I would like to answer this question in
seven points:
- The Buddha is in the Western
Pure Land. It is thus stated clearly in the Sutra.
- The Buddha is in the ten
directions. In this talk the Buddha refers to Amitabha Buddha whose lights and
lifespan are immeasurable.
- The Buddha is in the Name of
the Buddha. It is because the Name and the body is the One Thus.
- The Buddha is standing on our
head.
- The Buddha is in our mouth.
When you recite the Buddha’s Name He is on your tongue.
- The Buddha is in our body.
- The Buddha is in our mind.
Among the 7 points, the most important one
is the third point.
We say the Buddha is in the
west. Sakyamuni said that the direction and the mark are pointed out so that a
mundane man can have a clearer view and objective in his cultivation.
Saying that the Buddha is
in the ten directions makes us feel that the Buddha will enter our world. We
can feel His existence all around us. That he is closed to us, not so far away.
Saying that the Buddha is in the Name, in every thought we can see Amitabha Buddha. Otherwise, we will feel that it is just a concept. So now we can feel the existence of the Buddha in His Name. That it is not something very vague, untouchable.
And when we say he is on top
of our head, in our mouth, in our body and in our mind as they are closely related
to the Buddha’s Name. We recite the Buddha’s Name and feel that he is just
around us.
Below we will discuss these 7 points.
- The Buddha is in the West. This
is thus stated in the small Amitabha Sutra,
‘From here travel to the
west, passing by ten million billion lands there is a world known as Ultimate
Bliss. In that Land there is a Buddha by the Name Amitabha Buddha and He is now
teaching the dharma.’
In the Great Amitabha Buddha Sutra (The Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan) it is thus stated,
‘The Buddha told Ananda,
“Dharma Store has already attained Buddhahood presently. Now He is dwelling in
the western direction, ten million billion lands away. The Buddha’s World is
known as Serenely Blissful.”’
The Adornment Sutra is
another translation for the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan. It is thus stated,
‘Talking about this Buddha,
the Thus Come One, He does not come from anywhere. He does not go anywhere. He
is neither born nor become extinct. He is not in the past, the present or the
future.’– This refers to the existence of the
Dharma Body of Amitabha Buddha. The dharma body far surpasses the three periods
of time and there is no coming or going. It is neither born nor become extinct.
‘But for the sake of saving living beings in accord with His vows, He appears
in the Western Pure Land.’
In the 16 Contemplation
Sutra, it is thus stated,
‘I can see all the Buddha
Lands are pure with the illumination of pure light. But now I desire to be born
in the World of Ultimate Bliss, the Dwelling of Amitabha Buddha.’
[This is said by Vaidehi,
the queen of the King Bimbisara who is killed by his own son Ajatasattu.]
And in the same sutra, it
is thus stated,
‘All the mundane men who
desire to cultivate the Pure Karma will be born in the Western World of
Ultimate Bliss.’
From these Sutras we are
very sure that Amitabha Buddha is in the Western World of Ultimate Bliss.
- Amitabha Buddha is in the ten directions because His lights and lifespan are immeasurable. Even though Amitabha is in the Western Pure Land He can also appear in the ten directions. It is thus stated in the Big Amitabha Sutra (or the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan.),
‘The World of Ultimate
Bliss is a dwelling which is open, broad, expansive and large. The supremacy of
the land far surpasses other lands and it alone is the most wonderful. It
extends without any limitation.’—The size is pervasive
with no limits.
In the Shastra of
Attaining a Rebirth it is thus stated,(the accomplishment of quantity)
‘Ultimately it resembles
the empty space which is broad, great with no limits.’
In the Amitabha Sutra, it
is thus stated,
‘The World is with immeasurable
bright lights that illumines the lands in the ten directions without any obstructions.’—As such we know that the dharma body is without form and sounds. It
far-surpasses time and space. It is without birth and extinction, without
changes. All these qualities are encompassed in the Name of the Buddha.
‘Amitabha Buddha is always mindful of us unceasingly, day and night.’ – This is something which is very natural. It is the function of the Buddha nature, the attraction of the Buddha nature of living beings and Buddha. The mind of Amitabha is of great kindness and compassion. It is the full revelation of the Buddha nature. We living beings also possess the Buddha nature. So, the attraction is very natural just like the attraction of a magnet and an iron needle. It also resembles the attraction of the earth. Everything on the earth such as the leaves, stones and sands are attracted by the pull of the earth. In the same way, Amitabha Buddha’s mind attracts the mind of living to save them from falling into sufferings.
‘The Buddha’s body appears
pervasively.’—the Buddha dharma body is not limited
to a certain place. It exists everywhere pervasively.
