Talk on Dharmadhatu Visualization A talk given by Guru Yutang Lin Reviewed and Revised by Guru Lin
So, to help you, you know, free from this very limited view, at the beginning of your Dharma practices, you can visualize as follows. And this visualization is not limited to the Amitabha teaching, any Dharma practice you can visualize like this because the ultimate goal—the Buddhahood, is a limitless oneness that expands and includes everything. So, if we do this kind of visualization, it will remind us of this final goal. And through habitual practice of this visualization, gradually your mind becomes as open as that. The visualization is—for example, if we are doing Amitabha, in front in the sky we think of Amitabha Buddha there, and He is surrounded by Holy Beings in His Pureland, and then they are surrounded by all the Buddhist Holy Beings. And here, facing them, center is the practitioner. On your right-hand side is your father, whether he is still living or not, and mother is on the left side. All these sentient beings are facing the Buddhas. In front of you are all your—all the beings that are karmically related to you. Then the beings from the six realms are surrounding you, after you, and those needed help most are the ones closest to you, those are the hell beings; and then the hungry ghosts, and then the animals, and then human beings, and then Asuras, and finally the heavenly beings of the heavenly realm. And you think that, for example, you are repeating the name of Buddha, then all of them are repeating it at the same time. And the Holy Beings are giving us blessings. So, if you are doing the prostration, you think all these beings are doing the prostration to Buddha at the same time. At the beginning of your Dharma practice you do this visualization, and then you concentrate on your practice. And, when you are finishing your session, then you think of this visualization again. That’s also one way to dedicate merits to all of them. So, when you begin to do this, you don’t feel anything; but if you continue doing this for years, you will sense the benefits of this practice. So, this is the very important one because whatever kind of practice you are doing, you have the Dharmadhatu view. And you will gradually really sense that your mind broadened. Now, we come back to the Repetition of Buddha’s Name practice. The one we just started is simply repeating the name without melody. But in Pureland School, there is also repetition of Buddha’s name in singing. And I want to mention this "One-minded Singing of Amitabha" because this melody I got it in a dream. And, as soon as I woke up, I recorded it down. So, it’s in Chinese, but it’s simple, so you can also follow me in singing this. And it has only two, two sentences, you know. First, I explain the meaning. "Namo" is, you know, er, salute or taking refuge in. "Amituofo" is "Amitabha Buddha" in Chinese. It’s only this: "Namo Amitabha Buddha." So, I will start to sing, and you listen, and gradually you join.
Auspicious Completion
September 10, 2014
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