Pure Land Buddhism and the Philosophy of Honen and Shinran By Mark Unno

 

Pure Land Buddhism and the Philosophy of Honen and Shinran
By Mark Unno

Pure Land school.

Advocates of the Pure Land teachings can be identified quite early in Chinese Buddhist history, but Pure Land Buddhism emerged as a major force in the T'ang Dynasty along with Zen. While both arose partially as a reaction against the metaphysical excesses of the philosophical schools, Zen focused on awakening through monastic practice, while Pure Land focused on attaining birth in the Pure Land of the Buddha Amitabha through practices that were accessible to lay people.

Pure Land Sutras.

Three of the most prominent sutras of the Pure Land schools of East Asian Buddhism are The Larger Sutra of Eternal Life, The Amida Sutra (Smaller Sutra of Eternal Life), and The Meditation Sutra. Like many other Mahayana Sutras such as the Lotus, Flower Ornament, and Vimalakirti, these sutras were compiled near the beginning of the Common Era. At the center of these sutras is the story of the Bodhisattva Dharmakara, a former king who decides to set out to seek enlightenment. In the process of doing so, he establishes the Western Pure Land; when sentient beings accumulate sufficient virtue, they are born there, and due to the ideal conditions, immediately attain enlightenment. In later developments, especially in Japan, the Pure Land becomes virtually synonymous with ultimate reality, emptiness, nirvana.

Practitioners aspiring to birth in the Pure Land visualize the jewelled paradise of the Buddha Amitabha, where the evil karma of his or her past is transformed into the Pure Land and the virtue of its Buddha. Ultimately, even the Pure Land is transcended, and the practitioner attains awareness of the non-origination of things, a virtual synonym of emptiness.

Amitabha Buddha.

Bodhisattva Dharmakara eventually becomes the Buddha Amitabha, the Buddha of infinite light. Amitabha is also known as Amitayus, the Buddha of Eternal Life, hence the title of the Larger Sutra. In China and Japan, these two names, sometimes referring to distinct Buddhas in the Indian context, are referred to singularly as A-mi-t'o in Chinese and Amida in Japanese. Furthermore, although male in the Indian context, Amitabha becomes increasingly referred to in female, maternal terms in East Asia. The distinctive characteristic of Amitabha is compassion.

The Name of Amida Buddha.

In the Meditation Sutra, it is stated that, for those who are unable to achieve the meditative visualization of the Pure Land, the recitative invocation of Amitabha's name is sufficient to attain birth. In China, and especially Japan, this becomes the most widespread form of practice, known as the nembutsu, in which the repetition of the name, Namu Amida Butsu (I take refuge in Amida Buddha), is the very manifestation of Amida. Philosophically, to take refuge in Amida Buddha is to abandon ego-centered, attached thinking and to entrust oneself to the infinite wisdom (light) and infinite compassion (life) of Amida. Since the ultimate body, or dharmakaya, of Amida is formless, one attains formless reality through the name.

Kannon.

Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, is an emanation of Amida. Originating as a male bodhisattva in India, Avalokiteóvara, this bodhisattva became female in East Asia and has been one of the most popular deities of devotion.

Honen (1133-1212).

Exponent of Pure Land Buddhism. Honen broke with the traditional views of other Buddhists who looked to a variety of teachings and instead advocated the single-minded recitation of the nembutsu, Namu Amida Butsu. Honen was known for his broad and deep philosophical understanding, the purity of his observance of the precepts, and his ability to cultivate various states of meditation including visualizations.

Self-power and other-power.

However, he abandoned ritual observance of all of these practices at the age of forty-three and turned his attention solely to the nembutsu. His conclusion was that, no matter how skillful he may have appeared outwardly, inwardly it was impossible to become free from thoughts of attachment, conceit, and insecurity. The failure of this self-effort or self-power (jiriki) opened up the realm of other-power (tariki), the formless reality of the highest truth taking shape in the wisdom and compassion of boundless light, Amida Buddha, embodied in the name. The two ideas of self-power and other-power are complementary. Without seeing the one, the other cannot be seen; they are like the clouds and the sun that shines through them.

Foolish being.

Honen states, "In the path of the Pure Land one attains birth by returning to an ignorant fool." One aspect of this indicates the foolishness of sentient beings, the other aspect the wisdom of one who is aware of foolishness, a kind of beginner's mind. Thus the same being who attains awareness of his or her foolishness is also regarded as "equal to the buddhas."

Pure Land beyond form.

The Pure Land no longer refers to a jewelled paradise here; it refers to the realm of emptiness in which all beings and phenomena are grasped in their suchness. When a disciple asked Honen near the end of his life, "Master, what is the importance of visualizations," Honen replied, "At first I, Honen, also engaged in such frivolities, but no longer. Now I simply say the nembutsu of entrusting." "Even if one is able to see the jewelled trees [of the Pure Land], they could not be more beautiful than the blossoms and fruit of plum and peach trees [found in this world]."

In a sense, the Pure Land can be understood to be the realm of emptiness. Honen taught that the unfolding of Amida's compassion and wisdom was felt in this life, but birth in the Pure Land in the next. This parallels the relationship between nirvana and Parinirvana in the life of Sakyamuni. As long as one has attachments, it can be misleading and dangerous to say that emptiness is already present. However, at the very end of is life, when a disciple asked Honen if he would be born in the Pure Land, he replied, "Since I have always been in the Pure Land, that will not happen."3

Shinran (1173-1262).

Exponent of Pure Land Buddhism who studied with Honen. His form of Pure Land Buddhism is often referred to as Shin Buddhism, reflecting his expression, Jodo-shinshu, the true teaching of the Pure Land. Like his teacher, he emphasizes the awareness of the foolish being who, endeavoring to free him or herself from the cycle of ignorance and attachment, sees more and more clearly his or her own foolishness.

Shinjin.

Like Honen, Shinran advocated the recitation of the nembutsu. Whereas Honen emphasized simply repeating the name constantly, Shinran emphasized the simultaneous awareness of foolishness and the awareness of boundless compassion. The term for this is shinjin, which is often rendered as true entrusting, a letting go of all attachments which enables the natural unfolding of compassion and wisdom. One who attains the wisdom of true entrusting is regarded as the equal of buddhas. Since the heart of the nembutsu, as is the case in all forms of practice which are thought to embody highest truth, is beyond distinctions, Shinran states, "In the nembutsu, no meaning is the true meaning."4 At the same time, Shinran cautions, "If you talk about [this] too much, then 'no meaning' will appear to have some kind of special meaning."5

Naturalness.

The foolish being is always contriving or calculating to reach a goal dualistically, whether that goal is material, such as worldly success or health, or is spiritual such as enlightenment or birth. The one who becomes aware of this foolishness and is receptive to the compassion of Amida is led beyond this contrivance to a realm of spontaneous freedom. This spontaneity, in contrast to the contrivance of the foolish being, is called jinen honi, the suchness of spontaneity, or more simply, naturalness.

The Vow of Amida.

Shinran understands Amida Buddha in terms of two aspects of the dharmakaya, or dharma-body: dharmakaya-as-emptiness and the dharmakaya-as-compassion. The awareness of dharmakaya-as-compassion leads to the realization of dharmakaya-as-emptiness. The process of being led to the life of spontaneity through the dharmakaya-as-compassion is expressed as entrusting oneself to the Vow of Amida, the vow to lead all sentient beings to buddhahood by awakening them out of their foolishness

Awakening - Assuming the Center of the Mandala

 

Awakening -

Assuming the Center of the Mandala

Buddhism is a vast collection of teachings and practices. Some teachings are easy to learn and understand, others are complex. Forms vary yet the essence of buddhist practices is the same. Buddhism is a tradition of awakening from existential fantasy to existential reality.

Roughly speaking, buddhist yogas – meditations and yogic practices –can be divided into two categories,

1. primary practices that directly generate awakening from self-based delusion and

2. secondary practices that support the primary practices

This categorisation is oversimplification but at the same time we can easily see which practices and approaches generate instant recognition of wakeful awareness common to all mind phenomena, and which do the same but in a roundabout (long or short) manner.

Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land Buddhism, commonly known as Pemako Buddhism, begins with a primary exercise known as the Two-Part Formula. The two parts or mind modes of the Two-Part Formula (2PF) are selfless state and self-based state. What is unique to 2PF, which is also the reason why it is so effective, is that the self-based mode is purposefully brought back every time it disappears. All thoughts come and go in the mind, and similarly the I- or me-thought comes and goes in impulsive and random fashion. The Two-Part Formula doesn't allow this and the sense of gross I, me, mine-thought is brought back with the affirmation, so that it can be investigated under the microscope of mindful awareness. Because of these two factors together, recognition of selfless awareness and affirmation, the grossest sense of self is put under pressure that it cannot persist. Inevitably sooner or later there will be a shift – awakening - in one's mind.

