Commentary on the Sutra on Amitayus Buddha (Smaller Amida Sutra) - free edition and printed edition for sale

For this commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra I used the English translation made by Rev Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart and published under the title The Three Pure Land Sutras by Numata Centre for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003. 

It is a section-by-section explanation in which I tried my best to convey in simple language the message of the sutra in both its explicit and implicit meanings. As the sutras in general have many layers of interpretation and were explained in various ways according to different lineages and schools, I relied in my commentary on Master Shinran’s interpretation[2] and read it through the eyes of faith in the Primal Vow of Amida. Honestly speaking, without Master Shinran Shonin I could never understand the deep meaning of the Three Pure Land sutras and could not transmit it to others, so my gratitude to him is impossible to express in words.
 
Whatever I say that is true and useful to others awakening to faith arises in my mind due to Amida’s influence and the benevolence of my Master Shinran, and whatever I say wrong is due to my limited spiritual capacities. Thus, I ask the reader to always pray to Amida for guidance whenever he or she engages in the study of this sutra and the three Pure Land sutras in general.

The method for birth in the Pure Land – commentary on section 5 (part2) of the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo)

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

 “Śāriputra, those sentient beings who hear of that land should aspire to be born there. Why? Because they will be able to meet such sages of supreme virtue. Śāriputra, one cannot attain birth in that land with few roots of good or a small store of merit. 

Śāriputra, if a good man or woman who hears of Amitāyus holds fast to His Name even for one day, two days, three, four, five, six, or seven days with a concentrated and undistracted mind, then, at the hour of death, Amitāyus will appear with a host of holy ones. Consequently, when their life comes to an end, the aspirants’ minds will not fall into confusion and so they will be born immediately in the Land of Utmost Bliss of Amitāyus. Śāriputra, perceiving these benefits, I say: ‘All sentient beings who hear this teaching should aspire to birth in that land.’”[1] 

We must notice these words “sages of supreme virtue (merit)” and “one cannot attain birth in that land with few roots of good or a small store of merit (virtue)”.

Outline of the Smaller Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life

This is a fragment from my 

   Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

 - work in progress and under constant revision - 

The sutra begins with Shakyamuni Buddha in the Jeta Grove monastery situated in Anathapindada’s garden in the city of Sravasti with an assembly of twelve hundred and fifty arhat monks and some Enlightened Bodhisattvas, including Manjushri.
The Buddha starts delivering this sutra spontaneous to Sariputra and all those present, without being asked a question, thus showing how important the teaching about Amida is.
(section 1 and section 2)
 
*

The Path of the 20th Vow and the explicit and implicit meaning of the Smaller Amida Sutra according to Master Shinran

Clay statue of Amida (Amitayus) made by me
and offered to visitors at the temple

This is a fragment from my 

   Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

 - work in progress and under constant revision - 

 According to Shinran Shonin, the Smaller Amida   Sutra  is explicitly guiding people to the 20^th Vow[1]   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), the 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:

All Buddhas praise the Name of Amida and encourage beings to accept in faith the teaching about Him – commentary on sections 6-12 of the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo)

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

In sections 6-11, Shakyamuni invokes the witness of all Buddhas in the eastern direction, southern, western, northern, nadir and zenith who all praise “the inconceivable virtues of Amitayus (Amida)” that He himself praises:
 
“Śāriputra, just as I praise the inconceivable virtue of Amitāyus, so do the Buddhas in the eastern direction […]southern direction […] western direction […] northern direction […] in the nadir […] in the zenith as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River […] 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.’”[1]
 
The inconceivable virtues belong to the Name of Amida Buddha (Amitayus/Amitabha) and the above passages are in harmony with His 17^th Vow in which He promised that all Buddhas will praise His Name:

The identity of Amida Buddha and those born in His Pure Land – commentary on section 4 of the Smaller Amida Sutra

 

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

       Shakyamuni Buddha said: 

“For what reason, Śāriputra, do you think that Buddha is called Amitābha? Śāriputra, the Buddha’s light shines boundlessly and without hindrance over all the worlds of the ten directions. It is for this reason that He is called Amitābha. Again, Śāriputra, the lives of the Buddha and the people of His land last for innumerable, unlimited, and incalculable kalpas. It is for this reason that the Buddha is called Amitāyus.

