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. 

My goal as a Jodo Shinshu priest is to help others entrust to Amida Buddha and aspire to birth in His Pure Land after death, so whatever I write or say, even when I speak about emptiness and Buddha nature, I do it with this intention in mind.

All sentient beings have Buddha nature. This Buddha nature is now obscured, but it has always been there. Obscured Buddha nature may become unobscured Buddha nature if the obscurations are purified, and they will be automatically purified when we are born in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha. There, in that Enlightened realm, everything is conducive to Enlightenment, unlike here, in samsara, where everything is conducive to more obscurations, blind passions and suffering.

To practice for the attainment of Enlightenment in this samsaric environment is like trying to melt ice by placing it in the snow, while to be born in the Pure Land is like putting ice into a powerful stove. The ice of our obscurations will be melted by the Enlightened Power of Amida and His Pure Land, thus revealing our innate Buddha nature with its myriad qualities.

Perhaps  by clearing up the confusions brought by false teachers who talk about emptiness and Buddha nature in a way that leads to nihilistic and materialistic views, my readers will be able to discover the joy of faith and true aspiration for that wonderful ultimate Reality of Wisdom, Compassion and unconditional Freedom where Amida and all Buddhas are guiding us through the Pure Land teaching.

Namo Amida Bu

 

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[1] Khenpo TsultimGyamtso.