The first thing to do in the sitting meditation is to pray to Buddha. The devotee washes his hands, his face and preferably takes a bath, then burns incense on the Buddha altar and prostrates three times before the altar. Afterwards he goes to his home or private room.
The practitioner sits semi cross-legged with his two soles upwards, the right hand underneath, the left hand above, the two arms straightened, with two palms upward below the thumbs, between the semi cross-legged soles. After a moment of calm sitting, he begins to pray to the Buddha, 10 times each utterance, when he does not know by heart, he can recite only Namo Supreme Pure King Buddha for about 15 minutes. The praying is performed by mind without words and occurs only in thinking. After praying, he makes a bow.
T H E B U D D H I S T ' S P R A Y E R S
Namo Eastern Land Medicine Gem Halo Tathagata.
Namo Western Blissful Paradise Amitabha Buddha.
Namo Present Blessed One Sakyamuni Buddha.
Namo Precious Sutra-Store Buddha.
Namo Supreme Pure King Buddha.
Namo Dharma-Store Superior Congregation of Buddha Maha Bodhisattvas.
Namo Multi-Treasure Tathagata.
Namo Supreme Pure King Mahavairocana Buddha.
Namo Lord Supreme Maitreya Buddha.
Namo Ultimate Accomplishment Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.
Namo Mahavairocana Tathagata Buddha.
Namo Manjughosa Buddha.
Namo Dharma Protector Bodhisattvas with Unanimous Vows
Namo Dragon Deities, Dharma Protectors and Maha Bodhisattvas' Vows.
– The Supreme Pure King
Incarnation of Lord Supreme Maitreya Buddha
Note: sitting meditation and reciting “Namo Supreme Pure King Buddha” (7 times)
Reciting very slowly, breathing harmoniously in conformity with the Mind’s prayers. |
• Disposition of the Sitting Place“The devotee sits on a mattress, preferably, on a bed or a plank-bed with a mattress. He should not sit on the bare ground without a mattress. It is better that he has a room or a hermitage of his own. It will be noted that he ought to burn incense on the Buddha Altar. Otherwise, he should bow three times before he sits meditating and then he starts praying to the Buddha.” –T.V.
• Sitting Meditation“When praying to the Buddha, the devotee should wear a robe or a traditional thin suit. He would make a bow after praying to the Buddha and then begins the semi-crossed legged sitting. Before the practice, he should change his dress, wearing “shorts”, loosing the belt; for a tight belt will not allow a free circulation of dharma, which brings about a lumbago or a bellyache. With the dharma-sitting-meditation, you should be quite at ease. After making a thorough arrangement, the practitioner tries to get a peaceful mind entering the meditation in order to arrive at a thoughtless state of mind.” –T.V.
• How to Enter Into Meditation?“Entering into meditation does not mean that the devotee’s spirit penetrates deep into the meditation. It does not imply a complete silence without sensing anything around, either. The devotee in meditation does not resemble a corpse at all. Such old-age understandings are wrong ones that must be nullified.
The practitioner when caught in meditation feels like being afloat on the cloud or in mid-air. However, he is aware of what is happening around while his inner stillness remains with him, as well. When the practitioner sees a scene of some sort in meditation, this scene no matter how it is clear or vague depends on his labor of practice for the pure calmness. The practitioner, who can’t see anything, will have a feeling of floating or being drunken in meditation. Those devotees should try to do their best to keep hold of their goodwill when their labor grows full they will arrive at their wishes.
The meditation practitioners always take tenacity and courage for their target as the travelers get to their destination after a long and strenuous journey. When their body and mind and mouth do not work harmoniously, these practitioners feel now pleasant then extremely unpleasant. The practitioners must always keep to their perseverance and diligence in order to obtain the enlightenment. The practitioner’s mind is such that a night of true meditation would do away with laziness and tardiness.
The practitioner should be aware of the temperature and the sitting-place for meditation and put on suitable clothes according as it is hot or cold.” –T.V.
