A Brief Explanation of the Gatha of Praise to Amitabha Buddha

Author: Venerable Huixing

阿弥陀佛身金色，相好光明无等伦； 白毫宛转五须弥，绀目澄清四大海。 光中化佛无数亿，化菩萨众亦无边。 四十八愿度众生，九品咸令登彼岸。

Following this, I'll offer a brief explanation of the hymn. It was composed by Master Yiying of the Song dynasty (Yi is sometimes written as Ying). Both of his brothers became monastics; he was the youngest. He lived during the Xining era of Emperor Shenzong, roughly a thousand years ago. The master devoted himself to Pure Land practice and authored the Ritual of Cultivation and Verification in the Pure Land, from which this hymn comes. (Unfortunately, that text has been lost.) Drawing on the three Pure Land sutras, he wrote with elegant phrasing and precise meaning, and the hymn has since spread far and wide. He passed away in the second year of the Yuanfu era under Emperor Zhezong of the Song (1099 CE), at the age of fifty-five — younger than Master Ouyi. Many monks in the Biographies of Eminent Monks departed in the prime of life; all were returners whose vows to guide sentient beings from past lives remained unfulfilled. When their conditions ripened, they let go and returned west regardless of age. If we can grasp the meaning of these verses and let the words give rise to contemplation as we chant them — realizing that Amitabha made his forty-eight vows on the causal ground and now, in his fruition, receives rebirth seekers through the nine grades — this too can help us strengthen the bodhi mind and bring our Pure Land practice to fruition sooner.

"Amitabha's body is golden in hue; His marks and radiant light have no equal. His white curl winds five times around Mount Sumeru; His sapphire eyes are as clear as the four great oceans." This first offers a general praise of the majestic marks and features of Amitabha's sambhogakaya, the enjoyment body. It comes from the Sutra of Contemplation on Immeasurable Life (the Contemplation Sutra), which says: "The body and light of Amitabha Buddha are like the gold of Jambudvipa, in hue like the sandalwood of the Trayastrimsa Heaven, and as countless as the hundreds of thousands of billions of heavens above." It is because his light shines so brilliantly and splendidly. His marks, features, and light are unmatched by any other — hence "have no equal": there is no one to compare him to, no equal to be found.

All Buddhas share the same path. When it comes to the principle they have realized, all Buddhas have attained the same bodhi and nirvana, with no distinction of high or low. When it comes to guiding sentient beings, however, each Buddha differs according to the vows made, the practices undertaken, and the cultivation carried out during the causal ground. The Medicine Buddha, for instance, made twelve great vows to help sentient beings avert disaster and prolong life. Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha vowed, "Only when all beings are delivered will I attain bodhi; only when the hells are emptied will I become a Buddha." And our teacher Shakyamuni vowed to attain buddhahood and guide beings in this age of the five corruptions, the Saha world.

Amitabha Buddha vowed to receive all nianfo practitioners of the ten directions in his Pure Land. The realm of that land, and the marks and features of his sambhogakaya, are supremely majestic and beyond compare — hence: "His marks and radiant light have no equal."

The Contemplation Sutra also says: "Amitabha Buddha has eighty-four thousand marks; in each mark, eighty-four thousand minor features; in each minor feature, eighty-four thousand lights; each light shines throughout the ten directions, illuminating all nianfo practitioners, embracing them and never abandoning them."

The "marks" are the more visible signs, while the "minor features" are more subtle. Even the marks alone number eighty-four thousand — far beyond what ordinary beings can conceive. Each one of those lights embraces and protects all nianfo practitioners of the ten directions, helping them grow their wholesome roots and spiritual practice, never leaving them even for a moment. Amitabha's skillful means in protecting, guiding, and delivering sentient beings, together with his marks and light, are the foremost of all, because he receives beings through a pure buddha land — the most supreme method. If we speak of the dharmakaya, all Buddhas are equal and non-dual; it is with the sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya that distinctions appear.

"His white curl winds five times around Mount Sumeru; His sapphire eyes are as clear as the four great oceans." Among those eighty-four thousand marks, two are singled out to illustrate the nature of Amitabha's marks, features, and light. The first is the white curl mark between the brows. On Buddha statues, a jewel set between the two eyebrows represents this mark. When Shakyamuni Buddha was born, the white curl between his brows stretched to a length of fifteen zhang (roughly fifty meters); after attaining buddhahood, it reached sixteen zhang, matching his own height of sixteen zhang, and when drawn in it looks like a round pearl.

The "white curl" is a white, translucent strand of hair that can manifest everything a Buddha has done — from the initial arising of bodhi mind, through three asamkhya kalpas of practice, all the way to the attainment of buddhahood. All his own cultivation and his work of guiding others plays out like a film, scene by scene.

Amitabha was born in the Pure Land, and his body is immensely tall; his white curl can wind around Mount Sumeru five times. "Sumeru" is the new translation of the Sanskrit, meaning "wonderfully high." Ancient Indians believed that at the center of the world there stands Mount Sumeru, formed of four precious substances, rising eighty-four thousand yojanas from sea level. A yojana is an Indian unit of distance, divided into large, medium, and small: a large yojana equals eighty Chinese li, a medium one sixty, and a small one forty. The fact that the white curl can wind around Mount Sumeru five times means its length is truly beyond imagining, which shows how supreme this mark is.

Why is the white curl mark especially praised? For four reasons. First, it's the one you can see directly when facing the Buddha. Second, it displays all the Buddha's immeasurable kalpas of practice and his deeds in guiding sentient beings. Third, it represents the Buddha's boundless, inexhaustible merit and virtue. The Samadhi Sutra of Contemplation of the Buddha says that our teacher Shakyamuni retained one portion of the merit of his white curl mark for the unlimited benefit of monastics living in the age of Dharma decline. So as sons and daughters of the Buddha — especially monastics — we should feel deep gratitude for the Buddha's kindness. If it weren't for the Buddha's banner, where would our food, clothing, shelter, and daily necessities come from today? Throughout history, emperors have starved to death, but no monks or nuns have ever died of hunger — unless they were practicing severe asceticism and chose to fast by their own effort. In the nearly two thousand years since Buddhism came to this land, there's no record of any monastic starving to death. All of this comes from being sheltered by the merit of just that one portion of our teacher's white curl mark. So we should strive diligently to repay the Buddha's kindness.

Fourth, though we single out the white curl mark, the praise already encompasses all marks: the full majesty of the eighty-four thousand marks and features is manifested within the white curl mark, because a single mark contains within it all immeasurable marks.

"His sapphire eyes are as clear as the four great oceans." How tall is Amitabha's body? The Contemplation Sutra says it is "sixty trillion nayuta Ganges-sand yojanas" tall. Ordinary beings cannot conceive of this — just as an ant cannot grasp the dimensions of a human. So the Buddha's eyes are used to give us a sense of his body's vastness.

Patriarch Huiyuan, the first patriarch of the Chinese Pure Land tradition, beheld the sacred image of Amitabha three times in his life. Just before his passing, he personally saw Amitabha filling the entire sky, immeasurably tall and vast, without limit. The Buddha's body stands towering and majestic; the moment you see his eyes, you understand how vast he is.

"Sapphire eyes" refers to the deep blue of the irises. "Clear as the four great oceans" refers to the whites of the eyes — calm and transparent as the waters of the four great seas. Close your eyes for a moment and reflect: how vast is the Buddha's body!

Some people worry on the Buddha's behalf: there are so many nianfo practitioners in the ten directions, and if countless beings are reborn at the same time, how can Amitabha receive them all? There is no need for such groundless worry. The next two lines will tell you.

"In the light, countless billions of transformed Buddhas appear; Multitudes of transformed bodhisattvas, boundless as well." These two lines praise the Buddha's transformation bodies and the boundlessness of his light. The "light" here refers to his constant halo, not the special light he emits on particular occasions. Amitabha's constant light shines throughout the ten directions. Within the round halo extending from his shoulders to the crown of his head, there are countless transformed Buddhas — these are the Buddhas who go to the ten directions to receive and guide sentient beings.

When countless billions of beings seek rebirth at the same time, countless billions of transformed Buddhas appear simultaneously to receive them, yet the number of transformed Buddhas in the light remains countless billions — neither more nor less. It is not only Buddhas who are boundless; the transformed bodhisattvas are infinite too. The meaning of "multitudes of transformed bodhisattvas, boundless as well" is that each transformed Buddha is accompanied by the two bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthamaprapta. Within the Buddha's round halo, there are boundless Western Triple Sages — Amitabha, Avalokiteśvara, and Mahāsthamaprapta. The transformed Buddhas receive rebirth seekers with perfect precision, never a moment off — this is called "pecking simultaneously."

Anyone who has raised chickens knows how this works. When a mother hen is hatching chicks, just as a chick is about to break out of its shell, the mother and chick peck at the shell at the same time, answering each other from inside and out, with not the slightest error. If there were even a small misstep, the chick would die. The karma of sentient beings is truly inconceivable — the mother hen seems almost to have supernatural powers! When I read about this "pecking simultaneously," I felt a twinge of regret: when I was at home, I often saw mother hens hatching eggs, but I never paid attention and missed the chance to observe it closely. Whether incubators today produce the same result, I don't know.

When Amitabha receives and guides rebirth seekers, he responds to each being's conditions: if a being needs the Buddha to receive them, the Buddha appears; if a being needs a bodhisattva, the bodhisattva is present. For details, see the chapter on the nine grades of rebirth.

"The forty-eight vows ferry sentient beings; All nine grades are led to cross to the other shore." This praises the inconceivable nature of the Buddha's causal practice and his fruition-stage merit in receiving sentient beings. Amitabha made his forty-eight vows on the causal ground to deliver sentient beings. Having now attained the fruition of buddhahood, he uses the nine grades of lotus blossoms in the Land of Supreme Bliss to receive nianfo practitioners and bring them across to the pure other shore.

The Saha world of the five corruptions is this shore; the river of afflictions flows in the middle; the Land of Supreme Bliss is the other shore. "Cross to" means to arrive. Through nianfo practiced with faith and aspiration, one can cross from the defiled shore of the five corruptions, traverse the current of afflictions, and reach the other shore of the Land of Supreme Bliss.

Here, let me briefly introduce the forty-eight vows. According to the Sutra of Immeasurable Life, immeasurable kalpas ago Amitabha was a king. After hearing the teachings of Lokeśvararāja Buddha, he renounced his throne and went forth as a monastic, receiving the Dharma name Dharmākara (sometimes translated Dharmavabhāsa). Before Lokeśvararāja Buddha, he made forty-eight vows, hoping to establish a pure and wondrous land to receive and guide sentient beings. He asked the Buddha to describe the lands of the Buddhas of the ten directions for reference; the Buddha then expounded two hundred and ten billion buddha lands. Dharmākara examined each one in detail, taking what was excellent and supplementing what was lacking. He spent five kalpas completing a blueprint, and then made the forty-eight vows before Lokeśvararāja Buddha as his goals of practice, vowing that if even one vow were unfulfilled, he would never attain buddhahood.

He has now been a Buddha for ten kalpas, and the fruition-merit he has attained is precisely the merit he cultivated during the causal ground. What the forty-eight vows describe all refer to the current state of Amitabha's Pure Land; this is speaking of the cause from the standpoint of the fruition, not from the standpoint of practice on the causal ground. The causal ground belongs to the past; standing now on the ground of fruition, the vows made in the past are the cause, and the buddhahood already attained is the result. Thus there are differences from the original vow text. If we follow the vow text strictly, each vow requires the condition: "If this vow is fulfilled, I will become a Buddha; if this vow is not fulfilled, I will never become a Buddha." The Wei dynasty translator Saṅghavarman rendered it as "If this is not so, I will not accept true enlightenment" — meaning he would not become a Buddha without achieving his aim.

Speaking now from the fruition-merit perspective about the causal mind is easier to understand. The forty-eight vows can only be briefly explained here, following the small headings in the Subcommentary on the Sutra of Immeasurable Life by Master Huiyuan of the Sui dynasty at Jingying Temple; a full exposition is beyond our scope.

1. Vow of a Land Free of Evil Paths: There are no three evil paths in the land. The Wei dynasty translation reads: "If I become a Buddha, and my land contains hells, hungry ghosts, or animals, I will not accept true enlightenment." The Amitabha Sutra says: "There are not even the names of the evil paths, let alone the paths themselves."
2. Vow of No Return to the Evil Paths: Once reborn in the Western Land, one will never fall back into the three evil paths. The Wei translation: "If I become a Buddha, and the humans and devas of my land, after their lifespan ends, again fall into the three evil paths, I will not accept true enlightenment."
3. Vow of Bodies of True Gold: All beings in the land have golden bodies.
4. Vow of Identical Form and Appearance: The bodies and features of all beings in the land are equally adorned with marks and signs; there is no distinction of beauty or ugliness, so no one harbors discriminatory thoughts. Beings in this Saha world have strong discriminatory minds, so their physical forms vary endlessly.
5. Vow of Knowledge of Past Lives: All beings possess the supernormal power of knowing their past lives. They see clearly all events from countless immeasurable kalpas ago, as if watching a film. Ordinary beings have heavy karmic obstructions and forget everything upon entering the womb — it's not because they drank Meng Po's soup. Think about it: you can barely recall one or two events from your childhood in this life, let alone from previous lives.
6. Vow of Universal Vision with the Heavenly Eye: All beings possess the heavenly eye and can see all the worlds of the ten directions as if they were right before them.
7. Vow of Universal Hearing with the Heavenly Ear: All sounds of the ten directions can be heard. If one wishes to hear the Buddhas teach the Dharma, there is no need to travel; one simply sits in the Land of Lotuses and listens.
8. Vow of Knowledge of Others' Minds: All beings possess the supernormal power of knowing others' minds. When sentient beings have a thought, it casts an impression; those with this power can observe that impression and know what others are thinking. National Master Huizhong of Nanyang once tested the authenticity of the power of a Sanskrit master known as "Three Treasuries of the Large Ears." He asked him, "Where is my mind right now?" The master replied, "You are a dignified national master — why are you at the foot of the bridge watching a monkey show?" When asked again, he answered, "You are by the river watching the boat races." When the national master entered deep samādhi and asked once more, the master searched everywhere but could not find his mind. The national master scolded him: "Wild fox spirit! Where is your power of knowing others' minds?" This shows that such other-knowing powers can be heterodox and false; otherwise, how could he not have known that the national master's mind was in samādhi?

The other-knowing powers possessed by humans and devas arise either through cultivation or through karmic reward. This kind of power can only observe mental impressions; when someone enters samādhi with no thought, there is nothing to perceive. All beings in the Land of Supreme Bliss have the power of knowing others' minds, but they use it to discern sentient beings' capacities and tailor the teaching to guide and transform them — not to pry into private matters.

9. Vow of Unobstructed Spiritual Power: This is the supernormal power of divine foot, also called the wish-fulfilling power. Hence [the Amitabha Sutra says]: "Each day at a fixed hour, they take their robes and gather wondrous flowers to make offerings to Buddhas countless thousands of billions of lands away in the ten directions; by the time of the meal [in their own land], they have already returned." Without the power of divine foot, how could this be possible? Thus, after rebirth, if one wishes to return to the Saha world to guide sentient beings, one arrives with a single thought.
10. Vow of No Attachment to the Body: There is no self, no "mine," no clinging — because beings are born from lotus flowers, they do not form fixed attachments.
11. Vow of Abiding in the Assured State and Realizing Nirvana: "Nirvana" means the state of final liberation. All beings abide in the assured state of bodhisattvas and will certainly attain buddhahood, realizing ultimate nirvana.
12. Vow of Unlimited Light, 13. Vow of Unlimited Lifespan, 14. Vow of Countless Śrāvakas: These were already explained clearly when we discussed the Amitabha Sutra, so I won't repeat them here.
13. Vow of Freedom to Choose One's Lifespan Length: "Length" is the meaning of xiu here. One's lifespan follows one's own wish: if one wishes to match the Buddha's lifespan, one attains immeasurable life; if one wishes to leave the Land of Supreme Bliss and be reborn in another land, the wish is fulfilled, and one comes and goes freely. Amitabha does not restrict beings the way Saha-world beings do, each drawing a circle around themselves and claiming a small territory. Amitabha draws no such circles — if a reborn being wishes to return here to guide sentient beings, the Buddha is glad to help.
14. Vow of Not Hearing Evil Names: Not only are there no evil paths — there are not even the names of evil paths, and no evil sounds are heard. Only devas and humans exist there, all of whom are bodhisattvas or śrāvakas who have turned from the small vehicle toward the great.
15. Vow of Praise by All Buddhas: Because of the perfection of the land and its inhabitants, and the skillful means employed to guide sentient beings, all Buddhas of the ten directions praise and glorify him.
16. Vow of Certain Rebirth through Ten Recitations: Even at the end of life, if one has deep faith and sincere aspiration and recites the Buddha's name ten times, one will be reborn. The vow text reads: "If I become a Buddha, then all sentient beings of the ten directions who, with utmost sincere faith and joy [aspiration], wish to be reborn in my land — even if they recite only ten times — if they are not reborn, I will not accept true enlightenment. Excluded are those who commit the five grave offenses and slander the true Dharma." The character le (joy) in "sincere faith and joy" means to make the aspiration. "Ten recitations" means reciting the Buddha's name at least ten times at life's end. The Contemplation Sutra says that even a single recitation can bring rebirth. Yet reciting at the moment of death is no easy matter. There is one exception in the vow text: "excluding those who commit the five grave offenses and slander the true Dharma." The five grave offenses are: killing one's father, killing one's mother, killing an arhat, causing a schism in the saṅgha, and causing a Buddha to shed blood. If someone commits even one of these, even if they recite at the moment of death, they will most likely not be reborn, because the offense is so heavy. Those who have committed such acts and slandered the Dharma will have no faith and will not wish to recite — so how could they be reborn? This is the vow made on the causal ground, and it is relatively strict. From the standpoint of fruition-stage accomplishment in receiving sentient beings, however, the gate of skillful means is opened much wider. The Contemplation Sutra's account of the lowest grade of rebirth in the lowest category says that even those who have committed the five grave offenses and ten evils, if they repent at the last moment, recite the Buddha's name, and dedicate the merit, can still be reborn.

When giving Dharma talks to encourage people to recite, this vow is often cited as an example: if ten recitations can bring rebirth, how much more so a whole lifetime of recitation! Yet if you haven't practiced diligently in ordinary times, ten recitations at the moment of death are very hard to manage.

19. Vow of Reception at the End of Life: All sentient beings of the ten directions who have complete faith and aspiration, at the moment of death with clear, undistorted mindfulness, will surely see the Buddha and bodhisattvas together with the pure ocean assembly appear before them to receive them.
20. Vow of Rebirth Achieved as Wished: Anyone who seeks rebirth and has the three provisions complete — refraining from all evil and practicing all good — will certainly be reborn. Have no doubt about this.
21. Vow of the Thirty-Two Marks: All beings reborn in that land will possess the thirty-two marks, identical to those of our teacher Shakyamuni Buddha, so there will be no confusion about identity.
22. Vow of the Position One Lifetime Before Buddhahood: Because their lifespan is immeasurable, all beings, within that one lifetime, will reach the stage of one more rebirth before buddhahood. Like Bodhisattva Maitreya, they will manifest the attainment of buddhahood and guide sentient beings in response to the needs of the ten directions.

The Amitabha Sutra says: "Among them are many who have attained the stage of non-retrogression, needing but one more life to attain Buddhahood. Their number is so vast it cannot be known by calculation."

23. The Vow of Offering to All Buddhas: Everyone possesses the power of supernatural travel; in a single thought they can reach the ten directions to make offerings to all Buddhas.

24. The Vow of Offerings at Will: Incense, flowers, food, precious gems, and other offerings appear effortlessly, according to one's wish.

25. The Vow of Expounding Sublime Wisdom: The beings of the Pure Land constantly hear the wondrous Dharma. Since both sentient and insentient things there proclaim the Dharma, everyone can deeply enter the sutra treasury and become profoundly learned. Each can expound the wondrous Dharma according to their own understanding, and all who hear it give rise to vast wisdom.

26. The Vow of a Narayana Body: "Narayana" means solid and healthy. Those born there are lotus-born, pure and majestic, with bodies of great strength and vigor—unlike the bodies in this world, which are a defiled and fragile amalgam of the five aggregates, constantly prone to illness. Therefore, those who are frail or sickly should especially vow to be born in the Pure Land.

27. The Vow of Complete Purity: Everything in the Pure Land—both its environment and its inhabitants—is pure and magnificent.

28. The Vow of the Bodhi Tree: The "Bodhi tree" refers to the tree under which Amitabha Buddha attained enlightenment—towering and magnificent.

29. The Vow of Gaining Wisdom Through Sutra Recitation: By reading and reciting the sutras, taking the Buddha's teachings to heart, one gains vast wisdom.

30. The Vow of Boundless Wisdom and Eloquence: Wisdom and eloquence are unhindered; one is skilled in expounding the Dharma.

31. The Vow of Illuminating the Ten Directions: The jeweled ground of the Pure Land is so pure that all the Buddha-lands of the ten directions are reflected within it, like a still, clear mirror of water reflecting all things.

32. The Vow of Wondrous Fragrance: From the ground to the sky, the Pure Land is composed of precious gems, all of which emit wondrous fragrance.

33. The Vow of Softening Through Light: When beings throughout the ten directions are touched by Amitabha Buddha's light of compassion, body and mind become soft, cool, and gentle—no longer rigid or coarse.

34. The Vow of Attaining Patience Through Hearing the Name: Beings throughout the ten directions who hear Amitabha's name will in the future certainly realize the Patience of Non-Arising. To personally realize the truth of non-arising and to accept it in one's heart is called "realizing the Patience of Non-Arising"—that is, directly experiencing the truth. This shows that the merit of the Buddha's name is truly inconceivable!

35. The Vow of Freedom from the Female Body: Those who hear Amitabha's name, even if they don't wish to seek rebirth in the Pure Land, but detest being in a female body and hope to be reborn as male, will have their wish fulfilled.

36. The Vow of Constantly Practicing the Pure Life: All who hear the Buddha's name will, life after life, practice the pure brahma-conduct, uphold the precepts with dignity, and cultivate in accordance with the Dharma.

37. The Vow of Reverence from Gods and Humans: All who practice the Pure Land method of Buddha-recitation will be respected and protected by gods and humans.

38. The Vow of Clothing at Will: When you think of clothing, it appears naturally on your body—no sewing, no shopping, no effort required.

39. The Vow of Joy Like That of the Defilement-Free: The beings of that land "suffer no pain but enjoy every pleasure." Their happiness is like that of an arhat who has exhausted all defilements—yet it reveals the ultimate joy of the Pure Land, which surpasses even that of a defilement-free arhat.

40. The Vow of Seeing Buddha-Lands in Trees: Within the trunks of the trees, the Pure Lands of the ten directions appear. When you wish to see them, they manifest—like watching television, except without needing electricity. When you don't wish to see them, they fade. Those who enjoy television should definitely vow to be born there; you can watch as long as you like without getting tired or straining your eyes.

41. The Vow of Complete Faculties: Since they already possess the thirty-two marks of a Buddha, how could their faculties be deficient? The beings of that land, whether in outward appearance or inner wisdom, are perfectly complete. This also means that beings throughout the ten directions who have damaged or missing faculties, upon hearing the Buddha's name, will life after life be born with all six faculties intact.

42. The Vow of Pure Liberation: Beings throughout the ten directions who hear Amitabha's name and draw near to the Three Jewels will find peace and happiness in this life and attain pure liberation in the future—how much more so the beings of the Pure Land!

43. The Vow of Merit Through Hearing the Name: Those who hear the Buddha's name with joy gain great merit and virtue, and life after life are born into wealthy and noble families. But this is not ultimate. Only reciting the Buddha's name and seeking rebirth in the Pure Land is the path of true, lasting peace. Still, beings have different wishes, and through the Buddha's power, even these can be fulfilled.

44. The Vow of Virtue Through Practice: Hearing the Buddha's name with joy, one resolves to practice, and merit and wisdom become complete.

45. The Vow of Universal Equanimity Samadhi: Hearing the Buddha's name and receiving the Buddha's blessing, one swiftly attains Universal Equanimity Samadhi—that is, an equal mind—regarding friend and foe alike, and cherishing all beings.

46. The Vow of Hearing the Dharma According to One's Wish: The people of that land naturally hear whatever Dharma they wish, according to their own aspiration.

47. The Vow of Non-Retrogression Through Hearing the Name: Beings throughout the ten directions who hear the Buddha's name and from then on practice until Buddhahood, receiving the Buddha's blessing, will never retreat from supreme, unexcelled, perfect enlightenment.

48. The Vow of Attaining the Three Kinds of Patience: After hearing the Buddha's name and practicing diligently, one can attain patience in the face of harm, patience in enduring suffering, and the Patience of Non-Arising.

The vows may seem to share many similarities, but each has its own distinctive quality. Though the vows are numerous, they never stray beyond these themes: adorning the Pure Land, seeking the Buddha Way above while saving beings below, practicing in the causal ground, cultivating oneself while teaching others, and after attaining Buddhahood, widely saving beings and gathering in the lost beings of the ten directions. For a detailed understanding of the forty-eight vows, you can listen to recordings of lectures on the Infinite Life Sutra.

"Through nine grades, all are enabled to reach the farther shore."

Amitabha Buddha, having brought the Pure Land into being, uses nine grades of lotus to receive and guide beings. In the causal ground, he vowed that all who are born there would be lotus-born; now that his vows are fulfilled and the fruit is realized, he receives beings through the lotus. But because beings differ in their depth of understanding and practice, the lotus flowers have grades—though the Buddha himself makes no distinctions. In truth, the lotuses are far more than merely nine; the variations are endless. Because beings' capacities are infinitely diverse, the lotus seats that receive them are equally diverse. Broadly speaking, they fall into three categories—"grade" simply means "category." The upper, middle, and lower grades each divide again into three, making nine grades in all.

The nine grades of rebirth come from the Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra. Among its sixteen contemplations, the first thirteen directly teach contemplative Buddha-recitation, while the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth contemplations explain the nine grades of rebirth in what is called the "Chapter on the Nine Grades." The fourteenth contemplation covers the upper three grades, the fifteenth covers the middle three, and the sixteenth covers the lower three. Based on the Contemplation Sutra, here is a brief introduction:

According to the Master Shandao, the first thirteen contemplations are "definitive good"—contemplating the Pure Land's environment and inhabitants to achieve the Buddha-recitation Samadhi. The final three contemplations are "diffuse good"—cultivating various merits and dedicating them toward rebirth. Here I will only briefly explain the causes and fruits of the nine grades based on the Contemplation Sutra. For details, you can listen to recordings of lectures on the sutra.

Upper Grade, Upper Birth: The sutra says: "If there are beings who wish to be born in that land and generate three types of mind, they will immediately attain rebirth. What are the three? First, a sincere mind; second, a deep mind; third, a mind of dedication and aspiration. One who possesses these three minds will certainly be born in that land."

Before describing the sixteen contemplations, the Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra establishes three pure practices as the direct cause of rebirth: "First, filial piety toward parents, serving teachers and elders, a compassionate heart that does not kill, and practicing the ten good deeds. Second, taking refuge in the Three Jewels, fully observing the precepts, and not violating proper conduct. Third, generating the bodhi-mind, deeply believing in cause and effect, reciting the Great Vehicle sutras, and encouraging others to practice." This passage is known as the Three Merits of the Contemplation Sutra. When these three pure practices are accomplished and joined with Buddha-recitation, rebirth is attained.

The three minds required for upper grade, upper birth do not go beyond the Three Merits of the Contemplation Sutra, with particular emphasis on the "bodhi-mind"—the three minds are, in essence, the bodhi-mind.

The three minds are: First, sincere mind: a genuinely earnest heart, with deep faith and fervent aspiration to be born in the Western Pure Land. Second, deep mind: the mind that deeply believes in cause and effect. As the cause, so the fruit—one thought in accord with the Buddha is one thought of Buddha; thought after thought in accord is thought after thought of Buddha. That reciting the Buddha's name surely leads to Buddhahood is an absolute certainty. "You reap what you sow" and "good is repaid with good, evil with evil" are the most basic understandings of karma. Here, however, cause and effect are explained on a profound level: thoroughly knowing that all beings possess Buddha-nature, that all who possess Buddha-nature can become Buddhas—and if even Buddhahood is attainable, how much more so are good deeds! The Awakening of Faith calls this "direct mind." In other words, the sincere mind deeply penetrates the Buddha's teaching, knowing that all beings have Buddha-nature, and seeks to realize it. Deep mind is deeply believing in cause and effect—doing no evil, practicing all good, widely cultivating virtuous deeds, and vowing to seek rebirth. Third, the mind of dedication and aspiration: even the slightest good deed is dedicated toward rebirth, with no other aim.

Dedication has three aspects: First, dedicating from self to others—offering all cultivated merit to all beings so that together they may attain the Buddha Way. Second, dedicating from cause to fruit—offering the merit of practice toward supreme Buddha-enlightenment. Third, dedicating from phenomenon to principle—offering all practices of form toward realizing the truth of all dharmas. To dedicate all merit to beings, to supreme enlightenment, and to the suchness of reality—this is the mind of dedication and aspiration. One seeks rebirth not only for oneself but also hopes that all beings may end suffering and find happiness. When we recite the dedication verse during morning and evening services, it contains aspiration as well—this too is the mind of dedication and aspiration.

Dedicating merit is like lighting candles from one another: lamp lights lamp in endless reflection, and the light only grows greater and more vast. It never diminishes—so don't hold back, reluctant to dedicate.

In short, the three minds are the bodhi-mind. The sincere mind and deep mind belong to seeking the Buddha Way above; the mind of dedication and aspiration belongs to saving beings below. Without generating the great Vehicle bodhi-mind, one cannot be born in the Pure Land. The Rebirth Treatise states: "The Pure Land is the realm of great Vehicle good roots; it has no names of disparagement—those of the two Vehicles are not born there." Practicing in this world makes accomplishment difficult; better to seek rebirth in the West, draw near to Amitabha, perfect one's practice, and then return to this Saha world to save beings far and wide.

The Contemplation Sutra further says there are three types of practitioners who can attain rebirth: first, those with a compassionate heart who do not kill and uphold the precepts; second, those who recite the great Vehicle Vaipulya sutras; third, those who practice the six remembrances, dedicating merit and vowing to be born in that land. Possessing the three minds along with these three practices, rebirth is certain.

Those who recite the Buddha's name should cultivate compassion and reduce the karma of killing, avoiding making enemies of beings who could obstruct rebirth. One should uphold the pure precepts to the best of one's ability. The third practice—the six remembrances—means recollecting the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, the precepts, giving, and the divine. "The divine" refers to the Heaven of Ultimate Meaning—the truth of all dharmas, the wondrous principle of the Middle Way. "Giving" is the first of the six paramitas; recollecting giving encompasses all six paramitas. Constantly remembering and drawing near to the Three Jewels is why, after completing any practice, we always do the Three Refuges.

Having cultivated the above merits for one to seven days, one attains rebirth. At the moment of rebirth, because of one's vigorous effort, Amitabha Tathagata, along with Avalokiteshvara, Mahasthamaprapta, countless transformation Buddhas, hundreds of thousands of monks, the assembly of hearers, and countless gods, appear with seven-jeweled palaces to welcome one. Upon reaching that land, the lotus immediately opens; hearing the Buddha speak the Dharma, one then realizes the Patience of Non-Arising. Whether monastic or lay, any ordinary person who generates the three minds and practices the three practices can be reborn—the conditions are not difficult. See the Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra for details.

Upper Grade, Middle Birth: One need not necessarily recite the Vaipulya sutras; it is enough to skillfully understand the meaning, remain unshaken by the profound teachings of the Dharma, deeply believe in cause and effect, and not slander the Great Vehicle. At the time of death, Amitabha Buddha comes with a purple-gold pedestal to welcome one; in a single thought, one is born in that land. The lotus opens after one night. Seeing the Buddha and hearing the Dharma, one attains non-retrogression in seven days, and after one small eon, realizes the Patience of Non-Arising.

Upper Grade, Lower Birth: One need only generate the bodhi-mind, also believe in cause and effect, and not slander the Great Vehicle. At death, the Three Sages of the West come holding a golden lotus flower, joined by five hundred transformation Buddhas. Seated upon the lotus, it closes; after one day and night in the Pure Land, the lotus opens. Within seven days one can see the Buddha, but initially the Buddha's marks are not yet clear in the mind. After twenty-one days, they become perfectly distinct. After three small eons of practice, one attains the hundred dharmas of illumination, achieves non-retrogression, and dwells in the Ground of Joy.

These upper three grades belong to ordinary beings with great Vehicle good roots—bodhisattvas who aspire to cultivate themselves and teach others. They are divided into upper-upper, upper-middle, and upper-lower based on the depth of their understanding and practice of the great Vehicle teachings.

The fifteenth contemplation discusses the middle three grades. Middle-upper and middle-middle births are for those of the hearer disposition—they have not generated the great aspiration but seek only self-liberation, only realizing at death that they should generate the bodhi-mind. They are received and guided by transformation Buddhas and born in the Pure Land.

Middle Grade, Upper Birth: Lay practitioners uphold the five precepts and the eight fasting precepts; monastics uphold the novice or full monk's precepts. They commit no acts of the five grave offenses and have no major faults, reciting the Buddha's name to seek rebirth. At death, Amitabha Buddha comes surrounded by monks and attendants to welcome them; before they can even lift their heads, they are already reborn. The lotus opens immediately, and upon opening, they hear sounds praising the Four Noble Truths, immediately realizing arhatship with the three knowledges and six supernatural powers.

Middle Grade, Middle Birth: They have generated the aspiration for liberation but upheld the precepts only briefly—at minimum, a lay Buddhist who observes the eight fasting precepts for a single day and night without infraction. They too can attain rebirth. At death, they see Amitabha Buddha and attendants coming with a seven-jeweled lotus. They find themselves seated upon it, and the lotus closes. After seven days in the Pure Land, the flower opens; hearing the Dharma with joy, they attain the fruit of stream-entry, and after half an eon, become arhats.

Because those in the middle-upper and middle-middle grades are of the hearer disposition, seeking only self-liberation in daily life, they are welcomed by transformation Buddhas and monks—no bodhisattvas appear. Even if bodhisattvas do appear, they are perceived in the form of monks.

Middle Grade, Lower Birth: These people have not generated the aspiration for liberation. They practice worldly good—filial piety, serving teachers and elders, ordinary human kindness—but have not heard the Dharma. At death, they meet a good spiritual friend who explains the splendor of the Pure Land and the forty-eight vows of Dharmakara Bhikshu, urging them to dedicate their worldly merits toward rebirth. After seven days in the Pure Land, they encounter Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, who teach them the Dharma. Hearing it with joy, they attain stream-entry, and after one small eon, become arhats.

The sixteenth contemplation discusses the lower three grades. These are worldly people in whom good and evil are mixed, or who have done evil. At death, they encounter a good spiritual friend who instructs them; they repent, recite the Buddha's name, and vow to seek rebirth.

Lower Grade, Upper Birth: They do not slander the great Vehicle sutras, yet they have committed much evil without shame or remorse. At death, they meet a good spiritual friend who guides them to recite Amitabha's name, thereby erasing fifty billion eons of the karma of birth and death—they too attain rebirth. After birth, the lotus does not open until forty-nine days have passed. Then they see Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta radiating light, expounding the profound meaning of the twelve divisions of scripture, teaching them the repentance of non-arising to eliminate all offenses. Hearing and believing, they generate the unsurpassed mind. After ten small eons, they master the hundred dharmas of illumination and enter the first ground.

All of this depends on past good roots ripening in this life so that one meets a good spiritual friend—not everyone has such good fortune. Don't count on luck. In my more than forty years of experience, I have attended many people at the end of life. Some, as they were passing, when I recited the Buddha's name beside them, found the sound of the chant to be nothing but noise—unpleasant, unwelcome. Once everyone left, they babbled incoherently and were gone. The power of karma is truly terrifying. Don't for a moment think that because even one thought at death can lead to rebirth, you can afford to be lazy and complacent. Understand that there are three inconceivable powers: the power of the Buddha is inconceivable; the karmic force of beings is inconceivable; and the power of the mind of beings is also inconceivable.

When you are healthy and your right mindfulness is clear, the mind's power can overcome karmic force. For example, facing adversity, karma surfaces—you might feel like lashing out, even killing or setting fires—but a strong mind can restrain and turn things around. At the time of death, however, karma overtakes the mind. Karmic obstructions surface; the heaviest karma pulls first, and karma outweighs mind. That is why you see many people who normally recite the Buddha's name fall silent at death, unable to hear or recite—already in another realm entirely. If you try to support them with chanting, they may not push it away, but they'll be muttering nonsense—frankly, talking to ghosts, gesturing wildly, dealing with spirits. Such people, despite reciting the Buddha's name, lack the spiritual strength to overcome their karma.

Many recite the Buddha's name, but few attain rebirth. The reasons: First, they didn't put in genuine effort in daily practice—not serious enough. Second, they couldn't let go of worldly attachments—their mouths recite the Buddha while their hearts cling to this Saha world.

If you truly seek rebirth in the West, read the three Pure Land sutras often, familiarize yourself with the Pure Land, and focus on reciting the Buddha's name. Prepare your provisions so that whenever the moment comes, you can let go and depart westward. Don't wait until you "have time" to learn and practice! When will you ever have time?

There was once a man named Zhang Zuliu who got along well with the old master in his village. He had taken refuge in the Three Jewels, but he was always rushing about. When the old master urged him to recite the Buddha's name, he'd reply, "Not yet! There are still three things I haven't done." What three things? First, he hadn't yet celebrated his sixtieth birthday. Second, his ancestral house hadn't been rebuilt. Third, his son wasn't yet married. "Once those three things are done," he said, "I'll definitely get serious about Buddha-recitation."

Unexpectedly, while the old house was being rebuilt, he couldn't keep away—he came to supervise every day. On the day the roof beam was raised, he was pacing back and forth underneath, directing things. A carpenter's iron hammer slipped and fell—square on Zhang Zuliu's head. His skull cracked open, and that was the end.

At the funeral, the old master was asked to speak. He said:

"My friend Zhang Zuliu by name, I urged him on three counts to recite the Buddha's name. But Lord Yama, that judge without sense, came to collect before the three were done!"

The meaning: I don't blame my friend—I blame King Yama for his lack of discernment. The man hadn't completed a single one of his three tasks, yet Yama came to haul him away!

As the old saying goes: "If King Yama wants you dead at the third watch, he won't let you see the fourth." Have you signed a contract with King Yama? Of course not. Impermanence can arrive at any time.

The Forty-Two Sections Sutra records that one day the World-Honored One asked a disciple, "How long is a human life?" The disciple answered, "A few days." The Buddha said, "You don't know." He asked another disciple, who answered, "The time it takes to eat a meal"—life is that short, just the length of a single meal. The Buddha said again, "You don't know either." Finally, one disciple replied, "A human life lasts but a single breath." The Buddha said, "Excellent! You understand!"

An ancient worthy wrote this verse:

A human life lasts but a single breath, watching the red sun sink behind the western hills. To reach the mountain of jewels and leave empty-handed— once this human form is lost, ten thousand eons cannot restore it.

To draw near to the Three Jewels and hear the Dharma is like entering a mountain of treasure. To walk out empty-handed—what a pity! Understand this: once you lose this human form, ten thousand eons may pass before you find it again. Don't drift through your days carelessly. Buddha-recitation and practice are what matter most!

Another verse says:

Rain passes, the sun turns red before the eaves; in an instant, clouds and clear skies change. How much more so the breath-long matter of life and death— at dusk, who dares promise to hear the dawn bell?

After the beginning of autumn, the weather shifts between sun, clouds, and sudden showers—now bright, now pouring—unstable and changing in a flash. Is the great matter of life and death any different? At dusk you've just heard the evening bell, but who can guarantee you'll hear the morning bell tomorrow? Perhaps tonight you'll lie down and never get up again. So practice while you're healthy and strong—don't be lazy or self-indulgent. After all, the purpose of studying Buddhism is to transcend birth and death—not to pass the time.