by Elder Zen Master T'ien Ju
Question 7
Could I please hear your explanation of the general points of the Pure Land method?
Answer
Fundamentally, the Pure Land method does not require any cultivation. It is only because of delusion that cultivation becomes necessary. Moreover, Dharma methods are not, in themselves, high or low. It is only because of the differing natures and capacities of individuals that they have been categorized as such. Sentient beings are at different levels of spiritual development, and therefore, various methods are required. There are, in summary, three basic approaches: 1) Visualization (Real Mark Buddha Recitation), 2) Recitation/Recollection and 3) Sundry Practices.
I. First Method
The first, or Visualization Method, is explained as follows in the Meditation Sutra:
“Every Buddha,… Tathagata, is One who is a… [Dharma Realm Body] and enters into the Minds of all beings. For this reason when you perceive the Buddha-state in your Minds, this indeed is the Mind which possesses the thirty-two signs of perfection and the eighty minor marks of excellence. It is the Mind that becomes Buddha; indeed, it is the Mind that is Buddha. The ocean of true and universal knowledge of all the Buddhas is born of Mind and thought. For this reason… [you] ought to apply… [your] Minds with one thought to the meditation on that Buddha…” (Buddha-Bhasita Amitâyur Dhyana-Sutra (Meditation on Buddha Amitâyus) by Kalayasas. New York: American Buddhist Academy Press, p.25.)
According to the Ti’en Ta’i Treatise,
“The passage beginning from ‘Every Buddha,… Tathagata’ refers to all Buddhas.
“The passage beginning with ‘you ought to apply your Minds,’ etc., refers specifically to meditation on Buddha Amitabha.
“The Dharma Realm Body is the Dharma Body of the Reward Buddha. If the Minds of sentient beings are pure, the Dharma Body reveals itself. Thus, the word 'enter' is used. (This is similar to the brilliant sun; when it rises, its image appears in a multitude of rivers.) This is to indicate that the Buddha Body is free and unimpeded and can manifest itself according to the object. Moreover, the ‘Dharma Realm Body’ refers to the Buddha Body, appearing everywhere, taking the Dharma Realm as its nature. When the practitioner achieves this Buddha Visualization Samadhi, his understanding and actions [noumenon and phenomena] interpenetrate and become one. This is expressed in the words ‘enters into the Minds of all beings.’
“‘It is the Mind that becomes Buddha’ means that the Buddha has always been inherently empty and void. Because the Minds of sentient beings are pure, Buddha exists.
“‘Indeed, it is the Mind that is Buddha;’ Since people might misunderstand what was said previously and think that the Buddha has spontaneously come into existence, the words ‘is Buddha’ are used. The word ‘becomes’ indicates the beginning of visualization, while the word ‘is’ means that visualization has been accomplished.”
Another commentary states:
“To visualize the Buddha’s body, you should clearly understand the nature of visualization. That nature is self-enlightenment. Visualization methods are developed from there. Self-enlightenment is the Dharma Realm Body of the Buddhas because what the Buddhas have completely attained is nothing other than the Self-Nature of sentient beings.
“Only when the ‘initial enlightenment’ is meritorious does ‘self-enlightenment’ appear. This is the meaning of the words ‘the Dharma Body is born of Mind and thought.’
“Moreover, Buddha Amitabha and all Buddhas possess the same Dharma Body, the same wisdom and the same capacities and functions. When the body of Amitabha Buddha is manifested, the bodies of all Buddhas are manifested; when the bodies of the Buddhas are understood, the nature of Amitabha Buddha is revealed. Therefore, the Meditation Sutra refers broadly to all Buddhas in order to end in the visualization of Amitabha Buddha.
“From the words ‘Dharma Realm Body’ on, the Sutra refers to the mutual response between the Buddhas and the practitioner and the ‘interpenetration’ between understanding and action [theory and practice].”
