The Eastern Realm of Lapis Lazuli
The pure lands are worlds of adorned beauty purified and perfected by the presence and meritorious power of Buddhas. Beings who are reborn in these lands would receive wise guidance from the Buddhas, enabling them to attain enlightenment quickly and effortlessly. In Mahayana Buddhism, the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss (西方极乐世界) is the most popular realm - the realm of Amitabha Buddha. To the east, there exists another esteemed pure land - the Vaiduryanirbhasa, or the Eastern Realm of Pure Lapis Lazuli (东方琉璃世界).
The Vaiduryanirbhasa is the realm of The Medicine Buddha. He is one of the three prominent Buddhas in Mahayana Buddhism, together with Sakyamuni and Amitabha Buddha. He was renowned for making the 12 Great Vows when he was on the bodhisattva path. Upon attaining Buddhahood, he became the Medicine Buddha, the Buddha of medicine and healing in both spiritual and physical health.
Vivid descriptions of the Eastern Realm can be found within the Medicine Buddha Sutra. The Sutra presents Sakyamuni Buddha’s teaching and description of the realm as such: The realm is bordered by large golden cords. The ground is paved in lapis lazuli, a deep blue coloured gem often associated with the Medicine Buddha. Large palaces and pavilions abound, made from the seven treasures (七宝) – gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, agate, red pearl, and carnelian. These seven treasures represent the seven powers of faith, perseverance, sense of shame, avoidance of wrongdoing, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.
The Eastern realm is also home to countless bodhisattvas. At the helm are Suryaprabha and Candraprabha, known respectively as the Sunlight and Moonlight Bodhisattvas. Together with the Medicine Buddha, they oversee the entire realm and are collectively known as the Eastern Trinity (东方三圣). Sunlight represents the wisdom that dispels darkness and ignorance, while moonlight signifies tranquility and clarity. As a pair, they serve as a reminder that the practice of Buddhism is continuous and timeless.
The twelve Yaksa generals, each accompanied by 7000 Yaksas, are also notable attendants of the Medicine Buddha. In the Sutra, as taught by Sakyamuni Buddha, the generals announced in unison that upon hearing the Medicine Buddha’s name they no longer feared descending onto the evil paths. They sought refuge in the Triple Gem and vowed to protect devotees of the Medicine Buddha. Acting as the Medicine Buddha’s embodiments, they vowed to help devotees who chant the Medicine Buddha’s Sutra to be freed from suffering and calamities and to fulfil their wishes.
This pure land, in the words of Sakyamuni Buddha, is no different than the Western Pure Land. It allows beings to be reborn in a peaceful environment favourable for progress in their path towards enlightenment. There are no temptations here, no lower forms of rebirth, no three poisons (delusion, attachment, aversion), nor the sounds of sufferings. Devotees who feel an affinity towards the Medicine Buddha and wish to be reborn in his realm should set the intention for it. Aside from following the Buddha’s teachings closely and accumulating merits, they should venerate him and chant his name. Not only would they receive blessings from the Medicine Buddha to live a peaceful life, they would also be reborn in a blissful pure land.
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Q：Why do we have to practice the whole time?
Why are we asked to practice the whole time? It is because the mind is collecting data through moment-to-moment awareness. When the data is complete, understanding will arise. It is only when we practice consistently and continuously in the right way will momentum build and wisdom grow. You come to this centre to practice as well as to learn how to be skillful so you may take this meditation home with you.
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“There are no circumstances at all which we should consider unworthy of awareness. The sudden deep intuition of truth can happen in a moment, when all the factors of enlightenment ripen and come together in the right balance."
─ Excerpted from Settling Back Into The Moment
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