4.The Achievements and Merit of Bodhisattvas in the West Pure Land
The Buddha told Ananda, “When Bodhisattvas reborn in that Buddha Land speak, they always pronounce the true Dharma in accord with their wisdom, with no contradictions or mistakes. For the myriad things in that land, they hold no concept of belonging or attachment. Without emotional bondage, they come and go, move or stop, completely at ease. Unfettered by endearment or alienation, with no sense of self versus others, neither competitive nor disputative, they have the altruistic mind of great lovingkindness and compassion for sentient beings. Gentle and docile, they have no anger. Free from the mental coverings, they have a pure mind. Never weary or indolent, they retain in their minds equality, excellence, profundity, and concentration, as well as love, appreciation, and joy of the Dharma. Having eradicated afflictions and purified the mind bent on the evil life-journeys, they take all Bodhisattva actions and acquire immeasurable merit. Equipped with profound samadhi, transcendental powers, and illuminating wisdom, they practice the Seven Bodhi Factors, training their minds in accordance with the Buddha Dharma. Their physical-eye is pure and perceptive, able to distinguish all things. Their god-eye reaches an immeasurable, boundless distance. Their dharma-eye observes the ultimate Way. Their wisdom-eye sees the truth, which can cross them over to the opposite shore. Their Buddha-eye completely penetrates dharma nature. With hindrance-free wisdom, they expound the Dharma to others. Seeing that all things in the Three Realms of Existence are equal in their emptiness, they resolve to seek the Buddha Dharma. Equipped with eloquence, they annihilate the afflictions that trouble all sentient beings. Born from the Tathataga, they understand the true suchness of dharmas. Equipped with a good understanding of nirvana and with verbal skills, they do not enjoy worldly talks but delight in true discussions [of the Dharma]. They develop their roots of goodness and resolve to attain Buddha bodhi. Knowing that all dharmas are in nirvana, they end both their afflictions and their cycle of birth and death. When they hear the profound Dharma, they have no fears or doubts in their minds and are able to train themselves accordingly. Their great compassion is so profound, far-reaching, and wonderful that it embraces all sentient beings without exception, and they carry them all aboard the ultimate One Vehicle to the opposite shore. As they resolutely shatter the web of doubts, wisdom arises in their minds, completely encompassing the Buddha Dharma.”
Let’s first put this part of the Sutra into vernacular Chinese.
The Buddha told Ananda, “When Bodhisattvas reborn in that Buddha Land cause and secondary cause) allow, they always pronounce the true Dharma in accord with their wisdom, with no contradictions or mistakes contrary to what Amitabha Buddha has pronounced. And no errors can be found in their behavior or speech in delivering Dharma speech.
For the myriad things in that land, they hold no concept of belonging or attachment. Without emotional bondage, they come and go, move or stop, completely at ease. Unfettered by endearment or alienation, with no sense of self versus others, neither competitive nor disputative, they have the altruistic mind of great lovingkindness and compassion for sentient beings. Gentle, peaceful and docile, they have no complaints and resentment. Free from the mental coverings, they have a pure mind. Never weary or indolent, they retain in their minds equality, excellence (outside the passion-stream), profundity (faith in Dharma), and concentration (Samadhi), as well as love, appreciation, and joy of the Dharma. Having eradicated afflictions and purified the mind bent on the evil life-journeys, they take all Bodhisattva actions and acquire immeasurable merit.
Equipped with profound samadhi, transcendental powers, and illuminating wisdom, they practice the Seven Bodhi Factors, training their minds in accordance with the Buddha Dharma. Their physical-eye is pure and perceptive, able to distinguish all things. Their god-eye reaches an immeasurable, boundless distance. Their dharma-eye observes all phenomena and their Way. Their wisdom-eye sees the truth, which can ferry sentient beings across to the opposite shore. Their Buddha-eye completely penetrates dharma nature.
