釋淨土群疑論

10. A Special Exhortation to Seek Rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Land.

Question: Mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha brings immeasurable and boundless merit. This has been clearly explained through citations from sutras and treatises in this treatise, and I have accepted it in faith and put it into practice. As for reciting the names of other Buddhas, does this also bring immeasurable and boundless merit? ⁽¹¹³⁾

Answer: There are two meanings. ⁽¹⁾ Mindfulness of any Buddha brings immeasurable merit without distinction, because all Tathagatas are endowed with boundless merit, have completely eliminated all attachment to self and attachment to dharmas, and have perfected their merit. Therefore, there is no difference in the merit resulting from reciting their names. Question: If so, why does the Tathagata, in many sutras, praise only the immeasurable merit of mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha?

Answer: In truth, merit is of a single kind. However, because ordinary beings possess shallow wisdom and cannot be mindful of all Buddhas, the Tathagata specifically praised the merit of one Buddha, enabling practitioners to single-mindedly and exclusively be mindful of him. This is because the merit of reciting with utmost sincerity is exceedingly great, and this is the Tathagata’s skillful means and hidden intent.

It is like the ordination of a bhiksu: all members of the Sangha who confer the precepts are pure and can serve as preceptors, without any distinction of superiority or inferiority. Yet, according to the mind of the person receiving the precepts, he concentrates upon one master, venerates him as his ordaining acarya, and, taking him as the condition, gives rise to the essence of the precepts. This is more excellent than taking all the masters as conditions simultaneously.

The same is true here: concentrating upon one Buddha brings abundant merit because of single-minded, undivided concentration. ⁽²⁾ Although all Buddha-Tathagatas are equal in merit, without higher or lower, sentient beings formed differing affinities with the Buddhas in past lives. Treatises of the Yogacara school, such as the Mahayana-samgraha and others, all state: “Through the natural power of dharmas, sentient beings form differing affinities with the Buddhas.

Many sentient beings may form affinities with one Buddha, or one sentient being may form affinities with many Buddhas. If they have an affinity with a particular Buddha, that Buddha can save and deliver them. If they have not formed affinities with other Buddhas, those Buddhas cannot save and deliver them.

If they have an affinity with a particular Buddha and sincerely recite his name, their merit will be exceedingly great. If they have no affinity, however, their practice of Buddha-recitation will not yield much accomplishment, and that Buddha will certainly not come to save and deliver them.”

11. The Abundant Goodness of Buddha-Recitation.

Question: The Sutra of Immeasurable Life states: “Bodhisattvas of lesser rank and practitioners possessing little merit and virtue can all attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.” Yet the Amitabha Sutra states: “One cannot attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss through only a few roots of goodness, merits, virtues, causes, and conditions.” The meanings of these two sutras appear contradictory. How can they be satisfactorily explained? ⁽¹¹⁴⁾

Answer: Because their respective points of reference differ, each has its own meaning, and there is no contradiction. When the Sutra of Immeasurable Life says “little,” it refers to a small quantity. When the Amitabha Sutra says “abundant,” it refers to great efficacy.

The Amitabha Sutra teaches only mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha; it does not teach other factors of the Path, such as the six paramitas and so forth, which require long periods of time and many lives and kalpas. Furthermore, because it speaks only of the merit of Buddha-recitation and not of the merit and virtue of other practices, it is said to be “little.” Nevertheless, reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name once or many times brings immeasurable, boundless, and extraordinary merit; therefore, it is said to be “abundant.” The Lower Fascicle of the Sutra of Immeasurable Life states: “Buddha-Tathagatas throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, all praise the inconceivable majestic power and merit of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life.

Sentient beings who hear his name, rejoice, and have faith—even to the point of reciting his name once—will certainly attain rebirth in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and dwell on the stage of non-retrogression.” It further states: “If sentient beings hear the Name and rejoice with delight, even to the point of being mindful of the Name once, they will obtain great benefit; that is, they will be fully endowed with unsurpassed merit.” The Sutra in Praise of the Pure Land states: “They hear the name of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, whose merit is immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable.” Taking these scriptural passages as evidence, we know that the merit of Buddha-recitation is immeasurable and boundless.

When considered in terms of quantity and efficacy, speaking of “abundant” or “little” entails no contradiction. It is like a mani jewel that fulfills wishes, which may be described as either little or abundant. It is called little because there is only one jewel and its quantity is not great.

Fools, failing to understand, disdain it as too little and therefore do not take it. It is called abundant because the mani jewel is worth more than an entire trichiliocosm. The wise treasure it and therefore call it abundant.

Buddha-recitation is likewise. The terms “little” and “abundant” are based on different meanings.

12. The Phenomenal and Noumenal Aspects of Buddha-Recitation.

Question: I fully revere and accept the foregoing explanation that mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha brings immeasurable and boundless merit. I now ask further: Is the immeasurable and boundless merit of Buddha-recitation attained by using a mind with nothing to attain to practice “formless mindfulness,” contemplating Amitabha Buddha’s true Dharma-body, or is it attained by using a mind that seeks attainment to practice “mindfulness with characteristics,” contemplating Amitabha Buddha’s reward-body and transformation-body? ⁽¹¹⁵⁾

Answer: Both bring immeasurable and boundless merit. The Dharma-body is free from characteristics, and its true essence is endowed with the myriad virtues. One may use a mind with nothing to attain to realize formless mindfulness of the Buddha and thereby obtain immeasurable and boundless merit.

Yet those of shallow faculties, who have not reached the level required to practice formless mindfulness of the Buddha, may use a mind that seeks attainment to contemplate the Tathagata’s pure physical body, his excellent marks and characteristics, and his myriad virtues as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and sincerely recite his name. They too obtain boundless and extraordinary merit. For example, those of the lowest grade of the lowest rank have always committed evil, and only when approaching death do they begin to recite Amitabha Buddha’s name.

How could they possibly practice formless mindfulness of the Buddha? One should therefore believe that mindfulness of the Buddha with characteristics can also bring immeasurable, boundless, and extraordinary merit. Moreover, to eliminate the two obstructions—the afflictive obstruction and the cognitive obstruction—one must practice formless mindfulness of the Buddha.

Yet to plant the causes and conditions for this practice at present, one must first practice mindfulness of the Buddha with characteristics. Furthermore, the true Buddha—the Dharma-body—and the provisional Buddha—the reward-body and transformation-body—differ in phenomenal and noumenal terms; likewise, formless mindfulness and mindfulness with characteristics differ in the causes cultivated. In principle, there is no contradiction.

13. Whether One Can Attain Rebirth Once Karma Has Matured.

Question: If contemplation of true reality can eliminate subtle karmic obstructions and is superior to Buddha-recitation, which eliminates only coarse karma, why are those approaching death not taught to contemplate true reality, but instead exhorted to recite the Buddha’s name? ⁽¹¹⁶⁾

Answer: What you have just said is indeed perfectly reasonable, but there are four reasons why they cannot be taught to contemplate the true aspect of reality: the person is evil, the contemplation is profound, the person is oppressed by suffering, and time is pressing. ⁽¹⁾ The person is evil: This person has never cultivated goodness. Even if taught only to recollect the Buddha, it is uncertain whether they could do so, much less be taught to understand clearly the contemplation of the true aspect of reality. ⁽²⁾ The contemplation is profound: The true suchness of the twofold emptiness—the emptiness of self and the emptiness of dharmas—and the equality of the Dharma-nature are profound in meaning and principle.

It would be difficult to succeed through hurried practice, so this contemplation cannot be taught to them. ⁽³⁾ The person is oppressed by suffering: Ordinarily, even those who practice this contemplation may be unable to accomplish it when oppressed by suffering. How much less could this person, who has never practiced it before, be taught to cultivate it only when surrounded by suffering? In principle, this is impossible. ⁽⁴⁾ Time is pressing: Under ordinary circumstances, even if the contemplations of the true aspect of reality were explained to them in detail, they might still fail to understand after many years of reflection.

How much less could they accomplish the practice if it were taught to them only now, when time is pressing? The effort would certainly be fruitless. Only one who clearly understands the appropriate occasion may be called a great Dharma master—a skillful teacher.

The Buddha knew clearly that they would certainly fail if they studied it, and therefore did not teach them the contemplation of the true aspect of reality. This demonstrates that the Buddha skillfully understood the capacities of sentient beings. For the four reasons stated above, the contemplation of the true aspect of reality was not taught.

14. Recollection of the Buddha at the End of Life.

Question: Suppose a person has practiced the three kinds of merit and the sixteen contemplations throughout their life. At the end of life, they encounter a good spiritual friend who teaches them to recollect the Buddha with one utterance or ten utterances; all the roots of their offenses are thereby eradicated, enabling them to attain rebirth in the Pure Land. If this person's life faculty has not yet ceased and they live for several more days, must they continue recollecting the Buddha in order to attain rebirth, or can they still attain rebirth without continuing to recollect the Buddha? ⁽¹¹⁷⁾

Answer: In either case, they may attain rebirth. Because this person's karmic practice has already been perfected and the defilements of their offenses have been eradicated, even if they live for several more days, they may still attain rebirth. However, two points must be remembered: ⁽¹⁾ If, after cultivating merit, the person lives for several more days but does not commit any further grave offenses and ordinarily gives rise only to karmically indeterminate states of mind, such states cannot bring about either wholesome or unwholesome retribution.

Therefore, relying on the merit from their previous recollection of the Buddha, they can attain rebirth. ⁽²⁾ After recollecting the Buddha, however, if during those additional days of life the person gives rise to evil thoughts and performs evil deeds, it is feared that most such people will not attain rebirth in the Pure Land. A sutra says: “A single thought of anger obstructs hundreds of thousands of Dharma gates.” It also says: “Anger destroys all wholesome dharmas.

No thief of merit surpasses anger.” Although that person previously cultivated wholesome practices such as contemplation and recollection of the Buddha, all of them are destroyed by anger, and the person cannot attain rebirth—how much more so when other evil karma obstructs wholesome conduct. As a sutra says: “Regarding karma created at the end of life, whichever karma the mind inclines toward, one first undergoes the retribution of that karma.

If the karmas are equal in weight, then whichever was created first will bring its retribution first.” If that person creates much karma, it is feared that they will not attain rebirth at the end of life.

15. The Difference Between Fire and the Lotus Flower.

Question: The Sutra of the Ocean-like Samadhi of the Contemplation of the Buddha says: “If a person kills their father and mother, insults their relatives, and commits offenses such as these, then when their life ends, copper dogs open their mouths and transform into eighteen golden chariots draped with precious canopies. All the flames transform into maidens adorned with jewels. Seeing this, the person becomes delighted and wishes to climb aboard and sit in a chariot.

At that moment, a bone-piercing cold wind blows past. Overcome by the cold, the person cries out in alarm and wishes to climb aboard the chariot and kindle a fire to warm themselves. The instant this thought arises, their life ends.

Within a single kshana, the person sees themselves sitting in a golden chariot. When they raise their eyes and look, they see that all the jeweled maidens are holding iron axes with which they pierce and hack their body.” The sutra further says: “If sentient beings violate the four grave precepts, recklessly consume offerings, hold wrong views and slander the True Dharma, do not understand cause and effect, destroy the capacities for the Mahayana, revile the Buddhas of the ten directions, steal the property of the permanent Sangha, engage in unprincipled sexual misconduct, violate bhikshunis of pure conduct or their own sisters and female relatives, know neither shame nor remorse, and commit various evil deeds—then, at the end of life, through the power of their evil karma,

the four great elements disperse.

Whether lying down or sitting, they find no ease, as though being beaten. Their minds become bewildered, and their confused thoughts grow deluded and frenzied. Everything they see—houses, men and women, old and young—turns into impure things, with foul-smelling excrement and saliva flowing forth.

The person then cries out: ‘Why are there no magnificent cities, verdant mountains, or forests here where I may wander? Why must I remain in such a filthy place?’ As soon as these words are spoken, the rakshasa wardens of hell use great tridents to open the Avici Hell. The forests of knives and swords transform into groves of precious trees and pools of cool water; the raging flames transform into golden-petaled lotus flowers; the iron-beaked insects transform into wild geese and other birds; and the sounds of anguish in hell transform into gentle singing.

Hearing these melodious sounds, the person thinks: ‘That place is marvelous; I should go there and wander.’ The instant this thought ends, they see themselves seated upon a lotus flower of fire.” If so, how can we know that the lotus flower arriving today to welcome and guide us is not a lotus flower of fire? ⁽¹¹⁸⁾

Answer: From four aspects we know that it is not the fiery cart (lotus): conduct, appearance, speech, and Buddha. ⁽¹⁾ Conduct: The Sutra on the Samadhi of Contemplating the Buddha says: “A practitioner who has committed evil deeds and violated the four grave precepts, even to the point of humiliating his own relatives, who does not know remorse and has not encountered a good friend to teach him the practice of mindfulness of the Buddha, sees the appearance of a lotus, but it is actually an appearance of hell.

Now, although practitioners of the three grades of the lower rank have committed evil deeds in the past, at the time of death they encounter a virtuous spiritual friend who teaches them the practice of mindfulness of the Buddha. Because they invoke the Buddha with utmost sincerity, they extinguish the evil karma of many kalpas, accomplish supreme merit, and thereby cause a lotus from the jeweled pond in the Land of Ultimate Bliss to come and welcome them.

How could this be the same as a fiery lotus? ⁽²⁾ Appearance: The sutra cited above says that knife-like winds cut the body; one tosses and turns without respite as though being beaten; the mind becomes distraught and gives rise to deluded, frenzied perceptions; and one sees all the people and things in the house as impure, filled with excrement and urine, with foul-smelling blood spreading everywhere. Now, those mindful of the Buddha are peaceful and secure in body and mind; all inauspicious signs are eliminated; their eyes behold the assembly of sages, and their noses perceive wondrous fragrances.

Therefore, the two cannot be compared. ⁽³⁾ Speech: The sutra cited above says that the anguished cries of hell are heard as melodious singing. Upon hearing them, the sinner thinks to himself, “That is a delightful place; I must go there.” In the Sutra on the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life, however, the Buddha praises him, saying: “Good man, because you have invoked the Buddha’s name, your karmic hindrances have been extinguished; therefore, I have come to welcome you.” On one side there is melodious singing; on the other, words declaring the eradication of evil karma.

The two sounds are different and therefore are not the same. ⁽⁴⁾ Buddha: The sutra cited above says that all the raging flames transform into jeweled maidens. When the sinner sees them, joy arises in his mind, and he thinks to himself, “I wish to go there.” After mounting the golden cart, he turns his head to look at the jeweled maidens and sees that all of them are holding axes and hatchets with which they hack and cut apart his body.

The Sutra on the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life, however, says: “At that time, Amitabha Buddha sent an emanated Buddha, an emanated Avalokitesvara, and an emanated Mahasthamaprapta to appear before the practitioner, and so forth.” From these four aspects, we know that the lotus that comes to welcome the practitioner mindful of the Buddha is not the same as the vision described in the Sutra on the Ocean-like Samadhi of Contemplating the Buddha.

16. The golden lotus of the lowest grade of the lower rank.

Question: Among practitioners reborn in the nine grades, their practices may be superior or inferior, the assemblies of sages who receive and guide them may be larger or smaller, the lotuses may bloom sooner or later, and the jeweled pedestals and precious flowers all differ. Why, then, do those of the lowest grade of the upper rank and those of the lowest grade of the lower rank have the same kind of golden lotus, without any difference? ⁽¹¹⁹⁾

Answer: There are three explanations: ⁽¹⁾ This is not the lotus intended for the person attaining rebirth. It may be the Buddha’s lotus seat as he comes to welcome and guide that person. Because the person attaining rebirth bears heavy karma, he cannot see the Buddha and sees only the lotus seat, and even that indistinctly, like the dazzling disk of the sun. ⁽²⁾ Because the person attaining rebirth bears heavy karma, the Buddha does not come to receive him but sends only a golden lotus to welcome and guide him to rebirth in the Pure Land.

Therefore, the Sutra on the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life says: “The lotus appeared before the practitioner.” If that person sat upon the lotus seat, why would the sutra not mention it? ⁽³⁾ Although this is a golden lotus seat, there are still differences in size and in beauty or unattractiveness. If lotuses may be divided into two kinds, what objection could there be to two practitioners reborn in different grades sitting upon two different kinds of lotus seats?

17. The measure of time in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Question: For one born in the middle grade of the lower rank, the lotus blooms only after six kalpas; for one born in the lowest grade of the lower rank, it blooms only after twelve kalpas. Are these periods reckoned according to time in the Saha world, or according to time in the Land of Ultimate Bliss? ⁽¹²⁰⁾

Answer: Many scholars of the Pure Land tradition hold that the periods of time stated in the sutra are reckoned according to the time of the Saha world. How is this known? Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment in this world and expounded the sutra so that the beings of this world might clearly understand when the flowers bloom in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Therefore, he used only the kalpas of the Saha world to indicate when the flowers bloom in that land. We, however, do not explain it in this way, but maintain that the sutra uses the time of the Land of Ultimate Bliss as the standard for indicating when the flowers bloom. How is this known?

There are three grounds for this explanation: comparison, the Buddha’s teaching, and reasoning. ⁽¹⁾ Comparison: Take the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings as the standard. The length of the lifespans in the other heavens of the Desire Realm is reckoned according to the days and nights of the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings. One day in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings is equal to fifty ⁽⁵⁰⁾ human years.

Thus, taking thirty days as one month and twelve months as one year, the lifespan in that heaven is five hundred years, which is equivalent to 50 × 30 × 12 × 500 = 9,000,000 human years. From the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings upward, lifespans progressively double. For example, one day in the Trayastrimsha Heaven is twice as long as one day in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings (one day in the Trayastrimsha Heaven is equal to one hundred human years), and so forth.

Therefore, it is known that the lifespan in each heaven is reckoned according to the days and months of that very heaven. Similarly, days are used to reckon months, months to reckon years, and years to reckon kalpas. The days and months in the Pure Land certainly cannot be measured according to human time in the Saha world. ⁽²⁾ The Buddha’s teaching: In the passage concerning birth in the highest grade of the highest rank, it is said: “This purple-gold pedestal is like a great jeweled flower, and after one night it immediately opens.” It is therefore known that “the flower opens after one night” is reckoned according to the days and nights of the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

At night the flower closes, and by day it opens. One night in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, equal in length to half a great kalpa in the Saha world, is the time when the flower is closed; one day in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, equal in length to half a great kalpa in the Saha world, is the time when the flower opens. Therefore, it is known that when the sutra speaks of the time when the flower opens for those born in the middle grade of the highest rank, it uses the time of the jeweled lotus in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, rather than the time of the Saha world.

Likewise, for those born in the lowest grade of the highest rank, whose lotus opens only after one day and one night, the time of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is also used as the standard. Otherwise, could the time of this world possibly serve as the standard for the closing and opening of the jeweled lotus in the Land of Ultimate Bliss? If one claims that for those born in the middle grade of the highest rank, the opening of the great jeweled flower is reckoned according to the time of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, whereas for those born in the lowest grade of the highest rank, the opening of the jeweled flower after one day and one night is reckoned according to the time of the Saha world,

would this not mean that the lotus of those born in the middle grade of the highest rank opens more slowly than that of those born in the lowest grade of the highest rank?

This is an unacceptable contradiction. It is therefore known that when the sutra speaks of days and months, it takes the time of the Land of Ultimate Bliss as its standard. ⁽³⁾ Reasoning: If one claims that when the sutra speaks of one day and one night, the time of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is used as the standard, but when it speaks of kalpas, the time of the Saha world is used as the standard, then for those born in the middle grade of the middle rank, whose lotus opens after seven days in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, the period would amount to seven great kalpas in the Saha world.

Yet for those born in the middle grade of the lowest rank, whose lotus opens after six kalpas in the Saha world, only six days would have passed in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Could the lotus of those born in the middle grade of the middle rank possibly open more slowly than that of those born in the middle grade of the lowest rank? Moreover, could the lotus of those born in the highest grade of the lowest rank, which opens only after forty-nine days according to the time of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, truly open as much as forty-three great kalpas later than that of those born in the middle grade of the lowest rank ^[1]?

From this reasoning, it is known that the periods mentioned in the sutra are measured according to the time of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, not that of the Saha world.

18. The causes and conditions for the flower remaining closed.

For those who remain seated within the lotus for many kalpas before it opens, does the lotus open slowly because of their karmic obstructions, or do they dwell within the lotus for many kalpas because of their extraordinary merit? ⁽¹²¹⁾

Answer: Those born in the lowest grade of the lowest rank must dwell within the lotus for twelve great kalpas before it opens. At that time, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, with voices of great compassion, extensively explain to them the true aspect of all dharmas and the methods for eradicating karmic obstructions. From this, we know that those practitioners who attain rebirth still retain karmic obstructions. Because they are bound by karmic obstructions, many kalpas must pass before their lotuses open. Otherwise, why would there be nine ranks of rebirth, with differences in how quickly the flowers open and in their adornments?

19. The eradication of offenses in the Pure Land.

Question: If the lotus opens slowly because of karmic obstructions, why do these karmic obstructions not bring about painful retribution? ⁽¹²²⁾

Answer: Although practitioners who attain rebirth still retain roots of offense, because in previous lives they aroused the aspiration for bodhi and single-mindedly recollected Amitabha Buddha, their karmic obstructions have already been eradicated. Even though latent roots of offense remain, they can no longer serve as causes for the retribution of falling into the evil realms, but have become exceedingly weak karmic seeds.

Thus, it is known that the merit of Buddha-recollection has broken their power. Furthermore, the power of the merit of Buddha-recollection brings about an excellent body in the Pure Land, so the painful fruits of retribution no longer arise. Moreover, although the power of the Buddha’s fundamental vows prevents painful retribution from becoming manifest, residual obstructions still remain and prevent the lotus from opening quickly.

Therefore, the Sutra of Infinite Life says: “Because they doubt the inconceivable wisdom of Amitabha Buddha, they are born in the Womb Palace. Although they undergo no suffering, for five hundred years they are confined within the Womb Palace (and therefore cannot see the Buddha or hear the Dharma).” The case here is similar: the obstruction prevents the flower from opening early. Although it obstructs the flower from opening early, there is no suffering.

The roots of offense of practitioners who attain rebirth merely prevent the flower from opening early; they do not have the power to bring about painful results. This is like the concordant result of the karma of killing, which may shorten one’s lifespan among gods and humans.

Question: The Sutra of the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life says: “A person born in the lowest grade of the lowest rank recites the Buddha’s name ten times, and with each recitation eradicates the karmic obstructions of birth and death accumulated over eight billion kalpas.” Since those karmic obstructions have already been eradicated, why, after the flower opens, does Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara again teach that person the Dharma of the true aspect in order to eradicate karmic obstructions? If offenses still remain to be eradicated, why do those offenses not obstruct rebirth in the Pure Land? ⁽¹²³⁾

Answer: Although the sutra speaks of eradication, practitioners who attain rebirth still retain subtle karmic obstructions that have not yet been purified. Because the power of their karma has already grown weak, and moreover because they rely upon the powerful force of mindfulness of the Buddha and the Buddha’s awe-inspiring spiritual power, that karmic force can no longer obstruct their rebirth in the Pure Land. Furthermore, although such practitioners have created grave karma capable of bringing retribution in the three evil destinies and immeasurable suffering, the merit of mindfulness of the Buddha now eliminates the power of that evil karma to bring about retribution, preventing them from falling into the evil destinies.

Nevertheless, subtle karmic obstructions still remain. Therefore, after their lotus blossoms open, the practitioners who have attained rebirth encounter the two bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta, who teach them the wondrous and extremely profound Dharma of true reality. Only then can those practitioners contemplate the Buddha’s Dharma-body, wisdom, and subtle sphere of realization; relying upon this, they can eradicate the efficacy of those minute karmic obstructions.

Thus it is said: “They expound the true reality of all dharmas and eradicate karmic obstructions.”

20. One recollection and ten recollections.

Question: In the first fascicle of the Sutra of Immeasurable Life, in the section on the Forty-Eight Vows, it is said: “Those who are mindful of the Buddha even as few as ten times will all attain rebirth, except those who commit the five heinous offenses.” Yet the second fascicle says: “Even those who are mindful of the Buddha for a single recollection will all attain rebirth.” Why do the teachings differ within the same sutra, sometimes speaking of ten recollections and at other times of one recollection? ⁽¹²⁴⁾

Answer: There is no difference. Although the wording differs, the meaning is fundamentally the same. The former passage says “even as few as ten recollections,” proceeding from the few to the many, whereas the latter says “even a single recollection,” proceeding from the many to the few.

The sutra presents both, and there is fundamentally no contradiction. Bhiksu Dharmakara formulated his vow by proceeding from the few to the many: “When a practitioner is approaching death and suddenly encounters an extraordinary condition—meeting someone who exhorts him to be mindful of the Buddha and seek rebirth in the Pure Land—he may utter the Buddha’s name once and then die, utter it twice and then die, utter it three, four, five, or six times, or even seven, eight, nine, or ten times and then die.

Whether the recitations are many or few, he will attain rebirth in the Pure Land.” Moreover, if this practitioner has never committed the five heinous offenses or slandered the True Dharma, then however many recollections he is able to accomplish, he will attain rebirth. If, however, the practitioner has previously committed the five heinous offenses or slandered the True Dharma and suddenly encounters a good spiritual friend who teaches him to be mindful of the Buddha, he must complete all ten recollections before he can attain rebirth.

If he performs only one through nine recollections, it is feared that he may still not attain rebirth. Therefore, the sutra says: “Even as few as ten recollections, except those who commit the five heinous offenses and slander the True Dharma.” This exception is stated only in relation to the number of recollections; it does not mean that such people are absolutely unable to attain rebirth. Those who have long studied the Pure Land teaching understand this vow when they read it.

Those newly entering the Pure Land teaching, however, will often misunderstand its intent upon first reading the vow and offer confused explanations that do not accord with the essential doctrine of the Pure Land. The Fundamental Teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha, knew that later students of Buddhism would misunderstand its intent and give rise to confused conjectures. Therefore, he said “even as few as ten recollections,” intending to show that even practitioners who have previously committed grave offenses will attain rebirth if they can be mindful of the Buddha many times.

The statement that “even a single recollection brings rebirth” excludes those who have committed the five heinous offenses and slandered the Dharma. The first and second fascicles of the Sutra of Immeasurable Life complement one another, revealing the meaning the Buddha intended to convey so that practitioners might clearly understand the Buddha’s teachings.

21. Diminishing power and increasing capacity.

Question: When mindfulness of the Buddha eradicates grave offenses accumulated throughout eight billion kalpas and enables one to attain rebirth in the Western Land, does it eradicate their seeds or their active manifestations? If it eradicates the seeds, one must first attain the fruit of sagehood and perceive the emptiness of both person and dharmas before the seeds of the afflictions can be eradicated. Although the merit of mindfulness of the Buddha is immeasurable and boundless, it is merely the wholesome mind arising from cultivation through hearing and reflection.

How can it be equal to the realization of the fruit of sagehood—cultivation through meditation—which can eradicate karmic obstructions? If it eradicates active manifestations, the two kinds of karma, offenses and merit, cannot arise simultaneously. When the karma of offenses arises, one cannot be mindful of the Buddha; when one is mindful of the Buddha, one cannot commit offenses.

Good and evil cannot manifest simultaneously. If these two minds, wholesome and unwholesome, do not arise simultaneously, how can it be said that mindfulness of the Buddha eradicates active manifestations? ⁽¹²⁵⁾

Answer: Mindfulness of the Buddha eradicates the seeds, not the active manifestations. The offenses present as active manifestations perish by themselves from moment to moment; there is no need to wait until mindfulness of the Buddha arises for them to be eradicated. Furthermore, good and evil do not arise simultaneously.

While one is mindful of the Buddha, the offense has already ceased or has not yet arisen; while one is committing an offense, mindfulness of the Buddha has already passed or has not yet arisen. Therefore, mindfulness of the Buddha cannot eradicate active manifestations; it eradicates only the seeds that produce offenses. If mindfulness of the Buddha continues without interruption, it has the capacity to eliminate the retribution of falling into the three evil destinies.

If one is not mindful of the Buddha, the seeds of karmic obstructions gradually increase in power and may bring about future retribution in the three evil destinies. Through the power of mindfulness of the Buddha, the capacity of the seeds of karmic obstructions to bring about retribution grows progressively weaker until they can no longer produce retribution. This resembles a person who is ill: although his body lies upon a bed, he no longer has the ability to make any movement.

Karmic obstructions are likewise unable to bring about future retribution in the evil destinies, and are therefore said to be eradicated. This means that the power of the seeds is eradicated, not that the seeds are completely destroyed. Among the six kinds of transformation of the basis, this is called the transformation of “diminishing power and increasing capacity.”

22. Old karma can arise again.

Question: The merit of mindfulness of the Buddha can eliminate the capacity of seeds to bring about retribution. Once that capacity has been eliminated, if the seeds later encounter adverse conditions, will they again possess the power to bring about evil retribution? ⁽¹²⁶⁾

Answer: They can still bring about retribution. For example, bodhisattvas cultivate wholesome dharmas to counteract the afflictions, and consequently the power of the seeds of affliction gradually weakens until the afflictions can no longer arise. But if the afflictions subsequently regain their strength, they can once again become active.

Their active manifestations accumulate power in the seeds, causing the seeds of affliction to grow stronger. Similarly, the two kinds of absorption devoid of mental activity—the absorption of non-perception and the absorption of cessation—restrain consciousness and prevent it from becoming active. Yet after one emerges from absorption, the sixth consciousness continues to arise, and evil karma remains as before.

Mindfulness of the Buddha is similar: the power of its merit causes the seeds of evil karma to grow weak and become unable to bring about retribution. But if one subsequently ceases to cultivate virtue and instead creates evil karma, the old karma one previously created will recover its capacity to bring about evil results. If practitioners continually encounter wholesome conditions and evil dharmas grow weak, they will enter the noble path, and the seeds of evil will be completely eradicated.

23. Good and evil eradicate one another.

Question: The seeds of evil karma have had their capacity to bring about retribution in the three evil realms extinguished by the merit of mindfulness of the Buddha. Is it also the case that the seeds of good karma produced by such practices as mindfulness of the Buddha and giving may, through the commission of grave offenses, have their capacity to bring about rebirth in the Pure Land extinguished? ⁽¹²⁷⁾

Answer: If the positions of good and evil are reversed, then in principle, committing grave offenses will likewise extinguish the capacity of the seeds of good karma to bring about rebirth in the Pure Land. For example, a single thought of anger can obstruct hundreds of thousands of Dharma gates. The Sutra of the Bequeathed Teaching says: “The harm caused by anger is that it destroys wholesome dharmas.” It also says: “Among thieves that plunder merit, none surpasses anger.” Therefore, one should know that evil can extinguish wholesome dharmas.

To say “extinguish” does not mean that the seeds of goodness themselves are destroyed, but only that their capacity to bring about wholesome retribution is extinguished. Good and evil are two opposing dharmas that destroy each other. For example, a person may perform good deeds throughout an entire lifetime and thereby become capable of receiving retribution in a wholesome realm; yet at the time of death, because that person loses right mindfulness and gives rise to evil karma, the wholesome practices previously cultivated are destroyed, causing the practitioner to fall into the three evil realms.

Conversely, some practitioners have long created much evil karma, committing the five heinous offenses and the ten evil deeds, leaving no offense uncommitted; yet at the time of death, they are mindful of the Buddha, complete ten recitations of his name, extinguish their grave offenses, and attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. On this basis, practitioners are urged, from now until the end of their lives, to concentrate their minds and remain vigilant, not giving rise to evil thoughts that would dissipate the merit of their wholesome cultivation, but single-mindedly being mindful of the Buddha and seeking rebirth in the Pure Land.

This is clearly stated in the sutras; how could one not believe it?

Part XI: Discerning the Modes of Practice of the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi

1. Scriptural Evidence for the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi.

Question: At present, many Pure Land practitioners cultivate the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi. Is there any definitive teaching concerning this practice? Moreover, most monastics and laypeople harbor doubts, saying: “This practice has no basis in the teachings but is merely a disorderly practice of the Buddhadharma, intended to entice ignorant people, and it constitutes a grave slander of the Dharma.” Please present the authentic teaching so that everyone’s doubts may be dispelled. ⁽¹²⁸⁾

Answer: Many Mahayana scriptures discuss the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi. The Avatamsaka Sutra, for example, speaks of the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi in many passages. It is also mentioned in the Nirvana Sutra, the Sutra on the Ocean-Like Samadhi of the Visualization of the Buddha, the Bhadrapala Sutra, the Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra, the Sutra on the Visualization of Amitayus Buddha, the Drum-Sound King Sutra, the Great Collection Moon Treasury Sutra, the Ksitigarbha Ten Wheels Sutra, the Sutra for the Divination and Observation of Good and Evil Karmic Retribution, the Manjusri Prajnaparamita Sutra, the Lotus Hand Sutra, and others, as well as in the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom and other treatises.

The Lotus Hand Sutra calls this samadhi the Samadhi of One Characteristic; the Manjusri Prajnaparamita Sutra calls it the Samadhi of One Practice; the Sutra on the Ocean-Like Samadhi of the Visualization of the Buddha calls it the Samadhi of the Visualization of the Buddha; and the Bhadrapala Sutra calls it the Samadhi of Contemplating the Buddhas of the Present. The Lotus Hand Sutra says: “That bodhisattva should constantly contemplate the characteristic of the Tathagata and the characteristic of the Dharma realm in this manner, and practice in this manner continuously without interruption;

then the bodhisattva will see an image of the Buddha appear before them and teach the Dharma.” The Manjusri Prajnaparamita Sutra says: “Facing the direction of that Buddha-land, sit upright and turn toward it.

Without grasping at appearances, focus the mind upon one Buddha and exclusively recite and remain mindful of that Buddha’s name without interruption. Then, within a single thought, one can see the Buddhas of the three times—past, present, and future. Why is this so?

The merit of being mindful of one Buddha is immeasurable and boundless, equal to the merit of being mindful of immeasurable and boundless Buddhas. This is called the Samadhi of One Practice.” The Nirvana Sutra says: “If anyone constantly and wholeheartedly cultivates the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi, the Buddhas of the ten directions always behold that person as though present directly before them.” The Sutra on the Ocean-Like Samadhi of the Visualization of the Buddha and the Bhadrapala Sutra explain this practice of the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi very clearly, but it cannot be presented here in detail.

Practitioners are encouraged to seek out and read these scriptures to understand it more fully.

2. The Sequential Stages of Cultivating the Path.

Question: Is the cultivation of the Dharma gate of the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi a sequential cultivation of the bodhisattva practice, or is it not sequential? ⁽¹²⁹⁾

Answer: It is precisely a sequential stage in a bodhisattva’s cultivation. How is this known? The forty-fifth chapter of the Avatamsaka Sutra states: “At that time, Manjusri, like the king of elephants turning around, looked upon the youth Sudhana and spoke as follows: ‘Excellent, excellent!

Good man, you are able to give rise to the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and seek spiritual friends....’ After uttering these words of praise, he briefly taught the Dharma and urged Sudhana to seek out the bhiksu Meghasri and request instruction in the bodhisattva practice. Meghasri then taught Sudhana the Dharma gate of the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi.” Thus, one knows that the first spiritual friend, Manjusri, urged him to arouse the aspiration for bodhi, and the second spiritual friend, Meghasri, immediately taught him the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi.

Sudhana then passed through one hundred and ten places in search of spiritual friends, each of whom taught him one Dharma gate. Relying upon one Dharma gate, he proceeded to learn the next; all of these constitute the sequential cultivation of a bodhisattva. Therefore, one knows that arousing the aspiration for bodhi is the first of all practices, while the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi is the second of all practices.

This demonstrates that the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi is precisely the next stage for a practitioner who has newly aroused the aspiration for bodhi.

3. Both Ordinary Beings and Sages May Practice It.

Question: Among ordinary beings, sages, those who observe the precepts, and those who violate the precepts, who can attain this Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi? ⁽¹³⁰⁾

Answer: This gate of samadhi may be cultivated by sages and ordinary beings alike, and by both those who observe the precepts and those who violate them. For example, the bhiksu Meghasri in the Avatamsaka Sutra was a sage who had aroused the great aspiration for bodhi and cultivated and realized the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi. The Bhadrapala Sutra says: “If there are bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, or upasikas who observe the precepts purely and are fully endowed with all practices....” On this basis, one knows that those who observe the precepts are suited to cultivating the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi.

This means that when the faculty of morality is pure, samadhi manifests before one. As for those who violate the precepts, even if they cultivate the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi, it is difficult for them to succeed. Nevertheless, the Sutra on the Ocean-Like Samadhi of Visualization says: “This Samadhi of the Visualization of the Buddha is medicine for curing the illnesses of all sinful sentient beings and a protection for those who violate the precepts.” If sentient beings who violate the precepts could not attain this samadhi, how could it be called a protection?

Furthermore, the latter part of the Sutra on the Visualization of Amitayus says: “Today, for sentient beings who will undergo the five sufferings in future ages, for bhiksus who violate the precepts, for evil and unwholesome people, and for sentient beings who commit the five heinous offenses and slander the Dharma, the Tathagata teaches the Dharma for extinguishing the obstructions of offenses. Ananda said to the Buddha: ‘After the Buddha’s nirvana, these foolish people will have nowhere to rely upon or take refuge.’ The Buddha told Ananda: ‘After the Buddha’s nirvana, in the evil and defiled age to come, sentient beings who wish to extinguish the obstructions of offenses should cultivate the Samadhi of the Visualization of the Buddha.’” On this basis, one knows that evil sentient beings,

those who violate the precepts, those who commit the five heinous offenses, and others may all cultivate and attain the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi.

4. It Universally Encompasses Mindfulness of the Three Bodies.

Question: When one cultivates the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi, one sees the body

Which of the Three Bodies of the Buddha Is Seen? ⁽¹³¹⁾

Answer: Generally speaking, mindfulness of the Buddha means being mindful of all three bodies. If one specifically contemplates the Buddha’s Dharma-body, one will attain the Signless Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi; if one contemplates the Buddha’s Reward-body and Transformation-body, one will attain the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi with Signs. Furthermore, the Avatamsaka Sutra, Bhadrapala Sutra, Pratyutpanna Sutra, Ocean-like Samadhi of the Contemplation of the Buddha Sutra, Contemplation of Amitayus Sutra, Drum-Sound King Sutra, Manjusri Prajnaparamita Sutra, and others all teach that contemplating (being mindful of) the Buddha’s form-body ^[2] is called the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi.

The first fascicle of the Bhadrapala Sutra says: “The practitioner is mindful of Amitabha Buddha. After seeing the Buddha, the practitioner hears him extensively expound the true characteristics of all dharmas: namely, that from the beginning all dharmas have neither anything that is destroyed nor anything that destroys; form is not destroyed, and likewise consciousness is not destroyed, …, up to and including not being mindful of Amitabha Buddha.

Contemplating sequentially in this manner, the practitioner then realizes the Samadhi of Emptiness. Good man, this is called the Samadhi of the Right Mindfulness of the Buddhas Manifestly Present.” From this passage, we know that first seeing Amitabha Buddha means contemplating the Buddha’s Reward-body and Transformation-body and thereby realizing the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi with Signs. Subsequently realizing the Samadhi of Emptiness means contemplating the Buddha’s Dharma-body and thereby realizing the Signless Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi.

From this meaning, we know that the Dharma method of mindfulness of the Buddha proceeds from the coarse to the subtle: one first cultivates contemplation of the form-body and afterward cultivates contemplation of the Dharma-body. This is cultivation and study in sequential order.

5. Differences in What Is Seen in Samadhi.

Question: Why do practitioners who realize the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi see different realms? Some see the Pure Land but do not see the Buddha; some see the Buddha but do not see the Pure Land; some see the Pure Land and then see the Buddha; and some simultaneously see the Pure Land and the Buddha, together with all the various manifestations of sentient beings’ karmic retribution. Within the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi, they may also see all the good and evil karma they have created in the present life. Are the realms they see real or false, and how are they able to see them? Please explain the doctrine clearly for everyone. ⁽¹³²⁾

Answer: All who cultivate the path, whether laypeople or monastics, are not disciples of the Buddha if they do not practice in accordance with the sacred teachings; rather, they are members of Mara’s retinue. They not only deceive the people of the world but are also offenders against the nation. In the present life, seeking fame and profit, such people assume the appearance of practitioners and entice and delude the superstitious.

In future lives, they will fall into the Avici hells throughout the ten directions. They harm themselves and others and destroy the Buddhadharma. If, however, they cultivate and study in accordance with the Buddha’s teachings, they benefit both themselves and others and acquire supreme merit.

In this life and in lives to come, they will forever attain liberation. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, the youth Sudhana aroused bodhicitta before Manjusri. Manjusri told him: “Good man, in the south there is a land called Delightful to the Sun.

There is a mountain there named Harmonious Union, upon which dwells a bhiksu named Cloud of Virtue. Go there and ask him how to cultivate the bodhisattva practices, and so forth.” The youth Sudhana went to Mount Harmonious Union in the land of Delightful to the Sun, paid homage to the bhiksu Cloud of Virtue, and asked about the Dharma of cultivating the bodhisattva practices. The bhiksu Cloud of Virtue then taught Sudhana the Dharma gates of the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi, of which there are, in brief, twenty-one kinds, as follows: ⁽¹⁾ realizing the Dharma gate of the Samadhi of Buddha-Mindfulness that Purifies the Mind, through which one’s own mind becomes luminous and one sees all Buddhas;

⁽²⁾ realizing the Dharma gate of the Samadhi of Buddha-Mindfulness that Adorns and Purifies Buddha Lands, through which one brings forth all Buddha lands, which no one can destroy; ⁽³⁾ realizing the Dharma gate of the Samadhi of Buddha-Mindfulness that Purifies Karma, through which one sees all karma as images in a mirror; ⁽⁴⁾ realizing the Dharma gate of the Perfectly Fulfilled and Universally Illuminating Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi, through which one sees all Buddhas together with their retinues adorning their lands; and so forth.

Although sentient beings today may realize the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi, because their capacities and practice are shallow, they have not yet fully realized all the Dharma gates of the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi. Some realize only one gate, while others realize two gates, three gates, and so forth. Therefore, the realms they see differ in breadth and narrowness.

Some also see many kinds of karmic manifestations appearing before them. These are all realms of the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi. Since the sacred teachings bear witness to them, practice undertaken in accordance with those teachings is certainly not false.

Those who slander this are slanderers of the Dharma. Please seek out and read the scriptures to dispel your doubts.

6. Those of Inferior Capacity Attaining Samadhi.

Question: The realms attained through the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi include seeing Buddhas and bodhisattvas and boundless assemblies of sages, or seeing the Pure Lands of the Buddhas with their immeasurable adornments. Since these matters have already been clearly explained in the scriptures, I dare not give rise to doubts. Yet among those who now practice mindfulness of the Buddha—whether monastics or laypeople, men or women—some have never heard the Dharma or engaged in practice from childhood until the present, and do not know even a single sentence of the scriptures.

There are also young boys and girls who have not practiced for long and do not yet clearly understand the Buddhadharma. They enter the place of practice only briefly and single-mindedly recite the Buddha’s name. If it is said that they see Buddhas and bodhisattvas or the magnificently adorned realms of the Pure Land, it seems like a jest.

Even eminent and learned monks who diligently practice the Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi are not certain to realize it. How, then, could children or poorly educated laypeople possibly realize it? Could it be that this Buddha-Mindfulness Samadhi is merely a fabrication? ⁽¹³³⁾

Answer: At present, both monastics and laypeople give rise to doubts concerning this matter. Yet, if we consider the Buddha’s teachings regarding the conditions of the age and the capacities of sentient beings, we need not be surprised. While the Blessed One was still in the world, as well as after his nirvana, countless hundreds of thousands of millions of his disciples attained the fruits of the path.

Some merely heard a sutra taught once and attained the purified Dharma-eye—the first fruit. For some, the noble path manifested while their heads were being shaved. Some attained the fruit of arhatship while sweeping.

Some, though novice monks only seven years old, attained liberation in both ways. Others attained the four fruits when someone struck them on the head with a hand, and so forth. Such events seemed almost like a play.

Those persons transcended the three realms, eliminated the two difficult-to-abandon delusions—the delusions of views and the delusions of thought—and attained the difficult-to-realize fruits of the four stages of a śramaṇa. The sutras and treatises all provide evidence of these things; how could we not believe them? This was entirely because, in past lives, they had planted wholesome roots of liberation and had also previously cultivated these teachings.

Therefore, in this life, merely by hearing the Dharma briefly, contemplating it, or encountering a few favorable conditions, they were able to attain the path.

According to the teaching in the Bhadrapāla Sutra: “During a period of one hundred years in the latter age of the Dharma, through the empowering divine might of the Buddha, the scriptures teaching the Samadhi of Buddha-Recollection—the Amitabha Sutra—will circulate widely. Whoever reads, recites, and cultivates them in accordance with the Dharma will attain the King of Samadhis—the Samadhi of Buddha-Recollection.”

Furthermore, those who study and cultivate the Buddhadharma possess many different kinds of capacities. Some can contemplate the meaning of the teachings, engage in debate and disputation, clearly understand the profound purport of the gradual and sudden teachings, and expound the doctrines of the half-word and full-word teachings ^[3]. Their wisdom, eloquence, and skill in argument range freely in every direction. Were it not for superior persons of this kind, it would, I fear, be difficult to propagate the wondrous purport of the Dharma-gate of the Samadhi of Buddha-Recollection.

There are also those whose spirit is single-minded, whose minds are upright and whose conduct is straightforward. They do not delight in discursive reflection but know only to recollect the Buddha single-mindedly. They will certainly be able to behold the Blessed One and will no longer cherish their bodies or lives. Laymen and laywomen, or even children, upon hearing a spiritual friend teach the practice of Buddha-recollection, immediately believe, accept, and uphold it. Following the instructions, they concentrate upon contemplation and recollection without letting their thoughts wander vaguely, and thus their minds easily attain concentration. If they engage in deliberation and discursive thought, however, samadhi is difficult to accomplish.

Therefore, in a practice center devoted to Buddha-recollection, eminent monks and greatly virtuous masters who are widely learned and broadly knowledgeable may fail to accomplish samadhi, whereas those who understand only a small portion of the scriptures may quickly attain concentration. From ancient times to the present, greatly virtuous masters who cultivated meditative concentration have often not permitted extensive listening or reading, because the minds of those who delight in contemplating doctrinal meanings are frequently scattered.

Thus, this matter should neither be regarded as strange nor made the subject of perplexing speculation. Nevertheless, the states that are seen may be either genuine or false, so practitioners should examine whether they accord with the Buddha’s teachings.

7. States Seen in Samadhi Are Difficult to Fathom

Question: The Avatamsaka Sutra says: “Through the Samadhi of Buddha-Recollection in the Gateway of Pure Karma, one sees the karma of all sentient beings as images appearing in a mirror.” Regarding the karmic appearances that are seen, suppose the beings in question have died and been reborn among the various destinies: can they still be seen in the mirror of samadhi? Whether this is genuine or false is difficult to explain. Are those karmic appearances the original objects appearing in the mirror, or are they illusory transformations manifested by one’s own mind? Karma belongs to volition, a mental factor; how can it be seen? The meaning is truly profound. I respectfully ask that you elucidate its purport. ⁽¹³⁴⁾

Answer: The appearances within samadhi are indeed difficult to explain. This is true not only of this particular meaning, but of all other dharmas as well. Consider, for example, a person abiding in the superknowledge of recollection—the knowledge of past lives—who takes past objects as the conditions of cognition.

The states of the five skandhas from the past will appear before that person’s eyes. What, then, are these presently appearing images? One should understand that the appearances of the five skandhas of the past serve as their original essential appearances.

Through the power of the knowledge of past lives, which takes past appearances as its objects, the image-components of the five past skandhas are transformed and manifested. Suddenly, appearances resembling events that occurred in the past arise before one’s eyes. This is called an object-condition.

The practice of the Samadhi of Buddha-Recollection is similar. Through the power of the superknowledge of death and rebirth—which resembles the divine eye—one takes as objects future appearances involving death here and birth there. The image-components within one’s own mind, comprising the five skandhas, arise according to the karma created by sentient beings and the resulting retribution. They appear before one’s eyes in an uninterrupted succession and in their proper sequence, without the slightest error. The karmic obstructions that were created serve as the original essential appearances, the dominant condition, and the object-condition, enabling the superknowledge of birth and death to perceive their reflected images.

The case here is likewise similar. The volitional karma—mental karma—that sets bodily and verbal karma in motion accumulates capacities that enable a practitioner abiding in samadhi to see reflected appearances of the meritorious or evil karma that has been created. Alternatively, through the empowerment of the Tathagata’s great compassion, such forms and appearances may be reflected and manifested, enabling practitioners abiding in samadhi to behold them so that they may diligently cultivate and eliminate their afflictions. Students and practitioners should give rise to profound faith and reverence and must not harbor doubts. The realm of samadhi, like the realm of the Buddhas, is not something that ignorant ordinary beings can fathom through speculation.

8. The Reality of States Perceived in Samadhi

Question: Some who attain the Samadhi of Buddha-Recollection behold the supremely wondrous appearances of the Western Pure Land. Although their bodies have not yet gone there, they see themselves dwelling in the Pure Land, or they see lotus flowers coming to welcome and guide them to rebirth there. Are these manifested states genuine or false? ⁽¹³⁵⁾

Answer: This realm is not illusory. As in the twelfth contemplation (Contemplation of One’s Own Rebirth) in the Sutra on the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life, the practitioner visualizes their own rebirth in the Western Land, visualizes themselves seated in the full lotus posture upon a lotus throne, and visualizes the lotus closing, the lotus opening, and so forth. How could such visualization be mistaken? Seeing one’s own rebirth in the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi is likewise similar.

Furthermore, the elder Anathapindika covered the ground with pure gold to purchase Prince Jeta’s Grove, where he established a monastery as an offering to the Buddha. While he and Venerable Sariputra were taking measurements for the monastery’s construction, visions of the six heavens of the Desire Realm simultaneously appeared in the sky. Venerable Sariputra pointed them out to Anathapindika, but the elder did not understand their meaning and therefore asked about them. Venerable Sariputra replied: “These are the heavenly rebirths brought about as karmic recompense by the merit of offering the monastery. Whichever heaven you wish to be born in, the vision of that heaven will appear before you when your life ends.”

The elder said: “I have only one body, and after death I can receive only one karmic recompense. If the six heavens appear at the same time, into which heaven should I be born?”

Venerable Sariputra said: “The blessings enjoyed in the three lower heavens are inferior, while the beings in the two upper heavens are exceedingly heedless and indulgent. Only in Tusita Heaven, although the blessings are great, do beings always possess contentment. Moreover, Maitreya, the bodhisattva who is the Buddha’s successor, presently dwells there. You may aspire to be born in that heaven.”

After hearing this, Anathapindika made a vow to be born in Tusita Heaven. At that moment, the other five heavens naturally vanished, while Tusita Heaven alone remained visible in the sky. Thus, karmic recompense manifests according to the wholesome and unwholesome karma one has created. At the time of death, the realm into which one will be reborn will generally appear beforehand. One should believe that when a cause is created, its result will certainly be reaped. When these visions appear, lotus pedestals will manifest beforehand according to their respective grades. This is only natural; what is there to doubt? One must deeply trust the principle that each cause produces its corresponding result.

9. Knowing That the Samadhi Is Genuine.

Question: How do practitioners who attain the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi know that they have attained it? Is there any scripture that proves this? ⁽¹³⁶⁾

Answer: A passage in the Sutra on the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life provides evidence. The sutra states: “One should contemplate in such a way that the mind’s eye is enabled to see. To see this realm is to see all the Buddhas throughout the ten directions. Because one sees the Buddhas, this is called the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi.” This is the proof.

Ordinarily, although practitioners cultivate various Dharma methods, when they now enter the place of practice and cultivate this samadhi, they are able to see the Buddhas. If they had not attained the samadhi, how could they see the Buddhas? Since they now see the Buddhas, they must have attained the samadhi. Therefore, the sutra says: “Because one sees the Buddhas, this is called the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi.”

It is like a person suffering from an eye disease who is treated by a skilled physician using a golden needle to operate upon the membrane of the eye. Afterward, the physician holds up a finger and asks the patient whether they can see it. If the patient says they cannot, one should know that the eye disease has not yet been cured. Suppose the physician continues the operation and then again holds up a finger and asks whether the patient can see it. If the patient says that they can see the finger, one should know that the eye disease has been cured. If the patient had no faculty of sight, how could they see the finger? By seeing the finger, it can be ascertained that the blind person’s illness has been cured and that their faculty of sight has become pure.

It is likewise here. If one has not attained the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi—just as the eyes have not yet been cured—how could one see the Buddhas’ Pure Lands and the magnificent marks and characteristics adorning the bodies of the Buddhas? From this, it can be verified that a practitioner who sees the Buddhas has attained the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi.

Because that practitioner continually cultivates this Dharma method, the samadhi is not lost, and they continually see the Buddhas and the assemblies of sages. If, however, they abandon it and cease cultivating for a long period, pursuing the five sensory objects, they will lose the samadhi and will no longer see the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and assemblies of sages. From this, we know that the attainment of the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi described above generally corresponds to wisdom born of hearing and wisdom born of reflection, and does not necessarily correspond to wisdom born of cultivation.

10. Benefits Obtained from Cultivating the Samadhi.

Question: What benefits are obtained from cultivating the Buddha-Recollection Samadhi, and what supreme fruition is attained? I respectfully request that scriptural evidence be presented to encourage practitioners and enable them swiftly to accomplish the supreme result. ⁽¹³⁷⁾

Answer: The benefits of the practice of the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi are immeasurable and boundless, as related in the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Bhadrapala Sutra, and other scriptures. Although they cannot be presented here in detail, several instances will nevertheless be cited so that practitioners may strengthen their faith: seeing the assembly of sages, hearing the True Dharma, extinguishing grave offenses, being born in the Pure Land, attaining the foundation of all samadhis, and eventually becoming a Buddha. ⁽¹⁾ Seeing the assembly of sages: The first fascicle of the Bhadrapala Sutra says: “Good men and good women should sit upright, gather their thoughts, and single-mindedly contemplate Amitabha Buddha: his excellent marks such as these, his dignified bearing such as this,

his great assembly such as this, and his teaching of the Dharma such as this.

They should contemplate in accordance with what they have seen and heard, single-mindedly and continuously, in orderly succession without confusion, whether for one day and one night, and thus for as long as seven days and seven nights. They will certainly see Amitabha Tathagata. If they do not see him while awake, they will see him in a dream while asleep.” ⁽²⁾ Hearing the True Dharma: Upon seeing Amitabha Buddha, they will hear him expound the profound and wondrous Dharma—for example, that all dharmas have from the beginning never been subject to destruction, just as among the five skandhas, form is not destroyed, and likewise, up to consciousness, consciousness is not destroyed.

They will hear such profound Mahayana teachings. ⁽³⁾ Extinguishing grave offenses: The Ocean-like Samadhi of the Contemplation of the Buddha Sutra says: “This samadhi is healing medicine for all practitioners who have violated the precepts, a safeguard for those who have broken the precepts, a guide for those who have lost their way, bright eyes for the blind, wisdom for the foolish, a radiant lamp in the darkness, and a valiant general who destroys the bandits of affliction.” A later section of the sutra says: “Today, for the sake of sentient beings in the future evil age of the five turbidities, for bhiksus who violate the precepts, for evil and unwholesome persons, for those who commit the five rebellious offenses and slander the Dharma,

and for those engaged in the sixteen occupations of wrong livelihood and so forth, the Tathagata teaches the method for extinguishing the hindrances of offenses, thereby enabling them to obtain benefit.” ⁽⁴⁾ Being born in the Pure Land: The Avatamsaka Sutra says: “Through the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi, one will certainly see the Buddha, and after the end of one’s life, one will be born in a Buddha-land....

Upon seeing someone approaching death, encourage that person to recollect the Buddha.... Bring an image of the Buddha before the dying person so that they may behold it and give rise to reverence.” Likewise, the Sutra on the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life says: “By cultivating this samadhi, one will see the Buddha of Infinite Life in this very life and gain Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta, the two Great Beings, as supreme companions;

one will sit at the bodhimanda and be born into the family of the Buddhas.” ⁽⁵⁾ The foundation of all samadhis: The Ocean-like Samadhi of the Contemplation of the Buddha Sutra says: “The Buddha-Recitation Samadhi is the source from which all other samadhis arise.” ⁽⁶⁾ Eventually becoming a Buddha: The Bhadrapala Sutra says: “In a future life, that person will become a Buddha named Tathagata Well-Awakened....” Furthermore, Bodhisattva Bhadrapala asked the Buddha one hundred and twenty questions, such as: “Which samadhi must a bodhisattva fully accomplish in order to attain great merit and virtue, and so forth?” He continued until he asked: “How can one, by practicing for only a single instant, arrive before the Buddhas of the ten directions?

How can one, while dwelling in a single Buddha-land, see all the Buddhas of the ten directions, hear the True Dharma, and make offerings to the Sangha...?” This practitioner has not only not yet realized the six supramundane superknowledges, but has not even realized the five superknowledges of ordinary beings. Nor has the practitioner relinquished the ordinary body of this world or attained rebirth in the Pure Lands of the Buddhas; yet, while remaining in this world, the practitioner sees the Buddhas of other worlds, hears those Buddhas proclaim the True Dharma, receives and retains all of it, and practices in accordance with their teachings.

It is just as the Venerable Ananda now stands before the Buddha and, after hearing his teachings, is able to receive and retain them all. Bhadrapala, there is a samadhi called the Samadhi of Contemplating the Buddhas Present Before One. If a bodhisattva fully cultivates this samadhi, the bodhisattva will accomplish all the merits and virtues just described.

Bhadrapala, you should know that there are also immeasurable and boundless other merits and virtues that cannot all be described.” Thus, one should know that the supreme merits and virtues of cultivating the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi can never be fully expressed.

11. The Depth and Shallowness of Training in Samadhi.

Question: According to what has just been stated, attaining the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi brings limitless benefits. Do those who study and attain this samadhi in the present age likewise obtain such immeasurable and boundless benefits? ⁽¹³⁸⁾

Answer: Although the samadhi is the same, there are differences in the depth or shallowness of its realization. With profound realization, one may reach the fruit of Buddhahood. The benefits of this samadhi are presented in the section of the Bhadrapala Sutra containing the One Hundred and Twenty Questions and Answers.

Thus, the sutra says: “Furthermore, bodhisattvas who cultivate the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi will obtain the benefits clearly described in the section of questions and answers.” Although practitioners today have not yet fully realized this samadhi, they nevertheless obtain many supreme merits and virtues according to the measure of their attainment. It is like the dragon kings who can cause rain to fall: a great dragon king produces a great rain that covers the entire three-thousand-great-thousand world-system, while a lesser dragon king produces a light rain over an area of only several miles.

Although these rains differ in the extent of the areas they cover, all of them moisten living things and enable plants and grasses to grow and flourish. Although practitioners cultivating in the three periods of time—past, present, and future—differ in their level of attainment, all can see the Buddha, and all can be born into the family of the Tathagata.

12. The Harm of Slander and the Benefits of Faith.

Question: What merits and virtues are obtained by those who cannot yet cultivate the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi but who, upon seeing others practice it, give rise to faith and rejoice in their merit? Conversely, if they do not believe but instead slander it, what karmic retributions will they incur? I respectfully request a clear explanation of the harm and benefit so that everyone may understand. ⁽¹³⁹⁾

Answer: Here, scriptures will be extensively cited to explain clearly the harm of slandering the Dharma and the benefits of believing in the Dharma. The Chapter on the Merit and Virtue of Rejoicing in the Bhadrapala Sutra describes the merit and virtue of those who rejoice in the practice of the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi as follows: “Suppose there were a person whose lifespan was one hundred years, whose body was light and agile, whose strength was abundant, and who moved as swiftly as the wind.

Immediately upon being born, that person could travel throughout the world and circle through all ten directions, journeying continuously without rest for a full one hundred years. Suppose good men and good women, giving rise to faithful reverence, were to fill all the worlds through which that person traveled with precious treasures and use them to make offerings to the Buddhas of the ten directions. They would obtain exceedingly vast blessed rewards.

Yet even that merit would not equal a small fraction of the merit and virtue of cultivating the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi. Why is this? Bhadrapala, a bodhisattva mahasattva who cultivates this Buddha-Recitation Samadhi, fully practices the four kinds of rejoicing mentioned above, and dedicates the merit to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, seeking great learning and the attainment of Perfect, Complete Awakening.

Bhadrapala, for this reason, when the merit and virtue of giving precious treasures is compared with the merit and virtue of rejoicing, it does not equal one part in a hundred, one part in a thousand, one part in hundreds of thousands of myriads, or one part in hundreds of thousands of kotis; indeed, no calculation or analogy can express the comparison.” Since the merit and virtue of rejoicing are immeasurable and boundless, the offenses arising from disbelief and slander are correspondingly numerous, immeasurable, and boundless.

The Large Prajnaparamita Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha Treasury Sutra, and other scriptures all clearly describe the offense of slandering the Dharma.

13. Recollecting the Buddha in a Dark Room:

Question: Is it the case that practitioners cultivating the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi must adorn the place of practice, install an image of the Buddha, bathe and cleanse themselves, put on fresh clothing, eat one meal a day, spare neither body nor life, and single-mindedly recollect the Buddha? Why do they stay in a dark room, seal all the doors, and recite the Buddha’s name loudly? Is this taught in the scriptures? This practice causes many people to harbor doubts and regard it as strange. I respectfully ask that this method of cultivation be explained so that everyone may understand it. ⁽¹⁴⁰⁾

Answer: Upon examining the scriptures, one does not find these matters explained in detail. Nevertheless, when practitioners enter a dark, enclosed room, cut themselves off from sights and sounds and from disputes over right and wrong, and free their minds from involvement with sensory conditions, beginners who are able to concentrate upon contemplation can readily realize samadhi; otherwise, samadhi is difficult to attain.

Ordinarily, when people think about difficult worldly affairs that have not yet been resolved, they are often beset by confused and wavering thoughts and find it difficult to settle their minds in cultivation. Therefore, they must remain alone behind closed doors in retreat, or close their eyes and refrain from looking. In this way, they become calm and can more easily accomplish what they have set their minds upon.

The same principle applies here. If the mind is agitated by scattered thoughts, one cannot attain the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi. Therefore, practitioners close their doors and enter retreat to cultivate this samadhi.

Those who have not practiced it consequently give rise to doubts, while those who have practiced it know that this is necessary. Suppose a person is in a room, single-mindedly recollecting the Buddha, when suddenly a ray of light shines through a hole in the wall. That person’s mind immediately becomes involved with the ray of light, and restless thoughts arise.

If the hole is sealed so that no light can enter, the person will attain single-mindedness without distraction. This is something known to practitioners; it is not reckless or irrational conduct. Beginners’ minds pursue the five desires and cling to the six sensory objects.

Unless they remain in a dark room, they have no way to cultivate this samadhi successfully. Once their cultivation has been accomplished, however, they may practice wherever they wish. They no longer distinguish between light and darkness, yet can still constantly see the Buddha.

At that time, why would they still need to enter a dark room to practice Buddha-recitation? Thus, the Sutra on the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life says: “That person, oppressed by suffering, has no leisure to contemplate Amitabha Buddha. A good spiritual friend instructs him to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha.

In this way, with utmost sincerity, he recites without interruption.” Is it not because, being oppressed by suffering and distress, contemplation is difficult to accomplish, whereas sincerely reciting the Buddha’s name without interruption enables one to attain rebirth there? The present practice of loudly reciting the Buddha’s name follows the same principle. By reciting the Buddha’s name without interruption, one realizes the Buddha-Recitation Samadhi and clearly sees the Buddha and the assembly of sages manifest before one’s eyes.

The Sun Treasury Sutra of the Great Collection says: “With great recitation, one sees a great Buddha; with small recitation, one sees a small Buddha.” Great recitation means reciting the Buddha’s name loudly, while small recitation means reciting it softly. This is called instruction through sound; what is there to doubt? We presently observe that, among those engaged in cultivation and study, only loud recitation of the Buddha’s name readily leads to samadhi, whereas with soft recitation the mind is often scattered.

These are matters known only to those who cultivate and study the Buddhadharma; those outside the path cannot understand them. If you do not believe this, practice it and discover for yourself. Do not refuse to cultivate while merely giving rise to doubts.

Part XII: A Discussion of the Method of Repentance by Bowing the Head and Beating the Breast

1. A discussion of the method of repentance by bowing the head and beating the breast.

Question: A sutra says: “Prostrate the five limbs upon the ground and earnestly repent.” At present, most people performing repentance use their hands to beat their breasts. I do not know whether any scripture mentions this practice of beating the breast. If it is claimed that prostrating the five limbs upon the ground means using one’s hands to beat one’s breast, I fear that this explanation is unreasonable. Moreover, does the expression “prostrating the five limbs upon the ground” refer only to rigidly adhering to the act of placing the five limbs upon the ground, bowing one’s head, and worshiping the Buddha? ⁽¹⁴¹⁾

Answer: The third chapter of the Sutra on the Ocean-like Samadhi of the Contemplation of the Buddha says: “The Buddha rose from the Dharma seat and told everyone to contemplate his physical body. Among the Sakya clan, five hundred people saw the Buddha’s body as being the color of ashes. Among the bhiksus, one thousand people saw the Buddha’s body as being the color of fired clay.

Among the upasakas, sixteen people saw the Buddha’s body as resembling the leg of a black elephant. Among the upasikas, twenty-four people saw the Buddha’s body as being the color of black ink. Among the bhiksunis, one person saw the Buddha’s body as resembling white silver.

Among the upasikas, yet another person saw the Buddha’s body as being azure blue. Thus, the fourfold assembly saw the Buddha’s body differently, and none was able to see the Buddha’s body of true gold. They all openly disclosed their transgressions and repented, prostrating the five limbs upon the ground like mountains collapsing.

They pulled at their own hair and beards, rolled upon the ground, and beat their breasts with their hands until blood streamed from their noses. Through repentance, their offenses were extinguished, their mind’s eye opened, and they saw the Buddha’s physical body, dignified, wondrous, and subtle, like Mount Sumeru, radiant with dazzling light and vast as the great ocean.” Is this not a scriptural instruction concerning the method of repentance by beating the breast?

The practice of repentance by beating the breast is by no means something people recklessly invented without scriptural evidence. The very conduct you have criticized is attested by scripture; how could there still be any doubt?

Notes:

^[1] For those of the upper level of the lowest grade of rebirth, the lotus flower remains closed for forty-nine days in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, equivalent in duration to forty-nine great kalpas in the Saha world. For those of the middle level of the lowest grade of rebirth, the lotus flower remains closed for six great kalpas according to the time of the Saha world, which amounts to only six days in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

^[2] Contemplation or recollection of the physical body means contemplation or recollection of the Buddha’s reward body and transformation body.

^[3] Half-word and complete-word teachings: Worldly teachings are half-word teachings, while supramundane teachings are complete-word teachings. Among supramundane teachings, the Lesser Vehicle is the half-word teaching, while the Great Vehicle is the complete-word teaching.