Commenting on these two explanations, an Elder Master has written:
“Without the first explanation, the above visualization would not be a meditation on the Buddha. Without the second explanation, the practitioner could misunderstand and think that the nature of sentient beings is different from that of the Buddhas. The two explanations are complementary in elucidating the Visualization method.”
II. Second Method
With the second, or Recitation/Recollection method, the cultivator either “recollects” the auspicious features of Amitabha Buddha or recites His name. This method has both a noumenal and a phenomenal aspect. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Elder Mukata (“Liberation”) said:
“If I wish to see Amitabha Thus Come One in the World of Happiness, then as soon as I formulate the intention I see Him… [I can clearly see all the various Buddhas, their lands and retinues as well as their spiritual powers.] And yet, these Thus Come Ones do not come here, nor do I go to them. [This is so because] I know that all Buddhas and my own Mind are completely like a dream. I know that all Buddhas are like an image or reflection [in the water]… I know that all the physical characteristics of all Buddhas together with my own Mind, are both like an illusion ... an echo. I realize this as such and recollect and consider this as such — that all Buddhas I see arise from my own Mind.” [Because I clearly understand my Mind as such, I can at will see the Buddhas.] (Flower Adornment Sutra, tr. by Tripitaka Master Hsuan Hua. Ch. 39, Part II, p.104-106.)
An Elder Master commented on the above quote as follows:
“From the first sentence to the words ‘Nor do I go to them’ [the Buddhas], the Sutra elucidates the truth of Mind-Only. If the practitioner is enlightened to the truth of ‘Mind but not Mind,’ he immediately enters the True Thusness Samadhi. When the practitioner truly understands that all realms and marks are illusory, created from the Mind, and awakens to the truth of ‘Mind-Only and Mind is Buddha,’ then, depending on the object of his thoughts and recollection, there is nothing which is not Buddha.
“The second part of the quote refers to four examples: (1) ‘like a dream’ stands for the truth of ‘neither coming nor going;’ (2) ‘like a reflection in the water’ represents the truth of ‘neither leaving nor entering;’ (3) ‘like an illusion’ stands for the truth of ‘neither existing nor non-existing;’ (4) ‘like an echo’ means ‘neither disintegrating nor amalgamating.’
“The first example indicate that everything is ‘Mind-Only;’ the second example shows that, because it is Mind-Only: it is empty; the third example indicates that, because it is Mind-Only, it is false; the fourth example shows that, because it is Mind-Only, it is the Middle Way. These four examples encompass the Four Meditations and include the ‘general’ and the ‘specific,’ thus revealing the truth of Mind-Only — everything has always been perfect and unobstructed. This is the teaching of the Avatamsaka Sutra.”
Noumenon or absolute level:
If the practitioner clearly understands this truth and concentrates upon the Buddha’s name, free of (1) the Mind of existence and non-existence, (2) the Mind of simultaneous existence and non-existence, (3) the Mind of simultaneous non-existence and non-non-existence, while (4) severing all past, present and future — this is called “noumenon-recitation.” If the practitioner can recite singlemindedly in this way throughout the six periods of the day and night (i.e., all the time), without interruption and without developing a single thought, he need not pass through any stage of cultivation but can enter directly into the realm of the Buddhas. This is also called “one-pointedness of Mind (noumenon level).”
Phenomenon or material level:
The Surangama Sutra states:
“Moreover, whoever recites the name of Amitabha Buddha, whether in the present time, or in future time, will surely see the Buddha Amitabha and never become separated from him. By reason of that association, just as one associating with the maker of perfumes becomes permeated with the same perfumes, so he will become perfumed by Amitabha’s compassion, and will become enlightened without any other expedient means.” (Dwight Goddard, A Buddhist Bible. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1970, p.245.)
