Great Master Tan Luan’s Commentary on the Shastra of Attaining a Rebirth (revised edition)
A commentary on the verses of seeking a rebirth based on the Upadesa of the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan
The Shastra of Attaining a Rebirth by Vasubandhu Bodhisattva
The Shastra was translated during the Wei Dynasty by the Venerable Master Bodhiruci from Uttarapatha in the Monastery of Yong Ning.
A Commentary by Great Master Tan Luan on the Shastra of Attaining a Rebirth by Vasubandhu Bodhisattva
Great Master Tan Luan was from Xuan Zhong Monastery at the Stone Wall Valley by Wei xi River
PART 1
(1)
According to Nagarjuna Bodhisattva’s writing on Dassabhumika Vibhasa Sastra, aBodhisattva who seeks Avaivartika can choose from the two paths:
1. Difficult path 2. Easy path.
The difficult path means the seeking of Avaivartika ground in the world of five turbidities when the Buddha is no longer around. It is a difficult task.
Generally speaking , the difficulties are as follow:
1. The deviant path cultivators seems to look good. This brings confusion to the Bodhisattva Dharma.
2. Sravaka cultivates for self-benefit. This hinders them from bringing forth a mind of Great Kindness and Great Compassion.
3. Irresponsible evil men destroy the supreme virtues of others.
4. Rewards with leakages destroy the Brahman conduct.
5. Relying solely on one’s effort without relying on other’s strength.
We can see such happenings everywhere.
Let us take the analogy of walking on land. It is a difficult task.
The easy path is a practice which relies on the causes and conditions of having faith in the Buddha and the bringing forth of vows to be born in the Pure Land.
By relying on the Buddha’s Vows and Strength we will attain a rebirth in his Pure Land.
With the strength of the Buddha, we immediately enter the Great Vehicle Proper Concentration.
Proper Concentration means Avaivartika Ground.
It resembles the joyful journey when one travels on a sailing boat.
This is the Upadesa of the Immeasurable Lifespan Sutra.
This is the Highest and Ultimate Practice for us to travel on the Wind of No-retreat.
Immeasurable Lifespan is another Name for the Thus Come One in the Serenely Blissful Pure Land.
Sakyamuni Buddha spoke the adorned merits and virtues of the Buddha of Immeasurable Lifespan to the great assembly in the City of Rajagrha and Shravasti.
The Buddha’s Name is the Main Body of the Sutra.
Later the Sagely One Vasubandhu Bodhisattva was touched by the teaching of the Greatly Compassionate Thus Come One that he wrote the Verses of Vowing to attain a Rebirth based on the Sutra.
Besides, he also wrote the long lines which is known as Upadesa in Sanskrit to explain the verses.
In our country there is no words to replace Upadesa. It can be translated as Shastra.
The reason for no replacement in name is because the Buddha is not originated from our country.
For instance, the book in our country will be called Jing if it was written by Confucius. Those written by others are known as Zi. The History of the Country or the Records of our Country are other categories.
Among the 12 canons of Sutras which are spoken by the Buddha there is the Upadesa which comprises of writings of the Buddha’s disciples in the discussion on the Sutras.
If the writing of the disciples is written to explain the Sutra and the meanings are in accordance with the Buddha’s teaching, the Buddha also allows it to be called Upadesa as it contains the mark of Buddha Dharma.
In our country it is sometimes known as the Shastra which means an explanation or discussion. It is not the proper translation of that name Upadesa.
For instance, if we talk about woman, she is a mother to her children, a sister to her brother.
All these differences are in accord with the situations.
But if we speak generally it can refer to a mother, a sister. This is talking about woman.
There is no special meaning to differentiate if she is superior or inferior.
This is the same if we call it a Shastra.
That is why we maintain the pronunciation on the name Upadesa in Sanskrit.
This Shastra consists of two parts. 1. General teaching 2. Explanation of meanings
The verses in the front portions are the general teaching.
The explanation is in long prose.
The two parts carries the two meanings.
The Verses are used to praise the Sutra. This is the general teaching. The discussion is to explain the verses, to explain its meaning.
Immeasurable Lifespan refers to the Thus Come One of Immeasurable Lifespan. His lifespan is long and inconceivable.
The Sutra carries the meaning of being constantly permanent. It means in the Land of Serenely Blissful, the merits and virtues of the pure adornment of the Buddha and bodhisattvas, the merits and virtues of the pure adornment of the land are able to benefit living beings greatly. It can be practised constantly in the world. So, it is known as the Sutra.
Upadesa is the name of the writing on the discussion on the Buddha Sutra.
Vows carries the meaning of desire and wish of a man.
The word ‘birth’ refers to Tian Qin (Vasubandhu) bodhisattva desires to attain a rebirth in the Pure Land of Serenely Blissful, in the Thus Come One’s pure lotus. So, this is known as vow to be born.
Gathas refer to the sentences of praise of the Sutra. He wrote the Gathas to praise the Buddha Sutra briefly.
Vasu means heaven, bandhu means closely related. The author is Tian Qin or Vasubhandu as mentioned in the Transmitting of Dharma Treasury Sutra. Pusa means Bodhisattva in Sanskrit.
Bodhi refers to the Buddha Path. Sattva means living beings or being brave and resolute. A living being who seeks the Buddha Path is replete with courage and strong resolution. So, he is known as a Bodhisattva.
Now we say pusa as the translator gives the short form of Bodhisattva. Composed means he wrote the Gathas. The commoners respect him, as such they also respect the Dharma. That is why the name of the composer is mentioned. This Shastra is known as the Immeasurable Lifespan Upadesa, verses of vowing to attain a rebirth, composed by Tian Qin Pusa or Vasubandhu Bodhisattva.
This is the end of the explanation on the meanings of Shastra and the names.
(2)
The verses are divided into the five doors of mindfulness as explained in the long prose below.
The first verse is the Gatha of four sentences which consists of three doors of mindfulness. The first three lines are doors on making obeisance and praising. The last line is on making vows.
In the second Gatha the writer talked about himself on how he wrote this Shastra based on the Sutra. This is to show accordance with the Buddha’s teaching. This is to show his writing is based on the teaching of the Pure Land Sect and thus this writing is qualified to be called Upadesa. This Gatha is the accomplishement of the above three doors and bring forth the next two doors. So, this is the sequence.
From the 3rd Gatha until the 23rd Gatha reveal the door of contemplation. The last Gatha is the Door of Transference.
This is the end of the discussion on the division of the various Gathas with the corresponding doors.
Here it means he takes refuge in Sakyamuni Thus Come One.
How do we know this? It is because the next sentence he says he relies the Sutra. Vasubandhu Bodhisattva was born during the Image Dharma Period of Sakyamuni Thus Come One. As he is in accordance with Sakyamuni Thus Come One’s teaching, he vows to seek a rebirth. There must be a place of refuge for him before he can bring forth the vow to attain a rebirth. So, we know here he is talking about the refuge in Sakyamuni Buddha.
But it is also acceptable if we say he is pervasively telling all the Buddha about his vow to attain a rebirth.
A Bodhisattva takes refuge in the Buddha just like a filial son who takes refuge in his parents, or a loyal officer who takes refuge in the Emperor. Every move he makes will be conducted in accord with the Buddha’s teaching, not his own idea. Just like a filial son who goes in and out of his house will first ask the parents’ permission, not just as he likes. This is because he understands the kindness of his parents, he wants to repay their virtues in bringing him into the world. So, this is in accord with the principle that every move, any decision, the Buddha should first be acknowledged.
Moreover, what he vows for is not easy. If he does not seek the awesome spiritual guidance of the Thus Come One how can he manage to accomplish it?
As he begs for the spiritual strength of the Buddha to guide him, he needs to tell the Buddha of his Vows.
‘I single-mindedly’ refers to Vasubhandu Bodhisattva’s self-exhortation.
When he says he recites the name of the Unobstructed Lights Thus Come One and vows to be born in the Serenely Blissful World, it means he is mindful of the Buddha in every thought without the interference of other thoughts.
Question: In the Buddha Dharma we talk about no self. Why is he talking about ‘I’ here?
Answer: There are three interpretation of the word ‘I’.
1. a word of deviant views
2. a word of arrogance
3. a word for communication
Now when he says ‘I’, Vasubhandu Bodhisattva is talking as a means of communication, not as a word of deviant views or a word of arrogance.
‘I take refuge in the Unobstructed Thus Come One in the endless ten directions.’
Taking refuge refers to the Door of making obeisance.
‘The Thus Come One of Unobstructed Lights in the endless ten directions’ is the Door of Praising.
How do we know that taking refuge is making obeisance?
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva wrote the verses in praise of Amitabha Thus Come One in the following ways. Sometimes he says bowing with respect, sometimes he says I take refuge, sometimes he says I take refuge and make obeisance.
In the long prose of this Shastra there is a discussion on the cultivation of Five Doors of Mindfulness.
Among the five doors, making obeisance is one door.
Vasubandhu Bodhisattva says he wants to attain a rebirth, how can he not make obeisance? That is why we know taking refuge is making obeisance.
Making obeisance is only being respectful, it is unnecessary to take refuge. But when we say taking refuge making obeisance is a must.
With this standpoint, we know that taking refuge is more important. In the verses he is telling of what he desires, so taking refuge should be more suitable. If we talk about the meaning of the verses, it talks generally on making obeisance. So, these two are interconnected and it brings out the deep meanings.
How do we know that the Endless ten directions Unobstructed Thus Come One is the Door of Praise?
It is stated in the long prose below. What is meant by the Door of Praising? It means to recite the Thus Come One’s Name. It is the same as the mark of wisdom lights of the Thus Come One, the same as the meaning of His Name. It is because he desires to cultivate in accordance with the Buddha’s Teaching.
According to the Immeasurable Lifespan Sutra (Amitabha Sutra) which was propounded in Sravasti, the Buddha explained the meaning of the name Amitabha Buddha,
‘Why is he called Amitabha? The Buddha’s Lights are immeasurable and they illumine the lands in the ten directions without obstructions. So, he is known as Amitabha. Moreover, the lifespan of the Buddha and his people are immeasurable and limitless asamkheyas kalpas. So, he is known as Amitabha.’
Question: If you say the Thus Come One of Unobstructed Lights is replete with immeasurable bright lights, illumining the lands in the ten directions without obstructions, why do the living beings here do not receive the illumination? Since the light has its limitation this is considered having hindrances.
Answer: It is because the living beings have obstructions, not the lights. Take the analogy of the sun. It shines on all things in the world pervasively but the blind men are unable to see it.
We cannot blame the sun saying its illumination is not pervasive. Another analogy we can refer to is the torrential rain from the thick cloud. Yet the stone which is so hard and stubborn will not be moisturised. We cannot put the blame on the rain.
According to the Shastra of Sravaka the Buddha is the Teacher teaching in the three thousand great thousand worlds.
But according to the Great Vehicle Shastra, it is said that all the Buddha pervasively teach the immeasurable, limitless worlds in the ten directions.
Now Vasubandhu Bodhisattva says the Unobstructed Lights Thus Come One in the endless ten directions means we have to rely on the Name of the Thus Come One. We should praise in accord with the Thus Come One’s bright illumination, the mark of wisdom. So, we know this sentence is the door of praising.
The sentence ‘I vow to be born in the Land of Serenely Blissful’ refers to the Door of Making Vows. It means Vasubandhu Bodhisattva is taking refuge in the Buddha.
While the meaning of serenely blissful will be fully explained in the Door of Contemplation below.
Question: In the Great Vehicle Sutra, we can see everywhere pointing out that living beings are ultimately with no birth, just like the empty space. So why did Vasubandhu Bodhisattva say that he wishes to be reborn?
Answer: There are two ways to see that living beings are no birth just like the empty space.
1. The mundane men say there is a true existence of living beings. They see that birth and death is real. But what they have seen are ultimately not in existence, just like the fur on the tortoise, just like the empty space.
2. It is said that all dharma arises from causes and conditions. This is no birth. As nothing really exists, it is like the empty space.
Vasubandhu Bodhisattva says he vows to be born there carries the meaning of causes and conditions. Because of the meaning of causes and conditions, it is known as a birth by name. It is unlike the mundane men who think that living beings are real, birth and death are real.
Question: What is meaning of attaining a rebirth?
Answer: In the world we are known as men.We cultivate the five doors of mindfulness. The fore mindfulness is the cause for the next mindfulness. In the defiled land we are known as man by name. In the pure land we are also known as man by name. The two cannot be said as one. The two cannot be said as different.
This is the same for the fore thought and the next thought. Why is this so? If they are one there is no cause and effect. If they are different there is no continuity. This meaning is explained in details In the Shastra of the contemplation of the doors of one or different.
This is the end of the discussion of the first line, the three doors of mindfulness.
(3)
Next the accomplishment of the name as Upadesa. The following verses are written in connection with the above discussion.
‘By relying on the Sutra which is the genuine mark of merits and virtues, I will speak about the Vows, verses of praise and Dharani in accord with the Buddha’s Teachings.’
In this verse why do we say it accomplishes the name of Upadesa?
Why does it accomplish the above three doors to bring out the bottom two doors?
In the verses it is said, ‘By relying on the Sutra… in accord with the Buddha’s teachings.’
Sutra is the name of the Buddha’s Teaching. I discuss the meaning of the Buddha’s Sutra in accord with the Buddha’s teaching. This is entering the mark of Buddha Dharma. So, it can be called Upadesa.
The end of explanation on the accomplishment of name.
Talking about the accomplishment of the above three doors and the bringing forth of the bottom two doors, what are they rely on? Why do they rely on it? How do they rely on?
What are they rely on? The answer is they rely on the Sutra.
Why do they rely on it? This is because the Thus Come One Himself is the mark of genuine merits and virtues.
How do they rely on? This is because the cultivation of the five doors of mindfulness is in accord with the Buddha’s teaching.
The end of explanation on the accomplishment of the above three doors and the bringing forth of the bottom two doors.
Sutra –In the Twelve Canons of Sutra the teachings which are put forward directly by the Buddha are known as Sutras. There are the Four Agama Sutra, the Tripitaka and others.
Besides the Tripitaka, the Great Vehicles Sutras are also called the Sutra. Here when we say relying on the Sutra it refers to the Great Vehicle Sutra, not the Tripitaka nor the Agama Sutra.
Genuine merits and virtues–There are two types of merits and virtues.
One type arises from the mind with leakages and it is not in accord with the Dharma Nature. They are the various good deeds of the mundane men which bring on the rewards of devas and men. The rewards of devas and men are confused, fake and they are known as bogus merits and virtues.
The second type of merits and virtues come forth from the bodhisattva’s wisdom, come forth from his pure karma which enables him to conduct the adorned Buddha work.
They rely on the Dharma Nature to bring out the pure marks. Such a dharma is not confused, not fake. So, it is known as the genuine merits and virtues.
Why are they not confused? It is because they rely on the Dharma Nature and are in accord with the Double Truths.
Why are they not fake? They are able to gather in the living beings to arrive at the state of Ultimate Purity.
‘I will speak about the Vows, verses of praise and Dharani in accord with the Buddha’s Teachings.’
Dharani means not dispersed nor lost. It also carries the meaning of using a few words to express abundant meanings.
A verse here comprises of five characters (Chinese characters).
The vow refers to the desire to attain a rebirth.
‘speak’ is to talk about the verses and discussion.
Generally speaking, the verses to wish for a rebirth is the general upholding of the Buddha Sutra. They are in accord with the Buddha’s teaching.
‘in accord’ means the vows are in accord with the teaching just the same as a suitable cover that fits the pot nicely.
(4)
‘On contemplating the appearance of that World, it far-surpasses the paths in the Triple Realm.’
From here onwards refer to the fourth door of contemplation. It is further divided into two categories:
1. The accomplishment of contemplating the adorned environment.
2. The accomplishment of contemplating the adorned living beings.
From here onwards until the verse ‘Wishing to be born in the Buddha Land of Amitabha Buddha’ is the accomplishment of contemplating the adornment of the environment.
In the contemplation of the environment, it is further divided into 17 categories. We will explain them later.
These two sentences refer to the first matter which is known as the accomplishment of the merits and virtues in contemplating the adorned purity.
Purity is the general mark.
The reason the Buddha brings forth the merits and virtues of adorned purity because he witnesses the false mark of the triple realm. It is the mark of transmigrating, the mark of unending.
It resembles the transformation from the larva to the pupa, the bondage of cocoon.
It is most pitiful to see living beings who are bound in the triple realm, who uphold upside down views, who are born with an impure body.
The Buddha desires to bring living beings to dwell in the realm of no falsity, a place which is free from transmigration, a place which is free from unending existence.
The Buddha wishes that living beings will obtain a dwelling which is ultimately serene and blissful with great purity.
That is why he brings forth these merits and virtues of pure adornment.
Talking about ‘accomplishment’, it means this purity is indestructible, undefiled.
It is unlike the triple realm which is the mark of defilement, the mark of destruction.
‘Contemplate’ refers to his observation.
‘That Land’ refers to the Land of Serenely Blissful. The marks of that world refer to the pure marks of the serenely blissful world.
We will discuss the individual mark below.
‘Far-surpassing the triple realm path’ –The path means connections. When a cause is planted one will reap a corresponding fruit. The fruit is derived from a corresponding cause.
From the cause there is the fruit and from the fruit we know the cause. This is known as the path, the connections.
Triple realm refers to
1. Desire realm – They are the six desire heavens, humans, animals, hungry ghost and hell in the four continents.
2. Form realm – They are the first dhyana, second dhyana, third dhyana and the fourth dhyana heavens.
3. No form realm – the dwelling of emptiness, the dwelling of consciousness, the dwelling of nothingness, the dwelling of neither thinking nor no thinking.
The triple realm is a dark house where the mundane men transmigrate in the flows of birth and death.
Even though there is a slight difference in the sufferings and bliss, a difference in the length of time, generally speaking, they are with leakages.
The transmigration occurs with the living beings relying on each other or going against one another, without a time of respite.
The different types of birth arise with the contact and feeling, the four inverted views. Everyone is tied down in the seas of birth and death forever.
Causes and effects are unreal yet the effects are clearly felt.
Causes and effects are fake yet the cycle will continue.
While Serenely Blissful comes forth from the Bodhisattva’s Kindness, Compassion and Right Contemplation. It is builton on the spiritual power of the Thus Come One’s Original Vows.
Living beings born from the wombs, the eggs, the dampness are rescued on encountering the Vows and they will leave the triple realm forever.
Their karmic force of a long time will forever be severed.
After such a transformation they will cultivate wholeheartedly without being exhorted.
They will be diligent, humble, good and courteous. Their cultivation and virtues are equal to Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. They will be far-surpassing the triple realm. This is a brief discussion presently.
‘Ultimately it resembles the empty space which is spacious with no limits.’
The above verse is known as the accomplishment of merits and virtues of the adorned capacity.
The reason the Buddha bring forth this merits and virtues of the adorned capacity because he witnesses the narrowness of the triple realm.
All the roads, mountains, palaces, gardens, earthy fields are narrow and limited in extent.
Some may seek to have a faster lane. But they are hindered by mountains and rivers or they have to face the restriction in crossing the border that divides the two countries.
All these hindrances appear.
That is why the bodhisattva brings forth this vow on the merits and virtues of adorned capacity.
He vows that his Land will be spacious just like the extensive and limitless empty space.
The resemblance of empty space is explained as follows.
Living beings who attain a rebirth are numerous yet they seem not existing.
Extensive and limitless carries the above meaning of empty space.
Why is it like an empty space? It is because the capacity is extensive and without limitation.
What has he accomplished?
The living beings from the ten directions who attain a rebirth in the past, present or in future are immeasurable and limitless.
Ultimately, they resemble the empty space which is broad, extensive and limitless. There is no way for it to be full.
That is why it is said that the Land is extensive and limitless resembles the empty space.
Question: Just like the small room of Vimarlakirti, it contains everything yet it is still not full. Why should we need a land with extensive space only then it is known as great and extensive?
Answer: Talking about extensiveness it is not necessary referring to the mountains and lands as analogies. It takes the empty space as analogy. It does not matter if it is the size of a small room.
Moreover, if a small room can contain so many things, it is narrow yet broad.
But if we talk on the level of fruitions and rewards, it does not matter if we use the great space to show its extensiveness.
(5)
‘With the Proper Path of Great Kindness and Compassion, the wholesome root of leaving the world comes forth.’
These verses are known as the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned Nature.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
It is because he sees in some lands the living beings are attached to love and desire.
