Very Interesting Cartoon "Zen Master Says" 禅师说。。。。

• Dawnfirstlight

  3 Sep 10, 07:49

  Originally posted by 2009novice:

  Hey Dawn thanks...

  but sorry can digress abit...? I was viewing the videos until I stumbled onto this link

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeyrBxHXClE

  this is Amituofo sutra part 4

  just asking if you know... if we all pursue Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path, is it considered 自力？

  but in this sutra, 自力 still need to have 他力?

  the best explanation I can think of is.... 自力 is something we must have first... after we earnestly start learning buddhism, then we need 他力... need Amituofo to help us.

   

  Yes, those who practice Pureland rely on both work and salvation by grace (自他二力）It is stated in 阿弥陀� "�能少善根�德因缘得生彼国". We must have the followings in order to go to Pureland :

  1) You have to believe Pureland exists (信）

  2) You have to vow that you wish to be  born in Pureland （愿）

  3) Must believe that you are able to go and Amitabha will sure fetch you. Must practice wholesome according to Dharma and dedicate all the merits from your practise for the purpose of being born in Pureland （行）

  The amazing part is those who practise well are able to foretell the exact date and time of their passing away and there are many stories of people seeing Amitabha when they pass away. This is really "call home" by Amitbaha because He will tell you exactly when He will come and fetch you.

   

   

• sinweiy

  3 Sep 10, 08:53

  Originally posted by Dawnfirstlight:

  Yes, those who practice Pureland rely on both work and salvation by grace (自他二力） 

  
  追顶念佛 "chasing nien fo" use 自他二力.

  （追顶念佛）念佛之法，本�由缓而快，洎至最�，加速快念。一�追一�，一声顶一声，�为追顶念佛。�义有二：一者如两军交战，身陷�围，�刀拼命，�喊猛冲。二者如身没大海，呼�求救，竭尽气力。�者全凭自力，�者唯待他力，念佛法门，系赖弥陀接引。改追顶念佛时，默想生死大海，唯佛能救，较为亲切精实。

  Honen's Conceptions of
  Other Power (tariki) and Self Power (jiriki)

  Self power refers to the way of seeking to attain enlightenment by the power of one's own practice, while Other power refers to relying on help received from Amida Buddha. Honen, in the Senchakushu and in other places, explained that there are four meanings to the term other power. (Todo, 120-141)

  1. Self power and Other power can be used in order to explain the Gateway of the Holy Path (shodomon) and the Gateway of the Pure Land (jodomon), the former being the path for holy people who practice strictly during their lifetime and attain enlightenment before dying, the latter being the path of ordinary human beings striving for salvation after death. What is operative in the terms Holy Path and Pure Land Path is thus the realm where people attain salvation. The Holy Path is the path of the few who attain it in this life and on their own. The Pure Land Path is the path of the many who need the help of Amida Buddha to attain it after death. (SHZ. 472)

  2. Other power, according to Honen, can also explain the power of Amida Buddha's Original Vows (hongan). In order to illustrate the notion of Other power, Honen used the metaphor of a boat which can bear a heavy boulder to a distant shore. He explained that we can reach the other shore after life, if we rely on Amida Buddha through the nembutsu, just as the boulder rests in the hold of the strong boat. (SHZ. 637-639, 558)

  3. In Honen's view, Self power and Other power can also refer to the difference in attitude among practitioners. Other power refers to the action of the mind which believes that it will receive Amida Buddha's salvation. There are two possible hazards to this interpretation of Self power and Other power. On one hand, the person who relies too much on their own personal strength fails to be open to Amida Buddha's help, and on the other hand, the person who completely despairs of their own capacity fails to help him or herself. According to Honen, it is the person who believes in their own strength and who also puts their whole heart into their religious practices that will receive the help of Amida Buddha. As for Other power, he explained that it consisted in the earnest asking of Amida Buddha's help. (SHZ. 630-631, 684-685)

  4. Self power and Other power can also be understood as two types of the nembutsu. Self power refers to the utmost personal concentration put into the recitation of the nembutsu, while Other power refers to the earnestness with which Amida Buddha's help is being asked. According to Honen, one is mistaken to believe that it is the number of times the nembutsu is recited that counts for salvation. He insisted that, even with a small number of recitations, it is the strength of one's conviction in reciting the nembutsu which is called Self power. Even with a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand or even a million recitations, it is not the impressive number but the earnestness with which one supplicates Amida Buddha for help which is called Other power. (SHZ. 811) [read Honen's rebuke of Kosai's "Single Calling" teaching]
  
  Honen's disciples furthered their research into Self power and Other power and made a further distinction: they differentiated between the full practice of Other power and the insufficient kind of Other power. The former is the kind of Other power recitation invoking Amida Buddha's help filled with true Other power concentration. The latter is when people practice the Self power recitation with some Self power concentration. [read Honen's own instructions of balancing faith and practice]
  

  References:
  Todo Kyoshun, Honen shonin kenkyu (Tokyo: Sankibo, 1983).

  /\

• Dawnfirstlight

  3 Sep 10, 11:35

  Originally posted by sinweiy:

  
  追顶念佛 "chasing nien fo" use 自他二力.

  （追顶念佛）念佛之法，本�由缓而快，洎至最�，加速快念。一�追一�，一声顶一声，�为追顶念佛。�义有二：一者如两军交战，身陷�围，�刀拼命，�喊猛冲。二者如身没大海，呼�求救，竭尽气力。�者全凭自力，�者唯待他力，念佛法门，系赖弥陀接引。改追顶念佛时，默想生死大海，唯佛能救，较为亲切精实。

  Honen's Conceptions of
  Other Power (tariki) and Self Power (jiriki)

  Self power refers to the way of seeking to attain enlightenment by the power of one's own practice, while Other power refers to relying on help received from Amida Buddha. Honen, in the Senchakushu and in other places, explained that there are four meanings to the term other power. (Todo, 120-141)

  1. Self power and Other power can be used in order to explain the Gateway of the Holy Path (shodomon) and the Gateway of the Pure Land (jodomon), the former being the path for holy people who practice strictly during their lifetime and attain enlightenment before dying, the latter being the path of ordinary human beings striving for salvation after death. What is operative in the terms Holy Path and Pure Land Path is thus the realm where people attain salvation. The Holy Path is the path of the few who attain it in this life and on their own. The Pure Land Path is the path of the many who need the help of Amida Buddha to attain it after death. (SHZ. 472)

  2. Other power, according to Honen, can also explain the power of Amida Buddha's Original Vows (hongan). In order to illustrate the notion of Other power, Honen used the metaphor of a boat which can bear a heavy boulder to a distant shore. He explained that we can reach the other shore after life, if we rely on Amida Buddha through the nembutsu, just as the boulder rests in the hold of the strong boat. (SHZ. 637-639, 558)

  3. In Honen's view, Self power and Other power can also refer to the difference in attitude among practitioners. Other power refers to the action of the mind which believes that it will receive Amida Buddha's salvation. There are two possible hazards to this interpretation of Self power and Other power. On one hand, the person who relies too much on their own personal strength fails to be open to Amida Buddha's help, and on the other hand, the person who completely despairs of their own capacity fails to help him or herself. According to Honen, it is the person who believes in their own strength and who also puts their whole heart into their religious practices that will receive the help of Amida Buddha. As for Other power, he explained that it consisted in the earnest asking of Amida Buddha's help. (SHZ. 630-631, 684-685)

  4. Self power and Other power can also be understood as two types of the nembutsu. Self power refers to the utmost personal concentration put into the recitation of the nembutsu, while Other power refers to the earnestness with which Amida Buddha's help is being asked. According to Honen, one is mistaken to believe that it is the number of times the nembutsu is recited that counts for salvation. He insisted that, even with a small number of recitations, it is the strength of one's conviction in reciting the nembutsu which is called Self power. Even with a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand or even a million recitations, it is not the impressive number but the earnestness with which one supplicates Amida Buddha for help which is called Other power. (SHZ. 811) [read Honen's rebuke of Kosai's "Single Calling" teaching]
  
  Honen's disciples furthered their research into Self power and Other power and made a further distinction: they differentiated between the full practice of Other power and the insufficient kind of Other power. The former is the kind of Other power recitation invoking Amida Buddha's help filled with true Other power concentration. The latter is when people practice the Self power recitation with some Self power concentration. [read Honen's own instructions of balancing faith and practice]
  

  References:
  Todo Kyoshun, Honen shonin kenkyu (Tokyo: Sankibo, 1983).

  /\

  1st time hearing this. Thanks for enlightening me!

• 2009novice

  4 Sep 10, 00:25

  Originally posted by An Eternal Now:

  If you wish to go Pure Land and you are still not enlightened, then you need 他力.

  Many Buddhists (e.g. Theravada, Zen, etc) rely only 自力.... eightfold path is 自力. Pure landers rely on 他力.

  
  Oh i see.... haha definitely not enlightened.. lol

  thanks for the explanation...

• 2009novice

  4 Sep 10, 00:28

  Originally posted by Dawnfirstlight:

  Yes, those who practice Pureland rely on both work and salvation by grace (自他二力）It is stated in 阿弥陀� "�能少善根�德因缘得生彼国". We must have the followings in order to go to Pureland :

  1) You have to believe Pureland exists (信）

  2) You have to vow that you wish to be  born in Pureland （愿）

  3) Must believe that you are able to go and Amitabha will sure fetch you. Must practice wholesome according to Dharma and dedicate all the merits from your practise for the purpose of being born in Pureland （行）

  The amazing part is those who practise well are able to foretell the exact date and time of their passing away and there are many stories of people seeing Amitabha when they pass away. This is really "call home" by Amitbaha because He will tell you exactly when He will come and fetch you.

  Thanks Dawn.

  自他二力.... never learn before.

• Makebelieve

  4 Sep 10, 23:06

  Dear bros&sis,  care to explain ?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8uRhJN-TKA&feature=related

  ��把自我放在所接触的事物之中，

  也�把是物和自我对立，

  (那么就无所谓主观，也无所谓客观。

  无我无相而法相�宛然。)

  good videos :)

   

• sinweiy

  5 Sep 10, 11:34

  Originally posted by Makebelieve:

  Dear bros&sis,  care to explain ?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8uRhJN-TKA&feature=related

  ��把自我放在所接触的事物之中，

  也�把是物和自我对立，

  (那么就无所谓主观，也无所谓客观。

  无我无相而法相�宛然。)

  good videos :)

   

  
  i think it mean "just do it".

  when do thing, don't have to think too much of the self, or how the thing will affect you. all will work out fine as it is.

  http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Just_Do_It_1_2.php

   

  /\

• Dawnfirstlight

  5 Sep 10, 21:32

  Originally posted by Makebelieve:

  Dear bros&sis,  care to explain ?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8uRhJN-TKA&feature=related

  ��把自我放在所接触的事物之中，

  也�把是物和自我对立，

  (那么就无所谓主观，也无所谓客观。

  无我无相而法相�宛然。)

  good videos :)

   

  I agree with sinweiy. For instance, the responsibility of the doctor is to save lives. So just do what you are responsible and do what is right. Don't think so much, you will live happier that way.

  Buddhism teaches many things that you can't find in other religion. If you can master 50%, you will be a happier person. For instance detachment and change your perceptions, change your life.

  心��境转。

  境转，心�转。

  境�转，心转。

  I think I've mastered at least 50% of detachment and the above, thus I'm a happier person now

• 2009novice

  6 Sep 10, 23:25

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0Rnd29h7sM&feature=related

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LMNrJyVSu8&feature=related

   

  these 2 classic funny haha