Tenet of Pureland Tradition 淨土宗宗風
by Master Huijing
by Master Huijing
1. There are 2 parts to the "Tenet of Pureland tradition", the first part is "The true essence 真諦 : to attain birth in Amitabha Buddha's Land of Bliss", and the second part is "The worldly essence 俗諦 : the way of life and how we conduct ourselves in society".
Practitioners of Buddhism seek "Dharma 法" whether they are monastics or lay Buddhists. Dharma consists of worldly dharma 世間法 and transcendental dharma 出世間法. Worldly dharma refers to the worldly essence, that is, the way of life and how we conduct ourselves in society; transcendental dharma refers to the "Difficult path 難行道" and "Easy path 易行道“. We practice the transcendental dharma which is the Easy path, that is, the pristine Pureland tradition on reciting "Namo Amituofo" 稱名念佛 to attain birth in the Land of Bliss. In simple terms, The worldly essence relates the benefits of mortals' daily life of this life time, while The true essence relates the benefits of reciting "Namo Amituofo" to attain birth in the Land of Bliss.
2. The way to attain birth in the Land of Bliss is accomplished by focusing exclusively on reciting "Namo Amituofo"; while the way of life and how we conduct ourselves in society includes virtuous conduct of a kind father and filial son, the love and respect as brothers should, the 3 cardinal guides (A ruler guides his subjects, a father guides his son and a husband guides his wife) and the 5 constant ethical relationships (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and fidelity), the 4 anchors and 8 virtues, all of which to be appropriately abided by. However, we have to be clear that these form no parts as conditions or functions to our practice to attain birth in the Land of Bliss, and we do not depend on these worldly essence to reach the Land of Bliss.
3. The first tenet - The true essence 真諦:
4. As we observe and understand The true essence 真諦, the 6 points mentioned previously can be broken down into 3 parts for discussion.
5. The explanation on The true essence of the Pureland tenet is directed at the teaching and meaning of reciting "Namo Amituofo", as for concepts on sufferings, emptiness, impermanence and sins, these are preludes to guide practitioners into the Easy path on reciting "Namo Amituofo" to attain birth in the Land of Bliss, which are indispensable and should not be set aside.
6. "To stand aloof from worldly affairs and bear no ill will against anybody" puts a person's mind at ease and peace, he is calm like a blind and deaf person, who hasn't the ability to see and hear the right and wrong of everyday affairs. Such a person is not distracted and perturbed by compliments or verbal attacks as he goes about his way reciting "Namo Amituofo", taking no concern as these distractions bombard his senses.
7. The principal sutras and treatise of Pureland tradition are made up of the 3 Pureland sutras and 1 treatise 三經一論. As for sutras outside the scope of Pureland tradition, in which, Buddha Shakyamuni also spoke about Amitabha Buddha and his Western Land of Bliss during his lifetime, amounted to more than 200 sutras, and thus, the saying : "The thousands of sutras and treatises lead the way to Amitabha Buddha's Pureland, a Land of Bliss aspired by sages and venerables throughout the ages". These are clear displays of the rich learning scope of this Dharma tradition, thus, "practice based more on faith than just science", in other words, the tenet is not against learning but against being scholarly. Why? Being scholarly is not the objective as a learner or practitioner of Pureland tradition, at the end of the day, this practice redirects a practitioner towards faith, which is the actual objective, regardless of whether we have the academic ability or not.
Even if a practitioner was a scholar, when death approaches, none of his knowledge of the world or even profound wisdom in the scriptures, wealth, status, reputation and power are of any use to him. Even with his lifetime of virtuous practice, he can rely on none of these to attain birth in the Land of Bliss to free himself of transmigration 輪迴 in the 3 realms 三界. At the very end, we can only rely on our resolute faith in Amitabha Buddha's vow of salvation, as Master Shan Dao had spoken : "recite Namo Amituofo, and one is certain to be born in the Land of Bliss", just as what is mentioned in the tenet : "recite exclusively Buddha's name Namo Amituofo".
