Notes on Reading Master Yinguang's Writings

Author: Venerable Master Huixing

Preface to Notes on Reading Master Yinguang's Writings

These days, it is rare for a Pure Land practitioner to develop firm faith in the path without first turning to Master Yinguang’s Writings. The Master’s spiritual power and boundless compassion are inconceivable; when he set them to writing, his teachings not only fully embrace the entire Buddhist Tripiṭaka, but also resonate deeply with the Confucian classics: the I Ching, Book of Rites, Classic of Poetry, and Book of Documents. He clarifies the norms of proper human relationship, expounds the core tenets of Buddhist teaching, lays out in full both the shared path of practice open to all and the special Pure Land method, and guides readers with gentle, patient, and earnest guidance. Those who read his words readily dispel doubt, generate faith, make vows, and put the teachings into practice; as a result, people across the world have received the Dharma and attained liberation.

Venerable Master Huixing has long held Master Yinguang’s noble example in the highest regard. He once lived in a modest hermitage, spending years studying the entire Buddhist canon, and compiled the Compendium for Studying the Great Buddhist Canon, which he circulated widely throughout the world. He says that Master Yinguang’s Writings integrate all Buddhist teachings perfectly, skilfully guiding practitioners of every capacity and background. Whether one is a scholar of any Buddhist school, or a person seeking to learn the way of virtuous living, all should take this work as essential reading; it is by no means meant solely for Pure Land practitioners to study as a required daily text.

He does not only teach these principles in word, but embodies them first in his own conduct. He uses Master Yinguang’s Writings as his own daily study, selecting the passages most suited to the needs of the present age, citing sutras for annotation, and occasionally sharing his own reflections. He calls this work Notes on Reading Master Yinguang’s Writings, which he began writing nine years ago, and which has run continuously in the Minglun Monthly ever since.

Now, at the request of fellow practitioners of sincere faith, he has compiled and printed these notes as a single volume, to benefit all beings without exception. Most of the writings in Master Yinguang’s Writings take the form of personal letters, and have never before had formal annotations. To a casual reader, they may not seem particularly difficult to understand at first glance. But now that these Notes have been published, it is clear that every sentence in the Writings is rooted in scriptural authority. Some passages are easy to grasp and put into practice, accessible to all, while others are so profound that their meaning is unfathomable. If someone assumes the Writings are not difficult simply because they seem straightforward at first, that is like refusing to read scholarly commentaries, yet assuming that reading sutras is easy—how could that possibly be true? If one approaches both the Writings and these Notes with sincerity and reverence, even when they seem difficult, one’s blessings and wisdom will grow day by day. In this way, one can arrive at a full and perfect understanding of the Writings, and draw endless benefit from them.

Respectfully recorded by Pure Land lay practitioner Xu Xingmin of Lujiang, in Taichung, on the chrysanthemum month (9th lunar month) of the 77th year of the Republic of China (the Wuchen year of the sexagenary cycle).

Foreword to Notes on Reading Master Yinguang's Writings

I have often thought this—and said it aloud: anyone who practices Pure Land should read several pieces from Master Yinguang’s Writings each day, whether one or two at a minimum, or three to five at most, as part of their daily practice; only in this way can their Pure Land practice grow steadily. This is essential reading not only for Pure Land practitioners, but for all Buddhist practitioners, no matter which path or school they follow. For within these writings, the Master does not only expound the Pure Land path of Buddha-recitation, but sets forth all Buddhist teachings as a perfectly integrated whole. Though the Master modestly called himself no great scholar versed in all Buddhist teachings, in truth there was no teaching he did not understand, no method he did not master; if you do not believe this, read his Writings and you will see for yourself. For this reason, I say: Master Yinguang’s Writings are a true guide for all who practice the Buddha’s path.

This is essential reading not only for Buddhist practitioners, but for any person who wishes to live as a decent, upright human being. For throughout these writings, the Master clearly expounds the principles of being a good person. If one follows the methods the Master lays out for living a virtuous life, one can not only become a good, upright person, but also cultivate the most perfect character possible.

Since I have thought and said this, I have also sought to practice it myself. What follows are notes from my own reading of Master Yinguang’s Writings, with occasional scriptural citations and explanations, or brief sharing of my personal reflections, jotted down as they came to me. —Dragon Boat Festival, 68th year of the Republic of China.

Venerable Huixing began writing Notes on Reading Master Yinguang’s Writings in the 5th lunar month of the 68th year of the Republic of China, under the pen name “Shide”, and serialized the work in the Minglun Monthly. Now, several readers have kindly sponsored the printing of this work as a standalone volume, and we are deeply grateful to lay practitioner Xu Xingmin for graciously contributing a preface. We offer our sincere thanks.

Respectfully recorded by Venerable Huixing in the Pumen Study, September 19th, Wuchen year of the 77th year of the Republic of China.

Letter to Venerable Master Ti'an of Daxingshan Temple

Teaching, principle, practice, and fruition are the essential framework of the Buddhadharma. The Song dynasty Vinaya Master Yuanzhao said: "The World-Honored One of Great Awakening, throughout his entire teaching career—though the Great and Small Vehicles differ—never departed from teaching, principle, practice, and fruition. Through teaching, principle is revealed; based on principle, practice arises; through practice, fruition is attained. These four dharmas encompass everything; little is left out." (Commentary on the Amitābha Sūtra) Recollecting the Buddha and reciting his name is truly a shortcut to awakening. The Śūraṅgama Sūtra's chapter on Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva's Perfect Penetration through Buddha-Recitation says: "If sentient beings recollect and are mindful of the Buddha, whether now or in the future, they will certainly see the Buddha and will not be far from him. Without relying on any other expedient, their minds will open on their own." Since they "will certainly see the Buddha," this is indeed a "shortcut to awakening." To "see the Buddha" right here and now is a shortcut within a shortcut.

In former times, one could practice any single dharma and all four would be complete. In the present age, if one sets aside the Pure Land, there is no attainment of the fruition whatsoever. The Mahākaruṇā Sūtra states: "The True Dharma lasts a thousand years; the Semblance Dharma lasts a thousand years; the Dharma-Ending Age lasts ten thousand years." The Fahua Xuanzan says: "During the age of the Buddha's True Dharma, teaching, practice, and realization are all complete. During the Semblance Dharma age, there is only teaching and practice, but no one who attains the fruition. During the Dharma-Ending Age, there is only teaching, with neither practice nor realization." The Yuèzàng Sūtra outlines the five five-hundred-year periods after the Buddha's passing: in the first five hundred years, liberation is firm; in the second, meditative concentration is firm; in the third, extensive learning is firm; in the fourth, building stupas and temples is firm; in the fifth, contention and strife is firm.

"The past" refers to the True Dharma age, when there was teaching, practice, and realization. "The present" is the Dharma-Ending Age, so "there is no attainment of the fruition whatsoever." But this division into three ages and five periods only sketches the most prominent features of each; it isn't a fixed and unchanging rule. Even in the Dharma-Ending Age, there are still those who attain the fruition. The Buddhas and patriarchs spoke this way to encourage and guide future generations.

The Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra says: In the Dharma-Ending Age, among millions upon millions who practice, scarcely one attains the Way. Only by relying on Buddha-recitation can one be delivered from birth and death. So we know: in the Dharma-Ending Age, only by practicing the Pure Land method of Buddha-recitation and seeking rebirth in Amitābha's land can one transcend birth and death and attain the "fruition." Without the Pure Land, there is no fruition. This is because we are now far removed in time from the Sage, and human capacities are inferior and meager. Without relying on the Buddha's power, liberation is exceedingly difficult. It has been nearly two thousand years since Śākyamuni's passing—hence "far removed in time from the Sage."

Just how inferior and meager today's capacities are, one can sense simply by finishing the Collected Writings of Master Yin Guang. Examining oneself and comparing with the ancient worthies makes it plain. The Daśabhūmika-śāstra explains the Difficult Path and the Easy Path. Dharma methods that rely entirely on self-power for cultivation and realization make up the Difficult Path. The Buddha-recitation method involves one's own diligent effort—deep faith, fervent vow, and vigorous practice of recitation—along with the great power of Amitābha's vows, which gathers in and protects the practitioner. This is the Easy Path, through which liberation comes readily.

Master Shandao said: "I reverently reflect: Śākyamuni, from this realm, dispatches and sends forth; Amitābha, from that land, comes to welcome. With one calling and the other sending, how could one not go? One need only devote oneself wholeheartedly to the Dharma for the rest of one's life, and upon casting off this impure body, immediately realize the eternal bliss of the Dharmadhātu." (Commentary on the Contemplation Sūtra in Four Fascicles) Śākyamuni Bhagavān dispatches from this realm—calling on everyone to recite the Buddha's name and seek rebirth in the West—while Amitābha Buddha comes from that land to welcome them, receiving and guiding them to rebirth. This is the power of the Buddha.

The Pure Land Dharma-gate takes its name from the way it universally gathers in those of superior, intermediate, and inferior capacities, soaring above the Vinaya, Teaching, and Chan schools. It is the thoroughgoing compassion of all Buddhas, revealing to sentient beings the nature they inherently possess. "Those of the highest capacities cannot surpass its threshold; those of the lowest capacities can reach its domain." It embraces all three capacities, hence "universally gathers in those of superior, intermediate, and inferior capacities." How does it "soar above the Vinaya, Teaching, and Chan schools"? The passage below will make this clear. In brief: those other paths rely entirely on self-power, while the Pure Land relies on the Buddha's power—hence it "soars above." It transcends the Three Realms laterally, escapes the cycle of rebirth forever, and in one lifetime reaches the stage of non-retrogression—hence it "soars above."

Read the three Pure Land sūtras, and you will see the "thoroughgoing compassion" of "all Buddhas." "If you want to be free of afflictions, only recite the Buddha's name; to fulfill the Buddha's fundamental aspiration, seek rebirth." Being born in the Buddha-land is what fulfills the Buddha's fundamental aspiration—this is thoroughgoing compassion. The Contemplation Sūtra says: "All Buddhas and Tathāgatas are the Dharmadhātu-body, entering the minds and thoughts of all sentient beings. Therefore, when you think of the Buddha, that very mind is the thirty-two marks and the eighty subtle characteristics. This mind is the Buddha; this mind makes the Buddha." This is what is meant by "revealing to sentient beings the nature they inherently possess."

It gathers the three vehicles and the five natures together into the Pure Land, guiding sages above and ordinary beings below to jointly realize the True Permanence. The three vehicles: Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas. The five natures: one, those of fixed Śrāvaka nature; two, those of fixed Pratyekabuddha nature; three, those of fixed Bodhisattva nature; four, those of indeterminate nature; five, those of no nature—lacking the undefiled seeds of the three vehicles, possessing only the defiled seeds of the human and heavenly realms. True Permanence refers to the Dharma attained by the Tathāgata—real and eternally abiding. "Jointly realizing the True Permanence" means accomplishing the Buddha Way together.

Sentient beings of the nine realms, apart from this Dharma, cannot fully accomplish the Buddha Way above; the Buddhas of the ten directions, if they set aside this Dharma, cannot universally benefit sentient beings below. When the youth Sudhana first called on Dharma Master Déyún, Déyún immediately taught him Buddha-recitation. After visiting fifty-three great spiritual friends, he finally called on Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Sudhana's realization equaled that of Samantabhadra, yet Samantabhadra expounded the Ten Great Vows, guiding the vast assembly of the Avataṃsaka realm to return together to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. (See the Gaṇḍavyūha chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra and the Forty-Fascicle Avataṃsaka.) From this we know: sentient beings of the nine realms who wish to accomplish the Buddha Way cannot depart from this Buddha-recitation Dharma-gate. This Dharma-gate embraces all three capacities, gathers in both the sharp and the dull. It is the king of medicines that cures every ailment. Only this Dharma-gate can universally benefit all sentient beings.

Therefore, sages past and worthies of old all turned toward it; a thousand sūtras and ten thousand śāstras everywhere point to it as their destination. These four lines come from Master Sheng'an's Exhortation to Arouse the Bodhicitta, chapter nine, "On Seeking Rebirth in the Pure Land." Ever since the Avataṃsaka directed practitioners toward the Pure Land, there is not one great Bodhisattva throughout the ocean of worlds in the ten directions who does not seek rebirth in the Pure Land. The redirection of the Avataṃsaka toward the Pure Land refers to the Ten Great Vows guiding practitioners to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. See the fortieth fascicle of the Forty-Fascicle Avataṃsaka, namely the Samantabhadra's Vows chapter.

From the time of the teachings given at Jeta Grove onward, all the writings of both the Western and Eastern lands ultimately converge and conclude in the Lotus Realm. "Teachings at Jeta Grove" refers to the Buddha expounding the Amitābha Sūtra at Jeta Grove, the monastery given by Anāthapiṇḍada. Western (Indian) writings include the Awakening of Faith Śāstra, the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā Śāstra, the Treatise on Rebirth, and so forth. Eastern (Chinese) writings include the works of the Tiantai, Huayan, and other schools, which mostly encourage and praise the Pure Land and converge upon the Buddha-recitation Dharma-gate.

Ever since the Great Teaching flowed eastward and the Lotus Society was established at Mount Lu, one voice called out and a hundred responded; none failed to follow. Yuè is an initial particle. Mount Lu lies south of Jiujiang County, Jiangxi Province. Its former names include Mount Kuang (also called Mount Kuanglu); alternate names include Mount Nanzhang, Mount Jinglu, Mount Kang, and Mount Fu. The Lotus Society was founded by Master Huiyuan during the Eastern Jin dynasty. The Master was the First Patriarch of the Pure Land tradition. His surname was Jia. He was a native of Loufan in Yanmen (east of Guo County, Shanxi). He was thoroughly versed in both Confucian and Daoist learning. At the age of twenty-one, hearing the Venerable Dao'an expound the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, he had a realization and exclaimed: "The Confucian and Daoist teachings are but chaff!" He then left home, vowing to propagate the Buddhist teaching. The Venerable Dao'an sighed and said: "If the Buddha's teaching is to spread throughout China, it will surely be through Yuan!" He later entered Mount Lu, where a miraculous rainstorm transported timber for building the East Grove (Donglin) Monastery. He also dug a pond and planted lotuses, hence the name "Lotus Society." He gathered the assembly to recite the Buddha's name in six periods, seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land. He remained on the mountain for over thirty years; even imperial summons could not draw him out. He saw the Buddha's sacred image on three occasions, each time only silently committing it to memory. In the twelfth year of Yixi (416 CE), the Buddha appeared once more, and he passed away seated upright. His earthly life was eighty-three years. (The above is based on the Sīguī Jí.)

At that time, Huan Xuan wished to compel Buddhist monks to pay obeisance to the ruler, which greatly violated Buddhist regulations. Master Huiyuan wrote the Treatise on Monks Not Paying Obeisance to Kings to address this, and the matter was laid to rest. See Hongming Ji, fascicle five. His collected works comprise ten fascicles with over fifty essays.

Among those whose contributions were especially great and conspicuous, in the Northern Wei there was Tanluan. Tanluan was a person of unfathomable depth. He traveled to the Southern Dynasty on official business and met Emperor Wu of Liang, then returned north. Emperor Wu would bow toward the north each time, saying: "Dharma Master Tanluan is a Bodhisattva in the flesh!" Tanluan was a native of Yanmen (Shanxi). In his youth he traveled to Mount Wutai, where he was moved by spiritual wonders and left home. He was fond of the arts of longevity and received ten fascicles of Tao Hongjing's immortal scriptures. Later he met Bodhiruci and asked: "Does Buddhism have a technique for immortality?" Bodhiruci gave him the Sixteen Contemplations Sūtra and said: "This is Buddhism's method of immortality." Tanluan was overjoyed. He burned the immortal scriptures on the spot and devoted himself exclusively to Pure Land practice. Even in illness, he never let up. The Wei emperor called him "Divine Tanluan." At the end of his life, he exhorted the assembly: "Toiling beings, endlessly busied—their toil will never cease. You must fear the hells, and you must cultivate the Pure Land practice." He then instructed his disciples to recite the Buddha's name in loud voices. He bowed toward the west and departed. The assembly heard heavenly music approaching from the west, and after a long while he entered stillness. This was the fourth year of Xinghe in the Eastern Wei (542 CE). His earthly life was sixty-seven years. He authored the Commentary on the Rebirth Treatise (Commentary on the Upadeśa on the Sūtra of Immeasurable Life, Verses of Aspiration for Rebirth) in two fascicles, and the Brief Essay on the Meaning of the Peaceful Pure Land in one fascicle. As for "traveling to the Southern Dynasty to meet Emperor Wu of Liang": according to the Continued Biographies of Eminent Monks, fascicle seven, the Biography of the Venerable Tanluan, this refers to his journey south of the Yangtze to meet Tao Hongjing in search of the arts of longevity, and his audience with Emperor Wu, where they discussed the meaning of the Dharma.