Because of loving desire, there is the Desire Realm.
With the attachment to concentration and the despising of desire there are the form and no-form realms.
These three realms come forth from the deviant paths with leakages.
In the long nights of birth and death a man does not know the way to leave them.
That is why the Buddha with a mind of Great Compassion vows that on his attainment of Buddhahood his Pure Land comes forth from the Unsurpassed Proper Path of Right Views which far-surpasses the Triple realm.
The Nature is in its original meaning. It means this Pure Land is in accord with the Dharma Nature. It is not against the Dharma Origin.
It carries the same in meaning as the arising of the Jewel King Thus Come One’s Nature in the Flower Adornment Sutra.
Moreover, it is said that the accumulation of habits becomes the Nature.
It means Dharmakara Bodhisattva accumulates the various paramita and with such habits the Land is accomplished.
Some say that the Nature means the Nature of the Sagely Seeds.
Dharmakara Bodhisattva was enlightened to the Dharma Patience of No Birth before the dwelling of the Buddha Lokesvararaja. This is the position of the Sagely Seed Nature.
Dwelling in this Nature he brought forth the 48 Vows and cultivated to bring forth this Land which is known as the Land of Serenely Blissful.
This Land comes forth from the causes he had planted. As such it is called the Nature as we are discussing the causes from the fruition of the Pure Land.
Moreover, the Nature carries the meaning of being sure, the meaning of No-changing.
For instance, the sea is of one taste. All the rivers flow into the sea will be of one taste too. The taste of the sea water will not change because of the rivers.
Or take the example of a human’s body. It is impure by nature. All kinds of wonderful, delicious, fragrant and tasty food on entering the body will become impure.
In the Pure Land of Serenely Blissful, all those who are born there are replete with a pure form and a pure mind. Ultimately, they have obtained the noumena Pure Dharma Body of Equality.
This is because the Land of Serenely Blissful is the accomplishment of Pure Nature.
‘With the Proper Path of Great Kindness and Compassion, the wholesome root of leaving the world comes forth.’
This is the Great Path of Equality. The Path of Equality is known as the Proper Path because the bodily mark of all dharma is in equality.
As all dharma is equal, the bringing forth of mind is equal.
As the bringing forth of mind is equal, the path is equal.
As the path is equal, Great Kindness and Great Compassion is equal.
Great Kindness and Great Compassion is the proper cause for the Buddha Path. So, the verse says the Proper Path is Great Kindness and Great Compassion.
There are three conditions of being kind and compassionate.
Firstly, the condition in connection to living beings is Small Compassion.
Secondly, the condition in connection to the dharma is the Medium Compassion.
Thirdly, kindness and compassion without condition is Great Compassion.
Great Compassion is the wholesome roots of leaving the world.
The Land of Serenely Blissful comes forth from this Great Compassion. So, it is said Great Compassion is the root of Pure Land. Thus, it is stated: The wholesome root of leaving the world comes forth.
‘He is fully replete with the pure illumination that resembles the shining mirror, the sun and moon.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned forms.
The Buddha brings forth this adornment of merits and virtues because he observes the sun travels to the four continents yet the lights do not pervade the three directions. In the garden, houses and surroundings the lights are limited too.
That is why the Buddha brings forth this vow that his pure illumination will be full.
It is like the sun and moon which is full in illumination.
The Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is expansive and limitless yet the pure illumination fully lights up the Land.
So, it is said it is fully replete with the pure illumination that resembles the shining mirror, the sun and moon.
(6)
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the various adorned matters.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He observes that in some lands earth is used to decorate the palaces, wood and rock are used to decorate the garden scenery.
Some may use the golden carving and jade border but the decoration is incomplete and not in accord with one’s desire.
Or some have tried and prepared hundreds of thousand ways in the matter of decoration, after undergoing lots of hardships.
That is why the Buddha brings forth the Great compassion, vowing that on his attainment of Buddhahood, his Land is fully replete with precious gems which are adorned, beautiful and natural.
The amount is in such abundance that no one would care about them.
Everyone will naturally arrive at the Buddha Path.
The adorned matters in the Pure Land could not be matched by Vishvarman, the creative Devas of art and craft.
With all his thinking and designs he is still unable to match the adorned decors in the Pure Land.
Nature carries the meaning of origin. The one who can bring forth these adornments is pure.
So how can the product be impure?
In the Sutra it is said, ‘When the mind is pure the Buddha Land is pure.’
That is why the verses thus described, ‘It is replete with the various gems of the Jewel Nature which is perfectly full in the wonderful adornment.’
‘The Light of No-filth is burning tremendously, illuminating the worlds with its brightness of purity.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the wonderful and adorned forms.
What is the reason for the Buddha to bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses some lands are wonderful while others are awful.
With these differences, there are the superior and inferior quality. As there are these differences in quality, argument of rights and wrongs will come forth.
As there are the arguments of rights and wrongs, living beings will forever be sinking in the three existences.
That is why the Buddha brings forth the Great Compassion, making the Vow of Equality.
‘May my Land be enveloped in the foremost, incomparable bright lights which shine brilliantly.’
It is unlike the gold in the heaven and human realms. Some gold will have its shine hidden by the shine of others and some will outshine others.
For instance, the bright mirror which is put by the side of a piece of gold will lose its lustre.
The shine of today’s gold will lose its lustre in comparison to the gold of the Buddha’s time.
The gold of the Buddha’s time will lose its lustre in comparison to the Jambudvipa gold.
In comparison to the golden sands on the Wheel Turning King’s Path in the great ocean, the Jambudvipa gold will lose its lustre.
By comparing the golden sands on the path of the Wheel Turning Sagely King to the golden mountain, they will lose their lustre.
By comparing the golden mountain to the gold on Mount Sumeru it will lose its lustre.
By comparing the gold on Mount Sumeru to the golden necklaces in the Heaven of Thirty-three it will lose its lustre.
By comparing the golden necklace in the Thirty-three Heaven to the gold in Yama Heaven, it will lose its lustre.
By comparing the gold in the Yama Heaven to the gold in Tushita Heaven it will lose its lustre.
By comparing the gold from the Tushita Heaven to the gold in Transforming at Ease Heaven, it will lose its lustre.
By comparing the gold from the Transforming at Ease Heaven to the gold in the Heaven of Transforming Other’s Bliss, it will lose its lustre.
By comparing the gold from the Heaven of Transforming Other’s Bliss to the bright illumination of the Land of Serenely Blissful, it will lose its lustre.
Why is this so?
The golden light in that Land comes forth from the karma of no filth. It has fully accomplished the purity.
The Land of Serenely Blissful comes forth from the pure karma of the Bodhisattva who has certified to the Patience of No-birth.
It is the Land led by the Dharma King Amitabha Thus Come One.
It is a Land that takes the Thus Come One Amitabha as the enhanced conditions.
That is why the verses thus described:
The Light of No-filth is burning tremendously, illuminating the worlds with its brightness of purity.
Talking about the illumination of the worlds it means illumining two types of worlds.
The grass of merits and virtues of the innate Jewel Nature is soft and gentle, swirling to the left and right. On touching it one feels the supreme bliss far-surpassing the softness of Kaclindi birds.
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned contact.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses there are lands where people treat the gold and jade as valuables yet they cannot make them into clothes.
They are just precious jewels, clear mirror, decorative adornments or vessels.
They are nice to look at but cannot be put on the body.
So, there is a difference in the eyes contact and the bodily contact. Is not this contradicting?
That is why he vowed that in his Land the contacts of the six roots are in harmony just like the mixture of water and milk with no difference.
The great distance between the counties of Chu and Yue are cleared away.
In his Land the seven gems are soft and gentle. They are soothing to the eyes and bodily contact.
Kaclincdi is the name of the soft grasses in Northern India. One will feel the bliss on touching it. So, it is taken as an analogy.
The commenter said that everything in our realm such as the earth, stones, grass and trees are fixed in their forms.
So, why did the translator see the gems as grass?
This may be used as an analogy because of the functions.
Comparing on other translation, it is used as a mean to describe the texture and functions of such a contact.
Talking from the point of view of supreme bliss, on touching the Kaclindi grass one gives rise to defiled bliss.
But on touching the soft gem the Dharma Bliss will be enjoyed.
These two matters are very different in function. The supremacy in contact is not the same.
That is why it is said ‘The grass of merits and virtues of the innate Jewel Nature is soft and gentle, swirling to the left and right. On touching it one feels the supreme bliss far-surpassing the softness of Kaclindi ’
(8)
These verses are known as the accomplishment the merits and virtues of the adorned water.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this Vow?
He witnesses some lands are with little water while others are flooded with gigantic waves, masses of bubbles and water foams which are most frightening.
Or there are water flows which are very narrow, dark and filthy and the water seems stagnant, swirling around with dangerous under current.
The streams and rivers do not bring the peace of mind. Very often one will be terrified and worried.
On seeing this, the Bodhisattva brings forth the mind of Great Compassion, vowing that on his accomplishment of Buddhahood, all the water flow, spring water, ponds and swamps are matching with the sizes of the palaces.
Myriad lotuses are grown as decoration of the water.
The wind blows by gently like the vibrating of a fan in a consistent rhythm. On seeing this we are relax and calm. There are many other benefits too.
That is why it is thus written:
Jewel lotuses of myriad species fully cover the ponds and flowing streams. The soft breeze passes by the brightly illuminated flowers and leaves, with their shines interweaving one another.
‘The palaces, bungalows and pavilions can be seen in the ten directions with no obstruction. The mixed species of trees shine forth in unique lights. The jewel railings pervasively surround the Land.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned ground.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses some lands are full of high cliffs, dangerous steep mountains. On the mountains are the withered forests, small and narrow steep mountain lanes, with the valley filled with small thatched huts.
The seas and oceans are expansive and the shores are not in sight. The unending flows of rivers, the remote swampy areas are wilderness with no inhabitants.
The bodhisattva witnesses this and he brings forth the Great Vows of Compassion, vowing that his land will be as even as the palms, with the palaces, bungalows and pavilions extends to the ten directions like the reflections in the mirror.
They do not belong to any one yet they are fully occupied.
The jewel trees, jewel railings reflect on one another as decorations.
That is why it is thus described:
The palaces, bungalows and pavilions can be seen in the ten directions with no obstruction. The mixed species of trees shine forth in a variety of lights. The jewel railings pervasively surround the Land.
(9)
‘Immeasurable gems are interlaced among the shining nets pervasively, occupying the empty space. An array of jewel bells tinkling and spreading the wonderful Dharma Sounds.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned empty space.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses in some lands the sky is filled with smoke, cloud, dust and mist which fully cover up the empty space.
The lightnings and thunderstorms comes down from the space to the ground.
Inauspicious rainbows often appear in the space. On seeing them one is worried and frightened, with the hair standing on end.
On seeing this the bodhisattva brings forth the mind of Great Compassion.
He vows that in his Land the space will be decorated with interweaving jewel nets that pervasively cover up the sky.
Among the nets are shining bells which play the harmonious music, propagating the Dharma.
Everyone enjoys seeing this. Their mind on the path and their virtues are enhanced.
That is why it is thus said:
Immeasurable gems are interlaced among the shining nets pervasively, occupying the empty space. An array of jewel bells tinkling and spreading the wonderful Dharma Sounds.
(10)
‘The adornment of the rain showers down clothes and flowers with immeasurable fragrance pervasively permeating the Land.’
These verses are known as the accomplishment of merits and virtues of adorned rain.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses in some lands the people desire to cover the ground with cloth as decorations to invite the Honoured One to attend the ceremony.
Or some desire to show respect by offering the fragrance, flowers and expensive jewels.
But as they are lacking in good karma their offerings are poor and meagre.
The matter of showing respect is often unaccomplished.
That is why he brings forth the Vow of Great Compassion.
He vows that in his Land these ornaments are often rained down to fulfil the wishes of living beings.
Why does he use the word ‘rain’?
He is afraid people who get attached to it will say, ‘If the flowers and clothes are often rained down, it will fill up the whole of empty space.’
What are the conditions we say it will not be like that?
That is why he uses ‘rain’ as an analogy.
Rain falls in accord with the time and season will not result in disasters such as flood or the overflowing of rivers.
In the Land of Peaceful Bliss there is no retribution which will bring upon the people the calamities.
In the Sutra it is thus stated,
‘In the six periods of time in a day and night jewel clothes and jewel flowers will be rained down. These jewel and gems are soft in quality. When one steps on them, they will sink down by four inches. When one raises the foot, they will resume as before. After fully utilized they will disappear into the Jewel Ground.’
It is just like the water that flows naturally into the pit.
So, it is said: The adorned clothes and flowers fall down from the sky like the flowery rain with immeasurable fragrance pervasively scenting the Land.
‘The Buddha’s Wisdom resembles the bright and pure sunshine eradicating the darkness of worldly ignorance.’0108
These are verse on the accomplishment of merits and virtues of the adorned bright illumination.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses in some lands even though there is sunlight, living beings are still living in the darkness of ignorance.
That is why he vows that the bright illumination in His Land is able to eradicate the darkness of delusion and enables living beings to enter the Buddha’s wisdom.
They will not involve in non-beneficial matters.
It is also stated that the bright illumination in the Land of Serenely Blissful comes forth from the Thus Come One’s Wisdom of reward. That is why the light has the ability to eradicate the darkness of delusion.
It is thus stated in the Sutra, ‘In some lands the bright illumination carries out the Buddha’s work.’
This is what happens in this Land. So, it is said:
‘The Buddha’s Wisdom resembles the bright and pure sunshine eradicating the darkness of worldly ignorance.’
(11)
‘The Brahman Sound of his Name which is subtly wonderful can be heard in the ten directions. It resonates deeply and travels far to enlighten those who hear it.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned wonderful Name.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this vow?
He witnesses that some lands possess the wholesome dharma but not many people know about them.
Some lands are well known by people but they are not subtly wonderful.
Some lands are well known by many with the wonderful dharma yet they are unable to enlighten the living beings.
That is why he brings forth this adornment.
In ancient India, the pure conduct is known as the Brahman conduct.
They refer to wonderful words as the Brahman words.
The country places high values on the Brahman Heaven. So, the word Brahman is used as a word of praise.
It is also said the Chinese Dharma is closely connected to the Brahman Heaven.
The word ‘sounds’ means ‘name’. The name here refers to the Land of Serenely Blissful.
It is thus stated in the Sutra, ‘If a man hears the Name of the Serenely Blissful Land and desires to attain a rebirth, his vows will be fulfilled.’
This is an evidence that the name is able to bring on enlightenment.
In the explanation of the Shastra it is thus stated,
‘This Pure Land does not belong to the triple realm. Why do I say so? There is no desire so it does not belong to the desire realm. The people stay on the ground so it is not the form realm. The people there are with a form so it does not belong to the no-form realm.’
This Land comes forth from the specific karma of the bodhisattva. It exists outside the existence so it is known as subtle. (Outside the existence means outside the three existences. It ‘Exists’ means there is the Pure Land.)
The name is able to bring enlightenment to living beings so it is known as wonderful. (Wonderful is awesome. As the Name is able to enlighten living beings it is called wonderful.)
That is why it is said, ‘The Buddha’s Brahman Sound which is subtly wonderful can be heard in the ten directions. It resonates deeply and travels far to enlighten those who hear it.’ 0208
‘Amitabha Buddha the Proper Enlightened One is the Dharma King who is good at governing the Land.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of merits and virtues of the adorned master.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this vow?
He witnesses that in some lands when the Rakshasa becomes the emperor he will bring his army to conquer other countries and wars are declared.
If the Palace is taken over by the Jewel Wheel Turning Sagely King peace will prevail in the four continents.
For instance, when the wind blows by all the grass will be blown flat on the ground as everything happens with a reason.
That is why he brings forth the vow that his Land will often be led by a Dharma King. The Land is upheld by the wholesome strength of the Dharma King.
Upholding can be understood in the following analogies. ( which means caring, giving protection)
For instance, the bird Huang Hu called out to his Master’s Name Zi An for three years after he had passed away. Finally, its master ZiAn was alive from death and lived on for a thousand years.
The mother fish is mindful of her eggs so that their lives will be protected throughout the seasons, with water in summer or without water in winter.
The Land of Serenely Blissful is well upheld by the Proper Enlightened Buddha.
So how can there be any matters which are not connected with the Proper Enlightenment in that Land?
That is why it is said, ‘Amitabha Buddha the Proper Enlightened One is the Dharma King who is good at governing the Land.’
(12)
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned retinues.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this vow?
He witnesses that in some lands the living beings take the ovum as the body. Or there are those who take the excrement and urine as a base of life.
Under the Styphnolobium Japonicum trees and spines trees (where the imperial high officers are sitting) unworthy sons are born.
Or there are people whose mothers are maids yet they are born talented.
Facing such circumstances slanderous words are uttered, fire of anger is triggered.
Facing the laughter and humiliation, the mind is as cold as the ice.
That is why the Buddha brings forth this vow, that in his Land, everyone is born from the pure lotus flower of the Thus Come One. The relatives and retinues are equal and there will be no argument.
That is why it is said: The Thus Come One’s assemblies of pure lotuses are transformed from the Flowers of Proper Enlightenment.
‘They love the taste of the Buddha Dharma as they consume the blissful food of Samadhi.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned personal enjoyment.
Why does the Buddha bring forth such a vow?
He witnesses in some lands people destroy the nests to steal the eggs for food.
Or there are those who are so poor that they cannot afford to buy any food or grains. They hang a bag of sand, pretending that there is food in the household in order to console the hungry people.
The Buddha takes great pity on his children as his heart is aching seeing their sufferings.
So, the Buddha brings forth the Great Vows of Compassion, that in his Buddha Land, people will take the Buddha Dharma, concentration and Samadhi as food.
They will forever be free from the afflictions of wanting to eat other food.
Those who enjoyed the taste of the Buddha Dharma could be seen in the Dharma Flower Sutra which was spoken by the Buddha of the Lights of Sun and Moon Lantern Buddha.
He took 60 small kalpas to speak the Dharma.
Those who attended the dharma assembly also sat on one side for 60 small kalpas. They felt just as though they had been sitting there for the timespan in taking one meal. None of them were heedless. They were not tired in body and mind.
The meaning of taking concentration as food is explained thus. The Great Bodhisattvas often dwell in Samadhi and they do not take other food.
An explanation of Samadhi: When the heavenly beings are going to take food, all delicacies will appear before them. They see the colours, smell the fragrance and their body will naturally be full and comfortable. After that the food will disappear. If they need to eat again, the food will again appear. This matter is mentioned in the Sutra. That is why it is said here:
They love the taste of the Buddha Dharma as they consume the Blissful Food of Samadhi.
(13)
These verses are known as the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adornment of no disaster.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this vow?
He witnesses that in some lands the officers see the emperor in the morning, obtain the trust and benefits but in the evening, they are cast aside because of rumours and slanderous speech. They might even be punished to death with knife and hammers.
Or there are those who are born in the low and poor family but when they grow up, they are among the rich and privilege.
Or there are those who join the army to protect the country. They are sent off in grace and presents, trumpets and drums. But they may face the disaster of others’ slanderous speech that they are sent back in haste, with threats and hostility.
These lands are full of such harmful disaster and threats.
That is why he vows that in his Land the Serenely Bliss will be enjoyed unceasingly, with no interruption.
The disaster of the body refers to hunger, thirst, cold and heat, killing and harming. The afflictions in the mind refers to the three poisons, rights and wrongs, gain and loss.
That is why it is said: They have forever left the afflictions of the body and mind. Instead, they will enjoy the uninterrupted bliss constantly.
‘The Great Vehicle Realm of Wholesome Roots is in equality without any names of slanders and disdain.’
(14)
‘Women, those with defects in roots, the two vehicles are not born.’
These verses are known as the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the Adorned Great Meaning Door.
The Door refers to the entrance into the Great Meaning.
Great Meaning means the Great Vehicle.
For instance, if we build a city, we can enter the city from a gate. If a man is born in the Land of Serenely Blissful, he will accomplish the Great Vehicle Door.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this vow?
He witnesses in some lands there are the Buddha Thus Come One, the assemblies of worthies and the sages. As the land is turbid so we will discuss this in three parts.
For example, when a monk opens his eyes to look at women he will be ridiculed.
Or when the deaf and dumb use their fingers to talk, they will be sneered at.
That is why the Buddha vows that in his Land there is only the one taste of the Great Vehicle, the one taste of Equality.
They will not be born as the damaged seeds with deterioration in roots ultimately.
There are not even names of woman or the impaired ones in that Land.
That is why it is said: The Great Vehicle Realm of Wholesome Roots is in equality without any names of slanders and disdain. Those who attain a rebirth are not born as women, with defects in roots or become the two vehicles.
Question: According to the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan which was spoken by the Buddha at Rajagrha, Dharmakara Bodhisattva brought forth the 48 Vows and he said,
‘On my attainment of Buddhahood, if people are able to calculate and know the number of Sravaka in my Land, I will not attain the Proper Enlightenment.’
This is the first evidence that there are Sravaka in that Land.
Moreover, in the Dasabhumika Vibhasa Nagarjuna Bodhisattva composed the Verses in Praise of Amitabha Buddha.
He said,
‘Far-surpassing the prison of the triple realm,
His eyes resemble the sepals of lotuses.
There are immeasurable Sravaka.
So, I make obeisance to them.’
This is the second evidence that there are Sravaka.
Moreover, in the Maha Prajna Paramita Shastra, it is thus stated,
‘There are different kinds of Buddha Lands. Or there are Buddha Lands whose Sangha consist of all Sravaka. Or there are Buddha Lands with the Bodhisattva as the Sangha. Or there are Buddha lands, the assemblies of Bodhisattva and Sravaka are the Sangha. For instance, they are found in the lands such as the Land of Serenely Blissful of Amitabha Buddha.’
This is the third evidence of the existence of Sravaka.
In many Sutras on the Land of Serenely Blissful the Sravaka are mentioned. They do not say no Sravaka.
Sravaka belongs to the two vehicles.
But in this Shastra, it states that there are no names of the two vehicles. How do we explain this?
Answer: By inference of reasoning, the Pure Land of Serenely Blissful should not have two vehicles. Why do I say this?
When a man is sick, he needs the medicine. This is just common sense.
According to the Dharma Flower Sutra, it is thus stated,
‘Sakyamuni Buddha Thus Come One divides the One Vehicle into three to teach the living beings because he is born in the world of five turbidities.’
Pure Land is not a world of five turbidities, so we should know there are no three vehicles.
In the Dharma Flower Sutra, it explains how the Sravaka attain liberation,
‘When they leave the falsity, it is known as liberation.’
In actuality such a man has not attained total liberation because he is yet to attain the Unsurpassed Path.
So, in accord with this explanation, an Arahant who has not attained the total liberation he will be born again.
But this man will not be born in the triple realm again.
Outside the triple realm there is the pure land. There is no other place for him to take a rebirth.
That is why they should be born in the Pure Land.
So, when we say the Sravaka it refers to the Sravaka from other worlds who are born in the Pure Land.
They are thus called in accord with their original name, the Sravaka.
For instance, Sakra Indra the Heavenly Lord was known as Kausika when he was in the human realm.
Later even though he was born as the Heavenly Lord, the Buddha still referred to him as Kausika when talking to him so that others will know his origin.
It is the same here.
Moreover, in this Shastra it is said that the two vehicles will not be born. It means in the Land of Serenely Blissful the seeds of two vehicles will not sprout but it does not hinder the two vehicle cultivators to attain a rebirth.
For instance, oranges are not planted in Jiang Bei but we can also find oranges in the He Luo fruit market.
People also say the parrots do not leave the place where they are born, Long Xi. Yet they can also be reared in the County of Zhao and Wei.
So here the two things are not originated or planted there yet they can be brought over.
This is the same when we explain why there are Sravaka in that Land.
Explaining in this way the contradiction in the Sutras and Shastra is eliminated.
Question: Names are given to describe certain matters or happenings. When a matter comes forth, a corresponding name is given. In the Land of Serenely Blissful there are no such matters concerning the two vehicles, women or impaired roots. Why should these three matters be mentioned if they do not exist?
Answer: Some people slander the bodhisattva who are soft hearted, who are not so courageous as Sravaka.
People who are crooked, who enjoy fawning, who are weak are often referred to as women.
Or people with good eye-sights yet they are unable to differentiate various matters are often referred as the blind ones.
For instance, some people have no problem in hearing but they listen without knowing the meaning. They are referred to as being deaf.
Some people can talk but they cannot present their ideas well. They are often referred to as being dumb.
These people are replete with proper roots yet they cannot avoid criticism.
That is why it is necessary to say there is no such names. It clarifies that Pure Land will have no such contradicting names and situations.
Question: According to Dharmakara Bodhisattva’s Original Vows and the Praise by Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, the stress on the innumerable Sravaka in that Land is specially emphasized. What is the meaning for this?
Answer: Sravaka are Sages who have certified to reality. In fact they will not bring forth the sprouts for the Buddha Path.
Yet the Buddha Amitabha with his Original Vows of inconceivable spiritual strength gathers them in to be born there. Surely the Buddha will bestow upon them the spiritual strength to bring forth the Bodhi Mind on the Unsurpassed Path.
For example, when the Jiu bird enters the water all the fish and mussels will die. The rhinoceros touch the deaths and they are revived.
Those who are supposed to be dead live again. This is truly an inconceivable, unique matter.
In the five inconceivability, the Buddha Dharma is the most inconceivable.
The Buddha is able to bestow the strength on the Sravaka so that they will bring forth the mind on the Unsurpassed Path. This is truly inconceivable.
‘All the vows of living beings, all their wishes are fully fulfilled.’
These verses are known as the accomplishment of merits and virtues of the adorned fulfilment of all wishes.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this vow?
He witnesses in some lands people of high status and fame are difficult to find time to cultivate.
Or the common people who are lowly and poor find it very difficult to change their life.
Or people have no control over their lifespan as the length of lifespan depends on their karma, not as they have wished for. The immortal Asita is one of the examples.
All living beings are bound by their corresponding karma and they are not in control of their lifespan.
That is why he vows that living beings in his Land will be able to fulfil all their wishes as it is thus stated: All the vows of living beings, all their wishes are fully fulfilled
(15)
‘That is why I wish to be born in the Buddha Land of Amitabha Buddha.’
These verses are the conclusion on the contemplation of the accomplishment of 17 adornments of the Land. So, he brings forth the vow to be born there.
This is the end of the description of the pure states of the Pure Land.
Next, we will contemplate the purity of the worlds of living beings. Here it is divided into two specifications.
1. Contemplating the adorned merits and virtues of Amitabha Thus Come One.
2. Contemplating the adorned merits and virtues of the bodhisattvas.
There are eight kinds of the contemplation on the adorned merits and virtues of the Thus Come One. We will discuss in detail when we come to the passages.
Question: Some Shastra Masters give the following meaning to the words ‘living beings’:
Living beings are thus called because they transmigrate in the three existences. They undergo many birth and death. So, they are called living beings.
Here it is said that the Buddha and bodhisattvas are living beings. What is the meaning for this?
Answer: According to the Sutra, in one dharma there are immeasurable names. In one name there are immeasurable meanings.
If we explain living beings are thus called because they undergo many births and deaths, this is the explanation given by the Small Vehicle teaching for living beings in the triple realm.
In the Great Vehicle teaching, living beings are not explained in this way.
According to the Great Vehicle teaching, living beings are explained as follows.
In the Sutra of Neither increase nor Decrease, it is said that living beings carry the meaning of neither born nor become extinct.
Why is this so?
If there is a birth, there will be birth after birth. This will bring on unending errors.
There is this fault of birth in no birth.
So, living beings are neither born.
When there is a birth there will be an extinction.
Since they are neither born, they will neither become extinct.
So, neither born nor become extinct is the meaning of living beings.
Just as it is stated in the Sutra,
‘When we truly penetrate the five skandhas, they are empty with nothing in existence. This is the meaning of sufferings.’
This is also the same for the explanation on living beings.
‘The subtly wonderful pure lotus platform is made from immeasurable Great Jewel King.’
These are the versess on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned seat.
Why does the Buddha bring forth the vow of an adorned seat?
He witnesses some bodhisattvas in the last birth before attaining Buddhahood spread the grass as a seat to attain Annutaraksamyaksambodhi.
On seeing this the faith of devas and men will not be enhanced. Their respect, admiration, and cultivation will not be enhanced either.
That is why he vows that on his accomplishment of Buddhahood, his Buddha Seat is the subtly wonderful pure lotus platform which is adorned with immeasurable great jewel king.
Talking about immeasurable, for instance, in the Contemplation of Immeasurable Lifespan Sutra, it is thus stated:
There is a Great Jewel Lotus Flower King Seat on the ground of seven gems.
Every sepal of the lotus is adorned with hundreds of jewel colours.
On every sepal there are 84,0000 veins which resemble the heavenly art pieces.
From the veins 84 thousand lights are emitted.
The flower with small sepals extends to a distance of 250 yojanas. Flowers such like this consist of 84,000 sepals.
Between every sepal hundreds of billions Mani Pearl Kings shine brightly as decorations.
Every Mani emits thousands of lights which resemble the canopies with the combination of seven jewels that cover the ground pervasively.
The platform is made from Sakyaviranka jewel.
This lotus platform is decorated with 80 thousand Vajra Kijsuka gems, Brahman Mani gems and wonderful pearly nets.
Above the platform there are four pillars of jewel dhvajas naturally.
Every jewel dhvajas resembles hundreds of thousands kotis Mount Sumeru.
Above the dhvajas are the jewel curtains that resemble those in the Yama Heavenly Palace.
They are decorated with 500 billion subtly wonderful jewel pearls which shine forth brightly.
Every jewel pearl emits 84 thousand lights. Every light shines out 84 thousand varieties of golden lights. Every golden light is transformed into unique forms continually, pervasively cover every part of the Jewel Land of Serenely Blissful.
Some are transformed into the Vajra platforms. Some are transformed into the pearly nets while others are transformed into the mixed flowery clouds.
In the ten directions, the lights transform into various forms to conduct the Buddha work naturally. Matters such like these are innumerable.
That is why it is said here: The subtly wonderful pure lotus platform is made from the Immeasurable Great Jewel King.
(16)
‘His brightly shining countenance emits light to a distance of one Yojana. His adorned form features far-surpasses all the living beings.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of an adorned body karma.
Why does the Buddha adorn his bodily karma?
He witnesses some Buddha emits lights to a distance of ten feet.
By comparing to the human body this light is not very special.
Even the Wheel Turning Sagely King’s adornment is nearly the same.
Devadatta is replete 30 adornments, only less by two. As such he managed to confuse King Ajatashatru.
Sanjaya Belatthiputta and others dare to go against the Buddha’s Teaching just like the praying mantis dares to use its legs to stop the vehicle.
And other hindrances such like these occur.
That is why he adorned such a bodily karma.
According to the old evaluation, one xun is equivalent to six feet.
In the Contemplation of Immeasurable Lifespan Sutra, the height of Amitabha Buddha is 60 million billion Nayutas Ganges Sands Yojanas.
The Buddha’s round light resembles the hundreds of billions three thousand great thousand worlds.
The translator used the word ‘xun’ to describe this light. Is not it very dark?
Common people in the village do not know much about measurement. They say the length of ‘xun’ is the stretching out of two arms.
So, the translator might be using this kind of analogy in measurement, take the distance of stretching both arms, or one xun to describe the lights of Amitabha Thus Come One.
The diameter of the round lights should be 60 million billion of Nayutas Ganges Sands Yojanas.
That is why it is thus said: His brightly shining countenance emits light to a distance of one Yojana. His adorned form far-surpasses all the living beings.
Question: It is thus stated in the Contemplation of Immeasurable Lifespan Sutra,
‘All the Buddha Thus Come One is the body of the Dharma Realm. They enter the mind of all living beings. That is why when we are thinking of the Buddha, the mind is replete with the 32 marks, the 80 subtle adornments. This mind attains Buddhahood. This mind is the Buddha. The Seas of Proper Pervasive Knowledge of all the Buddha arises from the thinking mind. What does this mean?’
Answer:
The body is known as an accumulation of various conditions. The realm is the various phenomenon.
For instance, the eye realm is conditioned by the roots, forms, emptiness, brightness and the arising of thoughts. These five causes and conditions give rise to the eyes-realm. The eyes only manifest in accord with these related conditions, not in accord with the conditions of other roots. It is because the roots are different in functions.
This is also the same for the ears, nose, and other realms.
Saying that the Buddha Thus Come One is the Body of Dharma Realm.
Dharma realm is the mind dharma of all living beings.
This mind is able to bring forth all the worldly dharma and the dharma of leaving world.
That is why the mind is known as the Dharma Realm.
The Dharma realm is able to give birth to the adorned body of the Thus Come One, in the same way that forms and such like are able to bring forth the eyes-consciousness.
That is why the Buddha’s body is known as the Body of the Dharma Realm.
This body does not act on other conditions so it can enter the thinking mind of all living beings.
When the mind is thinking about the Buddha, the mind is the 32 hall marks, the 80 subtle adornments.
When living beings are thinking of the Buddha, the adorned Buddha’s body appears in the mind of the living beings.
For instance, when the water is clear, the form images will appear in it.
The water and the form images are neither the same nor different.
That is why we say the Buddha’s adorned form features and body is the thinking mind.
Talking about the mind can attain Buddhahood means this mind enables one to attain Buddhahood.
Talking about this mind is the Buddha means outside the mind we cannot find a Buddha.
For instance, the fire comes out from the wood. The fire cannot be apart from the wood.
As the fire is not apart from the wood it is able to burn up the wood.
When the wood is burnt by the fire, the wood is the fire.
The seas of Proper Pervasive Knowledge of all the Buddhas come from the thinking mind.
The one who is replete with the Proper, Pervasive Knowledge is the one who is replete with the Genuine and Proper knowledge of the Dharma Realm.
The Dharma Realm is without form so all the Buddha is with no knowing.
Without knowing so the Buddha knows everything.
Without knowing and yet he knows all is known as the Proper Pervasive Knowledge. This knowledge is deep, expansive and unfathomable. So, the analogy of seas is used to describe it.
‘The amazing Name of the Thus Come One echoes afar, to the ten directions.’
This is the verse on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned mouth karma.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses some Thus Come Ones’ Names are not respected by people. For example, the deviant followers called Sakyamuni Buddha by his surname Gautama. On the day of his Enlightenment, his name could only be heard as far as the Brahman Heaven. That is why he vows that on his attainment of Buddhahood, his wonderful name will spread afar. Those who hear the name will be enlightened to Patience. So, it is said:
The Thus Come One’s subtly wonderful Name spreads afar. The Brahman Name is heard in the ten directions.
‘The amazing Name of the Thus Come One echoes afar, to the ten directions.’
(17)
‘It resembles the earth, water, fire and wind, the space which is without differentiation.’
This is the verse on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned mind karma.
What is the reason for the Buddha to bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses some Buddha speaks the Dharma in this way,
‘This is black and this is white. This is neither black nor white. This is the inferior dharma, medium dharma, superior dharma, the most supreme dharma.’
There are immeasurable differences such like these. It looks as though there is a lot of differentiation.
That is why the Buddha vows that on his attainment of Buddhahood, the teaching will resemble the great earth which gives support to all things without differentiating their weight.
It resembles the water which nurtures all growth without differentiating if they are lawn grass or weeds.
It resembles the fire which heats up the food without differentiating if it is fragrant or smelly.
It resembles the wind that blows across without differentiating if one is asleep or awake.
It resembles the empty space which envelopes without giving rise to a thought that it is open or blocked.
When the mind dwells in wisdom and equality internally, the external matters will dwell in peace. The false will fall away with the genuineness staying on. Ignorance will come to rest.
That is why it is said: It resembles the earth, water, fire and wind, the space which is without differentiation. (The ignorance will come to rest can be explained that all the efforts and functions come to a rest)
‘The heavenly beings with immovable minds are born from the seas of pure wisdom.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned assemblies.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses that when some of the Thus Come One are turning the Dharma Wheel, those in the assembly are varied in roots nature and desires.
Some may not understand the Buddha’s wisdom while others may retreat from their practice. Even there are those who just give up. This is because their understandings are different.
As they are not equal in potential, the assembly is not pure.
That is why the Buddha brings forth this vow,
‘On my attainment of Buddhahood all the devas and man are born from the pure sea-like wisdom of the Thus Come One.’
‘Seas’ is used to describe the profoundly deep, expansive and limitless Sarvatha Wisdom of the Buddha.
It does not contain the teaching of the two vehicles, the mixed good deeds of the medium and inferior corpses.
‘Seas’ is used as an analogy to describe the wisdom of the Buddha.
Hence, it is thus said: The assembly of heavenly beings with immovable minds are born from the seas of pure wisdom.
Immovable is used to describe the devas in that land who have accomplished the immovable roots of the Great Vehicle. Their mind is firm and steady.
(18)
Thee are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned Leader.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this vow?
He witnesses that among the assemblies of the Thus Come One there are those who crave for power such as Devadatta.
Or there are Kings who rule the country with the Buddha. They do not know that they have to listen to the Buddha’s advice.
And even there are those who invite the Buddha and then they forget about it because of other matters.
There are such happenings.
This looks as if the strength of the Leader is not accomplished.
That is why he vows that on his attainment of Buddhahood, all in the great assembly will not dare to think they are equal to the Buddha.
There is only one Dharma King, no other worldly king.
That is why it is said:
‘He resembles the King of Mount Sumeru King that far-surpasses all wonders. Nothing is comparable to him.’
‘He is surrounded respectfully by man and god, the assemblies of masculine gender who contemplate the Buddha with admiration.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned Master.
Why does the Buddha bring forth such an adornment?
He witnesses some disciples in the assemblies of the Buddha Thus Come One are disrespectful towards the Honoured Ones.
For example, one bhikshu threatened the Buddha that he would leave to learn from other teachers if the Buddha did not explain for him the 14 difficulties.
On hearing Kukali’s slander about Shariputra the Buddha advised him to stop the defamation three times. But he refused to listen.
Besides, the deviant paths followers often hid themselves in the Buddha’s assembly to find fault with the Buddha.
In another example the Heavenly Mara from the sixth heaven often went to the Buddha’s dwelling to create havoc.
These are some of the disrespectful behaviour towards the Buddha.
That is why he brings forth the vow that on his attainment of Buddhahood, the devas and man in the assemblies are respectful towards the Buddha untiringly.
Only the devas and man are mentioned because there is no woman nor the eight-fold divisions of ghosts and spirits in the Pure Land.
So, it is thus stated: He is surrounded respectfully by man and god, the assemblies of masculine gender who contemplate the Buddha with admiration.
(19)
‘Contemplating the Original Vow of the Buddha, those who meet Him will not be in vain. They will swiftly fulfil all the great jewel seas of merits and virtues.’
These are verses on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of upholding and supporting living beings not in vain.
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses the Sangha of some Thus Come One consists only of Sravaka. No one is seeking the Buddha Path.
And there are those who encounter the Buddha yet they are unable to escape the disasters of falling into the three evil paths such as Shan Xing Bhikshu, Devadatta and Kukali.
Besides, there are those who have heard the Name of the Buddha and brought forth the Unsurpassed Mind on the Path. But on encountering evil causes and conditions, they retreat and become the Sravaka and Pratyeka Buddha.
These people have encountered the Buddha in vain as they have retreated from their practice.
That is why he vows that on his attainment of Buddhahood, those who encounter him will swiftly fulfil the Unsurpassed Great Jewel.
That is why it is said: Contemplating the Original Vow of the Buddha, those who meet Him will not be in vain. They will swiftly fulfil all the great jewel seas of merits and virtues.
The one who upholds and supports carries the same meaning as above.
The contemplation of the Buddha’s adornment, the eight types of merits and virtues are as explained above.
Next, we will contemplate the accomplishment of four types of adorned merits and virtues of the Great Bodhisattvas in the Land of Serenely Blissful
Question: There is no lacking in the contemplation of the adorned merits and virtues of the Thus Come One. Why should we again contemplate the merits and virtues of the Bodhisattvas?
Answer: If the emperor is virtuous, he will be supported by the worthy officers. The Emperor Yao was supported by Shun and they ruled the country with virtues. This is one of the examples.
No law is required as people are ruled by their faith in the Emperor. This is one of the examples.
If there is only the Thus Come One Dharma King and there are no Great Bodhisattvas as the Dharma Officers, to support and praise the Path, the Dharma, this is considered imperfect.
It is the same when we make a fire with only a few pieces of wood, the fire will be small.
In the Sutra it is thus stated: There are immeasurable and limitless Great Bodhisattvas in the Buddha Land of Amitabha such as Avalokistevara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva who have only one more birth to attain Buddhahood in other lands.
