The Smaller Sutra on Amida Buddha

The Smaller Sutra on Amida Buddha, also known as the Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) is the last of the three Pure Land Sutras that make up the principal Dharma texts of the Jodo Shin School of Pure Land Buddhism. It is a very brief sutra, and it is typically chanted during funeral services at Shinshu temples (also Shoshinge is sometimes used instead). This sutra contanis another description of the glories of the Pure Land, and then a longer recitation of the Buddhas in the ten directions who witness the validity of the Pure Land and Amida’s Vow to bring all sentient beings there. At its conclusion, the Buddha proclaims to Sariputra that this sutra is the most difficult to accept in faith; in fact, he repeats this assertion at least twice in the text. Importantly, the Buddha emphasizes that those individuals who have taken refuge in the Vow of Amida Buddha, and aspire to be born in the Pure Land, dwell in the stage of Non-Retrogression, thereby not falling back into the cycle of birth-and-death.

“Sariputra, those who have already aspired, now aspire or in the future will aspire to be born in the land of Amida Buddha, all dwell in the Stage of Non-retrogression for realizing the highest, perfect Enlightenment. They have already been born, are now being born, or will be born in that land. Hence, Sariputra, good men and women of faith should aspire to be born there.” Inagaki translation, p. 359.

The Sutra on Contemplation of Amitayus

The Jodo Shin School upholds three sutras as its principal Dharma texts. One is the Larger Sutra on Amitayus (another name for Amida), and the second is the Sutra on Contemplation of Amitayus. The Larger Sutra is the most important one, as it contains the story of Dharmakara Bodhisattva and the 48 Vows (see the Juseige below) including the 18th Vow, which is the basis of Shinran Shonin's thought. The Contemplation Sutra as it is also known, contains the story of Prince Ajatasatru's usurpation of the throne of his father, King Bimbisara of Rajagriha, one of the Buddha's royal followers, and his mother Queen Vaidehi's imprisonment; these events resulted in her taking refuge in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha.

Much of the text contains instructions on the visualization of the elements of the Pure Land; while very interesting in its detailed description,Shin Buddhism does not maintain that we must actually practice these visualization techniques (although they may be practiced in other Pure Land schools); our understanding of this sutra lies in the inspirational story of Queen Vaidehi and also the other participants in this story, including the "evil" Prince Ajatasatru. Shinran Shonin maintained that these all principals acted for our benefit to understand Amida Buddha's Great Compassion for people of evil karma, which is ourselves.

"If good men or women simply hear the Name of this Buddha or the names of the two bodhisattvas, the evil karma which they have committed during innumerable kalpas of Samsara will be extinguished...You should know that all who are mindful of that Buddha are like white lotus-flowers among humankind; the Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara [Kannon] and Mahasthamaprapta [Seishi] become their good friends. They will sit in the place of Enlightenment and be born into the family of the Buddhas."
- Inagaki translation, pp.349-350.

Juseige

An excerpt from the Larger Pure Land Sutra is typically chanted in Jodo Shinshu temples in the United States, but I don't believe as much in Japan, which is usually Shoshinge, the "Hymn of True Shinjin." This excerpt is known as the Juseige, an important excerpt in the story of the Bodhisattva Dharmakara, who after making vows to save all sentient beings, repeats this in verse in the sutra:

"I have made vows, unrivalled in all the world;
I shall certainly reach the unsurpassed Way.
If these vows should not be fulfilled,
May I not attain perfect Enlightenment.

If I should nto become a great benefactor
In lives to come for immeasurable kalpas
To save the poor and afflicted everywhere,
May I not attain perfect Enlightenment.

When I attain Buddhahood,
My Name shall be heard throughout the ten quarters;
Should there be any place where it is not heard,
May I not attain perfect Enlightenment.

Free of greed and with profound mindfulness
And pure wisdom, I will perform the sacred practices;
I will seek to attain the unsurpassed Way
And become the teacher of devas and humans.

With my divine power I will display great light,
Illuminating the worlds without limit,
And dispell the darkness of the three defilements;
Thus I will deliver all beings from misery.

Having obtained the eye of wisdom,
I will remove the darkness of ignorance;
I will block all the evil paths
And open the gate to the good realms.

When merits and virtues are perfected,
My majestic light shall radiate in the ten quarters,
Outshining the sun and the moon
And surpassing the brilliance of the heavens.

I will open the Dharma-store for the multitudes
And endow them all with treasures of merit.
Being always among the multitudes,
I will proclaim the Dharma with the lion's roar.

I will make offerings to all the Buddhas,
Thereby acquiring the roots of virtue.
When my vows are fulfilled and my wisdom perfected,
I shall be the sovereign of the three worlds.

Like your unhindered wisdom, O Buddha,
Mine shall reach everywhere, illuminating all;
May my supreme wisdom
Be like yours, Most Honored One.

