Chapter 20 - Realization of the Pure Land Practices

Before I came across Esoteric Buddhism, I took refuge to Exoteric Buddhism. After I started practicing the Esoteric method, I have never stopped practicing Pure Land Buddhism. In fact, the Esoteric practice deepened my understanding of the Pure Land teachings and taught me the true meanings of the school. All this strengthened my efforts in cultivation so that in due time I saw the ocean of wisdom and realized Enlightenment.

I have one strong point: that is, perseverance. In the ten years of practicing Pure Land Buddhism, I did not miss a single session. Every day I chanted the Buddha's name and recited the mantras without a day's break. This has been my daily homework. Like with the daily three meals, when the time comes, I would put aside anything on hand and begin my homework no matter where or when.

If I am in a hotel, I will stand before a window and chant the Buddha's name and the sutras. If I am held up by visitors, I will do my homework as soon as they leave no matter how late it is, before I go to bed. I have practiced Pure Land Buddhism like this every day, every month, year after year.

After each homework session, I usually recite a long text of transference of merit: "Your disciple Sheng-Yen Lu is now an ordinary man, who, subject to life and death, with heavy karma, has to transgress between the six forms of existence with endless misery. Now I have got to know the truth; knowing the great merit of the sacred name of Amitabha, I chant the name wholeheartedly and wish to be born in your Pure Land. Please be compassionate and take pity on me and accept me as your disciple. I have never seen the brilliant characteristics of the Buddha. Could you make an appearance before me so that I could have a look at you? I also want to see Bodhisattva Kuan-Yin and Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta, and all other Bodhisattvas. In your Buddha Land, everything is pure, majestic, beautiful, and bright. How I wish to see the Pure Land and Buddha Amitabha!" This is how I have practiced Pure Land Buddhism all these years either at home or abroad.

I know of course that there exist four pure lands in the Western World of Ultimate Bliss:

1. the land of eternal and tranquil light;
2. the land of non-hindrance as the true reward;
3. the land of convenience (temporarily established for those who have destroyed major evil passions but have minor delusions to be dealt with);
4. the land where the ordinary people and sages live together.

The land where ordinary people and sages live together is meant for the nine grades (beings are divided into nine grades according to their development in the previous and present lives) who are lotus born. The land of convenience is meant for the highest class of the advanced stage up to Bodhisattvas of the Seventh Stage. The land of non-hindrance as true reward is meant for Bodhisattvas of equal enlightenment from the eighth stage to the eleventh stage. The land of eternal and tranquil light is meant for Bodhisattvas of Perfect Enlightenment of the twelfth stage.

When I prostrate, I do so whole-heartedly to the land of eternal and tranquil light, to Buddha Amitabha, to the pure and wondrous Dharma body, and to all Buddhas from all Dharma realms. I prostrate whole-heartedly to the land of non-hindrance as true reward, to Buddha Amitabha, to the fine-dust ocean body, and to all Buddhas from all Dharma realms. I prostrate wholeheartedly to the land of convenience and the land where ordinary beings and sages live together, to Buddha Amitabha, to the emancipation perfection body, and to all Buddhas from all Dharma Realms.

Later, when I started to study Esoteric Buddhism, I would do my homework for Pure Land first before the homework for Esoteric. I found that there is very little difference between them. Their methods are different, but the truth is the same. There are different levels of depth for both, but I can harmonize them in a coherent whole. This way, the practitioner is like a "tiger with wings" that can both run and fly.

Pure Land Buddhism was founded by Master Hui Yuan (334-416) of East Jin Dynasty. The essential scriptures include: Amitabha Sutra, Amita Yurdhyna Sutra, and the Book of the Eternal in Time. There are five methods of practice in Pure Land School as follows:

1. Recite the name of the Buddha-- this is a practice from the view of life and death. Most of ordinary students of Buddhism just chant the name of the Buddha. This is also the most basic cultivation. The highest fruition for this cultivation is to be born with certain karma into the land where ordinary people and sages live together. They acquire Buddhahood in the Western Paradise. This is fruition of candidacy and relies entirely on outside forces for acceptance.

2. Recite the name of the Buddha while keeping it-- chant the name of the Buddha while thinking of the Buddha. This is more advanced than just reciting the Buddha's name. While chanting the name, you keep in mind the kindness and compassion of Amitabha. Since it relies entirely on outside forces, the ultimate fruition is not great. The practitioner can not become a Buddha in the present life and has to wait to see the Buddha when his lotus blooms.

3. Recite the name of the Buddha while looking at his picture-- beginning to move from Exoteric to Esoteric practice. The picture of the Buddha is printed in the mind so that the chanting and the mind now merge. When the nature and form are united, the practitioner will see Amitabha on a gold lotus and will sooner or later realize. Though still relying on outside forces, the practitioner can generate his own power by looking at the Buddha's picture. He will be born into the land of convenience.

4. Recite the name of the Buddha in visualization-- this follows the sixteen visualizing methods described in Amita Yurdhyana Sutra, which is a great exercise in concentrated meditation. With this training, one enters the stage of Zhan and Tantrayana. During this stage, the practitioner is no longer attached to form; once one is above form, the ultimate fruition is then the land of true reward. If one is not yet free from form in visualization, then is it still like looking at the picture of the Buddha, which means that the sixteen visualizing methods did not produce their effect. As a result, the practitioner still goes to the land of convenience.

5. Recite the name of the Buddha while meditating on the ultimate reality. This is cultivation in accordance with the "three perspectives" of "emptiness," "temporariness" and "the Middle Way," the wisdom of which was discussed in a previous chapter of this book. This method can guide sentient beings to Nirvana by any expedient ways and is the most successful Pure Land practice. In due time, the practitioner sees his own self-nature, becomes a Buddha in this life, and goes to the Land of eternal and tranquil light.

In what follows I describe my own method of practice by which I harmonize the Exoteric and Esoteric teachings:

Prostrate to the picture of the "Three Sages" in the West.

Light up the incense and make offerings as the rites prescribe.

Sit in a full-lotus posture in front of the picture or statue of the Three Sages in the West and control my thoughts and cleanse the mind.

Recite the four-fold refuge:

"Homage to the Guru. Homage to the Buddha. Homage to the Dharma. Homage to the Sangha."

Generate the Bodhicitta. (It's a vow to liberate oneself and deliver others from suffering.)

During visualization, form the Buddha Mudra, like a lotus flower that does not bloom yet, by joining your palms together, fingers pointing up and brought together, like ten petals of a lotus. Visualize the Western Paradise, Amida Buddha in the middle, Bodhisattvas Kuan-Yin, and Mahasthamaprapta on his left and right, who are approaching you, smiling, and emitting three beams of white light. The lights come from the lotus seat of Amitabha, the treasure bottle of Kuan-Yin and the lotus flower in Mahasthamasprapta's hand. These lights empower the practitioner with wisdom which helps him to eradicate his sins and karma.

After that, the practitioner recites: "Na-mo-ya-lee-ye, er-da-ba-ye, da-ta-cha-da-ye" ten times; then recite: "Namo Amitabha" three times; then recite: "Amitabha" a hundred, thousand, or ten thousand times. Upon completion of the recitation, change the mudra into a full-bloom lotus mudra: join your palms together, fingers pointing up, only the bases of the palms meeting, like a lotus flower blooming, symbolizing that you can see the Buddha when your lotus blooms.

Now visualize yourself: you become an Amitabha in red, sitting on a lotus seat. The Buddha and yourself merge, becoming one with all the brilliance and the 32 physical characteristics of the Buddha. At this stage, the mantras give you empowerment, plus those from the three beams of light and the continuous recitation of the Buddha's name. Then, you yourself emit boundless light, and sentient beings from the ten directions come to you to be converted, who will each achieve his fruition.

This is to benefit yourself as well as others.

When everything is perfectly done, come out of concentration and prostrate to the Buddha another three times.

This method of mine can help one to remove the ten evils: killing living beings; stealing; committing adultery; telling lies; uttering harsh words; using words that cause enmity between two or more persons; engaging in idle talk; greed; anger; and ignorance. This method also enables one to follow the ten paramitas: charity; observing precepts; perseverance; energy; meditation; transcendental wisdom; expedient means; vow; power; wisdom. The result is to achieve the ten stages of fruition: the stage of joy; the stage of freedom from defilement; the stage of emission of the light of wisdom; the stage of glowing wisdom; the stage of difficulty in overcoming; the stage of the manifestation of reality; the stage of going far; the stage of immovability; the stage of wondrous wisdom; and the stage of Dharma-cloud.

Among the Buddhist masters I know, a few can only recite the sutras and chant the name of the Buddha. They have learned a whole set of deliverance rituals; at ordinary times, they prostrate, chant and sing; at Dharma assemblies, they put on such an act. All this is utterly useless if they have not realized in the cultivation of self-nature. For it is nothing but acting in an opera-- speaking without sincerity. Please remember, though, that reciting the sutras and the Buddha's name without sincerity will send the practitioner to Hell; those who use Buddhist rites to make money will also go to Hell. I hope they will start practicing both the Pure Land teachings and Esoteric teachings.

Today, this great method of practice is disclosed which is a blessing to those who believe in it; if they can keep at it they will certainly become Buddhas. If you persevere in your practice every day and do not gain Buddhahood, I, Sheng-Yen Lu, will be held responsible.

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