In this episode, Jiawen discusses the 52 stages of enlightenment in Mahayana Buddhism and the importance for attaining rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land. The 52 stages of enlightenment in Mahayana Buddhism are: 10 stages of Faith (十信） 10 stages of Dwelling （十住） 10 stages of Practices （十行） 10 stages of Transfer（十回向） 10 stages of Ground/Bhumis （十地） Equal Enlightenment （等觉） Wonderful Enlightenment （妙觉） （there are slightly different translations to the above terms, Jiawen...

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the four levels of enlightenment in Theravada Buddhism in detail. 🔸 Reference: Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakośa Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

In this episode, Jiawen talks of Buddhists' take on tarot card readings. (The same applies to fortune telling, etc.) Recommended readings: 🔸Liaofan's Four Lessons - Changing Destiny https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/blog/liaofans-four-lessons-your-destiny-is-in-your-hands For the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVNdwzbUwDw Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation:...

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the three periods of Buddhism (三时教法),  particularly the Dharma-ending Age(末法时期) in detail, and the importance to rely on Amitabha Buddha’s power and vows to deliver us to Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land in order to exit the cycle of reincarnation and to realise enlightenment. 🔸 Reference: 1. The Sutra of the Total Annihilation of the Dharma (佛说法灭尽经): where the Buddha describes clearly the situations during the Dharma-ending Age and the sutras that will...

In this episode, Jiawen talks of the ways of dealong withevil spirits during sleep. 🔸 Reference sutras: 1. Lotus Sutra 妙法莲华经 (Chapter 25): Universal Gate Chapter on Bodhisattva Guanyin 观世音菩萨普门品 https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-universal-gate-chapter-on-bodhisattva-guanyin 2. The Fundamental Vows of Ksitigarbha (Earth Store) Bodhisattva Sutra 地藏菩萨本愿经 (see Chapter 6 Shakyamuni Buddha praising Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva...

The origin of humans on Earth according to the Buddha. 🔸 Reference sutra: Agañña Sutta: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/agganna-sutta (The Buddha described the origin of Earth, humanity, and the development of social order) 🔸 Doubts about the Darwinian theory of evolution https://youtu.be/7cT7Z0D7_h4?si=zY1GVJDJean8ilfE https://youtu.be/xQgOjHsMEeE?si=M7z8_y-NROjD_p0V Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha...

In this episode, the origin of the Universe according to the Buddha is discussed. 🔸 Reference sutras:  1) Surangama Sutra 楞严经 (from p128 The Buddha discusses the origin of the Universe and the continuity of world, living beings and karmic retribution) 2) Sutra on Entry into the Womb 佛说入胎经 (the Buddha describes the 38-weeks of human gestation in detail, from the conception, the composition of the embryo, the gestation period and the newborn being, the course of life and its suffering) 3)...

This is a continuation from the previous episode[Part I], in which Jiawen discusses what is the Mind (Heart), and the difference between the real Mind and the illusory mind. 🔸 Sutra mentioned: Surangama Sutra https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/surangama-sutra Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏 

In this episode, Jiawen discusses what is the Mind (Heart, citta), the true nature of the Mind (the Real Mind/Heart) and the illusory mind. This is the first part of the discussion (two videos in total). Reference Sutra: 🔸Surangama Sutra https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/surangama-sutra Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha...

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the six paramitas (perfections) of the Bodhisattva path in detail, which are 1) Generosity/Giving (Dana); 2) Morality/Precepts (Sila); 3) Forbearance/Patience (Ksanti); 4) Diligence (Virya); 5) Meditation/Meditative Concentration (Dhyana); 6) Prajna (Transcendent Wisdom of Shunyata/Emptiness) 🔸Sutras mentioned/quoted: 1. The Diamond Sutra: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-diamond-sutra 2. The Ten Good Ways of Actions...

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the difference between Mahayana (Great Vehicle) and Hinayana (Small Vehicle). Please note that this does not refer to any particular school of Buddhism but rather the mindset of the practitioners. Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the three vehicles in Buddhism (Triyāna 三乘): Śrāvakayāna (声闻), Pratyekabuddhayāna (缘觉) & Bodhisattvayāna (Buddhayāna 佛乘), and how the three vehicles are simply skilful means by the Buddha to lead sentient beings with different capacities, preferences and karma to perfect enlightenment (Buddhahood). There is really only One Buddha Vehicle (Buddhayāna 一佛乘). 🔸Reference Sutra: The Lotus Sutra (The Lotus Sutra of Wondrous Dharma,...

In this episode, Jiawen talks about what is a Pratyekabuddha (缘觉/独觉). Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏

In this episode, Jiawen talks about what is a Sravaka (声闻). Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏

In this episode, Jiawen talks about what is an Arahant (Arhat) in detail (from the Mahayana perspective). 🔸Referenced sutra: Lotus Sutra https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-lotus-sutra Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏

In this episode, Jiawen talks about why Buddhists bow at Buddhas' statutes, images, relics etc., and how to do it. Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏

In this episode, Jiawen explains what is Nirvana and Parinirvana, as well as the Buddha’s Nirvana and Parinirvana, and how they were simply performances (skilful means). In fact, Shakyamuni Buddha had realised Buddhahood countless eons ago and had never become extinct. He is still teaching the Dharma and helping save sentient beings in this world and countless other worlds. 🔸 Sutra mentioned: The Lotus Sutrahttps://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-lotus-sutra Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our...

In this episode, Jiawen talks about Buddha Nature. 🔸 Reference sutras: 1. The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-platform-sutra2. The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-mahaparinirvana-sutra3. The Surangama Sutra: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/surangama-sutra  (p128 of the Surangama Sutra talks about the formation of the Universe) 4. The Heart Sutra:...

In this episode, Jiawen talks about how to generate bodhicitta in detail. 🔸Sutras mentioned: 1) Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Ornament Sutra): The Practices and Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/pure-land-sutras/practices-and-vows-of-bodhisattva-samantabhadra 2) The Diamond Sutra https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-diamond-sutra Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation:...

In this episode, Jiawen talks about what is Bodhicitta, why it's so important for Buddhists to generate Bodhicitta and its relevance to Pure Land practitioners. Sutra mentioned: 🔸The Practices and Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (the last chapter of Avatamsaka Sutra)https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/pure-land-sutras/practices-and-vows-of-bodhisattva-samantabhadra Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation:...

In this episode, Jiawen talks about what a Bodhisattva is, in great details. 🔸Sutra mentioned: The Diamond Sutrahttps://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-diamond-sutra Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏

In this episode, Jiawen talks about what is Emptiness and why all is Emptiness - the transcendent wisdom of Sunyata. 🔸Two videos on Buddhism & Science (Where Science and Buddhism Meet)https://youtu.be/qj_i7YqDwJA?si=rOaqW8NQH9Nf9w0Ghttps://youtu.be/ZlmrHMBW36w?si=N1vM0HbQDUHTFe0w 🔸Sutras mentioned/quoted: 1. The Heart Sutra: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/other-sutras/the-heart-sutra (the wisdom of Emptiness - Sunyata)2. The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra:...

In this episode, Jiawen shares the true meaning of the word Buddha. Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the Nirmanakaya (the transformation body) of the Buddhas and highly enlightened Bodhisattvas in detail. Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation: https://www.youtube.com/@PureLandBuddhism/about 🙏Namo Amitabha Buddha 🙏 🙏Namo Amituofo🙏

In this episode, Jiawen talks about the Sambhogakaya (Reward Body 报身) of the Buddha, particularly the Reward Body of Amitabha Buddha. Referenced sutra: The Visualisation of the Buddha of Infinite Light Sutra (Visualisation Sutra, or Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra) https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/pure-land-sutras/the-buddha-speaks-of-the-visualisation-of-the-infinite-life-sutra Amituofo 🙏 🔸 Our official website: https://www.pure-land-buddhism.com/ 🔸Free daily Amitabha (Nianfo) meditation:...