On the nine grades of birth in the border land of the Pure Land (sections 22

Fragment from my Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra. It is a work in progress and under constant revision. Click here to read the other chapters.

As I previously explained based on Shinran Shonin’s reading of the Contemplation Sutra, those who reach the Pure Land through the 19^th Vow of Amida Buddha[1], that is, through the practices mentioned in this sutra, are born in the borderland of the Pure Land. This is because they still cling to their self-power and the idea of personal merits and personal transference of merits, while the followers of the Primal Vow (18^th Vow) are born in the center of the Pure Land (Fulfilled Pure Land) due to their complete faith in the Power of Amida Buddha which makes them understand that all the merits necessary for birth in the Pure Land belong only to Amida.

The Contemplation Sutra describes nine grades - highest, middle and low, each with their own three levels. These are exclusively related to birth in the border land of the Pure Land, referring to the practitioners of the 19^th and 20^th Vows. They are NOT related to birth in the Fulfilled Pure Land (center of the Pure Land) and to followers of the Primal Vow (18^th Vow). Why is that? Because among the practitioners of the 19^th and 20^th Vows who still cling to their self-power, there are differences in spiritual achievements, virtues, wisdom, etc, and these differences do matter for the various grades and levels of birth in the border land. Also, after being born there, they remain different from each other as they continue to be unenlightened until they overcome their attachment to self-power and their so-called personal merits. On the contrary, the difference in this life between the followers of the Primal Vow (18^th Vow) do not matter because nothing that can be found in their personalities adds anything to their birth in the Pure Land, nor obstructs it, as this birth depends totally on the Power of Amida Buddha in which they entrust without any trace of clinging to a delusional idea of merits or self-power. Thus, their birth in the Pure Land means immediate access to the center of that enlightened realm, also called the Fulfilled Pure Land, where they instantly attain perfect Enlightenment.
For unenlightened beings there are many levels, but for the Buddhas there are no levels, as they are all equally and perfectly enlightened. Thus, the followers of the Primal Vow automatically become Buddhas and are immediately capable to help and guide all beings in samsara. On the contrary, no capacity to help any being is mentioned in the Contemplation Sutra for those born there according to the nine grades, including the highest level of the highest grade, because no one is fully enlightened in the border land[2].

The border land is the place to go for those who say that the Pure Land is a place for practice and not for instantaneous Enlightenment. The proponents of such view do not realize that they are referring to the border land of the Pure Land, and not to the Fulfilled Pure Land (center of the Pure Land)[3]. Their experience is one of mixed reliance on Amida Buddha and clinging to their so-called merits, contrary to the followers of the Primal Vow who rely exclusively on the Power of Amida Buddha and whose destination is the Fulfilled Pure Land where they instantly attain perfect Enlightenment.

Here are the most important things that should be mentioned in relation to the levels and grades of the borderland:

1) The impossibility for detailed understanding of the levels and grades of the borderland and their lack of importance for us, followers of the Primal Vow

My commentary on these levels and grades is incomplete and I think that no samsaric mind can offer a 100% accurate and detailed explanation of what happens in the border land, so please do not consider what I write in this chapter to be some kind of ultimate teaching on this matter.
Also, understanding all details about the situation of those born in the border land on the various grades and levels is NOT important for us, followers of the Primal Vow, who aim at birth in the center (fulfilled land) of the Pure Land. As far as I know, Shinran Shonin did not enter full analysis of the details of each grade and level, so I don’t think I need to do it myself either, especially since my capacities are limited.

Studying the various qualities and specifics of the grades and levels of the border land as they are presented in the Contemplation Sutra may be useful for those who are still deluded by their self-power and their so-called merits, but for us who entrust completely to Amida and leave everything to Him, it’s a complete waste of time. This is why I will not engage myself in depth analysis but only mention a few things I consider important.

2) The difference between the three kinds of faith in the Contemplation Sutra and the three kinds of faith of the Primal Vow and the Larger Sutra

Shakyamuni Buddha said, in the Contemplation Sutra,

“Those who attain birth on the highest level of the highest grade are sentient beings who resolve to be born in that land, awaken the three kinds of faith, and so are born there. What are the three kinds of faith? They are, first, sincere faith; second, deep faith; and third, the faith that seeks birth there by transferring one’s merit. Those who have these three kinds of faith will certainly be born there”.[4]

In relation to the above three minds of faith in the Contemplation Sutra, Shinran Shonin explained,

“The three minds that beings awaken are all minds of self-benefit that are individually different and not the mind (of faith) that is single, which arises from Amida’s benefiting of others. They are roots of good with which to aspire for the Pure Land that Sakyamuni Tathagata taught as a distinct provisional means.”[5]
Here “the three minds” are “the three kinds of faith”. These are not aspects of true faith/shinjin (“mind that is single”) that is given by Amida Buddha (“arises from Amida’s benefiting of others”), and which means a complete and total reliance on Amida Buddha in matters of birth in the Pure Land, but aspects of a self-created faith. As the personalities of the practitioners of the highest level of the highest grade (as well as all grades and levels listed in the Contemplation Sutra) differ from each other, they have “individually different” faiths/minds with which they go to the border land of the Pure Land.
As this is a book that is meant to be simple, I will try my best to offer easy to understand explanations of these three faiths or three minds.

The sincere faith of the Contemplation Sutra means a sincere wish to go to the Pure Land of Amida Buddha and sincerely relying partially on Him and partially on their own spiritual capacities. For these kind of practitioners, Amida’s Power is only an assisting power and not the only Power that leads to birth in the Pure Land. They have a mixed faith and a faith that is deep in the sense that they really want to go to the Pure Land. Their deep faith is a deep understanding of the sufferings of samsara and a strong wish to go to the Pure Land, asking for the assistance of Amida Buddha and being deeply convinced that their so-called merits and contribution are very important to reach that goal. Thus, they have a “faith that seeks birth there by transferring one’s merit”.

Contrary to the three aspects of the self-power faith of the Contemplation Sutra, the three aspects of the genuine faith of the Primal Vow that is presented in the Larger Sutra, are a sincere faith in the Power of Amida as the only Power that makes birth in the Pure Land possible. This mind of faith is a “mind that is single” in the sense that has totally surrendered to Amida’s Power and is uniquely oriented towards Amida, thus saying only His Name in faith, without combining other practices. The deep mind aspect of a genuine faith in Amida Buddha is the twofold profound conviction which is 1) to know that we are people of deep karmic limitations, incapable of attaining Buddhahood through our own power and 2) that only Amida Buddha can save us through His Vow Power without asking anything from us.
The aspect of merit transference in a genuine faith (shinjin) is that we rely NOT on the transference of our pitiful merits towards birth in the Pure Land, but on Amida’s transference of merits. A person of true faith abandons the idea of “deserving” to be born in the Pure Land which is the main feature of those destined to the border land and who are obsessed with levels and grades. Unlike them, a person of total faith in Amida Buddha knows that he cannot create anything in his samsaric and unenlightened mind that can bring him to the Pure Land of Enlightenment, and so he lets Amida bring Him there.

3) Time in the borderland

It is extremely important to understand that “time” in the border land of the Pure Land as mentioned in the various levels and grades is described in samsaric human terms, like for example, one night, a day and night, seven days, three weeks, seven weeks, one smaller kalpas, ten smaller kalpas, twelve great kalpas, etc, to indicate various things the inhabitants learn there or if they awaken to faith sooner or later, according to “our time”. However, time is ultimately a delusion so whatever is explained there as happening one after the other, in succession, is only a description made for our limited minds. In human terms it might take one night, seven days, three weeks, seven weeks, one smaller kalpas, ten smaller kalpas, twelve great kalpas, etc but in both aspects of the Pure Land (border land or fulfilled land) things are beyond our capacity to understand, so we should wait until we become Buddhas there to fully get everything.

Various qualities in the many grades and levels of the border land are acquired gradually until those born there are awaken to faith and finally enter the center of the Pure Land where they attain Buddhahood. However, followers of the Primal Vow who fully entrust themselves to the Power of Amida Buddha during their present life, simply leave their physical samsaric bodies and in an instant enter the center (fulfilled land) of the Pure Land, attain the same Buddhahood like Amida and automatically acquire the enlightened qualities inherent in the Buddha nature.
Although the capacities developed gradually by the inhabitants of the border land look so extraordinary and exalted, we should know that they are still not the enlightened and supreme qualities of those born in the center. This is why we often meet in some grades and levels with the expression “receive the prediction of his future Buddhahood” from various Buddhas which means that they are not Buddhas yet like the inhabitants of the center of the Pure Land, but that all Buddhas help them entrust to Amida and advance to the center (fulfilled land) for their attainment of Buddhahood. Thus, it is normal that if they are in the border land their Buddhahood will be attained somewhere in the future, while for those in the center of the Pure Land, Buddhahood is an everlasting present.

4) All those born in the border land accept and respect the Buddhist teaching
Although the spiritual qualities of each aspirant for the border land differ greatly, for example, some being able to observe the precepts, the eight abstinences for at least a day or more, abstain from committing the five grave offences and other transgressions, are dutiful to their parents, do benevolent deeds for others, while others violate the various lay or monk precepts, commit the five grave offenses, the ten evil acts and all kinds of immorality, etc, they all accept the Buddhist teaching and wish to be born in the Pure Land.
Even if their knowledge differs, none of them, not even those on the lowest level of the lowest grade, denies the existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land.

We see in the highest level of the highest grade and also in the middle and lowest level of the highest grade, that practitioners hold in high regard the Mahayana sutras and are faithful to them. They “chant the Mahayana sutras of greater scope”, “uphold and chant the sutras”, “when they hear the supreme truths they are not dismayed”, “do not slight the Mahayana”, “do not speak slightingly of the Mahayana”. Even those on the highest level of the lowest grade who commit various evil acts “do not slander the Mahayana sutras of greater scope”, and although they do not understand their content, they at least hear with faith and respect their titles while also saying the Name of Amida Buddha,

“The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, ‘Those who attain birth on the highest level of the lowest grade are the sentient beings who commit various evil acts but do not slander the Mahayana sutras of greater scope. When a foolish person such as this, who has committed much evil but feels no remorse, is about to die, he may meet a good teacher, who praises the titles of the twelve divisions of the Mahayana scriptures. By hearing these sutra titles, he is released from the burden of evil karma that would bind him to birth and death for a thousand kalpas. Furthermore, this wise teacher advises him to join his palms and call, ‘Homage to Amitayus (Amida) Buddha’ Calling the Name of the Buddha extinguishes the evil karma that
would bind the dying person to birth and death for fifty koṭis of kalpas.”[6]

This means that those who deny the authenticity of the Mahayana sutras or the existence of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas mentioned there, cannot attain birth in the border land, while the self-exclusion sentence in the Primal Vow shows that they can’t be born in the center of the Pure Land either. To “chant the Mahayana sutras of greater scope” is logically done in faith and while accepting their content - the sutras related with Amida Buddha being included in this category of “greater scope”, and especially the Larger Sutra which is the ultimate reason for Buddhas appearing in the world and where the story of Amida Buddha is told. Also, to “not slight the Mahayana”, includes among other things, to not deny the existence of Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas, the Pure Lands, etc. To slight the Mahayana also refers to not accepting the Mahayana sutras as being authentic, which is why a deluded modern scholar or some Theravada followers who accept only the Pali cannon but deny that Mahayana sutras were also taught by Shakyamuni himself[7], cannot go even to the border land, not to mention the center of the Pure Land.

There is absolutely no aspirant destined to the border land who does not accept the real existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land. The fact that some of them transfer their so-called merits to birth there is proof enough that they accept the reality of that Land. Nobody transfers merits to and wishes to be born into a metaphor or a fictional place. Also, those who simply hear a few words and basic instructions about Amida and say the Nembutsu go to the Pure Land too, either the border land if they recite in self-power or the center of the Pure Land if their Nembutsu is said while relying completely on the Power of Amida Buddha. However, both accept the real existence of Amida and His Pure Land. This is basic logic.

Shakyamuni explains about the person born on the lowest level of the middle grade who, when he “is about to die, he may meet a good teacher, who fully explains to him the bliss of the land of Amitayus (Amida) and the Forty-eight Great Vows of Bhikṣu Dharmakara”.[8]
This is a clear indication that the story of Dharmakara becoming Amida which He taught in the Larger Sutra (The Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life) should be taken serious even by those who aspire for the border land and that those who deny it cannot go there.

Those who attain birth in the border land on the middle level of the lowest grade even go so far as to “violate the five precepts, the eight precepts, or the complete precepts of a monk or a nun. A foolish person such as this steals from the sangha, or takes the personal belongings of monks, or preaches the Dharma with impure motives, but feels no remorse. Thus, he defiles himself by evil karma and because of this he is liable to fall into hell.”[9] However, he too, when he is about to die meets a good teacher and accepts the teaching about Amida Buddha,

“When he is about to die and the flames of hell suddenly close in on him, he may meet a good teacher, who compassionately explains to him the ten supernal powers of Amitayus (Amida), fully describing the majestic power of the Light of that Buddha and His virtues in the observance of the precepts, meditation, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge of liberation. When he has heard
this, the evil karma that would bind him to birth and death for eighty koṭis of kalpas are extinguished; thus, the fierce flames of hell turn into cool and refreshing breezes, wafting heavenly flowers. On each flower is a transformed Buddha accompanied by Bodhisattvas welcoming him. “In an instant, he attains birth within a lotus bud on a seven-jeweled
pond.”[10]

Even those who attain birth on the lowest level of the lowest grade and “who commit such evils as the five grave offenses, the ten evil acts, and all kinds of immorality” are also able, after hearing the very basics of the teaching on Amida Buddha and His Pure Land, to say His Name. Such people too, accept the teaching (“the wonderful Dharma”) on Amida being a real Enlightened Person and His Pure Land as a real enlightened place even if they are unable to do more than repeating His Name with sincerity,

“The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi, “Those who attain birth on the lowest level of the lowest grade are the sentient beings who commit such evils as the five grave offenses, the ten evil acts, and all kinds of immorality. Owing to such evil karma, a fool like this will fall into evil realms and suffer endless agony for many kalpas. When he is about to die, he may meet a good teacher, who consoles him in various ways, teaching him the wonderful Dharma and urging him to be mindful of the Buddha; but he is too tormented by pain to do so. The good teacher then advises him, ‘If you cannot concentrate on the Buddha then you should say instead, “Homage to Amitayus (Amida) Buddha.”’ In this way, he sincerely and continuously says, ‘Homage to Amitayus Buddha’ (Namo Amida Bu) ten times. Because he calls the Buddha’s Name, with each repetition the evil karma that would bind him to birth and death for eighty koṭis of kalpas is extinguished. When he comes to die, he sees before him a golden lotus flower like the disk of the sun, and in an instant, he is born within a lotus bud in the Land of Utmost Bliss.”[11]

The pain and suffering might make him unable to be concentrated on Amida and recite His Name with a focused state of mind, but the passage clearly indicates that after receiving and accepting the wonderful Dharma from the teacher, he recites the Name. If he refused to accept the Dharma about Amida he would not recite. The wonderful Dharma that he heard and accepted cannot be any other than the Dharma on the salvation offered by the real existing Amida Buddha which is presented in one way or another in the Larger Sutra, The Contemplation Sutra and The Smaller Amida Sutra. The reality and existence of Amida and His Pure Land is ever present in any sutra where Shakyamuni teaches any method about birth there. This must be well understood.

5) The importance of the moment of death for those who are to be born in the border land
All practitioners who are to be born in the border land on various levels and grades have
something in common – their moment of death is of utmost significance.

For example, practitioners who are born on the highest level of the highest grade have the vision of Amida Buddha (Tathagata Amitayus) who “arrives together with Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, innumerable transformed Buddhas, a great assembly of a hundred thousand monks and sravakas, and innumerable devas[12] in seven-jeweled palaces. Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, carrying a vajra seat, together with Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, approaches the aspirant. Amitayus (Amida) releases a great flood of light that illuminates the aspirant’s body and, along with the Bodhisattvas, extends His hands in welcome. Avalokitesvara
and Mahasthamaprapta, together with innumerable Bodhisattvas, praise and encourage the aspirant. Seeing this, the aspirant rejoices so greatly as to dance. Then he sees himself sitting on the vajra seat, and, following the Buddha, is born into that land in the time it takes to snap one’s fingers”.[13]

Why the aspirant of the 19^th Vow needs encouragements, as we can see in this sentence, “Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta, together with innumerable Bodhisattvas, praise and encourage the aspirant. Seeing this, the aspirant rejoices so greatly as to dance.” It is because he needs to be in a good state of mind in the moment of death so that he can be born in the border land (Transformed Pure Land). Contrary to this, the follower of the Primal Vow (18^th Vow) does not need any encouragement and no special things or vision to happen on his death bed because the cause for his birth in the Pure Land has already been established in the first moment he entrusted himself totally and exclusively to Amida Buddha.

The practitioner who “is about to die”[14] and be born on the middle level of the highest grade sees Amida (Amitayus) appearing “before him, surrounded by Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, and innumerable sages and attendants, carrying a purple-gold lotus seat. The Buddha praises him, saying, ‘Son of the Dharma, because you have practiced the Mahayana and appreciate the supreme truths, I have come to welcome you.’So saying, He and a thousand transformed Buddhas extend their hands all at once toward the aspirant, who, seeing himself sitting on the purple-gold seat, joins his palms and praises the Buddhas. In an instant, he is born in a seven-jeweled pond of that land”.[15]

Again, the practitioner is praised and welcomed by Amida in a Nirmanakaya form (body of transformation/adaptation) together with other transformed Buddhas who also extend their hands towards him to help him have a good state of mind in the moment of death so that he can be born in the transformed land (border land). It is important to mention that all the Enlightened Ones, including Amida, Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, etc, who welcome the practitioner who is about to be born in the border land on various levels and grades, are in Nirmanakaya (transformation/adaptation) bodies (manifestations) that are adapted to the personality of the aspirant. They are not in their Sambhogakaya body of glory with whom they dwell only in the Fulfilled Pure Land or center of the Pure Land, and they cannot be understood in their ultimate Dharmakaya reality as they are understood by those born in the center.

The aspirant who is about to attain birth on the lowest level of the highest grade is said to be welcomed by “Amitayus (Amida) together with Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, and a host of attendants, bringing a golden lotus flower and manifesting five hundred transformed
Buddhas. Those transformed Buddhas extend their hands all at once and praise the aspirant, saying, ‘Son of the Dharma, since you have awakened pure aspiration for highest Enlightenment, we have come to welcome you.’”[16]

Again, we see here, a reference to the transformed bodies (“transformed Buddhas”) or Nirmanakayas. On their death bed and after being born in the border land these followers who still cling to their so-called merits see transformed bodies of Amida, other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
The practitioner who “is about to die”[17] and attain birth on the highest level of the middle grade is welcomed by Amida (Amitayus) who “appears before him, surrounded by a host of monks and radiating a golden light”.[18]

The practitioner who “is about to die”[19] and attains birth on the middle level of the middle grade
“sees Amitayus (Amida) coming toward him with His attendants, radiating a golden light and carrying a seven-jeweled lotus flower”[20]. He also “hears a voice in the sky above praising him”[21].

A practitioner who clings to ideas of personal merits can be helped on his death bed (when he “is about to die”[22] ) to attain birth on the lowest level of the middle grade by “a good teacher, who fully explains to him the bliss of the land of Amitayus (Amida) and the Forty-eight Great Vows of Bhikṣu Dharmakara[23]. Having heard this, he dies; and in as short a time as it takes a strong man to bend and straighten his arm, he attains birth in the (border land of the)[24] Western Land of Utmost Bliss”[25].

Why is the teacher telling him about Amida Buddha, His 48 Vows and the bliss of the Pure Land? It is to help him have a good state of mind towards Amida and transfer the merits of his good deeds[26] towards birth there. In this case too, although not mentioned[27], the aspirant sees a manifestation of Amida

Amida Buddha “sends His transformed body and those of Avalokitesvara and Masthamaprapta to the aspirant”[28] who is about to attain birth on the highest level of the lowest grade.

The aspirant who attains birth on the middle level of the lowest grade also sees many heavenly flowers, each one of them containing a “transformed Buddha accompanied by Bodhisattvas welcoming him”[29].

The person who attains birth on the lowest level of the lowest grade “when he comes to die, he sees before him a golden lotus flower like the disk of the sun, and in an instant he is born within a lotus bud in the (border land of) the Land of Utmost Bliss”[30].

Why is the death bed so important for those who are to be born in the border land of the Pure Land? It is because their birth there becomes certain in the moment of death when they must leave their bodies in a good state of mind. This is exactly why those who cling to their self-power and so-called merits that they transfer to birth in the Pure Land have a vision of Amida welcoming them. Their cause for birth in the border land aspect of the Pure Land is established in that moment when they see Amida and think to Him. Due to a life filled with various practices and deeds oriented towards birth in the Pure Land and the karmic connection they’ve made with Amida Buddha, some of those highest grades and levels have various auspicious signs and visions provided by Amida himself that help them be born there.
Contrary to this, the cause of birth in the center (fulfilled land) of the Pure Land is established in the mind of the follower of the Primal Vow in his daily life, when he entrusts totally to Amida Buddha for the first time. Thus, his moment of death is nothing special, but a simple and natural birth in the center of the Pure Land, with or without any exterior signs or special visions prior to it[31].

To be born in the center of the Pure Land through the gate of total faith is like your parents have already gave you the key with which you can enter directly into the house without any special formality, welcoming or guidance. Similarly, Amida has already given you the key to His Pure Land when you entrusted yourself to Him for the first time and so the door to the center of Sukhavati opens naturally for you. A person of faith simply leaves his physical body and is born instantly in the center of the Pure Land where he automatically becomes a Buddha.

[1] Practitioners of the 20^th Vow who say Nembutsu in self-power also reach the border land.

[2] Those born in the border land are free from samsara, but not fully enlightened/not Buddhas.

[3] Many Masters when mentioning the Pure Land, they sometimes refer to the border land while at other times to the Fulfilled Pure Land, although they do not explicitly use these terms. Great confusion arises in the minds of many followers of other Japanese Pure Land schools due to this matter, as they do not differentiate between these two types of birth.

[4] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.92
[5] Shinran Shonin, Kyogyoshinsho, cf with Kyogyoshinsho – On Teaching, Practice, Faith, and Enlightenment, translated by Hisao Inagaki, Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p. 212
[6] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96-97
[7] However, not all Theravada followers do that.

[8] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96
[9] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.97
[10] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.98
[11] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.98
[12] The devas (gods) mentioned here are inhabitants of the Pure Land who were devas in their previous lives before being born in the Pure Land. As Shakyamuni himself explained in section 17 of this sutra, when the expression “humans and devas in my land” appears in this sacred discourse it is only in relation with the states of existence prior to their birth in the Pure Land:

“They are all of one form, without any differences, but are called 'heavenly beings' (devas) and 'humans' simply by analogy with the states of existence in other worlds. They are of noble and majestic countenance, unequalled in all the worlds, and their appearance is superb, unmatched by any being, heavenly or human. They are all endowed with bodies of Naturalness, Emptiness, and Infinity”
The Three Pure Land sutras, translated into English by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, revised second edition, BDK English Tripitaka12-II, II, IV, Numata Centre for Buddhist translation and Research, 2003, p.31
[13] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.92
[14] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.92
[15] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.93
[16] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.94
[17] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.95
[18] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.95
[19] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.95 The words „is about to die” t
[20] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.96

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