AMITABHA BUDDHA AND THE WESTERN PARADISE
(Going to Paradise through the Compassion of Amitabha)
The Western Paradise
Would you like to go to paradise? This is not a joke or a play on words. In earnestness, this book explains how you can be reborn in Sukhavati, the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss, as taught by the Buddha himself! In case you may think this is too ridiculous a suggestion, or too good to be true, please remember that the Buddha never tells untruths.
The Buddha's teaching on the Western Paradise and how to be reborn there is specially recorded in three sutras, namely Amitabha Sutra, Amitayus Sutra and Meditation on Amitayus Sutra. Sutras are records of the teachings spoken by the Buddha. Amitabha, which means "Infinite Light", and Amitayus, which means "Infinite Life", are two different names of the same Buddha, who attained Buddhahood many aeons before our time. In his great compassion, Amitabha Buddha (or Amitayus Buddha) vows that any beings, including those existing in our present aeon, who wish to be reborn in Sukhavati, or the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss, will have their wish fulfilled with his help.
An aeon, or kalpa, refers to a tremendous length of time in between two calamities that cut off that period from other periods. A great aeon refers to the period of the birth, growth, decay and disintegration of our world, as different from other periods of other worlds. Our aeon is reckoned to have existed for about 12.8 billion years. A small aeon refers to the age of a world civilization, and may vary from thousands to millions of years. According to Buddhist teaching, there were countless world civilizations before our present one.
Amitabha Buddha lived ten aeons before us. It is not mentioned whether these were ten great aeons or ten small aeons, but whatsoever, in our puny human time scale, it means an unimaginable length of time away. How, then, could we know about Amitabha's compassionate vows which can certainly benefit us? This golden opportunity to be reborn in the Western Paradise is revealed to us by another Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, who appeared on earth as Siddharta Guatama Sakyamuni from 632 to 543 BCE (Before the Common Era), and who being the Buddha of our aeon in this world, is general¬ly referred to as the Buddha. There are count¬less Buddhas in the cosmos -- Sakyamuni Buddha and Amitabha Buddha are two of them -- and we shall meet some other Buddhas later in this book. A Buddha is a perfectly enlight¬ened being, who has supreme perfect wisdom concerning man and universe.
The school of Buddhism that particularly focuses on this aspect of the Buddha's teaching is the Jing Tu or Pure Land School, so called because the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss is often referred to as the Pure Land, or Jing Tu in Chinese, in contrast to the defiled Saha world where ordinary people live. It is sometimes called, especially in Chinese, the Lotus School, which may cause some confusion because another famous Buddhist school, the Tiantai School, is also sometimes referred to, especially in English, as the Lotus School. The Pure Land School is the most popular school of Buddhism today.
Although this Amitabha teaching is Buddhist, it may be rewardingly used by followers of other reli¬gions, perhaps by sub¬stituting the name of Amitabha with God, Allah, Krishna or any other Deities who have promised after-life in heaven. The famous western scholar, Karl Ludvig Reichelt, claims that "Mahayana's conception of Amitabha was perhaps among those most influenced by the Christian ideas of God." Another well known western scholar, August Karl Reischauer, suggests that "it does seem possible, if not probable, that Nestorian Christianity in China strengthened this theistic tendency in Buddhism." Their views are not valid because the Amitabha teaching was already taught by the Buddha a few centuries before Chirst, but it shows how universal the Amitabha teaching is.
The Pure Land School
Why is the Pure Land School the most popular form of Buddhism? It is because for most people its explicit aim of attaining rebirth in heaven is more immediate and comprehensible, and its practice of reciting Amitabha's name more easily accomplished than the aim of attaining nirvana and the practice of medi-tation in most other schools of Buddhism.
The development of the Pure Land School was much influenced by two very important philosophical works in Mahayana Buddhism, namely the Treatise on Dasabhumi by Nagajuna and the Treatise on Rebirth in the Pure Land by Vasubandhu. Nagajuna explains that spiritual cultivation may be generalized into two categories, namely the hard way and the easy way, and Vasubandhu explains that one may attain enlightenment through self-effort or through other's help.
Historically, Buddhism in India taught that an aspirant had to undergo strenuous development over countless rebirths before he could attain nirvana or enlightenment. Such a long time was needed because our world, called the Saha world, is beset with "five evil impurities" (to be explained in a later chapter). The Pure Land School teaches an easier and shorter path to nirvana by accepting the gracious help provided by Amitabha Buddha.
So, instead of cultivating in our Saha world, aspirants go to the heaven presided by Amitabha Buddha, where the five evil impurities are absent and where they live blissfully and eternally among spiritual beings, and cultivate with the help of great teachers under the care and love of Amitabha Buddha so that they too will eventually achieve Buddhahood. It is significant to note that going to heaven, like the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss, is not the supreme goal of Buddhism, although it is the ultimate of other reli-gions, as well as the desire of most Buddhists who have not reached the spiritual or intellectual level to understand what Buddhahood is.
In 402 CE (Common Era) the famous master Hui Yuan (334-416) initiated the first group of 123 followers who vowed to be reborn in Sukhavati, the Western Paradise, and regularly recited the name of Amitabha Buddha. This group was called the White Lotus Society and included prominent poets and scholars. Hui Yuan, however, did not actively preach the Amitabha doctrine to the public.
This task of preaching and organizing the Pure Land teaching was carried out by Tan Luan (476-542), who was initially a devoted pursuer after the Taoist elixir of immortality. After his long quest for and finally acquiring the esoteric Xian Jing (The Saints' Sutra), which explains the Taoist method to attain immortality, he met the famous Indian Buddhist master, Bodhiruci, who had come to China to spread Buddhism. Tan Luan was so convinced and impressed by Bodhiruci's explanation of the Amitabha sutras that he discarded the Taoist sutra to practise and propagate the Amitabha doctrine. Hence, today, some regard Tan Luan, while others regard Hui Yuan, as the First Patriarch of the Pure Land School.
The Pure Land School became prominent through the effort of Dao Chuo (562-645), who introduced the use of the rosary in Amitabha recitation, and his disciple Shan Dao (Zendo in Japanese, 613-681), whom is regarded especially in Japan as an incarnation of Amitabha him-self. Shan Dao expounded five practices for practit¬ioners to be reborn in the Pure Land: reciting the name of Ami¬tabha Buddha, chanting sutras (especially the Amitabha sutras), meditating on the Buddha, worshipping images of the Buddha, and singing praises to the Buddha.
Another important master was Hui Ri, whom the Tang emperor bestowed the posthumous title of Ci Min (Tz'u Min), meaning "Compassionate and Benevolent". Ci Min (680-748), who received his teaching on Amitabha during his pilgrimage in India from 704 to 716, was the first master who combined the practice of Zen and Amitabha recitation, initiating an excellent way to attain enlightenment.
In Japan, where it is estimated that more than half her population practise the recitation of Amitabha Buddha, or Amida Butsu in Japanese, the Pure Land School is known as the Jodo School, and was established by Honen (1133-1212). His disciple Shinran (1173-1262) founded the Jodo Shin School, which is usually shortened to the Shin School. The Shin School had uniquely abolished all forms of monastic practice, thus making this school solely for lay followers.
The Three Sutras on Amitabha
The three sutras concerning Amitabha -- Amitabha Sutra, Amitayus Sutra and Meditation on Amitayus Sutra -- form the basis of the Pure Land School. Hence, this school is also called the Amitabha School.
The Amitabha Sutra is the most popular, probably because although it is the shortest, consisting of only about 2000 words in Chinese; it provides the gist of the Pure Land School teaching. It is known as Sukhavati Vyuha Sutra in Sanskrit, and Fo Shuo Omi Tuo Jing in Chinese, meaning "The Sutra of the Buddha's Teaching on Amitabha". This Sutra was translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by many masters, but the two best known are by the great Kumarajiva in 402, and by the famous pilgrim Xuan Zang in 650. For convenience, we may divide the Sutra into the following three parts:
- Description of Sukhavati, the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss, and Amitabha Buddha.
- The Buddha's exhortation to sentient beings to seek rebirth in Sukhavati and the method to accomplish this.
- Confirmation by Buddhas of the six directions that this teaching on Sukhavati is true.
The Amitayus Sutra, or Wu Liang Shou Jing in Chinese, meaning The Sutra on Infinite Life, lays the foundation of the Pure Land School. It describes that many, many aeons ago during the time of Lokesvararadjna Buddha, meaning the Buddha of Supreme Spontaneity, a king renounced his throne to become a monk called Dharmakara. When he became a Bodhisattva, he made forty eight great vows in front of Lokesvararadjna Buddha, among which he vowed that he would refuse to become a Buddha if he could not create out of his miraculous powers a paradise where beings could be reborn to continue their spiritual cultivation under the most favourable conditions to gain enlightenment. He vowed that he would help these beings to be reborn in his paradise if they only indicated such a wish by reciting his name. As he succeeded in fulfilling his vows, he became Amitabha Buddha, and he continues to help sentient beings to be reborn in his Buddha-land. It is interesting to note that Amitabha's creation of Sukhavati in a distant galaxy is conceptually similar to the Christian belief of God's creation of our world system.
This paradise created by Amitabha Buddha, situated millions of light-years to the west of our Saha world, is one of eternal bliss where suffering, which happens to be the prominent characteristic of our own world, is unknown. Astronomers and other scientists may find it illuminating to know that this paradise is actually a world like ours, although there are also many crucial differences which contrast so fundamentally with con¬ditions on our earth that we refer to this Amitabha's world as heaven.
Like our Saha world, as well as all other heavens and hells mentioned in Buddhist philosophy, this paradise exists in the phenomenal -- and not in the transcendental -- dimension. Hence, as in our and all other phenomenal worlds, the so-called "external reality" is an illusion, a creation of the mind. In other words, phenomena like fruit flies, people and earthquakes appear to you as such because of the way your eyes are built, your intellect consciousness interprets them, and some other conditions. Another sentient being, like a living cell inside your body, would perceive the "same" phenomena differently. Besides, if you look at a fruit fly under an electron microscope, you would not see a fruit fly; you would see patterns of sub-atomic particles. Thus the phenomenon perceived by you as a fruit fly or as a pattern of particles is only relative and not ultimate.
Even if scientists were able to land on the star or any form of heavely body far out in remote space where Sukhavati is situated, they would probably find nothing heavenly about it, because their very gross human senses are unable to perceive the very different vibrations of this world. Even if the star is within the range of their powerful telescopes, the scientists may not see it, if it happens to be in a black hole, or is made up of shadow matter. Scientists cannot even perceive other sentient beings like ghosts, nature spirits and gods, who actually share the same earth with us, because they operate at frequencies different from those of humans. For similar reasons, what scien-tists consider in our human paradigm as barren rocks on the moon, or methane ice on Pluto, may actually be what we would call gardens of Eden for their inhabitants still imperceivable to us.
Because "external reality", whether on our earth or in a world millions of light-years away, is a creation of the mind, a human being on earth reborn in the Western Paradise would initially experience the paradise as conditioned by his previous experience on earth. He (or she) would, for example, experience gardens and streams, albeit in celestial light. If he, reminiscent of his earthly desire, suddenly wishes to taste his favourite ice-cream, for example, he merely visualizes it to have his ice-cream materialized to satisfy his appetite! Hence, in this and other heavens beings can have their heart desires because "matter" in heavenly realms is fine enough for minds to manipulate -- a condition not possible on earth where matter is too gross and heavy. On our earth, matter is still shaped by mind, but usually through tools like muscles and machines.
What happens if someone wishes to kill another being in Sukhavati? This simply will not happen, because Amitabha Buddha has so created his Paradise where evil is unknown. Killing may occur on earth because our world is beset with "five evil impurities", but in the Western Paradise there are no "evil impurities". It is as irrelevant for a heavenly being in Sukhavati to think of killing as for a human on earth to think of eating rocks. Killing cannot happen in the Western Paradise because life there is eternal, just as cutting a ray of sunlight is not possible on earth.
The third basic sutra of the Pure Land School is the Meditation of Amitayus Sutra, called the Amitayus Dhyana Sutra in Sanskrit, and Guan Wu Liang Shou Jing in Chinese. It is also known as the Sutra of Sixteen Meditations, because it explains sixteen kinds of meditation to reach the Pure Land.
The sixteen kinds of meditation are on (1) the setting sun, (2) water turning into crystals of myriad colours, (3) earth of the Pure Land, (4) the precious trees found in the Pure Land, (5) eight meritorious waters, (6) overall view of Sukhavati, (7) lotus, (8) the Buddha image, (9) Amitabha Buddha, (10) Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or Guan Shi Yin, (11) Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva or Da Shi Zhi, (12) rebirth in the Pure Land by way of the calyx of a lotus, (13) miscellaneous aspects of Sukhavati, (14) highest level of beings, (15) middle level of beings, and (16) lowest level of being in Sukhavati, the Western Paradise. These are advanced meditation techniques making exten¬sive use of visualization, and they serve well to negate the not infrequent suggestion that in the Pure Land School meditation is insignificant or, at its best, simple.
The last three kinds of meditation describe the three levels of spiritual attainment of the Western Paradise inhabitants. Each level is sub-divided into three stages. The highest level consists of Bodhisattvas and highly spiritual beings who understand the higher wisdom of emptiness of Mahayana Buddhism. The "fruit" or expected result of their cultivation is Buddhahood. The middle level consists of beings of high moral values and discipline who diligently practice spiritual cultivation. Their "fruit" is Arahantship. The lowest level consists of beings who were sinful in their previous lives. Despite their sins, if they repent and accept the very precious offer of Amitabha Buddha, they can enter the stream of spiritual cultivation where they will not retrogress, and eventually will also attain enlightenment.
King Milinda, a Greek ruler in Sagara about 115 BCE, complained to the famous Indian Buddhist master, Nagasena, that it was unfair a sinful man could be saved if he believed in Amitabha Buddha just before the sinner died. Nagasena said that no matter how small a stone was, it would sink in water. But even if a hugh rock weighing hundreds of tons was placed in a ship big enough, the rock would not sink. The compassion of Amitabha Buddha is so great, and his miraculous powers infinite, that this Buddha would help even sinners to go to heaven and eventually attain enlightenment.
However, one must not abuse Amitabha's boundless generosity. If a person's karma is so bad, he might not have the chance to learn about the generous offer of Amitabha Buddha, or even if he is told about the offer, he might sacrilegiously ridicule the Buddha. He could not benefit from Amitabha's compassion, not because the Buddha does not accept him, but because his very bad karmic effect prevents him from appreciating genuine help. Hence, anyone who has the very rare opportunity to be born a human, and the rarer opportunity to come across Amitabha's generosity, should not waste this golden chance.
How to be Reborn in Sukhavati
What, then, must you do if you wish to be reborn in Sukhavati, the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss? There are three conditions for rebirth in this Pure Land:
- Have faith that there is a Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss;
- Make a vow that you want to be reborn there;
- Cultivate the practice that accomplishes your vow.
- Avoid all evil,
- Do good,
- Purify the mind.
There are many ways to purify the mind. Probably the simplest is to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha, as taught in this sutra, and which is the main method of the Pure Land School. There is no hard and fast rule on how or where you should recite Amitabha's name, except not in such inappropriate times and places like easing in a toilet; but you must recite sincerely, devotedly and regularly. The following are some suggestions taught by masters.
Kneel or sit in a meditation posture before a statue or an image of Amitabha Buddha, or any Buddha or Bodhisattva. If you open your eyes, focus your eyes on the Buddha or Bodhisattva. If you close your eyes, visualize Amitabha Buddha in your mind. Then recite many times softly or aloud or in your heart, alone or in groups:
Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha, .....
You may recite in any language, such as in Chinese:
Ami Tuo Fo, Ami Tuo Fo, .....
Indeed, the expression "Ami Tuo Fo" has become so popular among Chinese Buddhists that it is often used as a form of greeting and appreciation. When others say "Good day", "How are you?", "Thank you" or "Good-bye", a Chinese Buddhist often says "Omi Tuo Fo", which means "May the blessings of Amitabha Buddha be with you."
Or you may recite in Japanese, Koran or Vietnam¬ese, respectively as follows:
Amida Butsu, Amida Butsu ..... (Japanese)
Amida Pul, Amida Pul ........ (Korean)
A Di Da Phat, A Di Da Phat ..... (Vietnamese)
The "many times" that you recite the name of Amitabha Buddha may range from tens to thousands. In this procedure, you see Amitabha in your eyes or mind, recite Amitabha in your mouth or heart, and hear Amitabha in your ears or heart. Aim to attain an intensity in the recitation such that you are aware of nothing else except Amitabha. Irrespective of the language used in recitation, many people prefix the term "Namo" -- a Sanskrit word meaning "pay homage to and take guidance from" -- to the name Amitabha (like Namo Amitabha Buddha, or Namo Ami Tuo Fo); and recite in soothing rhythm, or in a singing manner.
Many people may be surprised and ask, "Is it so simple to go to the Western Paradise of Eternal Bliss?" There are many ways to practise Buddhism, according to a person's needs and aspirations, and some ways are very simple. According to this way as described in the Amitabha Sutra, any person who avoids evil and do good, has faith and has made a vow to be reborn in the Western Paradise, will definitely be reborn in Amitabha's Pure Land if this person sincerely, devotedly and regularly recites the name of Amitabha. Although this method is simple, one must not be mistaken that it is necessarily easy -- although it is actually easier than most other methods of spiritual cultivation. As the famous Zen master Niao Ke said in the 9th century, although even a three-year old child may understand the moral obligation of avoiding evil and doing good -- the pre-requisite of spiritual cultivation -- an eighty-year old man may not practice it.
How does a devotee go to the Western Paradise by just reciting Amitabha's name? This is through the grace and great compassion of Amitabha. A more philosophical or "scientific" explanation on how this transportation or transformation occurs, will be discussed later. Meanwhile, it is helpful to have a good understanding of Buddhism, which will be described in the next four chapters. If you think that Buddhism is about suffering and extinction, as some people do, or about going to temples and accepting commandments, you will be in for a big surprise.
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