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 19th Vow of Amida
Buddha, 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 (18th 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 19th and 20th Vows.
They are NOT related to birth in the Fulfilled Pure Land (center of
the Pure Land) and to followers of the Primal Vow (18th Vow). Why
is that? Because among the practitioners of the 19th and 20th 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 (18th 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.
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). 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”.
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.”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 commitvarious 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
thatwould bind the dying person to birth
and death for fifty koṭis of
kalpas.”
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, 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”.
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.”
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.”
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.”
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
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”.
Why the aspirant of the 19th Vow needs
encouragements, as we can see in this sentence, “Avalokitesvara
and Mahasthamaprapta, together with innumerable Bodhisattvas,
praise andencourage 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 (18th 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” 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”.
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 gradeis 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.’”
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” 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”.
The practitioner who “is about to
die” 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”.
Healso “hears a voice in the sky above praising
him”.
A practitioner who clings to ideas of personal
merits can be helped on his death bed (when he “is about to
die” ) 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. 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) Western Land of Utmost
Bliss”.
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 towards birth there. In
this case too, although not mentioned, the aspirant sees a
manifestation of Amida
Amida Buddha “sends His transformed body and
those of Avalokitesvara and Masthamaprapta to the
aspirant” 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”.
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”.
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.
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.
Practitioners
of the 20th Vow who say Nembutsu in self-power also reach the
border land.
Those born in
the border land are free from samsara, but not fully
enlightened/not Buddhas.
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.
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
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
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
However, not all Theravada followers do
that.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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 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
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