In the Chen and Sui dynasties there was the Great Master Zhiyi, whose name was Zhiyi and courtesy name De'an. During the Sui dynasty, he conferred the Bodhisattva precepts upon Prince Yang Guang of Jin, and the Prince respectfully addressed the Master as "Zhizhe" (the Wise One). From then on, everyone called him the Great Master Zhiyi. His surname was Chen, and he was a native of Yingchuan. At his birth, a divine light filled the room. He left home at eighteen. On Mount Dasu, he studied under Great Master Huisi, practicing the Lotus Samādhi. He directly beheld the assembly on Vulture Peak and gained unobstructed eloquence. He expounded the profound for ninety days. He divided the Buddha's entire teaching into five periods and eight teachings, completing the Tiantai system of doctrine and contemplation. Regarding the Pure Land tradition: he authored the Commentary on the Sūtra of Contemplation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, and composed the Ten Doubts about the Pure Land, encouraging people to recite the Buddha's name. In the seventeenth year of Kaihuang in the Sui dynasty (597 CE), on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, facing west and reciting the Buddha's name, he passed away seated. His earthly life was sixty-seven years.

In the Tang dynasty there was Daochuo, who followed in Tanluan's teaching and devoted himself exclusively to Pure Land practice. Over his lifetime, he expounded the three Pure Land sūtras nearly two hundred times. Daochuo was a native of Bingzhou (Shanxi Province). His surname was Wei. He left home at fourteen and studied the sūtras and śāstras, mastering the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. He later studied under Chan Master Huizan. While passing by Wen River at Stone Wall Valley's Xuanzhong Monastery, he was so moved by admiration for Divine Tanluan's Pure Land practice that he ceased his scholarly lectures. In meditation he constantly faced west. He performed reverences six times daily and recited the Buddha's name tens of thousands of times each day. He transformed the monastics and laity of Jinyang, Taiyuan, and Wen River counties, so that everyone aged seven and above could recite the Buddha's name. At first he used beans to keep count; later he used bodhi seeds strung into a rosary. On the day of his passing, the assembly saw transformation Buddhas abiding in the sky and heavenly flowers raining down, and then he entered stillness. This was the nineteenth year of Zhenguan (645 CE), the twenty-seventh day of the fourth month. His earthly life was eighty-four years. He authored the Collection on Peaceful Bliss (Ān lè jí) in two fascicles, which circulates in the world.

From Daochuo's lineage emerged Shandao. Master Shandao was the Second Patriarch of the Lotus School. Upon seeing Daochuo's Pure Land practice hall, he joyfully said: "This is truly the essential gateway to entering the Way." He resolved at once to recite the Buddha's name. He was sincere and diligent, sparing neither body nor life. Later he went to the capital, where he inspired both monastics and laity to seek rebirth in the Pure Land. Someone asked: "By reciting the Buddha's name, can one really be born in the Pure Land?" The Master replied: "As you recite, so your wish will be fulfilled." He then recited the Buddha's name once, and a ray of light issued from his mouth. With each recitation from ten to a hundred, the light shone forth in the same way. He passed away during the Yonglong era of Emperor Gaozong (680 CE). He authored the Commentary on the Sūtra of Contemplation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life (the Four-Fascicle Commentary), which circulates in the world.

And so, down through Chengyuan, Fazhao, Shaokang, and Daxing, the lotus wind spread universally across China and beyond! Master Chengyuan was the Third Patriarch of the Lotus School. He first studied under Master Tang in Chengdu, then at the age of eighty went from Zichuan to Jingzhou, where he furthered his studies under Master Qi at Yuquan. Master Qi directed him to settle on Mount Heng to establish his teaching, and those who followed his guidance numbered in the tens of thousands. He guided them all solely through Buddha-recitation. At first he dwelt beneath the southwestern cliffs of the mountain; others helped build him a dwelling, and later Emperor Dezong bestowed the plaque "Amitābha Monastery." In the eighteenth year of Zhenyuan (802

) passed away on the nineteenth day of the seventh lunar month, at the age of ninety-one.

Master Fazhao, the Fourth Patriarch of the Lotus School [Pure Land School], resided at Yunfeng Temple in Hengzhou. He was revered by his contemporaries for his compassion, forbearance, and mastery of precepts and samādhi. Once, he saw the sacred realm of Mount Wutai in his alms bowl. Later, he visited Mount Wutai and beheld Mañjuśrī in person, who expounded the Dharma-door of Buddha-recitation to him. He also once led the Five-Assembly Buddha-recitation east of the lake, which brought forth auspicious clouds and jeweled pavilions. He beheld Amitābha Buddha and the two Bodhisattvas, their bodies filling the sky. On another occasion, while he was leading the Five-Assembly Buddha-recitation in Bingzhou, Emperor Daizong heard the chanting from within the palace and sent envoys to trace its source. They found the Master vigorously encouraging and transforming the people, whereupon the Emperor summoned him to the capital to teach the palace attendants to recite the Buddha's name, also using the Five-Assembly method. Thus he became known as the Five-Assembly Dharma Master. At the end of his life, he passed away seated upright. (The above is based on the Sigui Ji [Record of Aspiring for Rebirth].) Volume 27 of the Fozu Tongji [Comprehensive History of Buddhas and Patriarchs] states that the Master passed away in the seventh year of the Dali era of Emperor Daizong of the Tang Dynasty (772 CE).

The so-called Five-Assembly Buddha-recitation refers to chanting the Buddha's name in a sequence of five tempos, from slow to swift. It was created based on the Infinite Life Sutra, which states that the jeweled trees of the Pure Land emit five tones, all chanting the names of the Three Jewels; those who hear them attain patience and non-retrogression, up to the point of achieving Buddhahood. The hymn goes: "In the first assembly, one enters with an even voice; in the second, marvelously, pure tones are played; in the third, it spirals like performed music; in the fourth, one strives and chants with effort; in the fifth, one chants loudly and swiftly. Hearing these five assemblies, one awakens to non-arising," and so forth.

