The Pure Land Handbook

Description

The Pure Land Dharma Door is the most popular form of Buddhism in Asia, though it is largely unknown in the West. In this book, we introduce the Pure Land teachings to those who may not yet be familiar with this profound practice, hoping that more people will benefit from these methods. Furthermore, we will shed new light on the fundamentals of Pure Land, so even those who have grown up with and practiced Pure Land for years, can learn important points that are not commonly known. We present for you here a genuine, American, form of Pure Land Buddhism. What If? What if you could end all suffering and enjoy eternal bliss? What if you could attain a permanent state of perfect happiness, without the duality of its opposite – pain? What if you could break the cycle of reincarnation and continue your spiritual cultivation with a constant forward movement, never losing ground? What if you could cultivate in a world of peace, where everyone around you supports your efforts, and you support theirs? What if you could clear away the debris that prevents you from seeing your True Self, and that of all others? What if you could realize your True Nature, become a Buddha, and realize the vow to help all living beings attain the same? This is what the Buddhas promise us, if we cultivate our inner gardens and plant good strong seeds that take root and flourish. The quest for enlightenment is a long and arduous spiritual journey that can take many lifetimes. But there is a shorter and more pleasurable path… It is called the Pure Lands. Contents What If? Introduction I BUDDHISM 101 1. Shakyamuni Buddha: Our Original Teacher 2. Suffering, That Unalienable Right 3. The Three Poisons 4. Cause and Effect 5. Reincarnation 6. Lessen Desires, Know Contentment 7. Enlightenment: The Dharma Door of Emptiness 8. Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism 9. The Bodhisattva’s Path to Buddhahood II INTRODUCTION TO PURE LAND BUDDHISM 10. What is Pure Land Buddhism? 11. Benefits of the Pure Land Approach 12. Amitabha Buddha & His Forty Eight Vows 13. A Day of Life in the Pure Land III ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS OF PURE LAND BUDDHISM 14. The Best Dharma Door 15. Only Bliss 16. Only Ten Recitations 17. Too Good To Be True 18. Horizontal Escape 19. Baggage for the Pure Land 20. Insurance Policy 21. Irreversibility 22. Invest In Your Future 23. Faith: The First Requisite of Pure Land 24. Vows: The Second Requisite of Pure Land 25. Practice: The Third Requisite of Pure Land 26. Renaissance of Pure Land Buddhism IV PURE LANDS, HEAVENS, AND HELLS 27. Pure Land Buddhism and Other Religions 28. The Heavens vs. The Pure Lands 29. The Hells Await the Hateful V AT THE TIME OF DEATH 30. Self Help Versus Other’s Help 31. Forty-Nine Days To Go 32. Beyond The Trial VI CHAN & PURE LAND PARALLEL PRACTICE: A HOW-TO GUIDE 33. Reciting the Buddha’s Name 34. Other Methods of Pure Land Practice 35. The Currency of Blessings 36. On Filial Piety 37. Chan Meditation Techniques VII CLOSING THOUGHTS 38. “I’ll Be Back!” 39. A Path Toward Goodness VIII APPENDIX Questions and Answers Glossary Master YongHua’s Biography