- click to return to the main list of the elements of genuine faith in Amida Buddha -
Faith in Amida Buddha means a twofold profound conviction:
1) to know that we are
people of deep karmic limitations, incapable to attain Buddhahood through our
own power;
2) to know that only
Amida Buddha can save us through His Vow Power (Other Power), without asking
anything from us
“Deep
mind is deep
entrusting faith.
It has two aspects. First, to believe deeply and unwaveringly that we are
actually ordinary beings of karmic evil subject to birth and death, ever
sinking and ever transmigrating in samsara since innumerable kalpas ago without
a chance to escape from it. Second, to believe deeply and unwaveringly that the
Forty-eight Vows of Amida Buddha enfold sentient beings, enabling them to board
His Vow-Power and attain Birth.”[1]
"There
are two aspects concerning this mind of trust: the first is to believe oneself
to be a foolish being of defiled karma, subject to birth-and-death, from
incalculable kalpas past constantly sinking and constantly turning, without any
condition that could lead to liberation. The second is to believe deeply and
decisively that, since one does not doubt that Amida's Forty-eight Vows grasp
sentient beings, one rides on the power of that Vow and will without fail
attain Birth.."[2]
"To
be free of self-power, having entrusted oneself to the Other Power of the
Primal Vow - this is faith alone. [...] Faith alone also means that nothing is
placed equal with this shinjin of Other Power, for it is the working of the
universal Primal Vow."[3]
A follower of the Primal Vow abandons any idea that
he can transfer some personal merits towards birth in the Pure Land, or
Enlightenment, and relies entirely on Amida Buddha's transference of
merit. He knows that any so called personal merits are delusional and only
Amida Buddha's merits are true and effective for his salvation.
"Whether
with regard to the cause or to its fruition, there is nothing whatever that has
not been fulfilled through Amida Tathagata’s directing of virtue to beings out
of the pure Vow-mind. Because the cause
is pure, the fruit is also pure. Reflect on this". [4]
The words "because
the cause is pure, the fruit is also pure" reffers to the fact that
the cause of our attainment of birth in the Pure Land is Amida Buddha. Because
we are carried by the karmic Power of Amida we can reach His Pure Land. If the
Pure Land was the effect of our own karma, then we could naturaly go there
whenever we wish, but because it is Amida’s Enlightened realm, we can reach it
only through Amida’s Power.
This is why we should give up to the idea of
„deserving” to be born. Our so called "good karma" has nothing in
common with the Pure Land. It is extremely important to understand that the
bridge to the Pure Land comes from the Pure Land, and it is Amida’s
creation/manifestation. We simply cannot create something in our samsaric and
unenlightened mind that can bring us to the Pure Land of Enlightenment. So, let
us relax and let Amida do His saving work on us, carrying us there when we die.
"The
True Land of Bliss is extremely easy to go to, because one can attain birth
there through the Vow-Power."[5]
"It
is stated in the Hymns in Praise of Amida Buddha (Tsan a mi t’o fo chieh)
[composed by Master T’an-luan]:
'All
beings, having heard Amida’s virtuous Name,
Attain
joyful faith, rejoice in what they hear,
And call
His Name even once. The person of
sincerity, Amida,
Endows merit to them. All who aspire for Birth attain Birth.
Hence, I
prostrate myself to worship Him and aspire to be
born
there.'"[6]
“If not for the Buddha’s directing of
virtue,
How could we realize Enlightenment in the
Pure Land?”[7]
Honen Shonin warns
us against thinking that birth in the Pure Land is possible through our own
efforts and personal merits:
"If you
think that birth in the Pure Land is possible through your own efforts, you
will become consumed with conceit that you are wise. When you possess this
heart of conceit, you will not be in accord with the Primal Vow, and you will
lose the protection of Amida Buddha as well as that of other Buddhas. You are
ultimately haunted by malevolent spirits. I here repeat - be vigilant indeed
against conceit."[8]
[1] Master Shan-tao, as quoted by Shinran Shonin
in chapter III of his Kyogyoshinsho, Kyogyoshinsho – On Teaching, Practice,
Faith, and Enlightenment, translated by Hisao Inagaki, Numata Center for
Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p. 90-91
[2] Master Seikaku, Essentials of Faith Alone, The Collected Works of
Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha,
Kyoto, 1997, p.692
[3] Shinran Shonin, Notes on the Essentials of
Faith Alone, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation
Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p. 451
[4] Shinran Shonin, Passages on the Pure Land Way, The Collected Works of Shinran,
Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997,
p.300-301
[5] Shinran Shonin, Kyogyoshinsho,
VI, Kyogyoshinsho – On Teaching, Practice, Faith, and Enlightenment,
translated by Hisao Inagaki, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research,
Kyoto, 2003, p. 257
[6] Kyogyoshinsho – On Teaching, Practice, Faith, and Enlightenment,
translated by Hisao Inagaki, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research,
Kyoto, 2003, p. 88
[7] Shinran Shonin, Hymns of the Dharma- Ages (Koso
Wasan), The Collected Works of Shinran,
Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p. 411
[8] Honen Shonin, Instruction in the Seven Articles, The
Promise of Amida Buddha - Honen's Path to Bliss; English translation of the Genko edition of the
works of Honen Shonin - Collected
Teachings of Kurodani Shonin: The Japanese Anthology (Wago Toroku),
translated by Joji Atone and Yoko Hayashi, Wisdom Publications, Boston, 2011,
p.141
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