Buddhism as an Education

The path to Enlightenment



Namo Amitabha



I read the Flower Adornment Sutra and upon carefully reading the chapter about the Ten Grounds, I suddenly understood. It said that, “from the beginning to the end, the Ten Ground Bodhisattvas have always practiced mindfulness of the Buddha”. I then realized that the Bodhisattvas, from the first to the tenth ground and the level of equal enlightenment, all practiced the Buddha Name Chanting Method. And I also came to understand that “Chanting the Buddha’s name is the cause and attaining Buddhahood is the effect”. Many Bodhisattvas were not aware of this, which is why Buddha Shakyamuni explained it in this sutra. It was their firm belief in the above statement that led Great Wisdom Bodhisattva, Universal Worthy Bodhisattva and Sudhana to vow to be born into the Pure Land.      -- Ven.Master Chin Kung --
The Great Compassion Dharani


Definition of Mantra Meditation

The word mantra is said to come from a root meaning "that which protects the mind".

In Buddhist meditation, many things can be used as objects of concentration -- as "mind protectors". The breath is usseed in anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing), the sensations of walking are used in walking meditation, the emotions are used as a focus in metta bhavana (development of lovingkindness), and visual images are used in visualization. Mantras are sounds -- words or phrases --that are used as an object of concentration.

The sounds may be chanted out loud, or may be heard internally. Mantras can be associated with particular historical or archetypal figures, or may have no such associations. For example, there are mantras associated with the historical Buddha (Om muni muni maha muni Shakyamuni svaha), and the mythical figure Avalokiteshvara (Om mani padme hum). The Prajnaparamita mantra (Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha) is associated not with an enlightened figure, but with a body of texts known as the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajnaparamita) sutras. The mantra Om shanti shanti shanti (Om peace peace peace) is not, as far as I'm aware, associated with any figure, and the Pali phrase Sabbe Satta Sukhi Hontu (May All Beings Be Happy) is chanted as a mantra, again without being associated with any particular figure.




Namo Amitabha

Life’s most awesome event is death, and death comes to all without regard to wealth, beauty, intelligence or fame. Death is inevitable, but how you die—terrified and confused, or with confidence and spiritual mastery—is within your control.