Pure land BUDDHISM > Home practice session
The following practice session is based on buddha-name chanting. To begin the session, place your palms together. Bow once, do three prostrations, and bow once more. If you are unable to do prostrations, you can do all bows.
You may now light some incense if you wish. Upon lighting the incense, fan it gently with your hand (do not blow on it) to put out the flame and allow the incense to begin burning. Raise the incense and hold it close to your forehead with the incense pointed towards the Buddha. Then place the incense in the holder.
Next, change the water in the water container. Pour the water into another container for other uses, like drinking or watering plants. Do not drink out of the water container itself. Pour fresh water into the container and return to the gongzhuo. Say the Purity Verse while holding the container in both hands with your thumbs and first two fingers. After completing the verse, raise the container to your forehead, say “Amituofo” ten times, and place the container back on the gongzhuo, in front of the incense holder.
Now, take your seat and chant “Amituofo” for your predetermined length of time. Then say the vow to attain birth in the Western Pure Land followed by the Repentance Verse to express deep regret for having harmed innumerable beings in countless lifetimes.
Next, say the Dedication of Merit to pass on the goodness that has resulted from your chanting to help all beings end suffering and attain lasting happiness.
To conclude the session, you may say the Three Refuges.
Practice Session
Place palms together and bow. Then do three prostrations and bow.
Hold water glass in two hands:
May the tranquility, purity, and impartiality symbolized by this water,
be attained by all beings.
May they learn of the Western Pure Land, vow to be born there, and achieve that rebirth
to forever end suffering and attain lasting happiness.
Place water container on gongzhuo.
Sit and chant for chosen length of time:
Amituofo
Stand and place palms together
We wish to be born in the Western Pure Land
with lotus blossoms in nine orders as parents.
When the lotus blossoms fully, we shall see Amitabha Buddha,
be enlightened to the absolute truth,
and have non-retrogressive bodhisattvas as companions.
All evil actions committed by me since time immemorial,
stemming from greed, anger, and ignorance,
arising from body, speech, and mind,
I deeply repent having committed.
One bow
May the merit and virtues accrued from this practice
adorn the Buddha’s Pure Land,
repay the four kinds of kindness above,
and relieve the suffering of those in the three paths below.
May all those who see and hear of this
bring forth the bodhi mind
and at the end of this life
be born together in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
To the Buddha I return and rely,
returning from delusions and
relying upon awareness and understanding.
One prostration
To the Dharma I return and rely,
returning from erroneous views and
relying upon proper views and understanding.
One prostration
To the Sangha I return and rely,
returning from pollution and disharmony, and
relying upon purity of mind and the six harmonies.
Three prostrations, one bow