skip to main |
skip to sidebar
On the nine grades of birth in the border land of the Pure Land (sections 22 – 30 of the Contemplation Sutra)
As I previously explained based on Shinran Shonin’s reading of the Contemplation
Sutra, those who reach the Pure Land through the 19th Vow of Amida
Buddha,
that is, through the practices mentioned in this sutra, are born in the borderland of the Pure Land. This is because they still cling to their self-power and
the idea of personal merits and personal transference of merits, while the
followers of the Primal Vow (18th Vow) are born in the center of the
Pure Land (Fulfilled Pure Land) due to their complete faith in the Power of
Amida Buddha which makes them understand that all the merits necessary for
birth in the Pure Land belong only to Amida.
The Contemplation Sutra describes nine grades - highest,
middle and low, each with their own three levels. These are exclusively related
to birth in the border land of the Pure Land, referring to the practitioners of
the 19th and 20th Vows. They are NOT related to birth in
the Fulfilled Pure Land (center of the Pure Land) and to followers of the
Primal Vow (18th Vow). Why is that? Because among the practitioners
of the 19th and 20th Vows who still cling to their
self-power, there are differences in spiritual achievements, virtues, wisdom,
etc, and these differences do matter for the various grades and levels of birth
in the border land. Also, after being born there, they remain different from
each other as they continue to be unenlightened until they overcome their
attachment to self-power and their so-called personal merits. On the contrary,
the difference in this life between the followers of the Primal Vow (18th
Vow) do not matter because nothing that can be found in their personalities
adds anything to their birth in the Pure Land, nor obstructs it, as this birth
depends totally on the Power of Amida Buddha in which they entrust without any
trace of clinging to a delusional idea of merits or self-power. Thus, their
birth in the Pure Land means immediate access to the center of that enlightened
realm, also called the Fulfilled Pure Land, where they instantly attain perfect
Enlightenment.
For unenlightened beings there are many levels, but
for the Buddhas there are no levels, as they are all equally and perfectly enlightened.
Thus, the followers of the Primal Vow automatically become Buddhas and are immediately
capable to help and guide all beings in samsara. On the contrary, no capacity
to help any being is mentioned in the Contemplation Sutra for those born there
according to the nine grades, including the highest level of the highest grade,
because no one is fully enlightened in the border land.
The border land is the place to go for those who say
that the Pure Land is a place for practice and not for instantaneous
Enlightenment. The proponents of such view do not realize that they are referring
to the border land of the Pure Land, and not to the Fulfilled Pure Land (center
of the Pure Land).
Their experience is one of mixed reliance on Amida Buddha and clinging to their
so-called merits, contrary to the followers of the Primal Vow who rely
exclusively on the Power of Amida Buddha and whose destination is the Fulfilled
Pure Land where they instantly attain perfect Enlightenment.
*
Here are the most
important things that should be mentioned in relation to the levels and grades
of the borderland:
1)
The impossibility for detailed
understanding of the levels and grades of the borderland and their lack of
importance for us, followers of the Primal Vow
My commentary on
these levels and grades is incomplete and I think that no samsaric mind can
offer a 100% accurate and detailed explanation of what happens in the border
land, so please do not consider what I write in this chapter to be some kind of
ultimate teaching on this matter.
Also, understanding all details about the situation of
those born in the border land on the various grades and levels is NOT important
for us, followers of the Primal Vow, who aim at birth in the center (fulfilled
land) of the Pure Land. As far as I know, Shinran Shonin did not enter full
analysis of the details of each grade and level, so I don’t think I need to do
it myself either, especially since my capacities are limited.
Studying the various qualities and specifics of the
grades and levels of the border land as they are presented in the Contemplation
Sutra may be useful for those who are still deluded by their self-power and
their so-called merits, but for us who entrust completely to Amida and leave
everything to Him, it’s a complete waste of time. This is why I will not engage
myself in depth analysis but only mention a few things I consider important.
2)
The difference between the three kinds of
faith in the Contemplation Sutra and the three kinds of faith of the Primal Vow
and the Larger Sutra
Shakyamuni Buddha
said, in the Contemplation Sutra,
“Those who attain birth on the highest level of the highest grade are
sentient beings who resolve to be born in that land, awaken the three
kinds of faith, and so are born there. What are the three kinds of faith?
They are, first, sincere faith; second, deep faith; and third, the faith that
seeks birth there by transferring one’s merit. Those who have these three kinds
of faith will certainly be born there”.
In relation to the above three minds of faith in the
Contemplation Sutra, Shinran Shonin explained,
“The three minds that beings awaken are all minds of
self-benefit that are individually different and not the mind (of faith)
that is single, which arises from Amida’s benefiting of others. They are roots
of good with which to aspire for the Pure Land that Sakyamuni Tathagata taught
as a distinct provisional means.”Here “the three minds” are “the three kinds
of faith”. These are not aspects of true faith/shinjin (“mind that is
single”) that is given by Amida Buddha (“arises from Amida’s benefiting
of others”), and which means a complete and total reliance on Amida Buddha
in matters of birth in the Pure Land, but aspects of a self-created faith. As the personalities of the practitioners of
the highest level of the highest grade (as well as all grades and levels listed
in the Contemplation Sutra) differ from each other, they have “individually
different” faiths/minds with which they go to the border land of the
Pure Land.
As this is a book that is meant to be simple, I will
try my best to offer easy to understand explanations of these three faiths or
three minds.
The sincere faith of the
Contemplation Sutra means a sincere wish to go to the Pure Land of Amida Buddha
and sincerely relying partially on Him and partially on their own spiritual
capacities. For these kind of practitioners, Amida’s Power is only an assisting
power and not the only Power that leads to birth in the Pure Land. They have a
mixed faith and a faith that is deep in the sense that they really want to go
to the Pure Land. Their deep faith is a deep understanding of the
sufferings of samsara and a strong wish to go to the Pure Land, asking for the
assistance of Amida Buddha and being deeply convinced that their so-called
merits and contribution are very important to reach that goal. Thus, they have
a “faith that seeks birth there by transferring one’s merit”.
Contrary to the three aspects of the self-power faith
of the Contemplation Sutra, the three aspects of the genuine faith of the Primal Vow that is presented in the Larger Sutra, are a sincere faith in the
Power of Amida as the only Power that makes birth in the Pure Land possible.
This mind of faith is a “mind that is single” in the sense that has
totally surrendered to Amida’s Power and is uniquely oriented towards Amida,
thus saying only His Name in faith, without combining other practices. The
deep mind aspect of a genuine faith in Amida Buddha is the twofold profound
conviction which is 1) to know that we are people of deep karmic limitations,
incapable of attaining Buddhahood through our own power and 2) that only Amida
Buddha can save us through His Vow Power without asking anything from us.
The aspect of merit transference in a genuine faith (shinjin)
is that we rely NOT on the transference of our pitiful merits towards birth in
the Pure Land, but on Amida’s transference of merits. A person of true faith
abandons the idea of “deserving” to be born in the Pure Land which is the main
feature of those destined to the border land and who are obsessed with levels
and grades. Unlike them, a person of total faith in Amida Buddha knows that he cannot
create anything in his samsaric and unenlightened mind that can bring him to
the Pure Land of Enlightenment, and so he lets Amida bring Him there.
3)
Time in the borderland
It is extremely
important to understand that “time” in the border land of the Pure Land as
mentioned in the various levels and grades is described in samsaric human
terms, like for example, one night, a day and night, seven
days, three weeks, seven weeks, one smaller kalpas, ten smaller kalpas, twelve
great kalpas, etc, to indicate various things the inhabitants learn there or if
they awaken to faith sooner or later, according to “our time”. However, time is
ultimately a delusion so whatever is explained there as happening one after the
other, in succession, is only a description made for our limited minds. In
human terms it might take one night, seven days, three weeks, seven weeks, one
smaller kalpas, ten smaller kalpas, twelve great kalpas, etc but in both
aspects of the Pure Land (border land or fulfilled land) things are beyond our
capacity to understand, so we should wait until we become Buddhas there to
fully get everything.
Various qualities in the many grades and levels of the border land are acquired gradually until those born there are awaken to faith
and finally enter the center of the Pure Land where they attain Buddhahood.
However, followers of the Primal Vow who fully entrust themselves to the Power
of Amida Buddha during their present life, simply leave their physical samsaric
bodies and in an instant enter the center (fulfilled land) of the Pure Land,
attain the same Buddhahood like Amida and automatically acquire the enlightened qualities inherent in the Buddha nature.
Although the capacities developed gradually by the
inhabitants of the border land look so extraordinary and exalted, we should
know that they are still not the enlightened and supreme qualities of those
born in the center. This is why we often meet in some grades and levels with
the expression “receive the prediction of his future Buddhahood” from various
Buddhas which means that they are not Buddhas yet like the inhabitants of the
center of the Pure Land, but that all Buddhas help them entrust to Amida and
advance to the center (fulfilled land) for their attainment of Buddhahood. Thus,
it is normal that if they are in the border land their Buddhahood will be attained
somewhere in the future, while for those in the center of the Pure Land,
Buddhahood is an everlasting present.
4)
All those born in the border land accept
and respect the Buddhist teaching
Although the
spiritual qualities of each aspirant for the border land differ greatly, for
example, some being able to observe the precepts, the eight abstinences for at
least a day or more, abstain from committing the five grave offences and other
transgressions, are dutiful to their parents, do benevolent deeds for others, while
others violate the various lay or monk precepts, commit the five grave
offenses, the ten evil acts and all kinds of immorality, etc, they all accept
the Buddhist teaching and wish to be born in the Pure Land.
Even if their knowledge differs, none of them, not even those on the lowest level of the lowest grade, denies the existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land.
We see in the highest level of the highest grade and
also in the middle and lowest level of the highest grade, that practitioners
hold in high regard the Mahayana sutras and are faithful to them. They “chant
the Mahayana sutras of greater scope”, “uphold and chant the sutras”,
“when they hear the supreme truths they are not dismayed”, “do not slight the
Mahayana”, “do not speak slightingly of the Mahayana”. Even those on the
highest level of the lowest grade who commit various evil acts “do not
slander the Mahayana sutras of greater scope”, and although they do not
understand their content, they at least hear with faith and respect their
titles while also saying the Name of Amida Buddha,
“The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, ‘Those who
attain birth on the highest level of the lowest grade are the sentient beings
who commit
various evil acts but do not slander the Mahayana
sutras of greater scope. When a foolish person such as this, who has
committed much evil but feels no remorse, is about to die, he may meet a good
teacher, who praises the titles of the twelve divisions of the Mahayana
scriptures. By hearing these sutra titles, he is released from the burden of
evil karma that would bind him to birth and death for a thousand kalpas. Furthermore,
this wise teacher advises him to join his palms and call, ‘Homage to Amitayus (Amida)
Buddha’ Calling the Name of the Buddha extinguishes the evil karma that
would bind the dying person to birth and death for
fifty koṭis of kalpas.”
This means that those who deny the authenticity of the
Mahayana sutras or the existence of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas mentioned
there, cannot attain birth in the border land, while the self-exclusion
sentence in the Primal Vow shows that they can’t be born in the center of the
Pure Land either. To “chant the
Mahayana sutras of greater scope” is logically done in faith and while
accepting their content - the sutras related with Amida Buddha being included
in this category of “greater scope”, and especially the Larger Sutra
which is the ultimate reason for Buddhas appearing in the world and where the
story of Amida Buddha is told. Also, to “not slight the Mahayana”,
includes among other things, to not deny the existence of Buddhas, the
Bodhisattvas, the Pure Lands, etc. To slight the Mahayana also refers to not
accepting the Mahayana sutras as being authentic, which is why a deluded modern
scholar or some followers who accept only the Pali cannon but deny
that Mahayana sutras were also taught by Shakyamuni himself,
cannot go even to the border land, not to mention the center of the Pure
Land.
There is absolutely no aspirant destined to the border
land who does not accept the real existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land. The
fact that some of them transfer their so-called merits to birth there is proof
enough that they accept the reality of that Land. Nobody transfers merits to
and wishes to be born into a metaphor or a fictional place. Also, those who
simply hear a few words and basic instructions about Amida and say the Nembutsu
go to the Pure Land too, either the border land if they recite in self-power or
the center of the Pure Land if their Nembutsu is said while relying completely
on the Power of Amida Buddha. However, both accept the real existence of Amida
and His Pure Land. This is basic logic.
Shakyamuni explains about the person born on the
lowest level of the middle grade who, when he “is about to die, he may meet a good teacher, who fully explains to him
the bliss of the land of Amitayus (Amida) and the Forty-eight Great Vows of
Bhikṣu Dharmakara”.
This is a clear indication that the story of Dharmakara becoming Amida which He taught in the Larger Sutra (The Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life) should be taken serious even by those who aspire for
the border land and that those who deny it cannot go there.
Those who attain birth in the border land on the
middle level of the lowest grade even go so far as to “violate the five precepts, the eight precepts, or the complete precepts
of a monk or a nun. A foolish person such as this steals from the sangha, or
takes the personal belongings of monks, or preaches the Dharma with impure
motives, but feels no remorse. Thus, he defiles himself by evil karma and
because of this he is liable to fall into hell.”
However, he too, when he is about to die meets a good
teacher and accepts the teaching about Amida Buddha,
“When he is about to die and the flames of hell
suddenly close in on him, he may meet a good teacher, who compassionately
explains to him the ten supernal powers of Amitayus (Amida), fully describing
the majestic power of the Light of that Buddha and His virtues in the
observance of the precepts, meditation, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge of
liberation. When he has heard
this, the evil karma that would bind him to birth and
death for eighty koṭis of kalpas are extinguished; thus, the fierce flames of
hell turn into cool and refreshing breezes, wafting heavenly flowers. On each
flower is a transformed Buddha accompanied by Bodhisattvas welcoming him. “In
an instant, he attains birth within a lotus bud on a seven-jeweled
pond.”
Even those who attain birth on the lowest level of the
lowest grade and “who commit such evils as the
five grave offenses, the ten evil acts, and all kinds of immorality” are also able, after hearing the very basics of the teaching on Amida
Buddha and His Pure Land, to say His Name. Such people too, accept the teaching
(“the wonderful Dharma”) on Amida being a real Enlightened Person and
His Pure Land as a real enlightened place even if they are unable to do more
than repeating His Name with sincerity,
“The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, “Those who
attain birth on the lowest level of the lowest grade are the sentient beings who
commit such evils as the five grave offenses, the ten evil acts, and all kinds
of immorality. Owing to such evil karma, a fool like this will fall into evil
realms and suffer endless agony for many kalpas. When he is about to die, he
may meet a good teacher, who consoles him in various ways, teaching him the
wonderful Dharma and urging him to be mindful of the Buddha; but he is too tormented
by pain to do so. The good teacher then advises him, ‘If you cannot concentrate
on the Buddha then you should say instead, “Homage to Amitayus
(Amida) Buddha.”’ In this way, he sincerely and continuously says, ‘Homage to
Amitayus Buddha’ (Namo Amida Bu) ten times. Because he calls the Buddha’s Name,
with each repetition the evil karma that would bind him to birth and death for
eighty koṭis of kalpas is extinguished. When he comes to die, he sees before
him a golden lotus flower like the disk of the sun, and in an instant, he is
born within a lotus bud in the Land of Utmost Bliss.”
The pain and suffering might make him unable to be
concentrated on Amida and recite His Name with a focused state of mind, but the passage clearly indicates that after receiving and accepting the
wonderful Dharma from the teacher, he recites the Name. If he refused to accept
the Dharma about Amida he would not recite. The wonderful Dharma that he heard
and accepted cannot be any other than the Dharma on the salvation offered by
the real existing Amida Buddha which is presented in one way or another in the
Larger Sutra, The Contemplation Sutra and The Smaller Amida Sutra. The reality
and existence of Amida and His Pure Land is ever present in any sutra where
Shakyamuni teaches any method about birth there. This must be well understood.
5)
The importance of the moment of death for
those who are to be born in the border land
All practitioners
who are to be born in the border land on various levels and grades have
something in common – their moment of death is of
utmost significance.
For example, practitioners who are born on the highest
level of the highest grade have the vision of Amida Buddha (Tathagata Amitayus)
who “arrives together with Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta,
innumerable transformed Buddhas, a great assembly of a hundred thousand monks
and sravakas, and innumerable devas
in seven-jeweled palaces. Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, carrying a vajra seat, together
with Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, approaches the aspirant. Amitayus (Amida) releases
a great flood of light that illuminates the aspirant’s body and, along with the
Bodhisattvas, extends His hands in welcome. Avalokitesvara
and Mahasthamaprapta, together with innumerable Bodhisattvas,
praise and encourage the aspirant. Seeing this, the aspirant rejoices so
greatly as to dance. Then he sees himself sitting on the vajra seat, and,
following the Buddha, is born into that land in the time it takes to snap one’s
fingers”.
Why the aspirant of the 19th Vow needs
encouragements, as we can see in this sentence, “Avalokitesvara and
Mahasthamaprapta, together with innumerable Bodhisattvas, praise and
encourage the aspirant. Seeing this, the aspirant rejoices so greatly as to
dance.” It is because he needs to be in a good state of mind in the moment
of death so that he can be born in the border land (Transformed Pure Land).
Contrary to this, the follower of the Primal Vow (18th Vow) does not
need any encouragement and no special things or vision to happen on his death
bed because the cause for his birth in the Pure Land has already been
established in the first moment he entrusted himself totally and exclusively to
Amida Buddha.
The practitioner who “is about to die”
and be born on the middle level of the highest grade sees Amida (Amitayus)
appearing “before him, surrounded by Avalokitesvara,
Mahasthamaprapta, and innumerable sages and attendants, carrying a purple-gold
lotus seat. The Buddha praises him, saying, ‘Son of the Dharma, because you
have practiced the Mahayana and appreciate the supreme truths, I have come to
welcome you.’So saying, He and a thousand transformed Buddhas extend their hands all
at once toward the aspirant, who, seeing himself sitting on the purple-gold
seat, joins his palms and praises the Buddhas. In an instant, he is born in a
seven-jeweled pond of that land”.
Again, the practitioner is praised and welcomed by
Amida in a Nirmanakaya form (body of transformation/adaptation) together with
other transformed Buddhas who also extend their hands towards him to help him
have a good state of mind in the moment of death so that he can be born in the
transformed land (border land). It is important to mention that all the
Enlightened Ones, including Amida, Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, etc, who
welcome the practitioner who is about to be born in the border land on various
levels and grades, are in Nirmanakaya (transformation/adaptation) bodies (manifestations)
that are adapted to the personality of the aspirant. They are not in their
Sambhogakaya body of glory with whom they dwell only in the Fulfilled Pure Land
or center of the Pure Land, and they cannot be understood in their ultimate
Dharmakaya reality as they are understood by those born in the center.
The aspirant who is about to attain birth on the
lowest level of the highest grade is said to be welcomed by “Amitayus
(Amida) together with Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, and a host of
attendants, bringing a golden lotus flower and manifesting five hundred
transformed
Buddhas. Those transformed Buddhas extend their hands
all at once and praise the aspirant, saying, ‘Son of the Dharma, since you have
awakened pure aspiration for highest Enlightenment, we have come to welcome
you.’”
Again, we see here, a reference to the transformed
bodies (“transformed Buddhas”) or Nirmanakayas. On their death bed and
after being born in the border land these followers who still cling to their
so-called merits see transformed bodies of Amida, other Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas.
The practitioner who “is about to die”
and attain birth on the highest level of the middle grade is welcomed by Amida
(Amitayus) who “appears before him, surrounded by a host of monks and
radiating a golden light”.
The practitioner who “is about to die”
and attains birth on the middle level of the middle grade
“sees Amitayus (Amida) coming toward him with His
attendants, radiating a golden light and carrying a seven-jeweled lotus flower”.
He also “hears a voice in the sky above
praising him”.
A practitioner who clings to ideas of personal merits
can be helped on his death bed (when he “is about to die”
) to attain birth on the lowest level of the middle grade by “a good
teacher, who fully explains to him the bliss of the land of Amitayus (Amida)
and the Forty-eight Great Vows of Bhikṣu Dharmakara.
Having heard this, he dies; and in as short a time as it takes a strong man to
bend and straighten his arm, he attains birth in the (border land of the)
Western Land of Utmost Bliss”.
Why is the teacher telling him about Amida Buddha, His 48 Vows and the bliss of the Pure Land? It is to help him have a good state of
mind towards Amida and transfer the merits of his good deeds
towards birth there. In this case too, although not mentioned,
the aspirant sees a manifestation of Amida
Amida Buddha “sends His transformed body and those
of Avalokitesvara and Masthamaprapta to the aspirant”
who is about to attain birth on the highest level of the lowest grade.
The aspirant who attains birth on the middle level of
the lowest grade also sees many heavenly flowers, each one of them containing a
“transformed Buddha accompanied by Bodhisattvas welcoming him”.
The person who attains birth on the lowest level of
the lowest grade “when he comes to die, he sees before him a golden lotus
flower like the disk of the sun, and in an instant he is born within a lotus
bud in the (border land of) the Land of Utmost Bliss”.
Why is the death
bed so important for those who are to be born in the border land of the Pure
Land? It is because their birth there becomes
certain in the moment of death when they must leave their bodies in a good
state of mind. This is exactly why those who cling to their self-power and
so-called merits that they transfer to birth in the Pure Land have a vision of
Amida welcoming them. Their cause for birth in the border land aspect of the
Pure Land is established in that moment when they see Amida and think to Him.
Due to a life filled with various practices and deeds oriented towards birth in
the Pure Land and the karmic connection they’ve made with Amida Buddha, some of
those highest grades and levels have various auspicious signs and visions provided
by Amida himself that help them be born there.
Contrary to this, the cause of birth in the center
(fulfilled land) of the Pure Land is established in the mind of the follower of
the Primal Vow in his daily life, when he entrusts totally to Amida Buddha for
the first time. Thus, his moment of death is nothing special, but a simple and
natural birth in the center of the Pure Land, with or without any exterior signs
or special visions prior to it.
To be born in the center of the Pure Land through the
gate of total faith is like your parents have already gave you the key with
which you can enter directly into the house without any special formality,
welcoming or guidance. Similarly, Amida has already given you the key to His
Pure Land when you entrusted yourself to Him for the first time and so the door
to the center of Sukhavati opens naturally for you. A person of faith simply
leaves his physical body and is born instantly in the center of the Pure Land
where he automatically becomes a Buddha.
to be continued
Please support my Dharma work and Amidaji with a one time donation or by beccoming a Patron (constant supporter). Any little help is appreciated and very much needed. Namo Amida Bu 🙏
Practitioners
of the 20th Vow who say Nembutsu in self-power also reach the border
land. Those born
in the border land are free from samsara, but not fully enlightened/not
Buddhas. Many Masters when mentioning
the Pure Land, they sometimes refer to the border land while at other times to the
Fulfilled Pure Land, although they do not explicitly use these terms. Great
confusion arises in the minds of many followers of other Japanese Pure Land
schools due to this matter, as they do not differentiate between these two
types of birth. The Three Pure Land
Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by
Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and
Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.92 Shinran
Shonin, Kyogyoshinsho, cf with Kyogyoshinsho – On Teaching, Practice,
Faith, and Enlightenment, translated by Hisao Inagaki, Numata Center for
Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p. 212 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96-97 However, not all
Theravada followers do that. The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.97 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.98 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.98 The
devas (gods) mentioned here are inhabitants of the Pure Land who were devas in
their previous lives before being born in the Pure Land. As Shakyamuni himself
explained in section 17 of this sutra, when the expression “humans and devas in
my land” appears in this sacred discourse it is only in relation with the
states of existence prior to their birth in the Pure Land:“They
are all of one form, without any differences, but are called 'heavenly beings'
(devas) and 'humans' simply by analogy with the states of existence in other
worlds. They are of noble and majestic countenance, unequalled in all the
worlds, and their appearance is superb, unmatched by any being, heavenly or
human. They are all endowed with bodies of Naturalness, Emptiness, and Infinity”The Three Pure
Land sutras, translated into English by Hisao Inagaki in
collaboration with Harold Stewart, revised second edition, BDK English
Tripitaka12-II, II, IV, Numata Centre for Buddhist translation and Research,
2003, p.31 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.92 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.92 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.93 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.94 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.95 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.95 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.95 The words „is about to
die” t The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96 Dharmakara is Amida before He attained Buddhahood. Words in brackets
are my own. The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96 In
this case his good deeds are being “dutiful to and care for their parents
and do benevolent deeds for others”.The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96 In the next
sub level (the highest level of the lowest grade) which is lower than this one
we are talking about (the lowest level of the middle grade) the aspirant again
has a vision of Amida, so it logically follows that the superior level has a
specific vision associated with it. The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.97 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.98 The
Three Pure Land Sutras
- A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration
with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist
Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.98-99 Shinran
Shonin said in one of his Letters (Mattosho):“I, for my
own part, attach no significance to the condition, good or bad, of persons in
their final moments. People in whom shinjin (faith) is determined do not doubt
and so abide among the truly settled. For this reason, their end also - even
for those ignorant and foolish and lacking in wisdom - is a happy one.” (Shinran
Shonin, Lamp for the Latter Ages, letter 6, The Collected
Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu
Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.531)
0 comentarii:
Post a Comment