Sukhavati

[Guest]

I've just started reading Sifus "Sukhavati Western Paradise" for the second time. I wanted to take this oppourtunity to strongly recommend this book to everyone. I couldn't believe what I was reading, yet Sifu explains everything so clearly and effortlessly that by the end I flipped back to the beginning to start again. I have taken great strength in the knowledge that by having faith that there is a Western Paradise, by making a vow to be reborn there and practicing the Buddha's teaching (Avoid all evil, Do good, Purify the mind) I can be reborn in Sukhavati. Where I can continue my practice in an environment that is totally conducive to obtaining the ultimate (so no noisey neighbours to worry about). I could go on and on about how wonderful, uplifting and motivating this book is, but I wouldn't be able to do it justice. Get yourself a copy and reap the benefits.
Marcus =)
Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha.

[Guest]

Namo Amitabha Buddha,

May you achieve Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi in this very life.

Kind Dragon

[Guest]

Amituofo !

Glad you enjoyed the book Marcus !

I was sure you would, it is amazing is'nt it ?

Really wonderfull.

From Dan with Chi

Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa

[Guest]

Hi,

How do you Pronounce Namo Amitabha? How do you know if your saying it correctly?

I will be ordering the book soon, sounds interesting.

Take care,

Jordan

[Guest]

Jordan,

The following link might be of help.

www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs...music.html

It has numerous wavs and mp3s of chanting etc. Hope this helps.

Many Regards,
Chris.

[Guest]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the link, I will check it out later

Cheers,
Jordan

[Joel]

Learning about Sukhavati

Dear all,

I’d like to revive this thread instead of creating a new one.

I remember reading through the preview pages of Sifu’s book Sukhavati on the Amazon webpage. My curiosity turned into excitement as I saw snippets of what the book contained. I had to order this book! I had no idea what was about to unfold!!

That was back in June of 2007, several months on from then and many extraordinary experiences later, to call this simply a book is a great injustice.

I feel it is no coincidence that a month after reading this book I had two other great bits of fortune in my life. Firstly on 07/07/07, a fittingly memorable date was my first meeting with Sifu and other students at the UK summer camp. This wasn’t planned I had long dreamed of training with Sifu sometime in the future, but I only realised it was possible so soon, shortly before attending.

Several days later I obtained a first class honours in my engineering degree. On a day to day basis I continue to witness the positive benefits of applying the practises I learned from this book.

In short this book contains teachings that are incredibly powerful and can transform an individual’s life experience. If you have even a small interest, take a chance and read it.

[Joel]

Vow to See Amitabha and Sukhavati

I’d like to share with you something beautiful.

On page 133 of Sukhavati – Western Paradise (SWP) Sifu Wong describes a method by the Venerable Shan Dao to perceive Amitabha Buddha and Sukhavati. For anyone not familiar with it, it is a way in which a novice such as myself can potentially see Amitabha Buddha and Sukhavati, the Western Paradise in their meditation or dreams.

Several weeks ago after my evening qigong practice and sutra recitation, I followed the method suggested. I then immediately laid down in bed and fell asleep. The next morning I awoke and was a little disappointed that nothing unusual had occurred.

The following day I went to bed following my usual practice of qigong and sutra recitation. When I awoke I could recall a very interesting dream. I was at a particular house and heard a knock on the door. When I answered the door it was two charity workers. They were both women. However I remember in my dream thinking that these were highly spiritual people from their unique appearance and unusual dress. They wanted to show me something.

The unusual thing in this dream was that there was no talking what they said or described I could see. My dreamscape changed to a very natural landscape which I could sense was highly sacred, I understood that no ordinary person could go there unless they joined with this group of people. The land was covered in what I believed to be Buddhist statues that had very organic forms. I have since seen a documentary about a cave in Nepal where sacred forms naturally appear from the rocks that appear like Buddhas I don’t know much about them but this is very similar to what I saw. I was flying slowly across this place and could absorb its energy, this was truly a place that I wanted to see again.

At this point the two women departed and a man arrived he was from the same organisation and although I was still standing at the door I could see the two women had joined with several others and had congregated towards the back of the house. I realised that this man was important. He said I could join the group but I needed to make a contribution. I agreed and then he produce a clear bag that had some items inside it that I can’t describe, he began to perform a ceremony/ ritual that I assumed to be some form of cleansing/induction. When he concluded he stated a name. (I will keep this secret for now) I have since discovered this name has great symbolic significance to me.

Now being of humble mind I sat puzzling this dream for a few hours and wondering what it meant. I researched the name, I visualised the sacred land I had been shown. I thought about the two women, the group of people and the important man. It didn’t click!

A day later I was still trying to fathom the meaning and then I remembered about the method to see Sukhavati and Amitabha Buddha. I thought about the two women and associated them with the two Bodhisattvas Quan Yin and Da Shi Zhi, although bodhisattvas manifest in different forms, I have always thought of these two as female working alongside Amitabha Buddha, who I now realised must have been the man in my dream. What’s more the land they showed to me can only have been Sukhavati. It would explain why it was so sacred and no ordinary person could go there.

The more I thought about the dream the more everything seemed to fit. I just couldn’t believe it had taken me so long to realise it!!! The final thing that settled any doubt in my mind was when I was trying to make sense of the unique appearance of these “people” I had a clear picture of what they looked like but hadn’t seen it before. That was until I visited the Wahnam website and came across the picture below of Bodhisattva Quan Yin:

http://shaolin.org/answers/ans07b/nov07-2.html

My jaw nearly hit the floor, the clothes, the colours, physical characteristics they were identical. There was now no doubt whatsoever in my mind. I had been shown Sukhavati, spoken with Amitabha Buddha and Bodhisattva Quan Yin and Da Shi Zhi. I feel incredibly fortunate. Now when I recite the names of Amitabha Buddha and Quan Yin I have a connection to something real.

I find it incredible that even the more extraordinary aspects of Sifu’s teachings that I would have found very difficult to believe were possible are time after time shown to be completely honest with no play on words at all.

I am filled with gratitude and humbled.

Is there anyone here who has tried this method? Would you share your experiences?

Best wishes,

Joel

[Charles David]

Dear Joel,

Congratulations on your marvellous experience and thank you for sharing with us. I will reread the page that you mentioned.

With Respect,

Charles

[Ahsun]

ive read sukhavati twice and its a good book.
namo amitabha buddha

[Nicky]

Joe, nice experience! Thank you for sharing that. I believe that picture is of Shanti Deva though. You can see it on the cover of his 'The Way of the Bodhisattva' on the Shambhala Classics edition.

[Joel]

Hi Nicky

Thank you. Sorry to take so long to reply. I'm no expert but I've seen the same image referenced to Bodhisattva Guan Shi Yin in several different places.

Here is a link I borrowed from Grandmaster Wong's homepage:

http://www2.kenyon.edu/Depts/Religion/Fac/Adler/Reln260/bodhisat3.htm

Perhaps the book 'The Way of the Bodhisattva on the Shambhala Classics edition' uses the image as Guan Shi Yin is a very famous Bodhisattva!

Happy cultivation

Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa Namo Guan Shi Yin Pu Sa

[Nicky]

hello

Joel,

thank you for your reply. I don't suppose it matters 'who' it is anyway . It is just nice that you had some good experiences.

Your reply was a help to me though. I left Shaolin Wahnam last year and thought that I had closed my forum account until I was forwarded your message. I will be able to sort that out now!

Good luck with your future training,

Nicky