Pure Land and Pure Mind

by Master Tsung-pen

Layman Wang of Lung-shu said: 

There are those in the world who specialize in studying Zen who say: "The Pure Land is mind-only: how could there be another pure land? Amitabha is inherent nature: it is not necessary to see another Amitabha." 

This is all wrong. Why? These words are very lofty, but I am afraid it is very hard to reach the level [they indicate] . 

                *** 

In the Pure Land in the west, there is no covetousness, no craving, no hatred, no ignorance. Can our minds be free of covetousness, craving, hatred, and ignorance? 

In the Pure Land one has only to think of clothing and food, and receive them; one has only to think of being still or going, and one can be still or go. [Here on earth,] when our minds think of clothes, but we have no clothes, we are afflicted by cold. When our minds think of food, but we have no food, we are afflicted by hunger. When our minds want to be still, but we cannot be still, we are vexed by movement. When our minds want to go, but we cannot go, we are vexed by being tied down. So the Pure Land of mind-only which they talk about is really not easy to reach. 

Amitabha Buddha is fully endowed with merit and wisdom. His supernatural powers are vast. He can change hell into a lotus flower land as easy as turning his hand over. He can observe infinite worlds right before his eyes. 

For us, karmic barriers are serious, and we fear falling into hell: how can we change it into a lotus flower land? We cannot even see things on the other side of a wall, so how can we see infinite worlds? Thus it is really not easy to reach the level of the so-called Amitabha of inherent nature. 

Those who study Zen must not ignore the Pure Land and not cultivate it; they must not abandon Amitabha and not wish to see him. The Greater Amitabha Sutra says: 

In the ten directions there are countless bodhisattvas who go to the Pure Land. 

If even these bodhisattvas want to be born in the Pure Land, who are we not to want to be born there? Are we better than the bodhisattvas? 

Thus [the talk of] mind-only Pure Land and inherent nature Amitabha is high-sounding, but impractical. Those who practice without reaching [this level] mislead many people . . . 

It is better to walk on solid ground and cultivate practice by reciting the buddha-name. Then you can be born in the Pure Land directly and escape the cycle of birth and death straightaway. This is as far apart from the empty words without substance [of those who reject Pure Land Buddhism in favor of Zen] as heaven from earth. 

                *** 

Some say, "Certainly it is hard to see reality-nature by studying Zen. But what about studying [Taoism] to become an immortal?" 

I respond: Not to cultivate the Pure Land and instead to want to study [Taoism] to become an immortal is like throwing away a fine jade that's in front of your eyes to seek an imitation jade that you cannot necessarily get. Isn't this a delusion? 

Why so? According to the Heroic March (Surangama) Sutra: 

There are ten kinds of immortals, who all live from a thousand to ten thousand years. But when their lifespans are exhausted, they again enter into the cycle of birth and death. Because they do not comprehend real nature, they are grouped with the six planes of sentient beings as the seventh level. They are all creatures in the cycle of birth and death. 

When the people of the world study [Taoism] to become immortals, not one in ten thousand succeeds. Even if they do, they still do not avoid the cycle of birth and death, because they are attached to their bodies and their spirits, and cannot relinquish them. Body and spirit are false concepts that appear within true nature: they are not real. Therefore [Master] Han-shan's poem says: 

Even if you get to be an immortal, 
It is just like holding onto a dead man's ghost; 
It is not as good as the Buddhists 
Who are unconstrained by birth and death. 

Source Of Information:
《Pure Land Pure Mind 心净佛土净》, by Master Chu-hung and Tsung-pen, translated by J.C.Cleary, distributed by: Persatuan Penganut Agama Buddha Amitabha Malaysia, 90 & 92, Jalan Pahang, Gombak, 53000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.)
*** The information provided above does not contain personal opinion of this blog.