F.2, (detailed explanation) in two parts: 1, reflect on the name's uniqueness and prostrate; 2, reflect on the merits of reciting the name and prostrate.
G.1, Reflect on the name's uniqueness and prostrate:
The Dharmakaya Buddha, Dhyani Buddha,
the Lord of Infinite Light,
his right hand radiates light and transforms into Avalokiteshvara,
further transforming into 100 koti Avalokiteshvaras;
the left hand radiates light and transform into Tara,
further transforming into 100 koti Taras;
from his heart radiates light and transform into Padmasambhava,
further transforming into 100 koti Padmasambhavas;
I prostrate to the Dharmakaya Amitabha.
Originally, all Buddhas in dharmadhatu are indivisible. Amitabha's wisdom body of dharmakaya is the root of the nirmanakaya (emanation body) of all Buddha. Therefore, his formal body is the master of all Dhyani Buddhas. Especially, Amitabha is the Lord of the Speech, the Lotus Branch Dhyani.
In order to tame males, Amitabha right hand radiates white light which manifests into the holy Avalokitesvara. Avalokitesvara further manifests into 100 koti (hundreds millions) of Avalokitesvaras. Each exceptional emantion has 100 koti ksetras (worlds) as its sphere of Dharma teaching. For this reason, it is mainly stated here that the there 100 kotis of transforming emantions. In fact, it is not just 100 kotis. Because the manifestations of the Buddhas and great Bodhisattvas is inconceivable, it can take the form of a virtuous friend, a king, or even various other forms including animals.
In order to tame females, Amitabha's left hand radiates green light and manifests as the holy Supreme Tara, who in turn transforms into the 100 kotis Taras.
In order to subdue the evil spirits that cannot be subdued by gentle means and to promote the all-inclusive Dharma of sutrayana and vajrayana in Tibet, the border area, Amitabha's heart radiates light of the five colors, and shines on the lotus stamens in Lake Dhanakosha in the southwest, and Orgyen Padmasambhava appears. Padmasambhava then further transforms into 100 kotis Padmasambhavas. Therefore, I prostrate with the three doors in utmost respect to the root of all these emanations - Dharmakaya Amitabha.
Most of the current gurus and virtuous friends are the manifestations (nirmanakaya) of Avalokiteshvara and others. There is no difference between the nirmanakaya and the nirmanakaya's nature at it's root. Therefore, we must not give rise to faulty conceptual thought that there is a difference in the essence of the guru, the deities, and the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. If you can visualize and conceive that the essence of Amitabha completely includes all the gurus, deities, Buddhas, and bodhisattvas, and prostrate and make offerings to Amitabha, then this is a skiful means to receive all the blessings of the gurus and the three jewels. As an analogy, it is extremely difficult for us to drink water from every one of a hundred river valleys. But if we drink the water from the place where the hundred rivers converge, it is equivalent to drinking all the water. That is to say, "Indians achieve by practicing one meditational deity, Tibetans achieve nothing by practicing a hundred meditational deities." This means that, the people in this Tibetan area are doubtful and have too many differentiating conceptual thoughts. So they practice a hundred meditational deities but achieve nothing. Indians are single minded, so they are proficient in the skilful means of practicing one meditational deity and achieving all deities. Therefore, if you practice with the view that "Amitabha is the collection of all the objects of refuge" and firmly believe in it, then you will definitely achieve success. If this one practice is accomplished, every practices is accomplished. As the verse goes: "accomplished in one Buddha, and all Buddhas are accomplished without practice."
During the six times of day and night,
his Buddha eye constantly beholds
all sentient beings with affection.
He always knows clearly whatever thoughts arise in the mind of
every single sentient being.
And he always hears distinctly and
without confusion whatever words
are spoken by every single sentient being.
I prostrate to the All-knowing Buddha of Infinite Light.
Amitabha, three times during the day and three times at night, at the six times, with great compassion and loving kindness, and with unobstructed and untainted wisdom eyes, he persists in constantly paying attention to all sentient beings in the three realms, which ones are declining, which ones are prospering, which ones have been reborn from the lower realms to the upper realms, which ones falling from the upper realms to the lower realms... All situations of all sentient beings, from even a tiny ant to all bigger ones, are clearly known and seen without any confusion. The "six times of day and night" here means paying attention all the time day and night, rather than not paying attention at other times except the six times. Not only that, the wisdom of the Buddha always clearly knows the virtuous, unvirtuous, indeterminate, from the subtlest thoughts and all above that arise in the minds of all sentient beings.
