Major Expositions

KGSS III:19-27

[QUESTION AND ANSWER:
THE THREEFOLD MIND AS THE MIND THAT IS SINGLE]

19 Question: In the Primal Vow, the Vow of "sincere mind, entrusting, and aspiration for birth" has been established. Why does Vasubandhu, the author of the Treatise, speak of "the mind that is single"?

Answer: In order to make the matter easily comprehensible for ignorant and foolish sentient beings. Although Amida Tathagata discloses three minds, the true cause of attaining nirvana is shinjin alone; it appears to be for this reason that Vasubandhu takes the three together as one.

20 Looking into the literal meanings of the three minds, I find that the three should be taken as one. Why? In "sincere mind" (shishin), shi means truth, reality, sincerity; shin means seed, kernel. In "entrusting" (shingyo), shin means truth, reality, sincerity, fullness, ultimacy, accomplishment, reliance, reverence, discernment, distinctness, clarity, faithfulness; gyo means aspiration, wish, desire, exultation, delight, joy, gladness, happiness. In "aspiration for birth" (yokusho), yoku means wish, desire, awakening, awareness; sho means accomplishment, fulfillment, performance, establishment.

We see clearly that sincere mind is the mind that is the seed of truth, reality, and sincerity; hence, it is completely untainted by the hindrance of doubt. Entrusting is the mind full of truth, reality, and sincerity; the mind of ultimacy, accomplishment, reliance, and reverence; the mind of discernment, distinctness, clarity, and faithfulness; the mind of aspiration, wish, desire, and exultation; the mind of delight, joy, gladness, and happiness; hence, it is completely untainted by the hindrance of doubt. Aspiration for birth is the mind of wish, desire, awakening, and awareness; the mind of accomplishment, fulfillment, performance, and establishment. It is the mind of great compassion directing itself to beings; hence, it is completely untainted by the hindrance of doubt.

Here, in considering the literal meanings of the terms for them, we find that the three minds are the mind of truth and reality, free of any taint of falsity; they are the mind right and straightforward, free of any taint of wrong and deceit. Truly we know, then, that this is called shinjin* because it is untainted by the hindrance of doubt. Shinjin* is the mind that is single. The mind that is single is shinjin that is true and real. Therefore, the author of the Treatise states, at the outset, "With the mind that is single." Reflect on this.

[QUESTION AND ANSWER: AMIDA'S INTENT IN THE THREEFOLD MIND]

21 Question: We can accept Vasubandhu's intentions - the significance of taking the three as one - as indicated by the literal meanings of the terms. But Amida Tathagata has in fact established the Vow of the threefold mind for the sake of foolish and evil sentient beings. How are we to understand this?

Answer: The Buddha's intention is difficult to fathom. Nevertheless, reflecting on this [threefold] mind for myself alone, I find that all beings, an ocean of multitudes, have since the beginningless past down to this day, this very moment, been evil and defiled, completely lacking the mind of purity. They have been false and deceitful, completely lacking the mind of truth and reality. Thus, when the Tathagata, in profound compassion for the ocean of all sentient beings in pain and affliction, performed bodhisattva practices for inconceivable millions of measureless kalpas, there was not a moment, not an instant, when his practice in the three modes of action was not pure, or lacked this true mind. With this pure, true mind, the Tathagata brought to fulfillment the perfect, unhindered, inconceivable, indescribable and inexplicable supreme virtues. The Tathagata gives this sincere mind to all living beings, an ocean of beings possessed of blind passions, karmic evil, and false wisdom. This mind manifests the true mind of benefiting others. For this reason, it is completely untainted by the hindrance of doubt. This sincere mind takes as its essence the reverend Name of supreme virtues.

[SINCERE MIND: PASSAGES]

22 Thus, the Larger Sutra states:

No thought of greed, anger, or harmfulness arose in his mind; he cherished no impulse of greed, anger, or harmfulness. He did not cling to objects of perception - color, sound, smell, taste. Abounding in perseverance, he gave no thought to the suffering to be endured. He was content with few desires, and without greed, anger, or folly. Always tranquil in a state of samadhi, he possessed wisdom that knew no impediment. He was free of all thoughts of falsity or deception. Gentle in countenance and loving in speech, he perceived people's thoughts and was attentive to them. He was full of courage and vigor, and being resolute in his acts, knew no fatigue. Seeking solely that which was pure and undefiled, he brought benefit to all beings. He revered the three treasures and served his teachers and elders. He fulfilled all the various kinds of practices, embellishing himself with great adornments, and brought all sentient beings to the attainment of virtues.

23 The Sutra of the Tathagata of Immeasurable Life states:

The Buddha said to Ananda, "Bhiksu Dharmakara, before Lokesvararaja Tathagata and all devas, men, maras, Brahma, sramanas, brahmanas, and others, widely proclaimed thus his great, universal Vows. He has already brought them all to fulfillment.

"After proclaiming these Vows, which are so rare in all the worlds, he actually resided firmly in them. Acquiring all the varieties of virtue, he adorned the pure Buddha-land of vast majestic virtues. He performed bodhisattva practices in this way, passing innumerable, countless, incalculable, unequaled kotis of nayutas of millions of kalpas. During that time, he never harbored a single thought of greed, anger, or folly, nor any impulse of desire, harmfulness, or wrath; he cherished no thought of form, sound, smell, taste or tangible thing. The constant warmth of affection and respect he felt for all sentient beings was like that for close relatives.... His nature was harmonious and adaptable, without any violence or ill will. He always embraced a heart of compassion and patience for all sentient beings, and was never deceptive or flattering, never slothful. Encouraging them to good acts, he led them to seek pure virtues. For the sake of beings everywhere, he was stalwart and fearless and never retreated. He benefited all the worlds and brought his great Vow to perfect completion."

24 The Master of Kuang-ming temple states:

To seek birth in the Buddha's Pure Land by directing the merit of such poisoned practices is completely wrong. Why? Because when, in his causal stage, Amida Buddha was performing practices as a bodhisattva, in every single moment - every single instant - he performed his practices in the three modes of action with a true and real mind. [True practice] depends on this.

What is given constitutes our aspiration; it is all true and real. Further, what is true and real falls into two types: the true and real attained through self-power and the true and real given by Other Power....

Regarding acts in the three modes that are not good, you should unfailingly take as essential the Buddha's abandoning of them with a true and real mind. And if you perform good in the three modes of action, unfailingly take as essential what the Buddha performed with a true and real mind. It is because persons take the true and real as essential, whether they be within or without, whether of brightness or darkness, that the term "sincere mind" is applied.

25 Thus, through these true words of the Great Sage and the commentary of the master, we know indeed that this mind is the true and real mind of benefiting others through directing virtues, which originates from the inconceivable, indescribable, and inexplicable ocean of the Vow of great wisdom, the One Vehicle. This is "sincere mind."

[NOTE ON "TRUE AND REAL"]

26 The term true and real has been used. Concerning it, the Nirvana Sutra states:

True reality is the single way, pure and undefiled; there is no other. The true and real is Tathagata; Tathagata is the true and real. The true and real is boundless space; boundless space is the true and real. The true and real is Buddha-nature; Buddha-nature is the true and real.

27 [Above, Shan-tao's] Commentary states, "Whether they be within or without, whether of brightness or darkness."

Concerning the phrase "within or without," "within" refers to the supramundane, "without" to the mundane. Concerning "brightness or darkness," "brightness" refers to the supramundane, "darkness" to the mundane. Further, "brightness" refers to wisdom, "darkness" to ignorance. The Nirvana Sutra states:

Darkness refers to the mundane, brightness to the supramundane. Darkness refers to ignorance, brightness to wisdom.