/r/Mahayana
Mahayana Buddhism is one of three main branches of Buddhism. It was formed approximately around 100 B.C.E at the latest. Mahayana Buddhism is prominent in North Asia, including China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and parts of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The other two main branches of Buddhism are Theravada and Vajrayāna.
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/r/Mahayana
My apologies for the funny question. I am just curious because of course I deeply care about my dogs liberation.
Should I not wake my dog every time he has a nightmare? That’s what I would usually do.
“Śāriputra, to the east of this buddha realm, past buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in five river Ganges, there is a world system called Tiers of Purification. The thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Thoroughly Illumined Glorious Array of Excellences presently lives and thrives there, [F.19.b] teaching the Dharma.
...
“Śāriputra, those sons or daughters of good family who hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master these names will not descend to the three lower realms. Such a possibility will simply not exist. Hence, Śāriputra, for those beings, going to the hell realm, being reborn as animals, or going to the realm of the Lord of Death is impossible, except for those individuals who have committed acts of immediate retribution and those who have abandoned the holy Dharma, and even those beings will have those experiences only minimally, not greatly."
“Śāriputra, whatever sons or daughters of good family hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master these names will never be separated from the extraordinary knowledges right up to their arrival at the Essence of Awakening. They will never be without signs of realization. They will never be without dhāraṇī. They will never have defective faculties. They will never be without abundant melodious speech. They will never be without the resonance of drums. They will never be unworthy of gifts, and they will never regress. They will never be without the flowers of the branches of awakening. They will never be without the very extensive Mahāyāna discourses. Śāriputra, there is no basis for that and no possibility for that to occur."
“Śāriputra, whenever a woman hears the names of those blessed buddhas and remembers, carries, reads, teaches, properly chants, and masters them, it will be impossible for such a woman to acquire female attributes again, unless she takes on such attributes due to her own prayers. Śāriputra, there is no basis for that and no possibility for that to occur."
“Śāriputra, when sons or daughters of good family hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master them, it will be impossible for those sons or daughters of good family to experience any terrors from kings, thieves, fire, water, evil forces, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, humans, nonhumans, or any other type of destruction, unless it is due to the forceful ripening of karma. Even then, they will have those experiences only minimally, not greatly.
Extracted from: The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Eight Buddhas”Āryāṣṭabuddhakanāmamahāyānasūtra
All credits to 84000.co and their translators.
“Śāriputra, to the east of this buddha realm, past buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in three river Ganges, there is a world system called Joyous Delights. The thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Glorious Supremely Renowned Intense Subduer presently lives and thrives there, teaching the Dharma.
...
“Śāriputra, those sons or daughters of good family who hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master these names will not descend to the three lower realms. Such a possibility will simply not exist. Hence, Śāriputra, for those beings, going to the hell realm, being reborn as animals, or going to the realm of the Lord of Death is impossible, except for those individuals who have committed acts of immediate retribution and those who have abandoned the holy Dharma, and even those beings will have those experiences only minimally, not greatly."
“Śāriputra, whatever sons or daughters of good family hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master these names will never be separated from the extraordinary knowledges right up to their arrival at the Essence of Awakening. They will never be without signs of realization. They will never be without dhāraṇī. They will never have defective faculties. They will never be without abundant melodious speech. They will never be without the resonance of drums. They will never be unworthy of gifts, and they will never regress. They will never be without the flowers of the branches of awakening. They will never be without the very extensive Mahāyāna discourses. Śāriputra, there is no basis for that and no possibility for that to occur."
“Śāriputra, whenever a woman hears the names of those blessed buddhas and remembers, carries, reads, teaches, properly chants, and masters them, it will be impossible for such a woman to acquire female attributes again, unless she takes on such attributes due to her own prayers. Śāriputra, there is no basis for that and no possibility for that to occur."
“Śāriputra, when sons or daughters of good family hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master them, it will be impossible for those sons or daughters of good family to experience any terrors from kings, thieves, fire, water, evil forces, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, humans, nonhumans, or any other type of destruction, unless it is due to the forceful ripening of karma. Even then, they will have those experiences only minimally, not greatly.
Extracted from: The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Eight Buddhas”Āryāṣṭabuddhakanāmamahāyānasūtra
All credits to 84000.co and their translators.
“Śāriputra, to the east of this buddha realm, past buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in two river Ganges, there is a world system called Exquisitely Joyful. The thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha King of the Summit of Power of the Victory Banner presently lives and thrives there, teaching the Dharma.
...
