MASTER JUN HONG LU’S DISCOURSE ON AMITABHA BUDDHA’S BIRTHDAY
Caller: Today is Amitabha Buddha’s birthday. Could you share a word or two about this special day with Buddhist practitioners from around the world?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Amitabha Buddha is truly phenomenal, to say the least. He used His power of vow to save sentient beings, and paved the way for sentient beings to be reborn in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Imagine what a great Buddha He is! He is also called the Immeasurable Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Infinite Life.
Why are there three statues of Amitabha Buddha in some Chinese temple halls? This is to depict His Dharma bodies (Dharmakaya) that radiate brilliant rays, as means to deliver sentient beings and shower them with the Buddha’s guiding light.
Why is Amitabha Buddha a great master who teaches goodness? This is because He established the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss – one great Buddha who is shepherding us to transcend the illusory mortal mindset so that we can enter the path of righteousness.
Why is He called “Amitabha Buddha”? He is the embodiment of boundless life, boundless merits and boundless blessings.
Understanding all these is of the utmost importance as it will help you gain wisdom. Honestly, many people are clueless about it. With the sheer power of His vows, Amitabha Buddha was able to become the Buddha of Immeasurables, in other words, He has boundless and immeasurable power, wisdom and practically in all aspects. This is because He is endowed with the Ten Thoughts, and hence, the term “Namo Amitabha Buddha”.
“Namo” actually means to take refuge in Buddhism. The next time you encounter the title “the Buddha of Infinite Life”, you should know that it is referring to Amitabha Buddha.
Caller: Master, what’s the difference and connection between “Namo Amitabha Buddha Hidden Within All Dharma Realms (Namo Fajie Cangshen Amituofo) ” in the Eighty-Eight Buddhas Great Repentance, and “Namo Amitabha Buddha” (Namo Amituofo)?
Master Jun Hong Lu: Of course there is a connection. Think about it. How many Amitabha Buddhas are there in the human realm? Don’t you think everyone who silently recites “Amitabha Buddha” in his heart is in fact an “Amitabha Buddha Hidden Within All Dharma Realms”?
If everyone in the dharma realm can silently recite “Amitabha Buddha”, don’t you think Amitabha Buddha is dwelling in each and every one of their hearts? After all, the light of Bodhisattva is buried in your heart!
Caller: The Three Sages of the Western Pure Land are Amitabha Buddha, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva (the Great Strength Bodhisattva) and Guan Yin Bodhisattva. Is Amitabha Buddha Guan Yin Bodhisattva’s Master?
Master Jun Hong Lu: That’s right! The Amitabha Sutra states that if a person can persist in reciting “Namo Amituofo” wholeheartedly every day of his life, Amitabha Buddha along with the rest of the sages will appear before him in his passing”.
Caller: Understood.
Source: Wenda20181223B 38:42, Master Jun Hong Lu’s call-in radio program