A retreat led by Plum Village Monastic in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
In the Sukhavati-Vyuha Sutra (The
Smaller Sukhavati Sutra, Taisho Revised Tripitaka 366) Shakyamuni Buddha
speaks to Sariputra about Amitabha Buddha and the Land of Great
Happiness. The Pure Land (The Land of Great Happiness, The Land of
Bliss) of the West is the realm that Amitabha Buddha (Buddha of Infinite
Light) or Amitayus Buddha (Buddha of Infinite Life) resides.
Shakyamuni Bhudda talks about the great vows of Amitabha Budddha to
bring all sentient beings to the Pure Land, just by their repetitive
recitation of the name Amitabha Buddha, wholeheartedly and attentively.
In the Pure Land, things are very beautiful, people have time to listen
to the Dharma talks, doing walking meditation after midday meal. The
birds sing the teachings of the Buddha such as the Five Powers, The
Noble-Eight Fold Path, The Seven Factors of Awakening … Listening to the
birds’ singing, residences of the Pure Land practice mindfulness of the
Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. In the Sutra, Amitabha Buddha also
praises Shakyamuni Buddha for being able to transform defilements and
live in happiness right in the Saha world, the world of Suffering and
Confusion.
In this retreat, we will study this sutra from the perspective of
mindfulness meditation. We will see how the practice of mindfulness can
bring us to The Pure Land in the Here and Now. By going back to our
mindful breaths, being aware of what’s happening inside and around us,
in the present moment, we can realize wonderful things around us. We
will see how the practices of walking meditation, sitting meditation,
dharma discussion, listening to the Dharma talks that we are doing in
the retreat, are like those practiced in the Pure Land. We will see that
Nien-Fo (by reciting Namo Omito-Fo) is actually a mindfulness
practice, which has its roots from the word Buddhanusmrti meaning
Mindfulness of the Buddha.
| The Pureland in the Here and Now |
| Date: 4 – 8 Jun 2014 (Wed-Sun) |
| Retreat Offering: - $150 per person, - $70 for full time student* / senior citizen* (*document for verification required)(Note: This retreat is for age 16 and above) |
| Closing Date: 25 May 2014 (or when registration is full) |
| Registration: Reception Office | 9am – 4.30pm |
| Registration Details: Retreat FAQs and Application Tel: 6849 5300 | Email: sem@kmspks.org | [poster] |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QabZDyzhtek
http://www.kmspks.org/events/featured/the-pureland-in-the-here-and-now/