1. Human history, as
we know it, is only a very small fraction of the endless and inconceivable time
of the universe. This means that many world systems and beings living in them had
existed before this earth and will continue to exist after its disappearance.
Thus, in the beginnigless past a great number of Buddhas appeared in various
worlds and will continue to appear in the never ending future.
2. The Enlightened
Person who taught the Dharma during our present human history was Shakyamuni
Buddha and the teachings and methods presented by Him were transmitted to us in
the form of sutras (discourses).
3.Different Buddhist
schools were created based on various sutras (discourses). Our Jodo Shinshu
school
( the True Pure Land School) which we also call Amida Dharma
was formed based on the The Sutra on the
Buddha of Infinite Life (Larger Sutra). A lineage of Masters from India,
China, and Japan transmitted and explained the teaching of this sutra, among
which the most important is Shinran Shonin, the founder of this school in
Japan, and Rennyo Shonin, the restorer.
4.The Larger Sutra was considered by Shinran
Shonin to be the most important teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha's lifetime, and
the main reason for His appearance in our world. In this sutra He told the
story of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land, encouraging all beings to entrust to
Him, say His Name (NamoAmida Bu) and wish to be born there.
5.As
Shakyamuni told us, Amida was a monk named Dharmakara, in another era long
before ours, who made the aspiration to become a Buddha. But what differentiates
Him from other Buddhas is that He made special vows which promise salvation
(Buddhahood) not only for those capable of hard practices and virtues, but for
all, and especially for those who are incapable of any practice. Thus, He
promised the creation of a special Pure Land named Sukhavati in which everybody
can have access and, once born there, they will themselves become Buddhas,
completely free from birth and death and capable to save other beings. According
to His Primal Vow (the 18th Vow), the only condition for birth in His Pure Land
is to have faith in Him, say His Name (NamoAmida Bu) and wish to be born there
after death.
6.
At the moment Dharmakara attained supreme Enlightenment and became Amida
Buddha, His vows and His Pure Land became real and effective in the salvation
of beings.
7.
Amida, which is the Name of this Buddha, means Infinite Life and
Infinite Light. Thus, Amida is the Buddha of Infinite Life and Infinite Light.
8.Unlike Shakyamuni,
Amida is not a historical figure, so He does not belong to human history as we
know it, but a transcendent Buddha who attained Enlightenment many eons ago, in
the distant past, even before the apparition of our universe. However, He is as
real as Shakyamuni or any Buddha of any time as all Buddhas remain forever
active in the salvation of sentient beings.
9. In order to prove
His existence and to make us, disciples of future times, entrust to Him,
Shakyamuni Buddha showed Amida and His Pure Land to Ananda and all those
gathered on Vulture Peak in India who listened that day to the Larger Sutra. Thus, all the assembly saw
and enjoyed the splendor of His Powerful Light. They also saw the glory and
happiness of enlightened beings born there and they further transmitted the
good news of the unconditional salvation this Buddha offers to all beings
irrespective of their spiritual capacities.
10. Because it is the
easiest method through which all beings,
no matter their capacities, can attain freedom from samsara, all Buddhas, not
only Shakyamuni, urge us to entrust ourselves to Amida, say His Name in faith
(Namo Amida Bu) and wish to be born in His Pure Land after death.
11.The environment
in which we now live is the product of our personal karma and the collective
karma of all beings. This impure common karma gave rise to an impure
environment that also influences us and in which it is hard to have a true
spiritual evolution. We ourselves are sick, our fellow beings are sick and the
environment we inhabit is also sick. This is why we are urged to aspire to be
born after death, in the Pure Land. This land is the healthy enlightened realm
of Amida, a suitable environment which is not the product of evil karma but of
His pure karmic merits. Once born in such a sane environment our insanity is
cured instantly, our delusions are naturally melted like ice meeting fire, and
Enlightenment appears naturally.
12.Samsaric or
unenlightened beings are like seeds dropped in infertile soil. Although the potentiality
of any seed is to become a tree, if you place it in poor soil, devoid of any
good nutrients, and in the presence of various bad weeds, the seed will
not grow.
Just
like the seed, the potentiality of any being is to become a Buddha, but because
we live in this samsaric world, itself the effect and echo of our own evil
karma, we cannot grow and transform ourselves into Buddhas.
This
is exactly why we need to let Amida take us to His Pure Land. That Land is the
best soil for seeds like us to quickly develop their natural potential and
become Buddhas.
13.Unlike the
various samsaric planes of existence, the Pure Land is the
soil (realm) of Enlightenment, the perfect garden manifested by Amida
Buddha where everything is conducive to Enlightenment. So, we should all simply
entrust to Him and wish to be planted (reborn) there, where by receiving all
the necessary nutrients and by being free from all bad weeds (obstacles), we’ll
naturally transform ourselves into Trees of Enlightenment.
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