It is very difficult for a
mundane man to understand the state of a Buddha. We wonder how he can appear in
one direction and in all directions. This is the function of the dharma body
which is attained by the Buddha.
- The Name and the Body is the
One Thus.
Here I would like to use
the translation of the Small Amitabha Sutra by Master Xuan Zang. It is thus
stated,
‘The Buddha of Immeasurable
Lifespan is the Name of Buddha which is the repletion of inconceivable,
immeasurable and limitless merits and virtues.’—This
refers to the merits and virtues of the Buddha that is inconceivable,
immeasurable and limitless.
All the Buddha
accomplishes Buddhahood takes the merits and virtues as the body. The Name also
possesses the merits and virtues. That is why we say the Name and Body is of
One Thus. They are the same with no differentiation.
Master Fa Ran said,
‘Apart from the body there
is no name. Apart from the name there is no body.’—Leaving behind the body of Amitabha Buddha there is no Name.
Leaving behind the Name of the Buddha, there is no existence of Amitabha
Buddha.
When we say Amitabha
accomplished Buddhahood it means he has accomplished this Name. Without this
Name, there is no existence of Amitabha Buddha. This is especially true for
this Buddha because in His Vows he takes the Name as a mean to save living
beings. Living beings who recite His Name will all be born in His Land. All the
merits and virtues are stored in this Name, Na Mo Amitabha Buddha.
‘Na Mo Amitabha Buddha’ is the wonderful body of myriad wholesomeness. The Ganges sands of merits and virtues arise by the one practice of reciting the Buddha’s name.’
The myriad wholesomeness
refers to the six paramitas and all good practices. All of them arise from the
name of Amitabha Buddha. For instance, if we light the incense the whole hall
is permeated with its fragrance. The body is the incense itself. All the merits
and virtues of the Buddha and Bodhisattva in the pure lands, Pratyeka Buddha ,
Sravaka, man and gods that permeate in the Dharma Realm arise from the Name Amitabha
Buddha. So wherever we place the incense, the place will be scented. When we
recite Amitabha Buddha, all the merits of the Buddha, bodhisattvas, sound
hearers, Pratyeka Buddha, man and gods will come forth. This is truly
inconceivable.
There are two types of people. One stresses on faith and another man needs an explanation of the noumena principle. In the Buddha state, the aim is achieved if we just have faith and believe in the Buddha. If we have faith, just by reciting the Buddha’s Name will reap all the Buddha’s merits and virtues. Beside joys arise in our mind. If we are lacking in faith we can also recite. Just as the saying goes, ‘Let us take the analogy of a man who makes the incense. He is naturally scented by the incense.’ So, when we recite the Buddha’s Name, all the Buddha, bodhisattva, arahants will come to our place. Why is this so? It is because this is the original nature of all Buddha and bodhisattvas. The original nature is in accord with the merits and virtues of the Buddha and bodhisattvas. When you recite Amitabha Buddha, all the Buddha and bodhisattva are dancing on your tongue. It is because here is the place of merits and virtues.
Kui Ji Great Master said,
‘The vows and practices of
all the Buddha bring to the accomplishment of this fruit, the Name. When one
recites the Name, he is replete with all virtues. This is the greatest good
deeds. He is sure of a rebirth.’ The Name of
the Buddha is not empty or fake. It is a reflection of his vows and practices. When
we recite the Name, we will also be replete with all the merits and virtues of
the Buddha. That is why this is known as the greatest wholesomeness. This will
guarantee us of a rebirth.
Lian Chi Great Master
said,
‘When one recites His Name,
one is replete with all virtues. When we uphold this Name single-mindedly, all
the practices are gathered in, with no lacking.’
In this Pure Land practice, faith is of utmost importance. If we ask too many questions we are not in accord with this practice. For example if we throw a piece of bone to a dog, he just takes it and runs away. If it is a piece of rock, it just goes away. It will not ask why we give him the rock, not the bone. But human beings are quite difficult. They will ask, ‘Why are you giving a piece of bone. Does it contain any poison?’ And so on, and so forth. We are clever in this way but we also lose our purity in mind. We become afflicted with so many questions. We start to ask many questions with our suspicious mind, a worried mind with many guessing, a terrified mind which is afraid of this and that and a heavy mind. The dog is cleverer. It just takes the bone and eats. No questioning. It is good to be able to think about the dharma. But too much thinking is a hindrance in our practice. You ask, ‘Why is there the Amitabha Buddha? Why is His Name so inconceivable, carrying so much merits and virtues? After thinking this and that and you may decide not to believe. These are the causes and conditions obstructing you from learning the dharma. As the saying goes,
‘A straight mind is the Way
Place.’
When we are taught to
recite, ‘Na Mo A mitabha Buddha.’ we should just act accordingly. Do not try to
create many issues. If you read the Amitabha Buddha and believe in it and start
to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, this is known as a straight mind. There is no
question, no suspicion. That is why we say only a true cultivator can cultivate
ceaselessly. That is why Sakyamuni Buddha said that it is very difficult to teach the
living beings in the evil world on this dharma which is most difficult to
believe. Once you believe, there will be no more questions.
‘Amitabha Buddha is the
Name of abundant virtues. When we just recite His Name they myriad virtues are
perfected.’
Venerable Master Ouyi has thus said,
‘Amitabha Buddha is the
Magnicent Name of Abundant Virtues. By reciting the name unending virtues are
gathered in. No other virtues are left behind.’
Venerable Master Yin Guang has thus said,
‘The Bodhi Path of Enlightenment which is certified by Amitabha
Buddha is this Magnificent Name of Abundant Virtues. All the purity is fully
gathered in.’
‘A refers to all the Buddha
in the ten directions, in the three periods of time.
Mi refers to all the
Bodhisattva and
Ta refers to the all the
eighty thousand Sagely Teachings (consisting of all the dharma door and also
the expansive merits and virtues of the Triple Gem.’
The three words are
replete with all the virtues.’
If we listen to this and
have faith in this, this is because of great wisdom. With our good faith we
will be able to understand the meanings. Let us take the analogy of friends or
husband and wife. If they truly have trust in one another, it is easy for them
to understand one another. Not much explanation is needed. The lacking of faith
and trust will create lots of problems. In another analogy we talk about the
road sign. If you have faith you just follow the signs and you will arrive at
the destiny. If you have doubts in the road sign, you have no way to travel on!
So, if you have faith in the Buddha’s Vows, you just recite the Name Na Mo Amitabha Buddha, you are sure of a rebirth in His Land of Ultimate Bliss.
We should never use our
limited thinking ability, limited understanding to estimate the immeasurable
states of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas.
Two ants use the antennae
to pass the message. They will never understand how the human beings can
contact one another using the internets, right? This is not within their
ability to understand, to penetrate.
In the same way, we mundane men are unable to understand Amitabha Buddha’s power, His ability because it is not within our experience. Once you believe and practise accordingly you will reap the benefits. On the contrary if we doubt the Buddha’s ability with our limited wisdom, we will be at a loss.
For example, if we build a house, we need to build the foundation. But for a scientist who send the space station to the sky and lets it orbit around the earth, it is unnecessary for him to build a ground foundation. It will be a stupid question if we ask about the foundation of that space station, right? So how can we predict the Buddha’s ability and His inconceivable Vows with our meagre mundane experience? All our doubts and questions will be meaningless in the world of Ultimate Bliss. But the Buddha possesses the wisdom to subdue us. As we are human beings, he has to teach us the five precepts, the ten wholesome deeds as the foundation of man and gods first. But they are not practical in the Pure Land as there is no killing there, no stealing and so forth.
‘Everything is in abundant
that you do not think about them. You will naturally arrive at the Buddha
Path.’
The Name Amitabha Buddha is the genuine Buddha Dharma. It is recited throughout the universe as all the Buddha will spread and teach this Magnificent Name. All other dharma is only expedients to guide living beings.
Some people say, ‘What is so great with the Buddha and Bodhisattvas? They only teach us to do good deed.’ we are taught to be filial to our parents because we are humans. In the pure land filial piety will be unnecessary as the lotus is our parents.
Here we are talking about
the dharma door of Pure Land. This is not the dharma of man and god, not the
Dharma of Bodhisattva, Pratyeka Buddha or Sravaka. This is the Dharma to
accomplish Buddhahood so this is known as the Buddha Dharma. The Name of the
Buddha is fully replete with all the Buddha’s merits and virtues. This Name
will not bring you to become a good man, a sage, a heavenly being or a
bodhisattva. It brings you to become a Buddha.
As usual there are people
who do not believe in this.
That is why Great Master
Tan Luan said,
‘Words which are uncommon
will not be understood by a common man.’
The supremacy of this dharma door cannot be understood by a mundane man. A small hearted man with suspicion cannot believe in this. In the Saha world Sakyamuni has to teach us the dharma word by word and in a sequential order. In the Pure Land, the Buddha just says one sound and all the living beings will understand the meaning of the dharma. Just like a big wave that sweeps up the shore does not come drop by drop. This is the Ultimately Perfect Great Anointment, the greatest Seal in all dharma. You will never find a dharma door more supreme than the Pure Land Door when a mundane man can enter and register to be a Buddha just by reciting Amitabha Buddha. This is the hope for all Buddhists, that he is sure to become a Buddha if he recites Na mo Amitabha Buddha now and in this life he will accomplish Buddhahood. So how can Buddhism not flourish?
Ok if all the people
practise the difficult path but you take this easy path, you are the Buddha
seed, not a human seed, see?
‘He will only point out the
road to the west,
Even if he is laughed by
others, he does not care.
Throughout many kalpas it
is like this,
Not only in this life that
he is enlightened to this.’
‘With the increment of five
turbidities in the world everyone is suspicious of one another, blaming one
another.
It is a common practice
that the cultivators and mundane men are always blaming one another.
On seeing people cultivate
diligently, one is filled with anger and jealousy. Hatred is planted when one
tries to destroy others expediently.’
Think about this. Why do we have the wisdom to believe in the Buddha? We believe in Him because of our affinity with Him. That is why it is said,
‘The Buddha seed arises
from affinities.’
With this wonderful
affinity with the Buddha only we can have faith in Him.
The way we understand
wisdom and stupidity in the mundane way is different from the sages. An old
lady who recites the Buddha’s Name will end up in the Buddha Land to attain
Buddhahood while a scholar who is respected by all will end up in the three
evil paths. He has the knowledge but no practice.
- The Buddha stays on our head.
When you recite Na Mo Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha will be standing on top of your head to protect you. Look at Guan Shi Yin Pusa. On His head there stands His Teacher Amitabha Buddha. Whoever recites the Buddha’s Name, the Buddha will surely stand above your head. It is thus stated,
‘A man who recites the
Buddha’s Name, Amitabha will always stand above his head to protect him day and
night. Your creditors will have no way to harm you, to get near to you. In this
life you are always calm and peaceful. At your dead bed you will automatically
attain a rebirth in the Pure Land.’
The creditors cannot find
you as you are enveloped in the bag of bright illuminationof the Buddha’s Name.
With the Protection of the Buddha, you are always calm at ease. What is meant by calm at ease? It is not necessary that you are rich, or you have a big bungalow. Calm at ease means even if you have to sleep under the bridge, you are not upset. Even you have no dinner, you are still fine. This happens as you are filled with bliss.
What is meant by
automatically attain a rebirth? In autumn the leaves are blown up by the wind.
The leave is very frightened as it is blown up high and low, in the wind. Yet
it will finally settle down on the ground. It is the same like us. In this
world we are blown up by the strength of our karma. We face many situations,
good and bad. We see good and bad people. But if we recite Amitabha Buddha we
will finally land on the Ground of our mother earth, the Pure Land of Ultimate
Bliss, our kind mother is Amitabha Buddha.
- Amitabha Buddha’s Name is in
our mouth. Lian Xi Great Master from the Qin Dynasty said,
‘With the Name there comes the virtues, the Buddha and Name are originally inter-related. Indeed, the Buddha is in the mouth. If we can recite the name with no other thoughts, in every recitation the purplish countenance is revealed.’
It means that the Name is the Buddha and the Buddha the Name. When we recite the Name, the Buddha’s light is in our mouth. So, we must know the Name is the Genuine Buddha. Do not look for him outside this Name. Every recitation is the Buddha Purplish appearance. The Buddha dharma is the Mind Dharma. The Mind Eyes will see the Buddha. When we recite the Buddha’s Name and we feel warm and blissful, this is the Buddha’s lights that enter our mind.
- The Buddha is in the body,
giving us the genuine benefits. In the Great Amitabha Sutra it is thus stated,
‘For many kalpas, if I am
not the great donor to pervasively relieve all poor suffering living beings I
vow not to attain the Equal Enlightenment.’
Amitabha Buddha has accomplished Buddhahood as he has the wish to give us his merits and virtues, his dharma wealth. This is because he knows we are lacking in merits and virtues. Indeed, we are always in debts. We owe the living beings the debts of a life if we take their life. We owe them the debts of love if we play with their emotion. We owe them money if we borrow and not give back. We living beings are down with all kinds of karmic debts and Amitabha Buddha is willing to pay back on our behalf.
In the Immeasurable
Lifespan Thus Come One’s Assembly it is thus stated,
‘If I am unable to always give to others, unable to pervasively relieve the sufferings of poor living beings, the living beings who suffer in disasters, who have lost their way in the triple gem, so that they are free from all suffering, I will not become the saviour of the World, the Dharma King.’
Amitabha Buddha is not a
common Buddha. He is the Dharma King, the Buddha who saves the living beings so
that all will dwell in bliss, free from sufferings, danger and disaster.
In the Great Amitabha
Sutra, it is thus stated, ‘For the sake of all mundane living being,
he seeks to befriend them.’ Amitabha Buddha will come forth as a friend
to help us without our seeking of his help.
‘He takes over the heavy
responsibility to purify our heavy karma. It is also like a filial son who
loves and respects his parents.’
The Buddha Amitabha, the
former Dharma Store Bodhisattva acts like a son to show filiality to us,
treating us like his parents, sharing with us all his merits and virtues so
that we will not fall into the evil path, that we will be born in land of
Ultimate Bliss.
‘For the sake of all living
beings, he opens up the Jewel Store of merits and virtues and gives to all
pervasively the merits and virtues.’ The
accumulated merits and virtues in five great kalpas of cultivation is a present
to every living being. The Jewel Store refers to the Name Na Mo Amitabha
Buddha.
‘He single-mindedly sought
the pure and taintless dharma to benefit all living beings.’—pure and untainted dharma refers to Na Mo A Mitabha Buddha—pure,
undefiled and without confusion. The Name is the Mani jewel which enables us to
destroy our confusion of birth and death so that we can accomplish Buddha Hood.
‘With the great adornment,
it is replete with all the practices.’—Great
adornment is the Great Vows. All the cultivation at the causal ground brings
forth the myriad virtues of adornments at the fruition ground. The word great
here is not big or small. It pervasively covers the whole dharma realm. ‘He
is fully replete with all kinds of cultivation. By doing so he enables all
living to accomplish great merits and virtues.’
- ‘He is in the mind. It is because the Buddha and living beings share the same body.’
Living beings who recite
the Buddha’s Name is always with the Buddha. They are not apart from the
Buddha. Below shows three types of one body.
‘The Proper Enlightenment
of attaining a rebirth shows that the roots and dharma is of one body.’—in the 18th vow He said that if living beings recite his
name and not attain a rebirth he will not attain Proper Enlightenment. It is
just like the two side of a coin, one the Buddha the other side living beings.
It also carries the meaning of a son and a father. Once the baby is born, he
automatically becomes the father. Their relationship is closely linked. The
roots here carry the meaning of a man who has brought forth the vows to attain
a rebirth, not the mundane men who are still sinking in the seas of attachment
in worldly bliss.
‘The merits and virtues of
body and mind show that the roots and dharma is of one body.’—for examples, ‘The Buddha is in my mind and I am in the Buddha’s
mind.’—the Buddha is the Dharma Body and a mundane man refers to his body. The
Buddha’s mind pervasively encompasses the Dharma Realm while the mind of a
mundane man is his mind of clarity with no confusion.
In the Chapter on Perfect
Penetration of Buddha Recitation, it is thus stated, ‘The Thus Come One in the ten
directions is mindful of living beings just like a mother who is thinking of
her only son.’ The mother’s thoughts for her son are more than the son
who is thinking of his mother.
In the Great Amitabha Sutra it is thus stated, ‘I take pity on all the heavenly beings, the men more than the parents who are thinking of their son.’ ‘I see all the living beings just as though they are me.’ –These are the pure, kind and compassionate words which are found in the sutras. The words are soft and wholesome. The Buddha is naturally mindful of living beings in accord with the original nature of all beings. It resembles the gravity of the earth that everything on the earth will be pulled down by the great earth. For a mundane man who is not enlightened to his Buddha nature he is unable to understand the Buddha’s mind. We can understand the love of our parents because we are their off-springs. We cannot understand the genuine love of the Buddha. It resembles the attractions of iron filings to the magnet. The Buddha is mindful of living beings in accord with the Buddha affinities, the Dharma affinities, the Buddha Nature. This Buddha Nature remains unchanged surpassing time and space. Such affinities are difficult to use words to describe. The concern of a Buddha for a living being is indescribable by using words, far more penetrating than the blood and marrow. When we call upon Amitabha Buddha once and then we stop reciting. We forgot our kind father, the Buddha. But Amitabha Buddha will always be mindful of us life after life, showing us the way to return home. He will follow us to the hell, to the three evil paths, hoping to bring us back. Even though living beings may slander the Buddha, He will not be affected. His great kindness and compassion will not decrease. Indeed, he takes pity on us for being deluded.
In the Sutra of 16
Contemplations– (the 8th Contemplation of the Buddha’s image) it is
thus stated,
‘The Buddha Thus Come One
is the body of Dharma Realm that enters the mind of all living beings.’
