![]() When idle thoughts arise, the nianfo is repeated again to clear them. The modern Chan revitaliser Nan Huai-Chin taught that the nianfo is to be chanted slowly and the mind emptied out after each repetition. In China, Pure Land practices (including nianfo) was historically performed alongside practices from other traditions such as Tiantai and Chan in an eclectic manner as opposed to any strict sectarian delineations. In Chinese Buddhism, the nianfo is specifically taken as a subject of meditation and is often practiced while counting with Buddhist prayer beads. Sukhāvatī is a place of refuge where one can become enlightened without being distracted by the sufferings of our existence. It is felt that this act would help to negate vast stores of negative karma that might hinder one's pursuit of buddhahood. In most Pure Land traditions, mindfully chanting of the name of Amitābha is viewed as allowing one to obtain birth in Amitābha's pure land, Sukhāvatī. These forms of mindfulness are essentially methods of meditating upon Amitābha Buddha. Regarding Pure Land practice in Indian Buddhism, Hajime Nakamura writes that as described in the Pure Land sūtras from India, Mindfulness of the Buddha (Skt. Purpose of Nianfo Mushono-Dainembutsu amulet paper The latter was originally popularized by Shinran's descendant (and Rennyo's ancestor), Kakunyo, but its use was greatly expanded by Rennyo. ![]() "I take refuge in the Tathagata of Unobstructed Light Suffusing the Ten Directions". "I take refuge in the Buddha of Inconceivable Light!"įurther, the "restorer" of Jodo Shinshu, Rennyo, frequently inscribed the nianfo for followers using a 10-character Jūjimyōgō ( 十字名号): The founder, Shinran, used a nine-character Kujimyōgō ( 九字名号) in the Shoshinge and the Sanamidabutsuge (讃阿弥陀佛偈) hymns: In the Jodo Shinshu tradition in Japan, variant forms of the nianfo have been used since its inception. In the Japanese Jodo Shinshu sect, it is often shortened to na man da bu. The most common form of this is the six syllable nianfo some shorten it into Ēmítuófó/Āmítuófó. In China, the practice of nianfo was codified with the establishment of the separate Pure Land school of Buddhism. Nianfo in various forms The six Chinese characters of the Nembutsu, resting on a lotus, flanked by Sakyamuni and AmitabhaĪs the practice of nianfo spread from India to various other regions, the original pronunciation changed to fit various native languages. Other translations may also be: "I pay homage to the Enlightened One immeasurable" or "I turn to rely on the Enlightened One immeasurable". While almost unknown, and unused outside of the original Sanskrit, the texts provide a recitation of Amitābha's alternate aspect of Amitāyus as Īgain, a more accessible rendering might be Ī literal translation of this version would be "Namo Buddha of Infinite Life". ![]() The Sanskrit word-by-word pronunciation is the following A more accessible rendering might be:Ī literal English translation would be "Bow for the sake of Amitābha Buddha". The apostrophe and omission of the first "A" in "Amitābha" comes from normal Sanskrit sandhi transformation, and implies that the first "A" is omitted. It appears in the opening of the extant Sanskrit Infinite Life Sutra, as well as the Contemplation Sutra, although it is a reverse rendering from Chinese, as the following: The Sanskrit phrase used in India is not mentioned originally in the bodies of the two main Pure Land sutras. It is a translation of Sanskrit buddhānusmṛti (or, "recollection of the Buddha" ). In the context of Pure Land practice, it generally refers to the repetition of the name of Amitābha. Nianfo in Chinese ( Chinese: 念佛 pinyin: niànfó, Japanese: 念仏 ( ねんぶつ, nenbutsu), Korean: 염불 RR: yeombul, Vietnamese: niệm Phật), or Nembutsu (Japanese) is a term commonly seen in Pure Land Buddhism. ![]()
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