The Twenty-ninth Vow
The Twenty-ninth Vow: After I become a Buddha, if Bodhisattvas in my land who read, recite, uphold, and expound sutras should fail to acquire eloquence and wisdom, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
Bhiksu Dharmakara in this vow promises that Bodhisattvas in the future if they read, recite, uphold and expound sutras, will not fail to acquire unimpeded eloquence and wisdom. In our world, some Bodhisattvas meet with such regrets and obstructions in spreading Dharma. Some can read and recite sutras but cannot understand them; some can understand the meaning of the sutras, yet they cannot expound them to others due to the language barriers and their own deficiency in language expression. Besides, unimpeded eloquence and wisdom derive not only from the correct comprehension of the sutras but also from assiduous cultivation. But the vow of Bhiksu Dharmakara makes sure that as long as Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land read, recite and uphold Buddhist scriptures, they will acquire eloquence and boundless wisdom. This vow indicates that the wisdom in Buddhist scriptures is inherently existent in one’s own nature, and as long as sentient beings read and recite, they can correspond to and open the gate of their inherent wisdom and widely disseminate this kind of wisdom from within. The perfect fulfilment of the vow enables the Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land to have the convenience and ability to ferry all beings across.
The Thirtieth Vow
The Thirtieth Vow: After I become a Buddha, if Bodhisattvas in my land should have a limit in their eloquence and wisdom, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
The vow of Bhiksu Dharmakara is in favor of Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land for performing altruistic actions in other worlds. If it is just for personal ease and comfort, one can just stay in the Pure Land. There is no need for beings to possess eloquence and wisdom. The purpose for having boundless wisdom and unobstructed eloquence is to enable Bodhisattvas to assist Buddhas in spreading Buddhism and universally delivering sentient beings, no matter where these Bodhisattvas travel in worlds in ten directions. If Bodhisattvas have no limit in eloquence and wisdom, they can learn in depth and width the teachings of the Buddhas in worlds in ten directions, and give speeches without obstacles. Therefore, on the surface, the vow is made for the Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land, but in essence, it is also made for benefiting countless sentient beings.
The Thirty-first Vow
The Thirty-first Vow: After I become a Buddha, my land will be so pure that it illuminates and reflects innumerable, countless inconceivable Buddha Lands in the ten directions, like one’s own facial image seen in a clear mirror. If this should not come true, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
In this vow, Bhiksu Dharmakara vows that the light in His Pure Land will be so pure and untainted that in it can be seen immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable Buddhas’ Lands in ten directions. If celestial beings in the Pure Land want to know the living conditions and state of cultivation of beings in other worlds of Buddhas, they do not need to start using their divine powers. They can observe in the light anytime, anywhere, as long as they want to see, as easy and clear as looking at one’s own face in a burnished mirror. The entire land of the West Pure Land is no other than the embodiment of Amitabha Buddha’s merits and light. Buddha’s light is so pure that it has the virtue of such a miraculous effect as forming a world, and we’d better understand and believe this point. In many scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism, while preaching in our world, Shakyamuni Buddha often releases abundant brilliant light, which is so pure that it illuminates and reflects the situation of beings in the other worlds. By virtue of Buddha’s light, disciples in these Dharma assemblies who do not have enough divine powers can see clearly.
Now, with the development of technology, people have mobile phones and computers. On a small display screen, we can watch live broadcast of everything from other countries simultaneously. If the display screen is installed in the ether, a person wishing to see everything in the universe, by virtue of the screen, he can immediately behold everything before his eyes, it would be somewhat similar to seeing the images reflected in the clear light in the Pure Land. However, even if we can see images on the display screen in the vacant space, these images are three-dimensional; and in West Pure Land, the images we see break through the limitations of all dimensions.
The Thirty-second Vow
The Thirty-second Vow: After I become a Buddha, in my land, from the ground to the open sky, there will be palaces, towers, ponds, streams, flowers, and trees. Myriad things in my land will be made of innumerable varieties of treasures and 100,000 kinds of fragrances, and these wonderful adornments will surpass those of gods and humans. As the fragrances suffuse all worlds in the ten directions, Bodhisattvas who smell them will all train in the Buddha Way. If this should not come true, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
Bhiksu Dharmakara vows that He will adorn His World with rare jewels and precious stones of dazzling beauty and fragrances. All sentient beings reborn in this world will feel content with wealth and peace and comfort, and furthermore, in this splendid environment they can attain Buddhahood. In the West Pure Land, from the ground to the open sky, there will be palaces, trees and ponds, and myriad things made of innumerable varieties of treasures that are surpassingly beautiful and 100,000 kinds of fragrances that suffuse all worlds in the ten directions. Some Bodhisattvas in other worlds who smell them will vow to attain Buddhahood and all train in the Bodhisattvas’ Way.
