The Forty-first Vow
The Forty-first Vow: After I become a Buddha, if multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear my name should remain incomplete in their faculties, unsightly or deformed until their attainment of Buddhahood, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
This vow stresses the blessings and merits of Amitabha Buddha’s name. Indeed, this name of Amitabha Buddha is the extremely convenient way and the most important means to guide and bless beings to the Pure Land. Therefore, Bhiksu Dharmakara has made several vows concerning the blessings and merits of His Name. In this vow, Bhiksu Dharmakara promises that if sentient beings in other lands who hear His name, they shall never be incomplete in their faculties, unsightly or deformed in their reincarnations until their attainment of Buddhahood. Nowadays, in the Human Path, although our medical technology has become advanced, there are still babies who do not develop well in their mothers’ wombs and are born disabled either physically or intellectually. But Bhiksu Dharmakara on the causal ground makes this vow that once sentient beings hear His name during one lifetime—of course, this hearing is not like hearing someone shouting for discounted goods while you are strolling on the street, since you forget it completely after hearing it, but rather, Amitabha Buddha’s name remains engraved in your heart—then in the following lives before you become a Buddha, you will be blessed without the pain of deformity, such as having crossed eyes, an aslant mouth, an arm or leg missing or low intelligence, etc. Of course, if you are a great Bodhisattva and intentionally shows an image of deformity, that’s another matter.
From this vow, we can see that the supremacy of the name “Amitabha Buddha”. Regardless of whether sentient beings activate a mind to become Buddhas and wish to go to the West Pure Land or not, the first thing they shall do is to imprint the Name deeply in alaya, the foundation consciousness, like a treasure, for the benefits are too great. This vow fully demonstrates the compassion of Bhiksu Dharmakara. Since we have no physical disabilities, and our intelligence and psychology are also normal, we may not feel quite strongly about this vow. However, many sentient beings with congenital deformity or acquired disability lose their self-confidence and survival capability and suffer intensely thereby. When they hear this vow, they cannot help bursting into tears, feeling that they are not forgotten and forsaken by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Amitabha Buddha has on the causal ground made one of his forty-eight vows specifically for them, inspiring them not only to vow to get reborn in the Pure Land, but also to cut off evils and cultivate goodness, and embark on the path of learning and practicing Buddhism to achieve Buddha’s fruits. According to this vow, all Bodhisattvas in worlds in ten directions can obtain all the blessings and the giving of merits and benefits in their own worlds once they hear Amitabha Buddha’s name.
The Forty-second Vow
The Forty-second Vow: After I become a Buddha, multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear my name will all attain the Samadhi of Pure Liberation and abide in it. By a single thought, they will be able to make offerings to innumerable inconceivable Buddha-Bhagavans without losing their samadhi state. If this should not come true, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
The vow is still made concerning the blessings and merits of the name of Amitabha Buddha. Amitabha Buddha is awarding a bonus wrapped in red paper once again to us. Listen to this vow carefully—multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear His name will all attain the Samadhi of Pure Liberation and abide in it. By a single thought, they will be able to make offerings to innumerable inconceivable Buddha-Bhagavans with no confused thoughts, that is, without losing their correct samadhi. This is the state of the Buddha’s nirmanakaya (the Buddha-body of transformation, by which He may take any form at will) obtainable only by hearing the name of Amitabha Buddha.
Some practitioners asked me why they were not endowed with such a power since they also had heard the name of Amitabha Buddha. The reason is that these practitioners are not yet Bodhisattvas who have activated Bodhi mind and have widely performed good deeds and merits. This is also the reason why the Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land come back to this world of Saha through a vow to benefit themselves as well as others may enjoy internally the state of a Buddha, although they themselves have not yet attained the Buddha’s fruit, or even possibly they are only the bodhisattvas of the first of the 10 bodhisattva stages to perfect enlightenment and nirvana, or the Bodhisattvas who have just made the initial decision to seek enlightenment. According to this vow, Bodhisattvas in worlds in ten directions can obtain all the blessings and the giving of merits and benefits in their own worlds once they hear Amitabha Buddha’s name.
The Forty-third Vow
The Forty-third Vow: After I become a Buddha, multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear my name will, after their death, be reborn into a noble family. If this should not come true, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
The vow is still made concerning the blessings and merits of the name of Amitabha Buddha. This vow promises that multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear the name of Amitabha Buddha will, after their death, be reborn into a noble family. In our world, people are not sure about which path of reincarnation to take, period of experience between death and rebirth, a stage varying from seven to 49 days, when the karma-body will certainly be reborn). In <The Shurangama Sutra>, and will be certain to be born in the heavens; when they are ruled entirely by emotion, they sink into the Unrelenting Hell. In other words, passion and evil karma cause sentient beings to fall into the three evil paths of delusions. Even they reincarnate back into the Human Path again, they may still be born in remote and wilderness areas, unable to hear Buddhism, spending their lifetime in struggling to survive.
Bhiksu Dharmakara promises in this vow that multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear His name will, after their death, be reborn into a noble family in the next life. Here, the noble family of course does not belong to the three evil paths. Born in a prestigious family, one is endowed with good education besides good food, clothing and living environment. This is also one of the reasons why some sentient beings are willing to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha. This vow on the surface seems to have nothing to do with practicing Buddhism. It is somewhat like the vow made by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva to give response to every prayer. However, on second thoughts, the blessings of this Name go far beyond. Since if one is born into a noble family, he may have more opportunities to encounter Buddhism, to learn and to practice Buddhism. life and learning environment, they don’t have to worry about clothing, food, shelter, transportation, and survival, but spend time in thinking about the meaning of life and the reality of all phenomena. According to this vow, Bodhisattvas in worlds in ten directions can obtain all the blessings and the giving of merits and benefits in their own worlds once they hear Amitabha Buddha’s name.
The Forty-fourth Vow
The Forty-fourth Vow: After I become a Buddha, multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear my name will, with delight and exuberance, train in the Bodhisattva Way and fully develop their roots of virtue. If this should not come true, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
The vow is still made concerning the blessings and merits of the name of Amitabha Buddha. The vow says that Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear Amitabha Buddha’s name will, with delight and exuberance, train in the Bodhisattva Way and fully develop their roots of virtue. Indeed, many Great Bodhisattvas in worlds in the ten directions, upon hearing the name of Amitabha Buddha and comprehending His divine power and meritorious deeds, almost all of them will make a vow, hoping that they can become Buddhas as soon as possible, perfecting their merits and forming their own pure lands for sentient beings with whom they have an affinity. According to this vow, Bodhisattvas in worlds in ten directions can obtain all the blessings and the giving of merits and benefits in their own worlds once they hear Amitabha Buddha’s name.
The Forty-fifth Vow
The Forty-fifth Vow: After I become a Buddha, multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear my name will all attain the Samadhi of Universal Equality and abide in it until their attainment of Buddhahood. They will constantly see innumerable inconceivable Buddhas. If this should not come true, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
The vow is still made concerning the blessings and merits of the name of Amitabha Buddha. This vow says that Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear Amitabha Buddha’s name will all attain the Samadhi of Universal Equality and abide in it until their attainment of Buddhahood. They will constantly see innumerable inconceivable Buddhas in this Samadhi. The Samadhi of Universal Equality is the state of all things or phenomena are equal. Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear Amitabha Buddha’s name will, by the aid of the blessings of the Name, though they have not yet attained the fruits of Buddhahood, all attain the Samadhi of Universal Equality and abide in this correct Samadhi of the light shining across all directions equally until their attainment of Buddhahood. They will constantly see innumerable inconceivable Buddhas in this Samadhi, which provides great convenience for Bodhisattvas to learn Buddhism, offer sacrifices to Buddhas and to deliver sentient beings in worlds in the ten directions. This Samadhi is a kind of correct Samadhi that can benefit themselves as well as others. According to this vow, Bodhisattvas in worlds in ten directions can obtain all the blessings and the giving of merits and benefits in their own worlds once they hear Amitabha Buddha’s name.
The Forty-sixth Vow
The Forty-sixth Vow: After I become a Buddha, Bodhisattvas in my land will hear the Dharma according to their wishes and preferences. 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 is made for the Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land who wish to hear the teachings of Dharma. The Bodhisattvas who are born in the Pure Land should hear, as quick as thought, such a teaching of the Dharma of various levels appropriate to their roots as they prefer to hear. In our world of Saha, the practitioners have to travel places to seek for the guidance from a wise teacher, and more often than not, they may not be able to see true teachers who know their roots, whereas in the Pure Land, everything is preaching Dharma according to their wishes and preferences. When Bodhisattvas prefer not to listen, they will no longer be disturbed, for all sounds will become naturally inaudible. It is at their option to choose to listen to Dharma-teaching or not. Moreover, if the Bodhisattvas of the Pure Land want to hear the teachings of Buddhas in the other worlds, they are capable of listening to their teachings as they wish. Amitabha Buddha is taking into consideration the needs of Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land to learn and practice Dharma and to spread the Dharma and benefit sentient beings in all directions. Amitabha Buddha plans with utmost meticulousness and thoughtfulness.
The Forty-seventh Vow and the Forty-eighth Vow
The Forty-seventh Vow: After I become a Buddha, if multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear my name should not soon attain [avinivartaniya] the spiritual level of no regress, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
The Forty-eighth Vow: After I become a Buddha, if multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear my name should not achieve the first, second, or third of the Three Endurances in the Dharma, and thus fail to attain the level of no regress from the Buddha Dharma, I would not think that I have completed Buddhahood and I would not attain the perfect enlightenment.
Bhiksu Dharmakara makes these two vows still concerning the blessings and merits of the name of Amitabha Buddha. In view of some Bodhisattvas in other worlds not having enough supernatural power to see Amitabha Buddha but only having ability to hear His name, Bhiksu Dharmakara makes a vow—as long as they hear His name, these Bodhisattvas will be blessed with merits. The 47th vow says if multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear Amitabha Buddha’s name, they shall soon attain [avinivartaniya] the spiritual level of no regress on the Bodhi Path. The Bodhi Path here, on the one hand, refers to the Bodhi mind to achieve Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi; on the other, it refers to the state and level of cultivation. In our world of Saha, Buddhist practitioners possibly retreat back from the goal of attaining perfect Enlightenment when they encounter an environmental cause. They turn back from the level of cultivation they attained and lose Bodhi mind. In view of this, Amitabha Buddha makes the vow for Bodhisattvas in worlds in the ten directions. The 48th Vow empathizes that if multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear Amitabha Buddha’s name shall achieve the first, second, or third of the Three Endurances in the Dharma.
What is the meaning of Endurance in Buddhism? According to vol.11 of <On the Explanation of Mahayana Buddhism>, endurance means abiding in dharmas with wisdom, that is, abiding peacefully everywhere with wisdom. In our world of Saha, Bodhisattvas who follow the Bodhi Path and attain the first, the second and the third stages of Mahayana Bodhisattva development, are said to achieve the first of the Three Endurances in the Dharma, that is, Faith Endurance; achieve the second of the Three Endurances in the Dharma, that is, Obedience Endurance, which means going with the stream to nirvana; to achieve the third of the Three Endurances in the Dharma, that is, Endurance of Holding to Belief in No Rebirth, a state of no thoughts arising. Those who attain the tenth stage of development, are said to achieve the Endurance of Nirvana—the wonderful Fruit of Bodhi. Faith Endurance, Obedience Endurance and Endurance of Holding to Belief in No Rebirth are called “Three Endurances”.
In Human Path, despite the fact that many Bodhisattvas are truly zealous in practicing as if rescuing their heads from burning, they regress repeatedly and even lose heart in pursuing the Way when the resisting causes occur. multitudes of Bodhisattvas in other lands who hear His name shall achieve the first, second, or third of the Three Endurances in the Dharma and they shall never withdraw and turn back from any positions attained. Now we have heard the Name of Amitabha Buddha yet many of us do not feel that we have instantly attained the Three Endurances. It is just because the illusions in our world of Saha seem to be appallingly real. Besides, we are bound tightly by our bad habituation to defilements, such as, killing, stealing, and adultery. We are just like soldiers fighting on the battlefield. The horn of victory has sounded, but due to prolonged exposure to battle, we are exhausted both physically and mentally to the extreme. Covered with thick mud and stains, we will, for a long time, act as if in a trance. Traces of war still remain—we dream about battle scenes, too scared to feel the joy and ease of victory. Before the mud and stains are washed away, we have forgotten our original nature, but a vague feeling has been arising in our hearts that something fast asleep is about to awake. We feel bars of warm sunlight penetrating everything and flooding in our hearts. As long as we firmly believe that we hear the Name of Amitabha Buddha, the light of the Name will shine into the depths of our hearts. Following Shakyamuni Buddha’s teachings in pursuing the Bodhisattva path, and with the blessing of the merits of the two Buddhas, we will eventually achieve one, two, and three degrees of Endurance, attaining the fruit of the Bodhi path. According to these two vows, Bodhisattvas in worlds in ten directions can obtain all the blessings and the giving of merits and benefits in their own worlds once they hear Amitabha Buddha’s name.
All vows from the 41st to 48th vow, except the 46th vow, are concerned with the fact that Bodhisattvas in worlds in ten directions who hear Amitabha Buddha’s name can obtain all the blessings and the giving of merits and benefits. Indeed, whether chanting vocally or reciting silently a Buddha’s name in one’s heart shall be the most convenient and simplest way for sentient beings in worlds in the ten directions to practice Buddhism. Many sentient beings don’t think they will be able to comprehend the level of a Buddha’s attainment and His meritorious achievements, nor will they be able to visualize every blade of leaf and grass in the Pure Land, but reciting the name of Buddha is relatively simple. Moreover, it is one of Bhiksu Dharmakara’s great vows to make all Buddhas in worlds in the ten directions laud His name. Even if many beings in their worlds do not have divine powers to see Amitabha Buddha they can definitely hear His name through the introduction of their Buddhas in their own worlds. Bhiksu Dharmakara connects His blessings and merits with His name. By doing so, He not only fulfills the purpose of establishing a close affinity with sentient beings, who will receive His guidance and get reborn in the Pure Land successfully, but also in the light of his vow made on the causal ground bestows His blessings and merits on Bodhisattvas in worlds in the ten directions wherever they are once they hear Amitabha Buddha’s name, which is equal to being enveloped in His brilliant blessed light. Therefore, this Name is an important code for sentient beings to be reborn in the West Pure Land, as well as a great support for Bodhisattvas in worlds in the Ten Directions on the Bodhi path.
We are now in the period of degeneration of the dharma of Shakyamuni Buddha, in which the true teaching has fallen into decay and is threatened with extinction. We can only hear of the name and deeds of Amitabha Buddha through Buddhist scriptures. Due to the benefits of the Name of Amitabha Buddha and the convenient way of practicing, in Mahayana Buddhism, the Pure Land Sect taking chanting the Name of Amitabha as the main practicing method has been gradually formed. There are several practicing methods in the Pure Land Sect, such as chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha, contemplating the image of Amitabha and repeating His name, and meditating on Absolute Reality of Buddha, etc. Besides chanting the Name of Amitabha Buddha, practitioners of Pure Land Sect are devoted to cutting off evil and cultivating goodness, having riddance of delusions and entering into Buddha-truth, calming down the illusion mind and discursive thoughts by practicing Dhyana-samadhi, and at the same time making a vow to be reborn in the West Pure Land. For whichever sect, as long as it belongs to Mahayana Buddhism, the right view of the nature of the void (the Bhutatathata) is essential, without which sentient beings are destined to get lost on the path of cultivation. Without the right view of the nature of the void, practitioners cannot have a true understanding of and receive in their hearts all the blessings from Amitabha Buddha; without the right view of the nature of the void, sentient beings are not able to cut off evil and have riddance of delusions by virtue of chanting the Name of Amitabha Buddha.
Some practitioners throughout their lives had been chanting the Name of Amitabha Buddha, yet during the Antarabhava (an interval or intermediate period of experience between death and rebirth), they focused their attention on something else, such as quarreling with the vendors while buying groceries, and totally forgetting about chanting the Name and their wish to get reborn in the Pure Land. The reason is that when the person is affected by an environmental cause, his habitual thoughts and passions for quarreling over trifles recur, whereas his power of illumination, samadhibala and wisdom are absent. Furthermore, if practitioners of Pure Land Sect do not have the right view of the Bhutatathata, how can they meditate on Absolute Reality of Buddha?
In <The Shurangama Sutra>, Twenty-Five Sages rose up to share by what expedient they entered Samadhi and how they broke through to enlightenment. Twenty-four methods are denied by the Bodhisattva Manjusri, including the Dharma-Prince Great Strength’s method of gathering in the six faculties while continuously maintaining a pure mindfulness of the Buddha. These 24 methods, of course, can lead sentient beings to awakening. What the Dharma-Prince Manjusri wants to do is to pick out the best method for the majority to break through to enlightenment in our world of Saha. In comparison, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattvas’ method of attaining enlightenment by means of hearing faculty has won the title of the best method, for our hearing faculty is genuinely perfect. For example, the eyes can’t see through objects that are solid, but sounds are heard close by and from afar, and even walls may fail in blocking them. So, we often say walls have ears—beware of eavesdroppers! This method is the most accessible, for auxiliary causes for practicing, such as, sounds and silence, are always there. Before many people adopt this method, they may choose Mahasthamaprapta’s (the Dharma-Prince Great Strength) method of chanting the name of Buddha as one of the essential and wonderful methods for cultivating calmness during the initial stage if their minds are too discursive. In fact, for Bodhisattvas who have already attained correct views and correct Samadhi, they can see the nature of void everywhere. Both movement and stillness are in the non-tainted state of Dharma-nature. All Dharmas can serve as a way of practice. So, practitioners of late stage choose to simultaneously practice Zen with Pure Land, or Esoteric sect with Pure Land. With the comprehension of the supreme truth of Buddhism, and the reality of all phenomena, one becomes a practitioner of meditating on Absolute Reality of Buddha on the Bodhisattva vehicle.
The above part of scripture centers on Bhiksu Dharmakara’s 48 Great Vows to formulate the West Pure Land. After reading the forty-eight vows of Bhiksu Dharmakara, we can see that each of his vows is made for the well-being and the realization of the Path of all sentient beings in worlds in the ten directions, which fully demonstrates the great mercy and compassion of this Bodhisattva. In fact, to summarize all 48 vows into one vow, Bhiksu Dharmakara, like all Buddhas, just wishes every sentient being can enjoy infinite peace and joy through their faculties of sight, hearing, awareness and perception and realize the wondrous Dharma and attains anuttara-samyak-sambodhi in peace and comfort. If this Land of Ultimate Bliss could be formed as desired it would be the supreme bodhimanda that all practitioners of Buddhism in worlds in the Ten Directions World dream of. It is a true blessing for those who suffer in all worlds. What is worth celebrating is that Amitabha Buddha has successfully formed the West Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.