This piece was written by Kaspa & Satya in late 2025 with input from the Bright Earth ministry team (and special thanks to Rev Ananda). It represents our position as a group and is sometimes recited during practice.
Statement of Faith
The purpose of our practice is to open us to the wisdom and compassion of the Buddhas.
Our heart practice is the nembutsu: the recitation of Amida Buddha’s name.
We also connect with the Buddha’s wisdom through practices like listening to teachings, meditation, and being in the natural world.
We treasure Shakyamuni Buddha, who set the wheel of dharma turning. We learn from Buddhist teachers throughout the ages, awakened beings everywhere, and the world itself. We especially revere the great Pure Land sages Honen and Shinran.
Held in Amida’s loving gaze, we come to know ourselves deeply, both our bombu nature and our Buddha-nature.
As bombu beings, we grasp at unreliable refuges and sometimes we cause harm. Knowing the harm we cause offers us the chance to lessen that harm. Seeing our fallible nature also strengthens our refuge in Amida Buddha.
The more deeply we take refuge in Amida, the more our greed, ill-will and delusion will melt like ice into water, allowing our natural compassion to flow into the world.
We trust that at the centre of each of us is the heart that loves all living beings and that wishes for their liberation.
We take action powered by this love, in response to suffering in the world. We pay attention to the causes of suffering. We mitigate for power. We practice discerning what work is ours to do.
We wish that all who may benefit are able to access the jewels of the Buddha’s teachings.
Moved by the Buddha’s love, we vow to take care of all living beings, including ourselves. Held tenderly by the Buddha’s love, we find clarity, consolation, and settled faith.
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