With hindrance-free wisdom, they expound the Dharma to others. Seeing that all things in the Three Realms of Existence are equal in their emptiness, they resolve to seek the Buddha Dharma. Equipped with eloquence without hindrance, they annihilate the afflictions that trouble all sentient beings. Born from the Tathataga, they understand the true suchness of dharmas. (Noble Truths)–misery, its location, its cessation and its way of cure–is a convenient way of proclaiming dharma.
They do not enjoy worldly talks but delight in true discussions [of the Dharma]. They develop their roots of goodness and resolve to attain Buddha bodhi. Knowing that all dharmas are in nirvana, they end both their afflictions and their cycle of birth and death. When they hear the profound Dharma, they have no fears or doubts in their minds and are able to train themselves accordingly. Their great compassion is so profound, far-reaching, and wonderful that it embraces all sentient beings without exception, and they carry them all aboard the ultimate One Vehicle to the opposite shore. As they resolutely shatter the web of doubts, wisdom arises in their minds, completely encompassing all the Buddha Dharma.”
Starting from this section of the Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha will introduce to us the bodhisattvas of the West Pure Land respecting their qualities, achievements, and aspirations.
A thorough understanding of the qualities of bodhisattvas in the Pure Land may contribute to our learning from their example. We can also know from this introduction what fellow practitioners we would have and what kind of qualities and achievements we would possess if we were reborn in the West Pure Land.
Firstly, Shakyamuni Buddha says that Buddhas pronounce the true Dharma as Hetu-pratyaya (primary cause and secondary cause) allow. They give Dharma teachings in accord with Buddha wisdom, with no contradictions, omissions or mistakes contrary to what Amitabha Buddha has pronounced. And no errors can be found in their behavior or speech in delivering Dharma speech.
In our world, some bodhisattvas also want to spread Buddhism. However, due to their relatively low level of attainment, when they give dharma speech, they use their own thoughts to speculate about Buddha’s true intention and take liberties with the Buddha’s teachings, making various errors, omissions, and mistakes. Some bodhisattvas, due to the remnants of passion and strong desire for money or prestige, are absolutely wrong in changing Buddhist teachings to deceive people in order to establish their own sects and proclaim themselves as founders of these sects.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, etc., who assist Buddhas in spreading Dharma in the world of Saha, only focus on disseminating Dharma taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. Their words and deeds are based on the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. No matter how many teachers promote Buddhism in this world, there is actually only one Original Teacher–Shakyamuni Buddha.
Although Shakyamuni Buddha demonstrated entering nirvana in our world, His Dharma Teaching did not come to an end, and we are now still in the final stage of the Dharma teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. He proclaimed religious doctrines of Triyana (the Three Vehicles) and Tri shiksha (“the Three Studies” of precepts, meditation and wisdom), which are still the best to deliver sentient beings in accordance with their different roots. All the other teachers are His teaching assistants.
Legend has it that Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, a pivotal figure in the history of Indian Buddhism, was extraordinarily gifted and talented in his youth. He not only quickly mastered various secret supernatural arts, but also studied the Theravada scriptures in a very short period of time. He felt that what Shakyamuni Buddha had said was not remarkable and could not compare to his own talents and insight, so he wanted to establish his own school. A Bodhisattva called Mahanaga saw his arrogance and invited him to Palace of the Dragon King to read Buddhist scriptures. There, he read <The Avatamsaka Sutra> of Mahayana Buddhism and was immediately brought into submission by the wisdom of Shakyamuni Buddha. Consequently, not only did he bring <The Avatamsaka Sutra> back to the human world for dissemination, but also he wrote <Mulamadhyamakakarika> (Knowing the Middle Way), becoming one of the most important bodhisattvas in promoting the Mahayana Buddhism of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Due to the correct views and perfect merit of Bodhisattvas in the West Pure Land, they seldom misunderstand and misinterpret Amitabha Buddha’s teachings. No traces of arrogance and pride can be found in these Bodhisattvas.
In the following part of the Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha praises these Bodhisattvas’ qualities and I will approach these qualities in 11 aspects as follows.
1.For the myriad things in that land, Bodhisattvas hold no concept of belonging or attachment. Without emotional bondage, they are completely at ease.
This quality of having no concept of belonging to oneself and attachment is precisely what practitioners in our world need to cultivate. Sentient beings in our world, due to their inner fear of various sufferings, the shortage of everything to meet their mental and physical needs, and their latent bad habits develop excessive greed for and reliance on the exterior people and things, worrying about gains and losses. Everyone is emotionally attached to a certain person or an object. Everyone knows that this kind of attachment is nothing but a curse and a care that deprives oneself of the liberty. But due to lack of wisdom, people always say they can’t help doing it. Because of the equality mind and great wealth, for the myriad things in the Pure Land, bodhisattvas hold no concept of belonging or attachment. Buddha says that without emotional bondage, they come and go, move or stop, completely at ease.
2.Bodhisattvas in the West Pure Land are unfettered by endearment or alienation, with no sense of self versus others, neither nompetitive nor disputative.
This second quality cannot be seen in Bodhisattvas in our world who have just initiated Bodhi mind. We have a strong sense of discrimination against people and things, bound tightly by endearment and alienation. Sometimes our dislikes are so obvious and intense that we are not able to tolerate, get along with or even do not want to see each other again. Mutual jealousy, competition, and disputation often occur.
Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land always keep in mind of great lovingkindness and compassion for sentient beings. Gentle, peaceful and docile, they have no complaints and resentment. Free from the five mental coverings, they have a pure mind. Never weary or indolent, they follow the Bodhi Path. They retain in their mind equality, excellence (outside the passion-stream), profundity (faith in Dharma), and deep concentration (Samadhi), as well as love, appreciation, and joy of the Dharma. Having eradicated afflictions and purified the mind bent on the evil life-journeys, they take all Bodhisattva actions and acquire immeasurable merit. This description of qualities possed by Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land is quite understandable to us. The five mental coverings is a Buddhist terminology. It refers to the five mental obstructions that hinder the awakening of sentient beings. For specific details, please refer to the terminology explanation at the end of the scripture.
All sentient beings in the world of Saha, whether they are Hinayana disciples or Mahayana bodhisattvas, have these five mental coverings, differing only in degree of severity. Sufferings various afflictions, they have a mind bent on the evil life-journeys (their latent bad habitual tendencies are oriented towards reincarnation in the six paths). Shakyamuni Buddha formulated the precepts, purifying His disciples first of all by warding off bodily evils, breaking their bad habits that obstruct their way to liberation through correct Samadhi.
We cannot see the other paths, but human disciples need a long and arduous process to put an end to citta of killing, stealing, lust and false words before they can abide in the correct Samadhi to purify themselves both physically and mentally. All human practitioners have experienced or are currently experiencing the difficulties involved. But Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land are naturally in a state of correct samadhi, without the obstacles of the Five Mental Coverings, nor do they have the mind bent on killing, stealing, lust and false words that lead one to the evil paths. retain citta of equality, excellence (outside the passion-stream), and deep concentration (Samadhi), as well as love, appreciation, and joy of the Dharma. They have deep faith in Dharma. Mahayana bodhisattvas in our world need to terminate all citta of killing, staling, lust and false words before they can initially get these qualities. However, Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land naturally possess these qualities of the mind, and they practice all actions along the Bodhi path on this very basis.
Why do Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land practice all Bodhisattva actions? It is because of their wish to go to Worlds in the Ten Directions to save all sentient beings. They learn the teachings and lessons formulated by the Buddhas in the ten quarters for their own disciples in their homeland. For example, in our world, Shakyamuni Buddha first taught His disciples about Triyana (the Three Vehicles), supporting the idea that Three Vehicles go One-Vehicle ultimately.
Although Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land do not attain enlightenment according to these steps, they still need to learn and understand the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha in order to be Buddha’s teaching assistants in the world of Saha. Since Buddhas who have manifested themselves as attaining Buddhahood, understand profoundly the roots of all sentient beings in their lands, their teachings and ways of salvation are perfectly established in accordance with the fundamental natural capacity of sentient beings in their worlds. Bodhisattvas who vow to come to our world to be teaching assistant to Shakyamuni Buddha have already known about all the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, the reason why He speaks in this way and the roots of beings in the world of Saha when they are in the West Pure Land.
Moreover, if Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land want to establish their own Pure Lands, they also need to understand how sentient beings in our world experience happiness and contentment without worries and fears through their awareness and perception. Although Bodhisattvas from the Pure Land can quickly become Bodhisattvas of Samyak-sambodhi, they will still extensively study the infinite skillful means for the awakening of sentient beings in the ten quarters, and strive to perfect their own merits.
The Sutra briefly introduces their cultivation, stating that they are equipped with profound Samadhi, transcendental powers, and illuminating wisdom. They can freely practice the Seven Bodhi Factors without obstructions. the disciples of the Hinayana Disciples in the world of Saha, for details of which, please refer to the terminology explanation at the end of the scripture. Their physical-eye is pure and perceptive, able to distinguish all things. Their god-eye reaches an immeasurable, boundless distance. Their dharma-eye observes all phenomena and exhaust their Way. Their wisdom-eye sees the truth that guide sentient beings across to the other shore. Their Buddha-eye completely penetrates dharma nature, speaking the Dharma to others with unobstructed wisdom.
As we can see, the power of “the five kinds of eyes” of these bodhisattvas far exceed those of the Saha, because their minds are pure and perfect. Here “the five kinds of eyes” of the physical-eye, god-eye, wisdom-eye, Dharma-eye, and Buddha-eye are mentioned according to our habits. In reality, Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land have emanation body of light, therefore they do not have physical-eye; complete with everything, therefore they do have physical-eye.
3.They See that All Things in the Three Realms of Existence are Equal in Their Emptiness.
Some fellow practitioners say that since the Three Realms are empty, isn’t it contradictory to talk about equality? Actually, this is the insight of ultimate oneness of materiality and emptiness. So, Buddhism discusses about the emptiness of all phenomena, which is a convenient means to make sentient beings stay detached from all phenomena; Buddhism talks about equality of all laws and everything is the manifestation of emptiness, phenomena manifesting themselves from the absolute void. In fact, the true essence of all Dharmas is the identity of materiality with emptiness.
4.Equipped with eloquence without Hindrance, They Resolve to Seek the Buddha Dharma and Annihilate the Afflictions that trouble all sentient beings. Born from the Tathataga, they understand the true suchness of dharmas.
This means that Bodhisattvas in the West Pure Land are delivering sentient beings, but in reality, there are no sentient beings being taken across to the other shore. They are aware of the reality of the unity of all phenomena and the true suchness. Shakyamuni Buddha reveals the same truth to Mahayana Bodhisattvas in our world. In <The Lotus Sutra>, it is said that all production activities are not in conflict with Buddhism. All dharmas are Buddha dharmas.
5.Extinction of suffering–is an expedient way of proclaiming dharma.
Suffering, the extinction of suffering and the way to the extinction of suffering” was taught by Shakyamuni Buddha to the disciples of Hinayana when He first turned the Dharma wheel in the world of Saha. The bodhisattvas in the Pure Land immediately know it is proclaimed as expediency, because they know the reality of all phenomena and the principle that all phenomena in time and space are void. So, upon hearing the Four Noble Truths, they know forthwith that this is but a convenient revelation from the Buddha targeting at a certain root. But these Bodhisattvas will be still studying diligently, in order to save sentient beings with these convenient methods.
6.They Do Not Enjoy Worldly Talks but Delight in True Discussions of the Dharma.
This is an example for all of us to learn from. We have limited time in putting Buddhism teachings into practice in the human world. However, we still spend too much time talking gossip and worldly affairs, such as, which movie star got married or divorced, what happened to a certain social celebrity, what is the best food, how to apply cosmetics, whose dog surprisingly knows to speak human language, and so on. This meaningless idle gossip is constantly fed to us in our daily life by media as soon as we switch on our phones. The network of the West Pure Land only communicates the true discussions about Dharma revealing the nature of myriad phenomena that guides sentient beings through the bondage of time and space. This is the only concern of bodhisattvas in the Pure land.
Bodhisattvas in the West Pure Land like us something good even though it may be small, and not do something wicked even though it may be tiny. Unlike Bodhisattvas in our world who strive to do good deeds in order to acquire good retribution and merits, Bodhisattvas in the West Pure Land are happy and carefree. Their innate good qualities ensure that they have no evil thoughts and evil doings, and even have never heard about the name of sin. Their good deeds stand in contrast to the evil thoughts and evil deeds of sentient beings in our world.
Their goodness is reflected in their great lovingkindness and compassion for sentient beings. They cherish the wish to enter worlds of the Ten Directions to save sentient beings, and to this end they strive to study and understand the appropriate steps of cultivation right for these beings. They do it not because they have supernatural powers, wisdom, and awesome strength, but because they have a compassionate heart. If they choose to be womb-born to come to the human path of our world, they will temporarily be parted by birth from all Buddhist knowledge of their previous life and their missions. And their divine powers will disappear. But they will still choose to come time and time again to help Shakyamuni Buddha save sentient beings, Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva known to every household, because of their strong vows and compassion.
7.Knowing that All Dharmas are in Nirvana. They End Both Their Afflictions and Their Cycle of Birth and Death.
In the human path, we have heard about Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching that all dharmas are in Nirvana. But even if we understand this truth, we are still influenced by the myriad of dharmas, for we have a cognition of six-sense organs, which means, the illusion that the body is real has not been eradicated. The view that there is a real self, an ego, has not been removed. Even if one recognizes that he is Tathagata, yet he listens to Dharma with a heart attached to forms, he is still holding to “Satkayadrishti” (the ego idea). Therefore, the pain of physical and mental distress cannot be eliminated as soon as one hears and understands this insight, simply due to the heavy load of defilements. Although defilements are, in reality, void too, they become the biggest obstacle for practitioners to attain Buddhahood who are bound by the residue of desires and bad habits. Practitioners are constantly constrained by afflictions, diseases, and death. After hearing the Buddha’s teachings, the Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land have completely eliminated both their afflictions and their cycle of birth and death. When they are born from lotuses, they have the “idea of self”; However, after hearing the Dharma, they adjust their thoughts and actions completely according to the teachings of Buddhism, and they will never think about everything about themselves. They only think about how to benefit more sentient beings to perfect their merits.
8.When They Hear the Profound Dharma, They Have No Fears or Doubts in Their Minds and Are Able to Train Themselves Accordingly.
In our world, when sentient beings in want of wisdom listen to Buddha’s teachings, sometimes they get into disputes and even harm each other because they have different levels of understanding of Buddhism. They justify their way of behavior by saying that they want to protect true dharma. Zen Buddhism, and Huike, the Second Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, died a violent death. This proves the difficulty of hearing, believing in, and practicing the ultimate truth. There are countless people who do not believe in Buddhism and even slander Mahayana Buddhism. In the Pure Land, all the celestial beings believe in the teachings of the Buddha. No one would doubt upon hearing Buddhist teachings or fear of losing something, and all in faith receive and obey the Buddhist doctrine. It can be said that all celestial beings in the Pure Land except those womb-born who are temporarily lost in seeking for happiness, instead of Buddhist wisdom, are of Mahayana roots. They will never indulge themselves in enjoying the wealth and happiness of the Pure Land, becoming a wealthy second-generation who only know how to enjoy themselves.
9.Their Great Compassion is So Profound, Far-reaching, and Wonderful that It Embraces All Sentient Beings without Exception.
The strong willpower, compassion, and Shunyata (the nature of the void) allow Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land to protect sentient beings and bear their sufferings without fear, sentient beings and never getting disappointed with them. They always have unwavering faith in the sentient beings of the Ten Quarters, knowing that no matter how abominably they behave, it is because of their Avidya (ignorance) and the remnants of passion. Once they understand Dharmata (the absolute fundamental reality) of all phenomena, they will find their Buddha nature ultimately pure and untainted. Besides, Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land have Purvanivasanusmriti-jnana that enables them to see all former existences of themselves when they were lost in illusions and committed same mistakes and wrong doings. They also had the bad habits that sentient beings now have, but now they have awakened. What they behold through Purvanivasanusmriti-jnana strengthens their compassion and builds up a firm will to deliver sentient beings. They, like Amitabha Buddha, make a great vow to establish their own pure lands, enabling sentient beings to become Buddhas in a state of ultimate happiness and comfort. The great compassion of Amitabha Buddha and the bodhisattvas of the Pure Land resembles the parental love to their children in our world. On one hand, parents strive to create a comfortable living environment in which all their children’s needs are met; might indulge themselves in this comfortable environment, with no motivation to make progress, just drifting through their life. The reason why human parents have such concerns is that they lack in wisdom and merits. In Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land there is no real cause for this concern.
No celestial beings indulge themselves in simply enjoying the happiness and wealth in the Pure Land. All of them aspire to attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. They explore the reality of all phenomena and make a vow to benefit the beings lost in worlds in the Ten Directions. They cultivate all virtues and do good deeds for this purpose. This is the great compassion of Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land, with which they fulfill their merits by undertaking the mission of passing on the right views of all Buddhas and leading sentient beings to the other shore of awakening. Their Great Compassion is so profound, far-reaching, and wonderful that it embraces all sentient beings without exception.
10.They Carry Them All Aboard the Ultimate One Vehicle to the Opposite Shore.
In our world, after manifesting himself as a Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha based on the needs of sentient beings to obtain happiness and escape from sufferings and their strong wish to liberate from reincarnation cure), Dvadashanga pratitya-samutpada (the 12 links of the chain of conditioned co-production), the Hinayana Buddhism, as well as the path of Pratyekabuddha (Solitary Realizer). Shakyamuni Buddha formulated the Hinayana Shila and Vinaya (commandments and rules) lust, false words, greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, doubt, etc. disciples against evil deeds and help them cultivate goodness to accumulate supplies for practicing Buddhism. beyond sensation and thought), so that they can possess the samadhi of celestial beings. Those who attain Arhat-phala (the fruit of arhat discipline) take a long leave from the reincarnation, that is, they can abide in meditation, escaping from birth and death, for a very long period, just enjoying tranquil extinction. On this basis, Buddha further proclaims Mahayana Buddhism, making His disciples to understand that all conditions are fundamentally unreal, men are without permanent ego and Duhkha (suffering) as well as reincarnation are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows. All things are empty and lack self-identity. The Three Realms and the Six Paths together with time and space are illusions, which are manifestations of Shunyata (the nature of the void).
Bodhisattva Vehicle of Mahayana Buddhism has two types of training. emptiness characterized by the total detachment from passion and desire and the cultivation of meditation power and compassion. The other type of training is also guided by the right view of emptiness, but the practitioners of this type are unable to be detached in form from passion and desire. Therefore, they perform good deeds and accumulate merits with no attachment to all phenomena and pray for a deep affinity with Buddhas and their masters in actions, speech and thought. They widely practice almsgiving and make offerings, supplicating for Abhisheka (the empowerment) from Buddhas and their masters.
