Good Roots, Good Fortune, and Favorable Conditions

Why is that world called Ultimate Bliss? Because there is no suffering there. Why is there no suffering? Because a good teacher is teaching there, and all the beings there have matured good roots.

But it is different in our world. In this world, we do have a good teacher, Sakyamuni Buddha, who is no different from Amitabha Buddha. It is just that the direct rewards in this world are not good. Why? Because the beings in this Saha world have deep-rooted afflictions and residual habits, and many karmic obstacles. It is very hard to teach them and to transform them. Even if Amitabha Buddha were to teach here, he would not be able to help them as they would not accept his teaching. The Saha world cannot compare with the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Why does every being in the Western Pure Land have matured good roots? We should know the reason. Amitabha Buddha attained Buddhahood only ten kalpas ago, so the Western Pure Land is like a newly established world. On the other hand, this Saha world is like a place that has existed for thousands of years. Many faults and bad habits have been accumulated for generations and it is hard to change them.

The Western Pure Land is a place that Amitabha Buddha built for the purpose of learning and practicing, and in the beginning there were no beings. Where did the beings in the Western Pure Land come from? They immigrated from the worlds in the ten directions. In order to emigrate to the Western Pure Land, they had to meet one requirement. That requirement is that one must have matured good roots, good fortune, and favorable conditions. It is clearly stated in this sutra: “One cannot be born in this land with few good roots, good fortune, and favorable conditions.”

It is truly a rare opportunity to learn of such a beautiful world. If we want to be reborn there, we must have ample good roots, good fortune, and favorable conditions. We may be able to rely on others to help us where favorable conditions are concerned but we have to cultivate good roots and good fortune ourselves. Others cannot help us with these.

Having good roots means that one is able to believe and to comprehend the teachings in this sutra. Having good fortune means that one is willing to practice according to the teaching and is able to attain realization. Favorable conditions are external. The most important favorable condition is to meet a truly good teacher who introduces this Dharma door to us. We already have this favorable condition.

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra