A few years ago I had the good fortune to have coffee with a friend of mine who is a retired Methodist minister. During the course of our conversation I asked him, ” Knowing what you know now, what would your advise be to your younger self?”
Without a pause he responded, “Spend more time studying scripture.”
Now of course he was thinking of the Christian Bible. But his point struck a cord and I have since taken to spending time every day reading sutras. Usually I break this into two blocks, reading something from the Pali Cannon and then reading a bit from the Pureland sutras. With the Pureland Sutras my course of reading and study is usually done from beginning to end over the course of weeks, starting with the Shorter Pureland Sutra and ending with the contemplation sutra. Then beginning again with the Shorter Sutra.
Reading the Sutras in this way, over time, in the course of different life experiences brings a depth and relevance to the sutras. Likewise the Sutras begin to inform and impact the experiences of daily life.
The Buddhist Sutras are the voice of the Buddha. They challenge us to live our lives by the expansive and liberating message of the Tathagathas, not by our little and limited self building agendas that are mired in affliction and suffering.
To read the Sutras daily is to encounter the Buddha in your daily life. It is a practice I highly recommend.
Namo Amida Bu!
Ananda
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