The MingJiao Sutras

Extracts from the Sacred Texts of the MingJiao Canon for Meditation

The MingJiao Sutras

Extracts from the Sacred Texts of the MingJiao Canon for Meditation
1st Edition. Edited by Shen Chang. Published and Copyright 2012 by Ming-jiao Tsung-hui. All Rights Reserved. www.PureTeaching.org

Ming-jiao Tsung-hui BEIJING NEW YORK RALEIGH

The MingJiao Sutras

Namo Amitabha Buddhaya. Namo Amitabha Buddhaya. Namo Amitabha Buddhaya.

ShangDi, the eternal source of goodness, shining from tian, beams going forth from tian to earth, shown to us in the circle above the square, with beams coming down and touching the earth with his eternal goodness he receives our offerings of incense and our prayers as we ascend the steps to his presence, through the Three Pure Ones and in their avatar the Jade Emperor.

The superior position on the altar is on the highest level in the middle, where the presence of the Highest Being is represented. By having single minded focus and single hearted devotion, one may come closer and closer to that central part of the altar occupied by the Highest Being. In this way one should envision sitting next to the Highest Teacher, next to His Blessed Lotus Feet, taking in the knowledge in which He imparts through the Three Pure Ones and in turn through Amitabha Buddha to the devotee. Amitabha Buddha teaches all those devotees who have single minded focus and single hearted devotion, regardless of whether they are elders (teachers) or householders (laity). No matter how sincere one's prayers and mantras may be before an altar, if that one is not actively seeking purification from the darkness that resides within the human heart and mind, his prayers are like dust falling from a shelf to the floor.

Do not think that the Great Teacher, the Highest Guru Amitabha Buddha, will ever forsake those whom He considers as His friends. To become a friend of Lord Amitabha is to accept His teaching, His grace and His provisions and to act upon that which He instructs in all things.

Faith is the friend of the man who seeks to do the will of Lord Amitabha. Doubt is the enemy of the man who lacks in cultivating proper faith in ShangDi. Faith is like a strong ladder over a wide and raging river, which enables one to reach the Other Shore. Doubt is like an old wooden boat full of holes which will cause one to sink to the depths of the river. Amitabha Buddha upholds those who uphold their faith in Him and in His teaching.

If you have doubt, you sink to the bottom. If you have faith, you rise to the top.

Embellish the altar of Lord Amitabha, daily, with the flowers of your single minded focus and single hearted devotion that originate from the inner depths of your heart. When reciting "Namo Amitabha Buddhaya," envision the petals of your love and devotion as if they are flowing from your heart and softly resting upon the sacred image of the Most Blessed One and upon His Lotus Feet.

Like the wind that is always invisible, but felt upon the flesh of your face, Ming ShangDi (the Supreme God of Heaven), although not physically visible, is always present and can be felt within your soul.

Amitabha Buddha, among his many names, he is also known in the universe as Jinghuofeng.

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The initial purification of the heart, mind, eyes and hands first comes through wisdom generated by true prayer, study of the sutras and perseverance in the removal of attachments. The true purification from matter, which is the separation of light from darkness, comes through unity in Amitabha Buddha.

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If the offerings bowls in your heart are not clean, then the offerings bowls on your altar are putrid and of no value. Go and purify your heart before standing before the altar of Amitabha ShangDi.

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Seek to transform yourself to the Way of Perfection. Become what you were in the beginning. In this way you shall return to the Divine Source from which you originated. Having firmly established your faith and trust in Amitabha Buddha, having abandoned wrongful desires and attachments, having removed all darkness from your soul - you shall eventually go to abide in the Pure Land of the Celestial Masters which is beyond the realm of darkness and matter, where the Pure Teaching abounds, where all manners of enlightened being walk in the Way of Perfection, learning the Dharma and the Dao unobstructed. The beginning of this process of transformation to the Way of Perfection is the cultivation of the virtues and the inner and outward change of the various characteristics.

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The Three Jade Pillars consist of: 1. Sutra, 2. Tantra, 3. Dzogchen The First Jade Pillar is Sutra which is the collection of sacred texts of Mingjiao. The sutras provide a basis for which the devotee is able to study the ancient history and honored precepts of the Faith. The Second Jade Pillar is Tantra which consists of the external and inner practices of the Faith. Tantric practices assist the devotee in building up a hedge around the Dharma to protect it from abuse and to raise it up as the standard of the Faith. Tantra helps the devotee to seek liberation from darkness and samsara. The Third Jade Pillar is Dzogchen which contains the various revelations, including terma. Dzogchen assists the devotee in developing the root of compassion and leads one to liberation or Great Perfection and true awareness. Dzogchen also contains the sum of the First and Second Jade Pillars. The Three Jade Pillars lead the devotee to the harmonious cultivation of the Five Diamonds of Perfection which consist of: 1. Proper Reason, 2. Proper Mind, 3. Proper Intelligence, 4. Proper Thought, 5. Proper Understanding

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The Three Jade Pillars along with the Five Diamonds of Perfection, are embodied in the Three Treasures which consist of: 1. Buddha (the Teacher), 2. Dharma (the sum of the teaching of the Faith), 3. Sangha (the body of devotees) The Three Jade Pillars, the Five Diamonds of Perfection and the Three Treasures is part of the Great Temple of Amitabha in Sukhavati (the Pure Land) which is promised to all who call upon Lord Amitabha in faith and practice.

