The Buddha Book: Buddhas, blessings, prayers, and rituals to grant you love, wisdom, and healing. Lillian Too

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       Here is the visualization of Buddha Ratnasambhava: From the jewels of Ratnasambhava, everyone receives what they want, what they need; including wealth, teachers, and teachings. A transcendental wisdom of equanimity arises, causing them to become enlightened like Buddha Ratnasambhava. Nectar beams are visualized emitting from Ratnasambhava, purifying the disease of miserliness, which does not allow you to enjoy yourself even though you are rich. This is a painful, unhappy mind; now you can achieve so much happiness up to enlightenment by using your wealth to create merit.

BUDDHA AMITABHA

      The mandala of Buddha Amitabha (who is red in color) is in the western direction. Amitabha is the Buddha of Infinite Light, and he represents the Dharma transforming the afflictions of lust and desire into discriminating wisdom. He is thus the buddha who purifies the delusion of attachment.

      Generally, like all of the five tathagatas, Amitabha sits in the lotus posture, with his hands in the mudra of meditative contemplation; sometimes he holds a begging bowl. He is lord of the Lotus family, and his symbol is the red lotus of compassion. The lotus is a special Buddhist symbol, signifying gentleness and purity, and buddhas are always depicted sitting on a lotus flower. Amitabha is probably the best known Dhyani buddha.

      The paradise of Amitabha is known as the western paradise, or Sukhavati (in Tibetan, Dewachen, meaning Great Happiness Pure Land), and it is believed that in accordance with a vow that he made prior to attaining enlightenment, you have only to recite Amitabha’s name to be reborn into his realm, thereby attaining enlightenment through what is described as “the light of Amitabha’s great compassion.” His element is the all-consuming fire that has the power to burn all of our delusions, and especially the terrible delusion of attachment. His chakra is the throat chakra.

      Amitabha Buddha is widely worshipped and revered in China, Korea, and Japan where Pure Land Buddhism is practiced. Devotees believe that reciting his mantra will cause their rebirth in the western paradise, where conditions are conducive to the eventual attainment of enlightenment. Here they take teachings from Amitabha himself, and from all the other buddhas who reside in the same paradise land. Two beloved goddesses of Amitabha’s Pure Land family are the goddess of mercy, Kuan Yin – who is the Chinese form of the Compassion Buddha, Chenrezig (see Chapter 5) – and Green Tara (see Chapter 7) who is said to have been born from the tears of the Compassion Buddha. There are detailed sadhanas (meditative practices) that are believed by practitioners of Pure Land Buddhism to enable them to visualize the western paradise so vividly that it becomes real.

       Amitabha’s blessings develop within us the potential for compassion, which arises from overcoming the delusion of attachment.