Why We Find it So Hard to be Reborn in the Pure Land

It is most important that, in our cultivation, we correct our wrong mindset. If we are not happy with a person or a situation, this will obstruct our rebirth in the Pure Land, because our minds are not pure. This is why it is hard to attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss and why Mr. Li Bingnan (one of Ven. Master Chin Kung's three teachers) said that only one or two out of 10,000 Pure Land practitioners succeed in attaining rebirth there.

Most practitioners only manage to suppress, not uproot, their afflictions. It entirely depends on their luck on their deathbed. If they cannot suppress their afflictions, which arise at the moment of their last breath, they will fall into the Three Evil Paths.

Therefore, we have to work hard to dissolve our dislike or hatred in daily life. We should not hold grudge any more. Instead, we should become more compassionate.

If someone holds a grudge against us, we should treat that person with compassion and gratitude.

Why gratitude? Because he or she helps us achieve the Paramita of Precept Observation and the Paramita of Patience. When we do not harbor the thought of taking revenge, this is keeping the precept of no killing. When we do not harbor anger, this is patience. He or she helps us achieve the Six Paramitas. Isn’t this kindness?

Our afflictions and residual habits from uncountable kalpas are dissolved here and now. In this way, there will be no obstruction to our practice of nianfo and attainment of rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and we will be able to move Amitabha Buddha to come and guide us on our deathbed.

If there is anything in this world that we cannot let go, it will become an obstacle to us.

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra

Why Do We Study the Amitabha Sutra?

Question: There are so many sutras. Why study the Amitabha Sutra?

Response: The purpose of learning and practicing the Amitabha Sutra is to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land—to be close to Amitabha and to study and practice there. What is wrong with studying and practicing in this world?

This world does not provide a good learning environment nor does it provide good teachers or fellow practitioners. The human life span is short, too short for learning. Amitabha Buddha provides us with the best learning environment. And if we want to go, we can. Sakyamuni Buddha told us that when we go to that environment, all Buddhas will be our teachers, and people of supreme virtue will be our fellow practitioners.

In the Pure Land there is no cause for our greed, anger, and ignorance to arise. Why? Because whatever we need will appear before us, so we have no cause to become greedy. Everyone in the Western Pure Land is a good person. Nobody has any bad thoughts or bad intentions. Nobody uses harsh language. We have no cause to become angry. In other words, there is no condition for us to become angry.

What our senses touch is the Dharma, the sages' teachings. We will not be ignorant. In other words, we do not have to end or do anything about our greed, anger, and ignorance. When we live there long enough, our greed, anger, and ignorance will naturally be uprooted.

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra

In His Dreams

[D]uring the entire day, the practitioner just recites the Buddha’s name and keeps Buddha Amitabha in mind, in thought after thought, without interruption, holding the name of Amitabha as his very life. Whether walking, standing, sitting or reclining, he always recites Buddha Amitabha’s name. If he should meet with adversity or favorable circumstances and is moved to anger or happiness, he need only concentrate on reciting Buddha Amitabha’s name for the anger and defilement to cease.

Since defilement is the root of Birth and Death, the practitioner should recite the Buddha’s name to rid himself of defilement and avert the suffering of Birth and Death. If one who recites the Buddha’s name rids himself of defilement, he can end the cycle of Birth and Death. If he can overcome defilement during Buddha Recitation, he can overcome it in his dreams. If he can overcome it in his dreams, he can overcome it during illness as well. And if he can overcome defilement when ill, he can overcome it in his final moments. Thus it is very clear that he will be reborn in the Pure Land.

~ Pure Land of the Patriarchs, Excerpts From Master Han-Shan’s Dream Roamings, translated by Master Lok To

How Should We Practice Nianfo?

In the Pure Land school…[w]e emulate Avalokitesvara ’s compassion and Mahasthamaprapta's single-mindedness. The "Chapter of the Perfect and Complete Realization of Mahasthamaprapta" in the Surangama Sutra tells us how Mahasthamaprapta and fifty-two fellow bodhisattvas single-mindedly concentrated on being mindful of Amitabha Buddha and on chanting his name from the time they took refuge until the time they attain Buddhahood. All they relied on was the name of Amitabha Buddha—[as the sutra says] "without the aid of any other expedient, the mind will be opened."

In other words, Pure Land practitioners do not need to rely on any other method. From their initial determination to seek enlightenment until their attainment of Buddhahood, they only need to concentrate on nianfo—on being mindful of Amitabha Buddha and on chanting his name.

How should we practice nianfo? Mahasthamaprapta taught us that the key is "the perfect control of the six senses with continuous pure thoughts." "Pure thoughts" means that when we chant "Amituofo" we should not have any doubts or other thoughts. The mind must be pure; we must chant with a pure mind. "Continuous" means that we chant with no interruption. "No intermingling, no doubt, and no interruption" is the key to success in the practice of nianfo that Mahasthamaprapta taught us. If we practice "the perfect control of the six senses with continuous pure thoughts," we will definitely succeed in our practice of nianfo.

~ Venerable Master Chin Kung

Right Teaching at the Right Time

In Buddhism, we hear of auspiciousness. What does auspiciousness mean? Its general meaning is getting what we deserve. To take what we are not entitled to is not auspicious. But auspiciousness has a much more profound meaning. It means that we are entitled to understanding all the noumenon (principles) and phenomena (events and things) in the whole universe, as well as to enjoying all of them. This is great auspiciousness.

For example, when we mindfully chant "Amituofo" and wholeheartedly want to be reborn in the Western Pure Land, we deserve all that the Western Pure Land has to offer.

In our world, what is most auspicious is the Buddha using different methods to teach sentient beings according to their levels. The Buddha had two teaching principles. First, his teaching never contradicted the truth, which is the truth of life and the universe. Second, he always adapted his teaching to suit the audience’s level of comprehension.

If his teaching was too difficult, it would be incomprehensible to the listeners, so the teaching would be futile. This would be inauspicious. If his teaching was too simple, it would be boring for the listeners. This would also be inauspicious.

Therefore, giving the right teaching at the right time is most auspicious. Furthermore, gaining true benefits from the Buddha’s teaching is the ultimate and perfect auspiciousness.

~ Venerable Master Chin Kung