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Without stain, When the Samadhi Buddha looks over the great ocean Through the cloud of Light, Mani Guangfa appears in the world.

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There are three genders in your world. There is the First Gender, the Second Gender and the Third Gender. The First Gender is a male who produces children with one from the Second Gender. The Second Gender is a female who produces children with one from the First Gender. Those of the First and Second Genders are attracted to one another. The Third Gender consists of both males and females who find themselves attracted to each other in different ways. For example, a female of the Third Gender is attracted to another female also of the Third Gender. A male of the Third Gender is attracted to another male also of the Third Gender. It is against divine nature for humans to teach others the view that it is sinful for two people of the same gender to be attracted to one another. Those teach against divine nature are destined to be reborn in the lower levels of matter until such a time they return to the divine teaching concerning all things. In such ones there is no light and their lot is with the wild beasts of the fields. By Shangdi and His Great Compassion were three genders brought into existence for manifesting both compassion and love for all humanity. In modern times people of the Third Gender are unable to bring about children in the world of matter. Only in Sukhavati is it now possible to bring forth spiritual children in the higher levels of existence between persons of the Third Gender. These spiritual offspring are brought forth and raised in Sukhavati and sent forth in other forms for the benefit of all sentient beings in the lower levels of existence, such as your world. These are the purest of all children since their origin is in Sukhavati (the Pure Land). They are the true teachers of all humanity. It is they who bring for the Great Message of Liberation of Light from matter, from the highest levels of Sukhavati, from the deepest depths of the heart of the Great Buddha of Infinite Light.
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It is your solemn duty, whether you be of the laity or the teachers, to emphasize that which is divine, originating from the Light over that which is profane, originating from the darkness. In all you do, always put Shang Di before your eyes.

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Remain steadfast in action. Strive to maintain harmony with all sentient beings and the earth. Practice selflessness without partiality. Be merciful to all sentient beings striving to save them.

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The anger within a man who continues dwelling on the evil done to him by others will grow like a wild vine out of control. Hatred and raging anger never benefits anyone. This only causes confusion to the one holding on to such thoughts, barring the liberation of Light from darkness. One way of living a happy life is to learn how to let go of anger and hatred, having the ability to forgive the faults of others around you. If a man is unable to let go of hatred and anger, and unable to forgive the wrong done to him by others, he will never enter into the Land of Light.

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All who call upon Lord Amitabha with faith in him and his Way (teachings) and practice of the Five Diamonds of Perfection are assured a happy existence in Sukhavati the Pure Land of Lord Amitabha.

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Sutra on the Lotus of Awakening Thus I have heard, at one time the Lord Amitabha was teaching His emissaries together with a gathering of numberless great multitudes from all the heavens. At that time the Lord of Heaven said: "People are in bondage, because they have not yet removed doubt from their hearts. As long as they have doubt within their hearts, they will continue to ask deeply speculative questions that go beyond what is written in the plain words of the sutras. Better is it for the devotee to take the simple road of understanding, thereby removing all doubts from his heart." "The very search for enlightening truth is not wrong; but after finding truth, one should drink from its wells in a slow manner so as not to choke; it is wrong to start doubting and questioning with deep speculation, for it will lead you in a false direction, away from the Dharma and the Dao." "How much confusion of thought comes from man's interest in those things that do not belong to him, and from your vanity you say in your heart, 'I am so great,' or 'I have knowledge "' or 'I have done this wonderful deed?' These thoughts stand between you and truth and you arrogance blinds you from the simple truth of the sutras; banish it, and then you will see things as they are.
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"He who thinks correctly will rid himself of ignorance and acquire true wisdom." When we provide water to plants and flowers we must use moderation. Some flowers can be choked and killed by providing too much water. Take for example, a lotus. A lotus grows on the water and gradually soaks in the water for its benefit. Eventually its roots become deep within the bed of the lake in which it resides. People are like lotuses. They must be watered with the well-spring of Ming ShangDi's life giving truth. But just like a flower, a person can receive too much water at one time. Amitabha Buddha said, "one should drink from its wells in a slow manner so as not to choke." Lord Amitabha taught a gradual approach to the learning and practicing of the Abhidharma. A lotus must be permitted to grow gradually, while it slowly soaks in the water to sustain its life. After a time the lotus then begins to shed its outer "skin" and then it begins to open up, layer by layer, revealing young, tender areas where it will soon transform into beautiful, colorful petals. But if the lotus is forced open or is watered too much, it will die and the transformation never comes to fruition. Just like the lotus, people must gradually take in the knowledge of the Great Abhidharma and how to practice it.
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This is the manner in which the Enlightened Ones have taught. Once a person is able to take in just the right amount of water from the living well-springs of Sukhavati, they are then able to transform into a beautiful creation of Ming ShangDi with its petals spread wide in honor, glory and praise to its Ultimate Source. It is then that the lotus realizes that it has become awakened in both the Great Dharma and the Great Dao, both being deeply embedded within its heart. Its roots are strong and are deeply planted in the right soil -- in the heart of the Lord Amitabha. This is the Abhidharma. If one's roots are not firmly embedded in the soils of the Pure Land of Lord Amitabha and His Pure Teaching, that one's mind can become filled with speculative questions, and their heart can become filled with doubt, eventually leading to the deterioration of their soul. Be firmly established in the Abhidharma. Trust in Amitabha Buddha and the Blessed Teaching in which He provides to His people. In this way you are able to shine forth to others with the beauty of the Pure Teaching in which ShangDi is gradually building within you.
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At one time Amitabha said: "Abhidharma remains forever. I teach the sincere that a gradual learning of the Pure Teaching leads one to perfection." "It is difficult for some men to realize the essentials of this simple truth; the Pure Teaching is not easily perceived by all men; perfection in the Abhidharma is mastered by the one who knows, and to the one who aspires to walk in the Five Diamonds of Perfection: Proper Reason, Proper Mind, Proper Intelligence, Proper Thought and Proper Understanding." The best way to combat this confusion is through clarity. Complete openness about what is and what is not an essential of this world. And these essentials were taught among the people: That Amitabha Buddha is of the reflection of Ming ShangDi, the All-Supreme Lord of the Universe; That the sincere, one minded practice of the Abhidharma, the Dharma and the Dao, is the Noble Path of the One who is the pure reflection of Ming ShangDi and that it leads to perfection and life in Sukhavati; that the sutras presented in this world that should be studies consist of the Sutra on the Divine Decrees, Sutra on MingJiao, Sutra on the Lower Part Chant, Sutra on the Teaching Plan of the Buddha of Light MoNi, Sutra on Amitabha Buddha, Larger Sutra on the Buddha of Eternal Life, Sutra on the Contemplation of Buddha Amitayus, and the various Jade Emperor Sutras, the Dao Te Ching
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and various other sutras and texts referred to in the Divine Decrees, including this sutra, the Sutra of the Lotus of Awakening; That there are Five Diamonds of Perfection (Proper Reason, Proper Mind, Proper Intelligence, Proper Thought and Proper Understanding) taught to us by the Buddhas of Light; That we must all bow our heads to the Great Lotus Throne established in Sukhavati; That all of the sons of Light are one family of Buddha Amitabha, eventually becoming one with Him. Thus I have heard, at one time Amitabha Buddha was teaching His devotees together with a gathering of numberless great multitudes from all the heavens. At that time Amitabha Buddha, the reflection of the Three Pure Ones, said: "Everything that exists needs Abhidharma, and every kind of person can find what is just below the surface- buried deeper than your eyes. "The Pure Teaching is like looking at the white of the moon in water. If the water is cloudy, you can not see it clearly. It is like burning straw in a fire - if the straw is moist, the fire can not burn brightly." "The truth of the Pure Teaching can be hidden and moist like this. So if anyone wants to follow this path they must clear their minds, and set aside all things that hamper their ability to walk along
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the path of perfection. "To be pure and still means to be open to purity and stillness - as a result you will begin to develop perfection. This means that the divine light can shine so as to reveal the workings of cause and effect and leading to blessed peace. Know this: The words given to me by Ming ShangDi who resides above the great mountains of the Pure Land, reach out into all directions. "People struggle trying to learn too much at one time. This struggle, however, creates the desire to do something. Doing creates movement which can result in anxiety: Then it is impossible to find rest and contentment. This is why I teach patience and a gradual learning of the Abhidharma, for in patience there is no disturbance. Then you can enter into the Pure Land. "Remove yourself from what disturbs and distracts you, and be as pure as one who breathes in purity and emptiness trusting in ShangDi. This is the beginning of knowledge - it is the path of the true peace and happiness. May every reader of this sutra be inspired to learn more about the Abhidharma, to teach, protect and maintain the Dharma and the Dao throughout the world without bias to any sentient being."
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