An Introduction to the Amitabha Sutra: Chap. 35: Sakyamuni Buddha's Assurance

I have seen this benefit, and so I speak these words. If sentient beings hear what I say, they must make a vow to be born in that land.

Sakyamuni Buddha told Sariputra, “I have seen this benefit” to reassure those listening to this teaching as well as all those who would later encounter it. Although they had not yet seen the advantages of being born in the Pure Land, Sakyamuni had. As the Diamond Sutra says, what Sakyamuni Buddha speaks is the truth. “It is as he says it is and is not other than as he says it is.” And so the words that Sakyamuni spoke, of the benefit he had seen in the Pure Land, are true.

Good men or good women who hear of Amitabha Buddha and then chant his name singlemindedly and without confusion for one to seven days will receive a remarkable outcome. In the previous passages, Sakyamuni had explained, “When these people are about to die, Amitabha Buddha and his whole assembly will appear before them. When they die, their minds being unified and not chaotic, they will attain rebirth in Amitabha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss.”

This description refers to horizontal transcendence. Horizontal transcendence is in contrast to other Buddhist schools, where those who wish to transcend the suffering in samsara must go through the step-by-step progression of vertical transcendence in their practice and cultivation. This is akin to a worm attempting to escape from within a bamboo stalk by breaking through each segment joint in turn as it slowly crawls upward. Only when the worm has pierced the very last joint is it, finally, free.

Horizontal transcendence, on the other hand, is akin to the worm just chewing through the side of the bamboo stalk right where it is. Much more quickly, the worm is free!

How does this apply to Pure Land practitioners? Using horizontal transcendence, we can achieve rebirth in the Pure Land in our current lifetime at our present level of cultivation. We may receive this excellent result if, at the end of our life, our mind is not chaotic or deluded and we chant the Buddha’s name. But what if we are still deluded? Then, once again, we will encounter the very same stumbling block that has hampered us for uncountable lifetimes. If deluded at the end of our life, our seeds of residual habits, including greed, anger, ignorance, and arrogance will arise uncontrollably. All these residual habits are amassed in our store consciousness.

This consciousness is the first of the eight consciousnesses to enter the mother’s womb at the moment of conception. By the time the fetus is fully developed, it has all eight consciousnesses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, mental awareness, thinking mind, and store. When a person is dying, the first seven consciousnesses gradually stop functioning. Finally, only the store consciousness remains. In most cases, usually within eight hours after death, it too will leave the body.

While eight hours is the usual amount of time required for the store consciousness to withdraw from the body, there are instances where more time is needed. Some people are very attached to their body and will not let go. In such a case, the store consciousness may not leave until twelve or fourteen hours after death. There are even people whose store consciousness will not leave for several days. Intensely deluded, these people are so attached to their bodies that they will be obstructed from attaining rebirth in the Western Pure Land even if others are chanting for them.

Clearly, we need to ensure that we are not deluded at the time of death. To accomplish this, we need to live simply, end wrongdoings, and cultivate wisdom and good fortune. Then, at the end of our life, clearheaded and without fear, we will be able to believe, vow, and mindfully chant the Buddha-name. Amitabha Buddha will come to guide us to the Pure Land.

This is why Sakyamuni Buddha spoke of the necessity of a mind that is “unified and not chaotic.” With such a unified, non-deluded mind, we can, through horizontal transcendence, attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss while bringing along our residual karmas. Sakyamuni Buddha saw “this benefit” and urged—for the second time—that we “make a vow to be born in that land.”

As Great Master Ouyi wrote, “It is my humble hope that no matter whether you are a layperson or a monk or nun, no matter whether you are smart or stupid, you will adopt a positive attitude toward this simple, direct, Sudden Perfect Pure Land teaching. Do not look upon it as difficult and shrink away from it. Do not look upon it as easy and become complacent and not try hard enough. Do not look upon it as shallow and despise it. Do not look upon it as profound and not dare to accept it as your task.”[i]

---

[i] Mind-seal of the Buddhas, p 99}

When chanting “Amituofo”

and a wandering arises,

which remains in the front of your mind

and which recedes to the back?

Initially, wandering thoughts will continually derail our chanting. As our chanting becomes established, wandering thoughts will arise less often and retreat more quickly. As we chant with patience and diligence, wandering thoughts will slowly cease. Since few of us have reached this last level, it will be helpful to determine if we’re at least progressing. As a wandering thought arises, observe which recedes. “Amituofo”? Or the wandering thought? Next, determine how soon we notice what just happened. A few seconds? A minute? Longer? Good thoughts or bad, it seems they arise from nowhere. One moment “Amituofo” is at the front of our mind, and the next, wandering thoughts have taken over and “Amituofo” is gone. Identify what just happened, then quickly return to the safety—and joy—of “Amituofo.”

The sincere mind

has no wandering thoughts.

For we Pure Land practitioners, sincerity means having no doubts, intermingling, or interruptions. Having eliminated doubt, we are confident that Amitabha Buddha created the Western Pure Land for the benefit of all beings and Sakyamuni Buddha taught about that land despite significant obstacles. We remain confident that our true nature is the same as a Buddha’s and by practicing the teachings we too will become a Buddha. Having eliminated intermingling, and knowing our sincere chanting is the cause that will result in our rebirth in the Pure Land, we resist any temptation to chant the Buddha-name today and something else tomorrow.  We practice one method, study one sutra, and learn from one teacher. Having eliminated interruptions, we restrain our wandering thoughts, even the thought, “I am sincerely chanting,” and strive to constantly dwell on the single, pure thought of “Amituofo.”

Do not spend time wondering

about another’s karmic consequences. 

Musing over others’ intentions and resultant karmic results may seem intriguing, even worthwhile. But aside from not being our business, we do not know enough about the other person. For one thing, we would need to know the person’s intentions. But having experienced how difficult unearthing our own intentions has proven, how can we even hope to detect someone else’s? It would all turn into wandering thoughts.

A much wiser use of time would be examining why we act as we do, investigating layer by layer, like peeling an onion.

Do I detect some resentment, which obstructed my helpfulness?

Were my actions half-hearted because I was indifferent?

Were they selfish?

Did I mean to help but negligently made mistakes? Since we will have to live with our karmic results, learning why we act the way we do—and how to change for the better—is what matters to an awakening person.

Forgiveness does not mean we do not care

or that the other person is pardoned. 

Our forgiving others does not mean they will escape their karmic consequences. We can forgive; we cannot pardon. Nor does forgiving mean we do not care about what happened—it means we understand.

Understand that actions will unfailingly have consequences.

Understand the potency of one’s karmic force amassed over uncountable lifetimes.

Understand the futility of embracing our desire for retaliation.

By forgiving, we ease our pain. Also, we spare ourselves having to act as judge and­ executioner. The wrongdoer’s just retribution will occur naturally; we do not have to dispense it. Instead of expending energy on vengeful thoughts, we can release them. Failing to do so, they will pull us down into a spiral of anger, reprisal, and more suffering. As the Buddha cautioned, being angry is like holding a hot coal waiting to throw it at another.

We are the one who gets burned. Now, and for lifetimes to come.