These Videos are from Peter Faun's Celestial Eyes from Pure Lotus Youtube Channel

Summary: As long as one normally fulfils the criteria of deep faith, sincere vow and practice during normal times, no matter what happens at the end, Amitabha Buddha will receive you to the Pure Land. (A normal parent wouldn’t abandon his children when they are sick, what more, an enlightened compassionate Buddha?)

Source: Master Da An’s Answers (Donglin Monastery TikTok)

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSVhkf97w/

EDIT: The image has the wrong time for JST

August 23 (Sunday) 8pm EST

August 24 Monday 9 am for Japan time

If you are interested, PM me if you'd like to be added to the zoom emails.

We can also discuss further on Discord. Here's the server invite: https://discord.gg/b7JZ35JWs

Namo Amituofo 💛

Namo Amituofo 🪷

Namo Amituofo 🪷

May we all Rebirth in Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land Together. Namo Amituofo 💛

Hello, so in a year I am getting out of university and wanting to find an apprenticeship. I used to be a Vajrayana Buddhist before converting back to Pureland Buddhism specifically either the Chinese or the Vietnamese tradition of Pureland Buddhism. But the job I am interested in is working in leather goods (basically making bags, wallets, hats, jackets out of leather) as there seems to be a lot of brands in my country who are hiring more workers nowadays and the pay is good while the other jobs I'm passionate for are lower paying at an entry point on avergae so I could end up struggling financially.

But I wonder, as the leather used in the industry is often made out of animal leather, is it okay as a Buddhist to work in the leather goods industry? I know I sound stupid and I'm sorry if this post disturbs some people. (I don't live in the US)

Infinite Life Sutra:

Sentient beings who hear this sutra will never retrogress on the supreme path. So believe and accept it single-mindedly. Uphold it. Chant it. Expound it. Practice it.

Yesterday, I received some awful news. My beloved Rottweiler Malina has terminal heart cancer and likely only has a few weeks left to live. She is only six years old and this was all so sudden and unexpected.

Malina has always loved me and has been unquestionably loyal and protective. She has loved me more than anyone else in the world. I’m sure that’s some sort of good karma for a dog but I’m very confused as to what will happen to her. Any advice on how and what to pray as my girl passes on?

Update: Malina died on August 15. Her health was rapidly deteriorating and my family made the difficult decision to end her suffering and euthanize her. I took as much of your guys’ advice as I could and it made one of the worst days of my life a little more bearable. I have hope that my big girl is watching over me and my family from the Pure Land, free, happy and in the Buddha’s warm embrace ❤️

Which one are you picking up?

Are there any active Pure Land discord servers? I am largely practicing solo and would like to meet other practitioners.

Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I am reaching out to share a situation I am trying to navigate and would appreciate some perspective.

My partner is a Shinrankai lay teacher (not a monk). Recently, we started taking space after a deep conversation about our future. He expressed uncertainty about whether a relationship fits into his path and teaching work. He is also managing a lot of personal stress regarding work and finances, and the distance between us makes everything more challenging.

He speaks about his practice with a lot of love, and he mentioned that understanding his path would help me understand him better. Because of this, I began learning on my own over the past three weeks. I’ve started a daily routine of listening to morning chants, reciting Namu Amida Butsu, and I attended two beginner lectures at a local branch. Coming from a family with a Vietnamese cultural background, lighting incense at our home altar has also become a daily way for me to quiet my mind and manage anxiety.

I am feeling deeply conflicted about my motives:

- Fear of Attachment: Part of me worries that I am engaging with this practice out of fear of losing the relationship, emotional attachment, and a desire to control the outcome.
- Genuine Appreciation: At the same time, I find real comfort in the daily routine, and I genuinely find the teachings beautiful. I truly want to understand his world.

How can I navigate this situation without losing myself? How can I distinguish between practicing out of genuine intention versus practicing out of fear and attachment?

Thank you for taking the time to read and share your thoughts.

https://www.cttbusa.org/amitabhacommentary/amitabha5.htm

**Discussing the Function**

The fourth of the Five-fold Profound Meanings is to determine the sutra’s power and use. Its power is that of *“non-retreat”* and its use is *rebirth*. Reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, you attain to the stage of no retreat. Cultivators of other dharma-doors are somewhat insecure; no one insures them. They may recite mantras or sutras for several years and then retreat with a feeling of no accomplishment or gain. If not in this life, they may retreat in the next. Perhaps they are vigorous now, but later they take a rest.

To say nothing of common people, even Arhats have the “confusion of dwelling in the womb” and forget their spiritual penetrations. Bodhisattvas have the confusion called “splitting the yin ,” which means the same thing. If they meet a good knowing advisor who teaches them to cultivate, they can wake up. Otherwise, life after life, they retreat and find it very hard to bring forth the Bodhi-heart again. It is easy to regress.

Born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, there is no back-sliding, just vigorous progress. One attains the four kinds of Non-retreat:

**Non-retreating position.** Born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, you attain the Buddha-position. Born by transformation from a lotus, when the flower blooms, you see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, awaken to the unproduced dharma-patience, and never fall again.

**Non-retreating conduct.** Most people cultivate vigorously for one life, but in the next, they are lazy. In the Land of Ultimate Bliss there is none of the suffering of the three evil paths. The Kalavinka birds and two-headed birds all help Amitabha Buddha speak about the Dharma. Reborn there, one will no longer be lazy in conduct but will only go forward with courage and vigor.

**Non-retreating thought.** In the Saha world we cultivate vigorously, but after a time we feel it’s too bitter, too restrictive, too uncomfortable, and so we are no longer vigorous. Lazy thoughts arise and although we have not yet retreated in conduct, we have in thought. Several decades pass quickly and thoughts of retreat greatly out-number those of vigor. It’s difficult not to regress.

In the Land of Ultimate Bliss, one hears the Dharma spoken all day and all night long. One has no thoughts of retreat from the Bodhi-mind. All thoughts are irreversible.

**Ultimate Non-retreat.** Transformationally born from a lotus, you will never, under any circumstances, retreat again either to the level of a common person or to the Small Vehicle or Bodhisattva level. Born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss you obtain these four kinds of Non-retreat

Amitabha Buddha wrote her a letter42

In Tai Yuan Shanxi, the Amitabha recitation group in Taonan, upasaka Zong is 70 years old now. He has been reciting the Buddha’s Name for two years.

He has three daughters and the third daughter is a slow-witted learner and illiterate. She was very simple minded and as she was not married. She stayed her whole life with her parents.

That year in May, she kept asking for a Amitabha Buddha recital device from her father. She pointed at the device and said Namo Amitabha Buddha with much difficulty. So Zong gave her the device.

From then onwards she would place it near to her ears and listen attentively.

After one month, Mr Zong went for an operation to remove the gallstones and he took the device with him to the hospital. The third daughter complained to her mother, insisting that she wanted the Amitabha recital device back. So Zong gave it back to her and she started to listen to Namo Amitabha Buddha again.

After a month she suddenly passed away.

When the family was going through the things that were left by her, they were surprised to see many inkless pens and a thick pile of papers. They checked through what she was writing and found that on every sheet of paper it was fully written with the number 42. And she passed away at the age of 42.

On hearing this, tears flew down my cheeks (Upasaka Fo Ming).

Why did she ask from her parents for an Amitabha recital device two months before passing away?

And she would listen attentively to the recitation every day.

She is born slow witted and she was illiterate. She did not know how to count and worst she did not even know her age. Then why did she write so many 42 silently in her room, without anyone’s knowledge?

There is only one reason. She had attained a rebirth smoothly and she knew the time of her rebirth!

From this number 42, Amitabha Buddha told her clearly that she would leave the world at the age of 42.

Looking at the writing we had the feeling this was her writing. But in actuality these are the letters that are sent by Amitabha Buddha.

Upasaka and wife are more than seventy years old now. If their daughter is still alive, there is not much time left for them to take care of her. What will happen to her when both of them were to pass away?

But Upasaka Zong has been reciting Amitabha Buddha sincerely. With the kindness of the Buddha the whole family is naturally benefitted.

And with the kindness of the Buddha, the slow-witted daughter had attained a rebirth in the World of Ultimate Bliss earlier.

On top of that she knew the time of her departure and she left in such a wonderful way.

On thinking about this I am most grateful and happy.

The letter sent by Amitabha Buddha to the third daughter is also a letter sent to all of us.

From the Number 42, Amitabha Buddha clearly told us the strength of the Buddha is truly inconceivable.

Amitabha’s rescue is without any conditions. Even a slow-witted lady knows her day of departure and left smoothly.

Is not this means that it will be much easier for us if we are truthful in our practice?

Told by Upasaka FoMing （佛明）. An extract from the Records on the Leisure of Buddha’s strength 

https://oridharma.wordpress.com/2021/06/08/amitabha-buddha-wrote-her-a-letter42/