The vow to be reborn
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I understand that making vows to be reborn in pureland is very important, but I do not know if making a vow for pureland is the same as having and expressing the desire to be reborn.
If possible, I would like to know how vows are taken. Because currently, my vows consist of wishing that amitabha buddha will welcome and escort me to pureland.
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Omg, I forget abt making vows. I only recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. Thanks for reminding me.
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Hope Novice, Dawn1stlight or sinweiy can shed some light on this. I'm not to sure about this actually.
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yes... vow æ„¿ (aspirations) to reborn in Pure Land is important. To be exact, not just aspirations, faith, practice are equally important. Don't miss out these 3 provisions.
But I don't quite get what u mean by expressing desire to reborn... I assume u meant expressing reborn is to return to Samsara and enlighten sentient beings...
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Originally posted by 2009novice:
yes... vow æ„¿ (aspirations) to reborn in Pure Land is important. To be exact, not just aspirations, faith, practice are equally important. Don't miss out these 3 provisions.
But I don't quite get what u mean by expressing desire to reborn... I assume u meant expressing reborn is to return to Samsara and enlighten sentient beings...
I think he's referring to the wish to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss (Pureland).
Probably, he's asking if he needs to take any formal vows with regards to the desire to be reborn in Pureland.
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I don't understand how do we know we attain single minded chanting of the mind. Single minded chanting is another important aspect of Pureland buddhism.
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Originally posted by Domo Kun:
I don’t understand how do we know we attain single minded chanting of the mind.
Single minded chanting is another important aspect of Pureland buddhism.
Domo Kun, this is quite far off-topic. If you don't want to start a new thread, try to park this question in a more relevant thread. Maybe the one "Questions on reciting Sutras"?
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Originally posted by realization:
Domo Kun, this is quite far off-topic. If you don't want to start a new thread, try to park this question in a more relevant thread. Maybe the one "Questions on reciting Sutras"?
Thanks realization. -
Originally posted by Beautiful951:
I understand that making vows to be reborn in pureland is very important, but I do not know if making a vow for pureland is the same as having and expressing the desire to be reborn.
If possible, I would like to know how vows are taken. Because currently, my vows consist of wishing that amitabha buddha will welcome and escort me to pureland.
if i understand u correctly, the making vow to "reborn" in pureland is different from expressing the desire to be reborn (over and over again) in samsara. samsara is suffering. pureland is non-suffering.
your vows/aspiration/wishing that Amitabha Buddha will welcome and escort u to pureland is good. deeply believe that He will!
i also like to know how is ur vow made? upon what reason/event? any strong reason? it's same as making a promise to do something. it need to be implanted into the alaya/mind. u see how the Queen in Contemplation Sutra made his vow to reborn in PL. we need to be something like that. no need some formal procedure. vow from the heart is even more powerful. if samsara make u cry, and/or sentient beings suffering also make u cry, then one's vow is good.
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Originally posted by sinweiy:
if i understand u correctly, the making vow to "reborn" in pureland is different from expressing the desire to be reborn (over and over again) in samsara. samsara is suffering. pureland is non-suffering.
your vows/aspiration/wishing that Amitabha Buddha will welcome and escort u to pureland is good. deeply believe that He will!
i also like to know how is ur vow made? upon what reason/event? any strong reason? it's same as making a promise to do something. it need to be implanted into the alaya/mind. u see how the Queen in Contemplation Sutra made his vow to reborn in PL. we need to be something like that. no need some formal procedure. vow from the heart is even more powerful. if samsara make u cry, and/or sentient beings suffering also make u cry, then one's vow is good.
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Actually I vowed to be reborn in pureland, but my vow is after I recite the buddha's name, I will say "I wish amitabha buddha will welcome and escort me to the pureland so I have attain buddhahood and save sentient beings.
I had a strong reason in the past, although I don't feel it so strongly now. I once saw my parents worrying so much over me I told myself that I wished to be reborn in pureland so that they may be reborn in the heavenly realms and from there I hoped to help them to be reborn in pureland too. Do you think it is too shallow?
I do have times when I see people's unhappiness and wish that they can have no suffering but I don't think that it is very strong.
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yes, it's implanted into the alaya/mind. :)
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Hi Beautiful951,
I did some digging around and found that there are indeed verses one can recite when making the vow to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Apparently, one should make the vow after every Buddha recitation session, besides also reciting verses of repentance and dedicating merits.
Please click on the following images in the order they have been pasted. (Sorry about the poor quality. I used my camera; hence the shadows.)
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I've just seen this post. Yeah, it is important to vow that you wish to be reborn in Amituofo's Pureland after recitation of Amituofo, Guan Shi Yin Pusa or chanting sutra.
Venerables said that if we did not vow to be reborn in Pureland, our chances of being reborn in Amituofo's Pureland will be slim. To be reborn in Amituofo's Pureland, our vow or will of being reborn in Amituofo's Pureland must be stronger than our karma （愿力(vow or will)强过业力(karma)).
There is a "standard vow" which is being chanted in most of the temples after each chanting event and I used to chant these verses after recitation of Buddha's name and chanting sutra. I roughly translate them to English.
愿生西方净土ä¸( I wish to be reborn in Amituofo's Pureland)
��莲花为父� (Lotus be my parents)
花开è§�ä½›æ‚Ÿæ— ç”Ÿ (Flowers open and I realise there's no more rebirth)
�退��为伴侣 (Bodhisattvas are always my partners)
I'll try to look for the English version. If you are not free to chant all the verses, you can just chant the 1st verse "愿生西方净土ä¸".
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Originally posted by Dawnfirstlight:
I've just seen this post. Yeah, it is important to vow that you wish to be reborn in Amituofo's Pureland after recitation of Amituofo, Guan Shi Yin Pusa or chanting sutra.
Venerables said that if we did not vow to be reborn in Pureland, our chances of being reborn in Amituofo's Pureland will be slim. To be reborn in Amituofo's Pureland, our vow or will of being reborn in Amituofo's Pureland must be stronger than our karma （愿力(vow or will)强过业力(karma)).
There is a "standard vow" which is being chanted in most of the temples after each chanting event and I used to chant these verses after recitation of Buddha's name and chanting sutra. I roughly translate them to English.
愿生西方净土ä¸( I wish to be reborn in Amituofo's Pureland)
��莲花为父� (Lotus be my parents)
花开è§�ä½›æ‚Ÿæ— ç”Ÿ (Flowers open and I realise there's no more rebirth)
�退��为伴侣 (Bodhisattvas are always my partners)
I'll try to look for the English version. If you are not free to chant all the verses, you can just chant the 1st verse "愿生西方净土ä¸".
What about this one? It is written on a book, titled "verse of transference".
愿以æ¤åŠŸå¾·ï¼Œåº„严佛净土 (may the merit and virtue accrued from this work adorn the buddhas pure lands)
上报四��，下济三途苦(repaying four kinds of kindness above and aiding those suffering on the paths below)
若有�闻者，悉���心(may those who see and hear of this all bring forth the resolve for bodhi)
å°½æ¤ä¸€æŠ¥èº«ï¼Œå�Œç”Ÿæž�ä¹�国 (and when this retribution body is over be reborn together in ultimate bliss)I I
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The above chinese text, I copied from a website because I forgot how to type out those words.
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Originally posted by Beautiful951:
What about this one? It is written on a book, titled "verse of transference".
愿以æ¤åŠŸå¾·ï¼Œåº„严佛净土 (may the merit and virtue accrued from this work adorn the buddhas pure lands)
上报四��，下济三途苦(repaying four kinds of kindness above and aiding those suffering on the paths below)
若有�闻者，悉���心(may those who see and hear of this all bring forth the resolve for bodhi)
å°½æ¤ä¸€æŠ¥èº«ï¼Œå�Œç”Ÿæž�ä¹�国 (and when this retribution body is over be reborn together in ultimate bliss)I I
The verses you mentioned are for dedicating merits after chanting or recitation of Buddha's names. Dedicating merits (回�）and vow （�愿）are different.
