Here is an analysis of the poll question ‘What do you wish to attain by the end of this life?’ As of today, the results are:
38% : Go Pureland
20% : Be a Bodhisattva
11% : Don’t know
10% : Return a Human
08% : Be a Buddha
06% : Be a Stream-winner
05% : Be an Arahat
02% : Be a Deva
If you reflect deeper, it’s really a trick question, because some options can overlap in reality. For instance:
(a) You can be a Deva or Human who is a Bodhisattva.
(b) You can go to Pureland and be a Bodhisattva and Buddha.
(c) You can be a Stream-winner and go Pureland.
(d) You can be an Arahat and go Pureland.
Hope you get the idea! Now let’s look at the individual choices:
Go Pureland: This is the safest destination, which guarantees swift progress to Bodhisattvahood and Buddhahood.
Be a Bodhisattva: It is not easy to be a enlightened Bodhisattva within this lifetime, though one can be an unenlightened one.
Don’t know: It is spiritually dangerous to be goalless, to let one’s karma direct us to an unknown rebirth.
Return a Human: Unless one returns better trained and continues to train well, it is easy to be disheartened as the world enters the Dharma-diminishing age.
Be a Buddha: This is the most challenging goal to attain in a single lifetime. It is good to have a back-up plan if it is not attained.
Be a Stream-winner: This is the minimal attainment that is irreversible. In a way, all should at least aim for this goal, even if they aim for others too.
Be an Arahat: This is the minimal attainment that is self-liberation, less difficult that Bodhisattvahood and Buddhahood, but can lead to them.
Be a Deva: Unless one has strong Dharma practice, it is possible to forget the Dharma and later fall to the lower realms.
Now… would you reconsider your vote? Do share with us why you chose what you did (via commenting below).
If there’s no faith in Pureland, how will one decide that Pureland is the destination? Faith does not arise as easy as we think. Nian Fo is not as easy as we think.
Hence, we should find out more about Pureland practice ‘now’.
The earlier we get started, the more we read, observe, listen, feel, reflect etc…faith will arise higher and higher. With firm, unshakeable faith, one makes aspiration to ‘reach’ the shores of pureland.
With just aspiration and not ‘real’ faith, it’s just lofty aspiration which will give rise to lip service practice.
Will we end up in Pureland?
There are so many pureland practioners around and everywhere now.
How many actually reaches pureland?
There’s a popular saying these days…”å¤äººä¿®è¡Œä¸‡ä¿®ä¸‡äººåŽ»ï¼ŒçŽ°ä»£äººå¿µä½›ä¸‡ä¿®ä¸€äºŒåŽ»”.
‘Modern’ people today over-estimated ourselves.
Amituofo and ALL Buddhas have done their part to help us guarantee a place in Pureland.
Now, it’s up to us to do our part to take up their offer.
And there’s alot more we can do.
Let’s get started.
Amituofo………
What is exactly Faith and how to achieve that? Is a real good question to ask? Interpretations of FAITH vary from individual to individual and from group to group.
Does destination come first or faith should come first? Does all feel and think the same way or depends on how each individual mind construct it.
I really hope that some real good explanations and some good concrete real-life examples can be there as to make things easier or to understand (for OTHERS who might need it)
Those into the practices for few decades maybe, or those who has find the answer on faith via reading, observations, reflections, personal accounts etc should share their stories how they found it (don’t care how big or small it is), so that it served be as guideline for other to learn or trigger something, it is only through sharing we all learn and progress…
In Today World, it is different from the past, we are given the chance to have education (education emphasis is on critical thinking, there will be a lots more changes in the next generation), we can access to more stuff too.
In the past, what happened in other part of the world take ages to reach to the mass or never at all? Now, it almost instant. We get to know more things that this world consists of many many things – people of different capabilities, different mental illness not to link that with ‘processed’ by ghost and yet we still have lots of unknown too.
Our thinking has been triggered and we react to things rather slightly different from people in the past.
Our world now functions different too and more complex, we need to ask questions, we need to think, so that we don’t fall into traps (like cult religion), to know what is right and what is wrong … Only via questioning, thinking and sharing that we learn more.
I am sharing my experience on how I encountered Pureland Practice. Since young, I have been searching for an answer for life. I joined Buddhist Society in order to learn and understand what exactly is Buddha’s Teachings.
However, for many years, I am not able to get an ideal answer. Then I reflected upon myself and asked what exactly was I looking for. I have been living my life very meaningfully, setting goals for myself, getting the degree I wanted, the ideal job, and volunteering my time and service to help others. Despite all these, I still feel life is meaningless. It came upon me that the thought of coming back to this world and going through the same thing again and again, scared me…
My turning point came many years back when I met my husband. He told me about Pureland Practice. At that very moment, I know this is the answer that I have been looking for. As many of us live our life by our own standard, and we might be on the wrong path unknowingly due to our limited knowledge.
But Buddha is different. He is perfect. He is wise. He said Pureland Practice is the best way in this Modern world to get out of this Samsara world. I believe.
Choosing the Pureland Path is only my beginning, I still have many unanswered questions. Therefore I am looking forward to being with AMITABHA in the Pureland where I am very sure that all my doubts will be cleared. As for now, Pureland Sutras are my guidance in my everyday life, until the day I reach Pureland. Amituofo.
Hi, regarding one of the questions Crystalbymail raised, why can’t/don’t Buddhas save all of us? Here’s an explanation given by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche:
…because of karma. We have karma. Who creates karma? We create karma. That’s why the result of our karma, Buddha is unable to change. Buddha cannot change our karma. Otherwise, there’ll be no problems in this world. Buddha knows our problems, Buddha has compassion to help us. If Buddha can change our karma, then there is no problem in this world and everyone will have become a Buddha long ago. That’s why our karma cannot be changed by the Buddha.
Ok, then you may have a second question to ask Buddha, “If You cannot change our karma, what’s the point we pray to you? What’s the point of taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha? There’s no benefit, we are just wasting time and money.†And do you know the answer? Because taking refuge and praying is creating karma, because you are making effort on your side. Who’s praying to Buddha? You. So this is also making karma. Especially if you have bodhicitta, the benefit becomes boundless and immeasurable because you pray to Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Btw Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is coming to Singapore soon from 23 Mar to 29 Mar 2009.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DharmaNews/message/4820
Is it possible to format your comments field such that if wrong security code (espy I&L :straight: )is inputed, the text in comments field is retained so that we need not retype everything?
Pls explore that option availability …Thank you.
Re: ‘Is it possible to format your comments field such that if wrong security code is inputed, the text in comments field is retained so that we need not retype everything?’
Comment: Apologies, we’re not sure how to do that level of programming! In the mean time, it’s good to play safe by copying the comments (Ctrl-A and Ctrl-C) as a backup before posting to prevent loss of text. (I do that.)
Re: ‘There are so many pureland practioners around and everywhere now. How many actually reaches pureland? There’s a popular saying these days…â€å¤äººä¿®è¡Œä¸‡ä¿®ä¸‡äººåŽ»ï¼ŒçŽ°ä»£äººå¿µä½›ä¸‡ä¿®ä¸€äºŒåŽ»â€.’
Comment: Yes, but that said, the Pureland practice is still one that is particularly effective in our day and age, as mentioned clearly by the Buddha. Even if one does not reach Pureland at the end of this life, it is invaluable to do one’s best to do so, as it would increase our chances of reaching Pureland in the life after the next.
Re: ‘What is exactly Faith and how to achieve that? Is a real good question to ask? Interpretations of FAITH vary from individual to individual and from group to group.’
Comment: In Buddhism, faith is more accurately ‘Saddha’ or confidence in the Dharma’s ability to guide us towards a good rebirth and/or enlightenment. To achieve it, one has to learn to understand the Dharma. Where there are doubts, questions should be asked, while practice should be attempted too, to experience the reality of the Dharma. Buddhism is essentally an experential religion; not based on blind faith. The above applies to the Pureland tradition too.
Re: ‘I really hope that some real good explanations and some good concrete real-life examples can be there as to make things easier or to understand (for OTHERS who might need it)’
Comment: There is a personal experience which I share during my Pureland classes, which illustrate how my faith in the Pureland teachings became unshakable (which is why I’m eager to share the teachings). It is not easy to write. I hope to share it here in writing soon. In the mean time, here are some very inspirational experiences of other fellow Buddhists (friends I know from Pureland Practice Fellowship) –
1. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/6 (A MUST READ!)
2. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/10
3. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/11
4. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/27
5. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/32
6. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/49
7. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/50
Re: ‘Choosing the Pureland Path is only my beginning, I still have many unanswered questions.’
Comment: Hi Summer, thank you for sharing how you came to choose the Pureland path. Would like to invite you to join this course, for you to ask all your questions on the related teachings! Here it is: https://moonpointer.com/new/2009/03/1395
It is great to see people sharing … I have no doubt that Buddhism is experiential religion.
What I feel is thinking is an important process. I think it is perfect ok to ask questions and not getting the answer immediately. The questions linger in our mind or subconscious, who knows, sometimes later the answers from within or somewhere will just pop out.
To me, I would think in Pureland practices, the core is- “Practice of Compassionâ€, faith will then follow.
I am quite confident that if I want to go Pureland, faith is not an issue for me at all. Why? So sure, so arrogant ?
Something that happened in my life that strengthens that and it was all “accidentallyâ€. The ‘relationship’ between me and Bodhisattva. When I was pregnant, what I did was follow Buddhism’s teaching – do good deeds and I asked for Bodhisattva to let me have a smooth normal delivery. So what I did was do good deeds and hand myself over to Bodhisattva, no fear at all. On my delivery date, just before I give birth, I able to see the results of my good deeds matured and the whole delivery process was an easy one.
I am a fussy person and love privacy. So, I request to have a suit room after delivery, so that I can rest well. And there aren’t many such rooms and is based on availability. When I was admitted into hospital the day before, all single rooms were full too, don’t talk about suit room, I need to share room. Sad. But the next morning before I delivery, the patient discharge earlier and the suit room vacant. To you, it maybe nothing, but this is an indication to me and remind of something I done before.
That something I did was – My mom kept stray cats, both her cat and me was pregnant on the same year. My mom was worry about the cat would dirty her cupboard during giving birth process. Without second thought, I got a box from office, wash some old towels even I was pregnant and make a nice place for the cat to deliver her babies and forgot about the whole thing.
What I learned – creating merits and especially those that we didn’t expect to have anything, no matter how small it is, it will comes back at those critical times when we need it. And my smooth delivery process is one of it, it also gave me experience that I can re-apply during my death – the trust, my faith in Bodhisattva is there already. If I do goods, I can easily ‘link’ or connect with Bodhisattva. To make it stronger, I just do more good and assure nothing will go wrong.
I strongly believe in every individual, such things are in them, just that it left unnoticed and not link back yet. If we spent some time reflecting, those things could help to strengthen the faith. If there is nothing you can recall now, go and create more good deeds and you will get to see it, test it, prove it and trust it, make it meaningful for yourself.
Personally, I see another special one, because it happened with a short time frame and that know that Creating Merit and be compassionate is REAL important.
It is very important to start developing a kind heart in all (be it Buddhist or not) which will then able to generate more good karma and get near to Buddhism or doing the Buddhist way … I guess, on our part, we need to do something besides just having the faith, maybe a more compassionate heart, the ability to let go and not thinking so much to benefit for one. I don’t know.
Even if you think it does not work like what I think, our society still need more kindness, compassions to be a beautiful place and benefits each other. So, it is never wrong to go that direction.
There are also many reasons why ‘Faith’ does not come easy. It coulb be we are raise up in a society that we don’t trust other (too much con people around), so we just do trust easily.
Maybe, we just can’t believe fully that Bodhisattva is kind, because deep in ourselves we are not that kind, difficult to convince. If we can change that, be kinder every day, we will believe it, it is real – Buddha will help.
Bird of the same feather fly together – Pureland – a land of compassionate, if we are compassionate, we will automatically be there if we want to. Learn to be compassionate, start by doing a little step and will definitely reach that – very compassionate person …
Then, why didn’t I want to go for Pureland. That is something I need to figure out …
Hi Shian
I have signed up for the course with my friend. 🙂
Hi Summer, hope the two of you enjoy the course! Do lemme know throughout it when you have suggestions on how it can improve! ^_^
Hi Crystal, thanks for sharing why you have faith in Dharma. Actually, Pureland birth is only for those who aspire to be born there, which is why aspiration is one of the three provisions (faith, aspiration and practice) for birth in Pureland. As for wondering why you don’t want to go Pureland, maybe it’s because you are not sure of its benefits completely yet. Here are some to share: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/40 There are really many more benefits, such as offering a safe and speedy passage to enlightenment, so that we can swiftly train to be liberated Bodhisattvas to better help more. You can see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amituofo/message/13 for more details. 😉
Hi Crystal,
wrt “I am quite confident that if I want to go Pureland, faith is not an issue for me at all. Why? So sure, so arrogant ?”
Just like you mention start early with a kind heart and start doing good deeds, it is good to start have Faith early too…
Touch wood, but one never know what happens tomorrow, would one has the time and right environment to understand and gain Faith immediately?
I remember my mum used to say that she will go to temple & learn more abt Buddhism when she is old. Today, we are all grown up & she is actually quite free but she spends her time watching TV Drama instead and finds travelling to temple a chore now for her weak health. Sigh, so she never did what she used to think of. Or maybe, she doesn’t really meant what she said, she knows that Buddhism is good but keeps giving excuses to delay learning it. I feel so sad for her.
To me, after learning about Pureland, I think it is really a good short-cut to be away from this samsara. Imagine having to repeat birth, old age, sickness and death over eons. Having to re-study from primary to tertiary, find a job, some temporary happiness if promoted or suffers if bad economy, repeating all these temporary happiness or sufferings over cycles, and no guarantee of rebirth in places whereby you can hear Dharma, no control over your next rebirth unless you are one who really constantly practise well plus good conditions to be rebirth in upper 3 realms.
Or maybe to some, Pureland is too good to be true?
As per the story by Ajahn Brahm that there used to be a lady who called up the centre to enquire about the fees of meditation courses provided and when she heard that it is F.O.C , she exclaimed that the course must be no good as no cost is charged. Some people may just believe in paying a high price for quality products though a cheaper version provides same features.
But of course it is also not that easy to gain entry into Pureland, there is also some criteria of entry.
So, one needs to start working hard for it now! Compassion or Bodhicitta and other criteria which Bro Shi’an will be more an expert to explain. Once you gain entry, you will have a conducive environment to graduate…and use your wisdom to better help other sentient beings who are suffering.
So, don’t delay, just learn more about Pureland with an open mind. The Amitabha Sutra text may seem simple to read and understand but it is only after attending the class that one learns from the teachers that the simple phrase or sentence actually has a more profound meaning behind in respect of Buddhism history and context.
So, I strongly recommend all friends to attend the class to learn more about Pureland Teaching and it’s a good chance to clarify your doubts with bro shi’an who will be glad to share his knowledge…and you get to see his “dragon-like” side 😆
Amituofo ^_^