8. This Dharma tradition, from this moment until attaining Buddhahood, is utmost simple, easy, unsophisticated, uncomplicated, practicable by anyone; if practitioners seek the complicated, extraordinary, then they will not receive the benefit of this Dharma path.
Therefore, we ought to regard ourselves as simpletons, reduce ourselves to mere defiled sentient beings of little ability and knowledge even if we have wisdom and great capacity, because when we recite Amitabha Buddha's name "Namo Amituofo", what good deeds done and practice cultivated would become a mere drop in the ocean, nothing worth mentioning. Ultimately, we have to rely on Amitabha Buddha's name "Namo Amituofo".
For this reason, Master Honen 法然上人 spoke these words : "Practicing the Path of the sages 聖道門 guide practitioners to nirvana, whereas practicing Pureland path 淨土門 returns a practitioner to simplicity (regard oneself as a simpleton) to be born in the Land of Bliss. As simpleton Pureland practitioners, we know nothing but reciting "Namo Amituofo", just like the elderly folks. As for the art of Zen and enlightenment, those are on the Path of the sages. As for this Dharma path of ours, we must practice strictly by the teachings of the founding masters because if we were presumptuous, there is a tendency to deviate from the actual course.
9. Reciting Amitabha Buddha's name is our knowledge, our wisdom. In this manner, it is peaceful and honest recitation, that is, practice based on faith than just science. At the end, it is finding sheer faith to be our objective, hope and ultimate place of return.
10. There is a saying : "understanding initiates practice and literal understanding cease as it manifests into practice". It is likened to walking on a street, before one starts out, he studies the maps and instructions, and once he is off on the road, he no longer needs to hold on to his maps and compass, but just drive to his destination. This is because Buddhism places emphasis on having faith and real practice, not just on literal academic achievements, analysis or academic research. As the saying has it : "embrace and always practice by the teaching to contemplate the inner nature of our mind", if it was just researching Buddhism but not practice to understand our inner nature, it equates a mere kind of academic research or discussion that is only philosophical, and cannot be considered a religion.
11. In Buddhism, Pureland tradition emphasizes actual practice over academic studies. This is true even if we have the transmission of the 3 principal Pureland sutras and treatise from the Pureland patriarchs, they are not the objective of Pureland faith and practice; even if we have published hundreds of books, they form no part as objectives but preludes and guides, i.e., preparatory education leading to Pureland path. Therefore, we must be wise to size up the teaching, take in what is crucial and relinquish what is preparatory. If there was a need to do in depth analysis and discussion, there is no harm doing so, but at the end, we must put it into real practice.
12. Faith 信仰 is of utmost importance to us, it matters more than one's life. A person who has resolute faith devotes his life and soul to his faith, becomes one with his faith, speaks and thinks nothing but his faith as nothing else is higher than his faith.
Can people of differing faith share a long decent conversation? I am afraid not. Thus, it is not so wise to seek advice from people of differing faith. Speakers who are sent to propagate his own Dharma in a foreign country are well trained professional lecturers, otherwise they would never undertake to give lectures, because it is not the easiest task to convince fellows of a differing faith. People in general do not give discourses easily, to say nothing of practitioners of various Dharma paths giving guidance to people from other faith, which is already something quite difficult to accomplish. It is a rare case if these speakers were not swayed instead by perspectives from practitioners of other faith.
13. This Pureland Dharma path is based on uncompromising and resolute faith in the "Other Power", even the wisest or highly enlightened who have the capacity to practice the 6 Paramitas, must bow before Amitabha Buddha, willingly relinquish cultivated merits from the 6 Paramitas and adopt entirely Amitabha Buddha's virtues and teaching to become their way of practice in order to attain birth in the Land of Bliss. A faith relying wholeheartedly on the "Other Power" (Amitabha Buddha's vow of salvation, i.e., recite "Namo Amituofo", relinquishes the "Self Power" (have no faith in a sublime force but relying on self effort to attain deliverance). This is absolute sublime power from Amitabha Buddha, thus, reciting Buddha's name invokes his vow into action, which is directly in line with Amitabha Buddha's vow, doing away with all other expedient methods of practice. What's more, at this Dharma Ending age in the Saha world 娑婆世界 where there are speakers preaching Pureland Dharma from an incorrect perspective, practitioners who are ignorant will very often out of curiosity be attracted to these perspective and ideas. That is why, practitioners tend to deviate from the ordinary and practical course that of pristine and absolute Pureland Dharma, often misled by their high regard for profundity and curiosity for the supernatural. However, it is really not at all easy to discern the ordinary to be the absolute Dharma because some people who haven't reached a good level of understanding Pureland teaching tend to be fascinated by the supernatural and profound. Also, Pureland practitioners who haven't gone through a long and arduous period in search of the absolute path, who haven't come to terms with our defiled nature, very often turn to other traditions or paths that preach the mysterious and supernatural.
14. In a group where fellows share the same faith, aspiration, practice and objective, there has to be a set of rules, otherwise, the intermingling of different backgrounds and temperament each dictated by the 3 poisons 三毒, usually leads to disconcerted behaviour from the individuals, this does not help in building a harmonious group, and hence, the installation of monastic rules by Zen Master Bai Zhang 百丈禪師, the precepts by Honen 法然上人, and Master Shan Dao as the role model of Pureland Dharma. He also observed this precept and did not seek advice from practitioners of another faith and perspective, clearly indicates that birth in the Pureland is not something to be trifled with. Hence, how could anyone follow a trend blindly and jeopardize the all important course - birth in the Pureland? We should act within our capacity to preach the Pureland Dharma and guide potential practitioners back to the correct course, so that in time, when we return from Pureland, we would have by then the compassion and wisdom that of Buddhas and Boddhisattvas to preach in a big way and deliver sentient beings in their own light to the Pureland. It is difficult for defiled sentient beings to tame their agitated minds, without rules and precepts. When the mind is like a wild horse running wild and uncontrollable, it is ever more disastrous; if a practitioner does not have right thought, he is likely to misunderstand Amitabha Buddha's original intent and as a result fall from grace.
15. As a stanza says : "Having no sickness is the highest blessing, being contented is the biggest felicity, good fellow friends are closest kins, attaining Buddhahood is the greatest bliss". In life, what better than to enjoy good health, what richer than to be contented, our closest friends instead of our family loved ones are our teachers in this Dharma path, for a wife may share the same bed but a different dream, a father and son relationship may be very close and yet transmigrate their separate ways in the 3 realms as their karmic forces play out, and possibly, hinder each others' course towards deliverance. We must acknowledge that our good fellow friends and teachers are the only ones in this Dharma path who are there to guide us to deliverance, i.e., to be born in the Land of Bliss. At that moment, we will attain the bliss of nirvana.
16. As practitioners of the Buddhadharma, it is crucial to approach good fellow friends and teachers 善知識 of the same Dharma path as they speak only words of the Pureland Dharma. They can help clear our distorted perspectives and reestablish right thought in us. If practitioners could abide by the rule of seeking advice from good fellow friends and teachers of this Dharma path and not from those of a different path, then, even simpletons would have right thought and discernment, safe-guarding them from heading into the wrong path.
17. Buddha Shakyamuni spoke these words : "good fellow friends and teachers aren't just half the reason to our attaining deliverance but in actual fact, the entire reason". In other words, our attaining deliverance, birth in the Land of Bliss and Buddhahood are entirely the guidance by good fellow friends and teachers.
18. "Seek advice from fellows of the same Dharma path, discuss the Dharma; do not seek advice from fellows of another path, to prevent from corrupting our understanding of the Dharma which can lead to our quitting this Dharma path for another". Practicing this rule is a show of complete abidance and transmission of this pristine Pureland teaching and tradition established by Master Shan Dao, a distinctive characteristic of the pristine Pureland Dharma path.
This stanza is based on Master Shan Dao's thought and it is extracted from his commentaries, i.e., they are words by the master himself. This thought is of great concern to our Dharma body and intellectual life energy. Therefore, strict observance is extremely important, there is neither room for ambiguity, perfunctory nor compromise. At the same time, the capacity to make such a proposition indicates the magnitude of Master Shan Dao's compassion and wisdom, because it can resolutely preserve the breadth and wellness of our epic path.
The words "seek advice" in "seek advice from fellows of the same Dharma path" is different from what it is supposed to mean in general terms. That is why, it is used within the scope of "The true essence 真諦", which speaks about the teaching on the aspiration to be born in the Pureland, not about the worldly essence that touches on how we conduct ourselves in society. The words "seek advice" here is similar to "abidance", that is, to rely on people and places of virtues and good practice (be they people, matter, places or things), we must always keep a constant contact, never lose touch with them, thus, it is called "abidance".
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Practitioners of Buddhism seek "Dharma 法" whether they are monastics or lay Buddhists. Dharma consists of worldly dharma 世間法 and transcendental dharma 出世間法. Worldly dharma refers to the worldly essence, that is, the way of life and how we conduct ourselves in society; transcendental dharma refers to the "Difficult path 難行道" and "Easy path 易行道“. We practice the transcendental dharma which is the Easy path, that is, the pristine Pureland tradition on reciting "Namo Amituofo" 稱名念佛 to attain birth in the Land of Bliss. In simple terms, The worldly essence relates the benefits of mortals' daily life of this life time, while The true essence relates the benefits of reciting "Namo Amituofo" to attain birth in the Land of Bliss.
2. The way to attain birth in the Land of Bliss is accomplished by focusing exclusively on reciting "Namo Amituofo"; while the way of life and how we conduct ourselves in society includes virtuous conduct of a kind father and filial son, the love and respect as brothers should, the 3 cardinal guides (A ruler guides his subjects, a father guides his son and a husband guides his wife) and the 5 constant ethical relationships (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and fidelity), the 4 anchors and 8 virtues, all of which to be appropriately abided by. However, we have to be clear that these form no parts as conditions or functions to our practice to attain birth in the Land of Bliss, and we do not depend on these worldly essence to reach the Land of Bliss.
3. The first tenet - The true essence 真諦:
- From the perspective of Amitabha Buddha's primal vow, Amitabha Buddha's primal vow of salvation centers on sentient beings, thus, to be in line with Amitabha Buddha's vow, practitioners should focus exclusively on reciting "Namo Amituofo" (Buddha's name).
- recite "Namo Amituofo" constantly without any doubt and extraneous elements.
- have complete respect and practice sincerely by the original tenet, never ridicule the other Buddhist traditions; make no comparison and argument over the differing qualities among the traditions; abide exclusively by the practice of reciting Buddha's name - "Namo Amituofo".
- be contented to live an ordinary life and are not eager to experience, not curious of the supernatural, do not seek profundity but the ordinary, practice the Easy path based more on faith than just science, simplify rather than involve the difficult, do not fall into the trap of believing in many and complicated but the universal.
- strictly abide by works from the Pureland lineage 傳承, observe limits and never include one's own thoughts. Pay due respect to the other traditions even if they make differing explications.
- seek advice from fellows of the same tradition, discuss and exchange understanding of the Dharma; if practitioners haven't developed an unyielding faith, show respect but do not seek advice from fellows of the other traditions to prevent from falling into the perspectives of the other traditions and eventually lose confidence in Pureland teaching.
4. As we observe and understand The true essence 真諦, the 6 points mentioned previously can be broken down into 3 parts for discussion.
- Point 1 and 2 provide a summary. Point 1 gives an explanation from a positive perspective while point 2 explains it from the opposite.
- Point 3 and 4 talk about putting into practice what has been understood. Point 3 focuses on independent peaceful self practice (that makes no comparison, competition and argument with the teachings of the other traditions); while the main objective of point 4 is to show others how easy, practical and ordinary our tradition is, and at the same time, strengthen our very own belief to prevent deviation.
- Point 5 and 6 are mentioned to guard the teaching and instructions of the Pureland tradition. Point 5 has the role to safe-guard right understanding, taking care not to deviate; while point 6 prevents any external erroneous and extraneous elements from intruding, to assure and protect the purity and clarity of this tradition.
5. The explanation on The true essence of the Pureland tenet is directed at the teaching and meaning of reciting "Namo Amituofo", as for concepts on sufferings, emptiness, impermanence and sins, these are preludes to guide practitioners into the Easy path on reciting "Namo Amituofo" to attain birth in the Land of Bliss, which are indispensable and should not be set aside.
6. "To stand aloof from worldly affairs and bear no ill will against anybody" puts a person's mind at ease and peace, he is calm like a blind and deaf person, who hasn't the ability to see and hear the right and wrong of everyday affairs. Such a person is not distracted and perturbed by compliments or verbal attacks as he goes about his way reciting "Namo Amituofo", taking no concern as these distractions bombard his senses.
7. The principal sutras and treatise of Pureland tradition are made up of the 3 Pureland sutras and 1 treatise 三經一論. As for sutras outside the scope of Pureland tradition, in which, Buddha Shakyamuni also spoke about Amitabha Buddha and his Western Land of Bliss during his lifetime, amounted to more than 200 sutras, and thus, the saying : "The thousands of sutras and treatises lead the way to Amitabha Buddha's Pureland, a Land of Bliss aspired by sages and venerables throughout the ages". These are clear displays of the rich learning scope of this Dharma tradition, thus, "practice based more on faith than just science", in other words, the tenet is not against learning but against being scholarly. Why? Being scholarly is not the objective as a learner or practitioner of Pureland tradition, at the end of the day, this practice redirects a practitioner towards faith, which is the actual objective, regardless of whether we have the academic ability or not.
Even if a practitioner was a scholar, when death approaches, none of his knowledge of the world or even profound wisdom in the scriptures, wealth, status, reputation and power are of any use to him. Even with his lifetime of virtuous practice, he can rely on none of these to attain birth in the Land of Bliss to free himself of transmigration 輪迴 in the 3 realms 三界. At the very end, we can only rely on our resolute faith in Amitabha Buddha's vow of salvation, as Master Shan Dao had spoken : "recite Namo Amituofo, and one is certain to be born in the Land of Bliss", just as what is mentioned in the tenet : "recite exclusively Buddha's name Namo Amituofo".
8. This Dharma tradition, from this moment until attaining Buddhahood, is utmost simple, easy, unsophisticated, uncomplicated, practicable by anyone; if practitioners seek the complicated, extraordinary, then they will not receive the benefit of this Dharma path.
Therefore, we ought to regard ourselves as simpletons, reduce ourselves to mere defiled sentient beings of little ability and knowledge even if we have wisdom and great capacity, because when we recite Amitabha Buddha's name "Namo Amituofo", what good deeds done and practice cultivated would become a mere drop in the ocean, nothing worth mentioning. Ultimately, we have to rely on Amitabha Buddha's name "Namo Amituofo".
For this reason, Master Honen 法然上人 spoke these words : "Practicing the Path of the sages 聖道門 guide practitioners to nirvana, whereas practicing Pureland path 淨土門 returns a practitioner to simplicity (regard oneself as a simpleton) to be born in the Land of Bliss. As simpleton Pureland practitioners, we know nothing but reciting "Namo Amituofo", just like the elderly folks. As for the art of Zen and enlightenment, those are on the Path of the sages. As for this Dharma path of ours, we must practice strictly by the teachings of the founding masters because if we were presumptuous, there is a tendency to deviate from the actual course.
