“With your whole heart look forward expectantly to birth in the Pure
Land, worship and bear in mind the Buddha of Infinite Light, and don’t think
about anything else, nor perform any other spiritual practices.” Honen
Shonin[1]
All we need to do for our
attainment of Buddhahood in the Pure
Land is mentioned in the
Primal Vow of Amida Buddha: to say the Name in faith and wish to be born there.
Nothing else. No meditation practices, no this or that special virtue, just
entrust to Amida, say his Name and wish to be born in his Pure Land.
The essentials of our tradition are just these three
conditions, which are comprised in shinjin or faith in Amida. If you
have genuine faith in Amida, then you naturally say his Name and wish to be
born in his Land after death. It is as simple as that. Also, in order to have
faith in Amida, you need to accept that he is a real and living Buddha,
and in order to wish to be born in his Land you also need to accept that thisland is true and real. I think that everybody, even illiterate people, can
understand this simple logic.
Now please, pay attention: to say the Name of Amida, and not
of other Buddhas or religious figures outside Buddhism, to have faith in Amida
and wish to be born in his Pure Land, not in the land of other Buddhas! This is
extremely important.
Among all the pure lands in the ten directions we chose to
go in the Pure Land of Amida, and from among all the Buddhas in the ten
directions we chose to entrust to and say the Name of Amida only. This is not
because other Buddhas are not worthy of devotion and respect, or that other
practices like meditation, precepts and so on are not good in themselves. It is
just because other Buddhas do not have vows of making evil people like us to be
born so easy in their Pure Lands and because only Amida took the Vow to do so:
„When we inquire in
detail as to why it is that Amida’s Primal Vow surpasses the compassionate vows
of other Buddhas, [we realize that] the Buddhas of the ten directions are
unable to save sentient beings with extremely deep evil karma or women,
who are burdened with the five obstacles and the three submissions. Hence it is
said that Amida Buddha’s Primal Vow surpasses other Buddhas’ vows.”[2]
Among all the Buddhas, only Amida established a spiritual
country where it is easy to emigrate:
„It was Amida
Tathagata who alone made an unsurpassed, incomparable Vow – the great Vow that
he would save ordinary beings burdened with evils and offenses and women
burdened with the five obstacles.”[3]
“In the ten directions
there are countless Buddha lands. We should aspire to be born in the Western Land
because, as beings who have committed the five deadly sins, it is the only Pure Land
into which we can be born.”[4]
Also, in our everyday life, depending on the result we wish
to achieve, we must follow specific instructions. If for example, we want to go
from A to B we follow the course from A to B, not the course from A to C. In
the same way, if we want to reach the Pure Land of Amida, then we follow only
the indications mentioned in his Primal Vow: faith (shinjin), nembutsu and the
wish to be born there, which are all expressions of faith. In the case of Amida
Dharma, faith is the cause for birth in the Pure Land
and of the subsequent attainment of Buddhahood there. Honen Shonin clearly
said:
“It is a general rule
that those who wish to be born in a particular land ought to follow the vow of
the Buddha who established that country. Thus those who wish to be born into
the Western Land of Amida Buddha should follow his fundamental
Vow.”[5]
More than this, for us, ordinary
unenlightened people, it is extremely important to be concentrated and focused
on one thing only and not let ourselves distracted by many practices belonging
to different teachings and even different Dharma gates.
In our religious daily life focus is a key point. Only when
we reach Buddhahood we’ll be able to play as we like with all methods, but
until then we must stay humble and let go to everything which is not related
with the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha. Master Seikaku said it clearly:
“That which is
rejected as ‘various good acts done according to one's conditions’ is the
attachment to one's own former practice. In serving as a retainer, for example,
one should serve one's lord, depend on him, and wholeheartedly be loyal to him.
Being of two minds and
being of one mind are as vastly different as heaven and earth.”[6]
Master Honen, Shinran and Rennyo too, also advised us to be
of one mind and say only Amida’s Name in faith. For example, here is a quote
from Rennyo which is in perfect similarity and agreement with Seikaku:
“A loyal retainer will
not serve two masters; a faithful wife will not take a second husband.”[7]
Again, Master Seikaku said:
“If one already
aspires wholeheartedly for the land of bliss, why include other things besides
contemplating on the master of that land? Life is like a flash of lightning, or
a dewdrop at daybreak, and the body like the plantain tree or a bubble - yet one
seeks in a mere lifetime of religious practice to depart immediately from one's
long abode in the five courses. How can one leisurely combine diverse
practices?[8]”
Truly we have no time here in this unpredictable world where
death can occur at any time (“life is
like a flash of lightning or a dewdrop at daybreak, and the body like the
plantain tree or a bubble”) to understand, to check or to combine diverse
religious practices at once. And if we have already wished to be born in the land of Amida, why should we use the precious
time we have until death with things not related with this birth? Why should we
not insist further on listening the Dharma and deepen our understanding of
Amida and his salvation? There is also no indication in the sacred texts that
after we receive shinjin we should no longer give our attention to matters
related with the Amida Dharma. I really do not understand those who sustain
that they entrust in Amida but in the same time they engage in various
practices not related with this Buddha. Truly, what faith do they have if they
feel that Amida is not enough for them?
“Aside from aspiring
for the one land and thinking on the one Buddha [Amida], there is no other
necessity. People who enter the gate of the nembutsu but combine it with other
practices are attached to their former practices and have difficulty abandoning
them.”[9]
 |
|
Avalokitesvara wearing the image of Amida
on the crown of Her Head
|
I know it might be hard for some who are still attached to
the previous practices they performed before they met with Amida Dharma, but I
ask them to please always try to conform to the Primal Vow and abandon all
which is not in accord with it. If they do this, they please Amida Buddha and
all the Buddhas, including Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha. This is because
all Buddhas praise the Name of Amida and encourage beings to say it and be
concentrated on it, wishing to be born in that specific land. If they do
otherwise, even if they think that thus they please as many Buddhas as
possible, they in fact scatter their minds in many directions and fail to
observe the intentions of all these Awakened Ones. For example, if you notice
that Avalokitesvara wears an image of Amida on the crown of her head, this
should be an indication to you that this great Bodhisattva wishes you to say
Amida’s Name and entrust in him. It is like she is saying to you, „Amida is my
spiritual Parent and far greater than me, so please entrust to him”.
Master Rennyo said:
“Since Amida Tathagata
is the original teacher and master of all Buddhas of the three periods, how can
all the Buddhas who are his disciples not rejoice when we rely on that Buddha
who is the master? You must understand the grounds for this very thoroughly.“[10]
So, if you truly have devotion for many other Buddhas except
Amida, then please do not think that you serve them if you chant their Names or
their sacred formulas together with the Name of Amida! In truth, as Shinran
explained in his hymns, saying Amida's Name contains in itself the praise and
respect for all Buddhas:
„When we take refuge
in the Pure Land of Amida,
We take refuge in all the Buddhas.
To praise the one Buddha, Amida, with the mind that is single
Is to praise all the unhindered Ones”
We take refuge in all the Buddhas.
To praise the one Buddha, Amida, with the mind that is single
Is to praise all the unhindered Ones”
Also do not think that you acquire special protection or
other spiritual or worldly benefits if you combine the saying of nembutsu with
other sacred formulas or practices. This is because all you need to receive is
provided in the Name of Amida. Just say exclusively the Name of Amida and many
spiritual blessings[11] will naturally come to you. How can
not this be the case, when all Buddhas praise Amida’s Name? What can have
more spiritual benefits than a Name that is praised by all Buddhas?
If all Buddhas praise the Name of Amida, why do you, a disciple of the Buddhas
and a person who has attachments to many Buddhas, don’t do the same?
In his 17th Vow, Amida promised:
“If, when I attain Buddhahood, innumerable Buddhas in the lands of the ten directions should not all praise and glorify my Name, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.”
Also Shakyamuni is recorded as saying, in the Smaller
Amida Sutra:
"Shariputra, just
as I praise the inconceivable virtue of Amida Buddha, so do the Buddhas in the
eastern quarter, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, [..] While dwelling in
their own lands, they extend their long, broad tongues and, encompassing with
them the universe of a thousand million worlds, pronounce these words of truth:
Sentient beings should accept this sutra entitled 'Praise of the Inconceivable
Virtue and Protection by All Buddhas.'
 |
|
This picture is named "Amitabha (Amida)
and his emanations". Bellow Amitabha there are Avalokitesvara and Guru Padmasambhava. |
Also in the southern, western, northern, quarter in the
nadir and zenith, that is, in all places of the universe, the various Buddhas
praise Amida:
"Shariputra,
there are in the southern quarter Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the
Ganges, […] While dwelling in their own lands, they extend their long, broad
tongues and, encompassing with them the universe of a thousand million worlds,
pronounce these words of truth: Sentient beings should accept this sutra
entitled 'Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection by All Buddhas.'
"Shariputra,
there are in the western quarter Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the
Ganges, […] While dwelling in their own lands, they extend their long, broad
tongues and, encompassing with them the universe of a thousand million worlds,
pronounce these words of truth: Sentient beings should accept this sutra
entitled 'Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection by All Buddhas.'
"Shariputra,
there are in the northern quarter Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the
Ganges, […] While dwelling in their own lands, they extend their long, broad
tongues and, encompassing with them the universe of a thousand million worlds,
pronounce these words of truth: Sentient beings should accept this sutra
entitled 'Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection by All Buddhas.'
"Shariputra,
there are in the nadir Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges[…]While
dwelling in their own lands, they extend their long, broad tongues and,
encompassing with them the universe of a thousand million worlds, pronounce these
words of truth: Sentient beings should accept this sutra entitled 'Praise of
the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection by All Buddhas.'
"Shariputra,
there are in the zenith Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, such as
[…]. While dwelling in their own lands, they extend their long, broad tongues
and, encompassing with them the universe of a thousand million worlds,
pronounce these words of truth: Sentient beings should accept this sutra
entitled 'Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection by All Buddhas.'”
More than this, after showing how all the Buddhas praise
Amida, Shakyamuni explains why his teaching about Amida is called 'the
Sutra of Protection by All Buddhas':
"Shariputra, why
do you think this teaching is called 'the Sutra of Protection by All Buddhas'?
Shariputra, all good men and women who hear the Name of Amida Buddha expounded
by all the Buddhas and the name of this sutra are protected by all the
Buddhas and dwell in the Stage of Non-retrogression for realizing the highest, perfect
Enlightenment. This is why, Shariputra, you should accept my words and the
teachings of all the Buddhas.”
Please stop and reflect because this is extremely important!
The teaching on saying Amida’s Name in faith is not only Shakyamuni’s teaching,
but the teaching of all Buddhas: “you
should accept my words and the teachings of all the Buddhas” And “the Name of Amida Buddha”
is “expounded by all Buddhas”! So,
how much more we should say only this Name in faith and aspire to be born in
the Pure Land! As Shakyamuni clearly said, next
to the above passage:
"those who have
already aspired, now aspire or in the future will aspire to be born in Amida
Buddha's land, all dwell in the Stage of Non-retrogression for realizing the
highest, perfect Enlightenment. They have already been born, are now being
born, or will be born in that land. Hence, Shariputra, good men and women of
faith should aspire to birth there.”
Also, in the Larger Sutra, Shakyamuni again speaks
about the praising of Amida by all the Buddhas:
“The light of Amida
shines brilliantly, illuminating all the Buddha-lands of the ten quarters.
There is no place where it is not perceived. I am not the only one who now
praises his light. All the Buddhas, shravakas, pratyekabuddhas and bodhisattvas
praise and glorify it in the same way. If sentient beings, having heard of the
majestic virtue of his light, glorify it continually, day and night, with
sincerity of heart, they will be able to attain birth in his land, as they
wish.”
There is also another reason why
many people combine the reliance on Amida Buddha with various practices. Master
Seikaku points to a question asked by a disciple:
"Suppose there is
a person who practices the nembutsu, reciting it ten thousand times each day,
and aside from that does nothing but play all day and sleep all night; and
another person who says it ten thousand times and afterwards reads sutras and
recites the names of other Buddhas: which is superior?”
The disciple also asks how, for example, reciting the Lotus
Sutra in addition to the Name of Amida can be the same as playing and
frolicking. He also mentions the sutra on Yakushi Buddha[12] where it is found the guidance of
eight Bodhisattvas. He argues:
“Thinking on Yakushi
Buddha is surely not like useless sleep. I still cannot understand praising one
as single practice and rejecting the other as sundry practice."
Master Seikaku then explains that in fact, the problem is
falsely stated and that people are, by their very condition of unenlightened
beings, prone to sleeping too much, playing and frolicking and that exactly
such people Amida saves:
“In considering this
matter over again now, single practice is still superior. The reason is that we
are essentially foolish beings of this defiled world who experience obstacles
in everything. Amida, observing this, taught the path of easy practice. One who
plays and frolics all day is a person of great distraction and confusion. One
who sleeps the whole night is a person of great lethargy. All are consequences
of blind passions, difficult to sunder and difficult to control.”
And the solution Master Seikaku proposes is simple:
“When playing has
ended, say the nembutsu; when awakening from sleep, recall the Primal Vow. This
does not violate the performance of single practice.”
He then goes on explaining that at first sight it might seem
a good thing to chant as many sutras and names of other Buddhas as possible in
combination with the nembutsu:
“To recite the
nembutsu ten thousand times and afterward hold in mind other sutras and other
Buddhas seems splendid upon first hearing,
but this is again, a mistaken way to address the
problem, because:
“who determined that
the nembutsu should be limited to ten thousand times? If you are a person of
diligence, then recite all day. If you take up the nenju-beads, then utter the
Name of Amida. If you face an object of worship, then choose the image of
Amida. Directly await Amida's coming; why depend on the eight bodhisattvas to
direct your way? You should rely solely on the guidance of the Primal Vow.”
Next, he explains that some nembutsu devotees say the Name
often while others say it seldom, which are both correct because the Primal Vow
does not imposes a fixed number of recitations and he also points to the fact
that those who are truly dedicated to nembutsu do not really wish to spend
their time with other practices:
“Those say the
nembutsu both night and day; in what interval, then, can they turn their
attention to other Buddhas? You should reflect on this deeply and not become
entangled in distracting doubts.”
Master Rennyo also points to the same thing in his letters:
„My saying of the Name
in grateful return for the Buddha’s benevolence is therefore unceasing;
walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, I am never forgetful”.[13]
The expression „walking,
standing, sitting, or lying down” is much spread in the letters of
Rennyo and it also means that faith in Amida Buddha never disappears from the
heart of the devotee who is thus concentrated exclusively on Amida Buddha. Such
a disciple with true faith, even if he spends his daily life going here and
there or being attached to this or that, he relies exclusively on Amida Buddha
and he is thus in accord with the Primal Vow.
We too, if we wish to be in accord with this Vow, must do as
Rennyo did and as Seikaku emphasizes in his Essentials of Faith Alone:
“The Tathagata
selected the essential Dharma [Amida Dharma],
Instructing beings to say Amida's Name with singleness, again singleness.”
Instructing beings to say Amida's Name with singleness, again singleness.”
“Singleness, again
singleness” – that is nembutsu only.
- please also read my articles:
Can we practice meditation and mantras together with nembutsu?
We cannot mix nembutsu with zazen
Can we practice meditation and mantras together with nembutsu?
We cannot mix nembutsu with zazen
[1] From
“Dialogue on the Essential teachings”.
[2] Rennyo
Shonin Ofumi, letter „On the Compassionate Vows of Other Buddhas”, page 60, in BDK English Tripitaka
105-II, 106-I, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 1996, Berkeley USA.
[3] Rennyo
Shonin Ofumi, letter „On the Present Plight of the world”, page 85, in BDK English Tripitaka
105-II, 106-I, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 1996, Berkeley USA.
[4]
"Words of Dharma - Sixty selections from the Sayings and Writings of Honen
Shonin. A Translation of Go Ho Ga", translated by Dwight R Nakamura; page
9, The Pure Land Institute & The
Arya Marga Foundation, 1994.
[5]
"Words of Dharma - Sixty selections from the Sayings and Writings of Honen
Shonin. A Translation of Go Ho Ga", translated by Dwight R Nakamura; page
10, The Pure Land Institute & The
Arya Marga Foundation, 1994.
[6] Essentials
of Faith Alone by Seikaku, http://web.mit.edu/stclair/www/seikaku-essentials.html
[7] Rennyo
Shonin Ofumi, letter „On the ‚Loyal Retainer and the Faithful Wife’”, page 44, in BDK English Tripitaka
105-II, 106-I, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 1996, Berkeley USA.
[8] Essentials
of Faith Alone by Seikaku, http://web.mit.edu/stclair/www/seikaku-essentials.html
[9] Essentials
of Faith Alone by Seikaku, http://web.mit.edu/stclair/www/seikaku-essentials.html
[10] Rennyo
Shonin Ofumi, letter „On the ‚Loyal Retainer and the Faithful Wife’”, page 44, in BDK English Tripitaka
105-II, 106-I, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 1996, Berkeley USA.
[11] In
relation with this, I already explained „The Ten Benefits in this Life of
a Nembutsu practitioner” in my book, Jodo
Shinshu Buddhist Teachings.
[12] Yakushi
Buddha or the Healing Buddha presides over another land in the east and many
Buddhist practices are related with him. He is very popular among and
many people combine saying the Name of this Buddha with that of Amida,
especially for healthy benefits.
[13] Rennyo
Shonin Ofumi, letter „Reflections in Early Summer”, page 102, in BDK English
Tripitaka 105-II, 106-I, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 1996, Berkeley USA.
0 comentarii:
Post a Comment