The One Vehicle of the Primal Vow - the ultimate teaching of Shakyamuni and all Buddhas

    

Shakyamuni Buddha teaching the Larger Sutra on Amida Buddha

- the Supreme Turning of the Wheel of Dharma

It is very important to understand that Shinran Shonin did not consider the Primal Vow and the teaching explaining it, to be just a path among the many Mahayana methods, but the supreme Buddhist vehicle, the One Vehicle[1] of the Primal Vow (Universal Vow), the most important teaching of all Buddhas, the true, hidden reason for their coming to this world.

He said:

 "Respectfully I proclaim to all aspirants of Birth: The ocean of the One Vehicle of the Universal Vow"[2]

„When I ponder the ocean of the One Vehicle of the Primal Vow, I see that it is the all-merging, perfect, unhindered, absolute, and unparalleled teaching that brings about the quickest effect"[3].

Summary of the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha

click here to return to A Detailed Explanation of the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha

            Now, after so many pages in which I tried my best to explain in detail the elements of the Primal Vow, I would like to make a summary, so that you keep in mind its essentials.

Click on the highlighted words to go to the specific part of the Primal Vow related to them.

Basically, what Amida promised is this:

"If you sincerely and exclusively entrust yourself to me, say my Name in a relaxed manner, without being obsessed with numbers and special states of mind, and wish to be born in my land, then you will go there after death. If this will not happen, then it means I do not deserve to be called a Buddha, but you should not worry, because a Buddha always keeps His promises.

However, the fact that I save you so easily, does not mean that I agree with your evil deeds, so please try your best not to do the five gravest offences. Don’t worry, I will save you anyway, no matter what you do, but please try your best to avoid them.

Also, please notice that I really can’t save you if you slander the right Dharma, that is, if you deny my existence, and the existence of my Pure Land. If you do that, you are not actually entrusting yourself to me and do not wish to be born in my land, and the saying of my Name is false. Nobody can go to a place which he thinks it doesn’t exist and can’t be saved by someone whom he considers being an imaginary person. It’s logical, isn’t it? So, please entrust yourself to me as to a real, existing Buddha who manifested a Pure Land especially for you, wish to be born there after death, and say my Name.

I am awaiting you! Please come as you are!"

Image with the Wheel of Samsara - gift for Amidaji temple

Wheek of life in the Hondo

Today a precious gift arrived at Amidaji, sent by a Tibetan Dharma friend from Canada – a Bhavachakra or Wheel of Samsaric Existence. The image contains the following elements:

The pig, rooster and snake in the small circle in the middle of the wheel represent the three poisons of ignorance, attachment and aversion.

The second layer represents karma.

The third layer represents the six realms of samsara: hells, pretas (hungry spirits), animals, humans, asuras (demi-gods), gods.

The fierce figure holding the wheel represents impermanence.

In the upper right we can see Shakyamuni Buddha pointing to the image in the upper left, where there is Amida Buddha and His Pure Land. The images of the Two Honored Ones are outside of the Wheel of Samsara, as they are free from the repeated births and deaths. Shakyamuni pointing the finger towards Amida means that escape from Samsara is possible through faith in Him and aspiration to be born in His Pure Land.

As this image will now be part of Amidaji temple, I will integrate it in the Jodo Shinshu context, and  also use it as a tool for teaching basic Buddhist doctrines.

Visitors and members will receive more in depth explanations of each fragment of the Wheel of Samsaric existence. The image was placed in the Hondo (Dharma Hall) of Amidaji.

A detailed explanation of the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha

In this category of articles I intend to offer you a somewhat new and more in-depth explanation of the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha, besides the one I already did many years ago.

"If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings of the ten quarters who sincerely entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and say my Name perhaps even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain the supreme Enlightenment. Excluded are those who commit the five grave offenses and those who slander the right Dharma." (The Primal Vow of Amida Buddha)

1) The meaning of "if when I attain Buddhahood [...] may I not attain the supreme Enlightenment"

2) The meaning of "sentient beings of the ten quarters"

3) The meaning of "sincerely entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and say my Name perhaps even ten times"

4) The so called "exclusion" in the Primal Vow - "excluded are those who commit the five grave offenses and those who slander the right Dharma"

5) Summary of the Primal Vow 

Update:  

this series of articles is now part of chapter "The 48 Vows of Amida Buddha" from my 

Commentary on the Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life

The so called “exclusion” in the Primal Vow: „excluded are those who commit the five grave offenses and those who slander the right Dharma."

- return to A Detailed Explanation of the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha - 

-  updated and revised on September 22nd 2019 - 

"If,when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings of the ten quarters who sincerely entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and say my Name perhaps even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain the supreme Enlightenment. Excluded are those who commit the five grave offenses and those who slander the right Dharma."

(The Primal Vow of Amida Buddha)

Many people that come in contact with the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha experience two types of reactions: they are happy when reading the all-inclusive message in the first part, but they get unsure right after reading the last sentence: "excluded are those who commit the five grave offenses[1] and those who slander the right Dharma”.

The meaning of "sincerely entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and say my Name, perhaps even ten times" from the Primal Vow

            - click to return to A Detailed Explanation of the Primal Vow of Amida Buddha - 

"If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings of the ten quarters who sincerely entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and say my Name perhaps even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain the supreme Enlightenment." 
Primal Vow of Amida Buddha 

One who is sincerely in love will say „I love you” often or seldom, and wish to be with the person he loves. Similarly, a person who sincerely entrusts to Amida Buddha will express his faith by saying the Name of Amida and wish to be born in His Pure Land. It’s as simple as that.

Feelings of love are automaticaly expressed with words of affection, just like faith in Amida will manifest as Namo Amida Bu (Nembutsu). Thus, we can say that the Nembutsu and wish to be born in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha are expressions or manifestations of faith. One who has faith or „sincerely entrusts” to Amida will certainly say His Name and desire to be with Him in His Pure Land. This is why Shinran Shonin said that faith (shinjin) is the cause of birth in the Pure Land and subsequent attainment of Nirvana:

Elements of genuine faith: 1) Accepting the actual, literal existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land

- click to return to the main list of the elements of genuine faith in Amida Buddha - 

Without accepting the actual, literal existence of Amida Buddha there can be no true faith, no true salvation and no real birth in His Pure Land. If we have faith in someone, then it means we are sure beyond any doubt that he is reliable and that he will keep his promise. Also to believe in someone’s promise means that we accept his existence, too. Promises can be made by living persons, in our case by a living, existing Amida Buddha, not by material objects or fictional characters[1]. Thus, we must accept Amida as a living Buddha who can hear, see and save us by taking us to His Pure Land after death.

Honen Shonin said:

"Amida Buddha fulfilled the forty-eight vows and established the Pure Land. He always listens to a person who utters His name".[2]

„Amida Buddha never fails to hear you, regardless of time and circumstances”.[3]

He also said: