2021 Seven-Day Amitabha Dharma Service
As the birthday of Amitabha Buddha approaches, Hsi Lai Temple will conduct the annual
seven days “Amitabha Dharma Service” from December 19 ~ 26, 2021.
According to the
sutras, “Reciting the Buddha’s name gains limitless merits; making a full bow to the
Buddha eradicates endless unwholesome karma.” The merits of reciting the Buddha’s name
are truly auspicious because it helps people realize their intrinsic Buddha nature,
eradicate defilements and be reborn to the Western Pure Land. In the Amitabha Sutra, it
teaches that if one is able to be mindful of Amitabha Buddha or chant his name every
moment without interruption for one day up to seven days, one will be reborn in the
Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss at the end of one’s life.
In Chinese Buddhist monasteries, reciting the buddha’s name is seen as a form of
meditative concentration. Through verbal recitation, we are able to focus our minds on
Amitabha Buddha and his virtues, thus generating a state of concentration similar to
silent meditation. With each recitation of the buddha’s name, we also invoke our
inherently awakened nature. While we recite and resolve to be reborn in the Buddha’s
Pure Land, we also remind ourselves that this world we live in can also be a Pure Land.
In addition to practicing during the service, we must also live as a bodhisattva and
build a Pure Land here on earth.”
During the seven-day service/retreat, participants are encouraged to chant the Amitabha
Sutra, and to recite the Buddha's name at home as additional practice, in addition to
the services through the day. At the conclusion of the service, an “Amitabha Triple
Contemplation Service” will be conducted on December 26 at 1:30 pm, the
merits of which
will be transferred to the departed loved ones of participants for rebirth into the Pure
Land, and to wish world peace and good health of all humankind. All are welcome to
attend and share in the joy of the Dharma. All services will be conducted online due to
the pandemic.
According to the Larger Sutra on Amitayus, the
following are the forty-eight vows pledged when Amitabha Buddha was Dharmakara
Bodhisattva in the causal stage:
1. Vow for land of no unwholesome realm: There would be no suffering of the three
unwholesome realms in the Pure Land.
2. Vow for no rebirth in the lower realms: No humans or heavenly beings in the
Pure Land would fall into the three lower realms again after the end of their lives.
3. Vow for physical body in the color of genuine gold: The bodies of the humans
and heavenly beings in the Pure Land would be in the color of genuine gold.
4. Vow for no differences in physical form: Humans and heavenly beings in the
Pure Land would be equal in appearance and color, not varying in beauty.
5. Vow for awareness of past lives: Humans and heavenly beings in the Pure Land
would be aware of their past lives, knowing past causes and conditions.
6. Vow for divine eye with universal vision: Humans and heavenly beings in the
Pure Land would attain heavenly vision and be able to see immeasurable Buddha lands of
the ten directions without any obstacles.
7. Vow for divine ear with universal hearing: Humans and heavenly beings in the
Pure Land would attain heavenly hearing and be able to hear teachings from Buddhas of
the ten directions, receiving and upholding them with joy.
8. Vow for wisdom of mind reading: Humans and heavenly beings in the Pure Land
would attain the wisdom of mind reading and know the minds and thoughts of sentient
beings.
9. Vow for teleportation without hindrance: Humans and heavenly beings in the
Pure Land would attain the ability of teleportation and be able to travel to Buddha
lands of the ten directions within one thought.
10. Vow for no thought of self-attachment: Humans and heavenly beings in the
Pure Land would not give rise to perceptions, thoughts, or greed toward their
bodies.
11. Vow for abiding in the state of meditative concentration: Humans and
heavenly beings in the Pure Land would abide in meditative concentration toward
enlightenment, and in non-regression till attaining nirvana.
12. Vow for infinite light: Humans and heavenly beings in the Pure Land would
have infinite light, illuminating Buddha lands without any obstacles.
13. Vow for infinite life: Humans and heavenly beings in the Pure Land who
live during the Buddha’s infinite lifespan will be taught by the Buddha till
attaining enlightenment.
14. Vow for countless sravakas: There would be immeasurable and countless
sravakas in the Pure Land.
15. Vow for longevity of humans and heavenly beings: The lifespan of all
humans and heavenly beings in the Pure Land would be infinite, except for those who
shorten their lives at will because of their original vows.
16. Vow for no name of unwholesomeness: Humans and heavenly beings in the Pure
Land would not even hear the name of any unwholesomeness.
17. Vow for praise and proclaim the name by all Buddhas: Buddhas of the ten
directions would all praise and proclaim the name of Amitabha ceaselessly.
18. Vow for chanting the Buddha’s name for rebirth: Sentient beings of the ten
directions aspire to be reborn in the Pure Land with wholehearted faith and joy will
be reborn there, even with ten thoughts of the Buddha’s name.
19. Vow for coming to receive: Sentient beings of the ten directions who make
a vow wholeheartedly to be reborn in the Pure Land will see the Buddha and a
multitude of sages coming to receive them at the end of their lives.
