The disasters would naturally cease.The environment is a reflection of our mind, so if there are more people who are thinking of others of saving our world, of peace, then it will happen.
There are areas around the world where broadcasting has already begun. In Taiwan, there are three to four hours of lectures broadcast daily. In large areas of North and Central America including Canada, the US, Mexico and Panama, there is at least one hour of lectures broadcast daily. In Macao and Hawaii, there are two lectures weekly. If more people watch, the stations will increase the broadcasting time and hopefully the languages of the lectures as well. This needs to be done quickly to urge people to change for the better. In this way, we can help to save our world.
The most pressing need is to set up Internet locations. From our Singapore Way Place there are at least two hours of lectures broadcast daily, both in Chinese and in English. People around the world, who have access to a computer, are able to receive a live transmission. We use the internet to communicate with each other and can answer questions during the Morning Talks that are broadcast five days a week. Since we use high technology do we really need to build any way places? Yes, for two reasons. One is to train new lecturers; the other is to provide a place for people to practice together.
In this way, people around the world can listen to the lectures. But we also need to practice, to use the Buddha Name Chanting Method. The Buddha tells us that for our times, the primary way to be assured of success in cultivation is to rely on this method. What do we chant? “Namo Amituofo”. “Namo” means to turn back, to take refuge. This does not mean that we take refuge with the Dharma Master but rather that we return and rely. “Amituofo”, means infinite and awakening. Thus, “Namo Amituofo” means to turn back and rely upon the infinite awakening.
What are the benefits of Buddha name chanting? Upon what principles is it based? The Buddha tells us that “everything arises from our minds”. In other words, the environment is a reflection of our thoughts. Not yet having become Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, we still have discriminating thoughts, wandering thoughts, afflictions, attachments. Still have greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance. The increase of these thoughts is what has caused the increase in the frequency and severity of today's problems. From disagreements in our family to discord in our country to chaos unimaginable chaos in our world if nothing is done to neutralize them.
How? Chanting “Amituofo” enables us to restore our minds to purity, equality, awakening and peace. When our minds are at peace, the environment will in turn reflect serenity and tranquillity. Our thoughts create waves. In the sixties, westerners referred to these as “Vibrations”. What we did not understand was the breadth that these “Vibes” had. We thought of them simply on an interpersonal level. But the strength from this kind of thought wave is amazing, able to neutralize the turbulent thought waves even from other's greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance. The principle and basis of Buddha name chanting are these thought waves. The Buddha understood this and told of them three thousand years ago. The purpose is to achieve so much more than our individual birth into the Western Pure Land. Buddha Shakyamuni knew and understood how great our present need would be. And he taught how to change the fate of the world. Not for himself, but for us.
Understanding the need for Buddha name chanting, how do we proceed? We can gather in a Chanting Hall where dharma masters using musical instruments lead the group. As we would imagine, the effect from everyone chanting together harmoniously is the most productive. But if time or the lack of a good chanting hall make this difficult, then we can simply turn on the chanting machine in our own home and chant along with it.
When working, concentrate on working. When finished, immediately start chanting. As wandering thoughts arise; pay no attention to them. Upon giving rise to the first wandering thought, immediately replace the second thought with “Amituofo”. If wandering thoughts again rise, then again replace the thought with “Amituofo”. Do this continuously until every thought is of mindfulness of Buddha Amitabha.
One does not have to be a Buddhist to receive the benefits from chanting. At the Dallas Buddhist Association in the US, several neighbourhood children have come and asked for chanting machines. A psychologist who came to a seven-day retreat said that he played the chanting machine all day in his office because his clients said they felt calmer while listening to it.
When my mother was in the hospital for an operation for cancer we gave a chanting machine and beads to one of the nurses, a devout Christian, who had told us that she liked to hear the chanting when she came into the room. When my mother went back three months later for a follow up visit, the nurse who heard we were back, found me and said that she and her husband listened to the chanting every night because it was so calming.
We never know when someone will benefit from chanting. My sister who does not listen to it told me of an airplane trip she had recently taken. They had entered an area of strong turbulence and the plane was experiencing unusually violent movements. My sister, who has travelled a great deal, was being buffeted like everyone else. Suddenly she remembered “Amituofo, Amituofo, Amituofo”.
In addition to chanting, there are other teaching aids to help us in our mindfulness. When we first enter the Cultivation Hall to join in the group chanting, we will see images of one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas. In a Pure Land way place, they will be Buddha Amitabha, Great Compassion Bodhisattva and Great Strength Bodhisattva. Buddha Amitabha symbolizes our original self-nature. Great Compassion Bodhisattva symbolizes compassion. Great Strength Bodhisattva symbolizes wisdom. Compassion and wisdom are the two virtues for us to cultivate to uncover our original self-nature, reminding us to be compassionate towards others, to be rational and not emotional, to be awakened.