 Śāriputra, ten kalpas have passed since Amitāyus attained Enlightenment. Moreover, Śāriputra, He has an immeasurable and unlimited number of śrāvaka disciples, all of them arhats, whose number cannot be reckoned by any means. His assembly of Bodhisattvas

is similarly vast. Śāriputra, that Buddha land is filled with such splendid adornments.”[1]

As Shakyamuni confirms, Amida (Amitabha/Amitayus) is now a Buddha because “ten kalpas have passed” since He attained Enlightenment (Buddhahood). This is why in the Larger Sutra or the Smaller Sutra and Contemplation Sutra, He no longer calls Him Bodhisattva Dharmakara which was His name when He was in the causal stage, but “Amitayus”, which means Infinite Life, or “Amitabha” - “Infinite Light”. These two aspects, “Infinite Life” (Amitayus) and “Infinite Light” (Amitabha) are merged in Japanese Buddhism into the word “Amida”[2], which means the Buddha of Infinite Life and Infinite Light. His Infinite Life is the effect of the 13^th Vow He made when He was Dharmakara Bodhisattva, while the Infinite Light is the effect of His 12^th Vow[3]. So, we cannot separate Amitayus (Infinite/unlimited Life) from Amitabha (Infinite/Boundless Light) because these are the two aspects of the same Buddha as Shakyamuni explained in section 4 of this sutra.

Stick with Amida Buddha

Thoughts come and go.
They are like clouds.
Stick with Amida, 
not with the
wandering
thoughts.

 Question from a reader: Josho – I need your help regarding the issue   of shinjin (or lack of). I know that I do not have settled shinjin, as   much as I would like to have it. I follow the Amida Dharma for a   while but then I fall off the rails and think that perhaps another path   is or more suited to me. So…I try to follow another path just to   arrive  at the place where I realize (again) that I cannot “succeed” in   any type of spiritual progress by my own efforts and that I need   Amida. So…. I return to Amida.
 Intellectually I believe in the existence of Amida and His Pure Land,   and I do want to go there, but there is obviously some kind of   emotional or other block which is preventing me from having settled   shinjin and from really experiencing Amida as a living presence in   my life. What is your advice? Can you help?

  My answer: When the thought of leaving for another path occurs       again in your mind, just do not follow it. Take the definitive   decision to stick with Amida Buddha no matter what thoughts   appear in your mind.

Thoughts come and go. This is what they do. They are like clouds. However, they have no power unless we empower them. If you simply let them come and go without focusing on them, they will disappear, but if you pay attention to them, they become bigger and bigger and will eventually make you take bad decisions.

The concrete platform for the Stupa of All Buddhas

I have just finished the concrete platform for the Stupa of All Buddhas. Before I poured the cement, I made a ceremony in which I chanted the Nembutsu liturgy and invited Amida and all Buddhas to bless and consecrate the land. Then I placed small statues and images of Amida Buddha, Green Tara, White Tara, Namgyalma, rolls with Nembutsu, Namgyalma mantra, the four Dharmakaya relic mantras, as well as many others (a complete list with all sacred things I place in the stupa will be available when it’s ready). Now, from time to time I recite the Nembutsu, make offerings and circumambulate the place while visualizing the stupa as already being there.

Two pilgrimages for two friends

Click here to read all articles in the category of Nembutsu pilgrimages

A few days ago, I was sitting in front of the statues of Amida and various Buddhas that I keep in my room to remind me of the 17^th Vow[1] and the protection they offer to people of shinjin (faith)[2], when I was overwhelmed with a strong sense of devotion and energy. Looking at each of their holly faces I said in a strong voice - I am the dog of Amida, I am the dog of the Buddhas.
 
A dog is loyal (in my case to Amida and all Buddhas), a dog fiercely protects what he loves (the Dharma and Sangha), a dog can walk many miles and resist cold and heat without complaining if he is given a task by his master. A dog is, I think, a good symbol for my pilgrimages on foot.
 
This time I had two pilgrimages: one to a friend and another to a dog’s grave.