According to Master Tan Luan and Shan Dao, the dharma realm refers to the mind dharma of living beings. The Dharma Realm is the Realm of living beings. This is to explain the Amitabha Buddha’s virtues. All the thoughts or desires that arise from our mind are the dharma realm. This realm of thoughts and desires are the dwelling of existence of the Buddha’s Dharma Realm Body. All the Buddha takes the mind of living beings as the Way Place. Every arising of our thoughts is the dwelling which is connected with the affinities of the Buddha’s dharma body. Let us take the analogy of our eyes. They come into contact with forms. The ears come into contact with sound. While the Buddha Thus Come One comes into contact with the arising of thoughts in the mind of living beings naturally. Even our mind consciousness can come into contact with the dharma but our lacking of penetrating others’ thoughts disables our ability to see clearly. We are unlike the Buddha who has already penetrated the myriads phenomenal in the universe. So, the Buddha and Bodhisattva take the mind of living beings as the dharma realm. When we recite Na Mo Amitabha Buddha, He is in your mind naturally. When we recite Amitabha Buddha we are inviting the Buddha to stay in the house of our mind. This is the meaning when we say the Buddha is in our mind.
And we are also the living beings in the Buddha’s mind because the Buddha’s lights illumine pervasively the worlds in the ten directions. The Dharma Body of the Buddha appears pervasively. The Buddha is mindful of living beings when they are mindful of Him. He gathers them in continually, without renouncing anyone. Once we recite the Buddha’s Name, we are gathered in by his lights of great kindness and compassion unceasingly.
Venerable Master Shan Dao
said,
‘Amitabha Buddha’s body expands to the Dharma Realm pervasively. He appears in the thinking mind of living beings.’ This is his explanation of the 16 Contemplations Sutra. When the Buddha is really in our mind, our life will be meaningful, colourful and full of excitements. Our life will be full of bliss and fulfilment. We will look bright and happy. A man is most valuable because of his mind. If the Buddha is in your mind, you must be the man who has brought forth the Bodhi mind. This is because the Buddha is the Unsurpassed Proper, Equal and Proper Enlightenment. If the Buddha is in your mind surely the sprouts of Proper Enlightenment will flourish. At that time how can you be full of affliction, how can you be lazy and how can you shift away your responsibility? In the Buddha Hall we make offerings of water, incense and flowers. If we use our body, mouth and mind as offerings to the Buddha, this is truly invaluable. So if we adorn our mind by beings mindful of the Buddha, this is the highest practice as our adorned mind is the way place for the Buddha Amitabha. We adorn our mind by reciting the Buddha’s Name, by bringing forth the Bodhi mind, by bringing forth the vows to attain a rebirth as offerings to Amitabha Buddha. So, wherever we go we will be happy, calm at ease because the Buddha is in our mind. Amitabha is our liver. The functions of a liver are to get rid of toxic in the body. The Liver of Amitabha is attained by those who recite His Name which help them to detoxify greed, hatred and delusion in their mind. They will feel the bliss of the Dharma body.
When the Buddha is in your mind your Dharma Body will grow up healthily, will be strong and powerful. I hope that every one of you can understand the meaning of the Buddha in your mind.
- ‘The Karma of self and others shows the roots and dharma is of one body.’
The karma of differentiating self and others comes from a confused mind. If we recite Amitabha Buddha, this confusion will break down and we will realize self and others are not two different things. When we hold on to the existing of a self, others arise. When there is only Amitabha Buddha in our mind, the differentiation will not exist. Why is this so? The roots of the cultivator and the dharma is of one body.
An extract of the Dharma Teaching by the Venerable Master Shi Jing Zong, the Abbot of the Hong Yuan Temple, Xuan Cheng, the province of Anhui, China.
An extract of the above teaching in mandarin:
1
I would like to answer this question in seven points:
The Buddha is in the Western Pure Land. It is thus stated clearly in the Sutra.
The Buddha is in the ten directions. In this talk the Buddha refers to Amitabha Buddha whose lights and lifespan are immeasurable.
The Buddha is in the Name of the Buddha. It is because the Name and the body is the One Thus.
The Buddha is standing on our head.
The Buddha is in our mouth. When you recite the Buddha’s Name He is on your tongue.
The Buddha is in our body.
The Buddha is in our mind.
Among the 7 points, the most important one is the third point.
We say the Buddha is in the west. Sakyamuni said that the direction and the mark are pointed out so that a mundane man can have a clearer view and objective in his cultivation.
Saying that the Buddha is in the ten directions makes us feel that the Buddha will enter our world. We can feel His existence all around us. That he is closed to us, not so far away.
Saying that the Buddha is in the Name, in every thought we can see Amitabha Buddha. Otherwise, we will feel that it is just a concept. So now we can feel the existence of the Buddha in His Name. That it is not something very vague, untouchable. And when we say he is on top of our head, in our mouth, in our body and in our mind as they are closely related to the Buddha’s Name. We recite the Buddha’s Name and feel that he is just around us.
我的答案在以下七点：佛在西方净土。这是经中的记载。佛在十方， 在此我要谈到的是阿弥陀佛， 无量的光和无量寿命。佛在名号中。因为名字和体同一如故。佛站在我们头顶。 佛在我们口中。当我们念佛时，佛就在舌头上。 佛在我们身中。佛在我们的心中。在此七点，最重要的是第三点。
我们说佛在西方。世尊指方立相，说出佛和方向，这样凡夫修行，则有一个清楚的概念。
说佛在十方让我们感觉到佛入世间，就在我们周边，离开我们很近， 不远。
说佛在名字中，这样，每一念我们都看到佛了。不然的话， 我们就以为这只是一个概念。现在我们可以感觉到他的存在，就在名号中。这样就不会太抽象了，高不可攀。
当我们说佛就在我们头顶上，在我们口里， 在我们身体里，在我们的心中，这些让我们觉得佛很接近我们。当我们念佛时，就感觉他在周遭。
2
In this Pure Land practice, faith is of outmost important. If we ask too many questions we are not in accord with this practice. For example, if we throw a piece of bone to a dog, he just takes it and runs away. If it is a piece of rock, it just goes away. It will not ask why we give him the rock, not the bone. But human beings are quite difficult. They will ask, ‘Why are you giving a piece of bone. Does it contain any poison?’ And so on, and so forth. We are clever in this way but we also lose our purity in mind. We become afflicted with so many questions. We start to ask many questions with our suspicious mind, a worried mind with many guessing, a terrified mind which is afraid of this and that and a heavy mind. The dog is cleverer. It just takes the bone and eats. No questioning. It is good to be able to think about the dharma. But too much thinking is a hindrance in our practice. You ask, ‘Why is there the Amitabha Buddha? Why is His Name so inconceivable, carrying so much merits and virtues? After thinking this and that and you may decide not to believe. These are the causes and conditions obstructing you from learning the dharma. As the saying goes,
‘A straight mind is the Way Place.’
When we are taught to recite, ‘Na Mo A mitabha Buddha.’ we should just act accordingly. Do not try to create many issues. If you read the Amitabha Buddha Sutra and believe in it and start to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, this is known as a straight mind. There is no question, no suspicion. That is why we say only a true cultivator can cultivate ceaselessly. That is why Sakyamuni Buddha said that it is very difficult to teach the living beings in the evil world on this dharma which is most difficult to believe. Once you believe, there will be no more questions.
净土法门的修持，注重在信。修持此法门的人不会问许多问题。 比如，我们丢一块骨头给狗，它咬住就跑了。丢给它一块石头，它就离开，不会问为何给我石头，不是骨头。但是，人类比较麻烦。他会问，‘为何给我一块骨头，是不是有毒？’就没完没了的问下去。在这方面，我们很聪明，但是却失去了清净心。我们变得烦恼重重。我们以一颗怀疑心问种种问题，以忧虑心做很多猜测，以一颗害怕的心，怕这怕那，心很沉重。这狗算比较聪明一些。咬了骨头就吃了。没有问题。本来思维法乂是很好的，但是想太多就变成修行的障碍了。所谓‘直心是道场’佛教导我们念佛，‘南无阿弥陀佛’我们就依佛所教念佛。不要多事。你读了阿弥陀佛经，相信了，就开始念佛。这叫直心。没有问题，没有怀疑。所以说真修行者会一直念佛不停。所以释迦摩尼佛说在此恶世，此是难教之法，难信之佛。 如果你信了，就没有问题了。
3
‘The Buddha Thus Come One is the body of Dharma Realm that enters the mind of all living beings.’
According to Master Tan Luan and Shan Dao, the dharma realm refers to the mind dharma of living beings. The Dharma Realm is the Realm of living beings. This is to explain the Amitabha Buddha’s virtues. All the thoughts or desires that arise from our mind are the dharma realm. This realm of thoughts and desires are the dwelling of existence of the Buddha’s Dharma Realm Body. All the Buddha takes the mind of living beings as the Way Place. Every arising of our thoughts is the dwelling which is connected with the affinities of the Buddha’s dharma body.
Let us take the analogy of our eyes. They come into contact with forms. The ears come into contact with sound. While the Buddha Thus Come One comes into contact with the arising of thoughts in the mind of living beings naturally.