If we recite the name of Avalokistevara Bodhisattva and are mindful of him, take refuge in him, contemplate him, all our wishes will be fulfilled. This is just as stated in the Dharma Flower Sutra, in the Chapter of the Pervasive Door.
All the bodhisattvas love to accumulate merits and virtues. It resembles the great seas that take in the water from all the rivers. The seas will not complain about having too much water.
It is just like the Thus Come One Sakyamuni who on hearing a blind bhikshu pleading for help, ‘Who wants to have merits and virtues? Please help me to thread the needle!’, arose from meditation and went forth to see the blind bhikshu.
He said, ‘I love blessings and virtues.’ and he helped him to thread the needle.
The blind bhikshu was very surprised to hear the voice of the Buddha.
He asked happily, ‘World Honoured One, the World Honoured One you have already fulfilled all the merits and virtues, haven’t you? ’
The Buddha answered, ‘I have perfected all merits and virtues. I do not need any more of them. But my body is born from the merits and virtues. I am grateful to have merits and virtues. That is why I said I love them.’
So, as you have asked, the contemplation of the merits and virtues of the Buddha is enough to fulfil all vows.
Here we again contemplate the merits and virtues of the Bodhisattvas as it carries the various meanings just as mentioned.
(20)
‘The Land of Serenely Blissful is pure and the Dharma Wheel of No filth is constantly being turned. The transformation Buddhas and Bodhisattvas resemble the brightly illumined sun. They uphold the Land just like the Mount Sumeru.’
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses in some Buddha Lands there are only small bodhisattvas who cannot conduct the Buddha work pervasively in the worlds in the ten directions.
Or there are the Sravakas, humans and devas who can only benefit others in a small way.
That is why he brings forth the vow that in his Land there are immeasurable assemblies of Great Bodhisattvas.
They do not leave their original place yet they can pervasively travel to the ten directions and manifest all kinds of transformation.
They have cultivated genuinely and they can often conduct the many Buddha work.
It resembles the sun that dwells in the sky its image can be seen in all the rivers.
Does the sun go into the water? Does it leave the water?
It is thus stated in the Great Accumulation Sutra, ‘For example, a man is good at building the reservoir.
He calculates the exact measurement of the reservoir for it to release the water automatically. It is unnecessary to worry about the release of water when the reservoir is ready to function.’
This is the same for the bodhisattva. Firstly, he builds all kinds of reservoir such as the reservoir to make offerings to all the Buddhas, the reservoir to teach and transform all living beings.
Then he enters the Samadhi with his body and mind unmoving.
In the genuine cultivation, he is able to conduct the Buddha work as often as he likes.
A cultivator who cultivates genuinely often practises the dharma yet there is no cultivation.
That is why it is said: The Land of serenely blissful is pure and the Dharma Wheel of No filth is constantly being turned. The transformation Buddha and Bodhisattvas resemble the brightly illumined sun. They uphold the Land just like the Mount Sumeru.
(21)
‘The Adorned Lights of No-filth pervasively illumine the various Buddha Assemblies to benefit all living beings, in every thought, every instant.’
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses some retinues of the Thus Come One who desire to make offerings to immeasurable Buddha in other directions, or who desire to teach and transform the immeasurable living beings have to disappear at one place before reappear in another place.
Or they must first go to the south before going to the north.
In one thought and one instant they are unable to emit lights to shine on all the worlds in the ten directions pervasively to teach and transform living beings.
It is because there is the mark of appearing and disappearing, the mark of first and next.
That is why he brings forth this vow that the great bodhisattvas in his Buddha Land are able to travel pervasively to the ten directions in the arising of one thought to conduct all kinds of Buddha work.
So, it is said: The Adorned Lights of No-filth pervasively illumine the various Buddha Assemblies to benefit all living beings, in every thought, every instant.
Question: In the former discussion, the body is not moving and yet he travels to the ten direction pervasively. Is not this ‘not moving yet he arrives’ carry the meaning of one instant? What is the difference here?
Answer: Before this we say not moving yet he arrives, we may think there is a different in the time of arrival, either earlier or later.
But here we say not earlier or later. This is the difference.
It also brings out the above meaning of unmoving.
If it is not at the same time, there will be going and coming.
If there is going and coming, this in not unmoving.
So, to show the above meaning of unmoving, we need to contemplate the same instant.
(22)
‘From the sky the heavenly music is played. All kinds of offerings such as the flowers and clothes, wonderful incense and others rain down continually as offerings to the Buddha. Voices of praise are sung forth to praise the merits and virtues of the Buddha with no differentiation.’
Why does the Buddha bring forth this adornment?
He witnesses in some Buddha Lands the Bodhisattvas, men and devas are narrow in resolution as they are unable to travel to the limitless worlds in the ten directions pervasively to make offerings to the Buddha Thus Come One and the great assemblies.
Or some do not dare to go visiting the pure abode as they are from this turbid land.
Or some stay in the pure lands and they look down on the filthy lands.
There are such differences and limitations in views. They are unable to make offerings pervasively to all the Buddha Thus Come One so as to plant the expansive great and wholesome roots.
That is why he vows that on his attainment of Buddhahood, all the Bodhisattvas, Sravaka, men and devas assemblies in his Land will be able to travel to the dwelling of all the Buddha and their great assemblies in the ten directions pervasively.
They will play the heavenly music, rain down the heavenly flowers, heavenly clothes and heavenly fragrance as offerings to the Buddha.
With their wonderful eloquence they praise the merits and virtues of the Buddha.
They praise the Thus Come One who dwells in the defiled lands on his Great Kindness, humility and patience as they do not see the marks of filth in the defiled Land.
They praise the Thus Come One’s immeasurable adornments in the pure lands but they do not see the mark of purity in the Pure Land.
Why is this so?
It is because all the dharma is equal, all the Thus Come Ones are equal.
That is why all the Buddha Thus Come Ones are known as the Equal Enlightenment.
If they give rise to a mind of differentiation on the Buddha Lands, differentiating their superiority and inferiority, and they make offerings to the Thus Come One with such a mind, this is not in accordance with the Dharma of making offerings.
That is why it is said:
From the sky the heavenly music is played. All kinds of offerings such as the flowers and clothes, wonderful incense and others rain down continually as offerings to the Buddha. Voices of praise are sung forth to praise the merits and virtues of the Buddha with no differentiation.
(23)
’In all the worlds where there is no Buddha Dharma, the Jewel of merits and virtues, I vow to be born there to teach to them the Buddha Dharma, in the way just the same as the Buddha.’
Why does the Buddha bring forth this vow?
He witnesses there are soft hearted bodhisattvas who like the ideas of cultivating in the Buddha Lands. Most often, they are lacking in kindness and compassion, lacking in firm resolution.
That is why he brought forth the vow that,
‘On my attainment of Buddhahood, the bodhisattvas in my land are kind and compassionate, courageous and firm in resolution. They are willing to abandon the Pure Land and go to other places where there is no Buddha, no Dharma and no Sangha. They uphold and adorn the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, revealing to living beings just the way a Buddha will reveal.’
In this way the Buddha seeds will not be severed wherever they go.
That is why it is said: In all the worlds where there is no Buddha Dharma, the Jewel of merits and virtues, I vow to be born there to reveal to them the Buddha Dharma just like the Buddha.
This is the end of the discussion on the contemplation of the Bodhisattva’s accomplishment of four types of adorned merits and virtues.
The following verses are on the Doors of Transference.
(24)
‘I write down the Shastra, I speak the verses of praise, because I vow to see Amitabha Buddha. May these merits be pervasively transferred to all living beings to attain a rebirth in the Land of Serenely Blissful.’
These verses are the Doors of Transference by the author of the Shastra. Transference means to transfer one’s merits and virtues to all living beings pervasively so as to see the Thus Come One Amitabha, to attain a rebirth in the Land of Serenely Blissful.
The end of the Verses of Praise on the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan.
Question:
In the section on transference of merit, Vasubandhu Bodhisattva said that all the merits were transferred to living beings pervasively to attain a rebirth in the Land of Serenely Blissful. What kind of living beings is he referred to?
Answer:
According to the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan which was spoken by the Buddha at Rajgir, the Buddha told Ananda,
‘The Buddha Thus Come One in the ten directions equivalent to the Ganges sands together praise the awesome spiritual merits and virtues of Immeasurable Lifespan Buddha who is truly inconceivable. Living beings of the 25 existences who on hearing his Name are replete with faith and joy and in a single mindfulness if they transfer the merits to attain a rebirth in His Land they will be born there. They will dwell in non-retrogression. Those who have committed the five rebellious acts and slandered the Proper Dharma are exceptions.’
Based on this teaching it means that all the mundane men with attachment will be able to attain a rebirth.
And in the Contemplation of Immeasurable Lifespan Sutra there are nine grades in the attainment of a rebirth,
‘In the lowest grade of the inferior category, it is said that if living beings commit unwholesome karma, the five rebellious acts, the ten evils and all kinds of evils, they (such deluded men) will fall into the evil paths for many kalpas to undergo the indescribable sufferings.
At the death bed such a deluded man encounters a good knowing adviser who comforts him with kind words, who speaks for him the wonderful dharma, who teaches him to be mindful of the Buddha.
As he is facing acute sufferings, he is unable to be mindful of the Buddha.
The good friend says,
“If you cannot be mindful of the Buddha, you should call out the name of Immeasurable Lifespan Buddha. You should continually recite Namo Amitabha Buddha sincerely for ten times.”
As he recites the Buddha’s Name, 80 billion kalpas of heavy offences of birth and death are eradicated in every recitation.
Before passing away he sees a golden lotus before him which resembles the wheel of a sun. In a single mindfulness he attains a rebirth in the World of Ultimate Bliss.
He dwells in the lotus for full 12 Great Kalpas before it is bloomed.
In a voice of Great Compassion Avalokisteshvara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva speak for him the Genuine Mark of all dharma to eradicate his sinful offences. After listening to the teaching, he is filled with joy and brings forth the Bodhi Mind instantly.
This is known as the lowest grades of the inferior category. ‘
From this evidence in the Sutra, we know that he is a mundane man in the inferior category who does not slander the Proper Dharma.
Because of the causes and conditions in having faith in the Buddha he is able to attain a rebirth.
Question:
In the Immeasurable Lifespan Sutra, it is said that those who want to attain a rebirth will be born except for those who have committed the five rebellious acts, who slander the Proper Dharma.
In the Contemplation Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan, it is said that those who have committed the five rebellious acts and the ten evils, who commit all kinds of evils, are able to attain a rebirth.
How do we explain the differences in these two Sutras?
Answer:
One Sutra states two kinds of offences: 1. the five rebellious acts 2. slander the Proper Dharma. With these two offences a man cannot attain a rebirth.
In another Sutra it states only the ten evils and the five rebellious acts and other offences but it does not mention the slandering of the Proper Dharma. As he does not slander the Proper Dharma, he is able to attain a rebirth.
Question:
If a man is down with the five rebellious offences but he does not commit the slandering of the Proper Dharma, according to the Sutra such a man can attain a rebirth. On the other hand, a man who slanders the Proper Dharma but does not commit the five rebellious offences wishes to attain a rebirth. Will it be possible for him to attain a rebirth?
Answer: In one Sutra, it mentioned the man has committed the two types of heavy offences. 1.Committing the five rebellious acts 2. Slandering and destroying the Proper Dharma
With these two sins, they cannot attain a rebirth.
In another Sutras, it states that the man commits the ten evils, the five rebellious act and other sins. But it does not mention the slandering of the Proper Dharma.
As he does not slander the Proper Dharma, he can attain a rebirth.
Question: If a man commits the five rebellious acts but he does not slander the Proper Dharma, the Sutra says that he is allowed to be born in the Pure Land.
But another man has only slandered the Proper Dharma without committing the five rebellious acts and other sins, can he attain a rebirth if he wishes so?
Answer: If he only slanders the Proper Dharma without committing other offences, he cannot attain a rebirth.
Why do I say so?
In the Sutra it is said, ‘An offender who commits the five rebellious acts will fall into the Great Avici Hell to undergo the acute sufferings for one kalpa.
A man who slanders the Proper Dharma will fall into the Avici Hell. At the end of the kalpa he will transmigrate to the Great Avici Hell in other directions.
So, in this way he will undergo the punishment by transmigrating to hundreds of thousands Great Avici Hell.
The Buddha does not mention the time of his exit from those hells because the sins of slandering the Proper Dharma are very heavy.
Moreover, the Proper Dharma is the Buddha Dharma.
Since this deluded man has slandered the Proper Dharma there is no reason for him to seek a rebirth in the Buddha Land.
Even if he seeks to attain a rebirth because of his greed for the bliss and comfort of that Land it will resemble a man who is seeking for a piece of ice not made from water, seeking a fire which is smokeless. How could this be possible?
(25)
Question: What is meant by slandering the Proper Dharma?
Answer: He says there is no Buddha, no Buddha Dharma, no bodhisattva, no bodhisattva dharma and views such like that. He personally interprets in this manner or he listens to others’ teaching and firmly believes in it. These are all known as slandering the Proper Dharma.
Question: If you explain in this way, it is his personal matter. He does not bring harms or afflictions to living beings. Why is his punishment more severe than the five rebellious acts?
Answer: If the Buddhas and bodhisattvas do not teach living beings the worldly wholesome path and the wholesome path of renouncing the world, how can they know about humaneness, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and faith?
If this is the case all the good dharma in the world will be severed, all the worthies and sages of leaving the world will become extinct.
You only know the sins of five rebellious acts are heavy, but you do not know that the five rebellious acts are committed because a man does not know the Proper Dharma.
That is why a man who slanders the Proper Dharma is committing the gravest sins.
Question: In the Karmic Path Sutra it is thus stated,
‘The karmic path resembles the weighing machine. The heavy karma will pull us first.
Let us take the example in the Sutra of Contemplation of Immeasurable Lifespan, there was a man who had committed the five rebellious acts and ten evils. He had committed all kinds of evils and he should fall into the evil paths for many kalpas to undergo immeasurable sufferings.
At his death bed he encountered a good knowing adviser who taught him to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha sincerely for ten times continually. With the ten recitations he managed to attain a rebirth in the Pure Land of Serenely Blissful.
He immediately entered the Great Vehicle Right concentration of one-pointedness and attained non-retreating ultimately.
He is free from all the sufferings in the three evil paths forever.
So how are we going to explain the meaning of the heavy karma pull us along first?
Moreover, from the endless long kalpas we have committed all kinds of actions with leakages which are the dharma of the triple realm. But now in ten recitations of Amitabha Buddha we manage to leave the triple realm.
How are we going to explain the meaning of being tied down by the karma?
Answer:
You feel that the karmic bondage of five rebellious acts and ten evils are considered heavy, the ten recitations of the Buddha’s Name of the man in the lowest inferior grade lotus are considered light.
So, the offender should first be pulled by his offences, to fall into the hell and to be bound in the triple realm.
Now I would like to compare in terms of the meanings of being heavy or light.
The meaning of being heavy or light depends on the mind, the conditions and firm resolution.
It does not depend on the time which is either long or short, the quantity which is a lot or a little.
What is meant by depending on our mind?
The offender commits the sins relying on his upside-down views which are false.
These ten recitations rely on the expedient good knowing adviser who consoles him, who comforts him.
The ten recitations arise after he hears the Dharma of the Genuine Mark.
One is genuine and the other is fake. There is no comparison for them.
Let us take the analogy of a dark room which exists for a thousand years. When the lights are on the room will be brightened up. Can the darkness refuse to leave, arguing that it has been there for a thousand years?
This is the meaning of relying on the mind.
What is meant by depending on the conditions?
The offender commits evils by relying on his false mind.
With the reliance on the rewards and retribution of affliction and falsity, living beings are born.
On the contrary the ten recitations are born from the Unsurpassed Faith, from the immeasurable merits and virtues of the Name of Amitabha Thus Come One which is replete with expedience, adornment and genuine purity.
Let us take the analogy of a man who is shot by a poisonous arrow with his tendons severed and bones broken. On hearing the medicine drum of eradicating the poison the arrow jumps out and the poisons is neutralized.
(In the Shurangama Sutra, there is an analogy of a medicine which is known as ‘Eradicating and Becoming extinct’. During the warfare this medicine is applied on the surface of drums. On hearing the sounds of the drum, those who are injured by the poisonous arrows will be cured with the arrows coming out from the body and the poisons are gone.
This is the same for a Bodhisattva Mahasattva. He dwells in the Samadhi of Shurangama. On hearing his Name, the arrow of three poisons will naturally be eradicated.)
How can we say that the arrow has entered deeply into the body and the poisons are acute, that it cannot be extracted, that the poisons cannot be neutralized on hearing the drum?
This is known as the dependence on conditions.
What is meant by the reliance on one’s firm resolution?
The offender who commits the sins relies on the existence of a future mind, a mind with interruption.
While these ten recitations rely on a mind with no second thought, an uninterrupted mind.
This is known as firm resolution.
By comparing the three meanings, the weight of the ten recitations is heavy.
The heavy karma pulls us to a rebirth and leaves the three existences.
The two Sutras carry the same meaning.
Question: How long is known as one thought?
Answer:
One hundred birth and extinction are known as one Ksana. 60 Ksana is known as one thought.
In this teaching, the one thought does not refer to time.
It refers only to the mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha.
Speaking generally of specifically, it is in accord with the condition of our contemplation without other thoughts.
Ten continual thoughts are known as ten mindfulness.
If we only recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, it is also explained in this way.
Question:
When the mind runs away, we gather it back. We will know the number of thoughts. But by knowing the number, this is not uninterrupted mindfulness. If we concentrate on mindfulness, how are we going to know the number of thoughts?
Answer:
In the Sutra it mentions the ten mindfulness. It carries the meaning that this karmic act of recitation is accomplished. It is unnecessary to know the number.
For instance, when we say the cicada does not know about spring and autumn, so do you think this insect is able to know summer?
These words are only spoken by those who know the seasons.
So, the ten recitation to accomplish the Karma is also the words spoken by the Spiritual One, the Buddha. As long as we accumulate the recitation continually and do not get involved in other matters, this is considered the accomplishment of the karma.
It is unnecessary to know the number of thoughts.
But if you want to know the number there is an expedient. You need to say out the number. Do not use a pen to write it down or make a mark.
(26)
Propounding of the Shastra
From the propounding of the Shastra onwards is the section on explanation of the meanings. There are ten sections altogether.
1. General meaning on the verses of Vows
2. Faith comes forth from contemplation
3. The marks on the practice of contemplation
4. Purity enters the mind of vows
5. Expedients in gathering in and transforming
6. Staying away from the hindrances which obstruct Bodhi
7. In accordance with the Bodhi Door
8. The pairing up of names and meanings
9. The accomplishment of Vows and phenomenon
10. The fulfilment of the benefiting conduct
A Shastra is a discussion.
The discussion is put forward in verses.
Propounding refers to the sentences which are listed below. They are used to explain and discuss the verses. So, it is said ‘The propounding of the Shastra’.
General meaning of the Verses on Vows—
What are these verses of Vows trying to convey?
The verses are composed to show the contemplation of the world of serenely blissful, to see Amitabha Buddha as I desire to be born in that Land.
Faith arises from contemplation– This section is sub-divided into two categories.
1. Revealing five types of strength on mindfulness 2. Exiting the five doors of mindfulness
Revealing five types of strength on mindfulness
How do we contemplate? How to bring forth a faithful mind?
If a good man or a good woman cultivates the five doors of mindfulness and accomplishes the practices, he will ultimately be born in the Land of Serenely Blissful, to see Amitabha Buddha.
Exiting the five doors of mindfulness
What are the five doors of mindfulness? 1. The door of making obeisance 2. The door of praising 3. The door of bringing forth of vows 4. The door of contemplation 5. The door of transference
Doors carries the meanings of an entrance or an exit. When there is a door one enters or exits without obstruction. The first four mindfulness are the doors to enter the Pure Land of Serenely Blissful. The last mindfulness is the door of exiting, to teach and transform with kindness and compassion.
What is meant by making obeisance?
Physically we make obeisance to Amitabha Buddha, the Thus Come One, the Arahant and the One with the Proper Pervasive Knowledge.
All the Buddha Thus Come Ones are replete with immeasurable virtues.
As the virtues are immeasurable, the virtuous Names are immeasurable too. If we desire to talk about this fully, with all the papers and pens we will still be unable to fully write them down.