There are many types of verses for dedicating merits. Following is another common dedicating merits verses.
愿以æ¤åŠŸå¾·å›žå�‘ç»™å��方法界一切有情众生，
弟å�（å��å—）累生累世的怨亲债主，
弟å�（å��å—）生生世世的父æ¯�，
以�you can specify anyone in particular that in need of merits.
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After reciting the buddha's name, can we transfer merits and make the vows at the same time?
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Originally posted by Beautiful951:
After reciting the buddha's name, can we transfer merits and make the vows at the same time?
Yes, you're supposed to.
Transferring of merits is usually the last step.
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Can I ask something?
If you vow to reborn to pureland (that is no suffering anymore), will you still remember your family members? Can you help to bring them together with you to pureland?
I am sorry if I am too attached to my family members.
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Originally posted by likeyou:
Can I ask something?
If you vow to reborn to pureland (that is no suffering anymore), will you still remember your family members? Can you help to bring them together with you to pureland?
I am sorry if I am too attached to my family members.
What I understand is yes. You will still remember your family members and you will also be grateful to those who had helped you to know about Pureland. However, you can't bring them with you as they must be willing to go with you, they must also practice and have faith in Pureland. When they are still with you now, let them have the same faith in Pureland as you. Encourage them to vow and practice.
What I understand is if you are in Pureland and unfortunately your family members and your benefactors are being reborn, you can help them by dedicating merits to them. By doing so, they will have affinities with Amituofo and find their way to Pure Land by themselves.
I always dedicate merits to my loved ones who had passed away. They did not know about Amituofo when they were alive. By doing so, they will also have affinities with Amituofo and find their way to Pureland by themselves. The power of dedicating merits is very strong.
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Oh....then wouldnt I will be heartbroken again at pureland if I know my family members?
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Originally posted by likeyou:
Oh....then wouldnt I will be heartbroken again at pureland if I know my family members?
If you understand the Dharma, you will not be heartbroken because you will realise that you have countless of family members. Not only in this life, you have countless of past lives. When you see the truth, you will only try your best to help. You will not be heart broken but you will have the same compassion for them and other sentiment beings as Bodhisattvas. -
Originally posted by Dawnfirstlight:
If you understand the Dharma, you will not be heartbroken because you will realise that you have countless of family members. Not only in this life, you have countless of past lives. When you see the truth, you will only try your best to help but not heart broken.
Thanks again.I dont know why when reach certain age, my thinking change, I rather dont born to this world as it bring sufferring and pains than happiness. In the pureland, you wont have this at all. But in pureland, will I hv feeling? Just like what I have now?
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Originally posted by likeyou:
Thanks again.I dont know why when reach certain age, my thinking change, I rather dont born to this world as it bring sufferring and pains than happiness. In the pureland, you wont have this at all. But in pureland, will I hv feeling? Just like what I have now?
Yes, you will still have feelings but not the same feelings as now but feelings just like Buddha. It is because in Pureland, Amituofo and Bodhisattvas will preach Dharma to you. By seeing the truth, you will have the same deep inner calm like Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. In fact, you don't need to go to Pureland to have that inner peace.There are many Buddhists who have already realised the truth and understand the Dharma. Though they have feelings but they have inner peace and calm like Buddha.
Before I know the Dharma, I was also a very attached and revengeful person. After understanding Buddha's teachings, I can feel the inner peace and happiness which I did not have in the past.
You can read my other post "Heavenly Rebirth Is Not The Ultimate Aim."
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Dawnfirstlight and likeyou... thanks for this discussion :) I learnt much from it this morning.
Amituofo /\