Taming the Monkey Mind: A Guide to Pure Land Practice

Description

Preface I learned about Buddha Recitation at early age as my parents were following the Pure Land path long before I was born. However, throughout the years, I have never come across a book that explained the Buddha Recita- tion method as thoroughly as this one. In order to spare the cultivator questions over how to practice and achieve results, and where to turn when encountering obstacles, I have translated this small book. Hopefully, it will be of some help to those who tread the Pure Land path, so that, in accordance with their situation and affinities, they may practice and reap the desired results. I will not, in this book, touch upon the advantages or introduce the Pure Land path, as there are already a number of books on the subject. I will instead follow the lead of the author, and directly address the methods of practice. In order to clarify the methods presented by the author and increase the understanding of fellow-practitioners to a certain extent, I have added some words of explan-ation after each method (according to my own under-standing). However, despite all my efforts, numerous lapses and errors are bound to remain. I sincerely hope that spiritual advisors and Dharma friends from the four quarters will fill in the lacunae, for which I would be very grateful. The cultivator is not expected to follow all the met hods presented in this volume, but rather to pick and choose according to his situation, level and circumstances. If a given method does not bring results quickly or is not suitable, the reader can switch to another. The goal should always be to achieve one-pointedness of mind, or in other words, the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi. Good results will come to those who know how to practice at the right level. I sincerely hope that the compassionate light of Amitabha Buddha will illuminate our Self-Nature Amitabha, and that when the conditions of our earthly existence come to an end, we w ill be reborn, according to the power of Amitabha’s vows, in the Land of Peace and Bliss. Homage to Amitabha Buddha. Suddhisukha Temple of Zen Summer Retreat, 1963