Be careful how and to whom you speak about Amida Buddha

Click here for the Spanish version

In reference to saying anything about Amida Buddha to other human beings, Master Rennyo said:
 
„In particular, act with extreme caution, as this is a time when people determinedly strain their ears to hear anything that can be distorted and spread in slander.”[1]
 
Whatever we say about the Nembutsu teaching, it can always be misinterpreted if we say it to those who are not karmically mature and not opened to it. Master Rennyo called those who are not karmically mature and not open, to be people without stored good from the past. Thus he instructed:
 
„In teaching others, one must determine the presence or absence of good from the past.”[2]
 
The "stored good from the past" represents our good karma from past lives and this life which manifests itself as an opening or receptive state of mind towards the message of the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha. A lot of people hear the teaching about the Primal Vow or Amida’s Name but few are opened to it. This openness is very important in our tradition and is the manifestation of good stored from the past[3].
 
Master Rennyo said:

The transmission and importance of the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo)

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

 “Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove monastery of Anāthapiṇḍada’s Garden at Śrāvastī, together with a large assembly of twelve hundred and fifty monks who were all great arhats well known to the people. Among them were great disciples such as the elders Śāriputra, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, Mahākātyāyana, Mahākauṣṭhila, Revata, Śuddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ānanda, Rāhula, Gavāṃpati, Piṇḍola-Bhāradvāja, Kālodayin, Mahākapphiṇa, Vakkula, and Aniruddha. He was also accompanied
by many Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas, such as Dharma Prince Manjuśrī, Bodhisattva Ajita, Bodhisattva Sweet-smelling Elephant, and Bodhisattva Constant Endeavor, and by innumerable devas, including Śakra, lord of the gods, and many others.”[1]

Although in front of Shakyamuni there were many monks, enlightened Bodhisattvas and gods, He addressed to Shariputra, which means that he was the one through whom the Buddha transmitted this sutra for future generations.

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]

On the expression “good men and women” from the Smaller Amida Sutra

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on 

the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress 

and under constant revision - 

As you have probably noticed if you carefully read this sutra, there is an expression – “good men and women” that appears in sections 5 and 12: “a good man or woman who hears of Amitāyus (Amida), holds fast to His Name” - section 5, “all good men and women who hear this sutra and hold fast to it” and “good men and women of faith” – section 12.
 
“Of faith” is the key element of this expression and we should rely on it to understand its meaning and role in the Amida Sutra.

The reason for Shakyamuni’s appearance in our world and why His teaching on Amida Buddha is the most difficult to accept in faith - commentary on section 13

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“Śāriputra, just as I now praise the inconceivable virtue of other Buddhas, they also praise my inconceivable virtue, saying, ‘Śākyamuni Buddha, you have accomplished an extremely difficult and unprecedented task. In this Sahā world, during the evil period of the five defilements – those of time, views, passions, sentient beings, and lifespan – you have attained highest, perfect Enlightenment and, for the sake of sentient beings, have delivered this teaching which is the most difficult in the world to accept in faith.’
 
“Śāriputra, you must realize that I have accomplished this difficult task during the period of the five defilements. That is to say, having attained highest, perfect Enlightenment, I have for the sake of the world delivered this teaching, which is so hard for people to accept in faith. This is indeed an extremely difficult task.”[1]
 
According to Shinran Shonin’s interpretation, the reason for Shakyamuni Buddha’s coming to this world was to teach about the unconditional salvation offered by Amida[2]. As He taught the story of Amida and His 48 Vows (among which the 18^th/Primal Vow is the most important) in the Larger Sutra, that discourse too, is Shakyamuni’s true reason for His appearance in human form[3]:
 
“The Larger Sutra reveals the true teaching. It is indeed the right exposition for which the Tathagata (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[4], 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.”[5]

Some characteristics of beings born in the Pure Land - commentary on section 5 (part 1) of the Smaller Amida Sutra

                                             

          This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“Again, Śāriputra, all sentient beings born in the Land of Utmost Bliss dwell in the stage of non-retrogression. Many of them are in the stage of becoming a Buddha after one more life. Their number is so great that it is beyond reckoning; it can only be described as innumerable, unlimited, and incalculable.”[1]
 
The sentence “all sentient beings born in the Land of Utmost Bliss dwell in the stage of non-retrogression” has two meanings,
 
1.     all sentient beings born in the border land of the Pure Land will never retrogress again in samsara and when they abandon the illusion of self-power will certainly advance to  the center (the fulfilled land) of the Pure Land where they attain Buddhahood
2.     those who are born in the center of the Pure Land are already in the stage of non-retrogression which they’ve actually attained when they first entrusted themselves totally and exclusively to Amida Buddha in their present life. So, when they reach the Pure Land they immediately become Buddhas.
 
The 1^st meaning needs no further explanation, so I will explain again the 2^nd meaning.
The stage of non-retrogression has many names, like for example, “the definitely assured state” as in the 11^th Vow of Amida Buddha, “the stage of the truly settled”, “the truly settled of the Mahayana”, “the stage equal to perfect Enlightenment”, “assured of Nirvana”, “assured of birth in the Pure Land”, etc.

The reason for the western location of the Pure Land – commentary on section 2 of the Smaller Amida Sutra

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“The Buddha then said to Elder Shariputra: “If you travel westward from here, passing a hundred thousand koṭis of Buddha lands, you will come to the land called Utmost Bliss, where there is a Buddha named Amitayus (Amida). He is living there now, teaching the Dharma.”[1]
 
In order to show that Amida’s Pure Land is not a metaphor, but a real enlightened place in which people can actually aspire to be born after death, the land is given a direction and is described in great details in the three sutras.
 
Some say that the direction “west” and the marvellous descriptions of the Pure Land are proofs it is only a symbol or metaphor. But the truth is that by making the effort to describe in many words the wonders of the Pure Land and by pointing to a direction – “if you travel westward from here, passing a hundred thousand koṭis of Buddha lands, you will come to the land called Utmost Bliss” or where to face the Pure Land when worshipping Amida, as in the Larger Sutra[2], Shakyamuni Buddha wanted to emphasize its actual existence as a real enlightened place [3]where sentient beings should aspire to be born without worry and doubt. It is as though I speak to you about a beautiful park that I would like you to visit. If I tell you, “it’s there, in the west of the town” and I start describing it to you, then you will have no doubt about its existence and you will wish to see it. It’s the same with the expression “Pure Land of the West” that appears in many texts.

to be continued

---

[1] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Centre for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.91
[2] Read chapter, “The testimony of Ananda and the audience gathered on Vulture Peak to the existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land – commentary on sections 41 and 42” from my Commentary on the Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life. In those sections Ananda is asked by Shakyamuni to rearrange his robes, put his palms together and worship Amida. Then, “Ananda stood up, rearranged his robes, assumed the correct posture, faced westward, and, demonstrating his sincere reverence, joined his palms together, prostrated himself on the ground, and worshiped Amitayus.”
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.65
 [3] Question from a reader: I was told that the Pure Land is a state of consciousness and not a real place with forms and manifestations. What do you think? 

My answer: States of consciousness do not exclude forms and manifestations. In fact, depending on the states of consciousness one dwells in, various forms appear. Thus, for unenlightened beings, samsaric bodies and realms come into existence as effects of their specific karmic obscurations. When one becomes a Buddha, transcendental manifestations arise as the effect of Enlightenment and the wish to save all beings.There will always be forms and manifestations, no matter we are enlightened or unenlightened. When unenlightened conditions are present, unenlightened forms which lead to more attachments and blind passions, appear. When Enlightenment is present, enlightened forms or manifestations appear - this is why all Buddhas assume various transcendent bodies and create special spheres of influence which are called Pure Lands.Buddhas do not depend on forms and their minds are always free from attachment to forms, but this does not mean they reject forms. Only deluded practitioners can fall in the wrong view of attachment to emptiness and negate forms, saying that everything, including the Pure Land, is just a state of mind.In our samsaric world everything is the effect of our unenlightened karma and so we live in a garden of never-ending desires and suffering. Contrary to this, the Pure Land is the effect or the manifestation of Amida Buddha's Enlightenment and of His wish to save all beings. Everything there is conducive to Enlightenment. Shakyamuni Buddha clearly explained the Pure Land of Amida as a real place with various forms which He insisted that they are not the product of unenlightened karma, but the manifestations of Amida. So, He indicated that the Pure Land is both an existing place and a place of Enlightenment.The foundation of samsara is ignorance and blind passions; the foundation (essence) of the Pure Land is Nirvana or Perfect Enlightenment. Both ignorance and Enlightenment are accompanied by forms. Ignorance and blind passions give rise to various samsaric realms, while perfect Enlightenment manifest Pure Lands. Thus, the Pure Land of Amida is the effect of His Enlightenment and the wish to save all beings as expressed in His 48 vows. This is the right teaching on the Pure Land.

