The next date for your diary -
an Amida Shu Service on Skype
on the evening of
Tuesday 4 July 2017
Time: 7:30 - 9 pm
Venue: via Skype
Using Skype, you can experience our Amida Shu practice from a distance.
The evening will include a chance to join in walking nembutsu (see below*), chanting, sitting meditation, recitation of the
:: Summary of Faith and Practice,
part of a Pureland Service and to hear a short Dharma talk.
Do you have a question you'd like me to answer? Send it to me :: here. It doesn't matter how basic! I'll either answer during the evening or later.
If you’d like to find out more or to let me know that you're joining the meeting, contact me by email :: Sujatin.
In order to join in you’ll need to have Skype installed and a Skype account – you can download it easily from :: this link
Or instal an app if you have a smartphone.
Before the 4th, search Skype for 'Sujatin Johnson' and send a request through. You’ll then need to add me as a contact and request to join the meeting by sending me a message via Skype chat.
NB: Shortly before 7.30pm on the day of the call you’ll see me calling you, which you should answer using the phone symbol, not the video one. You’ll then need to muteyourself, and only unmute yourself when you’re speaking individually (not when you are chanting along with me) – otherwise the sound starts to get a bit fuzzy.
(Thanks to Satya and Kaspa for these clear and comprehensive directions!)
Note:
All Welcome
No experience necessary.
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Find out more about Pureland Buddhism, Amida Buddha and the nembutsu in this :: brief introduction
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:: Here is our Service Book
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* On Verbal and Meditative Nembutsu
The primary practice of Pureland Buddhism is called nembutsu which literally means “mindfulness of Buddha”. Sometimes such mindfulness is interpreted as meaning “keeping in mind” and sometimes as “saying the Name of Buddha”.
In our :: Summary of Faith and Practice we say that our nembutsu is not done as a form of meditation. In our approach, rather, meditation is done as a form of nembutsu. When the selection of nembutsu as primary practice has been made, other forms of practice naturally become forms of nembutsu. Nembutsu thus becomes a form of “unremitting mindfulness” as taught by Shakyamuni Buddha, not because one remains consciously attentive to nembutsu every wakeful hour but because it is so integrated into one that it has become second nature. This means that Amitabha is in our life whether we are thinking about him or not. This is what is called “anshin” – peaceful mind or settled faith. It is a state of complete assurance.
This is a state of “joy and ease” rather than one of intense effort. It colours all the sentiments of one’s life and, in particular, takes away the fear of death. By doing so it affects our emotional life in a variety of beneficial ways. We then naturally express what arises and such expression is practice. In this condition, practice is not a means of arriving at any particular state, it is a natural and easy expression of faith and gratitude already established. Whether that expression takes a verbal, kinetic or contemplative form makes no difference. There are a myriad ways to express devotion.
:: link
~ Dharmavidya David Brazier, Head of the Order of Amida Buddha
NAMO AMIDA BU
:: link