Master Shaokang, the Fifth Patriarch of the Lotus School. A native of Jiyun (in Zhejiang Province), his lay surname was Zhou. In his youth he was well-versed in the sutras and śāstras, and skilled in the Vinaya. During the Zhenyuan era, he visited the White Horse Temple in the capital of Luoyang. There he saw the text written by Master Shandao encouraging the cultivation of the Pure Land radiating light, and from then on he exclusively cultivated the Pure Land path. In Xinding, he begged for coins to entice children to recite the Buddha's name, and eventually the sound of Buddha-recitation filled the streets. In the tenth year of Zhenyuan, he established a Buddha-recitation practice center at Mount Wulong, gathering the assembly to recite the Buddha's name, and transformed over three thousand people. When the Master ascended the seat and chanted the Buddha's name loudly once, the assembly saw a Buddha emerge from his mouth; for ten chants, ten Buddhas emerged, just like a string of pearls. On the third day of the tenth month in the twenty-first year of Zhenyuan (805 CE), he emitted several rays of extraordinary light and passed away peacefully.

Daxing was a native of Qizhou. He initially studied Tiantai teachings and meditation, and later entered Mount Tai, making clothes of grass and eating wild fruits. He practiced the Lotus Samādhi and had a vision of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva appearing before him. One day he sighed and said, "Human life is impermanent and will soon perish. I do not know where I will be reborn in the next life." He then went to the Tripiṭaka, bowed and prayed, and drew out at random the Amitābha Sutra. Thereupon he focused his mind on contemplating Amitābha Buddha. After three weeks (twenty-one days), at midnight, he suddenly beheld the lapis lazuli ground, and his mind's eye became completely clear; he also saw the Buddha and the two Great Bodhisattvas rising into the air before him. Hearing of his spiritual attainments, Emperor Xizong summoned him to the palace and bestowed upon him the title "Constantly Diligent Bodhisattva." A year later, the lapis lazuli ground appeared again. He said to his attendants, "The jeweled ground has appeared again; my time to depart to the Land of Peaceful Sustenance [the Pure Land] has arrived." That very day, he passed away lying on his right side. (Jingtu Shengxian Lu [Records of Pure Land Sages], Vol. 3) The year of his rebirth and his age are unknown. Since he was once summoned by Emperor Xizong, he must have been a person of the late Tang Dynasty. (Emperor Xizong reigned from 874 to 888 CE.)

From this we can see that the learned masters of all schools secretly cultivated and openly manifested this path, benefiting both themselves and others.

After the Tang and Song dynasties, most masters of the various schools concurrently cultivated and propagated the Pure Land Dharma-door of Buddha-recitation.

• Vinaya School: For example, Precept Master Yuanzhao of the Song Dynasty. The Master once said, "In life, I propagate the Vinaya; in death, I return to the Land of Peaceful Sustenance. What I have attained in my life is only these two Dharma-doors." He authored the Commentary on the Amitābha Sutra and the Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra to propagate the Buddha-recitation Dharma-door.
• Consciousness-Only School: For example, Master Kuiji of the Tang Dynasty, who wrote the General Praise of the Amitābha Sutra and the Essential Decisions for the West: A General Rule for Dispelling Doubts.
• Tiantai School: For example, Venerable Siming of the Song Dynasty, who wrote the Profound Meaning of the Contemplation Sutra (Miaozong Chao) and was reborn into the Pure Land through Buddha-recitation at the end of his life. In the Ming Dynasty, Master Youxi authored the Treatise on the Birth of the Non-Birth of the Pure Land, among other works. It's impossible to list them all here.

As for the Chan School: if one solely emphasizes the "upward path" [the ultimate truth], then not a single dharma is established; for Buddhas there is no place to alight, let alone reciting the Buddha's name to seek rebirth in the Pure Land. Master Baoshi of Panshan said, "The upward path is not transmitted by a thousand sages." (Jingde Chuandeng Lu [The Transmission of the Lamp], Vol. 7) Master Mazu Daoyi said, "Here, there is not a single thing — what Buddhism are you seeking?" He also said, "One speaks of awakening to the deluded; since fundamentally there is no delusion, awakening is not established either." (Extensive Records of Chan Master Mazu Daoyi) Master Zhaozhou Congshen said, "Do not dwell where there are no Buddhas; hurry past where there are." (Records of Master Zhaozhou) ——This is what is meant by "not establishing a single dharma."

This is the ultimate truth, wherein if one thing is annihilated, all are annihilated; as the saying goes, "In the realm of absolute reality, not a single speck of dust is accepted." This reveals the substance of the nature. The Essentials of the Beginning and End of the Mind states: "The ultimate truth annihilates all dharmas." The commentary explains: "'True' means uncontrived — empty and still. 'Annihilate' means to merge, to integrate. The meaning is that all dharmas originally lack self-nature and are empty in their very substance. They exist due to the convergence of conditions and cease when conditions scatter. When observed in accordance with the truth, they are instantly still and utterly unobtainable. Integrated and merged, they are fundamentally formless." (Master Dixian's Commentary on the Essentials of the Beginning and End of the Mind) "In the realm of absolute reality, not a single speck of dust is accepted" is found in the Records of Chan Master Weishan Lingyou.

However, if we specifically discuss actual practice, then not a single dharma is discarded. If one does not work, one does not eat — how much less would one discard reciting the Buddha's name to seek rebirth in the Pure Land? Carrying water and moving firewood are nothing but the Dao. Weishan served as the cook at Baizhang's monastery; Xuefeng served as the rice cook at Dongshan's monastery. Regarding Precept Master Baizhang's principle of "not eating if one does not work," his records say: "Whenever the Master engaged in physical labor, he always did so before the rest of the assembly. The assembly could not bear this, so they hid his tools early on and asked him to rest. The Master said, 'I possess no virtue; how can I let others labor for me?' Since he could not find his work tools after searching everywhere, he skipped his meal. Thus the saying 'A day without work is a day without food' spread throughout the world!" ——This is what is meant by "not discarding a single dharma."

