PURE LAND
Purity, impartiality, and enlightenment are the guidelines for learning and practicing. What are we learning?
We are learning to (1) cultivate a pure mind, (2) cultivate an impartial mind, and (3) be awakened and not deluded.
Purity, impartiality, and enlightenment are three in one, one in three.
The Pure Land school focuses on the cultivation of a pure mind. When the mind is pure, the land will be pure. The connection between us and Amitabha Buddha of the Western Pure Land lies in a pure mind.
"Amitabha Buddha" is Sanskrit. Amitabha means "infinite," Buddha means "awakening." This name therefore implies infinite enlightenment. "Infinite" describes that which is innate in the true nature: infinite wisdom, infinite virtues and abilities, and infinite auspicious marks. These three categories of "infiniteness" cover all the infinities in the whole universe.
"Amitabha Buddha" is a name of the true nature. That is why Master Zhongfeng "My mind is Amitabha Buddha: Amitabha Buddha is my mind."
To understand the cycle of birth and death, one must first know that life is filled with suffering, and that the suffering in future lifetimes will become even worse than in the current lifetime.
If one does not want to be reborn in the human path, can this wish be fulfilled?
Unless one mindfully chants the Buddha-name and seeks rebirth in the Western Pure Land, one's wish may not be fulfilled. Therefore, one must be determined to attain rebirth there in this lifetime. The is the true Bodhi Mind.
With faith, vow, and the recitation of the name of Amitabha Buddha, we will be able to be reborn in the Pure Land and never again fall back in our practice. Up until now we have made progress in one lifetime only to fall back for lifetimes after that. This constant progression and retrogression is why it is taking us so long to attain enlightenment.
But once we are in the Pure Land, we will never fall back again, which will allow us to attain our goal much more quickly. And as we are progressing, we will learn the infinite ways in which we can help all those we have vowed to help be liberated from suffering as well.
What is the nature of the mind? An example, which is easy to understand, is called purity of mind in the Pure Land school. When our minds are pure, all of our deeds will be good. Thus, we will accumulate far more than just ten thousand good deeds. Amitabha Buddha is a name of millions of virtues.
As we gradually come to understand the true reality, we will realize that what Great Master Ou-i said was logical, that Amitabha Buddha encompasses all the infinite ways of practice. He said, "If we are able to be mindful of Amitabha Buddha, then we will understand all the wisdom of the Buddhist canon."
We Pure Land practitioners cannot make people practice the Pure Land method. When someone's condition has matured, we should voluntarily introduce Buddhism to help the person.
There are many stages in learning Buddhism. As the person gradually advances in practice, he or she will naturally find the most direct route--the wondrous Pure Land method. Therefore, to help all beings skillfully and expediently, we should be patient.
Amitabha's Pure Land is a land where saints and ordinary beings live together, but it includes all Four Lands. When we go there, of course we go to the Land of Common Residence of Ordinary Beings and Saints because we carry residual karmas.
In all other Buddha-lands of the ten directions, the Four Lands are separate. Sakyamuni Buddha's Land of Real Reward is in the Dharma Realm of the One Reality, and his Land of Expedient Liberation is in the four enlightened worlds. The lands are separate.
It is like schools in this world. Elementary schools, middle schools, and universities are separate.
The Western Pure Land is unique. The students of elementary school, the students of middle school, the students of university, and post-graduate students all share the same classroom. This is unique. This is why it is called a teaching that is hard to believe.
When we go to the Western Pure Land, we are like elementary school students. But there are also university students, post-graduate students, and PhD students in the same classroom. When we face difficulty, they will help us. An inconceivable world!
Therefore, attaining rebirth in the Land of Common Residence of Ordinary Beings and Saints, the first of the Four Lands, is the same as attaining rebirth in the Land of Expedient Liberation because Arhats are our fellow practitioners.
It is also the same as attaining rebirth in the Land of Real Reward, the third of the Four Lands, because Bodhisattvas are there with us.
