Tomorrow, Boxing day; Lunar month 11th, 17th day is the anniversary of Buddha Amitabha....
Who is Amitabha Buddha? The Tathagatha who is the Buddha of Limitless Light and Life. Amitabha resides in the west, His pure land is the Pureland of Sukhavati (Joyous Light). Amitabha is one of the 5 ancient Buddhas of the past, present and future. In Mahayana, Amitabha is usually seated on the right position. Sakyamuni, the original teacher sits on the centre, Bhaisajya Guru, Medicine Master Buddha is on the left of Sakyamuni, Amitabha on the right.
Amitabha, the Teacher, Host of the Western Pureland Sukhavati has two foremost disciples, Avalokiteshvara and Maha Stamaprapta. Arya Avalokiteshvara known to all as Guan Shi Yin Pusa, the eternal mother (and father) of compassion, helps Amitabha by guiding devotees to the Pureland. How does one create a connection with Amitabha? Very simple. Just recite His name.
Does reciting His name eradicates your karma? No. Karma is karma. When the causes and conditions are ripe, What ever positive and negative karmic seeds sown will ripen and take effect. The recitation of the Name creates new karmic seed, positive karmic seeds that will help a devotee to focus his or her mind onto Amitabha. By reciting His name, the devotee is actually doing a kind of meditation, this is because Amitabha's name is used as a main point to focus. Like meditation practices, the practitioner needs to use an object to focus his/ her mind so her that the devotee can gather his/ her thoughts on 1 object. This is the same with Buddha name recitation. Using the buddha's or bodhisattva's name as an object of concentration. How wonderful and inconcievable Buddha Sakyamuni's dharma is!
What I like about this Dharma door is that you dont' need to be adept in Buddhist doctrines like a scholar or an expert in the Dharma. Just practice reciting His name in your scheduled time, Observe the 5 precepts and make an effort to do well in the 10 virtuous deeds. With steady practice, the devotee will be able to 'see' Amitabha and obtain wonderful responses. This will then reinforce their faith in the Dharma. Cool isn't it.
His Dharani for uprooting karmic fetters can be recited so that your karmic fetters can be minimized. But that doesn't mean you don't have to undergo your karmic suffering. We all have to undergo them one time or the other. Here is the Dharani. I hope you will sincerely recite it and may this Dharma door help you to leap out of Samsara and you will see Amitabha Buddha and dwell in his Pure land.
Uprooting Karmic Fetters and obtaining rebirth in Pureland Dharani
NAMO RATNA TRAYAYA
NAMO RATNA TRAYAYA
NAMAH ARYAMITABHAYA TATHAGATAYA
ARHATE SAMYAK-SAMBUDDHAYA.
TADYATHA: OM AMRITE AMRITODBHAVE AMRITA SAMBHAVE
AMRITA GARBHE AMRITA SIDDHE AMRITA TEJE AMRITA VIKRANTE
AMRITA VIKRANTA GAMINI AMRITA GAGANA KRITIKARE
AMRITA DUMDUBHI SVARE SARVARTHA SADHANE
SARVA KARMA KLESHA KSHAYAM KARE SVAHA!
Shorter Version
Om Ami Dewa Hrih!