The Buddha can also hear with heavenly ears all the good and bad words spoken by all sentient beings, big and small, every word and without any confusion. Metaphorically, all large and small objects in a room can appear in a mirror at the same time without mixing with each other. Similarly, the Buddha knows clearly all that can be known in the three times, at the same time without mixing up. Therefore, I prostrate to the infinite light of omniscience, Amitabha. After thinking like this, you should be prostrate. Including even standing with one hand in front of the chest to pay obeisance, having a moment of faith, and saying a prayer, it is important to contemplate that Amitabha has seen, known, and heard that. It is very important to have no wrong views and have strong confidence in this.
It is declared that anyone who aspires with faith,
except one who has committed the five
inexorable offenses or abandoned the Dharma,
by aspiring to be reborn in Sukhavati,
Amitabha will come and lead him towards that realm
when he enters the bardo,
I prostrate to the Guide Amitabha.
Temporarily, there are two types of people who cannot be reborn in Sukhavati, namely those who commit the sin of abandoning the Dharma and the five inexorable offenses. However, it does not mean that the Buddha is not compassionate at all to accept them. In the end, these two types of people can have their wish (to be reborn in Sukhavati) fulfilled. But because these two types of people have strong negative karma, they have no chance to achieve their wishes for the time being. The Longer Sukhavativyuha Sutra also declares that these two types of people will not be reborn in Sukhavati.
What exactly is abandoning (slandering) the Dharma? Some people who know a little bit about studying, but simply do not understand the relative and ultimate truths, the secret importance of the different capacities of sentient beings when teaching the Dharma. They think that there are various contradictions in the dharma, and mixing up all sutra and tantra, sects, upper and lower, into one. They think that if one exists then everything must also exist, if one does not exist then none of them is needed ... turning the Dharma into non-Dharma and proclaim it. Being contaminated by greed and attachment to their sectarian views, so non-Dharma is said to be the Dharma, causing others to also commit the sin of abandoning the Dharma. As is said in the Vinaya: "Those who lack wisdom proclaim the false paths, they are false Dharma teachers. If theirs is the true Dharma, what will non-Dharma be like?" Such people are all Dharma slanderers (those who abandon the Dharma).
In addition, those who claim to practice Vajrayana only and use that as an excuse to say that Pratimoksha (individual liberation) training is Shravakayana (lesser vehicle), reject it as an inferior method, think that some (others) are good methods, etc. (all these are slander of the Dharma). As the scholar Chandrakirti said: "Clinging to one's own views and disliking other people's views, are all wrong conceptual thinking." (And then there is) To praise one's own sect and denigrate other sects, or to test others and then make rash comments that this is a wise person, this is a fool. Even for an extremely foolish person, if he knows accurately only one sentence of the Dharma, it is also a Dharma teaching. Therefore, he directly slanders someone and indirectly slanders the Dharma, and becomes a Dharma abandoner. At the bottom of it, only the wise knows the difference between wise and foolish people. If you are foolish and ignorant, how can you tell whether others are wise or foolish?
Another example is to create unfavorable conditions for others to teach or listen to the Dharma, which is abandoning the Dharma; to create obstacles for others to take up monastic precepts, etc., or if someone observe small part of the precepts, such as not eating after mid-day or not drinking alcohol, then one ridicules him and say, "You are just pretending, even the eminent monks and sages who are better than you do not observe these precepts, so you should give them up." Instigating others to abandon the precepts, and creating adverse conditions for those who practice the Dharma, this is abandoning the Dharma. And it is also destroying the Dharmakaya. If creating adverse conditions for one line or one meaning of the Dharma (to be taught or listened) is not abandoning the Dharma, then creating adverse conditions for many Dharma (to be taught or listened) is also not abandoning the Dharma. (It shouldn't be so.)