Since not a single dharma is discarded, what harm is there in reciting the Buddha's name? Master Huineng, the Sixth Patriarch, said, "What fault is there in the sutras that they obstruct your thoughts?" (The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, Chapter on Opportune Occasions). By analogy, one might also say: "What fault is there in the Buddha that he obstructs your chanting?" Master Zhaozhou instructed the assembly, "Do not pass your time idly; recite the Buddha, recite the Dharma." This is clear proof that the Chan school does not hinder Buddha-recitation. This is the conventional truth, wherein if one dharma is established, all dharmas are established. As the saying goes, "In the gate of Buddhist practices, not a single dharma is abandoned." This reveals the inherent endowment of the nature. The Essentials of the Beginning and End of the Mind states: "Conventional truth establishes all dharmas." The commentary explains: "'Conventional' refers to conventional existence; no dharma is excluded. 'Establish' means to set forth; the myriad phenomena are manifest. 'All dharmas' broadly encompass the ten realms of nature and form, the one hundred realms and one thousand suchnesses. When observed in accordance with the conventional, not a single dharma is abandoned. Although phenomena are fundamentally unobtainable, every distinct form is perfectly evident." (Master Dixian's Commentary on the Essentials of the Beginning and End of the Mind) "In the gate of Buddhist practices, not a single dharma is abandoned" is also a saying of Master Weishan. His records say: "In the realm of absolute reality, not a single speck of dust is accepted; in the gate of myriad practices, not a single dharma is abandoned." (Records of Chan Master Weishan Lingyou)

The ultimate truth reveals the substance of the nature, and conventional truth reveals its inherent endowment; altogether, they never depart from the One Mind. For the nature of the mind is inherently endowed with infinite virtues — namely, the substance of the nature, the magnitude of the nature, and the inherent endowment of the nature: the substance of the nature transcends errors and cuts off extremes, neither arising nor ceasing; the magnitude of the nature vertically exhausts the three times and horizontally pervades the ten directions; the inherent endowment of the nature means it encompasses the ten dharma realms. Throughout all ten dharma realms, whether dependent or primary environments, form or mind, provisional names or actual dharmas, the nature of the mind is fully endowed with them all. (See Master Dixian's Essential Commentary on the Chapter of Samantabhadra's Vows for its explanation of the meaning of "Great, Vast, and Broad" [Da Fang Guang].)

If one insists on discarding the conventional truth to speak of the ultimate truth, then it is no longer the ultimate truth. It's like seeking the nature of the mind by discarding the four elements and the five aggregates: if the body doesn't even exist, where will the mind abide? If one uses the conventional truth to illuminate the ultimate truth, that is the true ultimate truth. Just as in the eyes it is called seeing, and in the ears it is called hearing — this is manifesting the nature of the mind right within the four elements and five aggregates. The Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (Zhong Lun) states: "The Buddhas rely on the two truths to teach the Dharma to sentient beings." It also says: "Without relying on the conventional truth, the ultimate truth cannot be attained." And further: "It is precisely because of emptiness that all dharmas can come to be." This is what is meant by "Principle is manifested through phenomena, and phenomena are illuminated by principle." The reasoning here is very clear and needs no further elaboration. This is the core principle behind why the patriarchs of old secretly cultivated the Pure Land.

Many patriarchs of the Chan School secretly cultivated the Pure Land. A student once asked Master Zhaozhou, "What is the teacher of all Buddhas?" Zhaozhou replied, "Amitābha Buddha, Amitābha Buddha." The student asked, "Does the Master still guide people?" Zhaozhou replied, "Buddha! Buddha!" (Records of Master Zhaozhou) However, because this was not widely or explicitly recorded and passed down, unless one deeply comprehends the patriarchs' intentions, it remains hidden. The records of the patriarchs often contain this meaning; one must reflect deeply to grasp it.

Nevertheless, Baizhang established rules for praying for sick monks and performing funerals for deceased monks, all of which are dedicated to the Pure Land. He also said, "In spiritual cultivation, nothing is more reliable than Buddha-recitation." Baizhang's rules for praying for sick monks and performing funerals for deceased monks may be based on the Baizhang Monastic Code. Volume 7 of the Monastic Code, "Rules for the Infirmary," states: "Those with minor illnesses should remain quietly and recite the Buddha's name." It also says: "Those with severe illnesses entering the infirmary should immediately entrust their post-mortem affairs, let go of all worldly ties, and single-mindedly recite the Buddha's name." Master Baizhang's Twenty Essential Rules for Monasteries states: "A monastery flourishes when it is free of worldly affairs; in spiritual cultivation, Buddha-recitation is the most reliable; for diligence, maintaining the precepts is paramount; for illness, reducing food intake is the best medicine..." (Daily Recitation of the Chan School)

Later, Master Zhenxiao Liao stated: "The Pure Land Dharma directly connects with those of the highest capacities, while indirectly drawing in those of average and inferior faculties." He also said: "The lineage descending from Dongshan [the Cáodòng school] all engages in secret cultivation, because seeing the Buddha through the Pure Land is far simpler and easier than through the Chan gate." He further said: "Whether Buddhas or patriarchs, whether in the teaching school or Chan, all cultivate the Pure Land and return to the same source." From this one can grasp the general idea.

The Master's name was Qingliao, and he was also known as Zhenxiao. He was the son of the Yong family from Anchang in Zuomián, Sichuan. As an infant in swaddling clothes, he was taken into a temple. Upon seeing the Buddha, his joy showed in his eyebrows and eyelashes. At eleven, he left home under Elder Qingjun of Shèngguǒ Temple. At eighteen, he passed the examination on the Lotus Sutra and received his monastic precepts. He went to Daci Temple in Chengdu to study the Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment, the Diamond Sūtra, and other sutras and śāstras, grasping their main principles. He climbed Mount Éméi to pay homage to Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. He left Shu (Sichuan), traveled to Miǎn and Hàn, and knocked on the door of Dānxiá's chamber. One day, climbing Bōyú Peak, he suddenly experienced great enlightenment, becoming the Dharma-heir of Chan Master Dānxiá Zǐchún. He then ascended Mount Wutai to pay homage to Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva. In August of the second year of the Jiànyán era, he paid homage to Amitābha Buddha. He successively served as abbot of major monasteries such as Guóqīng on Mount Tiantai, Xuěfēng, Guǎnglì at Mount Ayuwáng, Jìngshān, Lóngxiáng in Wenzhou, and Xìngqìng, greatly revitalizing the Cáodòng lineage. His influence spread across half the empire. On the first day of the tenth month in the twenty-first year of the Shàoxīng era (1151 CE), without any illness, he passed away in a seated posture while reciting the Buddha's name. His worldly age was sixty-three. He authored the Picking Up the Ancients on the Verses of Faith Mind (Xìnxīn Míng Niǎn Gǔ), wrote the Discourse on the Pure Land, and his disciples compiled the Records Beyond the Kalpa by Master Liao of Chánglú in Zhēnzhōu into one volume for circulation. The passage quoted in the Wénchāo is from his Discourse on the Pure Land. Here are several passages from it, recorded for comparison with the text of the Wénchāo:

"The lineage descending from Dongshan all engages in secret cultivation (meaning they secretly cultivate Pure Land karma: because the followers of this lineage, while openly advocating Chan, are in reality secretly cultivating the Pure Land). Why is this? Truly, because the Dharma-door of Buddha-recitation is a direct path of practice, exactly matching the Tripiṭaka to connect with those of the highest capacities, while indirectly drawing in those of average and inferior faculties."

"Great masters of the Chan School, having already awakened to the Dharma that is neither empty nor existent, nonetheless devote themselves diligently to Pure Land karma. Is this not because seeing the Buddha through the Pure Land is far simpler and easier than through the Chan gate?"

"Whether Buddhas or patriarchs, whether in the teaching school or Chan, all cultivate Pure Land karma and return to the same source. Once one enters this gate, one can enter all the infinite Dharma-doors." ——The above is based on the Jiǎohǔ Jí [Collection of the Horned Tiger].

It was not until Master Yōngmíng, who manifested in the world riding on his vows in the form of an ancient Buddha, that explicit written teachings were laid down and books authored to propagate [the Pure Land].

Master Yōngmíng's name was Yánshòu, and his courtesy name was Chōngyuán. He is the Sixth Patriarch of the Lotus School. He was the son of the Wáng family from Qiántáng in Hángzhōu. During the reign of King Wénmù of Qián (King of Wúyuè), he served as a tax official. He used government funds to buy and release living creatures. His crime was punishable by death, but when he was about to be executed, his expression remained unchanged. The King therefore pardoned him, and he subsequently left home under Chan Master Cuīyán of Sìmíng. Later, he studied under National Preceptor Shào of Mount Tiantai. Upon a single word from the Preceptor, he achieved great, thorough enlightenment. He immediately received the Dharma transmission, becoming the direct Dharma-descendant of the Fǎyǎn lineage. He began teaching at Xuědòu and later moved to the newly built Língyǐn Temple. In the second year of the Jiànlóng era (961 CE), when King Zhōngyì of Qián finished building Yōngmíng Temple, he invited the Master to be its abbot. Thus he became known to the world as Master Yōngmíng. He performed one hundred and eight daily practices (recorded in his Zìxíng Lù [Records of Personal Practice]) without ever neglecting them. At night he would go to another peak to practice the Way and recite the Buddha's name, and those nearby would often hear celestial music. On the twenty-sixth day of the second month in the eighth year of the Kāibǎo era of the Song Dynasty (975 CE), he rose in the morning, burned incense, addressed the assembly, sat in the lotus posture, and passed away. His worldly age was seventy-two. During his fifteen years at Yōngmíng Temple, he had one thousand seven hundred disciples.

Saying that he "manifested in the world riding on his vows in the form of an ancient Buddha" can mean two things: some say he was an incarnation of Amitābha Buddha; others consider it a term of praise, just as Master Zhàozhōu was praised as an ancient Buddha. Among the ancient virtuous masters of the Chan School, it was Master Yōngmíng who first openly cultivated the Dharma-door of Buddha-recitation, aspiring for rebirth in the Land of Peaceful Sustenance. He composed the Ode on the Spirit Dwelling in the Land of Peaceful Sustenance (Shén Qī Ānyǎng Fù) to express his resolve. (This Ode is found in the Jìngtǔ Shénzhū [Divine Pearl of the Pure Land], page 144 of Volume 110 of the Xùzàng Jīng [Supplementary Buddhist Canon], as well as in the biography of Master Yánshòu in the Liánzōng Zhèngfàn [True Models of the Lotus School].) He also authored the three-volume Collection of Myriad Good Deeds Returning to the One (Wànshàn Tóngguī Jí), directing everything back to the Pure Land. Hence the text says, "He laid down explicit written teachings and authored books to propagate it." Furthermore, fearing that practitioners might not be clear on the correct path and might confuse what is beneficial with what is harmful, he exerted his utmost to set forth the "Four Guidelines" (Four Gāthās). This can truly be called grasping the essence of the entire Tripiṭaka and serving as a guide for those at the crossroads. It enables practitioners to immediately awaken to the essential path of escaping the cycle of birth and death and realizing Nirvāṇa within just eighty words. His compassionate heart for saving the world is truly unprecedented in history!

