Can Pure Land Aspirants be Reborn Using
Mixed or Miscellaneous Practices?
Buddhistdoor International Alan Kwan 2015-04-02
Three
different kinds of mixed practices
Having
discussed the importance of the exclusive practice of
Amitabha-recitation for assured rebirth in Amitabha’s Land of
Bliss, we have the question: can Pure Land aspirants be reborn if
they undertake mixed or miscellaneous practices? Well, it depends.
According to the Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra,
Master Shandao identified three different kinds of mixed or
miscellaneous practices.
1.
Invocations of other Buddhas, according to the explication of the
Deep Mind
Although it
is an indirect rebirth in Amitabha’s Land of Bliss, practitioners
can be reborn through sincere dedication or transference of merit
and aspiration to attain rebirth if they have invoked other
Buddhas.
If they
entrust themselves to the Buddha’s power (“other-power”), but do
not invoke Amitabha Buddha exclusively, it implies that their faith
in Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow, the 18th Vow, for their deliverance
is not yet decisive, determined, and finalized, as discussed in my
previous articles.*
With the five
disadvantages of miscellaneous practices of Buddha-invocation
discussed in my last article, “Amitabha-invocation Should Not Be
Mixed With Other Buddha-invocations,” this way of attaining rebirth
is considered to be “accommodative.” It means Amitabha Buddha will
accommodate and receive them to his Pure Land though the karma of
rebirth is not direct.
2.
Practices for worldly merit and virtues with impure mind, according
to the explication of the Sincere Mind
Aspirants or
practitioners cannot dedicate the merit and virtues of impure
practice to attain rebirth in the Pure Land, because ordinary
beings are full of greed, hatred, and delusion, and their virtuous
practices do not resonate with the Land of Bliss, an unconditioned
realm of nirvana. This interpretation is straightforward and easy
to understand.
If
practitioners seek rebirth through practices of
“self-power,”
rather than the practice of Amitabha-recitation, “other-power,” it
means they have no faith in Amitabha’s deliverance. Thus their
faith is not genuine, as discussed in my previous article
“Amitabha-invocation Should Not Be Mixed With Other
Buddha-invocations.” The validity of this statement can also be
verified by the Amitabha Sutra, which says, “One cannot
attain rebirth with few virtuous roots and little merits as causal
conditions.”** This refers to the impure karmic practices in
themundane world.
3.
Meditative and non-meditative virtues with the aspiration to be
reborn in the Land of Bliss
In the
Chapter of the Profound Meaning, Master Shandao said that it is
possible if aspirants dedicate the two virtues, meditative and
non-meditative, and aspire to be, they will be reborn in the Pure
Land.
Master
Shandao also says in the explication of the Nine Levels of
Aspirants*** that rebirth is possible if practitioners dedicate
their merit and aspire to be reborn in the Land of Bliss. In other
words, despite any other practices they do, as long as they
dedicate their merit and aspire to be reborn in the Land of Bliss,
they can be. It should be noted that their rebirth is attained, not
because of achievements in their practices, but because of their
aspiration to be reborn in the Land of Bliss.
This is
explained more clearly when Master Shandao concludes his teaching
on the Three States of Mind. He says, “As one has the Three States
of Mind,**** [rebirth] cannot be achieved without practicing
[Amitabha-recitation]. If one has aspiration, signified by one’s
Three States of Mind, and the practice, but cannot be reborn, it
does not make sense at all.”*****
He also makes
a conclusive statement at the end of his Commentary on the
Contemplation Sutra: “Though preceding passages spoke of the
merits of the meditative and non-meditative virtues [by Shakyamuni
Buddha], [Amitabha] Buddha’s underlying wish is that sentient
beings recite Amitabha’s name single-mindedly.”******
Thus, Master
Shandao indicates that, for all those who have taken the Three
Meritorious Deeds and the meditative virtues as the primary cause,
with the aspiration of rebirth at the Nine Levels as the primary
practice, if they change their minds and decide to take
Amitabha-recitation as the primary practice, with the Three States
of Mind as the primary cause, they will be assured rebirth in the
Land of Bliss.
Conclusion
Master
Shandao hoped to encourage all aspirants to change their primary
practices from the two virtues, to Amitabha-recitation.
Subsequently, Amitabha Buddha will skillfully embrace them, and
appear before them at the time of death.
Strictly
speaking, those aspirants who undertake mixed or miscellaneous
practices are not said to be “entitled” or “qualified” to be
reborn. They deserve to be reborn simply because they have the
Three States of Mind, which is actually the same as the mind of
Amitabha-recitation. Hence rebirth from this kind of mixed or
miscellaneous practice results not from the merit of their
practices, but from the embrace of Amitabha Buddha through
Amitabha-recitation subsequent to their establishment of the Three
States of Mind.
For example,
if a person cannot accomplish something through his own efforts,
then switches to a reliance on the King’s power, he would easily
complete the task. Though we watch him finish the job, the result
actually came entirely from the power of the King. According to
this explication, in terms of appearances, both miscellaneous
practice and Amitabha-recitation can lead to rebirth. Nevertheless,
when we consider substance, only recitation results in
rebirth.
A comment of
Master Honen, based on Master Shandao's teachings, exhorted us to
recite the Buddha-Name (Amitabha), and to give up the mixed
practices that cannot assure us of attaining rebirth in the Pure
Land.
To conclude,
the miscellaneous practices may not hinder rebirth in the Pure
Land, but rebirth of the practitioners is not assured. Therefore,
we must choose the exclusive practice of Amitabha-recitation and
hold fast to his Name, so that rebirth in the Pure Land is assured,
according to Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow.