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Clay statue of Amida (Amitayus) made by me
and offered to visitors at the temple |
According to Shinran
Shonin, the Smaller Amida Sutra is explicitly guiding people to the 20th
Vow because the saying of Amida’s Name is selected among all practices and is
apparently (explicitly) used as a method to gather merits for birth in the Pure Land, while implicitly the sutra indicates that the merits for birth there actually belong to Amida. Many people who wish to be born in the Pure Land chose among
all practices the exclusive saying of Nembutsu but still cling to their
self-power and think that the Name is effective because of them - like the more
they say it, or the more focused they are when they say it, the better it is
for Birth, etc, when in truth the saying of the Name works due to the infinite
merits and Power Amida manifested in it.
Thus, while the Nembutsu
is encouraged and some tend to see it as their own practice and merit (the
explicit/apparent meaning), this saying of the Name is nothing else but the expression of faith in the salvific Power of Amida Buddha (implicit/true
meaning).
In this book I give some
examples of the explicit and implicit meanings within the Smaller Amida Sutra
when I comment on section 5 part 2 – the method for birth in the Pure Land and
on section 14. Please read them carefully.
Shinran Shonin said:
“From
the example of the Contemplation Sutra
we can presume that this Smaller Sutra (Amida Sutra), too, has an explicit
meaning and an implicit, hidden, and concealed meaning. In its explicit
meaning, the preacher of the sutra abhors the lesser good of all the various
practices and sets forth the true gate of roots of good and roots of virtue,
thereby encouraging the Nembutsu practice with One Mind for self-benefit and
urging us to seek the incomprehensible Birth.”.
Shakyamuni
Buddha singles out the saying of Amida’s Name considering it superior to all
other practices (“abhors the lesser good of all the various practices”) because
the Name contains the roots of all that is good and virtuous. However, as some
practitioners still cling to their self-power, they are encouraged to at least do
“Nembutsu practice with One Mind for self-benefit” and “to seek the
incomprehensible Birth” (birth in the border land of the Pure Land).
“One
mind” for practitioners of self-power Nembutsu means to be focused exclusively
on the Name of Amida while thinking that the merits of the Name somehow become
theirs to transfer for birth in the Pure Land. It also means that they can help
Amida to save them by their focused and many number recitations or by cultivating
a good state of mind when they recite it during their daily life and in their
final hours. Thus, in its explicit meaning, the Smaller Amida Sutra helps those
who have these wrong ideas to be born in the border land of the Pure Land.
Also,
the words “self-benefit” show that this Nembutsu is the self-power
Nembutsu which results in birth in the border land of the Pure Land for the
personal benefit of self-liberation from samsara. It is extremely important to
understand that only birth in the center of the Pure Land (fulfilled land of the Pure Land) brings about instant Buddhahood for the benefit of all beings while birth in the border land of the Pure Land offers only the self-benefit ofl iberation from samsara. Practitioners born in the center of the Pure Land
become Buddhas and are able to manifest everywhere to guide and save all beings,
while those born in the border land are just free from rebirth in samsara, thus
attaining a kind of personal liberation that only benefits themselves, hence “self-benefit”.
As
Shinran Shonin explained, in its implicit meaning, the sutra guides people to realize
that the infinite merits of the Name belong to Amida alone and total faith in
Him is all that is necessary for our birth in His Pure Land. Because this total
faith in the Power of Amida is mentioned by Him in His Primal Vow (18th
Vow/Inconceivable Vow), the implicit meaning of the Smaller Amida Sutra is to
guide people to it:
“In
its implicit meaning, the sutra brings forth the true message which is hard to
receive in faith. It is meant to reveal the oceanlike inconceivable Vow (18th
Vow) and lead us to the oceanlike unhindered great faith. Since we are urged to
accept this teaching by Buddhas countless as the sands of the Ganges River, our
faith is the faith awakened by the encouragement of Buddhas as countless as the
sands of the Ganges River; hence, the sutra says, “the most difficult in the
world to accept in faith.”
The testimony of the Buddhas in the eastern direction, southern, western, northern,nadir and zenith which I explained in detail when I commented on sections 6-12 of this sutra, show its implicit meaning as they all encourage beings to accept
in faith the teaching of Shakyamuni about Amida. Because many practitioners are
filled with ideas of self-power and cling to their so-called merits and virtues
the simple and total faith of the Primal Vow, which is the implicit meaning of
this sutra, is difficult to accept.
“The
commentary (The Hymns of the Nembutsu Liturgy) says:
Amida’s
Universal Vow has the strong power,
Enabling
ordinary people who recite the Name to attain Birth immediately.
This
shows the implicit meaning. The Smaller Sutra says “shuji”(“hold fast” to the
Name) and “isshin”(“one mind”). “Shu” means that the mind is steadfast and
unmoving; “ji” means that the mind is not distracted or lost. “Ichi” (one)
means nondual; “shin” means true and sincere.”
The
“One mind” (isshin) for the practitioners of Amida-centred Nembutsu means an
unmoving (“shu”) and total/steadfast faith in the Power of this Buddha as the
only cause for their salvation and birth in the Pure Land. This sincere and
true faith which is never bothered by any thoughts of self-power or doubts
(non-dual) is naturally expressed by the saying of the Name (“shuji”). As
Shinran also said in a letter:
"Although
the one moment of shinjin (faith) and the one moment of Nembutsu are two, there
is no Nembutsu separate from shinjin (faith), nor is the one moment of shinjin
separate from the one moment of Nembutsu."
He
also said:
“This
Smaller Sutra is a Mahayana sutra that the Buddha expounded of His own accord
without awaiting questions. Thus, the reason for the Tathagata’s appearance in
the world, as evidenced by the witness and protection of Buddhas as countless
as the sands of the Ganges River, is solely to present this sutra”.
The
implicit meaning of this sutra – total faith in the Power of Amida Buddha (the
Primal Vow) is the true reason for Shakyamuni’s appearance in our world. As the
sacred story of Dharmakara becoming Amida Buddha and His 48 Vows were presented
in the Larger Sutra, that too is part of the true reason for Shakyamuni’s
coming to this world as he also said:
“The
Larger Sutra reveals the true teaching. It is indeed the right exposition for
which the Tathagata (Shakyamuni Buddha) appeared in the world, the wondrous
scripture rare and most excellent, the conclusive and ultimate exposition of
the One Vehicle, the precious words disclosing perfect, instantaneous
fulfilment, the sincere words praised by all the Buddhas throughout the ten
quarters, the true teaching in consummate readiness for the beings of this day.
Let this be known.”
This
idea of Master Shinran that the teaching on the unconditional salvation offered
by Amida, which is presented in explicit and implicit ways in all the Three
Pure Land sutras, is the true reason of Shakyamuni’s coming to our world does
not deny the authenticity and importance of other Buddhist teachings and
sutras, but only points out that among all the practices taught by the historical Buddha this one alone is able to bring all beings, no matter their spiritual capacities (not only the spiritual elites) to perfect Enlightenment in
a very short time, right after their physical death, without going through
bardo.
Shinran
also said:
“Although
in the three Pure Land sutras there are the explicit meaning and the implicit,
hidden, and concealed meaning, their essential message is to disclose faith as
the cause of entry into Enlightenment. For this reason, each sutra begins with
the remark, “Thus have I heard.” This opening remark signifies deep faith. When
I carefully read the three Pure Land sutras, I find that adamantine true faith
is the most essential part. True faith is great faith; great faith is rare,
most excellent, truly wonderful, and pure. Why? Because the sea of great faith
is extremely difficult to enter, because it arises through the Buddha’s power.
Conversely, the True Land of Bliss is extremely easy to go to, because one can
attain birth there through the Vow-Power.”
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