The Eighteenth Vow
The Eighteenth Vow: After I become a Buddha, in worlds in the ten directions, there will be sentient beings that, with earnest faith and delight, sincerely aspire to be reborn in my land, even if by only thinking ten thoughts [of that wish]. If they should fail to be reborn there—excepting those who have committed any of the five deadly sins or maligned the true Dharma—I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
Bhiksu Dharmakara vows, if those beings who, after having heard about everything of the Pure Land, with earnest faith and delight, sincerely aspiring to be reborn in the Pure Land, even if only thinking ten thoughts of that wish, they will definitely fulfill the wish. This vow is aimed at those beings in the worlds in ten directions who wish to get reborn in the blissful West Pure Land. There are two points in this vow worthy of our attention respecting the methods of going to the West Pure Land. One is “earnest faith”, the other is “sincere aspiration”.
“Earnest faith” comes from understanding. Without deep understanding of everything about the blissful West Pure Land, how could one have admiration and delight at the thought of this world? Even if one chants the name of Amitabha Buddha, all that comes to mind is one’s own sufferings, annoyances and boredom. But if you have earnest faith and delight in the Pure Land, when you chant the name of Amitabha Buddha, you will feel happy and all smiles thinking about the extraordinary loftiness of the Land and the boundless radiance and infinite lifespan that all beings enjoy there. Just like in our world, if you admire someone or a beautiful landscape, whenever you chant his/her name or think of the place, the person’s image, lovely voice and happy countenance, words and deeds will swim immediately in your mind. If you admire a place deeply, the mere mention of the place will present itself visually in your mind—the picturesque scenery of green hills and clear waters, mild climate and the simple countrymen, etc. So, you will miss this place and want to travel or live there again.
Nowadays, many people keep reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha with a wish to be reborn in the West Pure Land. The key issue here is when they recite the name, what do they think in their minds? What are the inner images presented before their eyes? If there is just a blankness in mind while chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha, he/she is far from being in earnest faith and admiration.
As for “sincere aspiration”, it means a firm belief and delight in Amitabha Buddha and the blissful West Pure Land and a cherished firm and unwavering aspiration to get reborn in the West Pure Land. In fact, the basis for “sincere aspiration” is the deep understanding and admiration for the blissful West Pure Land. Just think, if you suffer from hardships of life and happen to hear that one can be free from sufferings and enjoy eternal happiness in the Pure Land, then you decide to recite the name Amitabha Buddha and want to be reborn in this world. But will you change your mind if someone says that the Tushita heaven is also a good place to live, since it is in our world of Saha, belonging to the path of devas in the realm of desire and it is very close to the human path. Besides, Maitreya Bodhisattva, the future Buddha, is preaching Dharma in the Tushita heaven. And you are told that you can make a resolution to get reborn in Tushita heaven to enjoy the fine happiness of celestial beings. If you are hesitating between going to the West Pure Land and going to the Tushita Heaven, your idea about going to the West Pure Land may become less certain. This kind of vacillation results from little understanding about the difference between pure worlds formed by perfect merits of Buddhas and karmic worlds formed by common habits and desires of sentient beings. Besides, we know too little about the truth that celestial beings in our world will still fall into reincarnation when their good karma is exhausted, and know too little about the Pure Land formed by a Buddha’s perfect merits and virtues.
Some people, due to their lack of understanding of the wisdom and merits of the Buddhas and the state of interdependence of the phenomenal and the noumenal of the Buddhas, may recite the name of Amitabha Buddha in their mouths, but in their hearts they are skeptical of or have an attitude of taking chance, thinking that reciting a Buddha’s name will not cause any loss anyhow. If it turns out that the West Pure Land truly exists, it would be wonderful to go there. These sentient beings have no sincere faith in and admiration of the Pure Land.
Some other people have heard about all the Buddhist scriptures of the West Pure Land proclaimed by Shakyamuni Buddha, such as “Buddha Pronounces the Sutra of Amitayus Buddha”, “Amitabha Sutra”, “Contemplation Sutra of Buddha Amitayus”, etc. They know about the lofty beauty of the Pure Land and have gained some understanding of the compassion and merits of Amitabha Buddha. They have an earnest wish to be reborn in the Pure Land, yet when they chant the name of Amitabha Buddha, the very important secret password for getting reborn in the Pure Land, they just do it verbally. Amitabha Buddha becomes word of mouth instead of word of heart. They chant the Buddha’s name, but in their minds they think about the trivial matters of daily life in this world. This is what we say “chanting the Buddha’s name with a distracted mind”. During the Antarabhava (the period between death and rebirth, a stage varying from seven to 49 days, when the karma-body will certainly be reborn), scenes of daily life will naturally be presented before them, while the name of Amitabha Buddha is totally forgotten, because there is no trace of Buddha’s name in their hearts since at ordinary times they often chant the name of Buddha with distractions.
In this vow, Bhiksu Dharmakara clearly points out that there are two kinds of people who are not welcomed by the Pure Land—those who have committed the five deadly sins and those who have maligned the true Dharma. The five deadly sins refer to patricide, matricide, murder of an arhat, injury of a Buddha, and the attempt to bring about a schism in the Buddhist monastic community. These five deadly sins are extremely wicked that go against human common sense and heavenly principles. In our world, the five deadly sins are also called the five hellish deeds, for they are the causes of falling into the inferno. Those who have committed the five heinous sins cannot be reborn in the West Pure Land. And those who have defamed true Dharma cannot be reborn in the West Pure Land either.
Those who are disappointed with life shall not commit suicide in order to be reborn in the West Pure Land. Ancients said, “no damage shall be caused to one’s body, hair and skin, for they are given by one’s parents”. One’s pessimism and suicide will give too much pain to one’s beloved, especially to his/her parents. Therefore, committing suicide is equivalent to indirect killing of one’s parents and loved ones, and the crime is quite serious, which will cause obstacles in getting reborn in the West Pure Land. Besides, since you decide to commit suicide in order to go to the Pure Land on account of having heard the Buddha’s teachings, your action will bring about some people’s slandering Buddhism. Having euthanasia due to torment of serious illness is not regarded as committing suicide. But there must also be a strong wish in one’s heart to go to the West Pure Land. During the Antarabhava, if one is able to utter the name of Amitabha Buddha, no matter inaudibly in one’s heart or in a loud voice, which represents one’s wish for rebirth in the Pure Land, he will receive the guidance of Amitabha Buddha.
The Nineteenth Vow
The Nineteenth Vow: After I become a Buddha, in worlds in the ten directions, there will be sentient beings that activate the bodhi mind, acquire merits, and earnestly wish to be reborn in my land. If I should not appear, surrounded by a holy multitude, before them at their death, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
This vow is aimed at Bodhisattvas who have activated the bodhi mind to attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi, that is, to become a Buddha, and also have acquired various merits and virtues. If this kind of sentient beings wish to be reborn in the blissful Pure Land, Amitabha Buddha will appear before them at their death, surrounded by a holy multitude of Bodhisattvas from the Pure Land, in great solemnity to give them guidance. It is completely in accord with Buddhas’ teachings in worlds in ten directions for their disciples to activate Bodhi mind and acquire various merits and virtues. These Buddhist disciples will be praised and protected by all Buddhas. Bhiksu Dharmakara likewise among his original vows makes the vow in particular for this kind of Bodhisattvas, wishing that when these Bodhisattvas are reborn in the Pure Land, he will respectfully surround them with the voice-hearers and the Bodhisattvas and welcome them to the Western Pure Land.
From here we can see that even though all sentient beings in the West Pure Land can become Bodhisattvas of Samyak-sambodhi (the 51st stage of a Bodhisattva’s practice) and there are countless great Bodhisattvas, a Bodhisattva who activates the bodhi mind accompanied with acquiring merits is so unique and precious in the heart of Amitabha Buddha. Such a Bodhisattva is cherished, respected and treated with kindness by Amitabha Buddha. Because these bodhisattvas are brave warriors in the whole armor (of the Dharma), in the worlds in ten directions, pursuing the Bodhisattvas’ path for self-benefit and the benefit of others. All Buddhas will never abandon sentient beings who are still in ignorance and will at all times and places protect the Bodhisattvas in worlds in ten directions, highly praising their Bodhi mind and merits.
I hope that all of us can activate the Bodhi mind in the hope of attaining full enlightenment for the benefit of all beings and acquire various merits, sincerely aspiring for getting reborn in the West Pure Land. In the future, when we get reborn, we can stand in front of Amitabha Buddha and the voice-hearers and Bodhisattvas with pride during the period of the Antarabhava, because we also have acquired some merits for altruistic purpose rather than just for the individual purpose of escaping sufferings and seeking enjoyment in the Pure Land. Moreover, having a Bodhi mind and practicing various good deeds to accumulate merits and virtues will powerfully guarantee a smooth rebirth into the Pure Land.
The Twentieth Vow
The Twentieth Vow: After I become a Buddha, in worlds in the ten directions, there will be sentient beings that hear my name, intently think of my land, plant their roots of virtue and, with a wish for rebirth in my land, transfer their merits to others. If they should fail to be reborn in my land, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
This vow is aimed at sentient beings who have heard of the name Amitabha Buddha and yet have no intention of becoming a Buddha, but yearn to go to the West Pure Land and, to this end, do good works to accumulate merits. They are bent wholeheartedly on going to the West Pure Land. The previous vow is aimed at the Bodhisattvas in the worlds in ten directions who have activated Bodhi mind. This vow is made for devout men and women in the worlds in ten directions. Although they have not made a resolve to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, they have heard the name of Amitabha Buddha and do only good in their own worlds, accumulating a wealth of merits, determined to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. This kind of sentient beings will definitely be able to get reborn. This vow makes it more extensive the range of sentient beings who will get reborn in the West Pure Land. Because some sentient beings may know little about Buddhism and have not thought about becoming Buddhas, and some others do not believe in Buddhism. For example, they believe in other religions, but have done good deeds and accumulated merits by helping many people. Such sentient beings, upon hearing the name of Amitabha Buddha in their last moments, wish to be reborn in the West Pure Land. Amitabha Buddha will fulfill their wishes equally. From this vow, we can see mercy and compassion and power of Bhiksu Dharmakara, as well as the tolerance and vision of Buddhist wisdom.
The Twenty-First Vow
The Twenty-First Vow: After I become a Buddha, if gods in my land should not be complete with a great man’s thirty-two physical marks, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
This vow shows the physical features of celestial beings in the West Pure Land. In our world, the 32 physical marks are only visible on the body of a Buddha and Chakravartin, a ruler the wheels of whose chariot roll everywhere without obstruction, which are formed by innumerable merits and blessings. The 32 physical marks are what sentient beings desire to have. All celestial beings after their rebirth in the Pure Land are complete with these 32 signs of a great man on their physical bodies. This vow, along with the third vow made by Bhiksu Dharmakara, which states that all beings in the Pure Land should be of one color, that is, a golden color, are all related to the physical forms of beings in the Pure Land. If such beings should appear before us displaying all the physical marks promised in these two vows, I believe that even celestial beings would think that these sentient beings are not far from the perfect fruition state of Buddhas.
Every being in the Pure Land will attain such physical marks and experience everything second only to Buddhas’ great Nirvana state through their faculties of sight, hearing, and perception. If Amitabha Buddha reveals the supreme truth that there is no difference between sentient beings and Buddha, then all beings in the Pure Land will directly perceive through their vision and sense, admitting that they are exactly the same as Buddha, except for their merits. Just like a child in our world, who believes his/her color of skin and six roots are the same as those of adults, as long as he/she grows up, he/she will naturally have the power of adults. It is an easy and joyful thing in the Pure Land for celestial beings to become Buddhas, just like a child growing up into an adult or seeds bearing fruits. What’s more, all beings in the West Pure Land are fully confident about their final attainment of Buddhahood, just as in “The Lotus Sutra”, Shakyamuni Buddha predicts that every disciple will achieve Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
In our world, those who lead an ascetic life and are prepared for an austere cultivation lasting for many kalpas will hardly believe that with the blessings of the original vows and His merits of Amitabha Buddha, the attainment of Buddhahood could be such an easy thing. Those who get reborn in the Pure Land are truly the rich second generation in the circle of Buddhist practitioners in worlds in the ten directions.