In this episode, Jiawen discusses the 52 stages of enlightenment in Mahayana Buddhism and the importance for attaining rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land.

The 52 stages of enlightenment in Mahayana Buddhism are:

10 stages of Faith (十信）

10 stages of Dwelling （十住）

10 stages of Practices （十行）

10 stages of Transfer（十回向）

10 stages of Ground/Bhumis （十地）

Equal Enlightenment （等觉）

Wonderful Enlightenment （妙觉）

（there are slightly different translations to the above terms, Jiawen adheres to the translation that’s most close to the Chinese terms)

🔸Reference:

1. Jewelled Necklace Sutra 菩萨璎珞本业经 (there does not seem to be an English translation of the sutra)

2. Bramajala sutra (Brahma-net sutra) 梵网经 (the first part talks about the different stages of enlightenment, unfortunately this has not been translated into English)

3. Avatamsaka Sutra 华严经 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-avatamsaka-sutra

4. Surangama Sutra 楞严经 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/surangama-sutra

5. Diamond Sutra 金刚经 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-diamond-sutra

6. Lotus Sutra 法华经 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/The-Lotus-Sutra

Amituofo 🙏

🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/

🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the four levels of enlightenment in Theravada Buddhism in detail.

🔸 Reference:
Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakośa

Amituofo 🙏

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🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

In this episode, Jiawen talks of Buddhists' take on tarot card readings. (The same applies to fortune telling, etc.)

Recommended readings:
🔸Liaofan's Four Lessons - Changing Destiny
https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/blog/liaofans-four-lessons-your-destiny-is-in-your-hands

For the movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVNdwzbUwDw

Amituofo 🙏

🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/

🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the three periods of Buddhism (三时教法),  particularly the Dharma-ending Age(末法时期) in detail, and the importance to rely on Amitabha Buddha’s power and vows to deliver us to Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land in order to exit the cycle of reincarnation and to realise enlightenment.

🔸 Reference:

1. The Sutra of the Total Annihilation of the Dharma (佛说法灭尽经): where the Buddha describes clearly the situations during the Dharma-ending Age and the sutras that will disappear first.【 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/sutra-on-the-annihilation-of-the-dharma- 】
2. The Great Extensive Collection Sutra (大集经): where the Buddha talked about the three periods of teachings (or even five periods) and how in the Dharma-ending Age, rarely anyone can attain enlightenment. (The only extant copy can only be found in Chinese)
3. The Infinite Life Sutra (无量寿经): Chapter 45 - where the Buddha talked about the last sutra that will be in the world for an extra 100 years would be the Infinite Life Sutra; Chapter 44 - where the Buddha talked about because 100 million Bodhisattvas regress from the perfect enlightenment because they have not heard of the Pure Land Dharma gate.【 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/pure-land-sutras/the-buddha-speaks-of-the-infinite-life-sutra 】
4. The Surangama Sutra (楞严经): where the Buddha says in the Dharma-ending Age, there will be Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who come to help with all kinds of identities but they will never reveal their identities or claim they have realised enlightenment.【 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/surangama-sutra 】
5. The Diamond Sutra (金刚经): Where the Buddha says enlightened beings have no notion of the self, others, sentient beings and lifespan (enlightened beings will not think they have realised enlightenment - even though they have realised enlightenment - because enlightenment means no attachment including no attachment to the so-called state of enlightenment).【 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-diamond-sutra 】
6. The Mahaparinirvana Sutra （大般涅槃经): Chapter 9 - where the Buddha said the Mara (Marapapiyas) will destroy the right Dharma after the Buddha entered Parinirvana【 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-mahaparinirvana-sutra 】
7. The Sutra of the Descent of Maitreya (佛说弥勒下生经): Where the Buddha talks about the conditions of the world when Bodhisattva Maitreya descent to teach the Dharma.【 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-sutra-on-the-descent-of-the-maitreya-buddha- 】

Amituofo 🙏

🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/

🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

In this episode, Jiawen talks of the ways of dealong withevil spirits during sleep.

🔸 Reference sutras:

1. Lotus Sutra 妙法莲华经 (Chapter 25): Universal Gate Chapter on Bodhisattva Guanyin 观世音菩萨普门品

https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-universal-gate-chapter-on-bodhisattva-guanyin

2. The Fundamental Vows of Ksitigarbha (Earth Store) Bodhisattva Sutra 地藏菩萨本愿经 (see Chapter 6 Shakyamuni Buddha praising Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva 如来赞叹品）

https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-fundamental-vows-of-ksitigarbha-bodhisattva

Amituofo 🙏

🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/

🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

The origin of humans on Earth according to the Buddha.

🔸 Reference sutra:

Agañña Sutta: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/agganna-sutta

(The Buddha described the origin of Earth, humanity, and the development of social order)

🔸 Doubts about the Darwinian theory of evolution

https://youtu.be/7cT7Z0D7_h4?si=zY1GVJDJean8ilfE

https://youtu.be/xQgOjHsMEeE?si=M7z8_y-NROjD_p0V

Amituofo 🙏

🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/

🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

In this episode, the origin of the Universe according to the Buddha is discussed.

🔸 Reference sutras: 
1) Surangama Sutra 楞严经 (from p128 The Buddha discusses the origin of the Universe and the continuity of world, living beings and karmic retribution)

2) Sutra on Entry into the Womb 佛说入胎经 (the Buddha describes the 38-weeks of human gestation in detail, from the conception, the composition of the embryo, the gestation period and the newborn being, the course of life and its suffering)

3) Agañña Sutta 起世因本经 (the Buddha talks about the origin of humans on Earth)

Amituofo 🙏

🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/

🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

This is a continuation from the previous episode[Part I], in which Jiawen discusses what is the Mind (Heart), and the difference between the real Mind and the illusory mind.

🔸 Sutra mentioned: Surangama Sutra

https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/surangama-sutra

Amituofo 🙏

🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/

🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

In this episode, Jiawen discusses what is the Mind (Heart, citta), the true nature of the Mind (the Real Mind/Heart) and the illusory mind. This is the first part of the discussion (two videos in total).

Reference Sutra:

🔸Surangama Sutra

https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/surangama-sutra

Amituofo 🙏

🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/

🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the six paramitas (perfections) of the Bodhisattva path in detail, which are

1) Generosity/Giving (Dana);

2) Morality/Precepts (Sila);

3) Forbearance/Patience (Ksanti);

4) Diligence (Virya);

5) Meditation/Meditative Concentration (Dhyana);

6) Prajna (Transcendent Wisdom of Shunyata/Emptiness)

🔸Sutras mentioned/quoted:

1. The Diamond Sutra: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-diamond-sutra

2. The Ten Good Ways of Actions Sutra: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-ten-good-ways-of-actions-sutra

3. The Practices and Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra

https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/pure-land-sutras/practices-and-vows-of-bodhisattva-samantabhadra

Amituofo 🙏

🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/

🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about

🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏

🙏Namo Amituofo🙏