There are Buddhist Seven Treasures and various fragrances in our world, but not so much as they are used to build houses or pave the ground. In ancient India, a wealthy man named Anathapindada used gold to pave the ground to buy the estate of Prince Jeta in order to donate the Jetavana to the Buddha which has become a timeless legend in the Buddhist history. And everything in the Pure Land is composed of countless different treasures, and there are a hundred thousand kinds of subtle incredible fragrances. In our world, Bodhisattvas who follow asceticism are detached from everything. For treasures and fragrances, they uphold the principle of detachment, afraid of their inner greed and the consequent obstacles to their cultivation. But in the West Pure Land, fragrances serve as a convenient way that gives rise to the Great Awakening, for sentient beings enjoy them, therefore fragrances in the Pure Land as a way leading to Enlightenment is not to be dispensed with. In worlds in the ten directions, some Buddhas use fragrances to deliver sentient beings. A hundred thousand kinds of subtle fragrances may lead to deep contemplation, to the joy of Dharma, which are extremely rare in worlds in ten directions. In addition, in some worlds, the treasures dazzled with brilliance may provide sentient beings with gratification, comfort and ease.
Bhiksu Dharmakara makes the vow to satisfy those practitioners in the Pure Land who once in their former worlds felt so regretful about the lacking of treasures and fragrances as a means to enlightenment. Moreover, the treasures and fragrances of the Pure Land not only surpass those worlds in the ten directions, but also its fragrances suffuse all worlds. When practitioners read <Buddha Pronounces the Sutra of Amitayus Buddha>, or recite the name of Amitabha Buddha, provided that their six organs of sense are pure enough and they have genuine faith in Amitabha Buddha and His Pure Land, they may smell the fragrances and will all train in the Buddha Way. This vow shows the fulfillment of the wish power of Bhiksu Dharmakara, and the blessings bestowed by Amitabha Buddha.
The Thirty-third Vow
The Thirty-third Vow: After I become a Buddha, in innumerable inconceivable Buddha Lands in the ten directions, all sentient beings touched by my radiance will become gentle in body and mind, filled with pleasure, surpassing gods. If this should not come true, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
This vow of Bhiksu Dharmakara accentuates the blessings of His radiant light to give guidance to sentient beings. The vow makes it clear that in innumerable inconceivable Buddha Lands in the ten directions, all sentient beings touched by Amitabha Buddha’s radiance will become gentle in body and mind, filled with pleasure and pacified, surpassing gods. This vow is of great significance to sentient beings. When sentient beings are to be born in the Pure Land of Amitabha with their past karma, the first thing they come into contact with is the light of Amitabha Buddha. It can be said that from the moment of rebirth they have received the blessings and deliverance of Amitabha Buddha’s light. They are immediately purged by the miraculous light and in it they find a haven of peace and tranquility until the flowers bloom and they see the Buddha. With the blessings of Amitabha’s light, sentient beings can feel the ultimate joy in everything at all times.
This brilliant light comes from Amitabha Buddha’s boundless merits and wish power. In a word, a Bodhisattva’s willpower and merits are the source of blissful happiness that makes sentient beings gentle and joyful in hearts when they see, hear and perceive everything. This is also an important foundation of a Bodhisattva’s compassion. Later in the scripture we will hear Shakyamuni Buddha praising the light of merits achieved by Amitabha Buddha. The light’s divine power, its free application and its marvelous effect are all inconceivable. Amitabha Buddha’s light transcends all Buddhas and is known as the “Supreme Light”. We are now in this world of Saha, and as long as we out of true deference value the light of merits of Amitabha Buddha, we will integrate into it, because the light of Amitabha Buddha’s merits illuminates everywhere without obstacles. When we chant the Buddha’s name, we cannot see the light of Amitabha Buddha, because of loads of distractions and defilements in our hearts. Just like a person walking with a lowered head, what he can see is the grass, trees, and stones on the ground, and he will never be able to see the sun in the sky. Likewise, when we chant the Buddha’s name and endeavor to think about everything in the West Pure Land, we still cannot feel the light of Amitabha Buddha, because we are blinded by our habitual defilements of greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt, and we are concerned about too many worldly things, similar to the walking person hooked by the grass, trees, and gravels on the ground. Budda says that beings, however, suffocated by their confusion, turn their backs on enlightenment and embrace this world of perceived objects, which makes them unable to feel the blessings of Buddhas and Buddhas’ light of universal illumination.