
hell, at the mention of the word, we have already struck an accord
with suffering and darkness. If we say "Amitabha Buddha" instead,
then brightness spontaneously illumines in our mind and the image
of the abattoir will not take root in our mind.
vi. If we come across two parties
bickering, quarrelling or fighting with each other, we do not join
in. By our participation, we plant the cause to be reborn in the
realm of the Asura, which is not a desirable thing. We only need to
have Amitabha Buddha in our mind and say "Amitabha Buddha" just
once, and then in future we will not be in spiritual union with the
beings of the Asura realm.
vii. If we chance on seeing some
traders in the market cheating on the scales, we immediately say
"Amitabha Buddha". Because cheating arises from greed which
resonates with the realm of the ghosts, it is a cause for rebirth
in such a realm in future. By saying "Amitabha Buddha" just once,
then not only do we not resonate with the realm of ghosts but also
we are in spiritual union with Amitabha Buddha and we become
illumined with infinite brightness.
viii. People
in general have a curious nature. If we stumble upon someone else's
secrets, we are driven by our curiosity to peek into it to find out
more. If this person is committing a crime, this may spell trouble:
our life may be in danger. By saying "Amitabha Buddha" in our mind
and we quickly distance from it, then we are in union with all that
are virtuous and bright. We do not resonate with darkness.
ix. If we come across a drowning
man, of course, we save him if we have the ability. However, if we
could not be of help and in the meantime someone else is saving
him, we say "Amitabha Buddha". By calling out "Amitabha Buddha"
just once, it strikes resonance with the drowning person and he
immediately attain the brightness and accomplishment of Amitabha
Buddha. Then, our mind is also in spiritual union Amitabha
Buddha.
x. If
a person tells you tales about someone else, those tales are not
your business. The Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch states, "I see
someone engaging in gossip-mongering, I do not participate. If I
participate in the gossiping, then I have done wrong." That the
person is wrong is his own business. Your participation means that
you have also done wrong. If this person speaks a lot of ills about
another person and in the end you say just once "Amitabha Buddha",
that is good enough. If you participate in the gossiping, this
person may go around speaking ill of you too. But, when you say
"Amitabha Buddha", then you are in resonance with brightness and
that person would not be able to invent gossips and speak ill of
you. Therefore, "Amitabha Buddha" is indeed really very useful.
Regardless of whether the situation is good, bad or neither good
nor bad, when we say "Amitabha Buddha", our mind will be at ease
and we attain brightness, and in this way we resonate with
brightness.
http://www.jenchen.org.sg/vol7no2e.htm
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