The Path of the 19th Vow and the explicit and implicit (hidden) meaning of the Contemplation Sutra

Fragment from my Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra. It is a work in progress and under constant revision. Click here to read the other chapters.

- last revised December 2nd, 2023 -

According to Shinran Shonin, and as I mentioned previously, the Contemplation Sutra is explicitly guiding people to the 19^th Vow, while implicitly referring to the Primal Vow (18^th Vow)[1]:
 
“When I consider the Sutra of Contemplation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, taking into account the interpretation of the commentator [Shan-tao], I find there is an explicit meaning and an implicit, hidden, inner meaning.
 
‘Explicit” refers to presenting the meditative and non-meditative good acts and setting forth the three levels of practicers and the three minds. The two forms of good and the three types of meritorious acts, however, are not the true cause of birth in the fulfilled land (center of the Pure Land). Further, the three minds that beings awaken are all minds of self-benefit that are individually different and not the mind 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. This is the import of the sutra; it is its “explicit” meaning.

Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra

 

This is a work in progress and under constant review. 

New chapters will be  added as soon as they are finished.

The salvation of Queen Vaidehi - commentary on sections 1-8

The path of the 19th Vow and the explicit and implicit (hidden meaning) of the Contemplation Sutra 

to be continued 

Simple explanation of a difficult passage related with "mind", Buddha and visions from the Contemplation Sutra

I decided to give a short explanation of the following passage from the Contemplation Sutra that many find it difficult to understand or have the tendency to misinterpret it:

“Buddha Tathagatas have cosmic bodies, and so enter into the meditating mind of each sentient being. For this reason, when you contemplate a Buddha, your mind itself takes the form of His thirty-two physical characteristics and eighty secondary marks.

Your mind produces the Buddha’s image and is itself the Buddha. The ocean of perfectly and universally enlightened Buddhas thus arises in the meditating mind. For this reason, you should single-mindedly concentrate and deeply contemplate the Buddha Tathagata, Arhat, and Perfectly Enlightened One.”[1]

 If we really have a vision with a Buddha, that vision appears because of two reasons:

The salvation of queen Vaidehi

Shakyamuni and Queen Vaidehi
(source of the photo)

 Fragment from my Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra. It is a work in progress and under constant revision. Click here to read the other chapters.

 The Contemplation Sutra[1] was taught in the context   of a  tragedy in the royal family of Magadha[2]. Master  Shan-tao[3]   who wrote a commentary on this sutra[4]  gave a detailed   account  of what happened. As there is  no English translation   available of his commentary I quote Rev Hisao Inagaki’s   summary of Shan-tao’s explanation:
 
 “Shakyamuni had a cousin, Devadatta, who was greedy for fame   and wealth. Seeing the Buddha receive many offerings from   King  Bimbisara, he wanted to take over the leadership of the   sangha. He first learned supernatural power from Ananda,   which  he displayed to Prince  Ajatasatru; thus he won the   respect of the prince and also received sumptuous offerings from him. Devadatta then approached Shakyamuni and suggested that the Buddha retire but was rebuked for his stupidity. Angered by this, he next incited Ajatasatru to usurp the throne.
Seeing that Ajatasatru hesitated, Devadatta pointed at the prince’s broken little finger and told him the following story.