Even our mind consciousness can come into contact with the dharma but our lacking of penetrating others’ thoughts disables our ability to see clearly. We are unlike the Buddha who has already penetrated the myriads phenomenal in the universe. So, the Buddha and Bodhisattva take the mind of living beings as the dharma realm. When we recite Na Mo Amitabha Buddha, He is in your mind naturally. When we recite Amitabha Buddha we are inviting the Buddha to stay in the house of our mind. This is the meaning when we say the Buddha is in our mind.
And we are also the living beings in the Buddha’s mind because the Buddha’s lights illumine pervasively the worlds in the ten directions. The Dharma Body of the Buddha appears pervasively. The Buddha is mindful of living beings when they are mindful of Him. He gathers them in continually, without renouncing anyone. Once we recite the Buddha’s Name, we are gathered in by his lights of great kindness and compassion unceasingly.
Venerable Master Shan Dao said,
‘Amitabha Buddha’s body expands to the Dharma Realm pervasively. He appears in the thinking mind of living beings.’ This is his explanation of the 16 Contemplations Sutra. When the Buddha is really in our mind, our life will be meaningful, colourful and full of excitements. Our life will be full of bliss and fulfilment. We will look bright and happy. A man is most valuable because of his mind. If the Buddha is in your mind, you must be the man who has brought forth the Bodhi mind. This is because the Buddha is the Unsurpassed Proper, Equal and Proper Enlightenment. If the Buddha is in your mind surely the sprouts of Proper Enlightenment will flourish. At that time how can you be full of affliction, how can you be lazy and how can you shift away your responsibility?
诸佛如来是法界身，入一切众生心想中
根据谭鸾大师和善导大师，法界是指众生的心法。 法界即是众生界。 这是要解说阿弥陀佛的功德。我们心中所起心想和欲望即是法界。这心想和欲望处是诸佛的法界身的存在处。诸佛以众生心为道场。我们每一个念头的生起处都和佛的法身有关联，和联系。让我们讲个眼睛的比喻。眼睛对色，耳朵对声音，而诸佛如来对众生的每一个念头的生起是自然的对应。
就是我们的心识对应法。但是因为我们缺乏他心通，我们则看不清了。而诸佛则能清楚了知宇宙中一切想象。所以诸佛和菩萨是以众生心为法界。当我们念佛时，他自然在你的心中。当我们念佛时。我们是请阿弥陀佛住在我们的心屋中。这就是佛在我们心想中的意思。
而我们也是佛心中的众生因为佛光照遍十方世界。诸佛的法身也遍现。当众生想佛时，佛也在想众生。他摄受众生，不会遗漏任何一个众生。当我们念佛时，我们就被佛的慈悲光所摄受，没有止境。
善导大师说：阿弥陀佛的身体遍满法界。他在我们的心想中出现。这是十六观经的解释。如果佛真的在我们心中， 生命一定是有意义的，彩色的，有活力的。生命中充满法喜。我们看起来是光亮，快乐的。一个人最宝贵的是他的心。 如果佛在你心中， 你一定是发了菩提心的人。因为，佛是无上正等正觉。如果佛在你心中那么正觉之芽一定增长。那时候，你又怎么会烦恼重重呢？你怎么有可能懒惰呢？你怎么会逃避责任呢？
4
In the Buddha Hall we make offerings of water, incense and flowers. If we use our body, mouth and mind as offerings to the Buddha, this is truly invaluable. So, if we adorn our mind by beings mindful of the Buddha, this is the highest practice as our adorned mind is the way place for the Buddha Amitabha. We adorn our mind by reciting the Buddha’s Name, by bringing forth the Bodhi mind, by bringing forth the vows to attain a rebirth as offerings to Amitabha Buddha. So, wherever we go we will be happy, calm at ease because the Buddha is in our mind.
Amitabha is our liver. The functions of a liver are to get rid of toxic in the body. The Liver of Amitabha is attained by those who recite His Name which help them to detoxify greed, hatred and delusion in their mind. They will feel the bliss of the Dharma body.
When the Buddha is in your mind your Dharma Body will grow up healthily, will be strong and powerful. I hope that every one of you can understand the meaning of the Buddha in your mind.
在佛堂里，我们供养水，香和花。当我们用我们的身体，口和心供养佛， 这是非常珍贵的。所以，我们可以念佛庄严自心，以发菩提心，发愿往生净土，这些都是供养阿弥陀佛。无论去到那里我们都很快乐，平静自在， 因为佛就在心中。
阿弥陀佛是我们的肝。肝能去除体内毒质。念佛人称念南无阿弥陀佛心中的贪嗔痴就去除了。他们能感受到法身之乐。
如果佛在您的心中， 你的法身将会健康长大，强壮而有力。我希望大家真能够明白佛在心中的意思。
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