It is also the same as attaining rebirth in the Land of Eternally Quiescent Light, the highest of the Four Lands, because Buddhas are also there with us.
Although there are an uncountable number of methods, their objectives are the same. It is often said, "all roads lead to Rome" and "all methods are the same." Pure Land practitioners should never criticize or slander Zen, Esoteric, or any other schools because their objectives are the same as ours; they simply follow different methods. This is similar to our taking a bus while others chose to walk. We cannot say that they are wrong when all roads lead to the same destination. They have the freedom to choose their way.
At the core of the Pure Land teachings lies three prerequisites, or guiding principles, for our rebirth into the Western Pure Land: faith, vow, and practice. Faith is to have complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Vow is the vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. Practice is reciting the Buddha-name as well as living a moral life.
As Great Master Ou-i wrote in his Commentary on the Amitabha Sutra, "Without faith, we are not sufficiently equipped to take vows. Without vows, we are not sufficiently equipped to guide our practice. Without the wondrous practice of reciting the Buddha-name, we are not sufficiently equipped to fulfill our vows and to bring our faith to fruition."
Sentient beings are deluded. They indulge in the Five Desires and the Six Dusts--in worldly pleasures. We should generate a mind of great compassion, empathize with sentient beings, and introduce the Pure Land method to them. Compassion and empathy must be put into action. This is enthusiastically propagating the Pure Land method. With all our hearts, we must do our best -- we must treat this task as the most important thing in this lifetime.
Mr. Li Bingnan often said that only two or three out of ten thousand Pure Land practitioners are able to actually attain rebirth. It is because these two or three practitioners truly believe, accept, and practice--the others do not. These 9997 practitioners chant with their mouths only and are not mindful in their chanting. They have not eliminated their afflictions and residual habits. They are still attached to fame, prestige, gain, wealth, the Five Desires, and the Six Dusts. When this is the case, even Buddhas cannot do anything about it.
Those who can accept the Pure Land method possess great roots of goodness, good fortune, and good causes and conditions. If we did not already have the best root nature, it would be impossible for us to accept the Buddha Mindfulness Chanting method. Those, who can accept it and practice earnestly, can neutralize the transgressions accumulated over infinite lifetimes with the merits of their chanting.
The Pure Land is a gathering place for the utmost virtuous people. Once reborn there, we will be a member of this assembly and the equal of such virtuous people as the Bodhisattvas Samantabhadra, Manjusri, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahasthamaprapta.
We should put into practice Great Master Yin-Guang's teaching of "maintaining the five [human] relationships, faithfully fulfilling one's responsibilities, avoiding being polluted by that which is bad, keeping a respectful and sincere mindset, believing in and vowing to practice the Buddha-name chanting method, and aspiring to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land." This is the absolute direction and the only goal.
The causes and conditions of how the Land of Ultimate Bliss came about were different from those for the other Buddha Lands. The causes and conditions for the latter were complicated and not simple: good ones and bad ones were mixed together. In the Western Pure Land, Dharmakara chose only pure and virtuous Dharmas. His purpose was to provide a wonderful learning and practice environment for the beings from all the Buddha Lands in the ten directions who truly generate the great mind and who aspire to [understand and] transcend the cycle of birth and death, and attain Buddhahood in one lifetime. He wanted to provide the best learning and living environment.
Having good roots means that we have firm belief and firm vows. We have firm belief when we do not have the slightest doubt about the Pure Land teachings. We have firm vows when our one and only wish is to attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and we let go of everything in this world except this wish. We must have these two conditions to be considered as having roots.
Great Master Yinguang spoke of small-size cultivation centers with no more than twenty practitioners. Small centers will be easy to maintain. There is no need to ask for donations, no need to hold Dharma assemblies or ceremonies for helping the deceased attain a better rebirth, and no need to confer precepts or to give lectures on the sutras ...
But it is hard to find practitioners of the same mind. Pure Land learning centers could completely follow Great Master Yinguang's instruction, but I added one thing: a lecture session. Why? Because if we do not understand the Pure Land teachings, we may gradually lose our enthusiasm. The more we listen to lectures on the sutras, the more we will understand the Pure Land teachings. Listening to lectures on the sutras will help us dissolve our doubts, develop confidence, and strengthen our belief and vows. it will guarantee our success in this lifetime. We should do nothing else but listen to lectures on the sutras and mindfully chant "Amituofo." In so doing, our minds will always be focused.
When the Buddha was in this world, which was during the Dharma-perfect Age, people had high capacities and the majority could succeed in any method that they chose to practice! After the Buddha's time, during the Dharma-semblance Age, people did not have as high a capacity as earlier. With that, the quality of the Buddha's teachings gradually deteriorated as it was passed down. But it was not that the sutras had degenerated; rather, it was the lecturers' interpretation of the sutras that had worsened. As time went by, the lectures on the Dharma became more and more incorrect.
Now it is the Dharma-ending Age, more than three thousand years after the Buddha' Parinirvana. The deterioration has reached a point where we do not know what to do. It gets more and more difficult for us to attain realization from learning and practicing Buddhism.
It is said in Buddhism that "nothing can be carried over to the next life except our karma." These are critical words of caution. Knowing that our karma will follow us like a shadow, we need to be diligent in cultivating good deeds and not to carry our negative karma with us, for to do so will lead us in the Three Bad Paths. Good karma will lead us to be reborn in the Three Good Paths. And pure karma from Constant Mindfulness of Buddha Amitabha will lead us to be reborn in the Western Pure Land.
From this, it is clear what we need to do in this life. We need to broaden our perceptions and expand our thinking instead of being concerned with trivialities or calculating our gains and losses. Life is very short. It would be of tremendous merit if we could do more goodness in this life, to benefit more people.
Three thousand years ago, the Buddha knew completely what was going to happen in society today! He did not fail those of us who truly sought transcendence, who truly sought enlightenment. In the Great Collection Sutra, he said that in the Dharma-perfect Age, one could succeed in cultivation by observing the precepts; in the Dharma-semblance Age, one could succeed in cultivation by practicing meditative concentration; and in the Dharma-ending Age, one could succeed in cultivation by learning the Pure Land method.
The Buddha was telling us, the people today, that we will definitely succeed in our cultivation if we learn and practice the Pure Land method.
The most important thing in our cultivation is to correct our wrong behavior. If we are not happy with a person or a thing, it will obstruct our rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, because our minds are not pure. This is why it is hard to attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss and why Mr. Li Bingnan said that only one or two out of ten thousand Pure Land practitioners succeed in attaining rebirth there. Most practitioners only manage to suppress, not eradicate, their afflictions. It depends entirely on their luck when they are on deathbed. If they cannot suppress their afflictions that arise at the moment of their last breath, they will fall into the Three Evil Paths.
The Western Pure Land is an ultimate, perfect state. If a person wants to learn a particular method, this person, whatever his capacity, will hear the method that accords with his or her capacity. For example, if one has the capacity for Theravada teachings, one will hear Buddhas and Bodhisattvas lecturing on Theravada teachings. If one has the capacity for Mahayana teachings, one will hear nothing but Mahayana teachings. A being will immediately hear what he or she wants to hear, and immediately see what he or she wants to see--all at the level of the being's capacity. This is great perfection and truly ultimate.
There are two ways to be reborn into the Pure Land. One way is to cultivate and accumulate merits and virtues daily, and to follow the regular way of practice to seek rebirth into the Pure Land. The other way is for those who have committed egregious evil deeds to be deeply remorseful at the last moments of their life.
Therefore, do not look down on those who have committed wrongdoings. Perhaps at the last moment of their lives, their ability to feel deep remorse will be so strong that they may attain a higher level of rebirth than we can. This is very possible. It is said that a prodigal who returns home is more precious than gold. Ordinary people cannot be compared with them. Thus, we cannot look down on those who have committed wrongdoings.
The Bodhisattvas of the Western Pure Land have the ability to travel to all the Buddha Lands and to any place in the entire Dharma Realm. The sutras teach that the past has no beginning and the future has no end. From this, we know that space (in Buddhism it is called Dharma Realm) is immensely vast. This is the area the Bodhisattvas cover in their travels--the vastness of the Dharma Realm. If they have an affinity with a place, they will manifest themselves there to benefit the beings.
Like Sakyamuni Buddha, all Buddhas lecture according to the level of the audience. When the people in the audience have different capacities, there are many sutras that the Buddhas would not speak. But they would definitely speak the three Pure Land sutras. Why? Because these sutras are suitable for all beings. These are the sutras that all Buddhas must speak. That is, they must introduce the Pure Land teachings to all beings. If a being's conditions have matured, and this being believes, makes the vow, and practices the teachings, he will make accomplishment in this life. And the great vow of all Buddhas to help all beings will be fulfilled.
The conditions are mature for some beings but not for others. If a being does not have the conditions, one should help the being develop the conditions. If the conditions of a being are not yet mature, one should help them mature. If the conditions of a being have matured, one should guide that being to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land.
Throughout the boundless worlds in the ten directions, the Bodhisattvas of the Land of Ultimate Bliss (1) seek the Buddhadharma and (2) help all beings. When they seek the Buddhadharma, they are not attached to the act of seeking. When they help beings, they are not attached to the act of helping. They discard all attachments and teach all beings. This way, they are able to attain infinite merits and virtues.
As Pure Land practitioners, we have to achieve a certain level of attainment and transcend the cycle of rebirth to be able to be reborn into the Western Pure Land. Theravada practitioners need to reach, at the least, the level of Stream-enterer, which is achieved by severing various wrong views. It is the lowest of the four stages of sagehood in Theravada Buddhism. At this point of attainment, practitioners will continue to be reborn into the heaven and human realms for seven more times. In this way, they are assured of attaining the state of Arhat although it may take them a long time to do so. But by not falling into the Three Bad Realms, they are considered to have achieved attainment.
According to this criterion, minimum standard to achieve attainment in Mahayana Buddhism is to rid ourselves of a portion of our attachments, to sever the eighty-eight kinds of deviated thoughts and views. If we cannot sever these, we have not yet achieved attainment.
Mahayana practitioners, who successfully sever them, reach the Initial Belief Stage.
Theravada practitioners who sever various wrong views reach the stage of Stream-enterer.
Without these accomplishments, we will still be reincarnating within the cycle of rebirth, still repaying our debts.
However, there is still another way: to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Otherwise, attainment is not possible. If we cannot go to the Pure Land, we will have achieved nothing.
Seeking rebirth in the Pure Land is actually much simpler than severing the eighty-eight kinds of improper thoughts and views because we do not need to sever them all, but can carry our remaining karma with us. As long as we have faith, vows, and practice [moral living and constant mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha], we will achieve attainment. The Buddha explained this to us in the Infinite Life Sutra and the Amitabha Sutra.
If we can discard all wandering thoughts and attachments, we will attain infinite merits and virtues. If there is even one thing that we cannot discard or let go of, we will not have any achievement. But to let go is truly hard. Because of this, infinite great compassion arose in Amitabha Buddha, and he established a special cultivation place in the Dharma Realm for learning and practice--for beings like us who cannot let go to also have achievement. This is inconceivable!
With the cultivation places of all the other Buddhas in the ten directions, one must let go of both worldly phenomena and supra-mundane teachings before one can be reborn there. But, only in the land of Amitabha Buddha, [while letting go is ideal,] not letting go is also alright. This way, everyone will be truly helped and awakened.
What if we can truly put down all the wandering thoughts, discriminations, and attachments? The world will be changed immediately! What will it become? The world will become the Land of Ultimate Bliss. What is the difference between our land and the Land of Ultimate Bliss? Sakyamuni Buddha introduced us to the Land of Ultimate Bliss where people of supreme virtue assemble. When people's minds are virtuous, the land will be stable and secure. Everything will be wonderful, without the least defect. when people's minds are vicious, the land and everything in it will be vicious too.
People with true aspiration and profound insight need to know that seeking rebirth into the Pure Land wholeheartedly and meeting Amitabha Buddha is the perfect and complete accomplishment of life. We should let go of attachments to worldly activities, both physical and mental, and rid ourselves of differentiating thoughts. There is nothing worthy of worry and nothing worthy of greed. We accord with conditions and do not seek affinities in our daily lives. How happy and free we will be for we will have truly achieved.
This world does not provide a good learning environment nor does it provide good teachers or fellow practitioners. The human life span is short, far too short for learning. Amitabha Buddha provides us with the best learning environment. And if we want to go, we can. Sakyamuni Buddha told us that when we go to that environment, all Buddhas will be our teachers, and people of supreme virtue will be our fellow practitioners.
In the Pure Land there is no cause for our greed, anger, and ignorance to arise. Why? Because whatever we need will appear before us, so we have no cause to become greedy. Everyone in the Western Pure Land is a good person. Nobody has any bad thoughts or bad intentions. Nobody uses harsh language. We have no cause to become angry. In other words, there is no condition for us to become angry.
What our senses touch is the Dharma, the sages' teachings. We will not be ignorant. In other words, we do not have to end or do anything about our greed, anger, and ignorance. When we live there long enough, our greed, anger, and ignorance will naturally be uprooted.
If one does not have the Ten Virtuous Karmas as a foundation for one's learning and practice, one will not be able to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land even though one practices Buddha-name chanting. How do we know this?
It is stated in the Visualization Sutra that one should first cultivate the Three Conditions before [beginning to] cultivate the pure karma to go to the Pure Land. The Three Conditions are the foundation of Mahayana Buddhism. Without such foundation, one will not succeed in one's cultivation and learning, regardless of which Dharma door one learns and practices. The Three Conditions are the common foundation. They are "the true causes -- the pure karmas -- that the Buddhas of the three time periods cultivate to attain Buddhahood." The three time periods refer to the past, the present, and the future.
There are innumerable Dharma doors that enable one to attain Buddhahood. All the Dharma doors are based on the foundation of the Three Conditions. It is like constructing a building. Regardless of its height and structural design, the building must have a firm foundation to be sound.
Although the Pure Land method allows one to bring one's residual karmas into the Western Pure Land, one must suppress one's sexual desire, anger, and ignorance. This way, one will be sure of attaining rebirth there. If one cannot suppress them, then no matter how much one chants the Buddha-name, it is as an ancient Chinese said: "Even if one chants until one's throat is hoarse, one's chanting is still futile." One will only form a good affinity with Amitabha Buddha, but one will not succeed in attaining rebirth in the Pure Land in this lifetime.
When our three karmas of body, speech, and mind are the same as Amitabha Buddha, we become his manifestation. We return to this world to fulfill his original vows. This is even more remarkable than being a person of virtue and sincerity. Originally, we are reborn in this world to repay our karmic debts, but now each of us is Amitabha Buddha coming to this world through the strength of our vows! This is the most remarkable and unsurpassable method in changing our destinies.
In the Western Pure Land, everyone has the same appearance, the same physical conditions, the same living environment, and the same learning. Everyone is equal in everything there. Therefore, one will not have afflictions such as arrogance or a sense of inferiority.
Although one still has the seeds of afflictions and residual habits, there are no conditions that will cause these afflictions and residual habits to arise.
We should make a vow that when we attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land and attain Buddhahood, we will first help those beings we have killed. "When I attain Buddhahood, you will be the first ones I help. Please do not cause trouble or obstruct me. If you obstruct me, I will not be able to succeed in cultivation, and you will continue to suffer in the Six Paths."
