HOW TO ESTABLISH PEACE OR A PURE LAND ON EARTH-- THE METHOD | A Pure Land on Earth

We have talked about the concept of a Pure Land on Earth, but how shall we accomplish it? The method we use we call the Three Practices, which consist of precepts (morality), meditation (concentration), and wisdom. I will discuss them in turn.

The precepts are the vows you take to lead a peaceful way of life through regulating your own behavior of body, thought, and speech. In the passive sense, upholding the precepts means vowing not to commit any wrongful acts. In the active sense, it means vowing to engage in as many acts as possible that benefit yourself as well as others; it means taking responsibility.

The purpose of practicing meditation is to create inner peace by calming the mind and stabilizing your emotions. If you practice meditation well you are less likely to become angry or agitated in your every day life. By meditation, we do not mean just sitting with concentration, we also mean bringing mindfulness to all your waking activities. Thus your emotions and behavior will be more stable, and conflicts with others will lessen. In these simple ways we can establish peace in the lives of individuals and societies.

The simpler methods include contemplating your thoughts, your breath, or counting your breaths. As soon as you begin to contemplate, your mind will calm down quickly. When you practice precepts and meditation together, wisdom naturally arises in your mind, which means that you will be able to see everything more objectively, and your mind and behavior will not be adversely affected by the environment. By practicing precepts, meditation, and wisdom, your mind and actions will be at peace. You will be able to live peacefully with others at all times.
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