AMIDA DHARMA - Fascicle 6. The eight precepts of faith

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1.Those who wish to be in harmony with the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha and to protect the transmission of true faith for other generations, helping themselves and others to not fall into wrong views, must have faith themselves and posses the eight elements of faith. They must also follow the eight precepts of faith.

2.The first precept of faith:

A true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas shall not himself deny, or encourage others to deny the actual, literal existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land. He must not create the causes, conditions, methods or karma of denying the existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land. As a true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas he must have devotion and faith in Amida Buddha, always helping sentient beings to entrust to Him and aspire to be born in His Pure Land.

3. The second precept of faith:

A true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas shall not himself deny or encourage others to deny the story of Amida Buddha as told by Shakyamuni in the Larger Sutra (and as presented in this book). He must not create the causes, conditions, methods or karma of denying it. As a true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas he must accept in faith the Larger Sutra and the story of Amida Buddha as told by Shakyamni there, always helping sentient beings to do the same.

4. The third precept of faith:

A true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas shall not himself deny or encourage others to deny the importance of the wish to be born in the Pure Land for the attainment of perfect Enlightenment. He must not create the causes, conditions, methods or karma of stopping sentient beings from wishing to be born in the Pure Land for the attainment of perfect Enlightenment. As a true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas he must always encourage sentient beings to wish to be born in the Pure Land for the attainment of perfect Enlightenment.

5. The fourth precept of faith:

A true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas shall not himself deny or encourage others to deny that they are persons of deep karmic limitations, incapable to attain Buddhahood through their own power, and that only Amida Buddha can save them through His Vow Power. He must not create the causes, conditions, methods or karma of denying salvation from samsara through Amida’s Power. As a true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas he must always encourage sentient beings to recognize themselves as persons of deep karmic limitations, incapable to attain Buddhahood through their own power, and to accept that only Amida Buddha can save them through His Vow Power, without asking anything from them.

6.The fifth precept of faith:

A true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas shall not himself doubt or cause others to doubt the Primal Vow and birth in the Pure Land. He must not create the causes, conditions, methods or karma of doubting the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha and birth in the Pure Land. As a true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas he must always encourage sentient beings to accept the Primal Vow of Amida without any doubt and be sure of their birth in the Pure Land.

7. The sixth precept of faith:

A true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas shall not himself deny or encourage others to deny that birth in the Pure Land takes place after death. He must not create the causes, conditions, methods or karma of denying that birth in the Pure Land takes place after death. As a true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas he must always encourage sentient beings to accept that birth in the Pure Land takes place after death.

8.The seventh precept of faith:

A true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas shall not himself abandon or encourage others to abandon the saying of Amida Buddha’s Name (Nembutsu). He must not create the causes, conditions, methods or karma of abandoning the saying of the Name of Amida Buddha. As a true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas he must always encourage sentient beings to say the Name of Amida.

9.The eight precept of faith:

A true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas shall not himself mix or encourage others to mix Nembutsu and devotion towards Amida Buddha with other faiths and practices from inside or outside of the Buddha Dharma. He must not create the causes, conditions, methods or karma of mixing Nembutsu and devotion towards Amida Buddha with other faiths and practices from inside or outside of the Buddha Dharma. As a true disciple of Amida and all Buddhas he must always encourage sentient beings to exclusively say the Nembutsu and devote themselves entirely to Amida Buddha.