One the Buddha table, we will see several objects. Again, they are teaching aids not objects of worship. For Buddhism is not a religion but an education. A cup of water symbolizes the teachings. The clear water symbolizes the principle that our mind needs to be as pure as the water, to be void of greed, anger and ignorance. It is calm without a single ripple indicating that we interact with people and matters with the serene and non-discriminating mind of equality. Furthermore, it is pure and calm, reflecting clearly and thoroughly just as we would see everything around us in a mirror.
Flowers symbolize the cause as the blossom result in the bearing of fruit, which is also seen frequently on the Buddha Table. The fruit serves to remind us that there are consequences from our every thought, word and action.
Lamps, which have replaced candles symbolize wisdom and brightness illuminating the darkness of our ignorance. Incense symbolizes self-discipline and deep concentration as well as the giving of ourselves to benefit others. Chanting enables us to suppress our afflictions and to neutralize the negative vibrations from our thoughts.
Generally early in our practice, we begin to generate the vows to accomplish our goals. Every Buddha, every Bodhisattva when they start to cultivate, generates great vows. No matter what vows they make, they cannot surpass the Four Great Vows of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Sentient beings are innumerable, I vow to help them all, Afflictions are inexhaustible, I vow to end them all, Ways to practice are boundless, I vow to master them all and Enlightenment is unsurpassable, I vow to attain it.
We start with the first vow, then proceed to the second, etc. In other words, before attaining unsurpassable Enlightenment, we need to master the ways of practice. Before we master the ways of practice, we need to end afflictions. And before beginning to end afflictions, we need to vow to help all sentient beings. These vows are profound and vast. Bodhisattvas have already fulfilled these Four Vows. While, we may have generated the four great vows but we probably have not yet fulfilled any of them.
Our viewpoints, our thoughts have to accord with the great vows. The second way to end all afflictions accords with the original vow of all Buddhas. If we have not cut off our afflictions then how can we help all sentient beings? Only when we succeed in cutting off our afflictions, can we transcend the ten realms.
Only after we have cut off our afflictions, can we learn different methods. To be virtuous is not enough; we also need to have knowledge, intelligence and wisdom because we will have to help all kinds of different species, different sentient beings. If we want to gain perfect wisdom and undefeated eloquence, we will need to be well versed in countless methods.
If we cannot reach the highest level to become a Buddha, we cannot help all sentient beings. We can only help those, whose level is lower than ours. Only when we reach the state of the Buddha, the state of perfect complete enlightenment, will we possess the ability to help all sentient beings.
So, the first vow is our original vow while the following three help us achieve the first. To generate the vows but not cultivate to meet them will be futile. Cultivation and vows compliment each other. As long as we work diligently, never regress and generate the vow to reach the state of the Buddha, we will attain the dharma joy.
In our past lives, too innumerable to count, we have indulged our bad habits. Today Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have taught us how to cut off these bad habits. But this is so difficult for us to do. Most of us think it is difficult to break the habits of a lifetime. But, actually we need to break the habits of infinite lifetimes. Remember that this is a process. Once we break through our bad habits, our cultivation will become easier and smoother; then we can fulfil our vows. Then we can go to the Western Pure Land and from there, we can help all sentient beings.
Recently some people came to Master Chin King and questioned how they could be confident that they would go to the Pure Land. He asked them if they were sure they could go in this lifetime. They honestly shook their heads and said no. Master Chin Kung could not say either, because there are two requirements to do so. The first is to have unwavering belief and vows. The second is to let go of all desires, good or bad. We cannot go to the Pure Land if we have not met these requirements. If we have net yet let go.
We cannot let go because we are still clinging to something. Find it. We must find it! If we cannot, then even if we are born into the highest level of heaven, where we will live through eighty thousand cycles of creation, existence, and complete annihilation of the world, we will still be mired, still be lost in the cycle of birth and death. What can we do? Find out what we are clinging to and LET GO! Let go of all attachments. Let go of all feelings of gain and loss. Let go of discriminating and wandering thoughts. Let go of the thought of how others treat us. Let go of the thought of those that owe us, of those we owe.
Only with purity of mind can we let go and only then can we definitely go the Pure Land. If we cannot do this, then we are truly lost of our vows, our beliefs are not sincere enough. No matter how many times we chant “Amituofo”, we will be unable to go to the Pure Land. For we are still clinging to one of the five desires of wealth, lust, fame, food or drink and sleep. Still discriminating between what we perceive as right or wrong. Greed for these will lead us into the downward spiral of the three bad realms. If we still have these then even if Buddha Amitabha came with all the Bodhisattvas to pull us to the Western Pure Land, we could not go.
