Table of Contents
The Sea-Land Service and Our Practice
Teachings of Master Man Sang: Sutra of the Eight
Realizations of Great Beings
Story From the Sutras: Enlightened by a Single Gatha
Dharma Transmitter: Which School Do You Practice?
Changing With Circumstances: Diligent
Practice
Cornucopia: Wisdom of the Empty Box
And Our Practice
By Dharma Master Yin
Chi
This autumn, Lo Hon Monastery will
hold a Sea-Land Dharma Service, one of the largest-scale public activities in
Buddhism. Its magnitude necessitates the mobilization of extensive human and
material resources, and its staging requires a confluence of favorable karmic
factors.
The Sea-Land Service is known for
its three types of “many.” First, there are many participants – not only lay
practitioners but also monastics. The latter typically range in numbers from 70
or 80 to several hundred. It is indeed a gathering of knowledgeable
practitioners.
Second, the service features many
rituals and sutra recitals. It has seven inner and outer altars, where rites of
reverence and penitence as well as the chanting of scriptures take place
simultaneously. It is a splendid confluence of Dharma practices.
Third, there are many offerings.
Made daily at the various altars, they include food and drink; they are meant
for the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as well as spirits in the Six Realms. These wonderful
offerings are the most impressive to be seen at any Dharma service.
The full name of the event is the
“Dharma ground of the great vegetarian banquet of deliverance for beings sacred
and ordinary, in the sea and on land, from the ten directions.” It means making
manifold offerings of food to sacred beings such as Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,
as well as to all other beings in the Dharma realms.
A lineage master has said, “By
making offerings to a single Buddha or monastic, we gain immeasurable merit.
How much more so when we simultaneously make them to the Three Gems in all
directions and the myriad spirits in the Six Realms? We would benefit not just
ourselves, but fully nine generations of our clan.”
Though organizing a Sea-Land Service
is extremely hard work, it is also a rare and precious occasion. In the course
of our preparations we have come to realize that the Sea-Land is not merely a
Dharma service. It is also a venue to cultivate the Six Paramitas and myriad
virtuous practices, as well as to propagate the Dharma, benefitting ourselves
and others.
Generosity:
The Sea-Land Service features abundant offerings of fine food to sacred and
ordinary beings everywhere, and on an equal basis. This is to practice
generosity extensively. The collective contributions of believers, according to
their ability and circumstances, constitute material giving. Participating
monastics, providing support with their recitations of sutras and dharani, bless the food with the dew of
the Dharma. These are offerings that transcend time and space. They help
deliver beings of the Six Realms and are gifts of Dharma. And through
discourses, the monastics allow people to understand the Buddha’s teachings,
and spur them to resolve to achieve bodhicitta
(gaining enlightenment to save beings) and free themselves from the cycle of
rebirth. This is the giving of comfort.
The three types of generosity – the
giving of wealth, Dharma and comfort – are present simultaneously. The
offerings are broad and deep, filling the Dharma realms.
Precepts:
The Sea-Land Service makes strict demands of attendees, especially at the inner
altar. There participants scrupulously follow the precepts and other rules.
They eat a vegetarian diet and cultivate purity, respectfully and thoroughly
emulating the monastics while undertaking Dharma activities.
Forbearance:
During the service, we need to settle into the surroundings. We patiently
accommodate all the demands and regulations. Those who stay overnight in monastic
quarters should be grateful, even as they put up with an unfamiliar living
environment, with its austerity and various inconveniences. Those who do not
move in must also be accommodating towards others. They practice the paramita
of forbearance, learning how not to be calculating or to compare themselves
with others.
Diligence:
The service’s inner and outer altars host a great variety of activities, with
Dharma services taking place from morning until deep into the night. Those who
can participate in all the activities, resting at appropriate moments, are
Bodhisattvas of great diligence. Those who can appreciate the karmic
circumstances and take part are also rare and precious.
Meditation:
To follow the rules and recite with the monastics, then enter into
contemplation without stray thoughts and delight in the Dharma, is to
experience the joy of meditation.
Wisdom:
To let go of circumstances, leave behind worldly preoccupations and participate
in the Dharma service is itself an act of wisdom. We can augment our wisdom by
listening carefully to the discourses of Dharma masters during the service.
The Sea-Land Service also exceeds
other rites because of the compassion and great resolve inherent in its aim of
delivering all sentient beings. It summons and invites all sacred and ordinary
beings that dwell on land, in the sea and in the air, ranging from the Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas to spirits in the Six Realms, as well as all beings with and
without form. With food and Dharma offerings as the means, it saves suffering
beings, enabling them to overcome their afflictions and planting in them the
virtuous seeds of Buddhahood.
The scale of the service allows it
to encompass the functions of averting disasters, delivering the spirits of the
deceased and making offerings to sacred and ordinary beings. During the
proceedings, participants can make offerings to the Buddha, the Dharma and the
Sangha, as well as make penitence, avoid calamity and ask for the fulfillment
of wishes. They can also pay respects to their ancestors and help deliver them,
together with sentient beings in the ten directions.
The Sea-Land Service is a platform
to practice the Six Paramitas, to learn compassion, wisdom, resolution and
action, and to benefit both self and others. May the assembly unite in heart
and mind to help realize this auspicious event!
Sutra of the Eight Realizations of
Great Beings
THE
EIGHTH REALIZATION: To know that the inferno of life
and death brings endless anguish and affliction. We must develop the Mahayana
mind to deliver all beings. We are willing to bear untold suffering on their
behalf, so they might experience ultimate joy.
So
they [sentient beings] might experience ultimate joy: Last time we spoke about the great
compassion inherent in being “willing to bear untold suffering on their
behalf.” Now we will discuss the equivalent quality in enabling beings to
“experience ultimate joy.”
While the world speaks of love, Buddhism
emphasizes compassion. Compassion is to give others happiness. Buddhism calls
them sentient beings, which include everything from celestial beings to the
tiniest insects and bacteria. They encompass all life forms arising from a
confluence of karmic circumstances, whether they are reincarnating in the Six
Realms or reborn in the heavens, or the human or animal domains.
The Buddha taught us to emulate
Bodhisattva practices. Not only should we relieve the suffering of beings, we
should also bring them joy. What is “ultimate joy”? In our world, what is
happiness? It varies. Some think it is to play mahjong, while others believe it
is to go dancing, to travel or to eat simple meals. Celestial beings enjoy
pleasures at will, and in the Realms of Form and Without Form, joy is
meditative concentration.
Even so, the Surangama Sutra tells us that happiness is impermanent in our
world. We may have long lives if we are reborn in the celestial realms, but we
still have to undergo rebirth. The easy pleasures of the heavens are also
impermanent. And while meditative states in the Realms of Form and Without Form
can last as long as 80,000 great kalpas,
once they dissipate we will be reborn according to our karma. It’s like a big
rock pressing down on grass. When the rock is removed, the grass grows anew.
That’s why the five sensuous pleasures of our world, the joys-at-will of the
heavens and meditative delights, are not ultimate happiness.
The greatest happiness is the joy of
gaining Buddhahood. By becoming a Buddha, we realize permanence, joy, self and
purity; we are able to leave the cycle of rebirth, then return to it to save
other beings. As sentient beings, our death and rebirth are determined by our
karma, and we are not free. Only by gaining Buddhahood can we be at liberty.
A Buddha can go into the hell
domains. He says, “If I don’t go there, who will?” A Buddha can also travel to
the celestial realms. Shakyamuni Buddha, for example, preached the Ksitigarbha Sutra to his mother in the
palace of Tusita Heaven. Having transcended the cycle of rebirth, a Buddha can
choose to be born and die at will.
The Avatamsaka Sutra says, “The Buddhas neither appear in the worlds
nor enter into nirvana. By using their sovereign powers, they demonstrate the
workings of reality.” We should not think that Buddhas are always in a state of
nirvana. They are neither in the world nor in nirvana. But by making use of
their sovereign powers, they can manifest in life and death, as well as enter
nirvana. The realm of Buddhas truly is unfathomable.
A Buddha has 32 marks and 80
physical characteristics. Do we have such splendid features? If a Buddha has 32
marks and 80 physical characteristics in his Emanation Body, his Enjoyment Body
has an infinite number of them, with each characteristic emitting infinite
light and each ray of light manifesting countless emanation Buddhas. A Buddha
can also make use of immeasurable emanations to enter innumerable worlds and
save incalculable numbers of sentient beings.
Followers of the Buddha should
resolve to deliver themselves as well as other sentient beings from the cycle
of rebirth. They should induce beings to attain Buddhahood, for that is the
ultimate, greatest joy.
That is the Eighth Realization, which
teaches us to awaken ourselves as well as others. It is the Mahayana teaching
of awakening, aimed at delivering beings everywhere. By following it, we would
gain Buddhahood ourselves and be willing to help all beings do the same. That
is why, after reciting the sutras or undertaking various practices, we make
this resolution: “May this merit be distributed among all beings. May we
together accomplish the path to Buddhahood.”
Enlightened
by a Single Gatha
The Buddha once had a disciple named
Pota, who was born slow-witted. The Buddha asked the 500 followers who had
achieved Arhathood to teach him. After three years, however, Pota couldn’t even
recite a single gatha. Gradually, the
word of his dullness spread throughout the land and became a topic of
after-meal conversations.
When the Buddha learned of this, he
took compassion on Pota and said to him, “Today I will teach you a gatha. ‘Discipline your speech, thoughts
and actions. Such practice will allow you to pass through life safely.’
Remember this well. Recite it attentively and often, and take that as your
practice.”
Thereafter, the grateful Bhikkhu
Pota respectfully and diligently recited the gatha. It became the first one he was able to memorize in three
years. The World-Honored One earnestly cautioned him, “Since you have
painstakingly memorized this gatha,
you must learn what it means. Only then would it be useful to you.”
So the Buddha explained the verse to
Pota. Our mistakes arise most often from our actions, words and thoughts, he
said. Sentient beings undergo continual rebirth in the Three Domains. It is the
workings of their minds that determine whether they enjoy life in the heavens,
suffer in hell or achieve liberation. The Buddha urged Pota to remain
constantly mindful and to observe his own thoughts. If he could just purify his
words, thoughts and deeds, he would certainly attain the liberation of nirvana!
Upon hearing this, Pota’s mind opened and he understood. He at once attained
the sacred status of an Arhat.
The Buddha arranged for Bhikkhu Pota
to visit a vihara in the city to speak to 500 bhikkhunis about the Dharma.
Playing a trick on him, the bhikkhunis recited backwards the only gatha he knew. As he ascended the seat
to speak, Bhikkhu Pota was ashamed and said, “I am dull and deficient in virtue
and ability. Today I can only explain this gatha
to you very roughly …”
When Pota finished speaking, the
young bhikkhunis were speechless. Full of the joy of the Dharma, they were
startled to realize that they had committed an offense against a person of
sacred status. Deeply ashamed, they repented and paid their respects to him,
whereupon they immediately achieved Arhathood.
One day, King Prasenajit invited the
Buddha and his disciples to his palace for a meal. Seeing that the time was
ripe to moderate people’s pridefulness, the Buddha handed an alms bowl to
Bhikkhu Pota and asked the monk to follow him. When they reached the palace
gates, a sentry quickly approached to block Bhikkhu Pota’s passage.
“You are a Dharma master,” said the
guard, “yet you can’t even recite a single gatha.
Shouldn’t you be embarrassed about receiving an offering from the King? I am a
common person, yet even I can say a few gathas.
But you, a monk, are so lacking in wisdom. Not much merit will be gained by
making an offering to you!” The sentry proceeded to detain Pota outside the
gates.
Bhikkhu Pota remembered that he
still had the Buddha’s alms bowl. With a single thought, he employed his special
powers to place the bowl in front of the Buddha. The assembly was startled to
see a hand suddenly appear. Someone asked the Buddha, “Whose hand is this?” The
Buddha replied, “It’s Bhikkhu Pota’s hand. He attained enlightenment recently.
Because he is detained by the sentry outside the gate, he has used his special
powers to return this bowl to me.”
King Prasenajit asked the Buddha, “I
heard that Bhikkhu Pota has always been rather dull. How was he able to become
enlightened by memorizing a single gatha?”
So the Buddha said to the assembly, “The key to enlightenment lies not in how
much scripture one has studied, but in the effectiveness of one’s practice.
Though he knew but a single gatha,
Bhikkhu Pota practiced it with single-minded devotion. Naturally his mind
opened up and his thoughts, words and deeds became as pure as a rainbow after a
shower. By contrast, most Dharma seekers hear and memorize many teachings but
don’t often reflect on them. Nor do they practice them diligently and
regularly. Because they take the Dharma as another kind of worldly knowledge,
they are unable to benefit from it.”
The Buddha then taught the assembly
a gatha: “Reciting a thousand
chapters but failing to grasp their meaning is worth less than absorbing a
single key point, which can end wrongdoing. What good is chanting a thousand
words without understanding what they mean? Hearing and knowing a single
meaning, then practicing it, leads to deliverance. What benefits are there in
reciting many sutras without comprehending them? Grasping a single phrase and
practicing accordingly can result in enlightenment.”
Upon hearing this, the 300-odd
bhikkhus present experienced an opening of their minds, gaining Arhathood on
the spot. The king and his ministers, wife and sons all gladly followed the
Buddha’s teaching.
Which School Do You
Practice?
Whenever we
recite the Diamond Sutra, we say “[we
should discard] all arbitrary notions of self, others, living beings and their
continuing existence.” Also: “If a Bodhisattva has notions of self, others,
living beings and their continuing existence, he is not a Bodhisattva.”
Thus
we recite, and thus we hear the scripture. When doing so we feel free and easy.
But when the test comes, when someone resents or berates us, defensive thoughts
quickly fill our heads and we may even become angry. The idea of “self” arises
and we feel that this self is being abused. Notions of “self” and “other” manifest fully. Besides showing that we are
pitiful ordinary beings and not Bodhisattvas, they serve no purpose at all.
The
Dharma teaches us to let go of our attachment to self. Yet we earnestly go
about nurturing and protecting our “selves.” If others put us down in the
slightest way, we feel a loss of face; we are very uneasy. We want other people
to care about us, respect us and think well of us. All this feeds our notions
of self. We think we are learning the Dharma, but every day we go against what
the Buddha taught.
We
are usually unaware of this phenomenon. We think it’s appropriate and natural
to protect ourselves in matters involving face. We need not be taught this, as
even children do it. Our experience shows us that if our parents are scolding
our siblings and not ourselves, we don’t get too upset, right? But if we were
the ones being told off, we dislike it. If your boss berates your colleague and
not you, you don’t feel a loss of face. Thus we can see that the problem arises
from our “self” being rebuked, not from the substance of the reprimand itself.
The
purpose of our practice is to “lose our vexations, let go of our attachment to
self and to restore our original, pure Buddha-nature.” If we do not understand
this, when we are tested by circumstances, we will always argue: I haven’t done
anything wrong, why are you rebuking me? “You’re the unreasonable one,” we
insist, “while I am being reasonable.” Back and forth goes the argument,
inevitably a matter of self and others, of who is right and who is wrong. That
is called “the rights and wrongs of self and others.”
Sometimes
we think we are practicing the Amitabha-recitation of the Pure Land school,
though most of the time we are practicing according to the school of “the rights
and wrongs of self and others.” When reciting, we say we are short of breath
and fall asleep easily. But when we are arguing with others, we are full of
breath and never nod off.
The
Amitabha Sutra tells us that we must
recite single-mindedly, without deviation, so that our minds will not become
confused as death approaches. But we need not speak of something so important
as the moment between life and death. Even in normal times, when someone
resents us or reprimands us or accuses us wrongly in public, we immediately
show the person our “confusion.” When we mistakenly think that trivial matters
in our Saha world are important, we forget the Buddha completely. Not only do
we show our antagonist our confusion, we even threaten to “die” in front of him
or her!
The Buddha teaches us to accumulate
faith, aspiration and action – the three qualifications for rebirth in the Pure
Land – and to recite Amitabha’s name single-mindedly. But what we regularly
cultivate are the Three Poisons of greed, anger and delusion. Single-mindedly,
we nurture our egos. What is this but to go against the Buddha’s teaching? It
is an effort to entrench personal tenacity while undermining the Buddha’s
authority.
Someone randomly speaks a few
negative words against us, and we consider them so important. Yet we attach
little weight to the scriptures spoken
by the Buddha over 49 years, compassionate words meant to save us. Doesn’t this
show that to us, the person who scolds us is more powerful, important and
influential than the Buddha? A single remark by this person outweighs the
entire Tripitaka taught by the Buddha. Given such magnetism, wouldn’t we
inevitably be pulled by our antagonist into the cycle of rebirth in the Six
Realms? Wouldn’t the chances be small that we might be led by Amitabha Buddha
to his Western Land of Bliss?
That’s because there’s such strong
attraction in those couple of remarks – so powerful that we even forget the
Buddha and become possessed by confusion! We must note that when others are
putting us down or rebuking us, they are setting test questions. These probe
whether we attach greater importance to the Buddha, or to “the
rights and wrongs of self and others.”
— Excerpted from Master Tao Cheng’s The
Caterpillar Becomes a Butterfly
Diligent Practice
By Ru Zang
When I
started learning the Buddha’s teachings, my Dharma guides already impressed
upon me the importance of daily practice. So I tried different methods at
various times: meditation, sutra recital, Amitabha-recitation and dharani-chanting. I did so according to
prevailing circumstances. Over many years I was alternatively diligent and lax,
affected by both personal and external factors. Yet I have managed to maintain
my practice till today.
My deepest
impression was the effect of daily practice on my state of mind. When
practicing diligently, not only was I doing so during regular morning and
evening sessions, I was mouthing scripture or mantras at all times of the day.
Even when busy with work, I found myself silently reciting Amitabha Buddha’s
name or a dharani. Such occasions
bought a feeling that my work was going smoothly, and a sense of joy in the
Dharma.
On the other
hand, sometimes I would become tired from the stresses of worldly matters and
lose focus in my morning and evening practice. Together with differences of
opinion arising from my work, I would experience emotional ups and downs and
lose my concentration during Amitabha-recitation or mantra-chanting. Perhaps I
am fortunate in having some virtuous roots. Upon reaching a danger point, I was
always able to start anew, resuming my daily practice so that things could get
back on track gradually.
In her
compassionate resolve to deliver all sentient beings, Master Yin Chi is holding
a Sea-Land Dharma Service at the end of October in Lo Hon Monastery. To
facilitate the organization and implementation of the event, a drive was
launched in July for the broad assembly to chant sutras and recite Amitabha
Buddha’s name, dedicating the merit therefrom. Through the energy from the
assembly’s collective practice, aspiration and resolve, we ask for the support
and protection of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, as well as the dragons and
devas, so the service will go smoothly and deliver spirits comprehensively. We
also hope that participants can augment their good fortune and wisdom, and that
our deceased ancestors can be delivered to a Fortunate Realm.
On this
auspicious occasion, I have resolved to recite the Great Compassion Mantra 108
times a day, dedicating its merit to the expeditious staging of the Sea-Land
Service. By doing so I was able to experience again the Dharma joy of diligent
Amitabha-recitation and sutra-chanting.
Because this
is the first time Lo Hon Monastery is holding a Sea-Land Service, external
constraints were especially numerous and the preparations were particularly
arduous. But this only made us more appreciative of our good fortune, allowing
us to help realize such a rare event. Many determined volunteers began work
early this year, painstakingly preparing the ground for the service. As the
occasion approached, monastic and lay assemblies of the monastery and Dharma
hall busied themselves with related matters big and small. The work was hard, but
everyone looked forward keenly to the convening of the service.
For the
Sea-Land is no ordinary Dharma service. It provides the assembly with a
platform to undertake the Six Paramitas and myriad virtuous practices, thereby
benefiting both self and others. Those who help are accumulating good fortune,
while participants in the service cultivate both blessings and wisdom. And the
hard work of the volunteers is a form of great generosity.
At the
Dharma hall recently, many volunteers and familiar members of the assembly were
silently helping fulfill their wish that Sea-Land Service proceed smoothly and
expeditiously. While on duty or between services, they quietly recited Amitabha
Buddha’s name, sutras or mantras instead of talking among themselves, as they
usually do. While participating in Master Yin Chi’s Amitabha-recitation
campaign, the volunteers and assembly members not only gain merit from wishing
for the success of the Sea-Land Service, but also make progress in their own
practice. They experience right away the service’s function of benefitting both
self and others.
May the construction of the Dharma ground for Lo Hon Monastery’s Sea-Land Service proceed smoothly and successfully. May the diligent practice of the participating assembly become a habit, so members can advance rapidly on the Dharma path and gain Buddhahood relatively soon.
Wisdom of the Empty Box
During the
Xuande year of the Ming Dynasty, court historian Li Jun went at imperial behest
to Qiantang County in Zhejiang Province to inspect grain stocks. Yet the local
officials thought little of him. Superficially respectful, they plotted to harm
him.
The
county magistrate managed to send an intimate to serve as an aide to Li Jun. Li
was not on guard, and his aide was quickly able to gain his trust. The latter
proceeded to steal his official seal. Only when Li needed it for an official
matter did he discover that the seal’s box was empty.
After
much thought, Li deduced from various small details that the culprit was the
county magistrate. When his subordinates learned of the matter, they wanted to
lead troops to the magistrate’s home to investigate. But Li stopped them, for
he knew that despite his conviction, proof was lacking. If he made a ruckus by
sending troops, the other party might throw away the “loot” during the
commotion. Li would then have no way to recover his seal. Indeed, he might even
back himself into a corner, as losing his official seal could constitute a
serious offence.
To
prevent others from knowing he had lost his seal, Li Jun feigned illness and
stopped conducting official business. A few days passed. Li Jun hit upon a plan
to have the county magistrate return the seal. But first he must allow the
magistrate to save face.
Having
made up his mind, Li that evening pretended to have recovered from his illness.
He enthusiastically invited the magistrate and his cohorts to his home for
celebratory drinks. As the two men were drinking, Li’s kitchen suddenly burst
into flames. He hurriedly brought out of his bedroom a seal container and, in
front of all present, handed it to the magistrate, saying: “Please keep it safe
for me overnight and bring it back tomorrow. I must put out the flames now!” Li
did not give the magistrate a chance to demur. He ushered his guested out of
his home and went straightaway to tackle the fire.
Actually, Li Jun had arranged for
his servants to light the fire, so naturally it would not burn out of control.
It was put out quickly, and Li was soon sound asleep. Not so with the county
magistrate. Returning home with the empty box, he knew if he returned it in
that state, he would be blamed for losing the seal of the court historian. That
would be a major offense, with implications for his entire family!
After racking his brain, the
magistrate had no choice but to put the seal he had ordered stolen back into
its container. He returned it to Li Jun’s residence early next morning. Li
immediately opened the box – and found the seal inside!
At this point, both men knew what
had happened but had a tacit understanding not to speak of it. They both
smiled, one calmly and without reservation, the other with notable
embarrassment.
