The sutra
starts with the place where it was delivered by Shakyamuni Buddha (Vulture Peak
in Rajagrha) and a description of the audience ( section 1) with special
emphasis on the qualities of the Enlightened Bodhisattvas who were present
there like Maitreya, Manjushri, Samantabhadra, etc (section 2).
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Before starting to teach this sutra
Shakyamuni manifested a supreme appearance. When asked by Ananda about the
reason for those wonderful manifestations, He explained that He was about to
deliver the most important teaching of His life, the true reason for His coming
to this world (section 3).
*
Then He tells the story of how many eons
ago the monk Dharmakara awoke the aspiration for supreme Enlightenment in front
of Buddha Lokesvararaja, made the 48 vows, practiced for many kalpas, attained
perfect Enlightenment and became Amida Buddha. In that very moment His Pure
Land came into existence and is always present to welcome those who wish to be
born there. (sections 4-10)
*
The Light of Amida, which is praised by
all Buddhas, has twelve
special characteristics and can be
encountered through faith. Those who encounter this
Light will no longer be obstructed by their defilements and they will be
relieved to know that they are assured of birth in the Pure Land (section 11).
*
The life of Amida in Sambhogakaya form in
His Pure Land is infinite and so it is the life of the enlightened beings
dwelling there (section 12).
*
The first turning of the Wheel of Dharma,
after Dharmakara became Amida Buddha was a cosmic event which was attended by
an incalculable number of beings who were Enlightened or very close to
Enlightenment (section 13).
*
Shakyamuni then describes the Nirvanic
features of the Pure Land and its inhabitants in rich detail so that we may be
convinced of its real existence and wish to be born there. Unlike here in
samsara where everything is conducive to attachments and blind passions, the enlightened
manifestations of the Pure Land naturally lead to Enlightenment (sections 14-21).
*
Those who have faith in Amida are
assured that they will attain Nirvana in the Pure Land. Also, it is mentioned that
all Buddhas praise the inconceivable and supreme virtues (merits) of Amida
which are actually transferred to us when we entrust to Him, thus making us
enter the stage of non-retrogression for the attainment of Nirvana in the Pure
Land (section 22).
*
There are three grades of aspirants for
birth in the Pure Land. Very advanced practitioners, even close to
Enlightenment but not yet Enlightened, as well as we, the lowest of the low,
can entrust to Amida Buddha and rely on His Power, thus being aware that their
virtues are not superior to Amida or that our evil is not an obstacle for birth
there. However, those who are attached to their so-called merits and virtues
attain an inferior birth in the borderland of the Pure Land (sections 23-25).
*
Encouraged
by the Buddhas who teach the Dharma in various worlds, all advanced Bodhisattvas
in aspiration visit Sukhavati and are actually born there through faith, where they
attain Buddhahood. Also Bodhisattvas who are already enlightened visit Amida
just like a grateful student will always visit and pay respect to his Master no
matter that now he became a master himself.
After
the episode with the visit of Bodhisattvas, Shakyamuni continues with
explaining the favorable conditions of meeting and accepting the teaching of
the Larger Sutra in faith. Observance
of the precepts in a former life leads to birth in human form or a realm where
one can meet and hear the Larger Sutra
and especially the message of the Primal Vow which is the essence of this
sutra. Those who have met a Buddha or many Buddhas in the past and had devotion
and respect towards them are open enough to accept in faith the teaching of the
Larger Sutra and especially the
Primal Vow. Because all Buddhas praise Amida’s method of salvation they are all
guiding beings who are under their care and who worship them, towards faith in
Amida. (sections 26-27)
*
The
virtues and activities of the Enlightened Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land are
described at length by Shakyamuni. They can, without actually leaving the Pure
Land, manifest in various forms in all the realms of samsaric existence to
guide beings toward birth in the Pure Land. Because they are enlightened they
are not limited by anything in their compassionate activities. (sections 28-30)
*
Once
they reach the enlightened environment of the Pure Land the newborn see Amida,
listen to His teaching and attain perfect Enlightenment. The perception of time is different here in the human plane of
samsaric existence than "time" in the Pure Land. Thus, if here we
need minutes or hours, days, months and years to do various activities, in the
Pure Land many things can be done at the same time. So, in the very moment of
birth in the Pure Land through the Gate of Faith (Gate of the Primal Vow) we
automatically see Amida in all His glory, listen to His teaching in the seven
jeweled lecture hall and attain perfect Enlightenment. (section 29)
*
To
make us wish even more to escape samsara and be born in the Pure Land,
Shakyamuni describes the karmic situation of beings who have no aspiration
towards Enlightenment. Then He suggests that Amida
Dharma is not an instrument to justify blind passions nor institutionalize them
as normal behavior. Indeed, in its saving activity, Amida Buddha makes no
distinction between virtuous and non-virtuous people. But making no
distinction, out of Great Compassion, between them, it does not mean that He
supports or encourages evil. No Buddha, including Amida and Shakyamuni, have
ever supported evil actions, so we should not confuse being saved as we are
with the idea that all our actions are now worthy and good or that we should not
make any effort for a good behavior. Instead of praising or justifying our
blind passions, we should be ashamed of them and grateful to Amida’s helping
hand. As Shinran said, “don’t make a liking to poison because you have the
antidote”, that is, try your best to abandon evil actions even if you are saved
by Amida.
The teaching of Amida’s salvation contained
in the Larger Sutra is transmitted by
Shakyamuni to Maitreya who will protect it and teach it himself when He will
assume the role of the next Buddha in our world system. (section 31-40)
*
Then Ananda asks the historical Buddha to
see Amida, His Pure Land as well as the inhabitants living there, and so they
are revealed to him and to all the audience gathered on that day on Vulture
Peak. To emphasize the importance of this revelation Shakyamuni asks Ananda and
Maitreya to confirm what they saw and Ananda does exactly that in the name of
all those present. This is a crucial event in the Larger Sutra which was done in order to make us accept Amida as a
real Enlightened Person and His Pure Land as a real, enlightened place where we
should wish to be born after death. (sections
41-42)
*
At the request of Maitreya, Shakyamuni
explains the difference between the two types of beings born in the Pure Land,
1) those born in the embryonic state and 2) those born by transformation. The
people in the first category (followers of the 19th and 20th
vows) are those who, while focusing on Amida, still cling to their so-called
merits and virtues or mix Nembutsu with various practices not mentioned in the
Primal Vow, etc. They are to be born in the borderland of the Pure Land in an
unenlightened state of mind and will spend some time there until they overcome
their doubts and fully entrust to Amida. The people in the second category are
practitioners who completely rely on the Power of Amida Buddha in accord with
His Primal Vow (18th Vow). They are born in the “true fulfilled land
of the Pure Land” or the “center” of the Pure Land where they automatically
attain perfect Enlightenment and become capable to guide all beings in the ten
directions. (sections 43-45)
*
There are many Mahayana followers
(bodhisattvas in aspiration) on various levels of spiritual achievements or
even without any personal virtue in all the places of the samsaric universe who
are now in the stage of non-retrogression for birth in the Pure Land. Many such
followers of true faith will also appear in the future. The cause of entering
this stage is not any personal achievement, but faith in Amida Buddha and
complete reliance on His Power.
Shakyamuni’s urge to listen and accept the Larger Sutra in faith is overwhelming as
He says that even if the whole universe is on fire we should pass through it to
hear and entrust to this teaching. So great is the importance of the Larger Sutra that He promised to keep it
in the world for one hundred years more after all the other sutras will
disappear. Insisting that we must not have any doubts about the contents of
this sutra, Shakyamuni mentions as proof for the authenticity of its teachings
the fact that He enabled the audience to see Amida and His Pure Land. Thus, He
wanted them to act as witness to future generations for the real existence of
Amida and His Pure Land. In the process of receiving this sutra we must practice
it in the way it was taught and not change it according to our likes or dislikes.
(sections 46-47)
*
At the end of the sutra various benefits gained
by the audience are described, among which, the most important is the entering into
the stage of non-retrogression for birth in the Pure Land and subsequent attainment
of Nirvana.
If the sutra starts with Shakyamuni’s
supreme appearance, it also ends with extraordinary supernatural manifestations.
Both manifestations at the beginning and end of the sutra show that this was
indeed the most important discourse of Shakyamuni’s lifetime – the true reason
for His coming to this world. (section 48)
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