PURE-LAND ZEN ZEN PURE-LAND
PURE-LAND ZENZEN PURE-LANDLetters fromPatriarch Yin KuangTranslated by Master Thích Thi ên Tâm, et alForrest G. Smith, consulting editorSUTRA TRANSLATION COMMITTEE OFTHE UNITED STATES AND CANADANew York - San Francisco - Toronto
Note to the reader. This is an electronic version of the book “Pure-LandZen, Zen Pure-Land” (second edition 1993 ), which is a translation of selectedpassages from the letters of Elder Master Yin Kuang, the Thirteenth Patriarch ofPure Land. The original Chinese titles are Yin Kuang Fa Shih Wen Ch’ao and YinKuang Ta Shih Chia Yen Lu.Except for the two pictures of Master Yin Kuang, nothing has been added orchanged. However, the notes to the letters and the Glossary prepared by theVan Hien Study Group as well as the Appendix (The Practices and Vows of theBodhisattva Samantabhadra) were left out, but will hopefully be added later on.T.G., May 2005 reprinted and donated for free distribution by The Corporate Body of the BuddhaEducational Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.Contentsp. 3p. 5p. 8About the authorPrefaceIntroductionThe Pure Land Traditionp. 17TranslationsLetters from Patriarch Yin Kuang25 letters on General Buddhism,Zen and Pure Land, Pure Land Practice
The supreme and endless blessings of Samantabhadra’s deeds,I now universally transfer.May every living being, drowning and adrift,Soon return to the Land of Limitless Light!The Vows of Samantabhadra
About the authorThe life of the Pure Land Patriarch Yin Kuang (1861-1940) covers a mosteventful period for East Asia and parallels the Sino-Japanese War, the ChineseRevolution of 1911 and two world wars.The revolution of 1911 that toppled the Manchu dynasty and established theRepublic of China also brought in its wake a number of problems for theBuddhist sangha [clergy]. Following the political revolution, an intellectualclimate was ushered in that was unfriendly to the interests of Buddhism .The attack and criticism against Buddhism . resulted in a number of discriminatory measures, such as special taxes and contributions being levied ontemples, monasteries being appropriated for use as barracks and police stations, tenants on temple lands being encouraged not to pay rent, and Buddhistimages being destroyed . (Kenneth Ch’en, Buddhism in China, p. 455ff.)Against this backdrop, two eminent monks rose to lead the resurgence of Buddhism: Master T’ai Hsu, who was instrumental in the revival of the Mind-Onlyschool and Master Yin Kuang, later to become the Thirteenth Patriarch of PureLand.The monk mainly responsible for instilling new life and meaning to . [thepractice of Buddha Recitation and chanting of sutras was Master] Yin Kuang. who, after his conversion to Pure Land pietism, concentrated on living a pure religious life based on faith, devotion and holiness . [Master] Yin Kuangcarried on his teachings mainly in the provinces of Kiangsu and Chekiang,where he gained numerous followers and disciples . These efforts by [Master]Yin Kuang and his followers brought about an extensive revival of the Pure Land school. Lotus Societies, Nien-fo [Buddha Recitation] Societies, andothers of a similar nature sprang up all over China. (Ibid.)The compendium of Master Yin Kuang’s letters – excerpts of which aretranslated in this book – represents a broad cross-section of the Master’s thoughtand forms a prized collection of inspirational writings cherished throughout theMahayana world. Scarcely a Chinese temple can be found anywhere without severaldifferent editions of these letters.Diêu PhungMinh ThànhP.D. LeighFestival ofAmitabha BuddhaShepherd ParkHartford, CT: 19923
Patriarch Yin Kuang (1861-1940)4
PrefaceAfter the demise of the historical Buddha, His teachings spread in two maindirections, southward (Theravada tradition) and eastward into China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan (Mahayana tradition). In East Asia, these teachings developed into tendifferent schools, several of which remained important to this day: Zen, Tantric andPure Land. Pure Land is by far the most widespread form of Buddhism in East Asia.All these schools teach the same basic truth: “Do not what is evil, do what isgood, keep the mind pure.” True to this spirit, the Pure Land approach is simpleand straightforward. Through mindfulness of the Buddha (i.e. Buddha Recitation),the practitioner can calm his mind and achieve samadhi and wisdom. Thus rebornin the Pure Land (i.e., in his pure Mind), he will eventually attain Buddhahood.This is also the core teaching, the very essence, of Zen and all other Mahayanaschools. As D.T. Suzuki has pointed out, “the psychological effects of the repetitionof the holy name are close to the effects of Zen meditation.”This notwithstanding, the main emphasis of the Pure Land school lies elsewhere.Pure Land provides a safety net, a refuge of last resort for everyone, through thecompassion of Amitabha Buddha – through His Vows. Taken together, these twoconcepts of the Pure Land – as Mind and as a transcendental land – “effectivelybrought . within the reach of all men the deliverance taught by Sakyamuni” (AllanA. Andrews).But why do we have to purify the mind and seek deliverance? It is because inthe wasteland of Birth and Death, subject to