Confusion, Doubt, and Misunderstanding in
the Exclusive Practice of Amitabha-recitation
Buddhistdoor International Alan Kwan 2015-05-15
Practitioners following the Path of the Great Vow in Pure Land
Buddhism as classified by Master Shandao take exclusive
Amitabha-invocation as their main practice. By exclusively
practicing Amitabha-recitation for the remainder of their lives,
they are assured rebirth in the Land of Bliss in accordance with
Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow. This path is also known as “pristine”
because its practitioners rely 100 per cent on the power of
Amitabha Buddha to determine their rebirth.
If one wishes
to be reborn in the Land of Bliss through miscellaneous
practices
consisting of meditative and non-meditative virtues, one is said to
be following the Path of Importance. This path is not called
“pristine” because self-power is involved to a certain extent. It
is also regarded as an expedient teaching because it is a skillful
means on the part of the Buddha to lead practitioners onto the Path
of the Great Vow, in other words, to exclusive recitation of
Amitabha’s name.
Master
Shandao concludes his Commentary on the Contemplation
Sutra as follows: “Though [Shakyamuni Buddha] speaks of the
benefits of meditative and non-meditative virtues [in the 16
contemplations], when he observes and examines the underlying
intent of [Amitabha] Buddha’s Fundamental Vow, he wishes all
sentient beings to single-mindedly and exclusively recite
Amitabha’s name.”*
As discussed
in my previous article, some people may have confusion, doubt, and
misunderstanding about the meaning of “exclusive practice.” Let us
discuss three typical examples below.
Confusion - Is caring for our parents regarded as mixed
practice?
When we talk
about either exclusive practice or mixed practice, it is always in
reference to an action (as a cause) leading to rebirth in the Land
of Bliss (as a result), and nothing else. However, only exclusive
Amitabha-recitation is directly related to assured rebirth in the
Land of Bliss.
We should not
mix our duties and responsibilities in daily life with exclusive
practice. A typical example is filial piety. Filial piety is one of
the 11 practices in the Three Meritorious Deeds of the Path of
Importance. If we love, respect, and care for our parents because
we want to cultivate, accumulate, and dedicate merit and virtue in
order to gain rebirth in the Land of Bliss, it is regarded as the
Path of Importance (because self-power is a factor), or
miscellaneous/mixed practice.
However, if
we love and respect our parents based on our personal moral values
or due to our karmic conditions, it is not regarded as “practice.”
Rather, it is what all Buddhists ought to do in their daily lives,
including pristine Pure Land practitioners. We should fulfill our
duties to and care for our parents and do benevolent deeds for
others, as taught by the Buddha, but not for the sake of
rebirth.
Doubt
– Should a pristine Pure Land practitioner take the precepts as his
practice?
The same
principle applies to the other ten practices in the Three
Meritorious Deeds. As stated in my last article, we should deal
with all worldly matters according to our personal capacity,
preferences, and karmic circumstances, until we are received by
Amitabha Buddha near the end of our lives.
However, many
practitioners have doubts about the Second Meritorious Deed: taking
the Three Refuges, keeping the various precepts, and refraining
from breaking the rules of conduct. In response to Ananda’s
question as to who would teach the sangha after his nirvana,
Shakyamuni Buddha said: “All monastics should take the precepts as
their teacher [after my nirvana].” Taking precepts would seem to be
indispensable for all Buddhists, and monastics in particular, as it
is fundamental to Buddhist practice.
Nevertheless,
according to the above principle, it is clear and definite that in
order to gain rebirth in the Pure Land, recitation of Amitabha’s
name should be our sole practice. However, if we have already taken
the Refuges or precepts as taught by Shakyamuni Buddha before we
choose the Path of the Great Vow and practice Amitabha-recitation
exclusively, we should continue to do abide by them. However, we
should not do this as a practice, or as a condition for rebirth in
the Land of Bliss, but just as our “duty” in daily life.
It is
important to note that when determining what we should or should
not do, it is not necessary to compare ourselves with others.
People are different because of different karmic conditions. That
is the reason why Master Yinguang, one of the Pure Land patriarchs,
asks us to “stay foolish” and not to argue (when criticized by
other Buddhists for believing we are assured of rebirth in the Pure
Land simply by practicing Amitabha-recitation), but to just
exclusively recite Amitabha’s name.
Misunderstanding – “Exclusive” does not mean
“exclusionary”
“Exclusive”
does not mean “exclusionary.” It is our personal choice to select a
teaching that meets our needs, but it is not appropriate to compare
ourselves with others and reject their decision as to what
teachings they wish to follow. Our world is composed of different
karma generated by different kinds of beings, and we should respect
one another.
We should not
doubt that all 84,000 teachings of the Buddha can lead one to
liberation. The Buddha gave these teachings under different
circumstances, to sentient beings with different capacities, and
for different benefits in different eras and in different
places/worlds. One should know one’s own capacity, interest, and
what one is seeking at present in this world.
Shakyamuni Buddha introduced the Pure Land teaching of Amitabha
Buddha for iniquitous sentient beings in the defiled world who seek
rebirth in the Land of Bliss after his passing. If we think we are
such beings, we should select this teaching, focus on the three
Pure Land sutras, and follow what the Buddha instructs us to do.
This teaching is precisely for us.