A Pure Land Buddhist evening service with communal chanting and meditation. Speaker B reflects on relying on Amitabha Buddha and the limits of self-effort, then leads the group through visualization, chanting of Namoh Amida Butsu, and ritual prostrations.
Chapters
Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Ameeta. Ameeta. Ameeta. Aba, ami taba, ami taba. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Ami. Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabh. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha.
Amee.
Tomber.
Namomi Dabi. I was really with you all in our shrine room as I chanted this evening. In previous weeks I've been here in my office, but I was really imagining us all just circling the the Buddha and walking past the window looking into the garden. Most of you have been in the room, so you can picture it. If you haven't, you'll have to come visit us at some point in the future. Earlier today, I had a message from a friend who sent me a Dharma talk by his teacher. It was just 5 minutes. Him speaking. This teacher was speaking about how we can, how we can be okay, I guess, what it is that we can rely on. And he was speaking about cultivating qualities as our investment for the future, as our something that we can rely on, something that we're in charge of, something that gives us a steadiness in amongst the world's impermanence and chaos. As I listened, I felt really grateful that I was a Pure Land Buddhist. Because my own experience has been that when I try to cultivate particular qualities— patience, compassion, equanimity— what often happens is that I really get into more of a mess than I was when I, when I started, because there are so many different voices inside me, and some of those voices know what I ought to do and really try and help me to do those things. And when I, when I set an intention to cultivate those qualities, those voices just get really a bit, you know, above themselves, to be honest. They really go to town. They feel like they're in charge and that if only I try a bit harder or put a bit more work in or go to another workshop or do some more therapy or read some more Dharma, then I will become 'Somebody with perfect equanimity, wisdom, patience, dot, dot, dot.' When I came into this school of Buddhism, the first service that I went to afterwards, I spoke to Helen and— his name's gone, but you will probably know it if you I've been around for a long time. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I spoke to those two afterwards and they were talking about being 'bambu' and I'd never heard the word before and I asked them what it meant and they said, oh, basically we're all stupid, we're all kind of, we're all hopeless cases, we're foolish beings, away with passion, and And there was something really attractive about that because it felt honest. It felt like this is where we begin. We begin not by thinking that we can become. We begin with who we are right now. And who I am right now is a mix. I have been mostly appreciating the lockdown period. I've also been eating a lot of sugar, as I've been mentioning in these services. My emotions have been kind of up and down. I have had a bit of an existential crisis about whether I want to be a writer or not, or how things will be after this period. There's been all sorts of stuff going on, and to me, the idea of solving that by cultivating my positive qualities just doesn't do it. What does it for me is acknowledging reality as it is in me and in the world. There's plenty of bomboo nature outside us at the moment. And from that moment, turning into something that we can rely on, trusting that, that we are held by something that is wiser than me, that is more compassionate than me, that is more patient than me, that will always be all of those things more than me. And in that relationship where I begin to relax and to feel accepted just as I am, that's when my patience increases, that's when my impulse to be generous comes from. It naturally arises, it isn't something that I work on. So that's not to say that we shouldn't work on things. I do work on things, and I think that that's also a really helpful part of the picture. We do need to put effort into certain things, but if we think that that's going to save us, if we think that that's going to be the answer, then for me anyway, I think we're setting ourselves up for disappointment. And for me, there is a great relief in that because I can, I can do that work but know at the same time that it's really just kind of like playing. Because all the time this universe is unfolding around me and through me in a hugely more complex way than I could ever understand. Such a mystery, and all I have to do is my part. And sometimes my part is eating too much sugar and watching RuPaul, and, um, and sometimes it's sitting in front of you all with robes on and saying things. Sometimes it's clearing up dog poo. And those simple things are enough. Those simple things that we do are enough. The way that we are is enough. I have to remind myself of that very often, so I'm grateful to you all for being here because it wouldn't be the same giving a dharma talk to myself. Namomi dabu. So we'll sit in silence for a little while and In the silence, you might want to visualize how it is for you to lean in. I kind of like the idea of leaning on the Buddha's lap, but you might imagine a huge hand that you're cupped by, or you might be sitting in front of him or her. You might just have light surrounding you, however it is you want to be in relationship with the Buddha. Then do that and just allow that, that settledness to soak into you really deeply. Know that you're seen and loved just as you are.
Namaste. Oh, oh.
We'll now recite evening service together, which is on page 13 of your service books, just reflecting on what a different kind of Dharma practitioner dogs are to cats. I think hats are much more suitable to Buddhist temples.
With body, speech, and mind, humbly I prostrate and make offerings both set out and imagined. I confess my wrong deeds from all time and rejoice in the virtues of all. Please stay until samsara ceases and turn the wheel of Dharma for us. I dedicate all virtues to great enlightenment. The ground sprinkled with perfume and spread with flowers, the great mountain full and sun and moon, seen as a Buddha land and offered thus. May all beings enjoy such peace. Pure lands. Tidam guru radnamandalakam nirvartayami. By the grace that I receive through Amitabha's vows, may I be moved to deeds for the benefit of all. By the grace that I receive Through Amitabha's vows, may I be moved to deeds for the benefit of all. By the grace that I receive through Amitabha's vows, may I be moved to deeds for the benefit of all. The purpose of our practice is to be a pure container wherein the common passions mature as higher wisdom. The preliminary outlook comes with bowing and contrition, facing up to my obstructions and seizing life's first essence. Devotion to my teacher ends my smugness and dejection. Held by his compassion, I will find a true direction. By refuge vows and precepts, recitation of the sutras, I grow through every challenge. Embodysatya Robyn, Cooperation in a sangha brings so many joys and freedoms. Through gentle words and gestures comes collective transformation. Settled faith and inner cleansing brings us home to life's great meaning. In the Four Divine Abidings, Buddha's light is always with us. Multitudes are disconcerted by impermanence and difference. With Dharma as true refuge, we dwell within the pure land. Now gratitude is overflowing, going forth returning richly. I offer gifts of Dharma, Buddha's path bliss bestowing. Innumerable are sentient beings, we vow to save them all. Innumerable, inexhaustible are deluded passions, we vow to try to free them all. Transform them all. Immeasurable are the Dharma teachings, we vow to master them all. Infinite is the Buddha's way, we vow to fulfill it completely. Hail to the mandala! Let us so be engulfed within its praises evermore that by our own wills and vigilance may we our fetters cut away. May we within the temple of our own hearts dwell Amidst the myriad mountains.
Hell, hell, hell.
Invocation of Mala Kala. Let us be engulfed within the mandala of the Sangha of Buddha.
Hell, hell.
The arrow of emptiness.
Hell, hell.
Invocation of Vairochana Buddha. Hell, the beneficent mystic, the treasure.
Hell, hell.
The golden bell that rings but once.
Peace upon the pillow.
Makura Om.
Makura Om.
Makura Om. And now my brain says, what happened to the prostrations? So I'll pretend that we were going to do special prostrations at the end tonight just to finish everything off, rather than having completely forgotten them. Namo Nidibhu.
Namoh Amida Butsu. Namoh Amida Butsu. Namoh Amida Butsu. Namoh Amida.
Namoh Amida.
Namoh Amida Bu. Namoh Amida Bu. Namoh Amitabh. Namoh Amitabh. Namoh Amitabh. Namoh Amitabh. Namoh Amida Butsu. Namoh Amida Butsu. Namoh Amida. Namoh Amida. Namoh Amida Butsu. Namoh Amida Butsu. Namoh Amida Butsu. Namoh Amida. Namoh Amida. Namoh Amida Bu. Namoh Amida Bu. Namoh Amida Bu. Namoh Amida. Namoh Amida. Namoh Amida Bu. Namoh Amida Bu.
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. So we finish by bowing to each other. So hopefully you can turn left and right and imagine everyone else in the room with you. And you might have a Buddha in your room. If not, you can bow to mine. Buddhas are all around. So thank you very much for practicing with me this evening. I'm going to turn off the recording.
