Hi, everyone. Today let’s begin the study of “The Immeasurable Life Sutra”. Before our commencement, let’s explore the general idea of the text and what to be mindful of while reading this sutra.
Initially, the order in which we study the sutras are “The Lotus Sutra”, “The Diamond Sutra”, and “The Shurangama Sutra”, together with two treatises: “The Gate to All Phenomena” by Vasubandhu and Nagarjuna’s “Middle Way”. Followed by “The Flower Ornament Sutra”. Lastly, “The Immeasurable Life Sutra”. Why make it the last sutra to study? Because while practicing the Buddha Dharma, the Pure Land that was mentioned in the sutra is the main focus of study for the tenth Bhumi Bodhisattvas. Studying the fruits of great vows of Bodhisattvas and the fulfillment of Buddha’s attributes, therefore, while studying the sutra, you shall see the audience who attended the assembly of “The Immeasurable Life Sutra” consist of all the Bodhisattvas who are ready to attain Buddhahood, and those who are one lifetime away from supreme enlightenment.
Secondly, studying “The Lotus Sutra” has taught us that we are one with the Buddhas. “The Diamond Sutra” and “The Shurangama Sutra” have taught us the path of awakening. “The Flower Ornament Sutra” taught us the reality of interdependence of all phenomena; the Dharma-body is the substratum of all phenomena. We have come to appreciate the Buddhas’ attainment of omniscient faculties and the ultimate reality. Accordingly, a better cognizance of a world in the eyes of Buddhas is also acquired.
Through revising these sutras, it facilitates an even more thorough understanding of the fruitful manifestation of Buddha’s grand merit. As a result, when studying the “Immeasurable Life Sutra”, one could then focus on the genesis of Pure Land. Can we too, like Amitabha, be capable of creating a blissful pure land for sentient beings, a world which allows them to attain Buddhahood with beatific ease? How can we understand the needs of countless sentient beings for happiness and enlightenment? What kind of great vow should we make? Other than self-cultivation, what altruistic merits and virtues should we accumulate? What kind of right view and effort can prevent our vow from becoming burdensome? For infinite light and immeasurable life, we long for us and sentient beings to achieve Buddhahood in ultimate bliss.
To answer all these questions, or to have the ability of Amitabha, we must first study other sutras and teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha to truly understand what are the true marks of all dharmas, the perfection of the merits and virtues of all Buddhas. So when we recite the name Amitabha, we know that it is more than just a label; it is also our Dharma-body, the power of our vows, merits and virtues. Even while abiding in the state of awakening and non-duality, Amitabha and Pure Land is present in us. But because this sutra involves all sentient beings in the worlds of all directions who can benefit directly from the fruits of Buddhahood, it is like someone who has an endless flow of income and shares his wealth generously with sentient beings. When Buddha’s merit are perfected, they can manifest pureland, and through expedient means they lead sentient beings into the manifested pure land, sharing the fruits of the Buddhahood with them directly. It is the most straightforward dedication of merit to sentient beings, the ultimate act of selflessness in giving.
In the “Immeasurable Life Sutra”, the pure land which was manifested after Amitabha’s perfection of merit not only allows sentient beings who carry their karmic debts from the worlds of the ten directions to be born in the pureland and attain boundless blissfulness without the need for their good karma materialising; at the same time, they can be swiftly awakened in this world and achieve the status of tenth bhumi bodhisattva. Therefore, this sutra not only is the focus of the tenth bhumi bodhisattvas but also suitable for beginners and novice, or those who are at any stage of their practice. Moreover, this sutra is suitably across the board for all three vehicles, even for unbelievers or people studying other religions. If they were introduced to this sutra on their deathbed, or having heard the merits of the pureland of Amitabha, upon such moment, they develop faith and conviction, wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to be reborn in the pureland. Just concentrate on this one wish and recite the name of Amitabha during the intermediate state. Amitabha will surely assist them in their smooth transition into the pureland and receive the attributes of Amitabha’s merit. Therefore, Shakyamuni Buddha says in the beginning of this sutra: this sutra can bring the most tangible benefits to sentient beings. And at the end of this sutra, he says to the group of heavenly beings represented by Maitreya: even if an inferno swept through the universe, it is incumbent on you to traverse the fire and receive the teaching of this sutra.
In the reality-realm (Dharmadhatu), many bodhisattvas want to know about this sutra, but there isn’t an opportunity or condition to fulfil this wish. And the Buddha says at the Dharma-ending age, when all teachings of the scriptures have successively perished, through his majestic power, this sutra will be made available for another hundred years.
Because we live in this Saha World, it is called the place of five turbidities, an evil world in the world of ten directions. Sentient beings keep reincarnating in the three realms and six destinies; their behavioral tendencies and desires have been repeatedly cultivated and are deeply ingrained. As a result, such pattern causes countless pain and trouble. While they believe in Buddha’s teaching, it is extremely difficult to walk on the path of bodhisattva and attain any sort of enlightenment. Sentient beings almost always are drowning in a sea of suffering. Under such circumstances, the fulfilment of Buddhas’ great vows, the direct giving of the fruits of their Buddhahood to sentient beings, comes timely to those who are in a dire need of such salvation from samsara, especially those who yearn for an expedited path to enlightenment.
