“We have everything we need in the Buddha Dharma....Buddha Dharma is perfect and complete in itself because it was taught by the Buddha who is the supreme Teacher of all beings...”
— REVEREND JŌSHŌ ADRIAN CIRLEA
Recent events have had me thinking about the Dharma and in particular, Amida Dharma.
About what it means, what I know from the teachings but also what I know on a more intuitive level.
I know that the Dharma is comprised of all the Teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, and that through Him and the Three Pure Land Sutras, the teachings of Amida Buddha and his gift of the Primal Vow as well as Sutras of other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and Explanations and Commentaries of the Masters.
What I know:
The Dharma is unchangeable throughout our worldly conditions of this lifetime, of multiple lifetimes, of multiple dimensions of space and time.
The Dharma we hear, listen deeply too today is the same Dharma which Dharmakara listened deeply to, painstakingly practised for 5 eons and from which he shaped his 48 Vows and ultimately fulfilled them to become Amida Buddha.
Thus, as did Amida Buddha, only a Buddha has the power to unveil additional dimensions that reveal new paths towards liberation.
The Dharma cannot not be adapted to pander to our beliefs, history, morality, society, mundane concerns and least of all, our sense of self,
Conceptualisations born from our unenlightened minds and the seeds of our collective karma are projected into the world, shaping the forms and qualities of our environment and experience are by nature changing, evolving, adapting only to finally disappear, whereas the Dharma prevails pristine and unachangeing throughout the universe.
We cannot change the Dharma and the Dharma will not change for us nor can it gratify our wishful hopes and desires for happiness in this world.
The Dharma exists to help US change, to heal US from the affliction of our unenlightened minds,
The Dharma clears the obscurations that hinder our capacity to know our Buddha Nature.
The Dharma is not for the faint hearted and is merciless with the three poisons of ignorance, greed and hate that thrive like malignant tumours within our being.
The Dharma opens our eyes and hearts to the absurdity of our delusions and, in turn, inspires the aspiration to become enlightened beings.
Through deep listening the Dharma indicates right understanding and correct view of the Buddhas the Bodhisattvas and the Masters.
References, Notes, Further Reading & Links
If you have a question, ask the Dharma, article by Reverend Josho Cirlea