Although these two types of practicing emphasize different focal points, they share in common the guidance of emptiness and the attainment of ultimate reality. It is easier for human beings to attain correct samadhi by total detachment from passion and desires, with which humans can open the treasure house of their innate wisdom. But before the practitioners attain correct samadhi abandoning passion and desires may render them indifferent and apathetic, causing them to lose the impartial mind and compassion. attention to cultivating their compassion and equality mind while keeping detached from all phenomena.
Some sentient beings have excessive desires and passion or live in bondage to their partners’ and family members’, therefore they are unable to devote themselves wholeheartedly to Buddhist cultivation. They need to spend an extended period of time in attaining correct samadhi. For this type of practitioners, they’d better in their limited lifetime make up for this disadvantage by doing everything with no attachment to what they are doing in their power to perform all good deeds and accumulate merits in expectation of forging an affinity with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and to receive their blessings, empowerment, and divine aid for their protection and perfection.
Vehicles based on the various roots of the sentient beings, Pratyekabuddhas (the solitary realizers) and Bodhisattva-yana. forward the view that Three Vehicles will go One-Vehicle ultimately, what we say “awakening to become a Buddha” only indicates the process from confusion to enlightenment. Even if sentient beings are lost in illusory confusions, their Buddha nature is still perfect. Therefore, the ultimate aim of Buddhism is only to awaken sentient beings. Bodhisattvas of Dashabhumi (the 10 stages of the development of a bodhisattva into a Buddha) sentient beings’ different stages of achievements in the process of awakening. Because the essence of sentient beings is Buddha, sentient beings cannot but be Buddhas. Therefore, regardless of whether one takes the Hinayana Path or the Mahayana Path and no matter for what sentient beings start out for bodhi, the ultimate goal of Buddha is to awaken sentient beings to Buddhahood. Here lies the logic why Buddha does not proclaim the Two Vehicles or the Three Vehicles, but only the One Vehicle. The teaching of “The Three Vehicles” is given by Buddha as an expediency according to concerns and attachments of His disciples of the time.
And all the bodhisattvas in the Pure Land learn directly the One Buddha Vehicle, the extent that there is no name for sufferings in the Pure Land. They enjoy infinite lifespan, free from reincarnation. They are of the roots of Mahayana Bodhisattvas, only seeking for the ultimate reality of the universe. They have no remnants of passion, such as killing, stealing, lust and false words, etc., so there is no need for them to observe the precepts. They are born in correct Samadhi, so that they do not need to go through the cultivation steps of the Bodhisattvas in the world of Saha to attain enlightenment, powers, and upon hearing the Dharma, they immediately attain the wisdom, going straight to the other shore of awakening, after which they widely cultivate merits to adorn their own pure lands.
11. As They Resolutely Shatter the Web of Doubts, Wisdom Arises in Their Minds.
They have collected, organized, and studied all the teachings of Buddhism without omissions. Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land study the teachings of the Buddhas in the Ten Quarters because they want to benefit all sentient beings in worlds in the ten directions. They use their supernatural powers every day to make offerings to the Buddhas in the ten quarters and listen to their teachings taught purposefully for sentient beings in their worlds. While listening, they make use of their unobstructed wisdom to record and learn, without missing a single method. They treasure Amitabha Buddha’s teachings more. After hearing the Dharma, they accept them joyfully and train accordingly. Sentient beings in worlds in the ten directions have immeasurable roots. discrimination of the phenomena and their names and they may particularly cling to certain things as real. Buddhas adopt innumerable teaching methods to deliver His students according to their roots because Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land have limitless wisdom and infinite methods of expediency. Wisdom arises in their heart due to their perfect level of attainment. Unlike bodhisattvas in our world having just embarked on practicing, whose wisdom comes from thinking, studying, memorizing instead of flowing out of their heart. Therefore, it is easy for them to misunderstand and make omissions while listening to Buddhist teachings, alone understanding the unimpeded relation of noumenon and phenomenon.
Alright, let’s continue to look at the scripture.