Thus, from this sutra, we learn the methods in which Amitabha carries sentient beings to enlightenment. It is through such clever expedient devices, regardless of sentient beings’ state of affairs, for those even running short on time, without the environment and ability to learn other sutras taught by the Buddhas, as long as they can encounter this sutra, believe in it and follow it, they can reap the great benefits of this sutra. Even more so, sentient beings’ serenity and Buddhahood are guaranteed.
Hence, even we are not yet capable of understanding the merit and virtue of Buddha’s conferment on us, we still prioritise the study of the “Immeasurable Sutra” over the “Shurangama Sutra”. Not only do we wish to look up to Amitabha and Shakyamuni’s meritorious achievements as our exemplar, but also get the benefits and blessing from Amitabha while we are on the path of bodhisattva, strengthening our confidence in achieving absolute awakening.
Furthermore, to a Mahayana bodhisattva, becoming enlightened is not only to live in the ultimate bliss of parinirvana, or to manifest the mark of emptiness, or to be in a state of nirvana, or to view everything as illusion and requires no action, but to honor the blessings we have been given and alleviate those in suffering, and manifest various expedient means in order to connect to sentient beings in good faith. You do this to benefit countless sentient beings with the fruits of your enlightenment, so that they can be liberated from the cycle of samsara. As a result of our enlightenment, there arrives the infinite pure and blissful age. Respectively, sentient beings from multitude of space and time shall enter into ultimate bliss, abiding in such blissful state they are awakened and go on to advance infinite numbers of sentient beings with our enlightenment.
Of course, to help those obstinate sentient beings who do not appreciate the Buddha Dharma, some of the enlightened beings chose to enter into nirvana. For example, the western twenty-eight patriarchs of India. Bodhidharma who came to China to transmit the heart of Buddha’s teaching; he faced a wall for nine years without speaking. The same with Shakyamuni Buddha who entered into nirvana at the age of around 80. However accordingly, any forms of manifestation that are helpful to students should be seen as a display of great compassion.
However, practicing Buddhism in a world like ours, some of our peers may have achieved some state of tranquility and extraordinary power, conveniently think of oneself as already accomplished in Buddhahood, or for those having accumulated some merits thus think of oneself as coming close to absolute enlightenment, or even by just memorising some classics and teachings of the Buddha, for the purpose of acquiring material gain, they proclaimed enlightenment masking their ignorance. By doing so, they separate themselves from the good quality of a Bodhisattva, and even more so, far removed from the quality of Buddhas.
Within worlds of the ten directions, countless Sadhumati Bodhisattvas, owing to the power of their vow, they have acquired the same level of wisdom and expedient means for sentient beings as Buddhas. Due to their great vow which have not yet been manifested on our plane, they choose not to attain perfect enlightenment for they do not think of themselves as such.
We have studied the “Lotus Sutra”. In the “Lotus Sutra”, Shakyamuni Buddha assures the disciples of their attainment of Buddhahood in the future; he says to them after how many kalpas and in which worlds they will become Buddhas, what the Buddha’s name will be, etc. Bodhisattvas would not take the perfect enlightenment means that if their great vows have not yet been fulfilled, they’ll find their Buddhahood is imperfect and will not present themselves as a Buddha in any world and become the master of teaching. For example, the great vow of Ksitigarbha is: “Not until hells are extinguished, I shall not attain Buddhahood.” That is, if there are still beings in the Saha world who suffer in hell, my Buddhahood is incomplete and I am not yet enlightened. For Manjushri, Samantabhadra, Avalokitesvara etc., these great Bodhisattvas who are familiar to us, they all had become Buddhas a long time ago, but because of their great vows, they still manifest in these worlds to help sentient beings with Buddha’s teaching.
When we are studying the “Immeasurable Life Sutra”, we will also hear that the forty-eight vows of Amitabha for bringing benefits to sentient beings, each vow ends with the following words: “If this vow is not fulfilled, I will not attain the perfect enlightenment.” In the manifestation of the Buddhahood of all Buddhas from the worlds of the ten directions, everything that Amitabha has achieved for the benefit of all beings is considered to be the most complete representation of the manifestation of Buddhahood. He manifested a perfect and impeccable world for all beings after attaining Buddhahood, which is the Pure Land. In the Pure land, it assembles the ultimate satisfying elements from all of the twenty-one billion Buddha-lands. Even for beings who do not wish to practice Buddha’s teaching, want to make a wish to be reborn here, and want to meet this Buddha of such perfect virtue. Because of his enlightenment and for his meritorious giving after the fulfilment of his great vow, which makes countless beings of the worlds of all directions obtain the ultimate bliss directly. Since his attainment of Buddhahood, countless and limitless sentient beings have become awakened and attained perfect enlightenment rapidly in this world that manifested by his virtue. His approach to the guidance and deliverance of all beings is arguably the most expedient and convenient way within the worlds of the ten directions, and for those who benefited directly from his enlightenment, they are awakened and thus are also becoming the best among all worlds. This is why Amitabha is known among the Buddhas as the Supreme of Light. Amitabha’s vows of his causal stage and the manifestations of his Buddhahood are timeless and exemplary learning experience for the Sadhumati Bodhisattvas.
In our Saha world, Shakyamuni Buddha has introduced Amitabha and his Pure Land to his disciples more than once. Not only did he praise, he also strongly advised and encouraged his disciples: at the end of their current lives, if they haven’t attained Buddhahood, they should vow to go to the Pure Land for their next rebirth. It is not only the hope of wanting disciples to escape suffering and attain happiness and to be free from rebirth. More importantly, the Pure Land achieved by Amitabha has become the most conducive place for Dharma practitioners within the worlds of the ten directions; it allows students to achieve the perfect enlightenment without hindrance in ultimate bliss.
Not only did Shakyamuni Buddha do this, Buddhas of the worlds of the ten directions all praise Amitabha and his Pure Land unanimously. Buddhas encourage their disciples to visit the Pure Land and meet Amitabha, to receive a blissful confirmation from Amitabha regarding their future enlightenment. All the great Bodhisattvas yearn for meeting Amitabha; they wish to listen and study this Buddha’s great vows of his causal stage as well as the perfect manifestation of his Buddhahood. In the “Flower Ornament Sutra”, Manjushri and Samantabhadra both say they want to visit the Pure Land and meet Amitabha. Certainly, for those Sadhumati Bodhisattvas, the aim is not to escape from suffering or achieve enlightenment like we do. Bodhisattvas like Manjushri and Samantabhadra already have the ability to live in ultimate bliss through the achievement of their inner realisation. They could even appear as Buddha, but they still vow to meet Amitabha in the Pure Land. I think, apart from entering the ocean of vows of Samantabhadra, tirelessly paying homage and making offerings to the Buddha, and showing the worlds of the ten directions how to study Dharma, practising the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, it is also a meeting between fans and their idol.
Today, when we are studying the “Immeasurable Life Sutra” in Saha world, when we hear our ultimate mentor Shakyamuni Buddha introducing another Buddha to us, the Bodhisattvas who have the intention to benefit all sentient beings and carry on Buddha’s work will also not just want to be reborn in the Pure Land, thus ignoring all of Shakyamuni Buddha’s teachings in this world. Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching and blessings through his merits are able to alleviate beings who were born in a world of severe suffering to attain liberation and happiness in the midst of hardship. Even though some teachers throughout history taught their students to only focus on vowing to be reborn in the Pure Land, just recite Amitabha’s name without reading the rest of Shakyamuni Buddha’s classics, that is only due to a lack of confidence in their pupils’ ability to attain enlightenment in this Saha world, lest the pupils forget about Amitabha’s name in their states of intermediate existence, thus losing their safeguard of being able to be reborn in the Pure Land and enjoy the blessing that are promised to them.
But before we can be reborn in the Pure Land, there is still a long way to go in this world; we will encounter numerous unexpected storms in our life. If we only recite Buddha’s name, learn just one method, only wanting to be reborn in the Pure Land, then we can’t solve problems when facing troubles, and we can’t settle on reciting Buddha’s name in reality, or benefiting ourselves through this method. We may get tired of this world and want to escape by committing suicide so that we can be reborn in the Pure Land. This is by no means the intention of Shakyamuni Buddha to introduce us to Amitabha and the Pure Land, and it also fails to live up to Amitabha’s wishes of building the Pure Land to save all sentient beings.
The conditions set by Amitabha Buddha for all sentient beings in the ten directions to be reborn in the Pure Land are very simple. In the eighteenth vow of this sutra, Amitabha Buddha said: sentient beings in the ten directions who admire me and wish to be reborn in my world, sincerely concentrate on this wish, make this wish up to ten times and you will be reborn, unless the man has committed five heinous crimes and denigrated the true Dharma, then he is incapable of being reborn. The five heinous crimes are: Buddha bleed, disrupting the harmony of the community of monks, the five serious crimes against justice and nature. If sentient beings commit these crimes, only through confession and deeply heartfelt repentance can they be eligible to be reborn in the Pure Land.
In the twentieth vow Amitabha said: all sentient beings in the worlds of the ten directions who hear my name, think of the Pure Land in their hearts, and perform good deeds, accumulate merits and virtues, make a single-hearted wish to be reborn in the Pure Land, their wishes will definitely be granted. In this sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha also said: all sentient beings who heard Amitabha’s name, even rejoicing faithfully in a single thought of such, and wholeheartedly dedicate their merit to their wishes of being reborn in the Pure Land, they will not regress. It means there are sentient beings who have heard Amitabha’s name and have deep conviction in his merit as well as his realm of utmost bliss, full of delight; with such confidence and joy they dwell in and strengthen their faith in going to the western paradise. Even just by reciting the name of Amitabha, you are able to be reborn in the Pure Land.