Nowadays, when proper Buddhism is in decline, and most people destroy all their merits through speech, the sin of abandoning the Dharma is very serious. So we should be cautious and careful. As it is said in Ratnagotravibhaga: "Those who harbor hatred towards the Dharma, how can they be liberated?" People who commit sins of abandoning the Dharma do not even have the hope of rebirth in a human body, let alone attaining liberation.
The five inexorable offenses are killing one's father, killing one's mother, killing an Arhat, destroying the harmony of the Sangha, such as causing conflicts between the Buddha and his followers, and injuring a Buddha with malicious intent, such as maliciously hitting the Buddha with a stone. Although you cannot directly commit the latter three offenses now, you can commit similar offenses, it will be explained below.
Even those who have committed such serious offenses, if they generate the aspiration (to be reborn in Sukhavati), they will one day be able to leave samsara and finally be reborn there. Although they are able to be reborn in Sukhavati, due to karmic obstructions, they could only hear the Buddha's words but cannot see the Buddha for several years. Therefore, there are also such unenlightened beings in Sukhavati. Whether it is abandoning the Dharma or the five inexorable offenses, those who commit them cannot be reborn in Sukhavati (in the current life?). In addition, all sentient beings who firmly believe in Amitabha and sincerely aspire will be reborn in Sukhavati, when they are dying or in the bardo. Because Amitabha has accomplished all his vows from the past, and the results are taking effects now.
How did Amitabha make his vows? The Amitabha Sutra (Longer Sukhavativyuha Sutra) says: "Suppose I become a Buddha, if sentient beings in the ten directions develop bodhichitta, hear my name, have great faith, accumulate merits, and sincerely aspire to be born in my country (Sukhavati), when they die, if I do not appear in front of him, surrounded by my retinue, I will not enter ultimate realization (perfect enlightenment)." Another example is the verse: "Whoever hears my name, and wishes to go to my pure land. Due to the wonderful perfection of my vows, those sentient beings from all the worlds will arrive." When the power of Amitabha's compassion and vows, and your faith and wishes (and other causes and interdependent conditions) are combined together, you can be reborn in Sukhavati.
Therefore, for an excellent practitioner who has accumulated merits in the current life, when he is about to die, when appearances of the various stages of fading into death emerge, (he will remember Amitabha and be reborn in the Pure Land); for those who have committed serious misdeeds, they will see the appearance of their sins manifested as various scenes such as seeing Yama (the god of death). Although they are not capable of praying to Amitabha at that time, they can be reborn in Sukhavati just by remembering him. As is said in the Vinaya: "Even if there is a time when the sea leaves the waves, the Buddha will never leave the sentient beings." At this time, Amitabha and his retinue will come to him. Because of seeing the Buddha, he is purified of the karma of rebirth in the lower realms, and will be led directly to Sukhavati without going through the bardos. This is consistent with what is said in "The King of Aspiration Prayers": "when I die, may I have all obstacles removed, meet the Buddha Amitabha, and be reborn in the puew land of peace and great bliss."
If one is not liberated when dying, unimaginable scenes of the bardo such as the four terrifying sounds and the three dangerous places will appear immediately (in a short time) right after death. At this time, one should remember Amitabha. For example, if there are thunderbolts from the sky suddenly, or earthquakes or other terrifying occurrence, and if one can remember the Three Jewels during such time. If one is able to remember in such panic and helpless situations, then because during the bardo, the consciousness has been separated from the body, it is like a raft on the water, and is extremely easy to transform (so it is easy to be reborn in Sukhavati). The Buddha Shakyamuni says in many sutras and tantras: Amitabha and his retinue will descend into the Bardo Realm, and lead them to Sukhavati in an instant.
So if from now on, you meditate on Amitabha's body, color, and characteristics, and become experienced, then when you die, you will be able to recognize him as if you were meeting someone you are familiar with before. If you practice accumulating merits and clearing karmic obstacles now, and frequently make aspirations, then even though you neither remember nor recognize him at that time, Amitabha will definitely come to the bardo to receive you. Therefore, one says: I prostrate to the Guide Amitabha.
It is declared that Amitabha
will remain alive for countless aeons,
without going into Nirvana, and is now present;
And anyone who supplicates with single pointed devotion,
will obtain power over life,
and, except for those already ripened karma,
the ability to live for a hundred years,
and he will be protected against all untimely death.
