Chapter 32: Infinite Lifespan and Joy (3)

“Why do sentient beings not exert an effort to do good deeds and be mindful of the Way of the true nature?”

This is the Buddha’s earnest exhortation to us. Why don’t we practice diligently to be good and seek birth in the Pure Land? In doing good deeds, the supreme good is Amitabha Buddha’s name. Our mind, our mouth, and our body focus on this name. This is the ultimate goodness. By focusing on Amitabha Buddha, the buddha-name, we achieve everything. 

When we are reborn in the human realm, we cannot go to the other nine Dharma realms. When we are born in the Pure Land, one true Dharma realm, we can go to all the Dharma realms throughout boundless space. That is why the Pure Land bodhisattvas can manifest in the ten Dharma realms in various ways. They can make offerings to all Buddhas and teach and transform sentient beings in the six lower Dharma realms. They can do all this with Amitabha Buddha’s help. It is not difficult to be born in the Pure Land—it is a very natural matter and is within our abilities to achieve. In the “Way of the true nature,” the “Way” refers to the buddha-name. It is the virtuous name of the Pure Land’s teacher, Amitabha Buddha, and also the virtuous name of the true nature. There is no difference between our true nature and that of Amitabha Buddha. 

Great Master Yinguang said that ancient Pure Land masters spoke of “Amitabha Buddha within the true nature, the Pure Land within the mind.” Amitabha Buddha is not an independent entity existing outside the mind, but rather the pure, awakened nature inherent in each of us. The Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is inseparable from every thought, being a pure land manifested by one’s own mind.

This concept harmoniously integrates noumenon, or principle, and phenomenon. 

The noumenon is Amitabha Buddha of the true nature. Amitabha Buddha’s infinite light and infinite life symbolize the perfect wisdom and perfect good fortune inherent in each of us. When we engage in buddha-name chanting, we use our own pure thoughts to give rise to our inner buddha-nature. 

The phenomenon is the Pure Land of the mind. All lands, whether pure or impure, are manifested by the true mind. Because “a pure mind will give rise to a pure land,” when our minds are free from attachments and filled with loving-kindness and purity, the environment in which we find ourselves at that very moment becomes the Pure Land.

Where does the Amitabha Buddha we see in the Western Pure Land come from? 

He is manifested from the merits and virtues of the true nature. When we chant Amitabha Buddha’s name, we are mindful of the infinite merits and virtues of the true nature. We need to understand this. Being mindful of Amitabha Buddha, which is being mindful of the merits and virtues of the true nature, how can we not resonate with Amitabha Buddha?

It truly is a shame that instead of being mindful of Amitabha Buddha, we are doing the opposite. Daily, our minds are filled with greed, anger, ignorance, and arrogance. These afflictions arise from the true nature. The ten Dharma realms are also within the true nature. When we have thoughts of greed, anger, ignorance, and arrogance, we will give rise to the hells, the hungry ghost path, and the animal path. When we are mindful of Amitabha Buddha of our true nature, we will realize the Pure Land in all its magnificence.

From "Commentary on the Infinite Life Sutra," Volume Three

The Pure Land Translation Team

Recognize wandering thoughts for what they are—distractions.

Chapter 32: Infinite Lifespan and Joy (2)

The Buddha told Maitreya Bodhisattva, the heavenly beings, humans, and others, “The merits, virtues, and wisdom of the sound-hearers and bodhisattvas in the Land of Infinite Life are beyond description. This land is exquisite and wondrous, peaceful, joyful, and pure. 

This chapter of the Infinite Life Sutra opens with Sakyamuni Buddha telling Maitreya Bodhisattva, the heavenly beings, humans, and others, “The merits, virtues, and wisdom of the sound-hearers and bodhisattvas in the Land of Infinite Life are beyond description.” “The Land of Infinite Life” refers to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Other than Amitabha Buddha, all the beings in the Pure Land are bodhisattvas. “The sound-hearers” refers to bodhisattvas who have not yet uncovered their true nature. They are not the sound-hearers who are in the ten Dharma realms of the hells, hungry ghosts, animals, humans, asuras, heavens, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, unenlightened bodhisattvas, and Buddhas. “The bodhisattvas” in that land refers to those who have uncovered their true nature. Here, the sutra talks about the magnificence of the living beings there. 

The Buddha then described the wondrous interpersonal environment of the beings in the Pure Land. For millennia, people have rued the difficulty of handling matters and interacting with others. Today, it is even more difficult. The best and purest interpersonal environment is in the Western Pure Land, where everyone’s mind is pure and impartial, free of attachments and discrimination. 

“This land is so exquisite and wondrous, peaceful, joyful, and pure.” This describes the Pure Land’s physical environment. “Exquisite and wondrous” refers to the marvelous material aspects, which cannot be found in this world. The Pure Land is “peaceful, joyful, and pure.” The bodhisattvas’ minds are so pure that they do not have a single wandering thought. The environment naturally reflects this and is also pure.

All this is very different from our world, which is severely polluted. Scientists have warned that due to this pollution, in fifty years, living conditions on Earth will have seriously deteriorated. The environment of the Pure Land, however, is pure. Only when there is purity can there be peace and joy—with a peaceful mind and body, beings will naturally be happy. Saying that the land is “exquisite and wondrous, peaceful, joyful, and pure” is the ultimate praise. None of the worlds in the ten directions can compare to that land.

From "Commentary on the Infinite Life Sutra," Volume Three 

The Pure Land Translation Team

But I want to help people now, not sometime way off in the future.”