the three poisons of greed, anger anddelusion, we all undergo suffering – the ultimate suffering being, of course, death.Echoing this conclusion, a well-known American professor made this observationabout the motivation of Western Buddhists:Probably the majority of non-Orientals who become practicing Buddhistsdo so because of an overriding need for relief from suffering. Sometimes thesuffering is physical, but more often it is emotional and often psychosomatic. The individual practicing meditation, chanting, or any kind of Buddhist“self-cultivation” is motivated by a need for symptomatic relief, mitigationof anxiety and depression, reduction of hostility . (Emma McCloy Layman,Buddhism in America, p. 269)This is precisely why Buddha Sakyamuni, when preaching the Four NobleTruths to Kaundinya and his friends, taught them first the Truth of Suffering. Theletters of Master Yin Kuang address this issue squarely. If you are suffering andif you realistically discover that you have only average motivation, fortitude andself-discipline, then Pure Land is for you. Pure Land is about suffering and theliberation from suffering.5
This book consists of excerpts of selected letters by the Patriarch Yin Kuang[.]. Each letter can be considered a unit in itself [.]. Please note that in this text,the expressions “Buddha Recitation” and “Buddha’s name” refer specifically toAmitabha Buddha. [.]Here, then, are the letters of the Patriarch Yin Kuang. We hope the Westernreader will enjoy and benefit from them, as several generations of Eastern readershave. As a Zen Master has written in another context, “read them once, read themtwice and look for the same thing that Bodhidharma brought to China: look forthe print of the Mind.”Van Hien Study GroupFestival of SamantabhadraNew York: 19926
There shall be no distinction, no regard to male or female, good or bad, exalted orlowly; none shall fail to be in his Land of Purity after having called, with completefaith, on Amida Buddha.Honen Shonin (as quoted in“Pure Land Buddhist Painting”)
IntroductionThe Pure Land TraditionThe goal of all Buddhist practice is to achieve Enlightenment and transcendthe cycle of Birth and Death – that is, to attain Buddhahood. In the Mahayanatradition, the precondition for Buddhahood is the Bodhi Mind, the aspiration toachieve Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, oneself included.1Since sentient beings are of different spiritual capacities and inclinations, manylevels of teaching and numerous methods were devised in order to reach everyone.Traditionally, the sutras speak of 84,000, i.e., an infinite number of methods,depending on the circumstances, the times and the target audience. All thesemethods are expedients – different medicines for different individuals with differentillnesses at different times – but all are intrinsically perfect and complete.2 Withineach method, the success or failure of an individual’s cultivation depends on hisdepth of practice and understanding, that is, on his mind.A) Self-power, other-powerThroughout history, the Patriarchs have elaborated various systems to categorizeDharma methods and the sutras in which they are expounded. One convenientdivision is into methods based on self-effort (self-power) and those that rely on theassistance of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (other-power).3Traditionally, most Buddhist schools and methods take the self-power approach:progress along the path of Enlightenment is achieved only through intense andsustained personal effort.4 Because of the dedication and effort involved, schools ofthis self-power, self-effort tradition all have a distinct monastic bias. The laity hasgenerally played only a supportive role, with the most spiritually advanced ideallyjoining the Order of monks and nuns. Best known of these traditions are Theravadaand Zen.Parallel to this, particularly following the development of Mahayana thoughtand the rise of lay Buddhism, a more flexible tradition eventually arose, combiningself-power with other-power – the assistance and support provided by the Buddhasand Bodhisattvas to sincere seekers of the Way. Most representative of this traditionare the Esoteric and Pure Land schools. However, unlike the former (or Zen), PureLand does not stress the master-disciple relationship and de-emphasizes the roleof sub-schools, roshis/gurus and rituals. Moreover, the main aim of Pure Land –rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss through the power of Amitabha Buddha’s8
Vows – is a realistic goal, though to be understood at several levels. Therein liesthe appeal and strength of Pure Land.5B) Pure Land in a NutshellPure Land, like all Mahayana schools, requires first and foremost the development of the Bodhi Mind,6 the aspiration to attain Buddhahood for the benefit ofall sentient beings. From this starting point, the main tenets of the school can beunderstood at two main levels, the transcendental and the popular – depending onthe background and the capacities of the cultivator.i) In its popular form, i.e., for ordinary practitioners in this spiritually DegenerateAge, some twenty-six centuries after the demise of the historical Buddha, Pure Landinvolves seeking rebirth in the Land of Amitabha Buddha. This is achieved withinone lifetime through the practice of Buddha Recitation with sincere faith and vows,leading to one-pointedness of mind or samadhi.The devotees of this school venerated Amitabha Buddha and sought not outright Nirvana but rebirth in the . “Pure Land” of Amitabha, also calledSukhavati. In that idyllic environment, no new negative karmic accumulations would be created and all existing ones would evaporate. Nirvana wouldbe therefore just a short step away. (J. Snelling, The Buddhist Handbook, p.133-4.)Thus, at the popular level, the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha is an idealtraining ground, an ideal environment where the practitioner is reborn thanks bothto his own efforts and the power of Amitabha Buddha’s vows (other-power).7 Nolonger subject to retrogression, having left Birth and Death behind forever, thecultivator can now focus all his efforts toward the ultimate aim of Buddhahood.This aspect of Pure Land is the form under which the school is popularly known.8ii) At the advanced level, i.e., for cultivators of high spiritual capacity, the PureLand method, like other methods, reverts the ordinary, deluded mind to the SelfNature True Mind.9 In the process, wisdom and Buddhahood are eventually attained. This is exemplified by the following advice of the eminent Zen master Chu Hung(Jap. Shuko), one of the three “Dragon-Elephants” of 16th-17th century China:Right now you simply must recite the buddha-name with purity and illumination. Purity means reciting the buddha-name without any other thoughts.Illumination means reflecting back as you recite the buddha-name. Purityis sammata, “stopping.” Illumination is vipasyana, “observing.” Unify yourmindfulness of buddha through buddha-name recitation, and stopping andobserving are both present. (J.C. Cleary, Pure Land, Pure Mind.)As stated in Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith (Section 18):If we have the roots and the temperament of Mahayana followers, we shouldnaturally understand that the goal of Buddha Recitation is to achieve Buddhahood . Why is it that the goal of Buddha Recitation is to become a Buddha?9
It is because, as we begin reciting, the past, present and future have lost theirdistinction, marks exist but they have been left behind, form is emptiness,thought is the same as No-Thought, the realm of the Original Nature “apartfrom thought” of the Tathagata has been penetrated. This state is Buddhahood; what else could it be?This high-level form of Pure Land is practiced by those of deep spiritualcapacities: “when the mind is pure, the Buddha land is pure . to recite theBuddha’s name is to recite the Mind.” Thus, at the advanced level, Pure Land isZen, Zen is Pure Land.10In its totality, Pure Land reflects the highest teaching of Buddhism as expressedin the Avatamsaka Sutra: mutual identity and interpenetration, the simplestmethod contains the ultimate and the ultimate is found in the simplest.11C) Faith, Vows and PracticeThese three factors are the cornerstones of Pure Land Buddhism. If they arepresent, rebirth in the Pure Land is achieved. Faith means faith in AmitabhaBuddha’s Vow to rescue all who recite His name, as well as faith in one’s ownSelf-Nature, which is intrinsically the same as His (to recite the Buddha’s name isto recite the Mind). Vows are the determination to be reborn in the Pure Land –in one’s pure Mind – so as to be in the position to save oneself and others. Practicegenerally means reciting the Buddha’s name to the point where one’s Mind andthat of Amitabha Buddha are in unison – i.e., to the point of singlemindedness.Samadhi and wisdom are then achieved.Please note that all Buddhist teachings are expedients, dividing the one andindivisible Truth into many parts. Faith, Vows and Practice, although three, arereally one. Thus, it can be said that rebirth in the Pure Land depends on threeconditions or two conditions (Faith and Vows) or even one condition (Faith), as theone contains all and all is contained in the one. The formula to be used depends onthe audience and the times. The aim is to enable sentient beings to achieve rebirthin the Pure Land as a steppingstone toward Buddhahood.D) Transference of MeritCentral to the Pure Land tradition is the figure of the Bodhisattva Dharmakara,the future Amitabha Buddha, who came to exemplify the Bodhisattva ideal andthe doctrine of dedication of merit.12 This merit transference is the source of thevow-power, or other-power, in Pure Land Buddhism.The Mahayana idea of the Buddha being able to impart his power to othersmarks one of those epoch-making deviations which set off the Mahayana fromso-called . original Buddhism . The Mahayanists accumulate stocks of merit not only for the material of their own enlightenment but for the general10