I prostrate to the Protector Amitayus.
Protector Amitabha, your lifespan is as long as countless kalpas, it is truly unimaginable. Not entering Nirvana, he still resides in Sukhavati now. When concentrating on meditation, if you think about many other trivial things, it will be half-hearted. You must not meditate like this. But think: whether it is suffering or happiness, rising or falling, I have no other place of refuge or hope. If you can pray devoutly with this thought, you will receive blessings. As Ogyen Guru Rinpoche once said: "Those with faith will receive blessings, be free from doubts and fulfill their wishes." Half-belief and half-doubt will accomplish nothing, just like a two-pointed needle. If it is not half-believe and half-doubt, but pray to Amitabha with all your heart and with respect, you can extend your life except for the three exhausted ripened karmic effect (Vipakaphala). The three exhausted refer to: one's life ends due to the fruition of killing too many lives in the past, or it ends due to the exhaustion of the merits accumulated in the past, or the drawing power of karma coming to an end like an exhausted flying arrow (naturally falling to the ground). (No one can extend the life of such a person whose life is ending in these ways.) Just as the saying goes, "Although the Medicine Buddha comes in person, he cannot extend an exhausted life."
Otherwise, (as long as one prays to Amitabha,) one can live to be a hundred years old even if his life is in danger due to adverse conditions. It is said in the sutra that (reciting the name of Amitabha) can dispel temporary adverse conditions such as thunderbolts, being washed away by torrents, injury by weapons, suicide by hanging from a beam, etc., as well as the eighteen kinds of unnatural deaths such as life taken by spirits and gods due to loss or exhaustion of merits, curses, and other life- and spirit-damaging conditions. For this reason, I prostrate to the Protector Amitayus, who can bestow such a siddhi of immortal life.
In general (there are four types of exhaustion of the karma-lifespan (compound)): (1) karma has been exhausted and lifespan has not been exhausted: such as enjoying peace and happiness in the first half of life and suffering in the second half of life; (2) lifespan has been exhausted and karma has not been exhausted: such as being reborn from this hell to that hell, or being reborn as a human after death in the human realm; (3) both karma and lifespan have been exhausted: such as falling into hell after death in the human realm; (4) both karma and lifespan are not yet exhausted: such as enjoying peace and happiness throughout one's life.
We are now at the end of the period of 100-year life span, and it is difficult for people to live to be 100 years old. However, what it refers to here is to remove temporary lifespan obstacles by meditating on Amitabha, and to make the full use of the lifespan as an actualization of past karma. In the first place, it is very difficult for a capable guru to use mantra to collect the blessings and longevity of the animate and inanimate worlds and dissolve them into the body of a disciple with the adequate interdependent conditions to extend his life. And here, just praying with faith, it can be said that you can acquire such huge benefits without much effort.
In today's age of degeneration where lifespan is short and obstacles are many, if you can sincerely pray to Amitabha, praying once is equivalent to receiving a longevity empowerment. If you can prolong your life, you will have the time to practice the cause to be reborn in Sukhavati. For a person who practices the cause of rebirth in Sukhavati, then the longer his life the better. Even if living in this world for just one day, one can accumulate a lot of merits. As the Shatika Shastra says: "Living with unbroken precepts for a long time, can create great merit." And for those who commit serious sins, who practice the causes for the lower realms, the shorter their life the better. Even if remaining in the world for a moment, they will accumulate serious sins and negative karma. As Shantideva said: "better to die soon, than live with wrong livelihood... is there any meaning for living, if one engages in immoral deeds only?"
The above is visualizing that Amitabha has various merits which give rise to different names, and then prostrate. Simply because of the difference between the sambhogakaya and the nirmanakaya, and because the light (emiited by the body) is limitless, he is called the Buddha of Infinite Light. And because of its limitless lifespan, he is called the Buddha of Infinite Life. It’s just that the names are different, don’t think that there are two (bodies of different) essences.
