Amida Buddha is the best guide to our Buddha nature

Amida Buddha is the best guide to the Buddha nature which is the true nature of all beings. However, attaining Buddha nature does NOT mean that transcendent Buddhas like Amida stop existing.  Rather it means Amida takes you to a dimension where all Buddhas dwell. It's like escaping a prison (samsara) and joining all Buddhas in the same beautiful park where you can know each other and have fun together. Of course, discovering Buddha nature is beyond words and conceptual understanding, but I'm using this image just to help you stop falling into the wrong view of nihilistic voidness.

Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha Nature (book)

"Speak to dreamers in the language of dreams"[1]

Emptiness and Buddha nature are very hard topics and we, Jodo Shinshu followers who have a simple faith in Amida, do not possess the high spiritual capacities of the advanced esoteric Vajrayana practitioners, so it would be impossible and useless to try to enter too deep into this topic. It is not the practice of our school to recognize and dwell in ultimate reality in the present life, with this very body, so we do not need to know everything about emptiness and Buddha nature. However, it is good to know a few things about it so that we cannot be confused by false spiritual friends who play smart with such terms and use them in a distorted manner to justify or impose their own opinions on others. This is why from the immense ocean of authentic Dharma literature on emptiness and Buddha nature I took only a small part which is enough to have a little clue about this topic, as little as samsaric dreamers like us can have. 

Discover your Buddha nature with Amida's help

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

Question:

I heard somebody say that we do not need to aspire for birth in the Pure Land because “everything is in the mind”.

My answer:

Those who say that we don’t need the Pure Land to attain perfect Enlightenment and discover our innate Buddha nature because “everything is in the mind” are gravely deluded. As we all know from daily life, in some places and with some people we become more agitated or more calm. Although everything happens in the mind, the environment and the people around us influences our minds. There will always be more peace in our minds when we are in the presence of peaceful people.

Some sayings of Nagarjuna on emptiness and Buddha nature

Bodhisattva Nagarjuna, the 1st Patriarch
of Jodo Shinshu school

Fragment from my book 

Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

Bodhisattva Nagarjuna said in Praise of the Element of Attributes (words in normal brackets are my own and words in special brackets [..] are the words of Master Dolpopa:

“Homage and obeisance to the element of attributes (Buddha nature with its innate qualities),

Definitely dwelling in all sentient beings,

Which if one does not thoroughly know

One wanders in the three existences.

Only Buddhas can see Buddha nature

Hinayana Sravakas
(source of photo here)

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

All beings have Buddha nature which is the Basis and also the Fruit (the finalization) of the Path. However, even among those who are disciples of the Buddha not all have the same aspiration. Thus, not everyone obtains the fruit of discovering their Buddha nature.                                                                                                                                                      
 In the Queen Srimala Sutra it is said:

The wrong view of nihilistic emptiness

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

Unfortunately, many nowadays followers are confused by wrong views and deny the existence of individuated Buddhas by misinterpreting ultimate reality or Dharmakaya of Dharma nature as some kind of nihilistic emptiness in which nothing exists. They think that when one attains Enlightenment he goes into some kind of extinction when in fact, at that moment only illusions and blind passions disappear and go extinct, thus allowing for true reality to be revealed. Simply stated, it is like waking up from a dream and realizing we are not the person in the dream and that the reality to which we were awakened to (Buddha nature/ultimate Dharmakaya) is the true reality with real qualities unlike the false appearances of the dream.

What did Shinran mean by "shinjin (faith) is Buddha nature"?

The crest of Amidaji. The eight petal
lotus represents the eight elements of faith
(shinjin) and the eight precepts of faith. 

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

I heard some people misinterpreting the saying used by Shinran; “shinjin is Buddha nature” as to mean that shinjin (faith) actually means to believe in the existence of Buddha nature. Of course, Shinran accepted the existence of Buddha nature as He was quoting a lot from Mahaparinirvana Sutra and other sutras were Shakyamuni teaches about it. However, this was not his intention when he said that “great shinjin”  or “great faith” is Budha nature.

First let’s see how he said that:

The Nembutsu is true and real

wooden plaque with Nembutsu
in the courtyard of Amidaji

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

“In this fleeting world - this burning house - all matters without exception are empty and false, totally without truth and sincerity. The Nembutsu alone is true and real."[1]

The above words of Shinran Shonin summarizes many of the teachings presented in this book.

“All matters without exception are empty and false”, that is, all samsaric phenomena are empty of themselves and by being empty they are also a lie, (“without truth”), a magical display, an illusion and not ultimately real. The Nembutsu alone is true and real because it is the Name manifested by Amida Buddha from the ultimate reality and Buddha nature itself. It is part of the Dharmakaya of Compassionate means which is inseparable from the Dharmakaya of Dharma-nature.

As Buddhas are truly awake (the word “Buddha” means the “Awakened One”) they constantly invent methods to take us out of the dream world and bring us to the true reality of Buddha nature. Among these methods, the most easy to use by ordinary people filled with heavy illusions and blind passions is the Nembutsu of faith in Amida.

The enlightened manifestations for the sake of saving sentient beings

Amida Buddha and His Pure Land
always guiding samsaric beings to
what is true and real

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

The innate qualities of Buddha nature are activated when we attain perfect Enlightenment, that is, when we actually discover it. As I explained earlier, the discovered Buddha nature is called Dharmakaya. This Dharmakaya and its innate qualities enter into action in the moment of Enlightenment, taking various forms and manifestations for the sake of saving sentient beings.

While the mind-streams of beings and the samsaric environment in which they live are the effect of various causes and conditions and are thus considered to be empty of themselves, the Dharmakaya is only empty of illusions, blind passions and any samsaric phenomena, but NOT empty of itself. Because of this, the ultimate reality and everything that is rooted in it has true and real existence. Buddhas (fully Enlightened Beings) are true and real no matter the form they manifest or the emanations they create for the salvation of samsaric beings.

On the idea of innate or primordial Enlightenment

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness 
and Buddha nature

Whenever I used the image of seeds planted into a good soil and growing into trees was just to explain the potential we have of becoming Buddhas. However, I have never used it in order to say that the Buddha nature we discover when we become Buddhas is something created by us and not already present with all its enlightened qualities beyond the many layers of illusions and blind passions. As I clearly specified in fascicle 2 of Amida Dharma, the potential I refer to is to awaken to the Buddha nature that is already present:

“Just like all seeds have the natural potential to become trees, all sentient beings have the natural potential to become Buddhas, that is, to awaken to their own Buddha nature. Beyond the various layers of our delusory personality, the Buddha nature is the true reality, uncreated and indestructible, the treasure hidden in every one of us. When it's discovered, the causes of suffering and repeated births and deaths are annihilated and the one who attained it becomes himself a savior and guide of all beings that are still caught in the slavery of samsara”.

The enlightened qualities of Buddha nature

Buddha nature and its qualities
 like a beautiful park

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

            As mentioned previously, the Buddha nature has many innate qualities (attributes), also called the qualities of liberation or Dharmakaya. They are usually compared with the attributes of a precious jewel, like for example, its light, color and shape that are inseparable from it.

I will also use a different comparison to help you make an idea. Imagine you lived for many years in a smelly, isolated and narrow prison cell where you could not walk, nor see the sun and breathe fresh air. Then, you are liberated into the most beautiful park where you have everything you need. Now think to the “qualities” of your tiny prison cell and those of the beautiful park. Bad air, bad smell, cement walls and floor, artificial light, restricted area for movement, versus fresh air, unrestricted movement and freedom, open space, natural light from the sun, chirping of birds, etc. The things you could not even dream about when you were imprisoned you can now do freely by having access to the open space of nature and its wonderful qualities.

Buddha nature is not empty of itself but only empty of samsaric phenomena

Pine Trees, by Hasegawa Tohaku, Tokyo National Museum

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness 
and Buddha nature

There are two types of emptiness: 
1) self emptiness and 2) other emptiness.

We may call the first “empty-emptiness” and the second “non-empty-emptiness”.

Self emptiness means that something is empty of its own entity or self. This is the case with any samsaric phenomena, including the outer world and inner world of unenlightened beings.

Anything that appears due to various combinations of causes and conditions is self empty. Anything that changes is self-empty. Anything that can be analyzed and divided in small fragments and atoms is self empty. Any samsaric universe with all the various planets, solar systems and unenlightened beings living there is self empty because they appear due to various causes and conditions, change due to causes and conditions and disappear due to causes and conditions.

The difference between the false self and the true Self (Buddha nature)

           

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

Many Buddhists nowadays might get confused when they read the word “Self” in my previous article because they remember the doctrine of non-self or non-ego that they heard in other parts of the Buddha’s teachings. However, they have to understand the difference between the self that is negated and the true Self that is affirmed in many sutras.

The reality of Buddha nature

all beings have Buddha nature
although it is covered by their
blind passions

Fragment from my book 

Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

Buddha nature has many names like Tathagata-garbha, Buddha-garbha, Self, Nirvana, Buddhahood, Enlightenment, Suchness, Thusness, Dharmakaya, etc, all indicating to the fact that there is something truly REAL, uncreated and unconditioned beyond the various levels of illusion, blind passions, and the empty samsaric phenomena.

In the Tathagatagarbha Sutra, Shakyamuni put on a miraculous display for the sake of teaching beings the doctrine of Buddha nature,

“There appeared in the sky a countless number of thousand-petaled lotus flowers as large as chariot wheels, filled with colors and fragrances that one could not begin to enumerate. In the center of each flower was a conjured image of a Buddha. The flowers rose and covered the heavens like a ratna banner, each flower giving forth countless rays. The petals all simultaneously unfolded their splendor and then, through the Buddha rddhi (power), all withered in an instant. Within the flowers all the Buddha images sat cross-legged in the lotus position, and each issued forth countless hundred thousands of rays. The adornment of the spot at the time was so miraculous (adbhuta) that the whole assembly rejoiced and danced ecstatically. In fact, it was so very strange and miraculous that all began to wonder why all the countless wonderful flowers should suddenly be destroyed. As they withered and darkened, the smell they gave off was foul and loathsome.”[1]

He then explained,

The illusory nature of Samsara

Fragment from my book 
Simple Teachings on Emptiness and Buddha nature

“The eye coursing in conceptuality

Is very mistaken.

What is seen by mistake is unreal.

A Buddha does not have the unreal.”[1]

All Dharma gates speak about suffering and the end of suffering. In Jodo Shinshu we do the same, so what is the origin of suffering? Generally speaking, suffering comes from ignorance which means taking as real and permanent that which is unreal and impermanent, desiring unreal objects, identifying with an illusory sense of self and pursuing unreal and useless goals. All that we experience, individually and collectively, with our bodies and unenlightened minds is samsara. Depending on our karma these experiences are classified into the six realms of existence: hell dwellers,hungry ghosts (pretas), animals, humans, asuras (demigos) and gods (devas)[2].   

Simply stated, all beings are in a collective dream where they experience the joys and sorrows they themselves created with their own minds. Just like a beautiful dream or a nightmare is caused by the good or bad thoughts we had during the daytime, we also experience life in the above dreamlike samsaric states due to our own thinking, words and actions.