[Tũn]

Hi, this is the translating for Repentance theme on Hoasentrenda Ashram. It may contain some mistakes and incorrect words. Please kindly let me know if you have any comment

Namo Repentance Bodhisattva Mahasattva

Repentance Dharma on the homepage: Click here  (Source: Sám Pháp)

For more understanding and information, please read the links below:
 
- Conversation between Master Tibu and củkhoaisùng: Click here  (Source)

- Conversation between Master Tibu and tudieude : Click here (Source)

- Conversation between Master Tibu and nguoicaudao: Click here (Source)


updating...

Thanks for reading
tũn

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Update (01/02/2014): Nimitta for Repentance - A Budda sitting on a five petals lotus: Click here

[Tũn]

Namo Repentance Bodhisattva Mahasattva

Why repent?

We are still in the shade of Samsàra (round of rebirths) so it is hard to avoid sins, bad behaviors and the karma of killing, which we have been doing not only in this life but also in immeasurable past life, that caused by body, speech, and mind. Repentance is asking for tolerance and forgiveness, to get out and give up, not dare to repeat, that makes the offense reduced until completely pure.

Maitreya Bodhisattva repents 6 times per day in Tushita heaven. We are normal people so we should imitate Him, and should repent more.


Blessings do not come together, misfortunes never come alone

On the path of cultivation, we have seen many karmic obstacles and just a little advantages, or when we have a little “funds” after a period of practicing, because of the karma from the past life, the “creditors” will come to claim. Or we have exceeded the allowed dharma, gone across our fundamental abilities, so negative karma and disaster will rush in. Or frequently meeting hindrances while taking a vow, or unhealthy body hampers the practice or negative retributions and bad conditions make us gloomy and ignorant... Hence, when we meet those situations above, we should be quickly and sincerely repent.
With an earnest heart, we repent and promise, pray to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for proving and supporting us. And because of this sincere heart, sin and guiltiness are quickly purified by repenting.

All the unwholesome karma created by me,
Arising from greed, hatred, and delusion
Expressed in my body, speech, and mind,
I hereby regret and repent them all.

  
The benefit of Repentance

Thanks to the power of repentance and practice, we will mend ourself by observing our deeds, words, and thoughts every moment incessantly, doing good deeds, avoiding bad things then good results will surely come. Although not yet become Saints but we become gentle people. The benefits that definitely come are:
- Good conditioning growing,
- Karma eliminated,
- Greed, Hatred, Delusion reduced,
- Body and mind in peace and contentment,
- Practice diligently.

[Tũn]

There are many levels of repentance, generally, there are two levels:

1. Self-defence level for a beginner:
Chanting the Repentance Dharma of Medicine Buddha Sutra is delectable: it is short and good.
- General way: read the phrase: Namo Repentance Bodhisattva Mahasattva
- The second general way: doing good deeds in order to repay karma.
- The special way for differentiated karma such as aches and pains, nervous shock, muscle convulsion while practicing: Read the “Transferring merit” lesson that I (Master Tibu) have posted.

2. After a period of practicing (the third Jhana is the minimal requirement):
At the same time, reading and visualizing a Buddha sitting on five petals lotus prefrontal appeared (about 30 cm or one arm range in front of forehead).

The method of using the ability of meditation and visualizing to repent:
1. Self-penance:
Entering to the fourth Jhana and using deva-eye to repent, this means visualizing TV screen (third eye’s vision) then repenting each sin such as stealing, sexual misconduct, erroneousness, verbal-karma (karma caused by speech),...
2. Using Mandala (magic circle) to repent each sin.
3. This way is not fine for lots of people: It is the anesthetic that you often chant and recite every day. Must be careful because it is the medicine for who has superior character or capacity or who had finished the practicing.        

Note:
Obviously, the best thing is to pledge not to misbehave again and not repeat.
- Reciting the phrase "Namo Amitabha Buddha" in general is to repent for the collective crimes (such as soldiers and killing the other side of the battle lines, for example).
- Reciting the phrase "Namo Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata" in common is to confess the crimes due to your own purposes.
- Reciting the phrase "Namo Repentance Bodhisattva Mahasattva" as explained above. For extremely serious crimes. When repenting is hard to wipe off these crimes, the only way is praying for tolerance and forgiveness.
- Normally, repentance is for Zen sect (Meditation) and Tantric sect (Vajrayana), Pure Land sect does not repent because who hold in memory the name of Amitabha Buddha are usually on the rails and under the umbrella of Him. However, they can often put their attention such as the following quote excerpted from the monolog of Master Tibu:

In all the religious practicing ways, the main principle is to think about “not finished practice yet” of yourself. And be ashamed of yourself. Through the following reasoning: "It has been more 2500 years and I have not done any significant thing. My family will in turn died. It does not make sense if I did not do or help them to get something?" And then read the phrase of Sariputra: “I have lots of things to be done”. Then you should pay attention for cultivating as the main job...as the main, not the sub- thing.

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Note:
- Jhana: is a meditative state of profound stillness and concentration in which the mind becomes fully immersed and absorbed in the chosen object of attention. It is the cornerstone in the development of Right Concentration.
- A Budda sitting on a five petals lotus: https://www.hoasentrenda.com/smf/index.php?topic=820.msg52427#msg52427

[Tũn]

Repentance for non-Buddhist:

  There was a man, who is non-Buddhist, asked me about how to repent. After a while managing and rechecking for sure, I invented an awesome method. This way has been invented based on “Samyak-samadhi practicing by common repentance phrase”: “Offenses arise from the mind, use the mind to repent...”. And here is the result. There are two ways of repentance:        

The first way:
- Try to imagine a yellow cross (about your thumb in height)
- Reading penitential text or penitential sutra
- At the same time, try to keep the yellow cross prefrontal appeared about 10cm (or 3 inches) in front of the forehead.  

The second way:
- By yourself, recounting in detail the story that you intentionally or unintentionally committed sins.
- At the same time, recounting and trying to imagine the yellow cross that I mention above, and keep the yellow cross prefrontal appeared about 10cm (or 3 inches) in front of the forehead.

Why do these ways? Because there are the common ways to contact with the founders of religions on the Earth (or to combine with the realm of Their minds) by visualizing the popular symbol of this religion.

For instance:
- Catholicism: try to visualize the Cross
- Buddhism: the Swastika (the accurate Swastika is the one that you can see the word “S” when looking at )
- Caodaism, Hoà Hảo: the left eye

And from this pedal, you repent. As for repenting in front of the heads of religions. This method is very effective. Depending on the concentration state of practitioners (which you can check based on the continuity of appearance or the clarity of these symbols above) that you can be aware of the stage of forgiveness. Repeating this awesome formula.

Results:
  There will be sometimes practitioners came to think of the sins that he/she has accidentally or intentionally committed. And at that moment, you have a feeling that those sins had been doing by someone else, not you. That means the heavy of conscience has been gone somewhere and disappeared whenever you suddenly think about the things that you have accidentally or intentionally breached before.
Regards.


Samma Samadhi on a Kasina

...try to imagine the cross above and keep it prefrontal appeared about 10cm (or 3 inches) in front of forehead...
If the distance is only 10cm as mentioned above, then Kasina is just dim. Sometimes, it is only a fantasy. However, the concentrating effort is good due to the heavy sensation at the forehead and the effort of trying to make the Kasina clearly.

Analysis: This is the exchange between “Upacara” and “Samyak-samadhi”, means with this concentration method (Kasina is away 10cm or 3 inches from forehead), a concussion of the brain is located in which is known as “conscience”. This means you review the fluctuation of thought and put it exactly in the frequency of the conscience, and from this point, you can read the repentance. This is a great technique! Just a few people know it and also say it so openly.  Because the though is at the end of the gross mind (represented by Upacara: heavy sensation in forehead) and at the beginning of the very subtle mind (represented by the rudimentary Samyak-samadhi: Kasina appears dimly), through the heavy sensation in forehead and the dim appearance of Kasina, practitioner has learned that the brain is operating at the frequency of the “conscience”. Obviously, from this position that repenting would be the best.  

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Note:
- Kasina: An object which practitioner try to visualize during meditating session
- Samma Samadhi (Pali) or Samyak-samadhi (Sanskrit): Right Concentration

[Tũn]

Repentance Game

Very weird and of course, this tactic is made in Vietnam:
- Conditions: Practitioners are able to keep the nimitta (the image - in this case, is a Buddha sitting or standing on a five petals lotus) 10cm (or 3 inches) in front of their forehead and at the same time, reading the Repentance.
Review: The nimitta sometimes appears or disappears.

- Penitential game:
When two conditions above are satisfied, practitioners take a pencil and a Penitential Sutra ( Repentance with Water of Compassion Sutra is pretty good, otherwise Medicine Buddha Sutra is ok).  

- How to play:
Leisurely reading the Penitential Sutra with a blurred nimitta in front of your forehead. Each time the nimitta disappears, marking this position in the Sutra. After finishing one chapter and marking all the positions when the nimitta disappears in this chapter, with the calm mind, practitioners read normally (likes reading a story) the Sutra’s section (or the chapter) again. Normal reading means letting down the pencil and stopping visualize the nimitta. At the same time, trying to read as normal and notice your intuition reacts when reading up to the position that the nimitta disappears and record the reaction.
There are two distinct reactions:
1. This sin is yours. Hey, repent!
2. There is nothing of you. The nimitta just disappears as usual because your attention at that time is no longer strong.

Reviews:
1. If in front of your head and in the vision, about 30cm up to 0.5 meters, the view is more clearly. And also can see the black space around the nimitta. However, the concentration is less as the heavy sensation in the forehead is decreased.
Yes, because this is Samyak-samadhi, the brain now has been gone into the very subtle mind. Therefore, crimes are somewhat decreased. Since this is the thought of Devakàya (a group of gods), so the gross sins have implicitly reduced somewhat. This means if the nimitta appears in front of your head about an arm’s length (60cm), this time the practitioner has repented completely a number of felonies.  
2. If the view is backward into the forehead, the nimitta and the black space around it can be seen clearly. The focusing seems to be fine as the first case. The heavy sensation in the forehead is also down.
This is the frequency of conscience.
3. Not care about the distance and just only looking at the nimitta on the vision, the concentration, the sharpness of the nimitta and the black space around it change variably.
Since these are the reactions of the first steps, when the practitioner is in Samyak-samadhi, so the concentration is not yet stable.

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Note:
- Nimitta: images
- Devakàya: group of gods
- Samyak-samadhi : right concentration

[Tũn]

Repentance for making progress of cultivation.

There are two cases when practitioners on the path of cultivation:

- Practitioner reaches the point of purity, deposit of the gross mind, approaches an embarrassed part before going into the very subtle mind.  

- Embarrassment (the slip of Samyak-mahadhi or obstacle in practice) occurs at this time due to the bad karma waiting here for debt collecting to prevent practitioners from achievements => and because it is impossible to know what karma is acting, so he/she only knows to repent.

Practice:
Process: practicing...putting attention to repent or chanting a Penitential Sutra then reciting one of three ways below:

- Namo Amitabha Buddha (evil karma here is lightest. Although being aware that is evil but still doing. Amitabha Buddha, because of his salvation vow, will help the practitioner).

- Namo Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata (heavier karma), none of whatever crimes is abandoned.

- Namo Repentance Bodhisattva Mahasattva (evil karma here is the worst. For example, Qin Shi Huang got furious then killed everyone within a circumference of 4 miles when traveling and the car met one pothole). Normally, in this case, the debt is in the form of Deva Maras (celestial ghosts) disturb the practitioner.

If doing the correct one, the practitioner will experience the purity after only 20 -30 times reciting the phrase. Due to the pressure of the breakthrough, almost practitioners will not stand and fall into sleep immediately. Others people may be able to go on.  

Namo Repentance Bodhisattva Mahasattva

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Note:
- Samyak-mahadhi : right concentration
- Deva Maras: celestial ghosts

[Tũn]

Repentance in Vajrayana

Sins, blessings in Vajrayana are more clearly: for example when your penitential method likes: being in front of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to repent (this sentence is in Daily Chanting Sutra). To have the phenomenon known as “being in front”, practitioners must complete a Mandala (e.g. Avalokitesvara Mandala).

The first step is: Practitioner visualizes that he/she is sitting or standing in front of Avalokitesvara. That means trying to imagine a TV screen, in which has the scene that practitioner is sitting or standing in front of His nimitta. Keep this scene for a while. When enough force, the frame of TV screen disappears and yourself is sitting or standing in front of Him as...real. This is the “being in front” stage.    
 
The next step is repenting. For instance, you put attention likes:
-- Please allow me to repent about verbal karma (karma caused by speech) (for example).

Then He (Avalokitesvaha) disappears and replaced by many images as small as thumbnails, describe the scenes that you deceive to harm others, said hateful words, to the scenes that you calculate trickery to harm others since distant life until now, these images are so many that can not be counted...and in the middle of these small images are the big images that describes the scenes how you bear these karmas. In my (Master Tibu’s) case, there are alienated from friends and living alone. When being in front of the scenes likes that, with the emotion of disgusting these actions above, you will naturally promise to repent and not return to crimes.        

Once such promising finishes then there is the voice of Avalokitesvara resounds in the space:
-- Do you want me to delete or leave it as a souvenir?
I put my attention:
-- Keep it as a souvenir.  

Then, how strange it is, when looking back those images, I have a feeling that those sins are made by someone else and no feeling of guilt as they are not made by myself. After that, in my life, the lonely scene still remains but there are no heavy feeling likes wearing lead anymore.

---------------------------------------------
Note:
- Mandala: magic circle

[Tũn]

The dialog below is a conversation between Master Tibu and củkhoaisùng
Source: https://www.hoasentrenda.com/smf/index.php?topic=821.0

củkhoaisùng:

Dear Uncle! My head has less shaked (8-9/10) but has not ended yet. It is ok if I just visualize gently but when I strongly “attack” the red dot, then it (my head) shakes and sometimes intensely shakes (I sit while practicing). The problem is: if I do not gain the upper-position (I mean keeping the frequency of sitting practice regularly), I will be disturbed tiredly by it (shaking caused by karma), but if practicing (with this frequency) by HSTĐ’s method, I will be very tired. I still have not harmonized yet. Could you please see if there is a need, in my case, for new therapeutic regimens? I’m really looking forward to learn more.
I always feel likes I have not done my best. I guess its because of the karma of undutifulness

Master Tibu:
You have just made it reduced so you should practice with a moderate speed (as a car has been arrived) . You should nourish it (nervous system) for a period. Give it time, it needs time to accommodate this status. As driving a motorbike...”with no load”. Therefore, you should not be impatient that could leads to the failure.
No, you have no problem with Undutifulness.

On these few days, I also got hot in the fourth chakra likes having a hot coal (spreading up to the top of the head). Normally, my body feels likes there are a lot of fire/heat and I’m not sure if it is the reason why my heart suddenly beats hardly and fast, as being suspense or running, when practicing. So, are there any problem with me?

The rule: What is abnormal is due to karma of killing: so you should in turn change those phrases below, you should recite with attention of “Repentance”

The key is:
How to bring your conscience out to repent!
This method has been lost for a long time

What to recite?
Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Namo Amitabha Buddha
Namo Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata
Namo Repentance Bodhisattva Mahasattva

Stop! Attention please:
The road is very slippery, everyone please read slowly and make sure you understand what is being read, do not understand by what you mean.  

Now, continue discussing:
You keep your eyes open to read, but you imagine a five petals lotus and a Buddha sitting on it.
The image is dim as fantasy. As you are imagining your house! How the house appears, this image (a five petals lotus with a Buddha sitting on it) is as dim as that.

When this blur image appears, you are adjusting your mind in the fluctuation frequency of conscience.
Being in this position to repent is in the moment that you are most sincere.

However, you should adjust the phrase in an arbitrary way.

For example: today, you recite Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva! and after a few phrases, it is comfortable then you keep doing that.
But also at other times, when you recite as above but you have a feeling that...”it’s not ok”  then you feel free to adjust your phrase. Until you feel comfortable, then you keep this phrase, in this practicing time.

The Taboo: is you try to recite in turn all 4 phrases, and at once, recite and notice how comfortable of each phrase is. Reciting that way is not right.

The most accurate reciting way: is you can recite one whatever phrase you like. And when you have a comfortable feeling then you keep reciting the phrase.

The second key of this method is:
This dim image, by itself, moves in the vertical direction and stops at a point that your angle of view at this moment is “looking up with a 60 degree angle”.

So, at this moment, you are in front of Buddhas to repent! This is the secret method as well as the purpose of this Repentance Dharma lesson.

The situation... deflating on the top of my head (cold as using mint shampoo), is it associated with nimbus torn, uncle? It happened before but after a period of reciting-visualizing practice, it seems to be deflated more than before so I ask you why is it?

It is Upacara, it is not nimbus torn at all! Set your mind at rest to Samma Samadhi on a Kasina

There is a Master teaches meditation practitioners, in particular, that should not feed or nearby dogs and cats because they suck out our Yang Air. I do not understand how much it affects but obviously, when I stroke dogs and cats, I have a heavy sensation and ache at my arm (if they are dirty then I will itch) and this situation often occurs when I sit to practice. What is it, Uncle?

You are allergic so let keep away from them. Dogs and cats have no effect at all. They are very weak, they can not do anything to us.

Formerly, there was a dragon that was dead-tired, and I told it:
-- If you need anything from me, you can take it to use, I’m still very strong!
The Dragon was too tired, I had to implore it several times before it nodded to take a little bit power of me!
I found that it took at the edge of my groin! It took a piece as big as two fingers, about 10cm in length.

When such a vitality lost, I suddenly remembered that mascots are in the edge of groin (that is, dead while the last hot spot is at the edge of groin then rebirth to be dragon)! Remember, this was a giant dragon, it was bigger than the sum of the Parma storm and the Melor storm!

Therefore: Dragons are just at that position, so dogs and cats, at the most, are at the middle of thigh. Nevertheless, If vitality is lost while playing with dogs and cats, the lost is just equal the pinkie nail. Hence, it is not much!      

But if it is allergic as in your case so you should keep away from it for pleasant.

[Tũn]

The dialog below is a conversation between Master Tibu and tudieude.
Source: https://www.hoasentrenda.com/smf/index.php?topic=821.msg6496#msg6496

tudieude:

I have fully understood your teaching

Could you please allow me to ask more about why I’m startled easily every time I meditate? Low noises, such as wings beating sound of insects or the sound of pressing button to open TV, can make me vigorous startled.

How to not be scared by ghosts? Meditating at home does not frighten me but when going to deserted places makes me so scared. Especially at cemetery :’(  

Master Tibu:
Nobody is not scared by ghosts, especially femme ghost (pronoun as “fam ghost”, in french = my Wife) hehehe.
Was a thief in the past life so when closing your eyes, your ears automatically awake so it hears clearly as rabbit. Because, if there is anything then running quickly!
This reaction will end along to practicing time, when your unconscious understands that you are already a proper man, no more “theft” then it will automatically disappear.
After rummaging my purse, tibu see a method, that makes it ends quicker, is using Repentance method.

The method is:

The hard thing is to find out the Repentance Dharma of Medicine Buddha Sutra.
The easier way is reciting "Namo Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata". With the putting attention to repent the stealing sin.
The two ways have the same effect.
Open your eyes and recite (in mind) or read the Sutra (read in mind).
While reading as above (read in mind), imagining a Buddha sitting on a five petals lotus.

Describe the imagining: as you imagine the door of your house. How dim the door is, the Buddha with lotus is as dim as that.

The reason to do that is:
When you think in mind (that is reading in mind), you are using the frequency of the gross mind.
And when you imagine the image (a Buddha sitting on a only five petals lotus), you also use the shallow of your very subtle mind.
Effect:
Be aware that the address of what is known as “Conscience” is located at the cross of The Gross Mind and The Very Subtle Mind. Hence, when practicing likes that, you bring your conscience out to repent.
When repenting likes that, your theft conscience is brought to light so it’s reaction is:
Your nimbus will be thicker, you will not be as sensitive as above anymore but, thanks to practicing this method regularly and in a long time, you will be increasingly more sensitive with “good deeds”.
End.    

[Tũn]

The dialog below is a conversation between Master Tibu and nguoicaudao. Please read  Repentance Dharma carefully before reading this dialog.
Source: https://www.hoasentrenda.com/smf/index.php?topic=820.msg35574#msg35574


nguoicaudao:

So, currently, what specific I have to do beside repenting everyday, bro? (Repenting likes the method at here, visualizing a Buddha sitting on a five petals lotus...).

Master Tibu:
100 percent right! You should choose a pose that is most safely. That means: lying down pose, this pose keeps your back warm. Hence, it does not give you the unsafe feeling such as the cold sensation behind your nape of neck.
Obviously, you relax all your muscles and lie down by the “corpse” pose.

Of course, practicing place is on your bed. You be under blanket for warm and good for health.

Genuflecting in front of alter, bringing the conscience out to repent...?

There is no genuflecting, or doing anything in front of the alter. The alter of your house should be keep unchanged.

Currently, my family is engaged nearly all (all hear the acarid sound, the bell and drum sound, the wooden bell sound... on the top of the head, my youngest uncle and my father also meditate everyday and all see resplendent golden yellow lights...),

This phenomenon is just  
“Upacara” so it has these properties below:
- Suddenly appearing
- Theres no symptoms to warn.
- Not in the practice program. And it is hard to have the same circumstances.

Pitiful my grandpas, they are good-natured living nearly for nearly 30 year. Do not know what karma and unlucky that, from wholeheartedly respectful following Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, to sticking in the realm of Paramimmita-vaśavarti...(this is due to buying a pup so hopefully it makes light sin...hix)

So you do first, after fully finishing then you will have the basic to guide your family.

This is the image that you should imagine:
 https://www.hoasentrenda.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=820.0;attach=437;image
The imagine above is not fully accurate, this image is correct:
https://www.hoasentrenda.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=1461.0;attach=1044;image

Update (01/02/2014): The latest image that should be used: https://www.hoasentrenda.com/smf/index.php?topic=820.msg52427#msg52427
 
Here are the links for you to read the stories about repentance, right here, on HSTĐ:
https://www.hoasentrenda.com/smf/index.php?topic=10341.msg40718#msg40718
https://www.hoasentrenda.com/smf/index.php?topic=10341.msg40735#msg40735

Here is the Repentance Dharma of Medicine Buddha Sutra:
Vietnamese Version:http://www.bodetam.org/DanhMucKhac/HocPhatHanhNghi/DuocSuSamPhap-TriQuang/DuocSuSamPhap-TQ-01.html
English Version:http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/medbudsutra.pdf
For more reference: https://www.google.com/search?q=medicine+buddha&oq=medecine+b&aqs=chrome.3.69i57j0l5.16275j0j8&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

When reading Sutra, you should be aware that read, for you, to understand!
Not getting Sutra of Buddha and read aloud for Him to listen!
It does not make sense.
And because of reading, for you, to understand (this is the important things), so you have the right to skip the titles that are verbose.

In summary, you go into the main content of the Sutra.

When reading, you do not need to read aloud, just only whisper in your mouth (hstđ calls it is “xù xì”). Reading likes that then siddhi will hear what you say.  
Although they stand wantonly on your head, they can only hear you when you whisper.

And when they hear what you say, their power is depreciated (that they never want). Of course, you do not need to navigate your force upward to the top of your head (because when doing likes that, they are raised by your power, through your attention)

That means:
Well, you guys come to disturb me and sit indiscriminately on my head, so I will not care about you guys.

Just following my advice