In short, we should not think that seeking the transmission of Phowa (method for transference of consciousness) and reciting the Sukhavati Aspiration Prayer are practices for the elderly, while seeking longevity empowerment and reciting longevity sadhanas are practices for the young. Instead, we should treat all these practices as everyone's practice. A must practice. If you receive the Phowa transmission, you also receive Sukhavati Aspiration Prayer transmission and the longevity empowerment; if you receive the Sukhavati Aspiration Prayer transmission and then recite it, you also receive the longevity empowerment and the Phowa transmission. Therefore, all men, women, the young or elderly should pray to Amitabha. There is nothing more excellent than this.
G.2, Reflect on the merits of reciting the name and prostrate:
It is declared that even if one could fill
a billion worlds countless myriads of
times with jewels and give them as gifts,
hearing but once the name of Amitabha
and Sukhavati and joining the palms
in faith would have greater merit.
Therefore I prostrate devotedly to Amitabha.
Just offering a bowl of highland barley will bring immeasurable merit. But it’s not just that, even if all the countless, boundlessly vast ksetras of the three thousand worlds are filled with the seven gems, and offering them to the three jewels above and to all beings below, when comparing this root of virtue (which is immeasurable and boundless) with, suppose someone after hearing the name of Amitabha and the merits of Sukhavati, faith arises in his mind, which manifests as but only making obeisance with one hand, the Buddha said in the sutras that the root of virtue and merits generated by this are hundreds and thousands times better than the former. As the saying goes: "worlds as numerous as atoms, if all broken up into atoms, and one fills more worlds than that, with jewels and give as gifts, the merits is not up to, hearing about Amitabha and Sukhavati and their merits, and joining one's palms in joy. Therefore, you should not doubt after hearing this." For this reason, with the three doors in utmost respect, prostrate to Amitabha. This metaphor refers to crushing all the worlds as many as the atoms on earth into infinitesimal particles, and there are many more worlds than this (infinitesimal particles).
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Now that we have gained the human body of leisure, at this moment, because of our eyes, we can see the statue of Amitabha, because of our ears, we can hear the Dharma, and because of our hands, we have the opportunity to put our palms together. It is entirely the result of the good deeds we have done in the past that our sense organs are complete. We can see those disabled people who have become deaf, blind, have broken arms, etc. due to negative deeds in the past. They cannot even have such benefits. From now on, after listening to the Dharma such as the Sukhavati Aspiration Prayer, and understanding a little bit about karma cause and effect, or when requesting the Dharma or hearing and receiving each bit of merit of the Buddha, everyone should think of that as extraordinary and joyfully join their palms (or pay homage with one hand). This alone will make life meaningful.
In fact, becasue of the depth of our negative karma and heavy suspicions, we ordinary people, even though we hear the merits of one thousand Buddhas and the praises from one hundred worlds, our bodies don't even move, and we don’t even smile and have the joy of rarity. We remain expressionless, sitting there in a daze. And when we hear that a large amount of money has been distributed somewhere, or that a criminal has caused many casualties, or that a certain family has a lot of wealth and livestock, not only do we think that is true and believable, beyond doubt, and feel strongly that's rare. So we cover our mouths with our hands, pat our knees with our hands, open our mouths wide, and open our eyes wide (showing various expressions and movements). This kind of person is the so-called "they don't gain confidence even if the Buddha is flying in the air?” Is there anything more pitiful than this?
The only way to become involved in liberation practice is to pray to Amitabha with faith, and never forget his name, which is no different from offering and practicing longevity torma for a long time.
Whoever on hearing the name of
Amitabha develops uncontrived devotion
from the depth of his heart and bones
just once,
he will never regress on the bodhi path.
I prostrate to the Protector Amitabha.
Furthermore, whoever hears the name of Amitabha, unassumingly and consistent inside and out, develops sincere faith from the depths of his heart or from the marrow, not to mention repeatedly but even just once, possesses the seeds of enlightenment and will gradually enter the holy path of perfect enlightenment without unregressing.
One can gain such great benefits just by hearing the name, so we must pay homage to the protector Buddha of Infinite Light from the depths of our hearts. It is very important to be consistent inside and out, pray sincerely, and develop firm faith. As the Mahasiddha Guru Drukpa said, "When the guru teaches the Dharma and gives empowerment, there is no non-reality in his mind. When the disciple closes his eyes and joins his palms, there is no non-reality in his mind." Empty talk has no real meaning.
