The audience accepted the Smaller Amida Sutra in faith – commentary on section 14

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“When the Buddha had delivered this sutra, Śāriputra and all the monks, together with beings of the whole world, including devas, humans, and asuras, rejoiced at what they had heard and reverently accepted it. Having worshiped Him, they departed.”[1]
 
When Shakyamuni finished delivering this sutra which was taught spontaneous and not in response to a question, all the audience gathered there to listen to it in the “Jeta Grove monastery of Anāthapiṇḍada’s Garden at Śrāvastī”[2], obeyed His instruction to accept His words in faith – “you should accept my words in faith and the teachings of all the Buddhas”[3] from section 12 as well as the encouragement of all Buddhas: “sentient beings should accept this sutra entitled ‘Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue and Protection by All Buddhas”[4] from sections 6 to 11.
 
The fact that the audience “rejoiced at what they had heard and reverently accepted it” also shows faith and indicates to the implicit meaning of the sutra.
One of the ten benefits in this life of a person who entrusts to Amida Buddha in accordance with His Primal Vow is to have great joy in one’s heart. As Shinran Shonin said:
 
„'Joy' (kangi): means to rejoice beforehand at being assured of attaining what one shall attain.”[5]
 
This joy is none other than the relief[6] people of faith experience when they know they are in the stage of non-retrogression for the attainment of Buddhahood in the Pure Land of Amida.   
 

to be continued 

 
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[1] 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 Center for Buddhist translation and Research, 2003, p.108
[2] 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 Center for Buddhist translation and Research, 2003, p.103
[3] 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 Center for Buddhist translation and Research, 2003, p.107
[4] 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 Center for Buddhist translation and Research, 2003, p.105-107
[5] Shinran Shonin, Notes on Once-calling and Many-calling, The Collected Works of Shinran, Shin Buddhism Translation Series, Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha, Kyoto, 1997, p.474
[6] The joy of faith is like the relief you have when a great burden is taken from your shoulders, and indeed there is no greater burden than to be unenlightened and a slave of samsaric existence. The burden of your liberation is carried by the Buddha called Amida (Amitayus/Amitabha), who already crossed the Path for you. For a detailed explanation on this topic of joy, please read chapter “The Ten Benefits of faith in Amida during this life: 7. The benefit of having great joy in our hearts” from my book The Meaning of Faith and Nembutsu in Jodo Shinshu Buddhism.