Everything in the Pure Land is the manifestation of Amida Buddha - commentary on section 3 of the Smaller Amida Sutra

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

The key for understanding section 3 is the passage where Shakyamuni explains to Sariputra the origin of the birds in the Pure Land,
 
“Again, Śāriputra, in that land there are always many kinds of rare and beautiful birds of various colors, such as white geese, peacocks, parrots, śāris, kalaviṅkas, and jīvaṃjīvakas. Six times during the day and night birds sing with melodious and delicate sounds, which proclaim such teachings as the five roots of good, the five powers, the seven practices leading to Enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path. On hearing them, all the people of that land become mindful of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Śāriputra, you should not assume that these birds are born as retribution for evil karma. The reason is that none of the three evil realms exists in that Buddha land. Śāriputra, even the names of the three evil realms do not exist there; how much less the realms themselves! These birds are manifested by Amitāyus (Amida) so that their singing can proclaim and spread the Dharma.”[1]

The Stupa of All Buddhas at Amidaji temple

 

Click aici pentru versiunea 

in limba romana

NEW! The concrete platform for the Stupa of All Buddhas is ready

General matters

After much thought, prayer, discussion and contemplation of various options, I finally decided that the Stupa of All Buddhas to be built at Amidaji will be inspired by the Dhamek Stupa (👈left image) which is located in the Deer Park at Sarnath in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.[1] The reasons are many, among which I mention the following, 

-       its style is better suited for a non-sectarian stupa: it is clearly not Tibetan, not Japanese, not Chinese, etc, but a simple Indian stupa style to which any Buddhist can relate to  - nobody can say, “this stupa belongs to a Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese school, etc”, but simply see it as a stupa.

-       its form is simple and easier to build locally, without the sophisticated architecture of a Tibetan chorten[2] or Japanese/Chinese pagoda

-       as Dhamek stupa commemorates the first teaching of the Buddha it is very suitable as an inspiration for the Stupa of All Buddhas which represents the Teaching of all Buddhas 

A HEART ADVICE to my friends

Stay away from anybody, either Buddhists or nonBuddhists, who try to give you the "gift" of fear, that is, who tell you that you are under some kind of evil influence because you think differently than them, for whom difference of vision on a certain project or topic means bad spirit influence. Who even want to exorcize or pacify spirits instead of pacifying themselves and accepting the differences between them and others.

Chose your partners and collaborators carefully and stay away from cult/sectarian mentality and fear. In this dark age of mappo have faith in Amida and/or any Buddha of your choice, engage in direct spiritual relation with them by saying their Names or mantras and praying to them for guidance, instead of worshipping flawed human beings.

Have the courage to work for your vision if it is supported by a honest intention even if the whole world is against you, calling you stubborn and under "evil influences".

It's ok to suffer when you are misunderstood by your close ones, but it's not ok to stop, so keep fighting the fight you believe is right.

Namo Amida Bu

COMMENTARY ON THE SUTRA ON THE VISUALISATION OF THE BUDDHA OF INFINITE LIFE (CONTEMPLATION SUTRA)

It is a few years since I completed my extensive commentary on the Larger Sutra, I have now completed my commentary on the Contemplation Sutra. Although it’s much shorter than the previous one, it took me a long time to finish it because I struggled to find the easiest way to explain it in the context of Shinran’s view of the Pure Land teaching.

I could, if I wanted to, insist on many details and offer a more scholarly approach to it. However, as my readers already know, I only care about the religious understanding that can be useful for guiding people to faith in Amida, and I write to clear any possible misunderstandings and obstacles that those sincerely interested in being born in the Pure Land might encounter when reading this sutra. As I am not a Buddha or a wise Master, my commentary is limited, but with all its limitations it contains everything that an ordinary person needs to know to put an end to the cycle of birth and death forever by aspiring to be born in the center (fulfilled land) of the Pure Land. 

 

For this book I used the English translation of the Contemplation Sutra from Chinese[1] by Rev Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart and published under the title The Three Pure Land Sutras by Numata Centre for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003.