Here, the meaning of entering the Bodhi path without regressing by just hearing the name can be understood literally for the bodhisattvas who have already entered the path and are about to be reborn in Sukhavati. For those who are not yet on the path and can potentially be reborn in Sukhavati, the secret meaning is that they have received the seeds for entering the unregressed path of ultimate Bodhi in the future. This is also due to the power of Amitabha's vows in the past and the merits of hearing the names of Buddhas. Therefore, we must clearly grasp the precise meaning. As the Amitabha Sutra says: "Any sentient being who hears the name of Amitabha, even if he has only once generated sincere belief, rejoiced, can all attain the unregresed, supreme, real, and perfect Bodhi."
Who even hears the name of Buddha Amitabha,
until he attains Buddhahood,
will not be reborn as a woman, will be born in a noble family,
and have pure vows,
I prostrate to the Sugata Amitabha.
For both men or women, if he hears the name of Amitabha once and takes up the Amitabha recitation practice, then from then on until he attains the ultimate Buddhahood, he will never be reborn with an inferior female body. If any woman today hears the name of Amitabha, her current body will be the last female body, and she will not need to be reborn as a woman in the next life. This is also the great vow made by Amitabha in the past.
Generally speaking, women have strong afflictive emotions, low status, and no freedom to practice the Dharma. If they become nuns, it will be harmful to Buddhism, etc. (there are many faults and difficulties). As Guru Rinpoche of Oddiyana said (in the terma of Orgyen Lingpa), "Monks with broken vows and corruption, foolish yogis with unpure vows, evil women without faith, these three are everywhere." Some women who are unreasonable and difficult, faithless, and shameless are the root of all sins and the only enemy that harms Buddhism. While although some women are reborn as women due to negative leading karma*, due to the good supportive karma* they are faithful, know and feel shame, make clear distinction between good and evil. They are like what is said, "the body is inferior but accomplishment of the mind is high", and a hundred bad men are not comparable with them.
Although not reborn as women, the same is true for people who are born in low-class butchers, wine sellers, eunuchs, hunters, sky burial masters, etc. If they hear the name of Amitabha and take up the practice, they will never be reborn in those inferior castes, but will be reborn in the upper noble castes such as Dharma practitioner kings, ministers, Brahmins, Dharma teachers, and families who practice the Dharma.
In today's age of five degenerations, it can be said there are almost no one who maintain castes. Oftentimes the kings practice the Dharma while the princes do evil, and fathers practice Buddhism while sons do evil.
In Buddhism, caste and family are not important. What is important is to practice the Dharma. Moreover, the body to practice is best to be a monastic, which is the king of all identities. Among all castes, the first one is the (refuge, monk, etc.) caste of the Three Jewels. Therefore, if you hear the name of Amitabha and practice it, you will have the superior monastic body with pure vows, which is the wish-fulfilling jewel, in every life. Of course, if one becomes a transgressor of the vows, having such a body is meaningless. Therefore, one must have a body of pure vows that practices pure conduct, is free from the slightest faults, and is pure inside and out like a lotus. For this, prostrate to Sugata the protector Amitabha.
We should also generate an aspirationa like this: May I have the status of a monk with precepts intact in every life. If such a wonderful body can be received by simply hearing the name of Amitabha, then it is very important for the monks who wish to maintain the purity of Pratimoksha vows after their ordination to pray to Amitabha with unwavering determination. All bodhisattvas, before they attained some levels of accomplishment, are also afraid of the faults of laity's life and vow only to become monastics.
As stated in "The King of Aspiration Prayers", "I follow the teachings of all the Tathagatas, follow the perfect practices of Samantabhadra... May I be a monastic in all lives with pure precepts, without defilement, without breakage, and without lapse or compromise." It is stated in The Way of the Bodhisattva, "Before I attain bodhisattva's stages, I wish to receive the blessing of Manjusri, always remember my past life, and be a monastic in all lives." If you pray to Amitabha Buddha now, you will not be born into an overly wealthy family such as a royalty, where it is difficult to give up wealth; nor will you be reborn into an overly poor family such as that of a beggar, with no favorable conditions and means. Being reborn into these two kinds of families is an obstacle to becoming a monk.
Once upon a time, a king who did not practice the Dharma gave birth to a prince who believed in Buddhism and practiced the Dharma. After the prince saw his father ruling the country in contrary to the Dharma, he thought to himself: After my father dies, I will also rule the country in contrary to the Dharma, and this will surely lead me to hell. So he asked his father to let him become a monk, but was not permitted. Once, the prince saw a poor man begging on the street with a cane and a broken bowl. So he asked him: "Hey, I am not allowed to become a monk because I was born in a wealthy royal family. Why don't you become a monk?"
The beggar said: "I don't have a bowl or other supplies." The prince provided the beggar with all the supplies needed to become a monk, and asked him to be ordained in front of an acomplished practitioner, saying: "If you have gained any small amount of supreme merits, tell me about it." The beggar agreed and left without hesitation. Later, through practice, he attained the state of a Pratyekabuddha Arhat.
He flew from the sky to the prince like a king of swan and performed miracles in front of him. When the prince knew this, he bowed to his feet and said, "You have gained such merit!" The Arhat replied, "Yes, I have." The prince thought to himself: This person was not able to become a monk because he was a beggar; I was not able to become a monk because I was born a rich prince. This time, I made a vow with the root of virtue of helping this person to become a monk and providing him with supplies, and the respectful service. He said, "I shall never be born in an overly rich family, nor in a poor family, but only in a moderately well-off family, and I will always be able to become a monk." The prince at that time was the Venerable Shariputra.
In addition, the cause for the fulfillment of wishes, including for lay men and women, is to pray to Amitabha, practice some good deeds such as stopping killing, and vow to become a monastic in every life. When you see a monk, you should not be like a dog seeing green grass (indifferent), but vow: May I also have such a form in every life.
In the past in India, when the kings and benefactors were old with their hair gray, they would say: "Now the signs of death have appeared." So they left the secular world and became monks. The Buddha once said: "When you are old, you will be happy if you keep pure precepts."
Today's lay men and women should not cling so tightly to their doghouse-like families and would rather die than let go. When their children have grown up and can be independent, it is best for them to become monastics and observe the precepts. Even if they cannot become monastics, if they can observe some of the lay precepts, they will be happy in the current and future lives. And when the Supreme Maitreya Buddha emerges in the future, they will be reborn as his followers and be liberated. As the Bhagavat once said: "The lay people are like living in a fire pit, the monastics are like living in a cool room." He also said: "Even when the lay people can only till their fingernails as fields, my monastics live without poverty."
After looking at the faults of lay people and the happiness of monks, think carefully. When you can let go of everything, you will be happy to become a monastic from the bottom of your heart.
Once upon a time, there was a Brahmin named Dhalu* in Shravasti, India. He had a wife who was as bad as a witch. He had no sons but seven daughters, all of whom were married. Whenever they returned to their parents' home with their husbands, the Brahmin's wife would always curse them with harsh words. They also hated and hurted their parents. And the Brahmin's wife would also be angry with and torment the Brahmin. When it was time to plow the land, because the family was very poor and had no cow, they borrowed one from a neighbor. The old Brahmin went to the field (to plough the land), but unfortunately lost the cow. He was very depressed and thought: What bad deeds did I commit in the past (to suffer such a karmic retribution in this life)? If I go home now, I will be tortured by my wife. My daughters and sons-in-law will not let me stay, and I have lost the neighbor's cow. What should I do now?
He sat there sadly. At this time, he saw the World-Honored One in monk's robes quietly and gently resting under a tree in the distance. So he walked over, leaned on his cane and observed constantly. He couldn't help thinking: This Sramana is really happy. He neither has to face the anger of a bad wife nor the torture of bad daughters and sons-in-law. When he plows the land, he does not need to borrow a cow. This person is really worry-free! The Buddha knew his thoughts clearly, so he said: "Brahmin, just as you think, I really have no worries. If I don't have a bad wife, how can I suffer from her harm? There will also be no harm from seven daughters and sons-in-law. There will be no fields that need plowing, so there will be no worries about losing cows. Brahmin, are you willing to become a monk?" The old Brahmin said: "I now regard my home as a cemetery, and my wife and daughters as enemies. What else am I not willing to let go? If the World-Honored One allows me to be ordained, why don't I become a monk?" After the Buddha granted him, the old Brahmin was able to become a monk, and eventually achieved Arhathood.