cultivation of merit which can be shared equally by their fellow-beings, animate and inanimate. This is the true meaning of Parinamana, that is, turningone’s merit over to others for their spiritual interest. (D.T. Suzuki, tr., TheLankavatara Sutra, p. xix.)The rationale for such conduct, which on the surface appears to run counter tothe law of Cause and Effect, may be explained in the following passage concerningone of the three Pure Land sages, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Kuan Yin):Some of us may ask whether the effect of karma can be reverted by repeatingthe name of Kuan-Yin. This question is tied up with that of rebirth inSukhavati [the Pure Land] and it may be answered by saying that invocationof Kuan-Yin’s name forms another cause which will right away offset theprevious karma. We know, for example, that if there is a dark, heavy cloudabove, the chances are that it will rain. But we also know that if a strongwind should blow, the cloud will be carried away somewhere else and we willnot feel the rain. Similarly, the addition of one big factor can alter the wholecourse of karma .It is only by accepting the idea of life as one whole that both Theravadinsand Mahayanists can advocate the practice of transference of merit to others.With the case of Kuan-Yin then, by calling on Her name we identify ourselveswith Her and as a result of this identification Her merits flow over to us.These merits which are now ours then counterbalance our bad karma andsave us from calamity. The law of cause and effect still stands good. All thathas happened is that a powerful and immensely good karma has overshadowedthe weaker one . (Lecture on Kuan Yin by Tech Eng Soon – Penang BuddhistAssociation, c. 1960. Pamphlet.)This concept of transference of merit, which presupposes a receptive mind onthe part of the cultivator, is emphasized in Pure Land. However, the concept alsoexists, albeit in embryonic form, in the Theravada tradition, as exemplified in thebeautiful story of the Venerable Angulimala.13E) Faith and MindFaith is an important component of Pure Land Buddhism.14 However, wisdomor Mind also plays a crucial, if less visible, role. This interrelationship is clearlyillustrated in the Meditation Sutra: the worst sinner, guilty of matricide and parricide, etc. may still achieve rebirth in the Pure Land if, on the verge of death, heconcentrates on the Buddha’s name one to ten times with utmost faith and sincerity.This passage can be understood at two levels. At the level of everyday life, justas the worst criminal once genuinely reformed is no longer a threat to society andmay be pardoned, the sinner once truly repentant may, through the vow-power ofAmitabha Buddha, achieve rebirth in the Pure Land – albeit at the lowest grade.Thus, Pure Land offers hope to everyone; yet at the same time, the law of Cause11
and Effect remains valid.At the level of principle or Mind, as the Sixth Patriarch taught in the PlatformSutra:A foolish passing thought makes one an ordinary man, while an enlightenedsecond thought makes one a Buddha.Therefore, once the sinner repents and concentrates on the Buddha’s name withutmost sincerity and one-pointedness of mind, for that moment he becomes anawakened person silently merging into the stream of the Sages – can Enlightenmentand Buddhahood then be that far away?15 As the Meditation Sutra states: “theLand of Amitabha Buddha is not far from here!”16Van Hien Study Group / 1992Festival of the Bodhisattva Kuan-Yin(1) See the following passage, by the late founder of the Buddhist Lodge and Buddhist Society (London), on the true goal of all Buddhist practice:In the West, the need for some guidance in mind-development was made acute . by a sudden spate of books which were, whatever the motive of theirauthors, dangerous in the extreme. No word was said in them of the soleright motive for mind-development, the enlightenment of the meditator forthe benefit of all mankind, and the reader was led to believe that it was quite legitimate to study and practice mindfulness, and the higher stages whichensue, for the benefit of business efficiency and the advancement of personalprestige. In these circumstances, Concentration and Meditation, . was compiled and published by the [British] Buddhist Society, with constant stress onthe importance of right motive, and ample warning of the dangers, from aheadache to insanity, which lie in wait for those who trifle with the greatestforce on earth, the human mind. (Christmas Humphreys, The Buddhist Wayof Life, p. 100.)(2) Since every method is an expedient, adapted to a particular target audience,each one is perfect and complete for a given person or group at a given time. Seealso the following passage from D.T. Suzu
Note to the reader. This is an electronic version of the book “Pure-Land Zen, Zen Pure-Land” (second edition 1993 ), which is a translation of selected passages from the lette
Zen, Zen Pure-Land" (second edition 1993 ), which is a translation of selected passages from the letters of Elder Master Yin Kuang, the Thirteenth Patriarch of Pure Land. The original Chinese titles are Yin Kuang Fa Shih Wen Ch'ao and Yin Kuang Ta Shih Chia Yen Lu. Except for the two pictures of Master Yin Kuang, nothing has been added or .
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Living IELTS Talking about likes and dislikes 1.9 Listen and mark the stress in the sentences. I really don’t like winter. I love it. I like playing sport. I hate watching sport in the cold! 1.9 Listen again and practise. Unit 2 Festivals 15 18941_03_U2_R1-2_014-023.indd 15 5/6/12 6:08 PM. Vocabulary Positive and negative adjectives 1 Look at the adjectives below. Which have a positive .
