revised and updated September 21st 2019
“If, when I attain Buddhahood,
all the myriads of manifestations in my land, from the ground to the sky, such
as palaces, pavilions, ponds, streams and trees, should not be composed both of
countless treasures, which surpass in supreme excellence anything in the worlds
of humans and devas, and of a hundred thousand kinds of aromatic wood, whose
fragrance pervades all the worlds of the ten quarters, causing all bodhisattvas
who sense it to perform Buddhist practices, then may I not attain perfect
Enlightenment.”[1]
the 32nd Vow
The wonderful manifestations of the Pure
Land are described at length in sections 14 to 21 as well as in other parts of the
Larger Sutra. Especially, this passage
from section 16 shows the fulfilment of the 32nd Vow:
“Again, the halls, monasteries,
palaces, and pavilions are spontaneous apparitions, all adorned with the seven
kinds of jewels and hung with curtains of various other jewels, such as pearls
and moonbright maṇi-gems.
Inside and out, to right and
left, are bathing ponds. Some of them are ten yojanas in length, breadth, and depth; some are twenty yojanas; others, thirty; and
so on, until we come to those measuring a hundred thousand yojanas in length, breadth,
and depth. They are full to the brim with the water that possesses the eight
excellent qualities, clear, fragrant, and tasting like nectar.
There are golden ponds with beds
of silver sand; silver ponds with beds of golden sand; crystal ponds with beds
of beryl sand; beryl ponds with beds of crystal sand; coral ponds with beds of
amber sand; amber ponds with beds of coral sand; agate ponds with beds of ruby
sand; ruby ponds with beds of agate sand; white jade ponds with beds of
purple-gold sand; purple-gold ponds with beds of white jade sand. Others are
composed of two to seven jewels.
On the banks of these ponds are
sandalwood trees, whose flowers and leaves hang down and diffuse perfumes
everywhere”.[2]
It is very important to realize that Shakyamuni does not speak about the
Pure Land of Amida in terms of ultimate reality beyond form (Dharmakaya as
suchness) but instead He uses many images and colourful words. The language of the Larger Sutra is descriptive and effusive, clearly
not intended to practitioners who are trying to go beyond forms.
The 32nd
Vow shows without any doubt that the Pure Land is a transcendental realm with myriads
manifestations, created by Amida out of Compassion for sentient beings.
Although
the true nature of all Buddhas and their manifestations is ultimate Dharmakaya,
one cannot have faith or aspire to be born into Dharmakaya as suchness. This is
why we have a Buddha as Dharmakaya as compassionate means, in Form and Name,
called Amida in whom we can entrust and a Pure Land where we must wish to be
born after death[3].
Without them, our attainment of Buddhahood would be impossible.
Only when
we are born in the safe environment of the Pure Land we will naturally realize
ultimate Buddhahood[4] or
Dharmakaya of non-duality, but as long as we are here in this present body we
accept the duality of the saviour (Amida Buddha) and those to be saved, and of
samsara and the Pure Land. To insist on talking in ultimate and non-dualistic
terms while we are still unenlightened is futile. More than this, to negate the
existence of Amida Buddha and of His Pure Land or to call them symbols,
metaphors or fictional stories, is a grave error, and is surely the offence of
slandering the right Dharma[5].
Such statements actually accuse Shakyamuni of lying and might obstruct many
beings from hearing and entering the Pure Land Dharma gate.
If we read
carefully the Larger Sutra we notice
that Shakyamuni is not just making the effort of describing the Pure Land with its
myriad manifestations, but He even points to a direction where it can be found:
“Ananda asked the Buddha, ‘Has the Bodhisattva
Dharmakara already attained Buddhahood and then passed into Nirvana? Or has he
not yet attained Buddhahood? Or is he dwelling somewhere at present?’
The Buddha replied to Ananda, ‘The Bodhisattva
Dharmakara has already attained Buddhahood and is now dwelling in a western
Buddha-land, called 'Peace and Bliss,' a hundred thousand kotis of lands away
from here[6]."
He also mentions
this direction in the Smaller Amida Sutra:
"If you
travel westward from here, passing a hundred thousand kotis of
Buddha-lands, you come to the land called 'Utmost Bliss,' where there is a
Buddha named 'Amida.' He is living there now, teaching the Dharma.”[7]
Thus, it is clear that by describing in many words the wonders of the Pure
Land and by pointing to a direction where this Pure Land is, Shakyamuni Buddha bears
witness to its actual existence and to the authenticity of the 32nd Vow. It is
as though I speak to you about a certain park that I would like you to visit.
If I tell you, “it’s there, in the west of the town” you will be sure that I speak about an
actually existing place. Also, if I use many beautiful words and colorful images
to describe it, I might even inspire in you the wish to go there. No doubt
Shakyamuni has the same intention when describing the Pure Land of Amida,
because the aspiration to be born in the Pure Land is an important part of the
Primal Vow and our escape from samsara.
Also, these transcendent
manifestations show that the Pure Land surpasses all other places in the world
of suffering – “surpass in supreme
excellence anything in the worlds of humans and devas”. In fact, the Pure
Land is beyond samsara and cannot be compared with the realms caught in the
power of birth and death, thus subject to impermanence. Humans, devas (gods)
plus other kinds of sentient beings and the environments in which they are born
are the product of their unenlightened karma, but the Pure Land of Amida is the
manifestation of His supreme Enlightenment and pure merits, so all its
treasures and manifestations are supreme in beauty while in the same time they
have the power to deepen and strengthen the dedication of those engaged in the
practice of liberating themselves and others (bodhisattvas):
“a hundred thousand kinds of
aromatic wood, whose fragrance pervades all the worlds of the ten quarters,
causing all bodhisattvas who sense it to perform Buddhist practices.”
It is obvious that the treasures
found in the Pure Land are not intended for the enjoyment of the six senses but
for expressing the Dharma, calling beings to the Dharma, praising Amida’s
virtues and showing the supreme place this enlightened land occupies among
other Buddha-lands. They are spiritual treasures, even if they are described
using the terms we are familiar with, like
“palaces, pavilions, ponds, streams and trees, aromatic wood”, etc.
[1] The
Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by
Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and
Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.18
[2] The
Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by
Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and
Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.18
[3] Read the explanation of the 13th Vow
(Infinite Life of Amida Buddha).
[4] The 11th Vow promises
attainment of Buddhahood of those born in the Pure Land. .
[5] See the explanations
of the exclusion clause in the Primal Vow from this book.
[6] The
Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by
Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and
Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.23
[7] The
Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by
Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and
Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.103
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