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Chapter 41 - Making Vows
Everyday we cultivate the Amitabha Buddha dharma. We must remember when Amitabha Buddha was in the state of practising the Buddha-religion, as a monk he made forty eight great vows. He only gained enlightenment as Amitabha Buddha when he was in the stage of attainment. The forty eight vows which created the Western Pure Land were only completed after a long time. (many kalpa) His vows can only be fulfilled after such a long time. This shows the greatness of his vows. In fact all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas made vows. Amitabha had made forty eight vows, Medicine Buddha had made twelve vows, Avalokitesvara had vowed to use thirty two nirmanakaya to succour sentient beings. After making vows at the initial stage of Bodhisattva, the thousand-arms-thousand-eyes Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva was immediately uplifted to the eight stage of Bodhisattva. We can see the power of his vows. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva had made ten great vows. So was Manjusri Bodhisattva. A vow is a direction to follow. Every disciple must make a vow. A true buddhist must find ways and means to fulfil his vow - regardless of the size. Once you have made a vow, you have a direction to go. Can we cultivate without a vow? A vow is an ideal, an energy source, an ambition, something to go by, that is why all True Buddha disciples must make vows. Grandmaster's great vow is "Risking my life and breaking my bones to succour sentient beings." Ksitigarbha's vow- "Unless and until the nether world is empty, I shall not be enlightened as a Buddha." It is a marvellous vow. What do Ksitigarbha rely to become a Bodhisattva? It is nothing else, just the vow. Vows are important. We must follow up with our vows. So don't make empty vows. A vow must be fulfilled with all our might. Once a disciple of mine made an empty vow, he said, "My vow is the combined vows of all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Vajra protectors, and Divine beings of ten directions in the three lives." Why not ? Because you do not understand all these vows in the first place. Since you do not understand all these vows how can you fulfil them? Therefore it will be an empty vow. Remember, only a vow that can be fulfilled is not an empty vow. The power of vow is very great. Om Mani Padme Hum The Mantra for making vows
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