The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

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sth9784
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The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

Post by sth9784 »

I would like to share an experience with those followers of the Pure Land Way. It is a common statement about practicing the Nembutsu that it is an easy practice that can be performed whether 'sitting, standing, walking, or even lying down', or even on one's death-bed. It is not difficult to see how this is advantageous but I have recently had an experience that showed me just how for granted I took this statement, and even possessed a certain lack of understanding of it.

I have been dealing with health issues as of late, and some days I could barely get out of bed, and yesterday was just one such day, but for some reason I had an urge to utter the Nembutsu a few times. Immediately after reciting the Nembutsu, I had an 'aha! moment', and came to realize how truly important this concept of such an easy practice is, because in the state I was in, there was no way I could really do much more. Despite the miserable state I was in, there was such joy after it that it is hard to express.

For some reason, the insight I had had a profound affect on me, and it really deepened my appreciation for such an easy practice that I thought maybe someone else could get something out of it.
Crom!
Motova
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Re: The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

Post by Motova »

:twothumbsup:
To become a rain man one must master the ten virtues and sciences.
shaunc
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Re: The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

Post by shaunc »

That's a great post. I hope that your health picks up soon.
Admin_PC
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Re: The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

Post by Admin_PC »

This post resonates with me a lot.
When I'm scared: Nembutsu
When I'm angry: Nembutsu
When I'm drifting off to sleep: Nembutsu
When I'm so sick I don't know if I'll make it: Nembutsu
When the anxiety hits: Nembutsu
When the insomnia hits: Nembutsu
When I'm stuck in traffic: Nembutsu
When I'm worried for friends/family: Nembutsu
When I'm happy: Nembutsu
When I'm feeling blessed: Nembutsu
When I'm thankful: Nembutsu
Nembutsu
Nembutsu
Nembutsu
Namo Amida Butsu
Dharma Flower
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Re: The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

Post by Dharma Flower »

Admin_PC wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 5:32 am When I'm angry: Nembutsu
That is especially a time to say the Nembutsu. Even when we don't want to say the Nembutsu is when we need to say it the most. I am saying this from personal experience.
Fortyeightvows
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Re: The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

Post by Fortyeightvows »

Beautiful. This truly is the Buddha's gift to us.
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明安 Myoan
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Re: The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

Post by 明安 Myoan »

Nembutsu ends nightmares.
Nembutsu soothes stress during sleep paralysis.
Nembutsu is there when I'm deeply sad or very happy.
Nembutsu is all I can do during a migraine.
It's hard to practice while suffering but nembutsu is there.

Without it, I wouldn't still be a Buddhist today since so many teachings are subtle and I'm not :lol:
And that means without nembutsu, I'd have to resign myself to eons more of samsara.
Truly a gift indeed :bow:

Thank you for sharing sth! I hope you feel better.
Namu Amida Butsu
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Re: The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

Post by Dharma Flower »

I am so thankful for the Nembutsu. I try to remember, either silently or out loud, to recite the Nembutsu every hour of the day.
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sth9784
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Re: The Ease of Nembutsu Practice

Post by sth9784 »

Monlam Tharchin wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 2:56 pm Nembutsu ends nightmares.
Nembutsu soothes stress during sleep paralysis.
Nembutsu is there when I'm deeply sad or very happy.
Nembutsu is all I can do during a migraine.
It's hard to practice while suffering but nembutsu is there.

Without it, I wouldn't still be a Buddhist today since so many teachings are subtle and I'm not :lol:
And that means without nembutsu, I'd have to resign myself to eons more of samsara.
Truly a gift indeed :bow:

Thank you for sharing sth! I hope you feel better.
I do not think I would be a Buddhist, or religious at all if it weren't for the Pure Land tradition. I must say it is not the fault of Buddhism, but rather my own that such would be the case. It is ironic since when I first starting learning about Mahayana Buddhism, I read some brief overview of various traditions somewhere or other, and when I came to Pure Land it almost immediately turned me off resulting in me completely skipping over it altogether. Through after a few years of modest, and sporadic study, I came across something about Shinran, and Jodo Shin Shu which mentioned Honen. It wasn't long after that I started to read as much as I could find online about him, and at the time that wasn't very much outside of the JSRI so I decided to order his 'magnum opus' the Senchaku Hongan Nembutsu Shu. After my first reading of it I had a very strong affinity to his teachings. A bit longer of a rant with which I wanted to reply, but it is an amazing tradition, and Nembutsu an amazing practice.
Honen- Chapter 3 of the Senchaku Hongan Nembutsu Shu on the Original Vow quoting Genshin's Collection on the Essentials for Rebirth wrote: '...the Nembutsu is not difficult to perform for either man or woman, whether highborn or low, whether walking, standing still, sitting, or lying down, and no matter when, where, and under what karmic conditions.
Crom!
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