Questions about Pure Land practice

[Jainarayan]

As I'm reading and learning more about the practice, I found these sadhanas and printed them in booklet form.

http://s151421314.onlinehome.us/nbp/docs/PDF/16. Chenrezig for Website.pdf
http://www.kagyu.org/ktd/mani/images/chenrezig_short.pdf
http://kdk.org/images/Amitabha_Sadhana_v2.pdf

1. I chant Namo Amitabha Buddha several times daily, but I was wondering if it's OK to chant Om Mani Padme Hum as well.

2. Do I the Amitabha sadhana, or do the Avalokitesvara/Chenrezig sadhana? I kind of think I do just the Amitabha sadhana, but I keep seeing references to empowerment for Amitabha practice. Chenrezig definitely needs no empowerment. If Amitabha requires empowerment, then I guess I do Chenrezig (emanation of Amitabha anyway).

3. Do I do the sadhana(s) in English or attempt chanting in Tibetan? My Tibetan really sucks but I heard Lama Kathy Wesley chanting, so I could listen to her for pronunciations. I guess it's going to be quite a while before I can memorize them, so I will need to use the printouts. I suppose that's OK?

I think that about covers it.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

I don't know much about the Tibetan practice of Amitabha, but it seems like the practices of nianfo, the Pure Land dharani, and the Pure Land contemplative from the Visualization Sutra would constitute the primary aspects of the Amitabha sadhana. In that regard, no empowerment would be necessary. However, if you're wanting a strictly Tibetan practice, then an empowerment would be necessary, because if I'm not mistaken, Avalokitesvara is the only deity not requiring an empowerment.

I don't see a problem with practicing both Om Mane Padme Hum and Amitabha. As far as the language, if you're doing Pure Land practice, any language is fine, but if you're doing Tibetan sadhana, I think Tibetan would be better.

Hope this helps.

 

[Jainarayan]

I don't know much about the Tibetan practice of Amitabha, but it seems like the practices of nianfo, the Pure Land dharani, and the Pure Land contemplative from the Visualization Sutra would constitute the primary aspects of the Amitabha sadhana. In that regard, no empowerment would be necessary. However, if you're wanting a strictly Tibetan practice, then an empowerment would be necessary, because if I'm not mistaken, Avalokitesvara is the only deity not requiring an empowerment.

Thanks for confirming... I did find out that the "Tibetan version" of Amitabha sadhana requires empowerment, but nianfo/nembutsu does not. In fact, nianfo/nembutsu is really all that's required to be reborn in Amitabha's Pure Land... mindfulness of him. It's also true that Avalokitesvara/Chenrezig needs no empowerment. I think Medicine buddha and Green Tara are open sadhana's also, but don't quote me.

I've taken this and some added embellishments like other Sanskrit prayers. http://www.dharmata.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/DailySadhana-DF2.pdf

Recite refuge prayer and Bodhisattva’s vow in Sanskrit
(Refuge prayer)
Buddhaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Dharmaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmi.
Sanghaṃ śaraṇaṃ gacchāmi.

I take refuge in the Buddha,
I take refuge in the Dharma,
I take refuge in the Sangha.

(Taking Bodhisattava’s vow)
Yathā gṛhītaṃ sugatair bodhicittaṃ purātanaih
Te bodhisattvaśikṣāyām ānupūrvyā yathā sthitāḥ
Tadvad utpādayāmy eṣa bodhicittam jagaddhite
Tadvad eva ca tāḥ śikṣāḥ śikṣiṣyāmi yathā kramam

Just as all the Buddhas of the past
Gave rise to the awakened mind
And in the way of the Bodhisattvas,
Continuously lived and trained,
Likewise, for the sake of all,
I shall give rise to the awakened mind,
And continuously train
In the way of the Bodhisattvas

(Please do sitting meditation here) [I do japa, which is meditation in Pure Land]

(Dedication prayer)
By this merit, may all attain perfect awakening,
Rising above all forces of negativity,
Going beyond the turbulence of birth, old age, sickness and death;
May all beings be free from the ocean of Samsara.

(Bodhicitta prayer)
May the precious and sublime awakened mind,
Arise where it has not arisen;
And where it has arisen, may it not decay,
But grow ever more and more.

I don't see a problem with practicing both Om Mane Padme Hum and Amitabha. As far as the language, if you're doing Pure Land practice, any language is fine, but if you're doing Tibetan sadhana, I think Tibetan would be better.

Thanks, it does indeed help. After thinking about it, I agree that Tibetan would be better for a Tibetan practice, for tradition if nothing else. I also found out one way to look at it is that Avalokitesvara is Amitabha's "representative" for worldly affairs. So to that end, there's nothing wrong with chanting Amitabha's name and Om Mani Padme Hum.