1. Buddha’s Encouragement to Celestial Beings and Humans in the World of Saha to Resolve to Get Reborn in the Pure Land
The Buddha told Maitreya Bodhisattva, gods, and humans, “Bodhisattvas in Amitayus Buddha’s land are beyond description. So peaceful, blissful, and pure is that land! How can one not strive for merit, and not think of bodhi, which transcends the boundless limit, beyond the distinction between high and low? If one makes energetic progress seeking bodhi, one definitely will transcend this world and be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss. If one decisively rejects the five evil life-paths, they will be closed to one. One will be definitely on the path to achieve the limitless spiritual ascension to Bodhi.”
Let’s first translate this part of Sutra into vernacular Chinese.
The Buddha told Maitreya Bodhisattva, gods, and humans, “The merit and wisdom of the voice-hearers and Bodhisattvas in Amitayus Buddha’s land are beyond description. So peaceful, blissful, and pure is that land! How can one not strive for good deeds and merit, not think of Buddha and bodhi, not seek for rebirth and abide in that Pure Land without reincarnation, transcending the boundless limit of wisdom and supernatural powers? If one makes energetic progress seeking rebirth there, one definitely will transcend the Three Realms of this world and be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss. If one decisively rejects the five evil life-paths, doors of evil paths will be closed to one. One will be definitely on the path to achieve the limitless ascension to Bodhi without turning back from any position attained.”
In this part of Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha proclaims dharma teachings to Maitreya Bodhisattva and celestial beings, encouraging them to devote themselves to seeking Bodhi, striving for merit, and valuing the opportunity to have rebirth in the Pure Land. The Pure Land provides a shortcut for the discontinuity of reincarnation and the immediate attainment of Buddhahood.
Celestial beings of Deva-gati in good Karma-reward enjoy utter happiness, experiencing no distress and worries. When all the good retribution is spent, celestial beings will still reincarnate in the Three Realms and Six Paths. Compared with celestial beings in utter happiness, the other five Paths of the Realm of Desire, namely, Asuras, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell-beings, are evil paths filled with pain and afflictions. Buddha says that if the heavenly beings were to be reborn in the West Pure Land, they would no longer have to worry about reincarnation in the other five paths when their good karma comes to an end. five evil life-paths, doors of evil paths will be closed to one”.
In the cyclic existence in the Three Realms and the Six Paths live in the abyss of misery, since the happiness of the heavenly beings brought about by good karma is also short-lived. Therefore, for every sentient being transmigrating in the Six Paths, getting reborn in the Pure Land equals closing the doors to the five evil life-paths. Their sudden liberation from the illusions of Samsara does not depend on their own cultivation. They no longer have a rough time due to their remnants of passions and habits. In the Pure Land, there is no need to worry about descending into the stream of birth and death. With the growth of one’s mind-nature, Buddha’s fruit is there to be naturally perfected. Just like in our world where the land is fertile, and the weather favorable, fruits will naturally ripen and trees grow up.
This part of the Sutra is a turning point in <The Buddha Pronounces the Sutra of Amitayus Buddha>. Previously, Shakyamuni Buddha focuses on introducing Amitabha Buddha and the Pure Land formed by His perfect merits. We are briefed on Amitabha Buddha’s initial resolution to form His Pure Land, the Forty-Eight Vows He has made, and His assiduous effort of innumerable kalpas to adorn His World with merits on the Bodhisattva path. Shakyamuni Buddha also introduces in brief the sublime beauty and uniqueness of the Pure Land, addressing various concerns of sentient beings in our world about this Land. Then, Shakyamuni Buddha emphasizes on the enormous benefits that sentient beings can obtain immediately when they are reborn in the Pure Land. Shakyamuni Buddha also makes clear that the methods of getting reborn are simple and indicates that if humans and celestial beings aspiration to realize full enlightenment for the benefit of all beings) to attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi, they will receive the guidance from Amitabha Buddha and Bodhisattvas to help them getting reborn in the Pure Land.
Shakyamuni Buddha changes the perspective from the description of the Pure Land to the attendees at the Dharma meeting and sentient beings in the world of Saha at large. From the previous part of the Sutra we have learned, we understand that this Sutra is mainly concerned about achievements of the Fruition Stage after the perfection of merits, as well as the almsgiving of His merits and benefits to sentient beings in the ten quarters.
Now the focus is on what sentient beings are thinking and doing when this gift of incredible benefit is presented to them. Will sentient beings in the world of Saha know how to accept the gift? Will sentient beings aspire for the meritorious light of Amitabha Buddha and will they feel the heartfelt admiration for the supreme solemnity of the Pure Land? Are they willing to activate the Bodhichitta to attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi Land by performing good deeds and accumulating merits?
The scripture indicates that into consideration as far as getting reborn in the Pure Land is concerned. Besides human disciples of Arhats, at the Dharma meeting there are numerous Great Bodhisattvas, Bodhisattvas of Samyak-sambodhi be Buddhas of Bhardrakalpa (the present kalpa) , together with their disciples and dependents.
When these Bodhisattvas hear about the Pure Land highly acclaimed by Shakyamuni Buddha, some great Bodhisattvas must have made great vows in their hearts to form their own pure lands for all beings like Amitabha Buddha. Some others must be filled with admiration for Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land formed by merits, hoping to pay homage and make offerings to Amitabha Buddha, Vyakarana (the prediction of Buddhahood upon them) from Amitabha Buddha.
Still others attending the Dharma assembly are have achieved some progress in practicing, but incomplete in their insight and attainment. Upon hearing about the beauty, peace and sublimity of the West Pure Land that provides sentient beings with a shortcut for attaining Buddhahood, they feel this is quite different from the training in the gradual way in our world. It seems to require no effort on their own, but the reliance on the external help of Amitabha Buddha. These arrogant and self-conceited bodhisattvas of lesser degree not only feel that it is a bit like seeking Dharma outside their hearts or like relying on Buddha’s power to escape from reincarnation. They do not want to act like dropouts, neither do they want to immediately give up the little bit of achievements through self-cultivation in the world of Saha. But also, they prefer to take the consequences of their past good and bad karma. They feel if they vowed to enjoy the peace and bliss in the Pure Land, it would seem that they would shirk responsibility and evade repayment of debts. Therefore, for the time being they are unable to activate the wish to get reborn in the Pure Land.
There is another type of Bodhisattvas at the Dharma Assembly who vow to save all sentient beings in the world of Saha during the five periods of impurity or chaos. These bodhisattvas, like dauntless warriors, are not afraid of sufferings or reincarnation. practice bodhisattva path to benefit themselves and benefit others, so it does not instantly occur to them to get reborn in the Pure Land. But these Bodhisattvas are about to hear the difficulties world of Saha proclaimed by Shakyamuni Buddha in the Sutra.
Since there is a shortcut for sentient beings to quickly become Buddhas in the Pure Land of peace and bliss, what is the point of great bodhisattvas deliberately leading sentient beings to walk the rugged path full of obstacles if there is an easy path?
The terrible environment of the World of Saha makes it difficult for beings to cultivate and attain the Way. Bodhisattvas in our world usually have great enthusiasm to save all sentient beings, but accomplish little. no thorough understanding of the right views and if they are attached to the good, they will live an even more bitter life than those who don’t practice Buddhism in this world. It will be truly difficult for them to benefit themselves and benefit others. In fact, this type of bodhisattvas should first go to the West Pure Land for the sake of cultivation, teaching has fallen into decay and is threatened with extinction). It is better to quickly achieve the attainment in the West Pure Land and then to take vows to return to the world of Saha to save sentient beings, just like Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva.
And in the following part of the Scripture, Buddha also advises Maitreya Bodhisattva to lead his disciples and dependents to the West Pure Land, not to mention humans and beings in other Paths in the abyss of bitterness hindered by obstacles to the Enlightenment.
Still others present at the Dharma assembly are the former royal relatives of Shakyamuni Buddha. To be specific, many relatives and friends followed our Buddha who was the crown prince and adopted the monastic life. In order to achieve the Enlightenment, after renouncing their household life, they gave up their usual extravagant and peaceful royal life.
At the dharma assembly, these people, together with celestial beings who are now enjoying their good karmic rewards, do not have a strong desire for the wealth and bliss of the Pure Land. friended with innumerable Bodhisattvas of Samyak-sambodhi and to attain Buddhahood very rapidly, they have peace of mind in following Shakyamuni Buddha to attain the enlightenment. Therefore, though they believe in what the Buddha says, they are not in an urgent need, or even assume an indifferent attitude towards matters related to rebirth in the Pure Land. Upon hearing about the West Pure Land, human beings who are in pain, distress, poverty and fear, and sentient beings of other evil Paths, are attracted by the peace and bliss of this Land. However, due to little merit and limited wisdom, reincarnation for them is far less important than worldly affairs.
For example, secular matters such as food, sex and careers are more important to them than reincarnation. The invisible reincarnation is not an urgent issue to be dealt with seriously though they believe what the Buddha says. When Buddha talks about the West Pure Land they feel that death is something in the distant future. Full of confused thoughts and marked by indecisive nature, they only notice the importance of this matter when they are on the deathbed. Especially in this era when medical care is provided and drugs are in widespread use, many people believe that they can live a long life, so when they hear Buddha say that there is a West Pure Land, they soon forget, and wouldn’t consider it a matter of top priority. In some places where death is something of a taboo, if young people say that they have made a vow to get reborn and they have been making preparations for their future life in the West Pure Land, they will be considered to be mentally ill, or pessimistic and world-weary. How can one prepare for death at a young age? Many people do not yet have the wisdom to understand the admonition given by Buddha that preparing for rebirth in the Pure Land equals preparing for their eternal happiness, infinite lifespan, rapid achievement of the supreme enlightenment and the realization of the ultimate truth of all phenomena. It is absolutely not preparing for their death.
Here comes another turning point. The Sutra begins with the Buddha’s personal attendant, the venerable Ananda asking about why Buddha’s appearance is so pure, radiant, and majestic that day. Until now, all the teachings of the Buddha are directed towards Ananda. The Buddha starts his teaching as if telling a story to Ananda, relating, step by step, Amitabha Buddha’s path to the enlightenment and His assiduous effort to form the Pure Land to benefit all sentient beings in the ten quarters.
From this moment on, the chosen audience of Shakyamuni Buddha has changed to be the celestial beings represented by Maitreya Bodhisattva. In the Bhadrakalpa (the present kalpa); Maitreya Bodhisattva who is now Ekajati-prati-buddha Bodhisattva, will succeed Shakyamuni Buddha and become the next Buddha. Maitreya Bodhisattva resides is also known as a pure land of the Realm of Desire. With the change of the target audience, the attention is instantly drawn back from Amitabha Budha and His Pure Land to the world of Saha, to the dialogue between Shakyamuni Buddha and Maitreya Bodhisattva, the future Buddha.
At this Dharma assembly, Maitreya Bodhisattva, whether in his capacity as Ekajati-prati-buddha Bodhisattva, representing all Great Bodhisattvas or as the future Buddha of the World of Saha, communicates with Shakyamuni Buddha, serving as a good example for urging all sentient beings in the Saha world to get reborn in the West Pure Land.
Something occurs to me when I see the urgent admonitions from the Buddha. I once had a distant relative who lived in a mountain village that suffered a desperate shortage of water. The government built new houses for every household at the foot of the mountain, hoping that everyone could move out of that place. But because these dozens of households had been living in the village for generations, they had been accustomed to poverty and the bitterness of life. moved out of the mountains. In addition, they were sentimentally attached to their home village, so almost half of the people were unwilling to move out of the mountains. They thought that since their ancestors had managed to come through, and now the conditions were much better than their ancestors’, they surely could survive in that land. Moreover, these honest and kind villagers even felt it disrespectful to abandon and the dilapidated houses and the barren fields left by their forefathers.
Poor sanitation, inadequate medical care and education resources cannot be solved. consanguineous marriages due to the remote location of the village where few outsiders would come. The government sent officials into this village in the depths of the mountain to mobilize every household, introducing the situation of the outside world and telling them that after moving out, the government would ensure that everyone had land for planting and their security was guaranteed. Under the persuasion of government officials for half a month, the residents gradually moved out the village.
The above story comes to my mind when I see Shakyamuni Buddha introduce the Pure Land to us and advise us in earnest words and with good intentions to get rebirth in the Land of Peace and Bliss. withstand trials of life with patience, even to the point of getting numb to sufferings. In face with such a difficult life, they muddle on without much passion or ambition. Some villagers feel it difficult to adapt to a new environment because of indolence; some are scared because moving to an unfamiliar place is such a big issue that they feel they cannot cope with. Not to mention those celestial beings who are currently in a state of extreme happiness. They are not easily tempted to immigrate into the Pure Land, for they think that reincarnation into other paths is something distant in the future. Unlike humans who suffer much from afflictions and distress, therefore maintaining a sense of vigilance in times of peace, these celestial beings have little or even no experience of sufferings. They do not regard immigration into the Pure Land and the attainment of Buddhahood as a pressing issue.
This brings me back to a joke of my friend, who made a vow to get rebirth in the inner courtyard of the “Tushita Heaven”. The “Tushita Heaven”, the fourth level of the six deva-heavens of the Realm of Desire, is the abode where Shakyamuni Buddha once resided and delivered Dharma teachings before he was born into the human world to attain Buddhahood. Presently Maitreya Bodhisattva, referred to as the Future Buddha, resides here and delivers Dharma teachings. Therefore, the “Tushita Heaven” is more important in the minds of Buddhist disciples than other levels of heaven.
The “Tushita Heaven” divides into the “inner courtyard” and “the outer courtyard”. The “inner courtyard” is the pure land where Ekajati-prati-buddha Bodhisattvas reside, while the “outer courtyard” is the land where saints and ordinary celestial beings reside. To be reborn in this inner courtyard, one needs to have the good karma of ascending to heaven, the power of correct Samadhi, and the power of avowal to have rebirth in this pure land.
Many Buddhist disciples who have accumulated good deeds and merit, and attained the power of correct samadhi, make vows to be reborn in this pure land in the hope of following Maitreya Bodhisattva to be born into the human world and attain Fruits in the future.
I said to him, “You see, in the <Buddha Pronounces the Sutra of Amitayus Buddha>, Shakyamuni Buddha advises Maitreya Bodhisattva to bring his disciples and dependents to the West Pure Land with him.”
He said, “I have made a vow to be reborn in the Maitreya Bodhisattva’s Inner Courtyard because I know a very evil person has vowed to be reborn in the West Pure Land. I prefer not to go to the same place as him, so I won’t go there.” I was a bit speechless upon hearing this bizarre reason for going to the “Tushita Heaven” instead of the West Pure Land.
I joked, “if you can truly be reborn to the place ability to tolerate all the difficult things in the world while there is nothing to be tolerated, and laugh at all the ridiculous people in the world while there is no one to be laughed at, Maitreya Bodhisattva with remarkable tolerance will definitely give you a good lesson. He may have a difficult time in educating such a disciple with limited wisdom.” We are here not to discuss whether it is better or not to go to Maitreya Bodhisattva’s Pure Land, and we are not to laugh at this brother. The point commanding our attention is that some people think that Amitabha Buddha’s equal treatment to different people is truly unfair and that bad people should be punished in hell.
For example, some people have many bad habits and have hurt many people, but they still vow to be reborn in the West Pure Land. Amitabha Buddha treats them equally, irrespective of their inner qualities. As long as they can remember the West Pure Land and the name of Amitabha Buddha during the period of Antarabhava, they will be given guidance equally with other sentient beings who have practiced various good deeds. We may feel that this is too good for evildoers.
In fact, let me give you an example, and you will understand the loving-kindness and compassion of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and will also understand why Bodhisattvas render good for evil.
There is a kind person who takes care of a group of monkeys, often feeds them, and provides them with a beautiful forest to live in. One of the monkeys is especially mischievous, gluttonous, lazy and aggressive, often competing for food and bullying the weak. The other monkeys bear grudges against it, but dare not speak out. They have a mixed feeling of fear and hatred and do not want to stay with this monkey. But as a human caretaker will you drive this monkey out of the forest and stop giving food to it? Will you just let it starve or freeze to death, wander pitifully to hell, suffering extremely miserably there? A kind-hearted person definitely will not act in this way. At the most, the caretaker will temporarily separate it from others, and in isolation he would give it special care and love, educate it more, hoping that one day it will become a good monkey.
Even if this caretaker who loves all monkeys is scratched by this mischievous monkey during the process of schooling, he will only blame himself for being thoughtless, and unprepared for this terrible occurrence. Will he blame this monkey and kill it? Unless this monkey is too vicious and repeatedly harms other sentient beings, the human caretaker may have no choice but to kill it or permanently isolate it alone. Even if the human caretaker has to kill it, he will only feel that the monkey is of low intelligence, and he is filled with compassion. Would he really resent this monkey?
In fact, through this metaphor, we can see what this person did to the monkey was to repay injury with kindness. The deep reason lies in the fact that the man and the monkey are not on the same level of life and wisdom. Human intelligence and ability are slightly higher than those of monkeys, yet human beings are able to forgive and truly care about the monkey. The Wisdom and ability of Buddhas have far surpassed those of human beings. Human beings can only look up to Buddhas with awe and veneration. How could Buddhas not treat every sentient being equally and show compassion to every sentient being who has harmed them? So, we should not doubt the equal mind and compassion of all Buddhas, but hope that one day we will also be complete in wisdom, and act in the same way.
In a word, it is not that many people at the Dharma Assembly who do not believe what the Buddha says, but that they, due to various reasons, are unable to make a resolution to go to the Pure Land or lack in an urgent need to get rebirth there. When Shakyamuni Buddha proclaimed <The Lotus Sutra>, 5000 Bhikkhus arose and withdrew not because they disbelieved What the Buddha Said, but because they were too presumptuous and opinionated to know about the supreme wisdom and merit-bestowing of the Buddha.