Virtual Sukhavati Study Group thread

[Marcus]

Andrew R:

It's funny how a person, such as myself, can go from being atheist to praying all the time, and no one had to even nudge me!

This is such a great comment and one I certainly relate to. I couldn't have worded it better myself

Marcus
Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha

[Andrew R]

Stop Thinking!

In Buddhism, the term philosophy never means "speculative intellectualization;" it always means "love and search for truth."

Buddhist masters have always insisted that the intellect, while highly regarded in Buddhism too, is subordinate to direct experience.

I think this is an excellent quote from p. 40. I don't think we come to this world to think, we could do that anywhere. It's just like the example Taoists give about experiencing the Tao: no matter how eloquently and detailed you describe how a cup of tea tastes to someone, they'll never really know until they taste it. The intellect will never achieve the same as experiencing the tea. The story of Suddhipanthaka on p. 52 is another clear example of this.

I find it fascinating that there seems to be a parallel between performing Chi Kung patterns and acquiring spiritual wisdom through spiritual teachings such as the Buddhist sutras.

Totally. It's crazy how great wisdom can just seep into you while you're flowing in energy.

All the best,
Andrew

[George]

I managed to join in on the recitation this week, all the way from sunny Egypt.

I remember reading the Sukhavati book for the first time and the feeling of sheer joy that went along with that. I really did not feel the need for any intellectual analysis, everything just felt so natural. I love that feeling.

I am very much looking forward to my next (and final) incarnation.

Namo Amitabha Buddha
Namo Amitabha Buddha
Namo Amitabha Buddha

[AColarusso]

I will like to express my expirience due to the fact that for me it has been very dificult to read and follow the Sukhavati study group. I consider myself very discipline but with this study group it has not been as easy as I thought it will be. Has anyone experience the same feeling?.

I have managed to enter into a meditative state while standing after doing my daily practice of Chi Kung and what an increidible feeling, its just amazing.

I will also like to thank Siheng Marcus for having set up this study group and for all his teachings.

I will do my best effort to star practicing the sitting one leg lotus meditation and to do buddha recitation.

Any help I can get is much preciated !!!

[Andrea]

Dear all

Thank you Markus Sipak for initiating this group and all of you for participating in the recititation and here in the thread.

I have joined the recitation last Sunday and am looking forward to joining in again tonight. Last week was a very beautiful experience. I lost time and when I checked the clock 30 Minutes were gone.

I am also trying to read along and was hoping to participate more in this thread, but as Antonio Sidai I find it harder then expected. There is tremendous knowledge about buddhism in this book and much instruction for practicing pure-land buddhism. But somehow atm even in terms of spirituality I feel attracted to "less rather than more". So maybe the timing isn't right. But even if I may not participe much in the thread I will be there for the recitation.

Wishing everybody a blessed recitation tonight.

Andrea

[Marcus]

FANTASTIC!

I wondered if this would happen and was prepared for it.

Antonio (congratulations on your promotion) and Andrea you are not alone. This has occurred before. Many readers of Sukhavati have found it much harder going than they would have expected.

It is not because you are lacking in intelligence or interest. And it is not because the book is poorly written or the concepts too "far out". Sifu exemplifies the words structured and systematic in all his teachings. From sparring to Sukhavati and everything in between.

So what's the problem then?

The problem is metaphysical. As you will know from your reading of Sukhavati, the Sukhavati sutra it is frequently used to aid lost souls and to guide spirits for freedom from their suffering. Even though you cannot (normally) see these spirits and lost souls the reciting of the sutra or anything related to Sukahvati can sometimes attract their attention.

You'll be pleased to know that these lost souls and spirits are grateful to hear the Sukhavati sutra or anything to do with Sukhavati because it is of great benefit to them. But occasionally some of these spirits and lost souls may not want you to share such spiritual teachings with other spirits or lost souls. They may even be jealous of you cultivating blessings (remember the giving of spiritual teaching is the highest form of charity). They will therefore try various ways to interrupt your reading.

I'd like to share a quote from Sifu relating to this subject:

"An effective way to overcome this problem is a follows. Before you start reading Sukhavati, sing praises to Amitabha Buddha ("Namo Amitabha Buddha") three or more times. then give a blessing to all beings around, especially lost souls and spirits, adding that you hope your reading of Sukhavati may also benefit them, and that benefits when shared are multiplied, not diminished. After your reading transfer the blessings so acquired to the beings around, especially the lost souls and spirits."

Personally, I've never had any trouble, but for those of you that are - you now have the solution Thank you Sifu.

See you all at 8pm London time.

Kindest regards

Marcus
Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha

[Marcus]

Well, that was different!

Usually when I complete my Buddha recitation (BR)I end with:

"Please transfer any merit from my Buddha recitation towards my re-birth in Sukhavati. Amitabha Buddhas Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss. There I vow to attain Buddhahood."

I did this because at the end of my morning practice I state:

"Please transfer any merit from my practice to all sentient beings in all the dharma realms in all the 10 directions"

However after my last post about how to benefit lost souls and spirits that may be disrupting your reading of Sukhavati, I decided to transfer my BR merit to lost souls and spirits.

The instant effect was so profound that I completely lost my meditative state of mind and got caught up in mind games (you know the ones: did that just happen? Can I make it happen again?) and decided to call it a day instead of spending a few minutes entering Zen.

The effect was to feel a cool, tingling breeze blowing inside my head. It felt incredible

Right, back to the phenomenal realm

Kindest regards
Marcus

Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha

P.s this week we focus on Chapter 7 - Description of Western Paradise and Chapter 8 - Winning Rebirth in the Western Paradise. Pages 59 - 76.

[veenie]

Hello Wahnam Family,

I have been away for a couple of weeks but would like to take the opportunity to share an experience which happened on my travel back from Birmingham to London in regards to the posts on ‘The protective power of Mantras’.

My journey on the coach in loved listening to Dalai Lama’s commentary on the Heart Sutra and watching the clouds go by. My heart was full of joy as I entered the busy streets of London.

On my last stretch of the journey I caught a bus packed with people and snuggled into the corner of a seat with my large heavy suitcase. A stop later and the doors flung open to receive loud hyper mothers with babies in buggies of two. The space around me was full of people and I made way so they could park their prams. They were not happy that I had not moved out of the way within the first few seconds and thus were in fury and began to push me and tried to knock me out of the way. I remained calm yet for the next fifteen minutes of the journey they were being verbally abusive and racist and despite the fact I knew of this my heart was still full of joy. I recited Namo Quan Shi Yin over and over and their words of spitefulness had lost its relevance. A woman stood up telling these loud mothers that they had made their point and to stop the abusive language unfortunately this escalated and the two mothers attacked the poor woman, pulling at her hair. I was not in a situation to be able to stop the fight however the rest of the people on the bus who were once quiet helped the woman and she broke free. My heart went out to her and I could only send my prayers.

I felt as though I was being protected and in a way I believe the woman who stood up was being protected since the words that had escaped the mothers were “If I didn’t have the children with me I would have beaten and killed her!” In the past if a situation such as this occurred I would have been filled with fear mixed with anger but instead I left with compassion and the situation did not escalate further.

The link below is a post I made after my trip to Malaysia which also depicts the power of mantras in times of need:
http://www.wongkiewkit.com/forum/sho...?t=7192&page=2


Siheng Marcus, your experience that you have shared sounds wonderful and I am now off to read the next few chapters of Sukhavati.


Have a wonderful day Wahnam family
and thank you to all the Buddha's and Bodhisattva's

[Andrea]

Dear Markus Sipak

Thank you for your reply and time. I realize that my post was not very clear. Please accept my apologies. It is not that I find the book difficult to read, Sigung's writting is very systematic and clear indeed, or that I find the Buddha or sutra recitations difficult. What I ment to say with the "less rather than more" is that I realized after my return from Malaysia, that it is not the right time for me to focus on the extensive materials in the Sukhavati book to a level that would enable me to participate in this thread. Instead it is time for me to reduce activities, focus on tasks at hand and practice what I have learnt so far.

As I had signed up for the group I felt obliged to explain why I did not participate more actively in this thread. But my message was not very clear. Again please accept my apologies. While I might not participate in the thread, I will greatly enjoy to join the Budhha recitation on Sunday evening.

Andrea

[Charles David]

Dear Veenie,

Thank you for that inspiring story. I also receive great benefit from chanting hommage to Guan Shi Yin and am glad to hear of others who do too.

I especially liked this typo? I found in your post:

My journey on the coach in loved listening to Dalai Lama’s commentary on the Heart Sutra

Very nice, very nice.


With Shaolin Salutation,


Charles

[Charles David]

Regarding the "difficulty" of reading Sukhavati, I really don't concern myself if I don't understand certain parts; this is only natural considering that the scope of the book. Complete perfect understanding will come, have no worry.

For now, I follow the marvellous advice given by the Buddha and enjoy the benefits.

Thank you again, Marcus Siheng, for allowing us this opportunity to share and learn.

Still,


Charles

[veenie]

Dear Charles,

Thank you for your message and thank you for pointing the typo which I did not notice until I re-read my post, how strange maybe it was my true inner feelings when thinking of Avolokitesvara Bodhisattva.

Kind Regards,

Parveen

[Andrew R]

Hello Hello,

While I haven't been getting into the Buddha recitation for myself, starting this past Sunday my heart has moved me to recite the Amitabha sutra for the benefit of all the lost souls around me, and it's been quite enjoyable. Like Sifu Marcus described, at the end when I transfer my blessings, I get this cool rush of energy up my back and through my head, similar to something I've felt many times during chi kung.

Last night when I was reciting the Amitabha sutra, I got the feeling something wasn't so happy about it and was trying to distract me away from it, again like Sifu Marcus said could happen. I was standing in front of my little shrine and something started making noise to my left at my desk. At first I was a little surprised, but my reaction was, "Too bad, I'm finishing this sutra " It's been really effective for enhancing my smile from the heart, and very enjoyable.

While I've been re-reading Sukhavati I've been surprised at how much I missed the first time through. It's like I read whole chapters but didn't actually process the information. I'll wait to talk about it more until we reach the chapter, but Sigung's description of how karma works is so clear, concise and comprehensible, and yet I don't even remember reading it at all. I guess this is due to what Andrea was talking about: there's just so much knowledge and wisdom packed into the book that we need time to really digest all of it.

Alas! The time has come for me to quiet the mind and transfer some blessings.

Happily,
Andrew

[Marcus]

Apologies for being absent from the VSSG this week. Getting the Video newsletter out took everything I had and family commitments took whatever time was left

I'll catch you all at 20:00 London time for some much needed "quality time".

Kindest regards and thank you for all the wonderful posts so far.

Marcus
Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha Namo Amitabha Buddha

[AColarusso]

Passwords

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Today a question has arise and I will like to find more information on this topic. What is your understanding on the information found on page 21. Sorry in advance to have you come back to this page.

It hit me when I was re reading this paragraph again that Sigung mentions that when you chant a mantra for the Guan Yin it allows you to obtain help. To help others, you promise that whoever in need of help will receive it if he communicates a password to you.

Has anyone been present for a long period of time to be able to read this passwords, can you comment on your experience?.

Thank you and I will be align with you at 2:30 p.m. Venezuelan time.

From the North of the South...