Another sutra teaches that:
“Whether he focusses on the Buddha constantly throughout his life, or recites assiduously for three months, or forty-nine days, or one to seven days and nights, or recites only ten times each morning, as long as the practitioner holds the Buddha’s name with deep faith and fervent vows, in a dragon encountering water or a tiger hidden deep in the mountains, he will be assisted by the Buddha’s power and achieve rebirth in the Pure Land.”
[A dragon outside the ocean or a tiger without the protection of the forest has but one thought in mind: to return to its environment …. Recitation requires the same singleminded intensity.]
According to the Meditation Sutra, even an ordinary being, guilty of the five grave offenses and the ten evil deeds, will be reborn if, at the time of death, he recites the Buddha’s name but ten times with utmost sincerity. This is “one-pointedness of Mind (phenomenon level).”
In summary, “one-pointedness of Mind (noumenon level)” refers to the practitioner who thoroughly understands the four meditation truths discussed above and recites the Buddha’s name with such a Mind. It is equivalent to the realm of Empty Wisdom (Wisdom of Emptiness) and leads to the realm of Pure Truth.
“One-pointedness of Mind (phenomenon level),” on the other hand, refers to the practitioner whose Mind is still attached to recitation, one recitation following another without pause, leading to the state of extinction of all sundry thought.
One-pointedness of Mind (noumenon level) is the practice of those of the highest capacities; one-pointedness of Mind (phenomenon level) embraces those of moderate and low capacities.(80)
III. Third Method
The third method is called “Sundry Practices,” as the cultivator engages in many practices seeking rebirth in the Pure Land.
A) Thus, in the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra advises and urges the youth Sudhana (“Good Wealth”) and the Ocean-Wide Great Assembly to seek rebirth through the Ten Great Vows. (81) These Ten Great Vows are:
“First, worship and respect all Buddhas.
Second, praise the Thus Come Ones.
Third, make abundant offerings.
Fourth, repent misdeeds and hindrances.
Fifth, rejoice at others’ merits and virtues.
Sixth, request the Buddha to turn the Dharma wheel.
Seventh, request the Buddha to remain in the world.
Eighth, follow the teachings of the Buddha at all times.
Ninth, accommodate and benefit all sentient beings.
Tenth, transfer merits and virtues universally.”
Each Vow contains the clause:
“When the realm of empty space is exhausted, my [Vows] will be exhausted. But because the realm of empty space is inexhaustible, my [Vows] will never end. In the same way, when the realms of living beings, the karma of living beings, and the afflictions of living beings are exhausted, my [Vows] will be exhausted. But the realms of living beings, the karma of living beings, and the afflictions of living beings are inexhaustible. Therefore my [Vows] are inexhaustible. They continue in thought after thought without cease. My body, mouth and mind never tire of doing these deeds. (Master Hsuan Hua, tr. Flower Adornment Sutra, Ch. 40, p.48.)
The practitioner should cultivate these Ten Great Vows with body, mouth and Mind, and without interruption or lethargy. At the time of death, when all family and possessions are left behind and all faculties disintegrate, only these Great Vows will follow close behind, and in an instant, the practitioner will be reborn in the Pure Land.
This constitutes seeking rebirth through the power of vows.
B) Moreover, in the Maharatnakuta Sutra, Buddha Sakyamuni told the Bodhisattva Maitreya:
“These Ten Minds cannot be developed by ordinary people, nor those who lack virtue and are beset by afflictions. What are these Ten Minds? They are … to develop great loving kindness toward sentient beings …; to develop great compassion …; to protect the true Dharma of the Buddha without regard for one’s life; to develop Supreme Tolerance of the Correct Dharma, without clinging nor grasping; to be still and peaceful, without seeking gain, support nor respect; to seek the Buddha’s wisdom at all times …; to be respectful and reverential toward all beings at all times…; to avoid indulging in mundane discussions …; to plant all good roots …; to give up attachment to the marks of the Buddhas, while always keeping the Buddhas in mind.” (After translation by Saddhaloka Bhikku.)
“These are the Ten Minds of the Bodhisattvas, which enable them to achieve rebirth. For someone to attain one of these ten frames of Mind while seeking rebirth in the Pure Land and yet fail to be reborn is simply impossible.”
This sutra passage refers to achieving rebirth through Mind-power.
C) Moreover, in the Sutra of the Heart of Great Compassion Mantra, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Kuan Yin) said to the Buddha:
“Great Honored Teacher! If any sentient being should assiduously recite the Great Compassion Mantra and still descend upon the Three Evil Paths, I vow not to attain Buddhahood. If any practitioner should assiduously recite the Great Compassion Mantra and fail to be reborn in the lands of the Buddhas, I vow not to attain Buddhahood. If any practitioner should assiduously recite the Great Compassion Mantra and not achieve innumerable samadhis and great eloquence, I vow not to attain Buddhahood. If anyone should recite the Great Compassion Mantra and not have all the wishes and hopes of his present life fulfilled, this dharani cannot be called the Great Compassion Mantra! The only exceptions are wishes which are unwholesome and those made when the Mind is not utterly sincere.”
Moreover, practitioners who assiduously recite such dharani as the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara Mantra, the Rebirth Mantra,… etc. with utmost sincerity, can all be reborn in the Western Pure Land or other pure lands. This is achievement of rebirth through spiritual power.
D) Moreover, as stated in the Meditation Sutra:
“Those who wish to be born in that land [of Ultimate Bliss] must cultivate the three-fold goodness. Firstly, they should be filial toward their parents and support them; serve and respect their teachers and elders; be of compassionate heart and abstain from doing harm; and cultivate the ten virtuous actions. Secondly, they should accept and hold on to their refuge in the Three Jewels; perfectly observe all moral precepts and not lower their dignity nor neglect ceremonial observances. Thirdly, they should awaken in their Minds a longing for Bodhi, deeply believe in the principle of cause and effect, peruse and recite Mahayana sutras and persuade and encourage other practitioners. These three groups of practices are called pure actions … and they are the efficient causes for the pure actions of all the Buddhas of the three worlds, past present and future.” (Kalayasas, Op. cit., p.10-11.)
This is in reference to achieving rebirth through the power of accumulated merits.
Furthermore, those who perform good deeds, carrying them out to perfection and transferring the merits with a Mind of faith and vows, can all achieve rebirth as well. (82) These meritorious acts include erecting temples, stupas and statues of the Buddhas, worshipping the Buddhas, reciting sutras, adhering to the precepts, burning incense, offering flowers, donating pennants and other decorations to Buddhist temples, making offerings of food to the clergy, practicing charity, etc.).
This is a general outline of the Pure Land method. Since practitioners differ in their vows and practices, and noumenon also differs from phenomena, there are bound to be differences in their perception of the Buddha and understanding of the Dharma. Their resulting physical attributes and environment are also different. [See Glossary for “noumenon.”]
Additional Comments by Dharma Master Thien Tâm
To achieve rebirth in the Pure Land, the practitioner need not limit himself to Buddha Recitation or visualization, but may engage, inter alia, in any one of the following practices:
a) Power of vows, such as the Ten Great Vows of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (Avatamsaka Sutra);
b) Mind-Power, such as the Ten Minds of the Bodhisattva (Maharatnakuta Sutra);
c) Spiritual .power, such as reciting the Great Compassion Mantra, the Rebirth Mantra, the Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara Dharani, etc.
d) Power of accumulated merits (such as practicing the Ten Virtues, reciting sutras, building temples, erecting statues …). Caveat: all the merits must be dedicated to rebirth in the Pure Land.