In our system of training, the technical term for this shift is opening of the 1^st bhumi. From the tantric perspective it can be described as assuming of the center of the enlightened sphere or mandala, which in terms of tantric deities belongs to Amitabha Buddha. According to the categorisation above, the 2PF is a primary practice that's sole purpose is to generate awakening from self-delusion. This is the beginning of not only Pemako buddhist path but the beginning of all buddhist paths. Awakening is universal, there is no doubt about that. See Lion-Faced Guru Podcast episode titled Universal Awakening. 

 

Yourself depicted as Amitabha Buddha radiating as pure light and blessings

As a human being whose existence is marked by painful self-based ignorance, my whole life I have sought for peace and harmony, and I know many who have had the same problem. Acting and reacting from a solid belief in individual self is a world of pain and suffering. This belief, this solidifed, calcified, hardened, crystallised thought causes problems and conflicts in endless ways. This belief, this stubborn belief, is the root cause of our suffering. The good news is that, on the other hand, it is none other than a deeply stuck belief, and as stubborn as it may be it is possible to remove it by investigation. It is as simple as that.

There is no reason whatsoever to think that we wouldn't be ready or fit for awakening, or that awakening should be postponed. Within you, me and everyone else there is a perfectly awake buddha living but she is dormant, as if asleep... Please, wake her up!

Help yourself and come in contact with the reality yourself. I have written extensively about awakening and its implications in Awake-book, that is free of charge.

Namo Amitabha,

- Kim Katami, 12.9.2020

Pemako Buddhism,

www.pemakobuddhism.com

The Incomparable Gift of Buddhist Refuge

The Incomparable Gift of

Buddhist Refuge

When one chants, ”I take refuge in the Guru. I take refuge in His Pure land...” and so on, one instantly becomes a buddha. The ultimate reality becomes even more compelling when chanting, ”I am the Guru. I'm in the Pure Land...” By taking refuge, one uncovers oneself as an entirely free, selfless, timeless and yet vividly and effortlessly present being. Oh, this is the field of buddhas and bodhisattvas who dance and rejoice in the sheer purity of presence, sending out rays of healing and compassion to burdened beings. In other words, by taking refuge, one becomes the eye of wisdom that sees the emptiness of all phenomena.

This simple chant makes us discover our true being that is so well hidden by self-based misperception. The story goes that when Gautama the Prince realized and became Shakyamuni the Buddha and met merchants, who asked a teaching from him, he told them to take refuge.

Maybe the incomparable preciousness of refuge isn't obvious in the beginning but with gradual practice, one realizes that all teachings of sutrayana, tantrayana and even atiyoga are contained in, ”I take refuge in the Guru...”

Kim

Fresh Breeze of Buddhism

Fresh Breeze of Buddhism

Buddhism, as a religion and philosophy, has been around for 2500 years, since the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Prior to Shakyamuni and after him, there has been many other buddhas in human form. There has not been only one single buddha, but many. That there are many buddhas, can also be seen in the rich array of buddhist paths that teach the core principles of buddhism from their own unique perspectives. Also according to buddhism, there are buddhas and bodhisattvas in nonphysical form.

During the history of buddhism, there has been many phases in its expansion to new areas and lands, integration to new cultures, blossoming of the teaching, inevitable decomposition and again spreading to new areas. Many places where buddhism has once blossomed, have become deserted of the real meaning of dharma, leaving behind only its outer shell. This has been seen in Asian countries such as India, China, Tibet and Japan, where for one reason or the other, buddhism has lost its vitality. Nothing in this world lasts but having said that if old forms of buddhism lose their attraction and disappear, the core teachings need to be and are being revitalised so that dharma can keep benefiting sentient beings.

Buddhism has always been organic. It has been like a forest where new seedlings grow next to already grown trees, with natural expansion. Buddhism itself grew next to its elder sibling, hinduism, and both of them took influences from each other. Buddhism has renewed and remodeled itself throughout the history of buddhism and this, I feel, is one of the reasons it has survived over 2000 years. If these renewals hadn't been done over the centuries when buddhism has spread to new areas, it is likely that it wouldn't have succeeded.

To me personally, buddhism has never been a religious practice. To me, buddhism has never been a belief-based faith but rather a reasonable philosophical hypothesis that is and needs to be supported by various yogic practices, such as sitting and chanting of mantras and prayers. I was raised in Finland which is one of the most secular cultures in the world and was baptized in Eastern orthodox church. I never felt that belief-based religion had much to offer to me and honestly have hard time understanding why people choose faith-based religion because this seems to add to peoples' confusion, inequality and narrow-mindedness, rather than bringing about open-mindedness and harmony among people.

When I lived in temples in Japan, in 2004-2005, I was astonished to find out that some Japanese people practice buddhism in as religious way as christians do in my native country. Prior to meeting such people, it had never occurred to me that buddhism could also be seen that way. Later, I find out that this is actually very common all over Asia. Religious buddhists, knowingly or unknowingly, look at buddhism as a set of beliefs and rituals, rather than as a method that is used to illuminate one's minds. As old and deflated forms of Asian buddhism have spread to Western world, it is not uncommon to see Westerners who don't realise that the form of buddhism they exercise doesn't actually accumulate wisdom, or does so in minimal degree.

I think that one common problem why buddhist cultures are eventually destined to disintegrate, is that when the doctrine becomes too fixed in its ways and forms, distance is created between the followers and the teaching. Even texts, that over time become considered as root texts and classics, gather unnecessary baggage. (See Ken McLeod's article). When that happens, the teaching cannot be understood, the dharma cannot be realised and embodied. In other words, the meaning of dharma is lost.

If we look at the biographies of the great masters of buddhism, we can see that they all took up buddhist study and practice because they were existentialy confused. They took up buddhism to solve their problems and used it practically to transform their self-based confusion. Could they have accomplished that if they were taught religious beliefs and merely followed external forms? If the masters of the old had seen buddhist teaching as something high and holy, as something external and distant from them, they would have never become embodiments of wisdom and compassion, and beacons for other sentient beings.

Vast emptiness, nothing holy

(廓然無聖, Kakunen musho, from Bodhidharma)

Buddhism is for all people. I say this because all people have the same problem, that of self-based delusion which is the main cause for dissatisfaction (skt. dukkha). Confusion about one's existence can only be solved by seeing through the false sense of me-ness or entityness (skt. atman). This is the main principle of buddhist meditation or vipashyana, that can be practiced in three main ways: sutra, tantra and dzogchen. Regardless of which of these paths we follow, eventually our confusion is put to rest through realisation that all thoughts and other mind phenomena are empty (skt. sunyata, emptiness, 空-ku) and do not create a permanent self. This realisation happens in degrees and with each insight (j. 見性-kensho) we come to see the very same truth, ”Vast emptiness, nothing holy”, as Bodhidharma, the great Indian yogi, taught.

Bodhidharma is considered to be the 1^st patriarch of Zen in China but actually this truth is universal to all buddhism because all buddhists seek liberation through the means of realising emptiness, be it through the means of relying on one's own efforts (j. jiriki) or through relying on the grace of the buddhas (j. tariki). Both approaches are perfectly valid and can be simultaneously used for better success, as is done in vajrayana buddhism.

To be continued.

Thank you for reading.

Namo Guru Rinpoche,

-Kim Katami,

Founder and head teacher,

Open Heart Sangha, www.en.openheart.fi

Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land

Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land

Once, in meditation, I had a vision. It was a particular kind of vision and as soon as I saw it, I knew it was a past life memory.

In that life, several hundred years ago, I was a very devoted christian contemplative monk in Western Europe. We would pray to Jesus day and night in our monastery. Very deep practice. It was pure devotion, nothing like I've seen in christianity today.

One day, when there was a resting day at the monastery, all monks were out in the woods, on the hills and other places to have a bit leisure, but I decided to continue working on the roof of the church in our monastery. I was working just above the main door, perhaps 25 meters from the ground, when my foot slipped and I fell directly in front of the main entrance. I could vividly remember how the falling felt like and how the ground kept coming closer until my body hit against it. My body was crushed and died in an instant, there was nothing to be done.

But the moment when my body hit the floor and my mind, or soul ejected out from the body, an immense space opened in front of me, and Jesus Christ himself was standing in front of me, with a joyoys smile inviting me to go with him. There was nothing ”holy” or ”exalted” in this moment, though immense love and closeness between me and him. He appeared on the very instant I died, to come get me and to guide me on.

Painting of Zangdok Palri, Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land.

Now, Open Heart, is a form of Pure Land Buddhism where our main ”deity” is Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava and the pure land is his pure land, Zangdok Palri. Remembering again this past life experience of mine, I felt like tying lifelong devotion and practice to the fact that when we, as Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land practitioners pass away, he will come to get us to his pure land, where we can continue our practice, in the most excellent guidance, in case if we haven't yet attained buddhahood in this body.

Please, don't take this as a matter of belief, for yogis are not believers. Take it as a hypothesis and deepen your devotion and practice. There is no reason, other than rejection, why you couldn't visit Zangdok Palri already in your meditations in this body.

Namo Guru Rinpoche.

-Kim Orgyen Pema, 18.3.2019

The Five Pillars of Open Heart by Lama Karl Eikrem

The Five Pillars of Open Heart

by Lama Karl Eikrem

Whenever the teachings of the Lotus-Born are manifested in this world, and a new lineage born, a basic structure takes form. This structure consists of five pillars, each of which has three layers of meaning: outer, inner and absolute. 

The five pillars are the Guru, His Pure Land, Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, and their levels of meaning are as follows:

The outer meaning of Guru refers to the revealer of the teachings, the head of the lineage. The inner meaning of Guru refers to the energetic presence and blessings of Guru Rinpoche, the master. The absolute meaning of Guru refers to Self-Arising Awareness itself. 

The outer meaning of His Pure Land refers to the center of teaching, or temple. The inner meaning of His Pure Land refers to the vibratory field of the Copper-Coloured Mountain. The absolute meaning of His Pure Land refers to Self-Arising Awareness itself. 

The outer meaning of Buddha refers to the Shakyamuni Buddha, who laid the foundation. The inner meaning of Buddha refers to Bodhicitta, the key to enlightenment. The absolute meaning of Buddha refers to Self-Arising Awareness itself. 

The outer meaning of Dharma refers to the teachings of sutra. The inner meaning of Dharma refers to the teachings of tantra. The absolute meaning of Dharma refers to Self-Arising Awareness itself. 

The outer meaning of Sangha refers to the community of practitioners. The inner sangha refers to the community of all sentient beings. The absolute meaning of Sangha refers to Self-Arising Awareness itself.

May all beings be free!
All beings are free!

Three Approaches: Mantra, Mindfulness and Direct Path

Three Approaches:

Mantra, Mindfulness and Direct Path

From online discussion.

Tantric means mantric. It would be better to call it mantric buddhism, instead of tantric. Anyway, mantric means deities. Deities are archetypes. Deities are universal, same for everyone because that's what archetype means. Any buddha will do for a deity, and reveal the basic mind. 

The reason why in Open Heart we have many deities squeezed in together is because the mind is made of many frequencies, like the many keys of a piano. Now, if we only used one deity, let's say Amitabha, for example, it could be compared to stepping down the sustain pedal and playing one note or a combination of few notes. If we kept hitting that or those notes, the rest of the keys would eventually start vibrating and emitting sound, in a gentle indirect way, because of reverberation in the instrument. We could do that, as many do, and have a path that only uses one or two deities, and it would reveal the basic mind but in this way, we don't directly adress all of our baggage.
The logic with the set of deities we have, is that when we directly push all the keys, like a wild jazz player, we cover or better reveal all of the mind, with all the remaining stuff, karmic spots, in it. This is an example how tantric or deity related paths work.

In this type of approach we gain calmness and insight, both axles of buddhist practice, from the deity. If one doesn't understand that the deity is an archetype of one's own basic mind, one is bound to thinking in dualistic terms but that issue should take care of itself in relatively short period of practice, even for stubborn secularists, who everything about this kind of practice. If this knowledge doesn't arise soon after starting tantric exercise with a deity or a guru, there is something wrong with the instructions. The bottom line is that its all devoid of self and nondual in the end, and in the start. Tantric approach is called "other power" approach because seemingly it relies on, well, "other" power but this terminology should not be taken literally because if seen dualistically, it is entirely misleading. In my view, Pure Land buddhism, which is also what we do in Open Heart, is entirely nondual.

"Self power" approach is the alternative to other power approach. In self power, one relies on one's own skills, abilities, wits, effort, view and teachings, to effect insight and illumination. This is mindfulness, basically, and its relentless cultivation. Now, there are many wonderful aspects to this type of training. One learns to sit well, in good posture, learns to calm the mind and gains patience. But the challenge of this approach is that the mind keeps getting distracted. It requires very good health, vitality, determination and a lot of time to do this practice alone, to get the real dharmic benefits (not just a little calming down). It is a hard path but the things one learns, one learns well. If I consider this kind of path, apart from mantric or direct paths, in the light of my analogy above, it takes a long time to get to the piano and get even one note playing. A decade or two goes by easily. That's the downside of it.

There is a third option which is the direct path, also known as dzogchen or advaita. Here one goes to a guru, who points out the basic mind to you, you get it and your doubts are removed. And that's it... unless it isn't. This can be taken as a path as well, but the problem here is that the confused mind is so tangled that you can go to the guru few hundred times, over the span of decades, not get it correctly and make a lot of faulty assumptions about it. The danger in this approach is that if one is too hasty, one can easily assume that one has understood the teaching, has sufficient understanding and is done. This is the tragedy of those who do not really understand the direct path.
Using the piano analogy, the point is that whether the notes play or not, makes no difference. Both silence and sound are the same. Everything is already perfect as they are. No solution or confirmation is needed because there never was a need for either, in the first place.

In Open Heart, we combine all three approaches, with some unique flavours.

>So the deities are purifying karma without us having to face and process the experience, subconsciously?

-No. The deity/deities are the natural state. By cultivating a deity we make the natural state appear and when that happens, our baggage, that is hidden in the nooks and corners of the mind, come to light. Baggage coming to light is no different than in mindfulness approach but with deity practice, they become uncovered faster and sooner, without having to wait for it. That is both the value and challenge of the tantric path. Challenge because it is not pleasant. However, if one has an unshakable motivation to become enlightened as soon as possible, for the sake of all beings, it will be much easier. If this motivation is not there, it will hurt like hell and be very unpleasant. For this reason, compassion is crucial.

I have some criticism towards the mindfulness path. It is my observation that one can end up spiritual bypassing because of all the calmness and also that this approach, as a standalone practice, takes way longer than mantric approach. But then, if calmness is enough, it is not a problem. Another issue is what you say is the lack of understanding of the practice. Here's the thing. If the natural state is not prioritised and recognised in every day practice, it is like trying to make a puzzle, seeing only one piece at a time. It is close to impossible to finish a puzzle like that. Because direct path prioritizes the natural state, one gets glimpses of all the pieces of the puzzle at once, and these glimpses keep coming at a steady rate. Which one do you reckon finishes the puzzle sooner? These approaches are very different in the way they work. Having said that, I think that combining all three approaches creates a good and efficient combination.

>What do you mean by ‘cultivating a deity’? Is it just doing the mantra with devotion? Is the idea that it releases subconscious sankaras that are then observed and dissolved or what is the action of purification?

- Deities are practiced through mantra, mudra, and visualisation, mainly mantra. Yes, that's the idea.

>Having said that, I have found the introduction of awareness of the natural state incredibly useful in vipassana practice and it adds a very important dimension that most vipassana schools seem to miss. But I still work with emotional states using pure awareness practice and feeling into the body. The awakening has really transformed and energised this process though, big time.

- That's right, a big difference with both factors.

Padmasambhava's Pure Land Buddhism

Padmasambhava's Pure Land Buddhism

Pure Land Buddhism exists in various areas and forms. The main idea of Pure Land Buddhism is relying on other power (jap. tariki), usually that of Amitabha Buddha. Relying, being devoted or lovingly surrendering to other power is a cornerstone of tantric buddhism as well, where a samsaric being puts his or her faith to the Guru, his teachings and the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

The core of Pemako Buddhism or Padmasambhava's Pure Land Buddhism is the trust that us samsaric beings, practitioners, have for Guru Padmasambhava and his teachings because we can trust that he will help us to realise our own buddhahood. In Pemako Buddhism we combine relying on other power and using self-power (jap. joriki) through extensive tantric practice, meditation and contemplation. Because of this point Pemako Buddhism differs from other schools of Pure Land Buddhism. Pemako Buddhism combines the two principles, wisdom and understanding of the head and devotion of the heart together to make a whole. As ignorant and self-delusional beings we rely on the Guru to receive his guidance and blessings as well as through practice and analysis help ourselves.

Pemako Buddhism and it's different practices can be taken up by anyone who recognises that these teachings carry an important meaning for a samsaric being. Even though we speak of surrender and devotion, the foundation of our practice is our own first hand experience, never belief or blind faith.

As sincere practitioners we commit in our daily practice and Guru devotion, to eradicate our deeply ingrained sense of self. Through thorough mind purification and insights into the selfless nature of our minds, we come to understand who we really are, both existentially as well as human beings.

The real goal of Pemako Buddhism is for us to become fully aware beings, living buddhas. We see the possibility of becoming living buddhas as a realistic option in this body and life because through diligent practice and blessings of the Guru we can see that it actually is not far away. Guru Rinpoche does not have any other wish than for us to attain, what he himself has attained.

May Guru Rinpoche's invitation be heard by those who are willing.

May Pemako Buddhism be received by all those who seek for it.

May all beings be free.

Namo Guru Rinpoche. 

Namo Guru Rinpoche. 

Namo Guru Rinpoche.

- Orgyen Pema, 11.8.2017

Open Heart, www.openheart.fi

Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land

Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land

I would like to start this article by telling of a few recent events.

On an advanced retreat held at our center in January 2017, next happened.

”We had finished our fourth practice session of the fifth day at the retreat and were about to have dinner. Karl, our head chef, brought in our food which was fish. I stood up from the couch and delighted of having a proper meal instead of mere veggies, I joufully announced, "Yes! Eating that is like entering Padmasambhava's Pure Land!". *BANG* At that instant I was hit with a huge blow of energy into my head, the back of my head on the right side. Seen with subtle visions, it looked like a meteor that shot across the sky and landed on my head. It was like getting hit by a boxer. I uttered, "What was that...?" and was stunned. I have gone unconscious many times so I know perfectly well how it feels just before the lights go out. It was exactly like that, hovering on the verge before the lights go out. I felt dazed and sat down on the floor and a few moments later lied down completely. It was like getting punched in the head, just without any pain, of course. At first I didn't know what was going on, and people around me, preparing the dinner were astonished what I was doing, lying there in the middle of the floor, with one hand on the neck measuring my pulse. I didn't pass out but as if having received a heavy blow on the head, I was trying to make sense what just happened. After a few minutes I could sit up. I figured there was a connection to when I loudly mentioned Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land but I was still unsure what was going on. I have never ever lost consciousness, or were close to losing it because of a spiritual charge. I did not even know it was possible.

After about 10 minutes, I was able to eat some. My legs were soft spaghetti and I knew I couldn't stand up or walk. After getting some food, I felt like closing my eyes to find out some facts of what was going on, while people around me were finishing their meals and talking. At this point, perhaps 15-20 minutes after the meteor hit me, the charge spread to my body, descended into the stomach, then to arms and legs.

This was something I had never experienced before. It was like combining very high intensity soft martial art (yiquan) practice with very intense rigpa-energy. It felt like Guru Rinpoche was practicing yiquan in my body. It was something very unusual that I hadn't experienced before in perhaps a few thousand sessions of guru yoga that I had practiced. After about 30 minutes, I told people they could tune into the charge if they wanted but they actually really had no choice because all the surroundings were swept by the power of the blessing. The power of it was really unique. This is hard to convey to others if they weren't there.

The only thing I can compare this is Amma's devi bhava with the exception that Amma's energy is motherly soft while this was intense and wrathful, yet penetrating. Guru Rinpoche's charge swept through the whole group.

As minutes passed the charge became more integrated with my body and my rational mind switched on again. After a few hours it had smoothened out while the reverberations continued for a few days afterwards.”

This happened in January. Now I know that we had visited Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land, Zangdok Palri, The Copper Coloured Mountain.

The same happened twice in February on the last day of another retreat and in a private online session with a sangha friend. It has also happened with less intensity while giving dharma talks, recorded here and here.

Pure Lands

Many buddhas have pure lands, or buddhakshetras. Buddha Amitabha's Pure Land (skt. Sukhavati) is probably most well known through Pure Land Buddhism which is widely practiced in China and Japan, also in the West. There are many other pure lands.

A pure land is actually a vibrational field, sphere or dimension which is governed by a particular buddha or mahasiddha. While none of the pure lands are out of reach of anyone, karmic connections with the governor of the pure realm is a key factor whether one can access it or is allowed to live there.

Pure lands can be briefly visited. For example if we have a sincere wish to visit Amitabha's pure land, it is possible. We only need to tune in with Buddha Amitabha and ask him to take us for a visit there. Then we can feel being transported to Sukhavati. If one has some skills of subtle seeing or hearing one may be able to perceive how it looks like there, who are there and so on. If one wishes to visit a pure land, any of them, sincerity and devotion towards the governor of that pure realm is essential. None of the pure lands can be accessed from the ego.

If we have the desire for it, we can be in tune with the governor of the pure land and the pure land itself. It is possible to live within the pure realm created by Padmasambhava while still in the physical body, living in the Earth-realm, if the connection has been well established.

The moment we leave this body, we are instantly transported to the Copper Coloured Mountain, not having to go through the intermediate states between death and rebirth (tib. bardo). If we had difficulties in subtly seeing and hearing the pure land while in the body, after death we can see everything that goes on in there just like we can see and hear what happens around us in the physical world now.

Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land is a beautiful place, not only aesthetically but also the beings there. Imagine a garden city where everyone has close karmic connections Guru Rinpoche himself, who have strong spiritual inclinations and who practice for the liberation of all beings. Imagine hearing Guru Rinpoche or other mahasiddhas like Yeshe Tsogyal give dharma talks, instructions and transmissions. Imagine meeting Guru Rinpoche in person so that you can see eye to eye. Everyone there is safe and supported with basic necessities, unlike here on Earth. Because of these reasons it is called a ”world of the buddha”.

Pemako – The Hidden Land of Guru Rinpoche

A while ago I was pondering that as Open Heart is the name of our method, what would be the name of our lineage, as methods are passed within certain lineages. As we were sitting in a cafe with Karl talking about this, all of a sudden we were swept by Guru Rinpoche's blessings and the word ”Pemako” popped into my mind. I didn't know what it meant so I googled it and got to know that Pemako is a special area in India and Tibet which is considered very sacred in it's connection to the Guru. Many great lamas and rinpoche's have been born, lived and died there.

”If people die here (Pemako), they do not take

karmic rebirth; they go to the Pure Lands.

I do not tell lies. It is like that. Keep it in mind.

• Guru Rinpoche

So traditionally Pemako refers to a physical area in the East but in this case, referring to our lineage and teachings Pemako refers to hidden realm of Guru Rinpoche, that is, his pure land. This realm is accessed by following the teachings of the Open Heart and by taking refuge.

Taking refuge Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land

For the above mentioned reasons and master's direct instruction, taking refuge in Guru Rinpoche's Pure Land is going to be added to our refuges.

Five Refuges

I take refuge in the Guru

I take refuge in His Pure Land

I take refuge in the Buddha

I take refuge in the Dharma

I take refuge in the Sangha

May all beings be free.

Thank you for reading.

- Kim, 15.5.2017

Pureland and buddhahood by Gyatrul Rinpoche

Pureland and buddhahood

by Gyatrul Rinpoche

Always try to see where you are as a pureland. We think that someday we will arrive in the pureland, that it is someplace we have to go. Actually, the pureland is something you train in, something you recognize... Appearances change continuously. So if you die, it’s nothing much. It is just appearances, changing a bit. In terms of your body, maybe death seems like a big change, but in terms of appearances, it’s not a big deal, because appearances are changing all the time anyway. Watch how they constantly arise, constantly change – whether waking or in dreams, morning and night...If you die but to you everything is a pureland, then you are still in the pureland. Sentient beings’ experiences are changing, but it is all your pureland. You don’t need to buy a ticket to the pureland. You just need to recognize what you have right now. In your pureland, all happiness and suffering are liberated. They call that quality “all-encompassing purity.” “All-encompassing” means it is even, evenly pervading everything. “Purity” means all obscurations are purified, like the syllable “sang” (“purified”) in the Tibetan word for buddha, “sangye.”

At the same time, that purity is inseparable from compassion for sentient beings. All appearances are all-encompassing purity, but beings don’t recognize this. Instead, they suffer in the realms of samsara. Thus, they are naturally objects of compassion. That purity is also manifesting unceasingly. You think that Vimalamitra and all the great masters of the past came and then they went away? No! They are present, here, now. These manifestations are but the expression of the qualities of all-encompassing purity, your buddha nature. They emanate and appear in all different forms in response to the needs of beings. They are made by the mind, and the mind can do anything. It can appear in any way... In the future, if you have learned many things and then you pop up, thinking you are something special – that means you blew it! It means you couldn’t give up the afflictive emotions, the five poisons. You didn’t get real method or real wisdom. You don’t need to go anywhere; you already have it. What you need is to study and train in pure appearances. Then, your grasping to ordinary reality, grasping to

this and that as good or bad, grasping to subject and object as impure:

all these will decrease slowly...

We think we need to go to the pureland today, but we don’t know how to get there. Actually you don’t need to go there, you don’t need to “go” anywhere, in any ordinary way. Recognize that right now you are already there, in the middle of it.

We think, “A pureland, wow, sparkling! Someplace special, I want to go

there!” No, it's not like that. If we need to go to a pureland, we need to slowly, slowly understand the purity of appearances. Then all the buddhas are with us. Understanding the purity of appearances is understanding the nature of the buddhas. If you understand the nature of refuge in the buddha, then you know that the nature of the dharma is the same, and the sangha are just the emanations of that same buddha.

Guru Rinpoche is, too. He is the emanation of the forms of all the

buddhas. He is also the emanation of their speech, mind, qualities, and activities. They say there are eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, but actually there are countless emanations. When we awaken, the benefit of others will manifest like this, and we don’t need to be kissing and

hugging everybody to try to benefit them.

Kuntuzangpo is the primordial buddha, and he is called that because he has never strayed into confusion about appearances. He has always understood their nature, and thus he has never had any learning or training to do. That accurate and unchanging understanding is the ultimate teacher. It is our own nature. In fact, all the buddhas have that nature, and so do all sentient beings. So you can see, the buddhas are not something far away, out there; all their qualities are present, evident, and manifest. If you know them, that’s enlightenment. If not, that’s samsara.

- Gyatrul Rinpoche

http://vimalatreasures.org/Downloads/VGRspring2014onpurevision1.pdf