PRACTICE & LITURGYThe central practice of Amida-shu is nembutsu, the chanting of the Name of Amida Buddha, usually in the form Namo Amida Bu, using tones, rhythms, melodies and choreographies. The practice expresses religious feeling. There is nothing calculating or spiritually ambitious about it. Whether we enter the Pure Land is a matter of grace, not achievement. The Tathagata pours down the rain of Dharma on great and poor alike. How we are affected depends upon our condition both our individual karmic condition and the human condition. The nembutsu, therfore, is like calling out from the human condition toward the sacred, from this to That.As an extended form of nembutsu, we also recite, chant or sing Buddhist sutras, litanies and hymns. The practice is “with body, speech and heart” so includes bowing, sitting, making offerings, dancing (o-dori), walking - especially circumambulating the Buddha shrine (probably one of the earliest Buddhist practices) - and other similar forms of ritual. There is also nei quan, a form of systematic introspection leading to experiences of contrition of a cathartic nature. The liturgy of the Amida Order incorporates several important principles: It dramatizes the expression of faith; it incorporates time honoured elements; it is flexible to adapt to context; it is a sacred art form; it enables us to express the nembutsu with body, speech and heart; and it sustains community life. Follow these links to access: Styles of Nembutsu – audio. Morning Service Heart Sutra Sunday Service – audio. Short Liturgy Elements – audio. Morning Service November 2005 – audio. |