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The goal of all Buddhist practice
is to achieve Enlightenment and transcend the
cycle of Birth and Death -- that is, to attain Buddhahood. In the
Mahayana tradition, the precondition for Buddhahood is the Bodhi
Mind, the aspiration to achieve Enlightenment for the benefit of
all sentient beings, oneself included. (23)
Since sentient beings are of
different spiritual capacities and inclinations, many levels of
teaching and numerous methods were devised in order to reach
everyone. Traditionally, the sutras speak of 84,000, i.e., an
infinite number of methods, depending on the circumstances, the
times and the target audience. All these methods are expedients -- different
medicines for different individuals with different illnesses at
different times. (24) Within each method,
the success or failure of an individual's cultivation depends on
his depth of practice and understanding, that is, on his mind.
A) Self-power, other-power
Throughout history, the
Patriarchs have elaborated various systems to categorize Dharma methods and the sutras
in which they are expounded. One convenient division is into
methods based on self-effort (self-power) and those that rely on the
assistance of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (other-power). (25) This distinction is,
of course, merely for explanatory purposes, as the Truth is,
ultimately, one and indivisible: self-power is other-power, other-power
is self-power.
(26)
Traditionally, most Buddhist
schools and methods take the self-power approach: progress along
the path of Enlightenment is achieved only through intense and
sustained personal effort. Because of the dedication and effort
involved, schools of this self-power, self-effort tradition all
have a distinct monastic bias. The laity has generally played only
a supportive role, with the most spiritually advanced ideally
becoming monks and nuns. Best known of these traditions are
Theravada and Zen.
Parallel to this, particularly
following the development of Mahayana thought and the rise of lay
Buddhism, a more flexible tradition eventually arose, combining
self-power with other-power -- the assistance and
support provided by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to sincere seekers
of the Way. Most representative of this tradition are the Esoteric
and Pure
Land schools. However, unlike the former (or for
that matter, the Zen school), Pure Land does not stress the
master-disciple relationship and de-emphasizes the role of
sub-schools, roshis/gurus and rituals. Moreover, the main aim of
Pure Land -- rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss through the
power of Amitabha Buddha's Vows -- is a
realistic goal, though to be understood at several levels. Therein
lies the appeal and strength of Pure Land. (27)
B) Pure Land in a Nutshell
Pure Land is the most popular
form of Buddhism in East Asia. Like all Mahayana schools, it
requires first and foremost the development of the Bodhi Mind, the
aspiration to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient
beings. (28)
How is Pure Land
practiced?
The main form of cultivation
is Buddha
Recitation, which consists of repeating the
words "Amitabha Buddha" or visualizing (concentrating on) this
Buddha or His pure realm -- His Pure
Land.
How does Pure Land
work?
i) By practicing Buddha
Recitation singlemindedly, with utter sincerity and faith, the
cultivator reins in his wandering mind. He puts a stop to the
continuous stream of illusory thought filled with greed anger and
delusion characteristic of the human mind. His mind thus becomes
empty and still and he awakens. Buddha Recitation in that
sense is a kung-an -- it is a Zen
practice.
ii) Alternatively, during
singleminded recitation, with utter sincerity and faith, the
cultivator strongly identifies with Amitabha Buddha -- becomes one
with Amitabha Buddha and His Vow to rescue all sentient beings.
Rebirth in the Pure Land is therefore a natural occurrence. It is
this aspect that particularly characterizes the Pure Land
school.
In its totality, Pure Land
reflects the teachings of Buddhism as expressed in the
Avatamsaka Sutra: mutual
identity and interpenetration of all and everything -- the simplest
method contains the ultimate and the ultimate is found in the
simplest. (29)
c) Transference of Merit
Central to the Pure Land
tradition is the figure of Amitabha Buddha, who came to exemplify
the Bodhisattva ideal and the doctrine of transfer (or dedication)
of merit. This is particularly apparent in the life story of the
Bodhisattva Dharmakara, (30) the future Amitabha
Buddha, as related in the sutras.
The Mahayana idea of the Buddha
being able to impart his power to others marks one of those
epoch-making deviations which set off the Mahayana from so-called
... original Buddhism ... The Mahayanists accumulate stocks of
merit not only for the material of their own enlightenment but for
the general cultivation of merit which can be shared equally by
their fellow-beings, animate and inanimate. This is the true
meaning of Parinamana, that is, turning one's merit over to others
for their spiritual interest. (D.T. Suzuki, tr.,
The Lankavatara Sutra, p.
xix.)
The rationale for such conduct,
which on the surface appears to run counter to the law of Cause and
Effect, may be explained in the following passage concerning one of
the three Pure Land sages, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Kuan
Yin):
Some of us may ask whether the
effect of karma can be reverted by repeating the name of Kuan-Yin.
This question is tied up with that of rebirth in Sukhavati [the
Pure Land] and it may be answered by saying that invocation of
Kuan-Yin's name forms another cause which will right away offset
the previous karma. We know, for example, that if there is a dark,
heavy cloud above, the chances are that it will rain. But we also
know that if a strong wind should blow, the cloud will be carried
away somewhere else and we will not feel the rain. Similarly, the
addition of one big factor can alter the whole course of karma
...
It is only by accepting the idea
of life as one whole that both Theravadins and Mahayanists can
advocate the practice of transference of merit to others. With the
case of Kuan-Yin then, by calling on Her name we identify ourselves
with Her and as a result of this identification Her merits flow
over to us. These merits which are now ours then counterbalance our
bad karma and save us from calamity. The law of cause and effect
still stands good. All that has happened is that a powerful and
immensely good karma has overshadowed the weaker one. (Tech Eng
Soon - Penang Buddhist Association, c. 1960. Pamphlet.)
This concept of transference of
merit, which presupposes a receptive mind on the part of the
cultivator, is emphasized in Pure Land. However, the concept also
exists, albeit in embryonic form, in the Theravada tradition, as
exemplified in the beautiful story of the Venerable Angulimala.
(31)
D) Faith and Mind
Faith is an important component
of Pure Land Buddhism. (32) However, wisdom or
Mind also plays a crucial, if less visible, role. This
interrelationship is clearly illustrated in the Meditation Sutra: the
worst sinner, guilty of matricide and parricide, etc. may still
achieve rebirth in the Pure Land if, on the verge of death, he
concentrates on the Buddha's name one to ten times with utmost
faith and sincerity.
This passage can be understood at
two levels. At the level
of everyday life, just as the worst criminal once genuinely
reformed is no longer a threat to society and may be pardoned, the
sinner once truly repentant may, through the vow-power of Amitabha
Buddha, achieve rebirth in the Pure Land -- albeit at the
lowest possible grade.
Thus, Pure Land offers hope to everyone; yet at the same time, the
law of Cause and Effect remains valid.
At the higher level of principle or Mind, as
the Sixth Patriarch taught in the Platform Sutra:
A foolish passing thought makes
one an ordinary man, while an enlightened second thought makes one
a Buddha.
Therefore, once the sinner
repents and concentrates on the Buddha's name with utmost sincerity
and one-pointedness of mind, for that moment he becomes an awakened
person silently merging into the stream of the Sages -- can
Enlightenment then be far away? As the Meditation Sutra states: "the Land of
Amitabha Buddha is not far from here!" (33)
o
This, then, is the Pure Land
tradition, harmonizing everyday practice and the transcendental,
self-power and other-power. This tradition is, by all accounts, one
of the pillars of the great Mahayana edifice, that lofty tradition
of the great Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Samantabhadra -- so much so
that Pure Land has been, for centuries, one of the most enduring
and widespread forms of Buddhism in Asia.
Van Hien Study Group
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