“Śāriputra, those sons or daughters of good family who hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master these names will not descend to the three lower realms. Such a possibility will simply not exist. Hence, Śāriputra, for those beings, going to the hell realm, being reborn as animals, or going to the realm of the Lord of Death is impossible, except for those individuals who have committed acts of immediate retribution and those who have abandoned the holy Dharma, and even those beings will have those experiences only minimally, not greatly."
“Śāriputra, whatever sons or daughters of good family hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master these names will never be separated from the extraordinary knowledges right up to their arrival at the Essence of Awakening. They will never be without signs of realization. They will never be without dhāraṇī. They will never have defective faculties. They will never be without abundant melodious speech. They will never be without the resonance of drums. They will never be unworthy of gifts, and they will never regress. They will never be without the flowers of the branches of awakening. They will never be without the very extensive Mahāyāna discourses. Śāriputra, there is no basis for that and no possibility for that to occur."
“Śāriputra, whenever a woman hears the names of those blessed buddhas and remembers, carries, reads, teaches, properly chants, and masters them, it will be impossible for such a woman to acquire female attributes again, unless she takes on such attributes due to her own prayers. Śāriputra, there is no basis for that and no possibility for that to occur."
“Śāriputra, when sons or daughters of good family hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master them, it will be impossible for those sons or daughters of good family to experience any terrors from kings, thieves, fire, water, evil forces, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, humans, nonhumans, or any other type of destruction, unless it is due to the forceful ripening of karma. Even then, they will have those experiences only minimally, not greatly.
Extracted from: The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Eight Buddhas”Āryāṣṭabuddhakanāmamahāyānasūtra
All credits to 84000.co and their translators.
“Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita, below here is a world system known as Delighting in Inseparability. There, the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Splendorous Light Manifesting in the Manner of All Phenomena abides, alive and well. That eon is known as Gathering of Wisdom. The faithful noble sons and daughters who remember the name of the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Splendorous Light Manifesting in the Manner of All Phenomena will, immediately in their next lives, attain the dhāraṇī called accomplishing buddhahood. With just one rebirth remaining, they will fully awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood. They will hear the Dharma teachings of ninety million buddhas, and, upon hearing them, they will remember them all. Regarding this, it is said:
‘Those who remember the name of this buddha
Will hear the teachings of ninety million buddhas,
Will have just one birth remaining,
And will fully awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood.’”
—From The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Questions of Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita”
Namo Splendorous Light Manifesting in the Manner of All Phenomena Buddha
Namo Splendorous Light Manifesting in the Manner of All Phenomena Buddha
Namo Splendorous Light Manifesting in the Manner of All Phenomena Buddha
Namo Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita Bodhisattva
Namo Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita Bodhisattva
Namo Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita Bodhisattva
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Link to the Sutra (In this Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha details the inconceivable merits of reciting and remembering the names of the Buddhas of the ten directions. I imagine that the benefits of reading this sutra in its entirety must be indescribable.)
The Bhagavān said, “Śāriputra, to the east of this buddha realm, past buddha realms as numerous as the grains of sand in a single river Ganges, there is a world system called Unsubdued by Others.4 The thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Exceedingly Widely Renowned Glory presently lives and thrives there, teaching the Dharma."
...
“Śāriputra, those sons or daughters of good family who hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master these names will not descend to the three lower realms. Such a possibility will simply not exist. Hence, Śāriputra, for those beings, going to the hell realm, being reborn as animals, or going to the realm of the Lord of Death is impossible, except for those individuals who have committed acts of immediate retribution and those who have abandoned the holy Dharma, and even those beings will have those experiences only minimally, not greatly."
“Śāriputra, whatever sons or daughters of good family hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master these names will never be separated from the extraordinary knowledges right up to their arrival at the Essence of Awakening. They will never be without signs of realization. They will never be without dhāraṇī. They will never have defective faculties. They will never be without abundant melodious speech. They will never be without the resonance of drums. They will never be unworthy of gifts, and they will never regress. They will never be without the flowers of the branches of awakening. They will never be without the very extensive Mahāyāna discourses. Śāriputra, there is no basis for that and no possibility for that to occur."
“Śāriputra, whenever a woman hears the names of those blessed buddhas and remembers, carries, reads, teaches, properly chants, and masters them, it will be impossible for such a woman to acquire female attributes again, unless she takes on such attributes due to her own prayers. Śāriputra, there is no basis for that and no possibility for that to occur."
“Śāriputra, when sons or daughters of good family hear the names of those blessed buddhas and remember, carry, read, teach, properly chant, and master them, it will be impossible for those sons or daughters of good family to experience any terrors from kings, thieves, fire, water, evil forces, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, humans, nonhumans, or any other type of destruction, unless it is due to the forceful ripening of karma. Even then, they will have those experiences only minimally, not greatly.
Extracted from: The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Eight Buddhas”Āryāṣṭabuddhakanāmamahāyānasūtra
All credits to 84000.co and their translators.
“Moreover, in the past there arose in the world a Buddha named Jewel Sign Tathagata. If there are men and women who hear this Buddha’s name and give rise to a reverent mind, these people will attain arhatship before long."
[...]
"World-Honored One, all living beings in the present and future—be they devas or humans, men or women—as long as they remember a Buddha's name, they will attain measureless virtues. How much more so when they remember many [Buddhas’] names! These beings will gain great benefits at the time of birth and the time of death, and they will never fall into the lower realms.
“If a person is on the verge of death and his family members, even just one of them, recite a Buddha’s name clearly for the sick one’s sake, with the exception of the five great violations that lead to incessant torments, the ripened effects of the dying person’s other karma will be dissolved. The five great violations that lead to incessant torments are so extremely grave that the offender would pass through millions of kalpas without release.
Nevertheless, by virtue of other people reciting and meditating on the names of Buddhas for his sake when he is on the verge of death, [even the torments from] such offenses can be gradually dissolved, too. How much more so when living beings themselves recite and meditate on [the names of Buddhas]! They will gain measureless merit and dissolve measureless [torments of] offenses.”
—From Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra, "Chapter Nine: Reciting the Names of Buddhas"
Namo Jewel Sign Tathagata
Namo Jewel Sign Tathagata
Namo Jewel Sign Tathagata
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Link to the complete Ksitigarbha Sutra in English
Link to Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche's incredible lecture notes on "Reciting the Names of Buddhas"
“Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita, above here is a world system known as Splendor Arrayed with Immeasurable Qualities. There the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Array of Light Constantly Proclaiming Pure Gold and Space abides, alive and well. That eon is known as Attaining the Immeasurable. The faithful noble sons and daughters who remember the name of the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Array of Light Constantly Proclaiming Pure Gold and Space purify an immeasurable aggregate of discipline. They also purify an immeasurable aggregate of absorption, an immeasurable aggregate of insight, an immeasurable aggregate of liberation, and an immeasurable aggregate of liberated wisdom vision. They will also progress through the levels. They will attain speech that is worthy of being accepted. They will attain excellent eloquence free from hesitation. They will swiftly and fully awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood. They will understand the symbols of letters and sounds. They will attain lofty castes and exalted lineages. They will attain the five superknowledges. They will remember their former lives. They will attain the eighteen unique qualities of the buddhas. Regarding this, it is said:
‘Those who remember the supreme name of this victor
Will attain perfect speech endowed with the eight aspects,
And they will never be reborn where there is no buddha.
Such individuals will awaken to buddhahood without hindrance.’ “
—From The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Questions of Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita”
Namo Array of Light Constantly Proclaiming Pure Gold and Space Buddha
Namo Array of Light Constantly Proclaiming Pure Gold and Space Buddha
Namo Array of Light Constantly Proclaiming Pure Gold and Space Buddha
Namo Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita Bodhisattva
Namo Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita Bodhisattva
Namo Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita Bodhisattva
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Link to the Sutra (In this Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha details the inconceivable merits of reciting and remembering the names of the Buddhas of the ten directions. I highly recommend reading the entire Sutra from beginning to end at least once; it is truly beautiful)
“Moreover, in the past, as many kalpas ago as there are grains of sand in measureless, countless Ganges Rivers, there arose in the world a Buddha named Jewel Excellence Tathagata. If there are men and women who hear this Buddha’s name, they will never fall into the lower realms and will frequently be in the heavens and experience excellent, wonderful happiness."
[...]
"World-Honored One, all living beings in the present and future—be they devas or humans, men or women—as long as they remember a Buddha's name, they will attain measureless virtues. How much more so when they remember many [Buddhas’] names! These beings will gain great benefits at the time of birth and the time of death, and they will never fall into the lower realms.
“If a person is on the verge of death and his family members, even just one of them, recite a Buddha’s name clearly for the sick one’s sake, with the exception of the five great violations that lead to incessant torments, the ripened effects of the dying person’s other karma will be dissolved. The five great violations that lead to incessant torments are so extremely grave that the offender would pass through millions of kalpas without release.
Nevertheless, by virtue of other people reciting and meditating on the names of Buddhas for his sake when he is on the verge of death, [even the torments from] such offenses can be gradually dissolved, too. How much more so when living beings themselves recite and meditate on [the names of Buddhas]! They will gain measureless merit and dissolve measureless [torments of] offenses.”