9. Reciting Amitabha Buddha's name is our knowledge, our wisdom. In this manner, it is peaceful and honest recitation, that is, practice based on faith than just science. At the end, it is finding sheer faith to be our objective, hope and ultimate place of return.
10. There is a saying : "understanding initiates practice and literal understanding cease as it manifests into practice". It is likened to walking on a street, before one starts out, he studies the maps and instructions, and once he is off on the road, he no longer needs to hold on to his maps and compass, but just drive to his destination. This is because Buddhism places emphasis on having faith and real practice, not just on literal academic achievements, analysis or academic research. As the saying has it : "embrace and always practice by the teaching to contemplate the inner nature of our mind", if it was just researching Buddhism but not practice to understand our inner nature, it equates a mere kind of academic research or discussion that is only philosophical, and cannot be considered a religion.
11. In Buddhism, Pureland tradition emphasizes actual practice over academic studies. This is true even if we have the transmission of the 3 principal Pureland sutras and treatise from the Pureland patriarchs, they are not the objective of Pureland faith and practice; even if we have published hundreds of books, they form no part as objectives but preludes and guides, i.e., preparatory education leading to Pureland path. Therefore, we must be wise to size up the teaching, take in what is crucial and relinquish what is preparatory. If there was a need to do in depth analysis and discussion, there is no harm doing so, but at the end, we must put it into real practice.
12. Faith 信仰 is of utmost importance to us, it matters more than one's life. A person who has resolute faith devotes his life and soul to his faith, becomes one with his faith, speaks and thinks nothing but his faith as nothing else is higher than his faith.
Can people of differing faith share a long decent conversation? I am afraid not. Thus, it is not so wise to seek advice from people of differing faith. Speakers who are sent to propagate his own Dharma in a foreign country are well trained professional lecturers, otherwise they would never undertake to give lectures, because it is not the easiest task to convince fellows of a differing faith. People in general do not give discourses easily, to say nothing of practitioners of various Dharma paths giving guidance to people from other faith, which is already something quite difficult to accomplish. It is a rare case if these speakers were not swayed instead by perspectives from practitioners of other faith.
13. This Pureland Dharma path is based on uncompromising and resolute faith in the "Other Power", even the wisest or highly enlightened who have the capacity to practice the 6 Paramitas, must bow before Amitabha Buddha, willingly relinquish cultivated merits from the 6 Paramitas and adopt entirely Amitabha Buddha's virtues and teaching to become their way of practice in order to attain birth in the Land of Bliss. A faith relying wholeheartedly on the "Other Power" (Amitabha Buddha's vow of salvation, i.e., recite "Namo Amituofo", relinquishes the "Self Power" (have no faith in a sublime force but relying on self effort to attain deliverance). This is absolute sublime power from Amitabha Buddha, thus, reciting Buddha's name invokes his vow into action, which is directly in line with Amitabha Buddha's vow, doing away with all other expedient methods of practice. What's more, at this Dharma Ending age in the Saha world 娑婆世界 where there are speakers preaching Pureland Dharma from an incorrect perspective, practitioners who are ignorant will very often out of curiosity be attracted to these perspective and ideas. That is why, practitioners tend to deviate from the ordinary and practical course that of pristine and absolute Pureland Dharma, often misled by their high regard for profundity and curiosity for the supernatural. However, it is really not at all easy to discern the ordinary to be the absolute Dharma because some people who haven't reached a good level of understanding Pureland teaching tend to be fascinated by the supernatural and profound. Also, Pureland practitioners who haven't gone through a long and arduous period in search of the absolute path, who haven't come to terms with our defiled nature, very often turn to other traditions or paths that preach the mysterious and supernatural.
14. In a group where fellows share the same faith, aspiration, practice and objective, there has to be a set of rules, otherwise, the intermingling of different backgrounds and temperament each dictated by the 3 poisons 三毒, usually leads to disconcerted behaviour from the individuals, this does not help in building a harmonious group, and hence, the installation of monastic rules by Zen Master Bai Zhang 百丈禪師, the precepts by Honen 法然上人, and Master Shan Dao as the role model of Pureland Dharma. He also observed this precept and did not seek advice from practitioners of another faith and perspective, clearly indicates that birth in the Pureland is not something to be trifled with. Hence, how could anyone follow a trend blindly and jeopardize the all important course - birth in the Pureland? We should act within our capacity to preach the Pureland Dharma and guide potential practitioners back to the correct course, so that in time, when we return from Pureland, we would have by then the compassion and wisdom that of Buddhas and Boddhisattvas to preach in a big way and deliver sentient beings in their own light to the Pureland. It is difficult for defiled sentient beings to tame their agitated minds, without rules and precepts. When the mind is like a wild horse running wild and uncontrollable, it is ever more disastrous; if a practitioner does not have right thought, he is likely to misunderstand Amitabha Buddha's original intent and as a result fall from grace.
15. As a stanza says : "Having no sickness is the highest blessing, being contented is the biggest felicity, good fellow friends are closest kins, attaining Buddhahood is the greatest bliss". In life, what better than to enjoy good health, what richer than to be contented, our closest friends instead of our family loved ones are our teachers in this Dharma path, for a wife may share the same bed but a different dream, a father and son relationship may be very close and yet transmigrate their separate ways in the 3 realms as their karmic forces play out, and possibly, hinder each others' course towards deliverance. We must acknowledge that our good fellow friends and teachers are the only ones in this Dharma path who are there to guide us to deliverance, i.e., to be born in the Land of Bliss. At that moment, we will attain the bliss of nirvana.
16. As practitioners of the Buddhadharma, it is crucial to approach good fellow friends and teachers 善知識 of the same Dharma path as they speak only words of the Pureland Dharma. They can help clear our distorted perspectives and reestablish right thought in us. If practitioners could abide by the rule of seeking advice from good fellow friends and teachers of this Dharma path and not from those of a different path, then, even simpletons would have right thought and discernment, safe-guarding them from heading into the wrong path.
17. Buddha Shakyamuni spoke these words : "good fellow friends and teachers aren't just half the reason to our attaining deliverance but in actual fact, the entire reason". In other words, our attaining deliverance, birth in the Land of Bliss and Buddhahood are entirely the guidance by good fellow friends and teachers.
18. "Seek advice from fellows of the same Dharma path, discuss the Dharma; do not seek advice from fellows of another path, to prevent from corrupting our understanding of the Dharma which can lead to our quitting this Dharma path for another". Practicing this rule is a show of complete abidance and transmission of this pristine Pureland teaching and tradition established by Master Shan Dao, a distinctive characteristic of the pristine Pureland Dharma path.
This stanza is based on Master Shan Dao's thought and it is extracted from his commentaries, i.e., they are words by the master himself. This thought is of great concern to our Dharma body and intellectual life energy. Therefore, strict observance is extremely important, there is neither room for ambiguity, perfunctory nor compromise. At the same time, the capacity to make such a proposition indicates the magnitude of Master Shan Dao's compassion and wisdom, because it can resolutely preserve the breadth and wellness of our epic path.
The words "seek advice" in "seek advice from fellows of the same Dharma path" is different from what it is supposed to mean in general terms. That is why, it is used within the scope of "The true essence 真諦", which speaks about the teaching on the aspiration to be born in the Pureland, not about the worldly essence that touches on how we conduct ourselves in society. The words "seek advice" here is similar to "abidance", that is, to rely on people and places of virtues and good practice (be they people, matter, places or things), we must always keep a constant contact, never lose touch with them, thus, it is called "abidance".
please click the back arrow key on your browser to return to the Structured Learn-Through page for the next reading.