Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra, Excerpt One

(Venerable Master Chin Kung has now begun lecturing on the Infinite Life Sutra for the eleventh time. He has also asked our translation team to begin translating a book based on an earlier talk that he gave on the same sutra. Rather than wait to have the complete book of sixty excerpts translated before publishing it, I will be releasing it online as each quote and its commentary is translated. The following is the first excerpt)

All followed and cultivated the virtues of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva,

were replete with infinite vows and practices,

and steadfastly dwelt in the virtues and merits of all dharmas.

This first excerpt points out the objective of the Pure Land school.

A well-accomplished practitioner added “The Chapter of the Vows and Practices of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva” to the three Pure Land sutras and named them the four Pure Land sutras. He did so based on the above excerpt. These words tell us that the beings in the Western Pure Land—in the four lands and from the lowest to the highest of the nine rebirth grades—all cultivate the virtues of Samantabhadra. It is not surprising then that in the Lotus Treasury assembly, all forty-one levels of Dharma-body Mahasattvas follow the example of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva—they mindfully chant the Buddha-name and seek rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

It is also stated in the Mahayana sutras that if a bodhisattva does not cultivate the practice of Samantabhadra, he will not be able to perfectly attain Buddhahood. “Perfect” refers to the attainment of perfect Buddhahood, which is the Buddhahood of the Perfect Teaching mentioned in the Tiantai school.

“Vows” in “infinite vows and practices” means aspiration. “Practices” means implementation, to carry out. When we condense “infinite vows and practices,” we have the Four Great Vows. When expanded, the Four Great Vows become infinite vows and practices.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva uses the Ten Great Vows as the key guiding principle for infinite vows and practices. The practice of Samantabhadra differs from other methods, for the mind of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is truly pure and impartial: there is no discrimination or attachment. He treats everyone in the entire Dharma Realm equally.

The first of the Ten Great Vows is “to respect all Buddhas.” “All Buddhas” encompasses all beings. The Avatamsaka Sutra and the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment both say: “All beings are Buddhas in nature.” Therefore, “to respect all Buddhas” is to equally respect the past Buddhas, the present Buddhas, and the future Buddhas (all beings).

It is stated in the sutras that all sentient beings have Buddha-nature. It is called Dharma-nature in non-sentient beings. Buddha-nature and Dharma-nature refer to the same nature. This is why the Avatamsaka Sutra says: “Sentient and non-sentient beings all have the same Buddha-wisdom.”

We should be as respectful to non-sentient beings as to Buddhas. For example, tables and chairs are non-sentient beings. Our respect to them should be the same as that to Buddhas, without any difference. This is the practice of Samantabhadra. When we see tables and chairs, we put them in their proper places and keep them clean. This is showing our respect to them. The respect in our hearts is exactly the same, though how we express the respect differs. Practicing respect for all Buddhas starts from this point [the impartial respect for all beings].

Respect—everything should start with it, not just when we are learning the supreme Buddha-dharma. “Single-minded respect”—we often read these words in the repentance section that appears in the Buddhist practice book. Single-mindedness is the practice of Samantabhadra. It signifies impartiality. Single-mindedness is maintaining the same mind whether we encounter Buddhas, people, animals, or tables and chairs. With two minds, differences and discrimination arise. Therefore, with two minds or three minds, we are not quite respectful and not following the practice of Samantabhadra. We must clearly understand this before we know how to learn.

The second vow is “to praise Tathagata.”[1] What is the difference between “Tathagata” and “Buddha”? From the aspect of form, we say “Buddha.” We should single-mindedly and equally respect all [Buddhas, all beings]. From the aspect of nature, we say “Tathagata.” If something accords with the true nature, then it is good and we should praise it. If it does not accord with the true nature, then it is bad. We should be respectful to all but we should not praise bad things or wrongdoers. We should keep our distance [i.e., not learn from them] and continue to be respectful. In our respect, there should be no difference.

Sudhana’s visiting fifty-three wise teachers[2] is a very good example of this. Normally, when he visited a wise teacher, he would first pay respect and then praise the teacher. But among the fifty-three wise teachers, all of whom he showed respect to, there were three he did not praise. The first of the three teachers was a Brahman named Jayosmaya, who symbolized ignorance. The second was a king named Anala, who symbolized anger. The third was a woman named Vasumitra, who symbolized greed. To these three teachers who symbolized greed, anger, and ignorance, Sudhana showed respect but did not praise them.

From this we understand that when we praise, we praise the good, not the bad. But when we pay respect, we do not differentiate between good and bad. There is a significant difference between praising and paying respect. We must realize this.

I will not go into detail about the Ten Great Vows, as I have done so elsewhere.

The ten vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva sum up infinite practices and vows. But the forty-eight vows of Amitabha Buddha are more detailed than the Ten Great Vows. However, the most important of all is to be “replete.” Are we “replete”? If we have belief and practice but no vows,[3] then we will not be able to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land. If we truly want to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land in this lifetime, we must chant the forty-eight vows in the Infinite Life Sutra as our morning cultivation every day. By chanting them every day and constantly learning them, we make the forty-eight vows our causal vows.[4] Then we are “replete” with the vows. Amitabha Buddha’s forty-eight vows are infinite practices and vows, and include the Ten Great Vows of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva and the Four Great Vows.

“All . . . steadfastly dwelt in the virtues and merits of all dharmas.” “The virtues and merits of all dharmas” is “Namo Amituofo.” During the Sui and Tang dynasties, eminent monks compared the sutras from the Buddha’s forty-nine years of teaching to determine which was number one. They agreed that the Avatamsaka Sutra was number one. It was the king of the sutras and the fundamental Dharma-wheel. Next, they made a comparison between the Avatamsaka Sutra and the Infinite Life Sutra and concluded that the Infinite Life Sutra was number one. Why? At the end of the Avatamsaka Sutra, Samantabhadra taught the Ten Great Vows and guided all beings to the Western Pure Land, and with this the sutra was perfectly completed. On the other hand, the Infinite Life Sutra, from the beginning to the end, describes the Western Pure Land. Hence, the Infinite Life Sutra sums up and fulfills the final goal of the Avatamsaka Sutra. The Infinite Life Sutra is thus number one of all number ones.

Mr. Xia Lianju divided the Infinite Life Sutra into forty-eight chapters. Which chapter is number one? The chapter with the forty-eight vows. The forty-eight vows were spoken by Amitabha Buddha himself and are the most important part of the entire sutra.

Of the forty-eight vows, which vow is number one? The eminent monks said that the eighteenth vow is number one. Why did they say so? The eighteenth vow says that through mindful chanting of “Amituofo” ten times at the end of one’s life one can attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land. This illustrates the inconceivability of the merit of the name of Amitabha Buddha. This is why the name of Amitabha Buddha is “the virtues and merits of all dharmas.”

When the name of Amitabha Buddha is elaborated on, we have the forty-eight vows. When the forty-eight vows are elaborated on, we have the Infinite Life Sutra. When the Infinite Life Sutra is elaborated on, we have the Avatamsaka Sutra. When the Avatamsaka Sutra is elaborated on, we have all the sutras from Sakyamuni Buddha’s forty-nine years of teaching.

Therefore, the name Amitabha Buddha is the key guiding principle. When we master this guiding principle, we will thoroughly understand the entire Dharma, all the sutras, and all the Dharma doors.

“Steadfastly dwelt in” means focusing one’s mind on Amituofo. For a true practitioner who wants to have a fast, assured success in his or her practice in this lifetime, the Buddha-name is all he or she needs. One chants and reads the sutras to understand the truth. Once confidence is established upon one’s understanding of the principles and the truth, one will naturally let go of everything else.

Not only did Sakyamuni Buddha use this method as the foremost method to teach all beings, but all Buddhas do the same also. The Pure Land method is hard to believe but easy to practice. Only when one has great good fortune and great wisdom will one be able to believe this method. In the Theravada tradition for example, Sariputra[5] is foremost in wisdom. In the Mahayana tradition, Manjusri is foremost in wisdom. Therefore, if one is not superior in wisdom, one cannot believe this method.

Let’s think about this. Not only can our wisdom not compare with that of Manjusri Bodhisattva, it cannot even compare with that of Elder Sariputra of the Theravada tradition. But when we hear the Pure Land method, we are immediately delighted, believe and accept it, and are willing to learn and practice it. From this viewpoint, we are not inferior to Manjusri Bodhisattva. He chose this method, so have we. His choice was a wise one, so is ours.

“Steadfastly dwelt” means our minds will no longer waver once we understand the principles and the phenomena of the truth, after which our minds will truly settle in “Namo Amituofo.” This [Namo Amituofo] is “the virtues and merits of all dharmas.”[6]

---

[1] One of the ten titles of the Buddha.—Trans.

[2] The accounts of Sudhana’s visits to the fifty-three wise teachers are from a chapter in the Avatamsaka Sutra—Trans.

[3] Belief, vow, and practice are the three requisites for being reborn in the Pure Land.—Trans.

[4] Causal vows are vows made before one becomes a Buddha—Trans.

[5] Both the Elder Sariputra and Manjusri Bodhisattva are listed in the assemblies listening to the Amitabha Sutra and the Infinite Life Sutra.—Trans.

[6] These are the virtues and merits of Buddhahood.—Trans.

~ Essence of the Infinite Life Sutra by Venerable Master Chin Kung

How Do I use a Nianju, or Mala, Properly?

Question: Way back in my Hindu Yoga days, it was explained that one moves the beads in one direction, stops at the head bead, turns the Nienju, and goes in the other direction. It was also explained that the index finger is never used to move from bead-to-bead. Is this all just a matter of tradition and preference, or is there a reason for these rules? Please give me your take on the proper use of Nienju. Thank you.

Response: Okay, first I googled "mala index finger." Although I know that Wikipedia information ranges from good to questionable, the following entry sounds reasonable to someone who doesn't know a lot about how Hindus use malas.

Hindu tradition holds that the correct way to use a mala is with the right hand, with the thumb flicking one bead to the next, and with the mala draped over the middle finger. The index finger represents ego, the greatest impediment to self-realization, so it is considered best avoided when chanting on a mala.

This certainly seems to support what you were told and sounds logical. If anyone knows more about this, please join in the conversation through a comment.

As for how we use a nianju, I usually hold mine in my right hand with the nianju draped over my index finger. I'll switch to the left if I've been chanting for some time. Whether using our right or left hand, we recite “Amituofo” once as we gently move each bead toward us with our thumb. 

Someone once explained to me that we need to move the beads toward us because if we move them away from us, we'll lose the merits from the chanting and won't have them to dedicate to all beings.

Regarding the large "mother bead." In some traditions, people do not "cross" that bead but turn the nianju around and go back the direction they came from. This was often done because the name "Buddha" carved on the bead and moving across it would have been disrespectful. But since our nianju do not have either the word or an image of the Buddha on the mother bead, we do not stop at it but proceed in the one direction.

Taking a Ship to the Other Shore

Our true nature is the same as that of Buddhas. But simply because we became deluded and violated this nature, we have been trapped in the endless cycle of reincarnation. The Buddhas took pity on us and taught us the Dharma according to sentient beings’ conditions so that we might all return to our true nature.  

There are many methods to practice; the two most important [for us] are Zen and the Pure Land. They offer us the easiest ways to transcend endless reincarnation. For the Zen method, one relies solely on one’s own effort. For the Pure Land method, one relies on both one’s own effort and Amitabha Buddha’s help. Comparing the two, the Pure Land method suits our characters the best.  

Just like a person who wishes to cross a sea must expediently and comfortably take a ship to the other side, sentient beings in the Dharma-ending stage will find the Pure Land method is the only reliable method. Other methods do not suit our characters and are difficult to succeed in.

One makes up one’s great Bodhi mind, establishes one’s sincere faith and vow, practices being mindful of Amitabha Buddha, and upholds it throughout one’s lifetime. When one practices this method this deeply, all attachments in one’s mind will drop. The exact and profound state of the Zen practice thus completely surfaces, as well.

At the end of one’s present life, one will be escorted by Amitabha Buddha to be reborn in the Pure Land in a high grade and with the attainment of no-birth and no-death. There is a key secret I want to advise sincerely, that is, to practice with one’s utmost sincerity and respect is immensely wondrous, tremendously wondrous.

~ Great Master Yin Guang

What Would You Think if . . .

When I first started practicing Pure Land, I was sitting in the dining hall one Sunday at the Dallas Buddhist Association with a group of other people. A senior practitioner looked at us and asked a very simple question:

If Amitabha Buddha appeared before you and said he had come to escort you to the Pure Land right now, what would your first thought be?

We all thought.

And that was the problem.

Because in our thinking, we were hesitating. Clearly, we weren't ready. Our first thought should have been an instant, "Yes!" No other thought should have arisen other than the thought to go immediately.

What if it isn't the right time?

But it is. That is why Amitabha Buddha comes for us. He knows the time is right.

So I ask Pure Land practitioners reading this, "If Amitabha Buddha appeared before you and said he had come to escort you to the Pure Land right now, what would your first thought be?"

No Disrespect Intended, But . . .

Periodically, I am asked about what might be called the "credentials" of Pure Land Buddhism. This is understandable in light of the scant amount of translated material from the two-thousand year history of Buddhism in China.

I received such a query recently and found the following in my Library folder. It is from A Buddhist Goal That Can Be Achieved In One's Present Life by Mr. Li Bingnan. (An account of Mr. Li's life can be found in Charles Brewer Jones' excellent Buddhism in Taiwan.)

Because of his great kindness and compassion, Shakyamuni Buddha taught us the method of reciting Buddha's name so that we may be born into the World of Ultimate Bliss. This is the simplest, surest way of getting off the revolving wheel of Birth-and-Death and gaining eternal life. All other paths are far more difficult. Many great scholars have studied this path and found out that the more they study it, the more they appreciate it and they are convinced that this is the path suitable for everybody.

It takes a very high level of wisdom and mental capacity to understand and appreciate the principles of this path. However, anybody can practice it and benefit fully. . . .

In the Flower-Adornment Assembly [The Flower Ornament Scripture: A Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra, translated by Thomas Cleary], both Wen Shu [Manjushi Bodhisattva] and P'u Hsien, [Samantabhadra Bodhisattva] the two sages who are the assistants to Shakyamuni Buddha, advised people to practice this path.

The two great Bodhisatvas of India, Ma Ming [Asvaghosa] and Lung Shu [Nagarjuna], advocated this path as the path for everybody.

In China, great Dharma masters of their times, from Hui Yuan to Yin Kuang, all started to practice other paths but finally switched to this path. Great master T'an Luan, whose mummified remains are still in preservation, and is known as the flesh-relic Bodhisattva, and great master Chih Che, who upheld the heritage of the Buddha, both advocated this path.

In modern times, the great master Ti Hsien of the Heavenly Platform (T'ien T'ai) school, great master T'ai Hsu of the Consciousness-Only School, great master Hung I of the Vinaya School, and great masters Hsu Yun and Yuan Ying of the Chan School all advised their followers to practice this path.

Lay Buddhists, such as Liu Lei of Lu Shan in Chin Dynasty, the Pai Le T'ien of the Tang dynasty, Su Tung P'o and Wen Yen Po of the Sung Dynasty, Yuan Hung Tao of the Ming Dynasty, and P'eng Ch'ih Mu and Yang Jen Shan of the Ch'ing Dynasty, were all top scholars and all practiced the path of Pure-Land, i.e., they all aspire to be born in the World of Ultimate Bliss through reciting Buddha's name.

There are countless numbers of persons practicing this path. Let us ask ourselves, is our wisdom superior to that of those great Bodhisattvas, great Dharma masters, and top scholars? If all these wise people practiced the path of Pure-Land, is it correct for us to despise this path?"