Editor's comment by Householder Jingtu:

MEDITATION, MANTRAS -- AND NIANFO

By Householder Jingyue (Steve Stanley)

I started out wanting to learn to meditate as an aid against depression, as I did not want to use anti-depressant medications indefinitely. So, I joined a local Buddhist group, knowing that Buddhists meditate.

As I learned more about the Dharma, a whole world of options and answers began to open up. The teachings made sense on a practical, logical and ethical level. I began to go on retreats, and then became involved in the functional side of the organization. I helped form a local group for beginners on the Buddhist path, and designed and maintained the sangha's website. Eventually, I took the Triple Refuge. I was involved with this group for more than five years.

Things were okay for a while, but then I began to feel that something wasn't right. While this group emphasized meditation, I discovered that ritual and devotional practice was something that had a profound effect on me. This was surprising, as I had never considered myself a particularly "spiritual" person. I started to use mantras in my daily life, noticing that they just seemed to pop into my mind. Soon, liturgy began to attain a higher profile in my personal practice, as meditation slowly took a back seat.

Finally, I had to move on from this sangha and find something more fitting. It no longer was providing what I needed – as what I needed was another path.

I came across a different Buddhist group in a neighboring town. Participating in this group involved traveling in the winter dark for early morning practice, but it was worth it. This was a Pure Land sangha, and it was here that I was introduced to the nembutsu (nianfo, or Amitabha-recitation). This group used meditation techniques different from those I was used to, but all was fine. The practice was more devotional, utilizing prostrations, refuges and liturgy. I loved it. Sometimes, there were special days of continual nembutsu chanting, and after one of these, I spent three days in a state of total bliss: the normal mental chatter had ceased; the monkey-mind rested at last.

Through these experiences, I felt a growing connection with Amitabha Buddha. The nembutsu gave me clarity, mental stillness, and quickly became my primary practice. After taking refuge in this tradition, I made moves to become a priest in the order. But an unexpected change of circumstances necessitated that, regretfully, I leave the group.

Alone once more, I began an independent study of Pure Land Buddhism, its teachers and lineage-holders. Soon after, I found the Shandao lineage on Facebook; and after making contact with Householder Jingchun and then Jingtu, I asked to take refuge.

I'm thrilled to let everyone know that Master Huijing has given me the Dharma name Jingyue ( 净越, or Pure Surpassing).

Namo Amiuofo!