Hello everyone
Today I would like to share with you the merits and benefits of Amitābha's Mantra
Amitābha is the principal buddha of the Western Pure Land
As we have mentioned in the last video
he was once a king in the past life
He shaved his hair and became a samana practitioner
He practiced the bodhi mind and the bodhisattva path
He achieved Buddhahood
and created the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss
Today we are going to discuss
the Amitābha's mantra in the following section.
What is the mantra of Amitābha?
Buddhas and bodhisattvas have their own pure land and
they have their own followers in every pure land
who follow their practices
As beings living in the Saha world, how can we go
to another superior realm
at the end of our life?
We often talk about "rebirth in the West (Pure Land)".
This is a very important lesson in our lifetime.
We should work to successfully go
to Amitābha's Pure Land.
We should often send "telegrams" to
Amitābha: communicate with
him to let him know that
in the Saha world,
there is me, a sentient being
calling him
thinking about him
he can sense it,
this is more sensitive than satellites and lasers.
So this really depends on each of us
that is
depending on your heart
whether your heart is devoted enough
sincere enough or pure enough
this is very important
The mantra of Amitābha is
actually very simple.
What about the mantra?
What is the meaning of the mantra?
The mantra constitutes the secret words of every buddha
because this mantra has immeasurable
and incredible blessing power
Therefore, as Buddhist practitioners, if we
can keep reciting the mantra at all the times
that is, Amitābha's Mantra,
we can receiving incredible blessing
power from the protectors of the Dharma
Many of our bad karmas created in this
life or in the past lives can also be eliminated.
This is, when your accumulated bad karmas are reduced, the bad karmas from
past lives are also eliminated
Even if you have diseases, physical deficiencies,
or other kinds of sufferings,
through sincere and focused chanting of the mantra
you may still reborn in the Western Pure Land
after the end of the current life
and you will be guaranteed
to become an Upper Superior
We know that there
are nine stages of lotus flowers in Amitābha's Pure Land
Some are inferior
some are medium,
and some are superior.
Why do we want to
be able to live in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss?
First of all, we have to develop great Bodhicitta before we pass away.
What is Bodhicitta?
It is a belief that I want to reborn
in the Pure Land for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Because I know that many people
have negative view about Pure Land.
When people hear about living in the Western Pure Land,
they think that they to leave
all kinds of desires and troubles behind
However
the real intention
should be based on
benefiting all sentient beings suffering in the six realms
We want to develop the great Bodhicitta
and then go to Amitābha's Pure Land
This way, we can echo
the Buddha's mind,
In fact, this mantra also has and implication of the body, mind and speech
When we recite the mantra
we must think that we are transforming our
body mind and speech
and we must unite with Amitābha Buddha
Only with such a pure and sincere mind
can we enter the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss
Otherwise
we will spend a long time reciting the mantra ineffectively
The most important thing
is that when we recite the mantra,
we reflect on the purpose of going to the Pure Land
This is very important.
It is also said in the
Buddhist scriptures that if we can sincerely recite the mantra
Incredible blessing power
would erase the sins of life and death for eighty kalpas
Eighty kalpas is a very, very long time.
How long is one kalpa?
In terms of our current time,
one kalpa is equal to 4.32 billion years
which is very, very long.
As I said
if we can sincerely recite the mantra
we can eliminate the great sin of life and death for eighty kalpas
Of course
this mindfulness should not be superficial
but to be combined with the mind of the Amitābha Buddha
Only in this way can the mindfulness and have the real merit and virtue
Now let's learn how the
mantra of Amitābha Buddha can
be recited
Om Ami Dewa Hrih
the symbols are short
and together the meaning is to take refuge in the infinite light
receive the Buddha's mercy,
and then lead to the world of ultimate bliss.
"Om" means "the enlightened body, speech, and mind".
This can be referenced to
the meaning of "Nannu" in Chinese Buddhism
in Tibetan transliteration, it's also "Om".
"Ami Dewa" is infinite light.
It means Amitābha Buddha in Chinese.
The word "Hrih" stands for blending in, becoming one.
The mantra could have this meaning:
"I take refuge in the infinite light
of the Buddha Amitabha and
the Western Pure Land.
It is such a meaning.
This short mantra of few sacred
words has an incredible blessing power.
So now we understand that
in Amitābha's great compassion and his
willingness to achieve the Western Pure Land,
we should yearn for ourselves,
in this life, good Bodhi heart,
with great willingness and hope to become one with Amitābha's mind,
Towards the end of our lives, Amitābha will certainly appear before us
and compassionately welcome us to his Pure Land
This depends on how devoted we are in the Three Jewels Dharma.
The faith is not a superficial belief
but being firmly believe in
without any doubts or obstacles in the heart
or all kinds of differences
This is called faith
very pure and clean faith
With faith in heart, you also have to make a vow.
I hope that we, like Amitābha Buddha,
can make great vows for the benefit of all sentient beings suffering from the six realms.
The last step is to follow the Bodhisattva path
to help others in this world
to benefit all those who need help
helping all the sentient beings
This is how Amitābha hope
us to become
on the path of obtaining enlightenment
Therefore, we should now be down-to-earth,
well and truthfully practice
according to the Amitābha's way,
We should learn from Amitābha so that
we can become one of his
followers in the Western Pure Land
After all
we can become Buddhas for the benefit of all sentient beings
In today's video, I have shared
some of my thoughts with you
I wish you all the best