—From Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra, "Chapter Nine: Reciting the Names of Buddhas"
Namo Jewel Excellence Tathagata
Namo Jewel Excellence Tathagata
Namo Jewel Excellence Tathagata
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Link to the complete Ksitigarbha Sutra in English
Link to Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche's incredible lecture notes on "Reciting the Names of Buddhas"
P.S. I must once again apologize for missing a day. I neglected to post on account of poor time management and being busier than usual yesterday (but mostly poor time management).
“Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita, to the northeast of here is a world system known as Transcending All Misery. There, the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha He Who Attained Awakening after Countless Millions of Eons resides, alive and well. That eon is known as Array of Eloquence. The faithful noble sons and daughters who remember the name of the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha He Who Attained Awakening after Countless Millions of Eons will, immediately in their next lives, attain the excellent eloquence of speech endowed with the sixty qualities, and they will attain the development of roots of virtue before eight hundred million buddhas. Regarding this, it is said:
‘Endowed with the excellent sixty qualities of speech,
As well as an understanding that is perfected,
They will attain the inconceivable merit
Of worshiping eighty million victors.’"
—From The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Questions of Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita”
Namo He Who Attained Awakening after Countless Millions of Eons Buddha
Namo He Who Attained Awakening after Countless Millions of Eons Buddha
Namo He Who Attained Awakening after Countless Millions of Eons Buddha
Namo Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita Bodhisattva
Namo Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita Bodhisattva
Namo Guṇaratnasaṅkusumita Bodhisattva
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Link to the Sutra (In this incredible Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha details the inconceivable merits of reciting and remembering the names of the Buddhas of the ten directions.)
Maybe the doctrine of total interpenetration is a unique reading of the passages from the Avatāmsaka Sūtra, but to my mind some of the ideas which Huayan stresses are mistakenly portrayed as being innovative. Isn’t the interdependency of phenomena due to their emptiness just saying explicitly what Yogācāra and Madhyamaka say implicitly?
"Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, 'World Honored One, in the past, measureless asamkhyeya kalpas ago, there arose in the world a Buddha named Infinite Forms Tathagata. If there are men and women who hear this Buddha’s name and give rise to reverence momentarily, they will transcend forty kalpas of severe torments of samsara. How much more so when they sculpt and paint his image, make offerings, and sing his praises! These people will gain merit that is measureless and boundless.'"
[...]
"World-Honored One, all living beings in the present and future—be they devas or humans, men or women—as long as they remember a Buddha's name, they will attain measureless virtues. How much more so when they remember many [Buddhas’] names! These beings will gain great benefits at the time of birth and the time of death, and they will never fall into the lower realms.
“If a person is on the verge of death and his family members, even just one of them, recite a Buddha’s name clearly for the sick one’s sake, with the exception of the five great violations that lead to incessant torments, the ripened effects of the dying person’s other karma will be dissolved. The five great violations that lead to incessant torments are so extremely grave that the offender would pass through millions of kalpas without release.
Nevertheless, by virtue of other people reciting and meditating on the names of Buddhas for his sake when he is on the verge of death, [even the torments from] such offenses can be gradually dissolved, too. How much more so when living beings themselves recite and meditate on [the names of Buddhas]! They will gain measureless merit and dissolve measureless [torments of] offenses.”
—From Original Vows of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra, "Chapter Nine: Reciting the Names of Buddhas"
Namo Infinite Forms Tathagata
Namo Infinite Forms Tathagata
Namo Infinite Forms Tathagata
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
Namo Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva-Mahasattva
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha
This reflects issues within the family structure. The family is the foundational unit of society, like cells in the human body; when basic units are damaged, society suffers, just as illness affects the body. Therefore, if we want a harmonious society and world, it is very difficult to achieve this without incorporating traditional moral and ethical education through teachings from Confucianism, Buddhism, and karmic understanding. Everyone should understand the Mahayana teachings, recognizing that “all phenomena are empty, without substance,” and live selflessly, thinking, speaking, and acting in alignment with natural virtues. This brings true value and elevates one’s spiritual essence. Harming others for personal gain will only lead to degradation and suffering in the three lower realms (hell, hungry ghosts, and animal realms). This is a reality!
While this body can still serve others, we should do so without attachment, and without seeking recognition. “All forms are illusion!” Keep a clear, pure mind, detached from the mundane, living a life like the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. After making such a commitment, the first virtue is to overcome afflictions: “Afflictions are endless; I vow to overcome them.” The clearest example is to let go of fame, wealth, and sensory desires. Greed, lust, and fame are the five roots of hell; if we cling to even one, we cannot escape the cycle of rebirth. If we cling to all, even the Buddhas cannot pull us out. So, follow the guidance of the teacher, practicing to cut through afflictions and ingrained habits.
(Ven. Master Chin Kung)
*Note: The Four Great Vows: