My aunt was ordained. During her lifetime she was ordained at Jietian Temple in Xinhua District, Tainan City. She diligently recited the “Rebirth Mantra” because she believed it guaranteed rebirth in the Pure Land.
In Buddhism, there is a well-known story.
During the Tianjia era, there was a Zen Master Zhen on Mount Lu who, while in deep meditation he saw hundreds of people traveling westward on a Dharma boat. Zen Master Zhen asked the people on the seven-jeweled Dharma boat to take him with them to the west. However, the people on the boat said that although Zen Master Zhen had mastered the “Nirvana Sutra” and possessed incredible meditative power, he had not recited the “Amitabha Sutra” or the Rebirth Mantra, so he could not be taken to the west with them.
Upon hearing this, Zen Master Zhen, after emerging from meditation, ceased expounding the dharma and devoted himself day and night to reciting the “Amitabha Sutra” and the Rebirth Mantra.
After reciting the Rebirth Mantra 20,000 times, he saw in meditation a divine being presenting him with a white lotus platform, who told him that if he were to pass away, he could ride this platform to be reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Zen Master Zhen then realized the immense power of the “Amitabha Sutra” and the Rebirth Mantra and was determined to be reborn there.
When Zen Master Zhen passed away, everyone heard celestial music playing in the air and the room filled with fragrance for several months. Zen Master Zhen had been reborn in the Pure Land.
What are the benefits of the “Rebirth Mantra”?
If someone frequently recites the Rebirth Mantra, and completes it 200,000 times, a seed of Buddhahood will sprout in their heart.
If they recite it 300,000 times, Amitabha Buddha will constantly reside above their head, protecting them day and night, granting them great peace and security. At the time of death, they will naturally be reborn in the Buddha’s Pure Land.
When I personally practice the “Tantric Dharma Practice for Delivering Spirits,” I invite the souls of foreigners to my altar. I often recite the “Rebirth Mantra” and frequently teach spirits to recite it. When these ghosts recite the Rebirth Mantra, they are sure to move Amitabha Buddha to respond and be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Regarding the cultivation of the “Rebirth Practice,” I will teach everyone as follows:
First, make offerings to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, preferably the form holding a lotus pedestal in one hand.
In the Diamond Realm, Amitabha Buddha is the Buddha of the West.
In Esoteric Buddhism, he embodies one of the Five Wisdoms of Mahavairocana, residing at the Samadhi of Wondrous Observation in the West.
In the Womb Realm, he is situated to the west of the Central Eight-Petal Court.
His four great bodhisattvas are Vajra-Dharma, Vajra-Tikshna, Vajra-Hetu, and Vajra-Bhasha. The Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss has four Pure Lands, nine grades of lotus rebirth, there is the welcoming assembly of twenty-five Bodhisattvas, it is truly an extraordinary Buddha Pure Land.
The “Rebirth Practice” I teach people is very simple. Everyone can form the wish-fulfilling mudra, the left hand holds the robe, and the right hand is extended horizontally, palm facing upwards.
Practitioners of Esoteric Buddhism should first visualize the magnificent image of Amitabha Buddha in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, then focus their attention on the lotus pedestal in Amitabha Buddha’s hand.
If you like a red lotus pedestal, then visualize the red lotus pedestal emitting light.
If you like a white lotus pedestal, then visualize the white lotus pedestal emitting light.
If you like a yellow lotus pedestal, then visualize the yellow lotus pedestal emitting light.
Visualize according to your own preference what color the lotus pedestal is.
Then, continue to visualize that the lotus pedestal rises into the air from the hand of Amitabha Buddha. It flies onto your own right hand, becoming your future lotus pedestal, and shines brilliantly in your hand.
Once the visualization is complete, immediately recite the Rebirth Mantra:
Na-mo a-mi-doh-poh-ye,
doh-ta-ga-doh-ye,
doh-deh-ye-ta,
a-mi-lee-doh-poh-pee,
a-mi-lee-doh seh-den-poh-pee,
a-mi-lee-doh pek-ga-lan-deh,
a-mi-lee-doh pek-ga-lan-doh,
ga-mee-nee,
ka-ka-nah,
zhi-doh-ka-lee,
so-ha.
Recite this mantra one hundred and eight times.
Next, enter into meditative concentration.
I believe that if someone cultivates this practice, twice a day or once a day, continuously and without interruption, all sentient beings will surely be reborn in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land. If you wish to take refuge in Amitabha Buddha, you should constantly recite his name or chant Amitabha Buddha’s mantra, or practice the Amitabha Great Dharma, or practice the Great Tantric Rebirth Mantra Practice that I have written. According to the Buddha’s vows, it is very easy to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
I cannot help but reflect that Amitabha Buddha has such a great and expedient teaching, one person cultivates, one person goes, ten thousand people cultivate, ten thousand people go.
It is such a pity that sentient beings don’t believe it?
Today I, Holy Red Crown Vajra Master, am here to be a great witness for Amitabha Buddha of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The “Amitabha Great Dharma”, “Amitabha Rebirth Practice”, “Amitabha Lotus Vehicle Dharma”, are all practices with great power.
A practitioner of Esoteric Buddhism who cultivates the Four Preliminary Practices, followed by Guru Yoga, and finally the “Amitabha Rebirth Dharma”, practicing it once a day, will absolutely be guaranteed rebirth in the Pure Land on the day of their death. If they do not attain rebirth, I, Master Lu Sheng-yen, will take responsibility. I make this statement with a vow as firm as being willing to have my bones shattered into pieces. How can sentient beings still fail to believe it?
Amitabha Buddha’s wisdom nature neither arises nor extinguishes, internally it illuminates the true nature of all dharmas and externally it illuminates the capacities of all sentient beings. His virtues are immeasurable and boundless, bestowing benefits upon all sentient beings.
A verse is written:
