Steve and ED: You may both like to hear this. If you would like to go to his you tube channel, then you can enjoy the music he downloads which is alike the one you will be hearing over this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hehgpVFVLyQ Enjoy! Mayka
--- On Wed, 2/3/11, ED <[email protected]> wrote: From: ED <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] News: Mindfulness and death -- who wins? To: [email protected] Date: Wednesday, 2 March, 2011, 3:38 Steve, Thank you so much for your response. The practice appeals to me. Do you perceive any problem with"Amitabha"(Ah-Mee-Tah-Buh) over two in-breaths and two out-breaths? Thanks, ED --- In [email protected], "SteveW" <eugnostos2000@...> wrote: > > Hi ED. There are a number of different ways of saying it. There were originally two variants of the Name in Sanskrit, Amitabha(Boundless or Infinite Light) and Amitayus(Boundless or Eternal Life). The earliest formula used was Namo Amitabha Buddhaya. "Namo" means "I bow" or "I prostrate to" or "Homage to" or "Hail to". Buddha-ya means "The Awakened One". The Chinese contracted the two Sanskrit variants to "Amito"(Amita) and "Fo"(Buddha), so that the formula became "Namo Amito-Fo". The Japanese pronounce this as Namu(Nah-moo)Amida(Ah-Mee-Duh)Butsu. The Name may be pronounced vocally, sub-vocally or mentally. You may synchronize it with your breathing if you recite it mentally or sub-vocally. You may, for example, say "Namo" (Nah-moh) as you inhale and "Amitabha"(Ah-Mee-Tah-Buh) as you exhale. Or you may just say, "Ami"(Ah-Mee) as you inhale and "Tabha"(Tah-Buh) as you Exhale. You could also say "Namo" as you inhale and "Amida"(Amita) as you exhale. As you can see, there are any number of ways to say it, none of them being the only "right" way. Whichever way you choose to say it, after a while it will become automatic, like background music. Whenever you find yourself in stressful circumstances, the Name will serve as an anchor for your attention, so that it does not get swept away by, and submerged in, Kleshas. There is a Koan/Kung-An associated with the Name: "Who is reciting the Buddha-Name." Steve > Hi Steve, what are the precise syllables you use for The Name? > > Thanks, ED
