If I could actually accumulate some merit by my own power, I would help my dead parents by the grace of Invocation to Amida (But it is not I who can save me, but Amida himself). So I should give up the self-concieted attitude of hoping to save myself and others by the grace of religious practice (and I should rely on the grace of Amida).
The first lesson of the ascetics of Hinayana Buddhism is to regard one’s body as impure. Here the body is regarded as the source of all evils, and as a hindrance to the practice of the Way. Dogen, however, revised this interpretation. According to him, contemplation should be realized in one’s actions in everyday life. “So-called contemplations are everyday activities like sweeping the ground and the floor.” That should be concieved as exactly identical to “recognizing one’s body as impure.” Moreover, in that case, one is expected to transcend the dichotomy of purity and impurity.”
He (Donghak) even went further to say that “human beings are Heaven, and Heaven is Human beings. Heaven does not exist outside human beings, and human beings do not exist outside Heaven. Here, Choe identified humankind with Heaven and imbued humanity with the dignity of Heaven. (Genesis 1.26)
He claimed that because humans are one with Heaven, we mus serve others as if they are Heaven,” saying that prejudices such as the discrimination in the social status system which values sons of wives over sons of concubines and yangban over common people went against Heaven’s will.
Hyegang said that all affairs in daily life were objects of earnest learning. If one abandonded these affairs and sought learning elsewhere, one’s learning would become void. Through affairs, sin-gi shows the truth of things, achieves knowledge, and nurtures and trains itself. Without affairs, sin-gi is unable to display its omnipotence.
Benevolence, righteousness, civility, and wisdom are formed around corresponding conduct. Therefore, benevolence can be achieved only when one loves others; before this love, benevolence does not exist. After one commits a good act, one can recognize righteousness. Before he so acts, righteousness does not exist…How can it be asserted that benevolence, righteousness, civility, and wisdom are inherent in human mind, like seeds in a peach or apricot?
Guanyin, precisely as the sutra promised, was known to be especially adept at rescuing the drowning. In the midst of a river battle a fat man meditated on the bodhisattva and abandoned ship. The water was deep and the river was raging, yet the water came up only to his waist, as if he were standing in shallow water. Eventually a boat came to rescue him, but the man’s weight was so great that he could not be lifted aboard. The man looked down and saw four men pushing him up. Once he was on the ship he looked back, but no one was there.
In the chapter, the Buddha explains that if suffering beings single-mindedly call his name, this bodhisattva will rescue them from all forms of harm, including fire, flood, shipwreck, murderers, demons, prison, bandits, and wild animals.
NOTE: YOU MAY FIND THE VIDEO I SELECTED TO BE BIAS, BUT I HAVEN’T COME ACROSS ANY VIDEOS ON MODERN MIRACLES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ONE CALLED “AVALOKITESEVARA”. (PERHAPS IF THERE ARE ANY THEY ARE NOT IN ENGLISH). WHAT WOULD THE DIFFERENCE BE THOUGH IF THE FRIAR TOLD THE REPORTER THAT HE ATTRIBUTED THE HEALING TO “GUAYANIN”? EITHER WAY THE FRIAR IS IN A HUMBLE STATE NOT CLAIMING THE GLORY FOR HIMSELF, AND ATTRIBUTES THE MIRACLE TO THE GOODNESS OF THE MULTINAMED ONE WHO DISCERNS THE SOUNDS OF THE WORLD.