That is why in most Sutras only list out the ten Names, or just three names in accord with the popularity of names. It is not limited to these names only.
When we say three Names, they refer to the Thus Come One, the One who should receive the offerings, the Proper and Pervasive Knowing One.
The Thus Come One is explained as in accord with the Thus Dharma mark, is spoken in accord with Thus Dharma mark. All the Buddha comes forth from the Path of peace and serenity. This Buddha also comes in this way. He will not fall back to birth and death, the transmigration in the three existences. So, he is known as the Thus Come One.
The One who should receive the offerings is the name of the Buddha as he has severed all the afflictions and attained All Wisdom. He should receive the offerings of all living beings among the heaven and earth. So, he is known as the One who should receive the offerings.
The Proper Pervasive Knowing One is the Buddha who knows all the Dharma dwells in the mark of Indestructibility originally.
It is neither increased nor decreased.
Why is it indestructible?
There is no arising of thoughts as the dwelling of thinking is put to extinction. It is the path that far-surpasses all words.
All dharma is unmoving in accord with the Mark of Nirvana. So, he is known as the Proper Pervasive Knowing One.
The meaning of unobstructed lights is explained as in the former verses.
It is for the sake of attaining a rebirth in that Land.
Why are we be talking about this?
According to the Dharma practice of a Bodhisattva, he should make obeisance to all the Buddha in the ten directions in the three periods of time in the day and the three periods of time at night. It is unnecessary for him to bring forth the mind for a rebirth.
But as we are now seeking a rebirth in the Pure Land so we should often bring forth the mind of vows to seek a rebirth. That is why we make obeisance to Amitabha the Thus Come One.
What is meant by praising?
Verbally we venerate the Buddha by reciting The Name of the Thus Come One.
Praising carries the meaning of talking about the goodness. Words of exclamation are uttered. We use the mouth to create this karma so it is said praising is the mouth karma.
Praising the Name of the Thus Come One as the Name is the Thus Come One’s bright illumination, his mark of wisdom.
In accord with the meaning of his Name as we desire to cultivate in accord with his teaching.
Praising the Name of the Thus Come One refers to the Name the Unobstructed Lights Thus Come One.
It is the same as the mark of the Thus Come One’s bright illumination and wisdom.
The Buddha’s lights are the mark of wisdom.
This bright illumination shines on the worlds in the ten directions without obstructions.
It is able to eradicate the darkness of ignorance of the living beings in the ten directions.
It is unlike the light of the sun, the moon and the pearls as they can only eradicate the darkness of the space.
This is in accordance with the meanings of His Name as we desire to cultivate genuinely in response to his teaching.
The Name of the Unobstructed Lights Thus Come One is able to break down the ignorance of living beings and to fulfil all the resolution of living beings.
But there are some who recite the Name and are mindful of the Buddha yet they are still ignorant and their wishes are not fulfilled.
Why is this so?
It is because they do not cultivate genuinely. Their cultivation is not in accordance with the meaning of the Name.
What is meant by not cultivating genuinely, that the cultivation is not in accordance with the meaning of the Name?
It means they do not know the Thus Come One is the body of Genuine Mark. This body possesses the expedience of transformation for the sake of living beings.
Moreover, there are three types of discordance
1. The faith is impure as they believe half-heartedly.
2. Their faith is incomplete as they harbour doubts in their mind.
3. Their faith is mixed with other thoughts and the continuity is broken down.
These three sentences describe their states of mind of uncertainty. As the mind of faith is impure, it is not resolute.
As it is not resolute the mindfulness is not a continual process.
It can also be explained that as mindfulness is not in continuity, so he does not obtain the firm and resolute faith.
As the faith is not resolute, the mind is impure.
But when one is in discordance with the above states, it is known as cultivating genuinely in accordance with the teaching.
That is why the writer of this Shastra suggests that ’I single-mindedly take refuge in….‘120821
Question:
The Name is the finger of the Dharma which resembles the finger which is pointing at the moon. If the recitation of the Buddha’s name enables us to fulfil our vows, the finger that points to the moon should also be able to break down the darkness.
If the finger that points to the moon cannot destroy darkness, how can we fulfil our vows just by reciting the Buddha’s Name?
Answer:
All the dharma varies in myriad differences. We cannot talk about them generally. In some cases, the name is the dharma, others the name is different from the dharma.
Talking about the name is the dharma, they refer to the names of the Buddha and Bodhisattva, the Prajna Paramita, the verses of the Dharani, the sound and sentences in the mantra of abstention and so on.
For example, in the sentence to discard the swollen wound, it is thus stated, ‘The sun comes up from the east and it is red and yellow in colour.’
In the evening about 5 to 7pm or at night about 9 to 11pm we recite this sentence the swollen will also be gone even though at that time there is no sunlight.
Another example is used in the army. If the generals and the soldiers were to recite ‘In wars, soldiers and warriors are standing before us’ these nine words they will not be harmed by the five weapons- spear, halberd, bow, arrow and dagger axe.
This is an important warfare technique recorded by Bao Puzi.
Moreover, those who have pain in the veins on the neck or legs can apply a heated papaya on the painful area and the pain will be gone.
If we cannot find the papaya, we just warm up our hands and apply them on the painful area. Then we recite the name of papaya the pain can also be cured.
I myself (the commenter) have personally used this method before.
These are some of the happenings in the present society as many worldly people know about the usage. What is more we are now talking about the inconceivable states of the Buddha?
Another analogy is the name of the medicine ‘Putting into extinction’ which is applied on the drum. This analogy has been explained so we will not repeat here.
There is the dharma which is different from the name. For instance, the finger which points to the moon and such like.
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What is meant by bringing forth the vows?
We should continually bring forth the vows and we recite single-mindedly and exclusively.
We will ultimately be able to attain a rebirth in the Land of Serenely Blissful as we desire to cultivate the Samantha genuinely.
Samantha means stop. ‘Stop’ means the mind dwells at one place and does not commit evils.
This explanation is not against the general meaning of stop but the meaning is incomplete.
Why do I say so?
For instance, if our mind is dwelling on the tip of the nose, it is also known as a stop.
The contemplation of impurity stops the greedy mind. The contemplation of kindness and compassion stops anger. The contemplation of causes and conditions stops delusion.
All these are also known as stops.
For example, a man wants to walk but he has not started walking yet. This is also known as a stop.
So, we know the meaning of the word stop is uncertain.
This is not the genuine explanation of the meaning of Samantha.
For example, the camellia (tsubaki), elm and willows are known as wood also. But if we mention the wood, it does not remind us of elm or willows
Samantha means stop as it carries the following three meanings.
1. When one single-mindedly recites Namo Amitabha The Thus Come One and vows to attain a rebirth in that Land, the Thus Come One’s Name and the Name of that Land are able to stop all evils.
2. The Land of Serenely Blissful far-surpasses the paths in the triple realm. When a man is born in that Land he will naturally stop to commit the evils with his body, mouth and mind.
3. With the strength and support of the Proper, Enlightened Amitabha Thus Come One, those who are reborn there will naturally stop the mind to seek the state of Sravaka and Pratyeka Buddha.
These three types of stoppage are born from the genuine merits and virtues of the Thus Come One.
So, it is said: It is because he desires to cultivate Samantha Genuinely.
What is meant by contemplation? We contemplate with wisdom and right mindfulness as we desire to cultivate Vipassana genuinely.
Vipassana is translated as contemplation. But this is a general explanation. The meaning is not very clear.
Why do I say this?
For example, we can contemplate the body as it is impermanent, sufferings, empty and without a self and the visualization of the nine marks.
They are all known as contemplation.
This is the same as we have mentioned before about the word ‘wood’, it does not remind us about camellia flowers tree.
In Vipassana the contemplation carries two meanings.
1. We cultivate visualization while we are here. We contemplate the three types of adorned merits and virtues. As the merits and virtues are genuine, the cultivator will also obtain the genuine merits and virtues. With the genuine merits and virtues, we will be sure of a rebirth in that land.
2. Once we are born in that Pure Land, we will immediately see Amitabha Buddha. Bodhisattvas who have not certified to the pure mind will ultimately certify to the Dharma Body of Equality. Together with the pure mind Bodhisattvas, the Bodhisattvas who attain the Grounds, they will ultimately attain the still extinction and equality. That is why it is said as he desires to genuinely cultivate Vipassana.
There are three types of contemplation.
What are the three contemplations?
a. Contemplating the adorned merits and virtues of the Buddha Land
b. Contemplating the adorned merits and virtues of Amitabha Buddha
c. Contemplating the adorned merits and virtues of the multitude of Bodhisattvas
When the mind dwells on certain matter it is known as contemplation. The contemplating mind that differentiates clearly is known as observation.
What is meant by the transference of merits?
The priority of our cultivation is to bring forth the mind to transfer the merits and virtues to all suffering beings, not to renounce the afflicted living beings. This will enable us to develop and accomplish a mind of Great Compassion.
There are two types of Transference. 1. the mark of going 2. the mark of returning. 1308
The mark of going means transferring one’s merits and virtues to all living beings and vow that everyone will attain a rebirth in the Amitabha Thus Come One’s Pure Land of Serenely Blissful.
The mark of returning means on attaining a rebirth in that Land and after the accomplishment of the expedient strength of Samantha and Vipassana, one will return to the forest of birth and death to teach and transform all living beings to attain the Buddha Path.
The appearance of going and returning is for the sake of crossing over living beings to transcend the seas of birth and death.
That is why it is said, ‘Transference is the priority as it accomplishes the mind of Great Compassion.’
The contemplation of the physical marks is divided into two:
1. The physical of vessels
2. The physical body of living beings.
There are three types of vessels:
1. The physical mark of Land
2. The revelation of benefiting self and others
3. Entering into the Truth of the Foremost Meaning.
The physical mark of the Land—
Why do we contemplate the adorned merits and virtues of that Buddha Land? It is because the merits and virtues of the adorned Buddhaland are the accomplishment of inconceivable strength.
It is the same as the Mani Wish Fulfilling Jewel Nature (in that land) as it has the dharma nature of resemblance and discordance.
In the accomplishment of the contemplation of adorned merits and virtues of that Buddha Land, we should know the following seventeen matters
In the Sutras, generally speaking there are five types of inconceivability:
1. The number of living beings is inconceivable.
2. The karmic strength is inconceivable.
3. The strength of the dragon is inconceivable.
4. The Strength of meditation is inconceivable.
5. The strength of the Buddha Dharma is inconceivable.
Here the Buddha Land is inconceivable because of two strengths.
1 The karmic strength – It is accomplished by Dharmakara Bodhisattva’s karmic strength of Great Vows, the good roots of leaving the world.
2. It is the strength of the Dharma King Amitabha Buddha, the Proper Enlightened One who is good at upholding and supporting the Land to gather in living beings.
The inconceivability is listed in the seventeen adornments as follows. Every appearance is inconceivable and we will explain when we come to the passages.
It is in accordance and discordance of the as you wish Mani jewel. Here we take the nature of the As You Wish Mani Jewel to show the inconceivable nature of the Buddha Land of Serenely Blissful.
When a Buddha enters Nirvana, he made use of his expedient strength to break down the body into pieces of sharira so as to benefit living beings.
After the blessings of living beings are fully utilized, these shariras will be transformed into As You Wish Mani Jewel Pearls.
Most of these pearls can be found in the great ocean and the great dragon king will make them into jewellery.
If the Wheel Turning Sagely King enters the world, with his kindness and compassion he will obtain these pearls. He uses them to benefit the living beings in Jambudvipa.
If things of necessity such as clothing, food and drinks, bright lanterns, things of enjoyment and all kinds of things are desired, the Wheel Turing Sagely King will adorn himself with the precepts of abstinence. He would then place the pearls on top of a bamboo and bring forth the vows,
‘If I am truly the Wheel Turning Sagely King, may the pearls rain down these things pervasively for one mile, or ten miles or a hundred miles in accord with my vows.’
At that time the empty space will rain down all kinds of things in accord with what is desired to fulfil the wish of all the people in the world. This is because of the Strength of the Jewel Nature.
The Buddha Land of Serenely Blissful is also the same because it has accomplished a variety of Serenely Blissful Nature.
The meaning of being in accordance yet it is in discordance:
With the strength of the Jewel Pearl, they can rain down the clothes and food and other necessities when one seeks for them. It happens in accord with the mind of seeking, but do not happen if there is no seeking.
But that Buddha Land is different because it has accomplished all fulfilment naturally with no seeking nor lacking.
So here we just take the Jewel Pearl as an analogy partially. That is why we say there is a resemblance of the Mani Jewel and also the discordance. 1408
Moreover, the Mani Pearls can only fulfil the wish for clothes and food of the living beings but they cannot fulfil the vows of living beings for the attainment of the Unsurpassed Path.
Beside the Jewel can only fulfil the vows of living beings in one body, it cannot give living beings the fulfilment of vows of immeasurable bodies. There are such immeasurable differences so it is said they only resemble the Mani Pearl.
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In the accomplishment of the contemplation of adorned merits and virtues of that Buddha Land, we should know the following seventeen matters.
What are the seventeen matters?
1. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned purity.
2. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned capacities.
3. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned nature.
4. The accomplishment of merits and virtues of adorned form features.
5. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the various adorned matters.
6. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned wonderful form.
7. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned tangibles.
8. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of three types of adornment.
9. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned rains.
10. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned bright illumination.
11. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the wonderfully adorned Name.
12. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned Master.
13. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned retinues.
14. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned self-enjoyment.
15. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adornment of being free from disasters.
16. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned doors of great meaning.
17. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned fulfilment of all wishes.
These are the headings of the adornments and we will discuss in details later.
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Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned purity as it is thus stated:
‘I contemplate the appearance of that Land as it far-surpasses the paths in the Triple Realm.’
Why is this inconceivable? The mundane men who are heavy in afflictions can also attain a rebirth in the Pure Land.
The bondage of karma in the triple realm is ultimately severed.
It means without severing the afflictions one is certified to the state of Nirvana. This is truly inconceivable.
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned capacities as it is thus stated:
‘Ultimately it resembles the empty space which is spacious with no limits.’
Why is this inconceivable? If the devas and men in that Land wish for palaces, bungalows and pavilions of one yojana, a hundred yojanas, a thousand yojanas in width, or they wish for a thousand houses, a million houses, they will obtain them as desire.
Everyone is able to fulfil their wishes.
Moreover, living beings in the worlds in the ten directions who wish to attain a rebirth in that Land, some have already been born, others are born now and some will be born in future.
In the instant of one time, one day, the number of living beings who are born there is so huge that it is incalculable by any mathematical formulae.
Yet the World still resembles the empty space without any sign of being overcrowded.
The living beings there live in this type of capacity are replete with great and expansive resolution, that resemble the limitless empty space.
The capacity of that Land is able to transform and expand the mind capacity of living beings. How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned nature as it is thus stated:
‘With the proper path of great kindness and compassion, the wholesome roots of leaving the world arises.’
Why is this inconceivable?
For instance, a Kalakula worm is very tiny. But when it encounters the great wind its body magnifies like a great mountain. It takes the size of the wind to be its physical appearance.
Living beings who are born in the World of Serenely Blissful are also the same. When they are born in the World of Proper Path, they immediately accomplish the good roots of leaving the world and enter the Mindfulness of Right Concentration.
It is like the worm which takes the non-body as its body. How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned forms features as it is thus stated:
‘He is fully replete with the pure illumination that resembles the shining mirror, the sun and moon.’
Why is this inconceivable?
The practice of patience enables one to accomplish an adorned and proper form features. It is our mind that is influencing our external appearance.
But once we are born in that Land, there is no differences in anger and patience. The devas and men are endowed with the wonderful form features equally.
This happens all because of the strength of the Pure Lights.
That lights are not the conduct of the mind yet they are able to carry out the job of the mind conduct. How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the various adorned matters as it is thus stated:
‘With the fulfilment of various precious Jewel nature which is perfectly replete with the wonderful adornment.’
Why is this inconceivable?
All the matters in that Land are made up of one jewel, ten jewels, hundreds of thousand jewels in accord with what we desire and all will be fulfilled.
If one desires all these adornments to disappear, they will disappear without a trace. The mind is at ease and the mind’s power far-surpasses the spiritual penetration. How can this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned wonderful form as it is thus stated:
‘The Light of No-filth is burning tremendously, illuminating the worlds with its brightness of purity.’
Why is this inconceivable?
When the lights shine on the objects, the whole object become luminous internally and externally.
When the lights shine on the mind, all the ignorance will finally be put to extinction. The lights carry out the Buddha work. How can this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned tangibles as it is thus stated:
‘The grass of merits and virtues of the innate Jewel Nature is soft and gentle, swirling to the left and right. On touching it one feels the supreme bliss far-surpassing the softness of Kaclindi birds.’
Why is this inconceivable?
As we know most gems are usually hard and solid but the gems here are soft and pliant.
Most of us are attached to the bliss of touch but here the tangible element enhances our practice on the Path.
This happening is the same as the Loving Attachment Bodhisattva. So how could it be conceivable?
This Bodhisattva by the Name Loving Attachment is extremely adorned in his form appearance. People who see him will be attracted to him.
According to the Sutra, those who are attracted to him are born in the heavens, some will bring forth the Bodhi Mind.
In the accomplishment of the merits and virtues three adorned elements, we should know the three matters refer to 1. The water, 2. The ground and 3. The empty space.
These three are discussed together as they are of the same category.
Why do I say this?
Firstly, they are from the six elements namely empty space, consciousness, ground, water, fire and wind.
Secondly, they are the elements of no differentiation which refer to the ground, water, fire, wind and empty space.
Here we only mention the three elements because consciousness belongs to the realm of living beings. The element of fire is not mentioned as there is no fire. Even though there is the wind it is not mentioned as we cannot see it, and it is without a dwelling place.
So, in the six elements and the five matters, we only choose to describe the three types which can be seen and adorned.
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned water as it is thus stated:
‘Jewel lotuses of myriad species fully cover the ponds and flowing streams. The soft breeze passes by the brightly illuminated flowers and leaves, with their shines interweaving one another.’
Why is this inconceivable?
In that Pure Land, the physical forms of the man and devas are not the formation of water and grains, so why do they need the water?
They have accomplished purity and it is unnecessary to wash or bathe. So why do they need the water for?
There are no four seasons in that Land. The weather is well adjusted and not hot.
Why do they need the water for?
It is unnecessary to use the water but it does exist. There is surely a reason.
In the Sutra it is said, ‘The multitude of Bodhisattvas or the Sravaka who on entering the jewel ponds desire the water to cover their feet, the water will cover their feet. If they desire the water to reach the knees the water will reach their knees. If they desire the water to reach their waist, it will well up to their waist.
If they desire the water to reach their neck it will cover their neck. If they desire the water to bathe their body it will bathe their body naturally. If they desire the water to return to its original position it will recede.
The temperature of the water may it be cold or warm will naturally be adjusted when one gives rise to such a thought.
It soothes the body and wakes up one’s spirits.
It eradicates all the filth in the mind.
It is so clear and shiny, so pure and transparent just as though it is formless.
The jewel sands are shining as they are reflected clearly from every depth.
The small ripples flow back, overlapping one another in their flows.
The flows are neither slow nor swift as they move on calmly, disappearing from sight gradually in the most serene and peaceful manner.
Immeasurable waves come forth naturally with wonderful sounds.
Those who desire to hear the sounds will be able to hear them. They may hear the sounds of the Buddha, the sounds of the Dharma or the sounds of Sangha.
Or they will hear the sounds of Silence, the sounds of Emptiness and No-self.
Or they may hear the sounds of Great Kindness and Compassion, the sound of Paramita, the sounds of Ten strengths, Fearlessness and the Unshared Dharma, the sounds of the myriad penetrative wisdom, the sounds of nothing doing, the sounds of Neither Arising nor Extinction, the sound of the Patience of No-birth and even the myriad wonderful dharma sounds of Anointing the Crown Summit with Sweet Dews.
All these sounds are heard in accord with one’s wish and everyone is extremely happy.
These sounds are in accord with the genuine meanings of purity, renunciation and still extinction.
The sounds are in accord with the strength of Triple Gems, the Dharma of Fearlessness and the Unshared Dharma, in accord with the Path of Practice of the Bodhisattva of Penetrative Wisdom and Sravaka.
There are no names on sufferings and disasters in the three evil paths. There are only the sounds of natural bliss. That is why the Land is known as Serenely Blissful.’