Think about the implications. Everyone, high or low, strong or weak, should strive to receive monastic precepts and observe a part of the precept instructions, so as to sow the seeds of practicing the Vinaya in the mind continuum.
Now the common Dharma teachings have tended to disappear, especially the wish-fulfilling jewel Vinaya, which is approaching the period of only keeping the appearance. The great, compassionate Buddha repeatedly said: "When the army of the demons from the border area swarms in, the Vinaya wish-fulfilling jewel will disappear first. In this way, ritual implements and exorcism (the rituals for practicing them) will not disappear, even if they disappear it will be the same."
Now you need to think about the merits of reciting Amitabha's name and prostrate, and visualize in the space in front of you: the essence is the root guru, the image is the protector Amitabha, who sits in the center, surrounded by all the places of refuges (Buddhas and Bodhisattvas) of the ten directions and three times. Then visualize: On your right is your father in this life, on your left is your mother, in front are all your enemies and karmic creditors, and all sentient beings in the six realms gather around you like guests at a banquet, prostrating and praying, humming.
(When we prostrate) we should not be flustered or careless, but should be calm and gentle, with right understanding and right mindfulness, and visualize a wish-fulfilling jewel in the middle of your joined palms. When you join your palms together with strong faith on top of your head, visualize: I prostrate to the bodies of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and wish to remove obstacles of the bodies of myself and all other sentient beings, and ultimately attain the immeasurable crown protrusion (ushnisha) of perfect enlightenment;
when you join your palms together at your throat, visualize: I prostrate to the speech of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and wish to remove obstacles of speech of myself and all other sentient beings, and ultimately attain the conch sound like Dharma speech of the Buddhas;
when you join your palms together in front of your chest, visualize: I prostrate to the minds of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and wish to remove obstacles of the minds of myself and all other sentient beings, and ultimately attain the auspicious knot of Buddha's wisdom;
when your five limbs hit the ground, visualize: I prostrate to the merits and activities of the body, speech, and mind of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and wish to remove the obstacles of the three doors, ultimately attain the five bodies and five wisdoms (of the Dhyani Buddhas)*.
For those who are unable to visualize in this way, if they can think in their minds: prostrate to the Lord Buddha Amitabha, and wish to be purified of all the obstacles and karmic habits of themselves and all other sentient beings, so that they can be reborn in Sukhavati. Meanwhile prostrate devoutly and respectfully, this is also sufficient.
And recite in sequence: "I prostrate, offer, and take refuge in the true Arha, Sugata, Bhagavan, Tathagata, perfectly enlightened Amitabha. I prostrate, offer, and take refuge in the true Arha, Sugata, Bhagavan, Tathagata, perfectly enlightened Medicine Buddha, King of Lapis Lazuli Light. I prostrate, offer, and take refuge in the true Arha, Sugata, Bhagavan, Tathagata, perfectly enlightened Buddha Shakyamuni. I prostrate, offer, and take refuge in the eight great accompanying Bodhisattvas."
Recite again: "I prostrate to Amitabha, give me blessing to be reborn in Sukhavati." After that recite: "Since there is no difference between prostrations from far and near... I prostrate to the Sugata Amitabha." Let everyone prostrate, visualize, and recite the prostration verse together. After that, sit on a cushion and recite the prostration mantra: "namo manjushriye, namo sushriye namo, uttama shriye soha"
In this way, after prostrating once, the happiness and other karmic results you will feel, is the sum of those of the number of atoms of wheel-turning kings, betwen the area covered by your body and the Vajra Earth. As "Praise to the God Surpassing One"* says: "Whoever, with confidence or joy, or with distraction or doubt, prostrate to the Moon-like Powerful King, will have the perfect happiness of the gods realm." Moreover, after such a person is reborn in Sukhavati, he will definitely see the face of Amitabha in person. Here, if there is a break in the middle of the Puja, one should dedicate the merits.