Lineage of Rechungpa.
Lineage Transmission:
Buddha Amitayus -> Indian Mahasiddhas
-> -> -> Lama Walachandra -> Rechungpa brought to Tibet
-> after number of Lineage Holders -> -> -> Drukpa
Choegon & Drukpa Yongzin Rinpoches of Dechen Choekhor about 500
years ago.
Amitayus - The Buddha of Long Life,
Merit and Wisdom. He is the sambhogakaya aspect of Amitabha Buddha
- the Buddha of Limitless Light and Life; and is the principal
Buddha for overcoming the power that death and ignorance have over
us. With these removed, we can fulfill our true human potential -
the achievement of ultimate happiness through realising our
primordially enlightened nature. Buddha Amitayus is one of
the Four Main Essential Practices of Drukpa
Kargyu.
Amitayus is depicted as holding a vase of
amrita, the precious nectar of immortality which confers longevity,
and the leaves of the ashoka tree, which symbolize long life
without misery (shoka) of disease. His body is said to be akin to a
ruby mountain, radiant like a brilliant pure jewel, eliminating the
ignorant and suffering of beings.
Buddha Sakyamuni has spoken about the power
and the great benefit of Buddha Amitayus's mantra. According to the
Sutra, it's said that the merits accumulated from offering Buddha
with the most precious stones that fill the universe can be
counted, but the merits of recitation the mantra of Amitayus is far
too vast to be measured. Lord Buddha also given the example that
reciting Amitayus mantra is liken a ninety nine millions Buddhas
remain in Samadhi and chanted the mantra in one voice … thus it's
extremely powerful.
Amitayus is the Buddha of boundless life,
merit and wisdom. By engaging in Amitayus practice we can develop
these qualities, which are essential for our spiritual development,
and eventually attain the deathless state of enlightenment.
Sincere practice and devotion to Amitayus is
said to help eliminate all obstacles to long life such as sickness
and pain, and pacify the possibility of untimely or premature
death. The Amitayus practice is important because longevity is an
essential contributing condition that allows us more time and
opportunity to practice the genuine Dharma to liberate oneself from
the Samsara of cyclic existences. We can also engage in this
practice to remove obstacles that endanger the lives of others.
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