The water is doing the Buddha work and how could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the merits and virtues of the adorned ground as it is thus stated:
‘The palaces, bungalows and pavilions can be seen in the ten directions with no obstruction. The mixed species of trees shines forth in a variety of lights. The jewel railings pervasively surround the Land.’
Why is this inconceivable?
The variety of matters in that Land are composed from one gem, ten gems, a hundred gems or immeasurable gems.
They manifest in accord with the arising of our mind and they are replete with adornments.
The adorned matters resemble the pure bright mirror.
All the pure or defiled appearances of lands in the ten directions, the pure or evil karmic conditions will appear.
The man and devas in that Land on seeing these happenings will naturally want to accomplish the wholesome deeds and stay away from all evils.
It is also like the Great Bodhisattvas who wear the Jewel crown which is made from the Gems of Illumining the Dharma Nature. In this Jewel Crown all the Buddha can be seen. Moreover, they will penetrate all Dharma Nature.
Besides, when the Buddha was teaching the Dharma Flower Sutra, he emitted the lights from between the eye brows to illumine the eighteen thousand Lands in the eastern directions so that all are transformed into golden colours.
In the lights one can see all the living beings in the six paths in all the worlds, from the Avici Hells until the summit of existences, the paths they are born in the cycle of birth and death, the good and bad karmic conditions, the rewards and retributions of being handsome or ugly.
All these can be seen clearly in the lights. This is one of the examples.
Here the shadow conducts the Buddha work. How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned empty space as it is thus stated:
‘Immeasurable gems are interlaced among the shining nets pervasively, occupying the empty space. An array of jewel bells tinkling and spreading the wonderful Dharma Sounds’.
Why is this inconceivable?
In the Sutra it is stated,
‘Immeasurable jewel nets cover the Buddha Land pervasively from above.
They are all made from golden strands of pearls and hundreds of thousands mixed gems which are exquisitely beautiful, precious and unique.
They are hung down from the four corners as adorned decorations.
Shining jewel bells of myriads shiny colours and lights are hung from the nets in the most adorned and beautiful way.
Naturally the virtuous breeze blows by. The soft breeze is refreshing as it is neither cold nor hot. It is soft and cooling blowing by in a smooth rhythm, not too fast nor too slow.
It passes by the pearly nets and the myriad jewel trees. Immeasurable subtly wonderful Dharma Sounds are produced with the permeation of million kinds of gently scented virtuous fragrance.
Those who smell the fragrance will naturally be subdued in their afflictions and filthy habits.’
When the breeze blows on them, they are filled with bliss. Here the sounds carry out the Buddha work. How could this be conceivable?
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Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned rains as it is thus stated:
‘The adornment of the rain showers down clothes and flowers with immeasurable fragrance pervasively permeating the Land.’
Why is this inconceivable?
In the Sutra it is thus stated,
‘The breeze blows by the flowers and they fall down and cover the Buddha Land pervasively. The flowers fall in a pattern in accordance with their colours and sequence to form harmonious patterns without confusion.
The flowers are soft, shining, moist and pleasantly scented. When we step on them, they will go down by four inches. When we raise our foot, they will resume their shapes.
When the flowers are used, the earth will open up and the flowers will sink into the ground in sequence. The ground is pure without a trace.
In accord with the time and season the wind will again blow down the flowers. The process will be repeated six times in this way.
Moreover, the whole world is covered with the myriad jewel lotuses. Every lotus is replete with hundreds of thousand kotis sepals. The flowers are bright with immeasurable colours.
The green lotuses have a glow of green lights while the white lotuses glow in the white lights. This is the same for the black lotuses, yellow, red and purple lotuses which glow brightly in their respective colours and shine.
The lights and colours are most magnificent and colourful.
Their bright illuminations outshine the lights of sun and moon.
From every flower 36 hundreds of thousand kotis lights are emitted.
In every light 36 hundreds of thousand kotis Buddha with purplish golden body and supremely adorned features appear.
Every Buddha again emits hundreds of thousand lights to speak the subtly wonderful Dharma in the ten directions pervasively.
Each and every of these Buddha transforms immeasurable living beings to dwell on the Buddha Proper Path.’
The flowers carry out the Buddha work. How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned bright illumination as it is thus stated:
‘The Buddha’s Wisdom resembles the bright and pure sunshine eradicating the darkness of worldly ignorance.’
Why is this inconceivable? The bright illumination in that Land comes forth from the Rewards of Wisdom of the Thus Come One.
With the touch of this lights, the darkness of ignorance will finally be eradicated.
The light is itself not the wisdom yet it has the function of wisdom. How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the wonderfully adorned Name as it is thus stated:
‘The Brahman Sound of his Name which is subtly wonderful can be heard in the ten directions. It resonates deeply and travels far to enlighten those who hear it.’
Why is this inconceivable? It is thus stated in the Sutra,
‘On hearing the Land which is pure and serenely blissful, a man directs his mind and wishes for a rebirth, he will also attain a rebirth.
He will immediately enter the state of Proper Concentration.’
Here the Name of the Land carries out the Buddha work. How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned Master as it is thus stated:
‘Amitabha Buddha the Proper Enlightened one is the Dharma King who is good at governing the Land.’
Why is this inconceivable?
The Proper Enlightened One Amitabha is inconceivable. The Pure Land of Serenely Blissful is upheld and supported by the wholesome strength of the Proper Enlightened One Amitabha Buddha. How could this be conceivable?
Upholding means no changing and no extinction.
Supporting means not dispersing nor losing.
It is as if we have applied the immortal medicine on the seeds. When the seeds enter the water, they will not rot. When the seeds are placed in the fire they will not be burnt. When the causes and conditions are ripe, they will sprout again.
Why is this so? It is because of the strength of the immortal medicine.
If a man is born in the Pure Land of Serenely Blissful and later if he wishes to be born in the triple realm to teach and transform the living beings, he will be born as he desires after leaving the Pure Land.
Even though he is born in the mixed births in the triple realm, dwelling among the water and fire, the Unsurpassed Bodhi Seed will not decay ultimately.
Why is this so? It is because he is upheld and supported by the wholesome strength of the Proper Enlightened One Amitabha Buddha.
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned retinues as it is thus stated:
‘The Thus Come One’s assemblies of pure lotuses are transformed from the Flowers of Proper Enlightenment.’
Why is this inconceivable?
In the worlds of mixed births, living beings are born from the wombs, eggs, dampness and transformation. Because of their mixed karma they have relatives and retinues and they experience all kinds of happiness and sufferings.
But in the Land of Serenely Blissful everyone is transformed from Amitabha Thus Come One’s Proper Enlightened Pure Lotuses.
Everyone will recite the Buddha’s Name as there is no other path.
That is why in the whole of the Dharma Realm, far or near, all of them are our brothers. Our retinues are immeasurable.
How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned self-enjoyment as it is thus stated:
‘They love the taste of the Buddha Dharma as they consume the blissful food of Samadhi.’
Why is this inconceivable?
They do not eat yet their life is nourished because the nourishment is already accomplished.
Is not this the fulfilment of the Original Vows of the Thus Come One?
We will be living a life relying totally on the Buddha’s Vows.
How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adornment of being free from disasters as it is thus stated:
‘They have forever left the afflictions of the body and mind. They only enjoy the uninterrupted bliss constantly.’
Why is this inconceivable?
In the Sutra it is thus stated, ‘The body is a vessel of sufferings, the mind is the dwelling of afflictions.’
The people there do possess a body and mind yet they only experience the uninterrupted bliss.
How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned doors of great meaning as it is thus stated:
‘The Great Vehicle Realm of Wholesome Roots is in equanimity without any names of slanders and disdain. Women, those with defects in roots, the two vehicles are not born.’
We should know the fruits of rewards of the Pure Land are apart from two types of faults: blames and slanders.
1.The form body which is free from blames and slanders.
2.There is no names of blames and slanders.
There are three types of form body:
1. The two vehicles practitioners
2. Women
3. Deformed people who are deficiency in roots.
The living beings there do not have these faults. This is known as the form body which is free from blames and slanders.
There are also three types of names.
Not only that there are no three types of body, there is no way to hear the names of the two vehicles, the women and those with deficiency in roots.
This is known as being apart from the blames and slanders of names.
It is in equality means everyone is equal with the same appearance.
Why is this inconceivable?
This inconceivability can be shown in the case of celestial beings who use the same type of food in the utensils yet the rice they eat are different in colours in accord with their blessings.
When the Buddha’s toes touch the ground, it reveals the ground of golden sands.
Those who vow to attain a rebirth belong to the three positions in the three grades originally. Now when they arrive at this Land, there is no difference in them.
The River Zi and River Mian (in Shandong Province) are of the same taste on entering the oceans.
How could this be conceivable?
Gatha in praise of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned fulfilment of all wishes as it is thus stated,
‘All the vows of living beings, all their wishes are fully fulfilled.’
Why is this inconceivable?
The devas and men in that Land who desire to travel to the immeasurable Buddha Lands in other worlds, in other directions, to make offerings to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas will obtain all the offerings and utensils as they desire.
If they desire to leave the lifespan in that Land and be born in other lands, they will accomplish such a wish by adjusting their lifespan in accord with their vows.
Even though they have not arrived at the position of self-ease yet they do possess the function of self-ease.
How could this be conceivable?
The revelation of benefiting self and others.
This is a brief discussion of the accomplishment of the seventeen types of adorned merits and virtues of the Land of Amitabha Buddha.
This is the revelation of the self-benefit of the Thus Come One as He has accomplished the strength of great merits and virtues. And He has also accomplished the merits and virtues of benefiting others.
We said this is a brief discussion in order to show that the Pure Land is replete with immeasurable merits and virtues.
It is not limited to only the seventeen types of adornments.
For examples, Mount Sumeru is able to enter the mustard seed, a hair pore is able to contain the great ocean.
How can this be the spiritual power of the mountains and seas, or the strength of the tiny hair pore or the mustard seed?
This is the spiritual power of the spiritual ones.
So even though we say the seventeen adornments are to benefit others, the meaning of self-benefits can be seen distinctly too.
The first section of the Commentary on the Gatha of Attaining a Rebirth based on the Upadesa of the Immeasurable Lifespan Sutra
Part 2
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Entering the Truth of the Foremost Meaning
The adornments of the Land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Lifespan are the wonderful manifestation of the Foremost Meaning of the Ultimate Truth.
They are as described in the first and the sixteenth verses in sequence. We should be clear about this point.
The Truth of the Foremost Meaning is the Buddha Dharma of causes and conditions.
This Truth carries the meaning the states of the environment.
That is why the sixteen verses on adornments are also known as the realm of wonderful states.
This meaning will further be explained when we come to the passages on the entrance into One Dharma Sentence.
It is also the sequence of one sentence.
It means the general and specific sequential contemplation of the 17 verses on the pure environment and others.
How does the sequence arise?
It is thus said in the beginning of the Shastra,
‘I take refuge in the Unobstructed Lights Thus Come One and I vow to be born in the Land of Serenely Blissful.’
There is a doubt here. The dubious people commented, ‘To be born is the foundation of existence. Birth is the source of all kinds of burdens. Now that we are abandoning birth and wish for a rebirth, how can there be an end to this birth?’
To clear this doubt, we need to contemplate the accomplishment of the adorned merits and virtues in that Pure Land.
We should understand in that Pure Land, the birth comes forth from Amitabha Thus Come One’s Primal Vows of No-birth.
It is not the same as the false birth in the three existences.
Why do I say this? It is because the Dharma Nature is pure. It is ultimately with No-birth.
When we say a rebirth (in Pure Land) it refers to the feeling (of differentiation) of the one who has attained a rebirth.
If birth is No-birth, how can there be an end to birth?
When there is an end to birth, we lose the body of phenomenal expression in noumena.
Furthermore, there is a fault that the three emptiness are not empty.
With this decayed in roots, such a man will have no chance to attain Buddhahood, to have his Name known to the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, to attain the states of neither going nor coming.
This is bringing shame to the practice.
When we understand the principle of birth, we call it the Pure Land.
The dwelling of the Pure Land is in the 17 verses.
Among the 17 verses it is subdivided into general and specifics.
The first verse is the general appearance. It means that the Pure Buddha Land far-surpasses the paths in the triple realm.
What kind of appearance will there be for a Land that surpasses the triple realm?
The 16 accomplishment of the adorned merits and virtues are the features.
The first one is the capacity. Ultimately it resembles the empty space which is expansive and limitless.
After knowing about the capacity, we need to know the roots of this capacity. Hence we contemplate the Nature.
The Nature means the roots.
That Pure Land comes forth from the Proper Path of Great kindness and compassion, the wholesome roots of renouncing the world.
Since we say this is the good roots of renouncing the world, what are brought forth from these good roots bring forth?
That is why in the next stage we contemplate the adorned form appearance.
After knowing the form appearance, we should know the body of this form appearance.
That is why next we contemplate all kinds of matters.
After knowing all kinds of matters, we should know the wonderful forms of all these matters.
So next we contemplate the wonderful forms.
After knowing the wonderful forms, we want to know the tangible contact of this form.
That is why next we contemplate the tangible object.
After knowing the tangible touch in body, we should know the eyes contact.
That is why we contemplate the three adorned matters of water, ground and empty space.
After knowing the eyes contact, we should know the nose contact.
That is why we contemplate the scented permeation of flowers and clothes.
After knowing the contact of eyes and nose, we should know the renunciation of defilement.
That is why next we contemplate the bright illumination of the Buddha’s wisdom.
After knowing the pure strength of the wisdom light, we should know the distance His Name has travelled, how far it has reached.
That is why next we contemplate the Brahman Sounds travel far.
After knowing the sound of the Name, we should know who is the Enhancing One.
That is why next we contemplate the Master.
After knowing the Master, we should know who his retinues are.
That is why next we contemplate his retinues.
After knowing the retinues, we should know the life and blessings of his retinues.
That is why next we contemplate their life and blessings.
After knowing their life and blessings, we should know if there is any disaster in their life.
That is why next we contemplate the absence of disasters.
Since we know there is no disaster, we should know based on what principle that there is no disaster.
That is why next we contemplate the Door of Great Meaning.
After knowing the Door of Great Meaning, we should know if the Door of Great Meaning is complete or incomplete.
That is why next we contemplate the fulfilment of all that we seek.
Moreover, these 17 verses not only clear our doubts, with the accomplishment of the contemplation of these 17 adornments, we will be replete with the Genuine Pure Faith. We will surely attain a rebirth in the Buddha Land of Serenely Blissful.
Question: We have said that if a man understands that birth is no birth, he would surely be born in the upper grade lotus. If a man belongs to the lowest position of the inferior grade, he would attain a rebirth with ten recitations. Is not this the attachment to a real birth?
If he is attached to a real birth, he will fall into two attachments.
First of all, he is afraid that he will not attain a rebirth. Secondly, it is afraid that the delusion of birth will arise in him.
Answer: Let us take the analogy of a pure Mani Pearl which is placed in the turbid water, the water will become clear and pure.
If a man is down with sinful turbidity of immeasurable births and deaths, on hearing Amitabha Thus Come One’s extremely pure Jewel Name of No birth, the Pearly Name of Amitabha Thus Come One, with this Name being sinking into his turbid mind, in every mindfulness his mind becomes pure, his sins are put into extinction and he will attain a rebirth.
Moreover, if this Mani Pearl is wrapped in a piece of black cloth, or yellow cloth and placed in the water, the water will become dark or yellow in colour, in the colour just the same as the cloth.
In that Pure Buddha Land, the Unsurpassed Jewel Pearl is known as Amitabha Thus Come One.
With the cloth wrap of the accomplishment of immeasurable adorned merits and virtues, it is thrown into the mind water of those who have attained a rebirth.
How can it be unable to transform the view of birth into the Wisdom of No-birth?
For example, if we set a great fire on the ice, it will surely melt.
When the ice is melted, the fire will become extinct.
Those who are born in the lowest position of the inferior grade may not understand the Dharma Nature of No-birth.
But as he is endowed with the strength of Buddha Recitation, he brings forth the mind to wish for a rebirth and vows to be born in that Land.
That Land is the Realm of No-Birth.
The view of birth is the fire and it will naturally be put into extinction.
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Below are the contemplations on two types of living beings.
1. Contemplating the Buddha 2. Contemplating the Bodhisattvas
On the contemplation of the Buddha:
What is meant by the accomplishment of the merits and virtues in contemplating the adorned Buddha?
The accomplishment of the merits and virtues in contemplating the adorned Buddha consists of eight marks. We should thus know.
The meaning of contemplation has been explained in the former verses.
What are the eight marks?
1. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned seat.
2.The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned bodily karma.
3. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned mouth karma.
4. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned mind karma.
5. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned great assembly.
6. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of adorned Supreme Leader
7. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned Master.
8. The accomplishment of the merits and virtues in the Genuine Adornment in upholding and supporting all living beings.
What is meant by the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned seat?
It is thus described in the gatha, ‘As the subtly wonderful pure lotus platform is made from Immeasurable great jewel kings.’
If you desire to contemplate the seat, you should contemplate in accord with the Contemplation Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan.
What is meant by the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned bodily karma?
It is thus described in the gatha: ‘As His brightly shining countenance emits light to a distance of one Yojana. His adorned form far-surpasses all living beings.’
If we desire to contemplate the Buddha’s body, we should rely on the Contemplation Sutra of Immeasurable lifespan.
What is meant by the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned mouth karma?
It is thus described in the Gatha: ‘As the wonderfully amazing Name of the Thus Come One echoes afar, to the ten directions.’
What is meant by the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned mind karma?
It is thus described In the Gatha: ‘As it resembles the earth, water, fire and wind, the space which is without differentiation.’
No differentiation refers to a mind which does not differentiate.
A mundane man commits the three sinful karma with his body, mouth and mind and he transmigrates in the triple realm without respite.
That is why the Buddha and Bodhisattvas adorn the three karma of body, mouth and mind to cure the three karmas of falsity of living beings.
What is meant by curing?
With the attachment to the view of a body living beings will be born in the three evil paths with an inferior body, an ugly body, a body of eight difficulties, a body of transmigration.
Living beings such like these on seeing the handsome countenance, the brightly illuminated body of Amitabha Thus Come One will be freed from the bondage of bodily karma and attain liberation.
On entering the household of the Thus Come One, they will ultimately obtain the bodily karma of equality.
Because of arrogance living beings slander the Proper Dharma, defame the worthies and sages, look down on the honourable people, the elders. (Honoured people refer to emperors, father, teachers, the elders refer to the virtuous people, brothers and relatives.)
Such a man should suffer the pain of extracting his tongue, the suffering of being deaf and dumb.
He will suffer the consequences when no one listens to him, the pain of being a nobody.
Living beings who undergo these various sufferings on hearing the extremely virtuous Name of Amitabha Thus Come One, on hearing his voice when he is teaching the Dharma, will attain liberation from the above bondages on the mouth karma.
He will enter the household of the Thus Come One and ultimately attain the mouth karma of equality.
Because of evil views, living beings give rise to a mind of differentiation. They differentiate existence and non-existence, right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, good and evil, here and there and all kinds of differentiation such like these.
Because of differentiation they will sink into the three existences forever to undergo all kinds of sufferings of a differentiating mind, the sufferings of obtaining or getting rid in the long nights of birth and death without a date of release.
If these living beings encounter the lights of illumination of Amitabha Thus Come One, his lights of equality, or hear about Amitabha Thus Come One’s mind karma of equality, they will be liberated from all the bondage of the mind karma.
They will enter the household of the Thus Come One and ultimately obtain the mind karma of equality
Question: The mind is able to know the forms. How can we say it is the same like the earth, water, fire and wind which is without differentiation.?
Answer: Even though the mind knows the forms, on entering the genuine mark there is no knowing.
For example, a snake is by nature crooked when it moves. But when it enters the bamboo pole it is straight.
Another example is when our body is pierced with a needle or stung by a bee, we will feel the pain. If it is sucked by a leech, or cut by a cold knife, it will not feel it.
So, knowing or not knowing depends on causes and conditions.
If it depends on causes and conditions, it is neither knowing nor not knowing.
Question: When the mind enters the Genuine Mark, it is without knowing. So, how does it obtain the Sarvatha wisdom?
Answer:
A mundane mind knows, that is why there are things that it does not know.
A sagely mind does not know so it is able to know all.
Without knowing yet he knows, knowing is not knowing.
Question: You say not knowing is to know all. If he knows everything, does it mean that he knows all kinds of dharma? If he knows all kinds of dharma, how can we say he is without differentiation?
Answer:
All the dharma marks are like illusion.
But in the illusive marks of elephants and horses it does not mean it is without the differences in the long neck, the nose, the heads and feet.
But when a wise man contemplates them, he does not say there is a fix difference in elephants and horses.
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What is meant by the accomplishment of merits and virtues of the adorned great assembly?
It is thus described in the Gatha: ‘As the heavenly beings with immovable minds are born from the seas of pure wisdom.’
What is meant by the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned Supreme Leader?
It is thus described in the Gatha: ‘As he resembles the King of Mount Sumeru that far-surpasses all wonders. Nothing is comparable to Him.’
What is meant by the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned Master?
It is thus described in the Gatha: ‘As he is surrounded respectfully by man and god, the assemblies of masculine gender who contemplate the Buddha with admiration.’
What is meant by the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the genuine adornment in upholding and supporting all beings?
It is thus described in the Gatha: ‘by contemplating the Original Vow of the Buddha, those who meet Him will not be in vain. They will swiftly fulfil all the great jewel seas of merits and virtues.’
The accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the Genuine Adornment in upholding and supporting all living beings is basically relying on the strength of Amitabha Thus Come One’s Original Vows.
Here I would like to show how the marks of falsity are unable to support and uphold the living beings.
In this way we can understand the meaning of ‘not in vain in the Genuine Adornment of supporting and upholding’.
There was this man who cut down his meals so as to support another but he did not expect he would be killed by him in his boat.
There was a man who kept abundant of gold in his storeroom yet he died of hunger.
All these happenings can be found among us. You may obtain something not because you have worked for it, or that you have something yet you cannot keep it because they are the results of false actions, fake karma, and they cannot uphold and support one.
When we say ‘upholding and supporting not in vain’ it means the reliance on the 48 Vows of Dharmakara Bodhisattva.
It relies on the present mastery of spiritual strength by Amitabha Thus Come One.
His Vows enable him to accomplish this strength and his strength enables him to accomplish his Vows.
His Vows are not empty and His strength is not false.
The Strength and Vows are in coherence and ultimately with no difference. So, it is said He has accomplished His Vows. (You may obtain something not because you have worked for it,… these two sentences are suspected as the miscopy of ‘supporting yet it does not possess the ability to support, upholding yet it does not uphold permanently.)
On seeing the Buddha, a Bodhisattva who has not attained the pure mind will ultimately certify to the dharma body of equality.
It is because they will ultimately attain the still extinction of equality just the same as the bodhisattva with pure mind, the bodhisattva who has certified to the supreme grounds.
The Dharma Body of Equality refers to the Bodhisattvas who have certified to the body of the Dharma Nature on the 8th Ground and above.
Still extinction of equality refers to the Dharma of Equality in Still Extinction which is certified by this Bodhisattva who attains the Dharma Body.
As he has obtained the Dharma of Equality and Still Extinction, it is known as the Dharma Body of Equality.
As this is attained by the Bodhisattvas who dwells in the Dharma Body of Equality, it is known as the Dharma of Still Extinction and Equality.
As this Bodhisattva has obtained the Samadhi of the reward body, with the spiritual strength of Samadhi, he is able to dwell at one place, in a single thought, in a single instant and manifest pervasively in the worlds in the ten directions to make all kinds of offerings to all the Buddha and their sea-like great assemblies.
He can manifest all kinds of revelations, all kinds of teachings and transformations to liberate all the living beings in immeasurable worlds where there is no Buddha, no Dharma and no Sangha.
He is able to conduct Buddha work as often yet he does not hold on to the thought of coming and going, the thought of making offerings, the thought of liberating beings.
So, this body is known as the Dharma Body of Equality.
This Dharma is known as the Dharma of Equality and ll Extinction.
Bodhisattvas who have not certified to the pure mind refer to the Bodhisattvas on the first ground till the 7th ground.
These Bodhisattvas can also manifest their bodies into a hundred bodies, a thousand, a million or billions, or even hundreds of thousands kotis to perform the Buddha work in the lands where there is no Buddha.
But they have to bring forth the mind to enter Samadhi. This manifestation will be impossible if they do not bring forth the mind first.
As there is the bringing forth of mind, it means they are yet to obtain the pure mind.
If this Bodhisattva vows to attain a rebirth in the Pure Land of Serenely Blissful, he will see Amitabha Buddha immediately.
On seeing Amitabha Buddha he will attain the Equality in Body and Dharma just the same as the Bodhisattvas who are dwelling on the Grounds.
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, Vasubandhu Bodhisattva who vow to attain a rebirth in that Land are Bodhisattvas in this category.
Question: According to the Ten Grounds Sutra, a Bodhisattva cultivates and advances on the stages will gradually replete with immeasurable merits and virtues. This will take many kalpas to attain. So why is it said here that on seeing Amitabha, he will ultimately be equal to the Bodhisattvas who dwell on the grounds in body and in Dharma?1908
Answer:
When we say ‘ultimately’ it does not mean that he will immediately equal to them. It means that he will not lose this equality ultimately. So, it is said that he will be equal to them.
Question: If he is not equal to them immediately, why should it be mentioned here? When a Bodhisattva attains the first ground, he will gradually advance and naturally he will be equal to the Buddha. Why is it mentioned here that he will be equal to the Bodhisattva dwelling on the grounds?
Answer:
A Bodhisattva dwelling on the 7th ground will obtain Great Stillness of Extinction.
He does not see there is the need to seek the Buddha Path neither does he see there are living beings to be rescued.
He will leave the Buddha Path and he will be certified to Reality.
At that time if he is not exhorted by the spiritual strength of the Buddha in the ten directions, he will enter still extinction and he is not different from the two vehicles.
If a Bodhisattva attains a rebirth in the Land of Serenely Blissful to see Amitabha Buddha he will not face this disaster.
That is why it is said he will ultimately dwell on equality.
Moreover, in the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan on Amitabha Buddha Thus Come One’s Original Vows, he says,
‘On my attainment of Buddhahood, the multitude of bodhisattva from other Buddha Lands who are born in my land will ultimately arrive at the position of one more lifespan to attain Buddhahood.
There is an exception if the Bodhisattva desires to be born in other land in accord with his original vows.
He will be born as he desires.
For the sake of living beings, he wears the shield of magnificent vows while accumulating the virtuous roots to cross over all living beings.
He travels to various Buddha Lands to practise the Bodhisattva conduct.
He makes offerings to all the Buddha Thus Come One in the ten directions.
He teaches and transforms immeasurable Ganges sands living beings so that they will dwell on the Unsurpassed, Proper and Genuine Path, far-surpassing the common practices of the myriad Grounds of cultivation.
He will cultivate the Virtuous Conduct of Samantabhadra presently.
If this is not the case, I will not certify to the Proper Enlightenment.’
According to this Sutra, we can deduce that it is unnecessary for the Bodhisattvas in that Land to cultivate from one ground to another ground.
The sequence of Ten Grounds is taught by Sakyamuni Buddha in Jambudvipa for the sake of transforming the living beings here in accord with their roots.
It is unnecessary to have these stages of cultivation in other Pure Lands.
Among the five inconceivability, the Buddha Dharma is the most inconceivable.
If people insist that a Bodhisattva must cultivate from one ground to another, that they have no reason to transcend all the grounds, I do not dare to comment.
For example, there is a tree which is known as Good and firm. The tree is born from the earth and it is fully grown in a hundred years.
Every day it grows up by a thousand feet and it will grow continually for one hundred years.
This is different for a pine tree. It grows up only a few inches in a day.
On hearing the growth of the Good and firm tree, how can one not be suspicious about it?
It is the same when a man who on listening to the teaching of Sakyamuni Thus Come One is certified to Arahant in one hearing.
He is certified to no birth at the end of the day.
People explain that these are only words of expedience to guide the learner, not true in reality.
On hearing the teaching in this Shastra, such people will surely not believe in it.
This is because extraordinary words cannot be understood by a commoner.
They will deny its truth. This is what is expected.
This is a brief discussion on the above eight descriptions to reveal the sequential accomplishment of merits and virtues of the Thus Come One in benefitting self and others.
We should thus know.
What is the sequence here?
The former 17 verses are on the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned Buddha Land.
After knowing the appearance of the Land, we should know the Master of the Land.
That is why next we contemplate the merits and virtues of the adorned Buddha.
As the Buddha is so adorned, we would like to know the place where he sits. So, first we contemplate his seat.
After knowing his seat, we should know about the Master who is sitting there. That is why next we contemplate the Buddha’s adorned body karma.
After knowing the Body karma, we should know what kind of Name he has and the spread of this Name.
That is why next we contemplate the Buddha’s adorned mouth karma.
After knowing his Name and fame, we wish to know how this Name come about.
That is why next we contemplate his adorned Mind karma.
After knowing the full repletion of the three karma, he should be the Great Master of man and god. Then who are the ones who can accept his teaching?
That is why next we contemplate the merits and virtues of the great assembly.
After knowing the immeasurable merits and virtues of the great assembly we should know who their leader is.
That is why next we contemplate the Supreme Leader.
The Supreme Leader is the Buddha.
After knowing the Supreme Leader, we might hesitate about his seniority. So next we contemplate the Master.
After knowing the Master, we should know what are the special abilities of the Master.
So next we contemplate the adorned abilities to uphold and support living beings not in vain.
These are the sequence of the eight verses.
The Contemplation of the Bodhisattva –
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What is meant by the contemplation of the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of an adorned bodhisattva?
Those who contemplate the accomplishment of merits and virtues of an adorned bodhisattva contemplate the bodhisattva has accomplished four kinds of merits and virtues in the proper cultivation.
Genuine Thus is the Fundamental Body of all dharma.
If we understand Thus and cultivate accordingly there is no cultivation.
In no cultivation yet we are cultivating.
This is known as Genuine Cultivation.
The Fundamental Body is One Thus and it carries four meanings. So, the four practices are based on the One Fundamental Body.
What are the four types of cultivation?
Firstly, a bodhisattva dwells in one Buddha Land and without leaving the Land he is able to transform himself into va rious forms pervasively in the ten directions.
As the bodhisattva cultivates genuinely, he is able to do the Buddha work always
Hence in the Gatha, it is thus stated,
‘The Land of serene bliss is pure and the Dharma Wheel of No filth is constantly being turned. The transformation Buddha and Bodhisattva resemble the brightly illumined sun. They uphold the Land just like the Mount Sumeru.’
‘They transform living beings so that they will bloom like lotuses in the mud.’
Bodhisattvas on the 8th ground often dwell in Samadhi. With the strength of Samadhi, it is unnecessary for them to leave their original place yet they can pervasively travel to the ten directions to make offerings to all the Buddha, to teach and transform living beings.
The Wheel of No-filth refers to the merits and virtues at the Buddha ground.
The merits and virtues of the Buddha Ground is absence of the filth of habitual afflictions.
For the sake of the bodhisattvas the Buddha often turns this Dharma wheel.
All the Great Bodhisattva are also able to use this Dharma Wheel to teach and transform all living beings.
They will not take a rest even temporarily so it is known as the Constant Turning of Dharma Wheel.
The Dharma body resembles the sun while the lights of the transformation bodies pervasively shine on all the worlds.
Using the sun to describe the bodhisattvas we cannot reveal them as being unmoving.
Again, Mount Sumeru is used to describe these bodhisattvas who uphold and support the living beings.
The lotuses from the mud are thus described in the Sutra:
On the highland, on the ground, lotuses are not grown. Only in the lowland which is wet and muddy lotuses are grown.
This is the analogy of the mundane men who dwell in the mud of afflictions are able to grow into the lotuses of the Buddha Proper Enlightenment after listening to the teaching of the Bodhisattvas.
In this way, the transformation of the mundane men ensures the prosperity of the Triple Gem to abide in the world continually.
Secondly the transformation bodies of the bodhisattva emit the bright lights at all times in the arising of every thought, every mindfulness without being too early or too late.
The lights pervasively illumine the worlds in the ten directions just in time to teach and transform living beings.
It is because a bodhisattva uses all kinds of expedience in cultivation to put to extinction, to eradicate the sufferings of all living beings.
As it is thus stated in the Gatha,
‘The Adorned Lights of No-filth pervasively illumine the various Buddha Assemblies to benefit all living beings, in every thought, every instant.’
In the above description we say about arriving without moving, it may give us the interpretation there is a difference in the time of arrival.
So here it states again the arrival is in one thought, at one instant without being early or late.
Thirdly, in all the worlds, the lights of the bodhisattva fully illumine all the great assemblies of all the Buddha.
With a wholesome mind he fully makes the broad and expansive, immeasurable offerings to all the Buddha with respect.
He venerates the Buddha by praising the merits and virtues of the Buddha Thus Come One.
In the Gatha it is thus stated,
‘From the sky the heavenly music is played. All kinds of offerings such as the flowers and clothes, wonderful incense and others rain down continually as offerings to the Buddha. Voices of praise are sung forth to praise the merits and virtues of the Buddha with no differentiation.’
‘Fully’ means that the offerings and illumination pervasively travel to all the worlds, all the Buddha’s great assembly.
There is not a world, not a Buddha assembly that they do not reach.
Master Zhao said,
‘The Dharma body is without a mark yet various forms of transformation are manifested.
True genuine speech is without words yet the teachings on the path spread afar pervasively.
The power of the hidden strength is not prearranged yet it acts in accord with all phenomenon.’
This is what it means.
Fourthly, in all the worlds in the ten directions where there is no Triple Gem, he will uphold and support the great seas of merits and virtues of the adorned Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.
He pervasively shows and guides the living beings so that they can understand and cultivate genuinely.
In the Gatha it is thus stated,
‘In all the worlds where there is no Buddha Dharma, the Jewel of merits and virtues, I vow to be born there to teach them the Buddha Dharma, in the way just the same as the Buddha.’
The three sentences above talk about arriving pervasively but they refer to the Lands with Buddha.
If without the fourth sentence, it means the Dharma Body is not all encompassing.
It means there is a flaw in the superior wholesomeness.
This is the end of the contemplation of the conduct, the body and marks.
Below we will explain the fourth category in explaining the meanings. It is known as purity enters the mind of vows.
The one who is replete with purity in mind of vows–
We have already discussed the accomplishment of merits and virtues in the contemplation of adorned Buddha Land, the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned Buddha, the accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned bodhisattva.
We should thus know these three accomplishments bring forth the mind of adorned vows.
What is meant by ‘we should thus know’?
We should know the accomplishment of these three adornments rely on the Mind of Pure Vows of the Original 48 Vows.
As the cause is pure, the fruit is pure. They do not come forth from no cause or other causes.
This is a brief explanation of entering the phrase of one dharma.
In the above seventeen verses of the adorned lands, the eight verses on the adorned Thus Come One, the four verses on the adorned bodhisattva are known as the expansive teaching.
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The entrance into the Phrase of One Dharma is known as the brief teaching.
Why does it reveal the interlink of being expansive and the brief?
This is because the Buddha and Bodhisattva possess two types of Dharma body.
1. The Dharma Nature Dharma Body
2. The Expedient Dharma Body.
From the Dharma Nature Dharma Body, the Expedient Dharma Body comes forth.
From the Expedient Dharma Body, the Dharma Nature Dharma Body is revealed.
These two Dharma Bodies are different yet they cannot be separated.
They are one yet they are different.
That is why the expansive and the brief are interlinked.
Generally speaking, they are all known as the Dharma.
If a bodhisattva does not know about the interlink of being expansive and brief, he is unable to benefit self and others.
The pure phrase is the genuine wisdom as it is the noumenon Dharma Body.
The three verses are all inter-related.
What meaning does it rely on that it is called the Dharma?
It is because of purity.
What meaning does it rely on that it is known as purity?
It is because the Genuine Wisdom is the Dharma Body of noumena.
The Genuine Wisdom refers to the Wisdom of the Genuine Mark.
The Genuine Mark is with No-mark, that is why the Genuine Wisdom is No-knowing.
The noumena Dharma Body is the body of Dharma Nature.
The Dharma Nature dwells in still extinction so the Dharma Body is with No mark.
As it is with No mark it can dwell in all the marks.
That is why the adorned and wonderful forms features are the Dharma Body.
As there is no knowing it is able to know everything.
That is why the Savartha Wisdom, the total wisdom is the Genuine Wisdom.
As it is Genuine it is known as the Wisdom.
This is to clarify wisdom is neither a deed nor not a deed.
As it is noumena we say it is the Dharma Body.
It means that the Dharma Body is not a form nor no form.
In the nothingness or no nothingness, is not this neither nothingness means something?
This is because no nothingness is called something. (phenomena).
The phenomen/something does not rely on no something.
When it is not something, it is neither anything.
So, nothing can be used as an analogy.
So, it is known as the Pure Phrase.
The Pure phrase is the Genuine Wisdom, the noumena Dharma Body.
We should know the two types of purity.
From above it enters the verse. Purity comes forth when one penetrates One Dharma.
When one penetrates Purity, one enters the Dharma Body.
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Now we will specially differentiate purity and knows the two types of purity. We should thus know.
What are the two types?
Firstly, it is the purity of the realm of environment.
Secondly it is the purity of the realm of living beings.
The pure environmental realm has been discussed in the above 17 kinds of accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned Buddha land.
These are known as the pure environmental realm.
The pure realm of living beings has been discussed in the eight types of accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned Buddha and the four types of accomplishment of the merits and virtues of the adorned bodhisattvas.
This is known as the pure realm of living beings.
In this way, the phrase of one dharma carries the meanings of two types of purity. We should thus know.2308
Moreover, living beings are the body of individual reward.
The land is the manifestation of the shared reward.
The body and manifestation are not one. We should know this.
But all the dharma comes forth from our mind. Other than this mind there is no other states.
So, living beings and environment cannot be said as different yet they are not the same.
They are not the same means there is a difference in meaning. They are not different means they are equally pure.
The environment refers to the manifestation with a function.
It is manifested for the use and enjoyment of the pure living beings.
So, the pure surrounding is described as the vessel.
For example, if we place the pure food into an unclean vessel, the food becomes impure as the vessel is dirty.
When we place the dirty food in a clean vessel, the vessel becomes unclean as the food is dirty.
It is necessary for the two to be clean then it is known as purity.
So, in the one Pure Name it surely carries these two meanings.
Question: Talking about the purity of living beings we refer to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. How about the man and devas? Are they inclusive in this pure assembly?
Answer: They are also known as the pure ones.
But actually, they are not truly pure.
For example, the sages who leave the home life are called the bhikshus as they have killed the thieves of afflictions.
Among the mundane men who leave the home life, some uphold the precepts while others transgress the precepts. They are still known as the bhikshus.
Moreover the new born prince of Anointing the Crown is replete with the 32 hallmarks and the Seven Gems belong to him.
Even though he cannot carry out the duty of the Wheel Turning King he is still called the Wheel Turning King.
This is because he will finally become the Wheel Turning King.
This is also the same for the man and devas in that Land. They will dwell in the right concentration of the Great Vehicle and ultimately, they will obtain the Pure Dharma Body.
As they are sure to attain it, they are called the pure ones.
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Gathering in and transforming with expedience
In this way a bodhisattva who practises the Samantha, Vipassanna briefly or expansively will accomplish a soft and pliant mind.
A gentle and pliant mind refers to the cultivation of stoppage and contemplation expansively or briefly in a sequential practice.
The practiser will attain a mind of non-duality.
It resembles the appearance of images in the water. Clear images are accomplished when the water is calm and clear.
He genuinely knows the various brief or expansive dharma.
‘Knowing genuinely’ means the knowledge in accord with the Genuine Marks. Expansively there are the 29 verses. In brief it is the one verse. They are none other than the Genuine Marks.
In this way he is able to accomplish the transference skilfully.
‘Thus’ means all the fore and latter dharma, the expansive and brief practices are the revelation of the Genuine Marks.
As we know the Genuine Mark, we will also know the mark of falsity of living beings in the triple realm.
On knowing the falsity of living beings, Genuine Kindness and Compassion comes forth.
As we know the Genuine Dharma body, Genuine Refuges will come forth.
The connection of Kindness and Compassion with the Refuges and Expedience will be explained below.
What is the bodhisattva skilful expedience in transference?
The skilful expedience of transference refers to the five kinds of cultivation such as making obeisance to the Buddha.
All the merits, virtues of good roots accrued are not meant to seek for self-enjoyment in life.
