Commentaries

Notes on the Inscriptions on Sacred Scrolls (6)

The inscription on the portrait of the T'ang dynasty master Shan-tao of Kuan-ming temple:

Chih-yung praises the extraordinary virtue of Shan-tao: "Shan-tao is an incarnation of Amida Buddha. To say the Buddha's six-character Name is to praise the Buddha; it is to repent; it is to awaken the aspiration for birth and turn over the virtue. All the roots of good adorn the Pure Land."

Chih-yung was a venerable monk of China. He praises the extraordinary virtue of Shan-tao, "Shan-tao is an incarnation of Amida Buddha."

To say the Buddha's six-character Name: to say Namu-amida-butsu. Is to praise the Buddha: To say Namu-amida-butsu is to praise the Buddha.

Further, it is to repent: To say Namu-amida-butsu is to repent all the karmic evil one has committed since the beginningless past.

It is to awaken the aspiration for birth and turn over the virtue: To say Namu-amida-butsu is to desire to be born in the Pure Land of peace. Further, it is to give this virtue to all sentient beings.

All the roots of good adorn the Pure Land: Know that the Buddha has gathered all roots of good into the three syllables, A-mi-da, so that to say the Name, Namu-amida-butsu, is to adorn the Pure Land. Such is Master Chih-yung's praise of Shan-tao.

~

Master Shan-tao states:

Namu means "to take refuge." It furthers signifies aspiring for birth and directing virtue. Amida-butsu is the practice. Because of this import, one necessarily attains birth.

Namu means "to take refuge." "To take refuge" is to respond to the command and follow the call of the two honored ones, Sakyamuni and Amida. Thus Shan-tao explains, Namu means to take refuge.

It further signifies aspiring for birth and directing the virtue: the aspiration to be born in the Pure Land of happiness in response to the call of the two honored ones.

Amida-butsu is explained as the practice, which means we should know that the fulfilled practice is none other than the Primal Vow in which Bodhisattva Dharmakara selected the Name. It is the act-as-cause by which birth in the Pure Land of peace is truly settled.

Because of this import: since it has the import of being the cause by which birth is truly settled.

One necessarily attains birth: Attain means to be brought to attainment. Birth means to be born in the Pure Land. Necessarily: One is brought to the attainment of birth naturally, by jinen. Jinen means that one does not calculate in any way whatever.

~

Further he states:

Concerning the expression, Each living thing being grasped by Amida, a manifestation of the decisive cause of birth: it is declared among the Forty-eight Vows taught in the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life, "If, when I attain Buddhahood, the sentient beings of the ten quarters, aspiring to be born in my land, saying my Name even down to ten times, and being carried by the power of my Vow, were not to be born there, then may I not attain perfect enlightenment." This means that practicers who aspire to be born are grasped by the power of the Vow and brought to attainment of birth when their lives end. Hence the expression, Each living thing being grasped by Amida, a manifestation of the decisive cause of birth.

Each living thing being grasped by Amida, a manifestation of the decisive cause of birth: Each living thing being grasped means that in the Vow Amida grasps every sentient being throughout the ten quarters.

Among the Forty-eight Vows taught in the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life: Know that what follows are the words of Sakyamuni teaching Amida Tathagata's Primal Vow.

If, when I attain Buddhahood: Bodhisattva Dharmakara vows, "If, when I have attained Buddhahood."

The sentient beings in the ten quarters: All the beings throughout the ten quarters - ourselves.

Aspiring to be born in my land exhorts us, "Aspire to be born in the Pure Land of bliss!"

Saying my Name: "When I have attained Buddhahood, my Name shall be uttered."

Even down to ten times refers to people who say the Name as few as ten times. Even down to means that neither those who say the Name more than ten times nor those who only hear the Name are omitted or excluded from birth in the Pure Land.

Being carried by the power of my Vow: Entrust is a command to allow oneself to be carried by the power of the Primal Vow. It further connotes wisdom. Wisdom is to know that Amida brings one to ride on the power of the Vow. It is to know that, being carried by the power of the Vow, one will be born in the Pure Land of bliss.

Were not to be born there, then may I not attain perfect enlightenment: "If people who entrust themselves to the Vow are not born in the true land fulfilled by the Primal Vow, I shall not become a Buddha."

This means that practicers who aspire to be born are grasped by the power of the Vow and brought to attainment of birth when their lives end: Grasped by the karmic power fulfilled through the great Vow, one is brought to the attainment of birth. This refers to the person who has already realized shinjin in ordinary times, not to one who becomes definitely settled in shinjin and who is blessed with Amida's compassionate grasp for the first time at the point of death. Since persons who have realized the diamondlike mind have been grasped and protected by the light of Amida's heart from ordinary times, they dwell in the stage of the truly settled. Thus the moment of death is not the crucial matter; from ordinary times they have been constantly grasped and protected, never to be abandoned, and so is said to be grasped by the power of the Vow and brought to attainment of birth. Hence the expression, each living thing being grasped by Amida, a manifestation of the decisive cause of birth.

There may be people lacking true shinjin in ordinary times who, by the merit of having long engaged in saying the Name, first encounter the guidance of a true teacher and realize shinjin at the very end of their lives; at that moment, being grasped by the power of the Vow, they attain birth. But those who await Amida's coming at the end of life have yet to realize shinjin and so are filled with anxiety, anticipating the moment of death.

~

Further he states:

Concerning the expression "Being protected by Amida, a manifestation of the decisive cause of birth in the Pure Land":...There are sentient beings who solely think on Amida Buddha; only these people are constantly illumined by the light of that Buddha's heart, grasped and protected, never to be abandoned. It is not at all stated that any practicers of various other acts are illumined and embraced. This is being protected in the present life, a manifestation of the decisive cause of birth in the Pure Land.

Being protected by Amida, a manifestation of the decisive cause of birth in the Pure Land means that the person who has realized true shinjin is constantly protected in this life.

There are sentient beings who solely think on Amida Buddha refers to thinking on Amida Buddha wholeheartedly and without any doubt.

Only these people are constantly illumined by the light of that Buddha's heart: The light of that Buddha's heart is the heart of the Buddha of unhindered light.

Constantly illumined: Constantly means that Amida's light illumines the person of shinjin always, without interruption, at all times and places. Illumined means that one is taken into the Buddha's heart.

The light of that Buddha's heart: Know that one is grasped by the heart of Amida Buddha.

These people: people who have realized shinjin. "Constantly protected" means that such people are not defeated by the demon Papiyas or confused by evil demons and gods, for they are grasped and protected, never to be abandoned.

It is not stated at all that any practicers of various other acts are illumined and embraced: Not one of those who perform sundry practices and disciplines is illumined, taken in, and protected. That such practicers are not illumined and protected means that they are not blessed with the benefit of being grasped, never to be abandoned. Know that this is because they are not practicers who have entrusted themselves to the Primal Vow. Hence it is not stated that such people are grasped and protected, never to be abandoned.

This is being protected in the present life, a manifestation of the decisive cause of birth: The person of true shinjin is protected in this present life. Decisive cause: the unexcelled, strong cause.