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 to whom the Buddha directly transmitted this sutra.

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 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]

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 method of 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)”.

Both indicate to the infinite merits of Amida Buddha (in relation with the implicit meaning of this sutra about which I will talk in details at a later time) that make one reach the Pure Land. Shinran Shonin said,

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 will 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 previous 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, like in the Larger Sutra[2], Shakyamuni Buddha wanted to emphasize its actual existence as a real enlightened place 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
 

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 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 (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 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.