Nevertheless, the practitioner must engage in these four methods to the point of perfection to obtain results. Since ordinary people cannot easily extinguish heavy karma and afflictions or accomplish difficult, wholesome deeds, we should rely on Buddha Recitation, with its emphasis on other power, the power of the Buddha. For this reason, Elder Master Yin Kuang has said that “weak and limited sentient beings who achieve rebirth owe it entirely to the compassionate power of the Tathagata.” Thus, those who engage in Buddha Recitation today should adopt the Holding the Name method as their main practice. Other practices such as sutra recitation, chanting of mantras, charity and other good deeds should be considered auxiliary. This is the only safe course.
The first of the three methods explained earlier by Elder Master Ti’en Ju is Real Mark Buddha Recitation — which is difficult for those of moderate and low capacities to follow. The third method, using the power of vows, the Mind, mantras or accumulated merits, holds little hope for ordinary people beset by karmic conditions. It should only be employed as a subsidiary means. Only the second method, Buddha Recitation at the phenomenal level [Holding the Name], can be practiced successfully by everyone.(83)
However, as sentient beings differ in their temperaments and capacities, Master Ti’en Ju had to discuss many different methods, from which people could choose. My own comments, on the other hand, are based on the capacities of today’s ordinary practitioners.
________________________________________
80. Although the real aim of Buddha Recitation is one-pointedness of Mind, recitation with a scattered Mind also
leads to accumulation of merits, albeit on a much smaller scale. This is because everything has its source in the Mind; thus, all recitation springs, by necessity, from some degree of purity of Mind. (See also Note 82 and Note 103.)
81. The Ten Great Vows are the supremely important (“king”) vows of a Bodhisattva. To follow them is tantamount to cultivating all the practices leading to supreme enlightenment. These vows are found in Chapter 40 (last chapter) of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Since the Sutra has been translated several times over the centuries, this chapter is missing in some versions. For example, the English translation by Thomas Cleary is based on a version
which lacks this chapter.
82. Donating flowers, etc. to Buddhist temples. These actions have merit in Buddhist teaching and can lead to rebirth in the Pure Land because they have their source in a pure Mind. Just as calm waters reflect the moon, a pure Mind naturally accrues merits. No god or supernatural powers need to be involved.
Ideally, such good actions should be carried out to perfection, as a “meritless deed,” i.e., without any thought of giver, receiver or gift.
83. Holding the Name Buddha Recitation.
“In this method, the practitioner recites, aloud or silently, either ‘Nam Mo Amitabha Buddha’ or ‘Amitabha Buddha.’ The short form (Amitabha Buddha) has the advantage of easily focussing the cultivator’s Mind, while the longer version facilitates development of a truly earnest, respectful Mind conducive to a response. This method, taught by the Buddha in the Shorter Amitabha Sutra, is most commonly in use at the present time …
“Only the Holding the Name method embraces people of all capacities, leads to swift results and is easy enough for anyone to practice. Holding the Name, practiced earnestly and correctly, will bring a response; in this very life, we can immediately see the features of Amitabha Buddha and the adornments of the Western Pure Land and awaken to the Original Mind. Even if we cannot attain True Mark in this life, we will certainly attain it after rebirth. For this reason, the Thirteenth Pure Land Patriarch, Master Yin Kuang, wrote the following words of praise:
'Exclusively Holding the Name will bring attainment of True Mark,
Without contemplation we will still see the Western Land.'
“The ancients have also commented: ‘Among Dharma methods, Pure Land is the short cut for attaining the Way. Within Pure Land, Holding the Name is the short cut.’ Nowadays, this method (Holding the Name) is the most popular form of Buddha Recitation.” (Thích Thièˆn Tâm, Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith, p.119.)
related post: Question 8 （Doubts and Questions about Pure Land）
Source Of Information:
《Pure Land Buddhism (Dialogues with Ancient Masters)》, by Elder Zen Master T'ien Ju, translated with annotations by Master Thich Thien Tam, printed and donated for free distribution by: The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation (11F, 55, Hang Chow South Road Sec 1, Taipei, Taiwan), printed in February 2023.
*** The information provided above does not contain personal opinion of this blog.
No comments:
Post a Comment