Why do few people seem to recite the Medicine Buddha to eliminate disasters and extend life, while most people recite Amitabha? Why is this?

You can recite any Buddha’s name, as long as it is predestined for you and the method suits you.

The "Surangama Sutra" says: You have often heard that I, Vinaya, preached the meaning of practicing the three principles. The so-called taking heart is the precept. Because of precepts, concentration arises. Because of determination, wisdom comes. This is called the Three-No-Leakage Learning. Precepts, concentration, and wisdom are the principles and the direction for us to study Buddhism. Precepts generate concentration, and concentration leads to wisdom. This is the purpose of our study of Buddhism. Controlling one's mind not to commit bad deeds and to pursue good deeds is the precepts. The achievement of the precepts will give birth to meditation, and from meditation, wisdom will arise.

As long as we practice according to this principle, we will achieve success and benefit. If you want to seek blessings in this life, if you want to be reborn in the Pure Land, if you want to achieve meditation, if you want to argue, it will be fine. There is no problem, you can get it.

There are also various methods of practice, such as chanting mantras, chanting the names of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, chanting sutras, meditating, etc. These methods are all designed to free our body, speech and mind from the troubles of karmic obstacles and habits.

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Take precepts as a teacher

How to learn Buddhism is the question we hear most often. Many friends who study Buddhism have no idea how to start after reading the Tripitaka classics. Facing the sects of Zen, Purity, Consciousness Only, etc., I am at a loss as to what to do. Buddhism is as vast as a vast ocean. How can we find a correct direction and a fast path here so that we can obtain the infinite benefits of Buddhism in this life? In fact, Sakyamuni Buddha has already pointed out the rules for us. Tripitaka Buddhism is not without traces. The principles of how to study Buddhism are very simple.

A question often asked by friends who study Buddhism is what method should I learn? Should I recite Buddha's name? Or should I recite the mantra? Should I practice Zen? Or should I practice Samatha and Vipassana? Many people are wandering in such hesitation. There are many more arguments. Some people say that we need to go deep into one subject, while others say that we need to learn from many sources. Some people say that we need to study systematically, while others say that this is too time-consuming and chanting the Buddha's name is enough. Amid these complicated remarks, we don’t know how to learn or practice. Some people even after years and months still don’t feel it, don’t benefit from it, and don’t feel how happy it is to learn Buddhism. Why is this?

The reason is that we did not study according to the Buddha's teachings. The complexity mentioned above has blocked our eyes and lost our way. These contents are actually just minutiae, and there is no need for us to bother with these issues. Because these are methods of practice, not principles of practice. Just like when we want to achieve a goal, the map in our hands guides us in the direction. This is the principle and purpose. So we take a boat or a car, this is the method. If we focus too much on the differences in methods but ignore the direction we want to travel, then of course we will not reach our destination.

The principle is actually very simple. The Surangama Sutra says: You have often heard that I, Vinaya, expounded the meaning of practicing the Three Destinations. The so-called taking heart is the precept. Because of precepts, concentration arises. Because of determination, wisdom comes. This is called the Three-No-Leakage Learning. Precepts, concentration, and wisdom are the principles and the direction for us to study Buddhism. Precepts generate concentration, and concentration leads to wisdom. This is the purpose of our study of Buddhism. Controlling one's mind not to commit bad deeds and to pursue good deeds is the precepts. The achievement of the precepts will give birth to meditation, and from meditation, wisdom will arise.

As long as we practice according to this principle, we will achieve success and benefit. If you want to seek blessings in this life, if you want to be reborn in the Pure Land, if you want to achieve meditation, if you want to argue, it will be fine. There is no problem, you can get it. But if we do not practice according to this principle, the results will be very limited and may even have side effects.

The "Buddha's Legacy Sutra" says: After my death, you should respect and cherish the Parati wood fork, just like darkness meets light, and a poor man finds a treasure. You should know that this is your master. If I Living in this world is no different. In later generations, we will summarize this sentence as "taking precepts as a teacher." The World Honored One said: After I leave, you should respect the precepts, just like the dark night encounters the light, like the poor person receiving the treasure. You should know that the precepts are your great teachers, just as I taught them in this life.

Why does the Lord teach us this? Because this is the mistake we are going to make! We all have our own goals in studying Buddhism, whether it is happiness or wisdom, or specifically we have various wishes. But how are these goals achieved? How to achieve it? Rely on discipline. To take heart as a warning. The first step in learning Buddhism is to learn this. Which method you use depends on your personal destiny, and there is absolutely no fixed pattern.

Chanting Buddha? Reciting a mantra? Read that classic? These are all methods, and they cannot summarize the meaning of "taking the mind as a precept", because in today's society we ordinary people, even monks, rarely have the opportunity to recite Buddha's name and recite mantras 24 hours a day. Not to mention meditating every day. These are all ways to help. Taking the mind as a precept requires us to correct ourselves to a normal state, maintain ourselves well, and stay away from bad karma and pain. This is the foundation and cornerstone of our study of Buddhism. Without this, no matter what method is used, it is impossible to achieve anything. It is difficult to obtain even a small amount of blessings from human and heaven.

Buddhist friends must pay attention to this. The first step in learning Buddhism is not to figure out how to gain concentration or how to gain supernatural powers. Because blessings and wisdom are all produced by precepts. It is often seen that some fellow practitioners set their goals on "being single-minded", on rebirth, and on realizing any wishes as soon as they learn Buddhism. But what is precepts, I don’t know, what are good and bad karma? have no idea. Dare to say anything and do anything. It's useless no matter how long you study like this. Why? Blessings come from good deeds. If we don’t practice good deeds, how can we get blessings and realize our wishes? Being single-minded is concentration. How does concentration come from? It is concentration that arises from precepts. If the bad karma of the body, speech and mind continues, trying to gain one's mind is simply a matter of hope.

On the contrary, as long as we take the step of taking heart as a warning well, then everything will be easy. No special method is needed, it will come naturally. People who are free from greed, anger, jealousy, and wrong views are naturally in concentration. No matter what method we use, we can easily benefit and achieve success.

Take the Pure Land of Rebirth as an example. Everyone hopes very much. It is explained clearly in the "Analysis of Infinite Life Sutra". If you want to die independently, you must at least be of middle grade. So what are the minimum conditions for a mid-range product? Discipline achievement. Without this condition, it will be useless no matter how many times you recite the Buddha's name, and you will not be completely sure. Everything is unknown. The rationale behind this will be explained in detail in the Ten Good Deeds later.

Learning Buddhism is a very simple and very happy thing. We must grasp the principle of "taking precepts as teachers". As long as we implement it, we will be on the way to learning Buddhism. It doesn’t mean that we practice Buddhism or that we are disciples of Buddha just because we recite Buddha’s name or kowtow.

...Excerpted from Ksitigarbha Forum

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How to get started with learning

Master Xuyun’s teachings

< p>There are many ways to study hard to achieve enlightenment. Let’s briefly talk about it now:

(1) The prerequisite for practicing enlightenment-a deep belief in cause and effect

No matter who you are, especially those who want to study hard to achieve enlightenment. People must first firmly believe in cause and effect. If you don't believe in cause and effect and act recklessly, don't say that your path is unsuccessful. He is also indispensable for the three paths. The Buddha said: "If you want to know the cause of the past life, what is the recipient in this life. If you want to know the result of the next life, what is the author of this life." He also said: "If you have done it for hundreds of thousands of kalpas, the karma you have created will not perish. When the causes and conditions meet, you will receive the retribution." The Surangama Sutra says: "Because the ground is not true, the fruit will be distorted." Therefore, sowing good causes will produce good results. Sowing evil causes evil consequences. It is inevitable that you will reap melons if you sow melons, and you will reap beans if you sow beans.

