The Amida sangha are now into day 3 of the nembutsu chanting. I'm joining in at a distance whenever I can - the Amida Newcastle sangha participated for 2 hours on Tuesday evening from the shrine room here...via the wonders of the video link. I have this playing practically the whole time, day and night, on my laptop.
Fiona and Kaspa of Amida Malvern have written movingly about this experience.
Fiona explains why we are doing this:
So - ten days continuous chanting. Why?
I completely failed to explain the reasons behind this event to my mum. And so I may fail here as well. But it feels important to try.
Yesterday, Kaspa & I joined everyone for a mere six hours. As you know, the chant we use as Pureland Buddhists is 'Namo Amida Bu', which means 'I call out to Amida Buddha'.
Amida Buddha is the Buddha of infinite light and life, and by chanting we put ourselves in relationship with this 'ideal'. His sparkling golden qualities rub off on us, just as we become better people when we're in a relationship with anyone wise, ethical and loving.
But this theology, in some ways, is neither here nor there.
What's crucially important (and what feels impossibly difficult to explain) is that we are chanting to connect us to a kind of universal love. And we are chanting for the benefit of everyone.
We are reminding ourselves and other people that we are held by something much bigger and more complex than we can imagine. We are expressing our gratitude for this. We are putting aside our usual daily concerns - making a living, watching TV - and dedicating a decent period of time for intensive practice. We are making a point. We are individually renewing and strengthening our relationship with this 'something bigger'.
You could call this 'something bigger' spirit, or the ineffable. You could conceptualise it the spirit of humankind or Gaia. We call it Amida. It doesn't matter. We're chanting for everyone.
Yes, sometimes it's boring. We sit for twenty minutes and then walk for twenty - in six hours that's three hours of walking. Your hips ache. Your voice gives out, despite the fresh lemon and ginger tea and the throat sweets. Sometimes five minutes felt like four times that. Important things aren't always easy.
Sometimes, the hours flew past like birds.
The candle-light flickered around our big golden Amida Buddha on the shrine. I sat and chanted, and I walked and chanted. I watched Susthama stroking her glorious pregnant stomach and I imagined her little girl, already listening along. I listened the harmonies as our voices stirred together - sometimes jarring and flawed, sometimes as sweet as the angels. I looked around the room at dear old friends and at complete strangers, all of us working together to keep the chant going. Frequently, tears came - of gratitude and of belonging. To this funny old thing, the human race. I love them all. Namo Amida Bu.
If you have any way of getting to The Buddhist House in Narborough (just south of Leicester) before they finish on Friday the 2nd, I'd strongly suggest you pop in and experience it for yourself (call ahead 0116 2867476 if you need accommodation or just turn up if you're just going for the day (or if you can chant during the night)). Your sangha needs you!
(Thanks to Maitrisimha for the gorgeous nembutsu painting)
In the meantime, you can watch them live here.
The photo is a painting by one of our sangha, Maitrisimha Leo Kouwenhoven, called 'Nembutsu' (Namo Amida Bu) - it's a visual representation of the chanting.
And on Tuesday Kaspalita wrote:
At midday today the 10 day nembutsu chant started. It’s being broadcast online, and as I write this I am listening to friends and dharma companions chanting Namo Amida Bu, over and over again. Namo Amida Bu: I call out to/give thanks to/offer myself to the Buddha of infinite life and light.
Fiona and I are going up in person later today to join in, and will be there all day on Sunday. Do let us know if you are interested in coming, and do check out the chanting online.
I think this is the sixth continuous chanting retreat Amida have held. I attended my first five years ago, just a couple of weeks after moving into The Buddhist House as a trainee. Back then it was a a mere 24 hours long!
It’s a group practice, the idea is that the chant continuous for the whole time, even though people come and go throughout the retreat. That first year I stayed up all night chanting. It was hardest around 3am, after a long dark night. I was forgetting the words and falling asleep when I was supposed to be playing the mokujo (temple drum). Then dawn came and it was beautiful.
In those 24 hours I probably experienced the whole range of possible emotions, from despair to spiritual elation. I connected with my Sangha, and with the Buddha, on a deep heart level. It deepened my sense of what it means to say Namo Amida Bu.
The next year was different, and the year after that different again. Being at some of the retreats has given me the chance to explore my own personal issues, whilst in the presence of something sacred.
I can’t say what it might be like for anyone else, but I know that when you put yourself in the presence of the sacred, something you need will be offered, and even if you are just a little bit open, you can begin to accept whatever that is.
The other event coming up is my ordination (to a more senior level) on 8th December. You're very welcome to come and join me for that day too, and I imagine the ceremony will also be broacast online at the link above.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
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