But they are practised for the sake of eradicating the sufferings of all living beings.
A bodhisattva brings forth the vow to gather in all living beings to attain a rebirth in the Buddha Land of Serenely Blissful.
This is known as the accomplishment of transference skilfully by a bodhisattva.
In the Immeasurable Lifespan Sutra which was spoken in Rajagrha there are three grades of people who attain a rebirth.
Even though their practices are different in quality, some are superior while others are inferior, all of them do bring forth the Unsurpassed Bodhi Mind.
This Unsurpassed Bodhi Mind is the mind of vows to attain Buddhahood.
When we bring forth the mind to attain Buddhahood, it is a mind to rescue living beings.
The mind to rescue living beings is the mind to gather in all living beings to attain a rebirth in the Pure Buddha Land.
That is why those who wish to be born in the Pure Land of Serenely Blissful should bring forth the Unsurpassed Bodhi Mind.
If a man does not bring forth this Unsurpassed Bodhi Mind, and on hearing about the uninterrupted Bliss in that Land he wishes to be born there to enjoy the bliss, he will be unable to attain a rebirth.
That is why it is said here one does not seek the bliss for self-enjoyment. It is because he desires to eradicate the suffering of all living beings.
‘Upholding and supporting of bliss’ means that the Pure Land of Serenely Blissful is upheld and supported by the strength of Amitabha Thus Come One’s Original Vows.
The enjoyment of bliss is uninterrupted.
Generally speaking, most explanation on the transference of merits refers to the transferring of all the merits and virtues which are accrued by oneself for all the living beings so that all will tread the Buddha Path.
The meaning of expedience refers to the Bodhisattva who with his fiery wisdom desires to burn up the grass and wood of afflictions of all living beings.
If there is even one living who has not attained Buddhahood, he will not become the Buddha.
But before all the living beings attain Buddhahood, the bodhisattva has already attained Buddhahood.
This is the same like the analogy of a fire which wants to burn down all the grass and wood. But before it manages to do so, the fire is burnt out.
Before he manages to bring all living beings to Buddhahood, he himself has become the Buddha. This is known as the expedience.
Here when we talk about expedience, it means we bring forth the vows to gather in all living beings to attain a rebirth in the Buddha Land of Serenely Blissful.
Attaining a rebirth in that Buddha Land is ultimately the Unsurpassed Expedience to guarantee the attainment of Buddhahood.
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Staying away from the obstacles of Bodhi
A bodhisattva who knows well the accomplishment of transference will stay away from the discord dharma which goes against the three Bodhi Doors.
What are the three Bodhi Doors?
Firstly, by relying on the Wisdom Door he does not seek for self-enjoyment.
Hence, he is able to stay away from the mind of a self that is attached greedily to one’s body.
When he knows when to advance, when to stay put and when to retreat, this is known as wisdom.
When he understands emptiness is without a self, this is known as the wise knowledge.
By relying on wisdom, he does not seek for self-enjoyment. By relying on wise knowledge, he renounces the mind of self which is greedily attached to a body.
Secondly, by relying on the Door of Kindness and Compassion he eradicates sufferings from all living beings.
As such he will stay away from the mind of not caring for living beings.
Relieving beings from suffering is known as Kindness. Giving happiness to living beings is known as Compassion. By relying on kindness, he relieves living beings from sufferings. By relying on compassion, he stays away from a mind for not caring for living beings.
Thirdly by relying on the Door of Expedience he gives rise to a mind to take pity on all living beings.
So, he will stay away from the mind of respecting oneself, making offerings to oneself.
Expedience carries the meaning of being righteous in mind and the caring for those around us.
With a righteous mind, he takes pity on all living beings.
With a caring mind for those around us he will stay away from the mind of making offerings to oneself, the mind of self-respect.
This is known as staying away from the discord dharma which goes against the three Bodhi Doors.
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The Door of accordance in Bodhi
A bodhisattva who stays away from the discord dharma which goes against the three Bodhi Doors will obtain the dharma satisfaction as he acts in accord with the three Bodhi Doors.
What are the three?
Firstly, he obtains a pure and undefiled mind because he does not seek for any personal enjoyment.
Bodhi is the dwelling of purity with no defilement. If we seek for self-enjoyment, this is against the Bodhi. So, a pure mind without defilement is in accord with the Bodhi Door.
Secondly, he obtains a pure and calm mind because he aims to eradicate the sufferings of all beings.
Bodhi is the pure dwelling to bring calm and peace to all living beings. If we do not bring forth a mind to relieve all living beings from the sufferings of birth and death, this is against the Bodhi. That is why relieving all living beings from sufferings is in accord with the Door of Bodhi.
Thirdly he obtains a pure and happy mind as he is able to lead all living beings to obtain the Great Bodhi.
And he is able to gather in and bring living beings to attain a rebirth in the Pure Land.
Bodh is the dwelling of Ultimate Bliss.
If we cannot lead all living beings to obtain the Ultimate Permanent Bliss, this is against the Bodhi
What do we rely on to obtain this Ultimate Permanent Bliss?
We have to rely on the Great Vehicle Door.
The Great Vehicle Door refers to the Buddha Land of Serenely Blissful.
That is why it is said living beings are gathered in to attain a rebirth in that Land.
We should know this is known as the dharma satisfaction from the three types of accordance in the Bodhi Door.
The pairing up of Name and Meaning
We have already discussed the three doors wisdom, kindness and compassion and expedients to gather in the Prajna.
With Prajna we will have expedients. We should know this.
Prajna is the name given to the wise knowledge to understand ‘Thus’ while expedience is the wisdom to penetrate skills in means.
When a man penetrates ‘Thus’ his mind naturally dwells in still extinction.
When a man penetrates the expedience, he is able to understand the different root natures.
The wisdom to understand the manifestation of the root nature is the innate foundation on No knowing.
The wisdom of still extinction is no knowing yet he is able to differentiate all kinds of root nature.
Wisdom and expedience are inter-related.
They can be expressed in movement and they too can be expressed in stillness.
In movement there is the stillness.
This is the merits of wisdom.
In stillness there is the actions.
This is the strength of expedience.
That is why wisdom, kindness and compassion and expedience bring forth the Prajna.
With the Prajna there is the expedience.
‘We should thus know’ means we should know wisdom and expedience are the father and mother of a Bodhisattva.
If one does not rely on wisdom and expedience the dharma of bodhisattva cannot be accomplished.
Why is this so?
When a man is without wisdom, he will fall into confusion of inverted views when he faces living beings.
If he is without expedience, he will certify to Reality when he contemplates the Dharma Nature.
So, we should thus know.
We have already discussed by staying away from the mind of self-attachment, by staying away from the mind for neglecting living beings, by staying away from the mind of seeking offerings and respect for oneself, we are staying away from these three dharmas that hinder the Bodhi Mind. We should thus know.
There are different appearances in obstructions in all the dharma.
For example, the wind hinders stillness, the earth obstructs the water, dampness obstructs the fire, the five darkness and ten evils obstruct the births as devas and man, the four types of inverted confusion obstruct the fruits of Sravaka.
If we do not stay away from these three minds, they will hinder the Bodhi Mind. We should know this.
If we desire to be free from hindrances, we should stay away from these three obstructions.
We have already discussed the pure and undefiled mind, the pure and calm mind, the pure and happy mind.
With the coming together of the three states of mind it enables us to accomplish the Wonderfully Blissful, the Supremely Genuine Mind. We should thus know.
There are three types of bliss.
1st The external bliss – They are the happiness arise from the five consciousness.
2nd The internal bliss -It refers to the happiness arises from the mind consciousness in the first Dhyana, the second and third Dhyana.
3rd The happiness from the Dharma Bliss or it is also known as the bliss arises from wisdom. This bliss of wisdom comes from the love of the Buddha’s merits and virtues.
It is apart from the mind of a self, apart from the mind for not caring for living beings and apart from the mind for making offerings to oneself.
When the purity of these three minds is enhanced it is known as the Supreme Genuine Mind of Wonderful Bliss.
Wonderful means it is awesome. It is because this blissful condition arises from the Buddha. Supreme means that the bliss surpasses the happiness of the triple realm. Genuine means it is not false, not confused nor inverted.
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The Accomplishment of Vows
In this way, a bodhisattva with a wise mind, the mind of expedients, the unobstructed mind, the supremely genuine mind is able to bring forth the Pure Buddha Land. We should thus know.
We should know that these four types of pure merits and virtues will bring us to attain a rebirth in that Pure Buddha Land.
We do not attain a rebirth relying on other conditions.
This is known as a Bodhisattva Mahasattva acting in accord with the five Dharma Doors will accomplish the ease in fulfilling whatever he desires to do.
They are as we have discussed on the bodily karma, the mouth karma, the mind karma, the wise karma, the expedients wise karma because he acts in accord with the Dharma Door.
He is at ease to do as he wishes means that these five strengths of merits and virtues are able to bring forth the Pure Buddha Land and he can travel everywhere as he wishes.
The body karma refers to making obeisance. The mouth karma refers to praising the Buddha. The mind karma is the bringing forth of vows. The karma of wisdom is contemplation while the karma of expedience wisdom refers to the transference of merits.
With these five karmas in harmony, it means he has accomplished the karma of self-ease in accord with the Pure Land Dharma Door to attain a rebirth.
The fulfilment of the beneficial conduct
Moreover, we should know there are the five doors that gradually bring one to accomplish the five types of merits and virtues.
What are the five doors? 1. the Nearby door 2. the Great Assembly door 3. the Gate door 4. the House door 5. roaming in the garden and forest play-ground door.
These five doors reveal the appearance of entering and exiting in sequence.
In the appearance of entering, the first time to arrive at the Pure Land is the appearance of being near.
It means on entering the state of Proper Concentration of the Great Vehicle one is near to Annutaraksamyaksambodhi.
After entering the Pure Land, one will join the Thus Come One’s Great Assembly.
After one becomes part of the Great Assembly, one will surely arrive at the gate of total calmness.
After entering the gate of total calmness, one will go forth to the house for cultivation.
After one has accomplished the cultivation, one will go forth to the ground of teaching and transforming.
The ground of teaching and transforming is the ground of self-enjoyment of a Bodhisattva.
This is the Door of exiting and it is known as the Door of roaming in the play-ground of gardens and forests. 2508
Among the five doors, the first four doors are the accomplishment on the entrance into merits and virtues. The fifth door is the accomplishment of sharing the merits and virtues.
Here I will explain the meanings of the entering and exiting the doors of merits and virtues.
A bodhisattva enters the first door by making obeisance to Amitabha Buddha as he desires to be born in His Land.
He will attain a rebirth in the World of Serenely Bliss.
This is known as entering the first door.
Making obeisance to the Buddha, bringing forth the vows to attain a rebirth in the in the Buddha Land is the first mark of merits and virtues.
A bodhisattva enters the second door by praising Amitabha Buddha in accord with the meaning of the Name.
He recites the Thus Come One’s Name because he wants to rely on the Thus Come One’s wisdom of bright illumination as a mean of cultivation.
He will join the other cultivators in the Great Assembly.
This is known as the entrance into the second door.
Praising the Thus Come One in accord with the meanings of the Name is the second mark of merits and virtues.
On entering the third door he recites the Buddha Name single-mindedly and he brings forth the vows to attain a rebirth there.
As he is cultivating Samantha and dwelling in the Samadhi of stillness, he will enter the Lotus Treasury World.
This is known as entering the third door.
As one desire to cultivate the stillness and stoppage, one brings forth the mind single-mindedly wishing to be born in that Land. This is the third mark of merits and virtues.
On entering the fourth door, he recites the Buddha Name single-mindedly and contemplates the wonderfully adorned Land.
As he is cultivating vipassana he will arrive at that Land and enjoy the various tastes of dharma bliss.
This is known as entering the fourth door.
The various Dharma tastes and bliss:
In the Vipassana there are the pure taste of contemplating the Pure Buddha Land, the taste of the Great Vehicle in gathering in the living beings, the taste of not acting in vain in supporting and upholding living beings ultimately, the taste of bringing forth the Buddha Land when a bodhisattva brings forth the vows and conduct involving various matters.
There are such immeasurable tastes on the adorned Buddha Path. The word various is used to describe it. This is the mark of the fourth merits and virtues.
On exiting the fifth door, he is replete with great kindness and great compassion.
He contemplates all the afflicted living beings and reveals in transformation bodies among them by entering the garden of birth and death, the forests of afflictions.
Roaming in the playful spiritual penetration, he will arrive at the ground of teaching and transforming relying on the strength of the Original Vows and the Transference of merits and virtues.
This is known as exiting the fifth door.
The revealing of the transformation body can be seen in the Dharma Flowers Sutra, in the Chapter on the Revelation of the Pervasive doors and such like.
Playful carries two meanings.
1. The meaning of being at ease – A Bodhisattva crosses over living beings resembles a lion which wants to catch a deer. It is not a difficult task for him. It is as if playing a game.
2. The meaning of crossing over is carried out the task to save living beings without getting attached to it. This is because in the mind of a bodhisattva he contemplates all living beings as not existing ultimately. Even though he seems to cross over immeasurable living beings, in actuality not even one living being is brought to still extinction. He reveals the rescuing of living beings just like playing a game.
Talking about the strength of the Original Vows, it reveals that a Great Bodhisattva who attains the Dharma Body often dwells in Samadhi. Yet he can reveal all kinds of body, all kinds of spiritual penetration, all kinds of dharma teaching by relying on the strength of the Original Vows.
Let us take the analogy of the musical instrument of Asuras. Even though no one is playing it, the music is played naturally. This is known as the Ground of Teaching and Transforming, the fifth mark of merits and virtues.
We should know that a bodhisattva enters the first four doors and accomplishes the cultivation on self-benefits.
Accomplishment means the fulfilment of self-benefit.
We should thus know that because one is able to benefit oneself only then he can benefit others.
It is not the case that a man who cannot benefit himself has the ability to benefit others.
We should know that a bodhisattva exits the fifth door accomplishes the transference of merits to benefit others.
Accomplishment means that the transference of merits is the cause. He will reap the fruit of certification to the Ground of Teaching and Transforming.
May they be the causes or the fruits, all of them will be beneficial to others.
‘We should thus know’ means that we should know that by benefitting others, we can benefit ourselves. It is not the case if we cannot benefit others yet we can gain any benefit.
A bodhisattva who cultivates the five doors in this way benefits oneself and others will swiftly attain Annutaraksamyaksambodhi.
The dharma which is attained by the Buddha is known as Annutaraksamyaksambodhi.
As he obtains this Bodhi, he is called the Buddha.
Now we say one will swiftly arrive at Annutaraksamyaksambodhi, it means one will attain Buddhahood quickly.
‘A’ means no. ‘nnutarak’ means surpassing. ‘Samyak’ means Proper. ‘Sam’ means Pervasive. ‘Bodhi’ means the Path.
Generally, it is translated as the Unsurpassed, Proper, Pervasive Path.
Unsurpassed means that this Path is the Ultimate Principle, the thorough penetration of the Buddha Nature. Nothing can surpass this.
Why do I say this? It is because it is Proper.
The Proper One refers to the Sagely Wisdom.
He knows in accord with the Dharma Mark. So, it is known as the Proper Wisdom.
The Dharma nature is No-mark. That is why the Sagely Wisdom is No-knowing.
There are two types of pervasiveness.
1. The mind of a Sage pervasively knows all the dharma. 2. The Dharma Body pervasively fills up the Dharma Realm.
May it be the body or the mind none will not be pervasive.
‘Path’ refers to the unobstructed path.
In the Sutra it is thus stated,
‘In the ten directions the unobstructed man leaves birth and death following One Path.’
This One Path is the One Unobstructed Path.
Unobstructed means that he knows birth and death is Nirvana.
Such a man enters the Door of Non-duality, the mark of no obstruction.
Question: What are the causes and conditions to say that one will swiftly accomplish Annutaraksamyaksambodhi?
Answer: In the Shastra it is said that because one has accomplished the cultivation of the five doors to benefit oneself and others.
But if we go into the origin, it is because Amitabha Thus Come One is the enhanced conditions.
Talking about ‘Others’ Benefits’ and ‘Benefitting Others’, it seems there is a difference.
But if we discuss from the point of view of the Buddha, we should say benefitting others. If we discuss from the point of view of living beings, we should say others’ benefits.
Now as we are talking about the Buddha’s strength so we say benefitting others. We should thus understand the meaning.
The attainment of rebirth in the Pure Land, all the practices and activities of the Bodhisattva, man and devas rely solely on the strength of the Thus Come One Amitabha’s Original Vows.
Why do I say this?
Without the Buddha’s strength the 48 vows are only empty words.
Now I will take three vows as evidence of what I mean.
It is thus stated in one Vow,
‘On my attainment of Buddhahood, if the living beings in the ten directions have good faith in me and with a sincere and joyful mind they desire to be born in my land. If they recite my name ten times and cannot attain a rebirth, I will not certify to the Proper Enlightenment. Those who have committed the five rebellious acts and slandered the Proper Dharma are exceptions.’
By relying on the Buddha’s Strength of Vows, a man who can recite ten times Namo Amitabha Buddha will attain a rebirth. As he is able to attain a rebirth he will be freed from the transmigration in the triple realm. As there in no transmigration so we say it is swift.
This is the first evidence.
He brings forth the vow,
‘On my attainment of Buddhahood, if the man and devas in my Land do not dwell in right concentration until their arrival at still extinction, I will not certify to the Proper Enlightenment.’
By relying on the strength of the Buddha’s Vows one will dwell in right concentration. When a man dwells in right concentration and finally arrives at still extinction. There will be no disaster when one retreats in practice. That is why he will swiftly attain Buddhahood.
This is the second evidence.
The Buddha brings forth the vows,
‘On my attainment of Buddhahood, the multitude of bodhisattvas from other Buddha Lands who are born in my land will ultimately arrive at the position of one more lifespan to attain Buddhahood. There is an exception if the Bodhisattva desires to be born in other land in accord with his original vows. He will be born as he desires. For the sake of living beings, he wears the shield of Magnificent Vows while accumulating the virtuous roots to cross over all living beings. He travels to various Buddha Lands to practise the Bodhisattva conduct. He makes offerings to all the Buddha Thus Come One in the ten directions. He teaches and transforms immeasurable Ganges sands living beings so that they are shown the Unsurpassed, Proper and Genuine Path, far-surpassing the common practices of the myriad Grounds of cultivation. He will cultivate the Virtuous Conduct of Samantabhadra presently. If this is not the case, I will not certify to the Proper Enlightenment.’
It is because of the reliance on the Buddha’s Strength of Vows, a bodhisattva is able to surpass the normal practice of the various Grounds. He is able to practise the virtues of the Samantabhadra Conduct presently. As he has surpassed the normal practice of the various Grounds, he will arrive at Buddhahood swiftly.
This is the third evidence.
So as a deduction from here, how can a bodhisattva who by relying on the Buddha’s Strength as an enhanced condition not to accomplish Buddhahood swiftly?
Again, I would like to give examples to show the marks on the reliance of one’s strength and the reliance on the other’s strength.
For example, as a man is afraid to fall into the three evil paths, he will uphold the precepts and abstinence. As he upholds the precepts and abstinence, he is able to cultivate concentration. As his mind dwells in concentration he can cultivate the spiritual penetration. With the spiritual penetration he is able to travel to the four continents.
These are the manifestation of self-strength.
Then there is this mundane man who cannot even step astride on a donkey. But when he travels with the Wheel Turning Sagely King, he rides on the flying wheel and travels to the four continents without obstructions.
These manifestations are known as the reliance on other’s strength.
In future, cultivators who on hearing the reliance on other’s strength should bring forth great faith.
It would be foolish of them if they refuse to have faith on the reliance of other’s strength.
I hope they will not set themselves aside.
A bodhisattva who cultivates the five doors in this way benefits oneself and others will swiftly attain Annutaraksamyaksambodhi.
At the beginning of the Sutra the words ‘Thus I have heard …’ are used to show that only with faith can a man be able to enter the Buddha Dharma. At the end of the Sutra the words ‘upholding and practising accordingly’ are used to show that we must have faith in the Buddha and cultivate in accordance with His teaching.
In the Shastra, the words ‘taking refuge and making obeisance’ are used to show the reason and aim in the teaching. At the end of Shastra, the words ‘the end of the meanings’ to show that the explanation of the principles has come to an end.
The writer of the shastra and the commenter are not the same person. This is to cite them as examples.
28Aug 2021
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