This is based on the 260 character version attributed to Xuanzang. But note that when you include the title, there are actually 270 total characters. Obviously you get different results if you exclude the title, or if you use a shorter version of the title. Many people, including myself, recite the title twice (once at […]
“Paradise and Amita Buddha with his forty-eight vows really do exist”, Sosan Taesa
So we can see from all of this that the teachings can freely use
seemingly different expedient means and expressions to point to the
same universal substance. Only the words themselves have a
different appearance and meaning, yet the point they communicate
is the same. For one whose insight is in accord with his actions, it is
possible to see through what is said to be “near” or “far.” This is why
our tradition can embrace both ways of practice: calling out to Amita
Buddha, like Hui-yuan, and looking directly into true nature, like
Jui-yen.
A good friend at the end of life
When such a foolish person is dying, he encounters a good teacher and gives him all kinds of comfort, in order to teach the wonderful Dharma and instruct him to recite the Buddha . The good friend said, “If you can’t recite that Buddha, you should be called the Buddha of Infinite Life.” With such a sincere heart, he keeps his voice incessant recitations , he is called Namo Amitabha. Because of the name of the Buddha, in the thought of it, the sin of birth and death for eight billion kalpas is removed.
念佛就是修行 (“Chanting IS Practice”)
修行 = xiūxíng = “practice” = to cultivate one’s spiritual virtues; to train oneself; to work at self-improvement (wiktionary); to devote oneself to spiritual development (esp. Buddhism or Daoism); to devote oneself to perfecting one’s art or craft (purple culture)
Xuanzang’s Heart Sutra in Mandarin, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Korean
Buddhists throughout East Asia chant the version of the Heart Sutra that goes back to the legendary translator Xuanzang, who lived about 14 hundred years ago. That is to say, Buddhists in China, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea all use Xuanzang’s text, but they pronounce the 270 characters in that text differently. Below you can find […]
“Either discuss the Dharma together, or Noble Silence” (或共說法, 或聖默然)
或 = either
共 = together
說法 = discuss [the] Dharma
The image is from the website of The Alliance for Bhikkunis
https://www.bhikkhuni.net/projects/
“Kido” means “pray” (祈禱 기도)
羅季天成中, 正甫崔殷諴, 久無胤息, 詣玆寺大慈前祈禱.
translation: “During the ending [years] of the Silla in the Tiancheng era, Jeongbo Choe Eunham for a long time [had] no sons. So he went before the shrine of Kwan Seum Bosal (大慈) and prayed (祈禱).”
The Korean Heart Sutra
1—————————————————————————————–
摩 訶 般 若 波 羅 蜜 多 心 經
마 하 반 야 바 라 밀 다 심 경
ma ha ban ya ba ra mil ta shim gyong
2—————————————————————————————–
觀 自 在 菩 薩 行 深 般 若
관 자 재 보 살 행 심 반 야
kwan ja jae bo sal haeng shim ban ya
Jijang Bosal Chanting: The Text
8. Closing (Praising the Buddha’s Infinite Virtue and Merit)
刹塵 十念 可數知 大海 中水 可 飮盡
찰진 십염 가수지 대해 중수 가 음진
chaljin shibyeom gasuji daehae jungsu ga eumjin
虛空 可量 風可繫 無能 盡說 佛 功德
허공 가량 풍가계 무능 진설 불 공덕
heogong garyang punggagye muneung jinseol bul gongdeog
Shariputra (and the Buddha) on not accepting the Dharma merely on faith alone
The disciples who witnessed this criticized Shariputra, saying that he did not have faith in the Buddha. But the Buddha praised Shariputra for his answer. He explained to the disciples that they, too, must come to understand the Dharma through their own personal experience.