The Dedication of Merit says, " . . . repay the Four Kinds of Kindness above, and relieve the suffering of those in the Three Paths below." In the Three Paths, the first ones to be helped are those who hold grudges against us.
When we encounter animals, we should mindfully chant the Buddha-name and dedicate the merit to them. It is quite usual to chant "Amituofo." It is even better if we chant the Three Refuges. "Return and rely upon the Buddha so as not to be reborn in the hells. Return and rely upon the Dharma so as not to be reborn as a hungry ghost. Return and rely upon the Sangha so as not to reborn as an animal."
We chant this to the beings in the Three Evil Paths. When we encounter animals, we can chant the Buddha-name and dedicate the merit to them, as well as chant the Three Refuges.
When we are reborn into the Pure Land through the state of Constant Mindfulness, we will be reborn in the Land Where Saints and Ordinary Beings Dwell Together. With the state of One Mind Undisturbed in Mindfulness, we will be reborn in the Land of Expedient Liberation. With the state of One Mind Undisturbed in Enlightenment, we will be reborn in the Land of True Reward. The level of attainment we achieve determines which land we will be reborn into.
There are also different levels in the state of Constant Mindfulness; thus, there are nine levels of birth.
People who are reborn into the higher three levels of birth are able to pass away whenever they wish. At that time, they can go without any illness and may be standing or seated. If they do not feel like leaving this world yet, they can stay longer. Everything can be achieved at will.
People who are reborn into the middle three levels of birth are able to know a few months in advance when they are going to pass away. Again they may leave this world standing or seated.
In the lower level, people will know several days in advance of their death, but they may become ill before their time of death . . . In this lifetime we can attain the state of Constant Mindfulness in which we will have the ability to pass away at ease, to leave whenever we wish. This is to be reborn into the higher three levels of birth, into the Land Where Saints and Ordinary Beings Dwell Together, and to carry our remaining karma along with us.
Wandering thoughts are afflictions and karmic obstacles. As soon as they begin to rise, we will recognize them and change them into Amituofo. As the six senses encounter the external world and a wandering thought, which may be pleasurable or unpleasant, virtuous or unvirtuous arises, we immediately replace it with a second thought of either Amituofo or Namo Amituofo.
Although the first thought is wandering and deluded, the second thought is Amituofo. This is to awaken. This awakening needs to be immediate so there is no room for delusion to grow. This is how we will effectively uncover our wisdom.
When one is often mindful of good Dharmas, one's mind will be virtuous. When one often contemplates good dharmas, one's thoughts will be virtuous. When one often observes good Dharmas, one's conduct will be virtuous.
The criterion for virtuousness is to permanently end the Ten Evil Karmas: killing, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, enticing speech, greed, anger, and ignorance.
When one's every thought, every word, and every action accord with the Ten Virtuous Karmas and the virtues innate in the true nature, one will be free from all sufferings in the evil paths.
If we cannot attain Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment due to our insufficient efforts, it is all right as long as we can go to the Pure Land and meet Amitabha Buddha, for then we will uncover our true nature. This convenient and suitable method cannot be found in any other teaching. With others, if we do not achieve enlightenment, we will not be considered as having achieved attainment.
When we practice mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha, it is not necessary for us to be able to see the true nature. As long as we can see Amitabha Buddha, we will have achieved attainment. All our negative karma will be suppressed when we sincerely and single-mindedly chant.
How can "Amituofo" have any negative karma? It is true and perfect goodness, not that of good or bad for such goodness is relative. True goodness has no duality and is the absolute great goodness.
Pure Land Organizations Worldwide
You can find a worldwide list of Pure Land organizations, learning centers, and retreat locations worldwide. Contact a center near you to learn more about Pure Land principles, teachings, and methods of practice.
Next, let's learn about the practice of Buddha-name Chanting of "Amituofo" now.
N a m o A m i t a b h a B u d d h a