Untold eons ago, Amitabha Buddha made forty-eight Vows to rescue sentient beings. One of the Vows [the eighteenth] stated:If, after my obtaining Buddhahood, all beings in the ten quarters should desire in sincerity and trustfulness to be born in my country, and if they should not be born by only thinking of me ten times..., may I not attain the highest Enlightenment.
Faith, Vows and Practice
These three factors are the cornerstones of Pure Land Buddhism. If they are present, rebirth in the Pure Land is achieved. Faith means faith in Amitabha Buddha's Vow to rescue all who recite His name, as well as faith in one's own Self-Nature, which is intrinsically the same as His (to recite the Buddha's name is to recite the Mind). Vows are the determination to be reborn in the Pure Land - in one's pure Mind - so as to be in the position to save oneself and others. Practice means reciting the Buddha's name to the point where one's Mind and that of Amitabha Buddha are in unison - i.e., to the point of singlemindedness. Samadhi and Wisdom are then achieved.
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I feel that this is a book that cannot be missed. Superb!
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