(2) Strictly observe the precepts

The first thing to do in practicing the Tao is to observe the precepts. Precepts are the foundation of supreme Bodhi. Only by virtue of precepts can concentration be produced, and only by concentration can wisdom be produced. If you practice without observing the precepts, there will be no point. The four pure and clear teachings of the Surangama Sutra tell us that if we practice samadhi without upholding the precepts, we will not be able to escape from the worldly world. Even if we have many wisdoms and meditations before us, we will fall into evil spirits and heretics. We can understand the importance of keeping the precepts.

Those who keep the precepts will be supported by dragons and gods, and they will imitate others and be in awe. Those who break the precepts are the big thieves who speak evil words and sweep away their footprints. Once upon a time, in the land near Sanghalan in the country of Jibin, there was a poisonous dragon that often came out to harm the place. Five hundred Arhats gathered together and used their meditation power to drive him away, but they could not drive him away. Later, there was another monk who did not enter meditation. He only said one sentence to the poisonous dragon: "The good and the good should stay away from here." The poisonous dragon ran away. All the Arhats asked the monk. What magical power drove the poisonous dragon away? He said: "I don't use the power of meditation, but I use caution to guard the precepts. I guard the light precepts as if they were heavy prohibitions." If we think about it, the concentration power of five hundred Arhats is not as good as that of a monk who strictly observes the precepts.

Perhaps, the Sixth Patriarch said: "If your mind is calm, why should you bother to keep the precepts? If you walk straight, why should you practice meditation?" Let me ask you, is your mind already straight? For a month, Chang'e was naked and hugging you. Could you not be tempted? If someone insults and beats you unreasonably, can you not feel resentful? Can you not distinguish between friends and relatives, love and enmity, right and wrong? Only when you can do everything can you open your mouth, otherwise don't talk empty words.

(3) Firm faith

If you want to work hard to achieve Taoism, you must first have firm faith. Faith is the source of Taoism and the mother of merits. No matter what you do, you can't do it well without confidence. If we want to escape life and death, we especially need a strong faith. The Buddha said: "All living beings on the earth have the wisdom and virtue of the Tathagata, but they cannot achieve it because of delusional thinking and persistence." He also said various methods to treat the mental illnesses of sentient beings. We should believe that the Buddha’s words are true and that all living beings can become Buddhas. But why don’t we become Buddhas? It’s all because we haven’t followed the law to death!

For example, we believe that soybeans can be used to make tofu. If you don't create it, soybeans will not turn into tofu by themselves. Even if it is made, if the plaster is not put in properly, the tofu will not be made. If it can be ground and boiled to remove the residue, and an appropriate amount of gypsum is added, it will definitely become tofu. The same goes for practicing Taoism. If you don't work hard, you won't be able to become a Buddha. If you don't work hard enough, you won't be able to become a Buddha. If you can practice according to the Dharma without retreating or regretting, you will definitely become a Buddha. Therefore, we should firmly believe that we are originally Buddhas, and we should also firmly believe that practicing according to the Dharma will determine our attainment of Buddhahood. Zen Master Yongjia said: "No one can prove the truth and destroy Abi's karma in an instant. If you lie to all sentient beings, you will bring about the calamity of your tongue and dust." He was a compassionate man and wanted to strengthen the faith of future generations, so he made such a grand oath.

(4) Decide on a practice

Once you have confidence, you must choose a method to practice, and you must not go to Qin Muchu. Whether you are reciting Buddha's name, reciting mantras, or practicing meditation, you must always identify one path, go straight to it, and never regret it. If you don’t succeed today, you will do the same thing tomorrow. If you don’t succeed this year, you will do the same thing next year. If you don't succeed in this life, you will do the same in the next life.

As the old man Weishan said: "If you can live without retreating, you will be able to reach the Buddha's level." Some people could not make up their minds. Today, they heard the good teacher say that it is good to recite the Buddha's name, and they recited the Buddha's name for two days. Tomorrow, I will listen to a good teacher saying that practicing Zen is good, and I will practice Zen for two days. I've been doing things here and there, doing things here and there, all my life, until I die, but I can't achieve anything famous. Isn't it unfair?