20. Vow for contemplating the Buddha’s name to be reborn: On hearing the
Buddha’s name, sentient beings of the ten directions contemplate on the Pure Land
and wholeheartedly dedicate the virtue toward their aspiration to be reborn in the
Pure Land would have their wishes fulfilled.
21. Vow for thirty-two marks of excellence: Humans and heavenly beings in the
Pure Land would fully accomplish the thirty-two marks of excellence.
22. Vow for ultimately attaining Buddhahood with one rebirth: The multitudes
of bodhisattvas in the lands of other directions reborn in the Pure Land would
ultimately reach [the stage of] being only one rebirth away from Buddhahood. The
only exceptions are the bodhisattvas who have made the original vows to freely
transform themselves.
23. Vow for making offerings to all Buddhas: Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land
would honor all Buddhas with offerings through the spiritual power of the Buddha,
they could travel throughout the ten directions within the time of a meal.
24. Vow for making offerings as one wishes: Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land
would be able to honor all Buddhas as they wish with offerings of their choice.
25. Vow for expounding all wisdom of the Dharma: Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land
would acquire Buddha wisdom and expound the Dharma with all wisdom.
26. Vow for attaining the body of Narayana: Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land
would attain the diamond-like body of Narayana.
27. Vow for being adorned and pure: Humans, heavenly beings, and all myriad
things in the Pure Land would be adorned and pure with utterly exquisite and
wonderful qualities. Even those who have attained the heavenly eye could not clearly
distinguish the names and numbers of the wonders of the beings and things there.
28. Vow for seeing the bodhi tree: Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land, even those
with few measures of virtue would be able to know and see the bodhi tree with its
immeasurable light and color.
29. Vow for attaining eloquence and wisdom: Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land
would attain eloquence and wisdom after having received, read, recited, upheld, and
expounded sutra teachings.
30. Vow for inexhaustible wisdom and eloquence: Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land
would attain unlimited eloquence and wisdom.
31. Vow for land of purity: The Pure Land would be pure and clean as a mirror,
reflecting all Buddha worlds of the ten directions.
32. Vow for land of pure adornment: The myriad things in the Pure Land would
be made of immeasurable jewels and wondrous incense. On perceiving the fragrance of
the incense, all would cultivate the Buddha Way.
33. Vow for becoming soft and supple on being touched by the light: Touched by
the Buddha’s radiant light, sentient beings of the ten directions would become soft
and supple in body and mind.
34. Vow for hearing the name and attain patience: On hearing the name of the
Buddha, sentient beings of the ten directions would attain the bodhisattva’s
patience of non-arising of phenomenon and profound dharanis.
35. Women’s vow for rebirth: On hearing the name of the Buddha, women of the
ten directions would initiate the Bodhi mind and not be reborn as women again at the
end of their lives.
36. Vow for always cultivating pure practices: On hearing the name of the
Buddha, bodhisattvas of the ten directions would always cultivate the pure life of
celibacy until attaining Buddhahood after the end of their lives.
37. Vow for veneration by humans and heavenly beings: On hearing the name of
the Buddha, bodhisattvas of the ten directions would rejoice in faith and cultivate
bodhisattva practices, and are revered by all heavenly beings and humans.
38. Vow for obtaining clothing as wished: Humans and heavenly beings in the
Pure Land would obtain any clothing they wish as soon as they think of it.
39. Vow for enjoying happiness without affliction: Humans and heavenly beings
in the Pure Land would enjoy happiness as that of a bhiksu who has eradicated all
his outflows.
40. Vow for seeing lands reflected in trees: Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land
would see whenever they wish the immeasurably pure and adorned Buddha lands
reflected in the jeweled trees.
41. Vow for full faculties: On hearing the name of the Buddha, the multitudes
of bodhisattvas in the lands of other directions would be complete with full
faculties without any lack or imperfection.
42. Vow for abiding in samadhi and offering to the Buddhas: On hearing the
name of the Buddha, the multitudes of bodhisattvas in the lands of other directions
would attain the samadhi of pure liberation. Within a thought, they would honor
immeasurable Buddhas with offerings without losing their state of concentration.
43. Vow for rebirth in noble families: On hearing the name of the Buddha, the
multitudes of bodhisattvas in the lands of other directions would be reborn in noble
families after the end of their lives.
44. Vow for complete virtues: On hearing the name of the Buddha, the
multitudes of bodhisattvas in the lands of other directions would be joyful in
cultivating bodhisattva practices and be replete with all roots of virtue.
45. Vow for abiding in samadhi and seeing Buddhas: On hearing the name of the
Buddha, the multitudes of bodhisattvas in the lands of other directions would attain
the samadhi of universal equality and always see all Buddhas until they attain
Buddhahood.
46. Vow for hearing the Dharma at will: Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land would
hear the Dharma they wish for in accordance with their aspirations and vows.
47. Vow for hearing the name without regressing: On hearing the name of the
Buddha, the multitudes of bodhisattvas in the lands of other directions would not
regress till attaining Buddhahood.
48. Vow for attaining the three Dharma patience: On hearing the name of the
Buddha, the multitudes of bodhisattvas in the lands of other directions would attain
the three [states of] Dharma patience and not regress from all Dharma.