When we are harmed by others, to
insist on our righteousness and adopt a confrontational approach often doesn’t
help our cause. It not only tarnishes our good name, but worsens our
relationship with the other party by leaving neither any room for maneuver. But
by discreetly handing the other an “empty box” so he can retreat gracefully, we
would be showing wisdom in our handling of everyday relationships.
-
From the
internet
By Ven. Yin Chi
QUESTION: A member of my family was recently diagnosed
with a serious illness; he has already begun taking medicine. I am very worried
and hope he can recover soon. Every day I recite “Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara”
for him. Will this help him?
ANSWER: If a family member is ill, it
is understandable that we should worry about him and wish him a speedy
recovery. Yet sicknesses require time to treat, and we must be patient. We
should take good care of him and sincerely recite on his behalf the sacred name
of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara thousands or tens of thousands of times. We can
also dedicate the merit from our practice and our resolve towards his recovery.
That would certainly help him.
QUESTION: But the internet says that for a sick person, reciting the Bhaisajyaguru Sutra or Medicine Buddha dharani is even better. Is that true?
ANSWER: Bhaisajyaguru Buddha (the
Medicine Buddha) compassionately resolved to help the sick, so naturally we may
recite the Bhaisajyaguru Sutra or
Medicine Buddha dharani on behalf of
ailing people. But if you are more familiar with Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara,
you can also recite the Universal Gateway
Chapter, the Great Compassion Mantra, or “Namo Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.”
That’s
because the Bodhisattva also undertook a vow to save suffering beings. The Universal Gateway Chapter says, “Beings
encounter difficulty or danger, and they undergo a myriad sufferings. Through
the power of his marvelous wisdom, Avalokitesvara can relieve the world’s pain
… The sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death – these he gradually
reduces until they are gone.”
In fact, so
long as we recite single-mindedly, exclusively and diligently, with an earnest
and respectful attitude, it doesn’t matter which teaching we choose. The Universal Gateway Chapter or Bhaisajyaguru
Sutra, Great Compassion Mantra or Medicine Buddha dharani – all are effective.
QUESTION: If I don’t know how to recite the Bhaisajyaguru Sutra or Medicine Buddha dharani, can I just recite “Namo Bhaisajyaguru Buddha of the Lapis
Lazuli Light”?
ANSWER: Yes.
QUESTION: How much time must I spend each day on recitation? Is there a special
procedure?
ANSWER: The more
diligently you recite, of course, the better, though you have to decide
according to your specific circumstances. I suggest that you recite the Universal Gateway Chapter a thousand
times, or the holy name of the Buddha or Bodhisattva 120,000 times. This can be
done in stages. For example, each day you could recite the Universal Gateway Chapter ten times or the relevant name 6,000
times.
There are no
special procedures for personal practice. If possible, I suggest that you set
aside a period, perhaps in the morning or evening, for focused practice,
according to your specific circumstances. If you have a space dedicated to the
Buddha at home, you could make three prostrations daily before sitting upright
to recite scriptures or a sacred name. Then you dedicate the merit and ask help
from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, so that the sick person can encounter good
doctors and receive effective medicine, and recover soon. After that, you
should make another three prostrations. You can also silently recite the name
of a Buddha or Bodhisattva amid your daily activities and dedicate the merit
towards the desired result.
QUESTION: Are there any other ways to bring him help
more quickly?
ANSWER: Certain illnesses require time for
treatment, and impatience is futile. The sick person needs the support of
family members. He also needs help and encouragement to take his medicine
regularly and follow the doctor’s instructions. He should change his lifestyle
and eating habits as well.
Moreover,
Buddhism teaches that health and longevity result from avoiding killing and
releasing living beings. So it would be ideal if the patient could undertake a
vegetarian diet. Otherwise, family members could practice vegetarianism on his
behalf, either on a long-term basis or on specific days (for example, weekly or
on certain days of the month). They should also release life and perform good
deeds for him. They could then dedicate the merit from non-killing, eating
vegetarian, and the release and protection of life towards his early recovery.
These are the methods. If they are followed, the sick person will certainly benefit.