If these vows are not fulfilled
Let this universe of a thousand million words shake in response
And let all the devas in heaven
Rain down rare and marvellous flowers.
[Inagakai translation]

Following this chanting is a recital of 6 nembutsus and a short ekoku, or dedication of merit.
This is the "backstory" of the Amida Buddha, who thus established the Pure Land. Pure Land Buddhists consider the Vows of Dharmakara to be fulfilled kalpas ago; while there are many diverse Pure Land practices, Shin Buddhists accept that to go to the Pure Land, one does not need to do practices or other merit-making activities, but allow oneself to embraced by Amida and the Vow.

In future posts I will focus exclusively on discussing the Three Pure Land Sutras, since I have a copy with me here.
Namo Amida Butsu

The Importance of Study

I am currently deployed to Afghanistan so unfortunately I cannot post as often as I would like to this blog! However, during the down time here (and in the absence of many recreational activities we take for granted!), I am taking the opportunity to engage in some study of the Pure Land texts. Although we rightly say that faith, or tariki ("Other-Power") is foremost in our tradition, this does not necessarily imply that we shouldn't take advantage of studying the writings of not only Shinran Shonin, our founder, but also of the Seven Pure Land Masters the sutras themselves, and even writings by contemporary Pure Land scholars and priests. This is the reason for my earlier posts of some quotes and other books. In my job as chaplain, I often encounter Buddhists and it still surprises me of how little is known of their own traditions. However, this equally is true of many members in our Jodo Shinshu temples, who for one reason or another have never picked up a Pure Land text other than the service book for chanting. Although we are a tradition of ritual, like other Buddhist traditions, we should also remember that Shinran Shonin and Rennyo Shonin actively promoted the study of the Pure Land, through their letters and writings, and asked that their letters be read to others. It's not just for scholars! Ideally, we should all put on our "scholar cap," take a break from the TV or Internet, and pick up a Pure land text to read. Every time I read the writings of the Masters, I still find something new and inspiring, that can speak directly to me although they were written centuries ago. Don't think that the texts are "too intellectual" or too hard to read - take a chance and go to the source! This is how we can eliminate our own doubts about the efficacy of the Pure Land, and Jodo Shinshu teachings.

A Letter of Rennyo

"When I reflect quietly, I realize that one receives life in the human world due solely to the merit of observing the five precepts in one's past life. This is indeed a rare thing to happen. Life in the human world, however, is but momentary and ephemeral the life in the Pure Land is the eternal, blissful fruit.
Even if we boast of pomp and glory and revel in prosperity, we cannot enjoy such a state for long, because 'those who prosper will necessarily decline, and those who meet must definitely part' is the way of the world. Life lasts only fifty or a hundred years. In addition, since it is not certain whether death comes to the old first and then to the young, human life is hardly reliable.
For this reason, people of today should seek the entrusting heart of Other Power and aspire to be born in the Pure Land.
In order to attain the entrusting heart, you do not need wisdom or learning; it is not a question of whether you are rich and noble or poor and destitute, whether you are good or evil, male or female. The essential point is to give up various practices and take refuge in the right practice, that is, the nembutsu.
To take refuge in the right practice means simply to entrust yourselves to Amida Tathagata single-mindedly and unwaveringly.
Those beings who thus entrust themselves to Amida will all be embraced in his light and not be forsaken; when their lives come to an end, they will unfailingly be brought to the Pure Land. Your birth in the Pure Land is attainable only through the single thought of the settled mind. How easy it is to attain the settled mind which is free of calculations! This is why the two-character word, 'an-jin' also means 'easily attained mind.'
You will be born in the land of bliss only through having the entrusting heart - a single-minded and unwavering reliance on the Tathagata without any calculations.
How easy it is to realize the settled mind! How easy it is to go to the Pure Land!
Hence, it is stated in the Larger Sutra, 'To go is easy and yet no one is born there.' This passage means that it is easy to go to the Pure Land if you attain the settled mind and entrust yourselves unwaveringly to Amida, but those who atain the entrusting heart are rare. For this reason, the sutra states that the Pure Land is easy to go to but there is no one who is born there.
Calling the Name day and night, morning and evening, after you have reached this understanding, is simply to express your gratitude for the benevolence of the universal Vow of great compassion.
You should, by all means, keep in mind the Buddha Dharma and seek to know the essentials of the entrusting heart which is easy to gain, and never fail to attain birth in the fulfilled land, the matter of the greatest importance.
Humbly and respectfully."

Rennyo Shonin's most important body of written work is his letters to Nembutsu followers throughout Japan. Many of these were compiled in a collection known as the Gobunsho. These letters address many aspects of Jodo Shinshu doctrine; one of the most important is the letter known as "On White Ashes," concerning the transience of human life and which is recited today during funerals. Other letters are also used in Jodo Shinshu liturgy.

The purpose of these letters was to instruct Shinshu followers, and they are still used for that purpose today. This particular letter encapsulates the basic teachings of the Dharma, such as impermanence and the concepts of rebirth and karma. It is uniquely Jodo Shinshu in the emphasis of birth in the Pure Land (that it restricts no one) and how it stresses importance of the "entrusting heart," as shinjin is translated here. The mind that is transformed by shinjin is anjin, or "settled mind." Anjin is explained further in other letters. We are also cautioned to know that shinjin can be uncommon, perhaps this was to keep in mind that entrusting in the Vow of Amida Buddha is a truly transformative experience; also, that it can't be gifted by other teachers. For this reason, we should treat the idea of shinjin with care, being wary of people who speak carelessly about it, and especially cautious of those who claim shinjin (or, conversely, deny others' shinjin reality. Shinjin, as a personal transformative experience, is entirely left to the individual and his or her understanding and faith. Therefore, this can be a clue to reading the puzzling statement, "To go is easy, and yet no one is born there!"

Pure Land Quote of the Week

"The Shonin said, 'When a single thought of Faith is awakened in us, our birth in the Pure Land is definitely settled. It is left up to Amida Tathagata whether or not he saves us after destroying our karmic evil. It is useless for us to discuss matters concerning our karmic evil. What concerns us is that Amida saves those who entrust themselves to him."

The Shonin in this quote is Rennyo Shonin (1415-1499), the second most influential person in Jodo Shinshu history aside from Shinran Shonin, who was his direct ancestor. He is often referred to as the "Second Founder" because of his great organizational and preaching abilities, which made the True Pure Land School a distinct religious and also a social and political power in medieval Japan. His 500th memorial service held in 1998 in Kyoto, Japan, was attended by thousands of Shin Buddhists from all over the world.

In this quote, we are reminded of the importance of shinjin, or entrusting to Amida Buddha, as primary among all Dharma matters. Although the ancient idea of karma is important in Buddhist doctrine, we should not excessively worry about it. Our karmic debt is like credit card debt - although we may "try" to make merit and acquire good karma, we could never truly be certain whether we have alleviated our karma, and of course we go on making more! It is easy to fall into depression and disillusion when considering this. Therefore, it is more reasonable to rely on Amida's Vow.

This quote comes from a collection of Rennyo Shonin's words, recorded by later Shinshu members, the Goichidaiki-kikigaki . There are two translations available in English: the most recent one (2008) is by Zuio Hisao Inagaki-sensei published by Dharma Lion Publications, and an earlier translation by Kosho Yamamoto, published by The Karinbunko Press in 1968 (out-of-print).

Pure Land Quote of the Week

"It is saddening that so many people, both young and old, men and women, have died this year and last. But the Tathagata [Amida Buddha] taught the truth of life's transience for us fully, so you must not be distressed by it.
I, for my own part, attach no significance, good or bad, of a person in his final moments. People in whom shinjin is determined do not doubt, and so abide among the truly settled. For this reason their end also - even for those ignorant and foolish - is a happy one.
You have been explaining to people that one attains birth through the Tathagata's working; it is in no way otherwise. What I have been saying to all of you from many years past has not changed. Simply achieve your birth, firmly avoiding all scholarly debate. I recall hearing the late Master Honen say, 'The person of the Jodo tradition attains birth in the Buddha Land by becoming his foolish self.' Moreover, I remember him smile and say, as he watched humble people of no intellectual pretensions coming to visit him, 'Without doubt their birth is settled.' And I head him say after a visit by a man brilliant in letters and debating, 'I really wonder about his birth.' To this day these things come too mind.
Each of you should attain your birth without being misled by people and without faltering in shinjin. However, the practice in whom shinjin has not become settled will continue to drift, even without being misled by anyone, for he does not abide among the truly settled.
Please relay what I have written here to the others. Respectfully."

This is an excerpt from a letter to Joshin-bo, one of the followers of Shinran Shonin, the founder of the Jodo Shinshu. It can be read in English in the Mattosho, or "Letters of Shinran." This letter was written in 1260.

Reading these letters, particularly the excerpt above, I am struck by how timely Shinran's message is. We still have wars and natural disasters, and no lack of personal tragedy in our own lives. Shinran encourages us to be settled in shinjin, no matter what happens. He cautions us not to be misled by others, even if they have good intentions. Each one of us, regardless of how much we've studied, read Dharma books, or listened to charismatic teachers, is equal in Amida Buddha's consideration. No amount of meditations or meritorious activities are required: we do only need to humbly accept Amida's Power. I think perhaps this is the most difficult for us, living in the 21st-century, the concept of simply accepting.