Spring Mind Meditation - The Ten Dharma Realms that are not separate from a single thought in the mind
In the serene space of the ashram, amidst the solemnity of the New Year, on the morning of January 22nd, 2023 (the 1st day of the lunar new year of the Cat), Venerable Le Phuoc Vu - Dharma name Tuong Van (the founder and builder of Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen) sent his New Year wishes to the entire ashram. May the Three Jewels guide and protect all Buddhists, fellow practitioners, and family members, with pure hearts and peaceful households, and may their compassionate deeds be fulfilled. May the Three Jewels guide and protect you in the direction of the ancient bamboo grove and the great community to study and practice the Buddha's teachings, and to practice the Pure Land of mindfulness of the Buddha, in order to increasingly refine and realize wisdom and enlightenment. This is not just a precious blessing, but also the aspiration and wish of every Buddhist on their spiritual journey.
Before and after each period of Buddhist mindfulness practice, the whole ashram listened to the teachings and books of Tuong Van. For Buddhists, the Lunar New Year is a milestone for nourishing their spiritual path, connecting with their spiritual life through the Dharma. It is also an opportunity for self-reflection, to look back at oneself and one's mind on the path of practice, to make necessary adjustments and resolutions, and to become more refined in the coming year.
How can we maintain inner peace in every moment, throughout the year? This is the most precious spring season, the season of inner peace. The reason we cannot attain an eternal spring season is that we only perceive spring through our thoughts of birth and death. By illuminating this world with wisdom and purity of mind, we will see that this life is a realm of peace and contentment, and that this world belongs to the Buddhas, not to the ignorant masses who are trapped in delusion.
"The ten realms are not separate from a single thought; the power of realizing this thought immediately leads to enlightenment, freeing us from ignorance. When ignorance is eliminated, the Dharma body immediately appears". This quote means that the ten realms of existence are not separate from our mind, and that enlightenment can be attained in an instant through the realization of this truth, freeing us from ignorance.
In practicing the Pure Land Dharma at Dai Tung Lam Hoa Sen, one must cultivate an equanimous and enlightened mind, and recite the Buddha's name while walking, standing, lying down, and sitting. The Pure Land Dharma is the ultimate realization of the Buddha, and it is the method that liberates sentient beings from the endless cycle of suffering. By reciting the Buddha's name with faith and dedication, one can attain liberation in this lifetime and befriend Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and Samantabhadra. Even the Boddhisattva must travel through many lifetimes before becoming a Buddha, so the six directions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas all praise this method as a supreme practice.
Strive to practice diligently - The fruit of blessings conquers all realms
Although the hearts of sentient beings are equal to that of the Buddhas, due to being deluded and attached to wandering thoughts, they continue to transmigrate without rest. Moreover, they do not develop faith in this Dharma, do not devote their whole heart to it, and their faith is not sincere and firm. This is due to the heavy burden of negative karma, without understanding the path to liberation, they are trapped in the cycle of rebirth in this world, and there is no way out. Even if they are born as a heavenly being, a human, or any other life form, that time is very short like a guest staying at an inn. They suffer in the Three Realms, and that time is as long as if they were living in their hometown. If they do not attain the highest realization of enlightenment, they will not be able to see the truth. If they do not cut off delusions or attain genuine realization, they will not be able to achieve it.
One must know that all sentient beings possess the Buddha nature. Therefore, the Buddha teaches us to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha, so that we can rely on his great compassion and be born in the Western Pure Land. There, we will enjoy the pure happiness that is neither born nor destroyed, because our bodies are transformed into the form of lotus flowers, free from suffering, aging, sickness, and death. The world is manifested by the merit and virtue of beings and is not subject to change, decay, or destruction.
Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra teaches that all phenomena arise from the mind. Even the Buddha is created by our own mind. If we practice the Dharma, we will become enlightened like the Buddha; if we practice the path of the Bodhisattva, we will become a Bodhisattva. If we wish to go to hell, we should focus our practice on hell, and our future lives will be filled with suffering. Therefore, it is said that the ten Dharma realms are not separate from one's own mind.
When we chant the name of the Buddha, a lotus flower blooms in the Western Pure Land with each recitation. We listen to the Buddha's name to experience peace of mind, clarity of thought, diligence in reciting the Buddha's name, and to realize that this life is free from affliction. Those who have the courage to practice diligently, when they hear the sound of the bell, they will awaken to mindfulness, and when they recite the Buddha's name, they will realize that all the good Dharma in the world and beyond arise from the one phrase "Amitabha Buddha". Reciting the phrase "Namo Amitabha Buddha" is reciting the one ultimate truth, and all good things converge into it.
It is truly fortunate that sentient beings who have good karma can encounter the Buddha's teachings and have the opportunity to express their boundless reverence for the Buddhist teachings. Throughout the ages, those who have practiced diligently in the monasteries have respectfully worshipped the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and great Bodhisattvas with a sincere heart. Each one has settled their mind, listened deeply to their breath, severed delusion, and transformed all their afflictions. From there, step by step, they have settled in mindfulness and recited the six contemplations of the Buddha.
If we sow the seeds of the Three Jewels, we will receive the support of the Three Jewels and the guidance of the Dharma. Perhaps this is the message, the blessing of good karma, that every Buddhist has felt and deeply understood. From there, let us make the vow to cultivate, nurture a strong Dharma mind, create kindness, accumulate virtuous deeds every day, and be determined to practice diligently to build the Pure Land on earth and ultimately reach the Pure Land in the future.
The solemn and successful retreat took place from January 20th to 26th, 2023 (from Lunar December 20th to the fifth day of the first lunar month of the Year of the Cat). After this retreat, with the grace and blessings of the Three Jewels, each Buddhist practitioner and fellow practitioners will have enough energy and faith in the Buddha to transmit and share with like-minded friends in the path of realizing enlightenment, maintaining wholesome roots, and progressing towards the ultimate goal of realizing the true nature of reality on the path of enlightenment.
NAMO WESTERN ULTIMATE BLISS WORLD
GREAT COMPASSION CONTINUES TO LEAD MASTER AMITABHA BUDDHA!