The Four Guideline Gāthās: First: "To have both Chan and the Pure Land is like a tiger with horns; in this life, one is a teacher of humans, and in the next, one becomes a Buddha or Patriarch." Second: "To have Chan but no Pure Land — nine out of ten will lose their way; when the states of the intermediate state (bardo) appear before them, they'll be swept away in an instant." Third: "To have no Chan but have the Pure Land — ten thousand who cultivate, ten thousand will go; once they behold Amitābha, what worry is there about not achieving enlightenment?" Fourth: "To have neither Chan nor the Pure Land means iron beds and copper pillars; for ten thousand kalpas and a thousand lives, there will be no one to rely upon."

Master Yīnguāng has provided an explanation of these Four Guidelines, which can be found in his Treatise on Resolving Doubts about the Pure Land (Jìngtǔ Juéyì Lùn, Volume 2 of the Wénchāo). The rest is clear from the text itself.

After him, masters of various schools all explicitly laid down written teachings, particularly praising this Dharma. For instance, great patriarchs such as Zōngzé of Chánglú, Yìhuái of Tiānyī, Yuánzhào Běn, Dàtōng Běn, Zhōngfēng Běn, Tiānrú Zé, Chǔshí Qí, and Kōnggǔ Lóng — although they propagated the Chan School, all particularly praised the Pure Land. Among the patriarchs of the Chan School, after Master Yōngmíng "laid down explicit written teachings and authored books to propagate it," many masters gave explicit instructions and particularly praised the Pure Land Dharma-door of Buddha-recitation, such as Chan Master Zōngzé of Chánglú, and others.

Zōngzé of Chánglú: The Master's name was Zōngzé. He was a son of the Sūn family from Xiāngyáng (also recorded as Luòzhōu). Orphaned at a young age, he was very filial to his mother. He was well-versed in Confucian classics. At twenty-nine, he left home under Chan Master Xiù of Chánglú Temple in Zhēnzhōu, deeply understanding the essentials of the Chan school. Later, he visited Chan Master Yìngfū of Chánglú, attained awakening, and succeeded to his position as abbot. He brought his mother to the east room of the abbot's quarters and encouraged her to shave her head and become a nun. Besides providing her with fine food, he urged her to diligently recite the Buddha's name. For seven years without interruption, he cared for her until she passed away while reciting the Buddha's name at the end of her life. In his later years, he led the fourfold assembly in forming the Lotus Blossom Society, exclusively practicing Buddha-recitation. In the seventh year of the Yuányōu era of the Song Dynasty (1092 CE), he passed away in a seated posture while reciting the Buddha's name, at the age of eighty-three. He authored the Preface to the Contemplation of Infinite Life Sūtra (found in Lèbāng Wénlèi, Vol. 2) and Exhorting Chan Practitioners to Simultaneously Cultivate the Pure Land (found in the Expanded Lóngshū Jìngtǔ Wén, Vol. 11), thereby propagating the Pure Land.

Yìhuái of Tiānyī: The Master's name was Yìhuái. He was a son of the Chén family from Yuèqīng in Yōngjiā. His father was a fisherman. As a child, sitting at the stern of the boat, whenever he caught a fish, he would release it. His father scolded and beat him, but he didn't mind. When he grew up, he traveled to the capital and entered Jǐngdé Temple as a novice monk. During the Tiānshèng era (1023–1031 CE), he passed the sutra examination and received his full ordination. He traveled extensively to study under various masters. Later, he studied under Chan Master Xuědòu Chōngxián, serving as the water carrier. One day, while drawing water, his carrying pole broke, and he suddenly awakened. He composed a verse: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven; / Standing on one leg atop a ten-thousand-fathom peak. / Snatching the bright pearl from under the black dragon's chin — / In a single word, I see through Vimalakīrti!" He was subsequently certified as enlightened. Thereafter, he presided as abbot over seven monasteries, from Tiěfó to Tiānyī Mountain, teaching and guiding a vast number of people. The Master himself cultivated the Pure Land and earnestly encouraged others to do the same. Once, in his quarters, he asked his students: "If one speaks of abandoning the impure and grasping the pure, loathing this world and longing for the Pure Land — this is the act of choosing and rejecting, a delusion of sentient beings. Yet if one says there is no Pure Land, one contradicts the Buddha's words. How, then, should a practitioner of the Pure Land cultivate?" The assembly was silent. He then answered his own question: "Rebirth is definitely certain, yet the act of going does not actually occur." He also said: "It's like a goose flying across the vast sky, its shadow reflecting in the cold water; the goose has no intention of leaving a trace, and the water has no mind to retain the reflection." In his later years, due to illness, he resided at Sōngshān Hermitage in Chíyáng. His disciple Zhìcái, who was the abbot of Fùrì Temple in Línpíng, welcomed him there to care for him.

In the first year of the Zhiping era of the Song Dynasty (1064 CE), on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, he recited a gātha and passed away at the age of seventy-two. (Records of Sages and Worthies of the Pure Land, vol. 3; Compilation of Jade Tiger, vol. 5; Continued Lamp Record, vol. 6)

Yuanzhao Ben (Master Yuanzhao): The master's dharma name was Zongben. He was born to the Guan family in Wuxi, Changzhou (Jiangsu Province). At nineteen he ordained under Elder Daosheng of Chengtian Yong'an Monastery. After receiving the full precepts, he served diligently for three years, then went to visit Chan Master Tianyi Huai — upon hearing his teaching, he attained immediate awakening. He emerged from retreat to serve as abbot of Ruiguang Monastery, and later as abbot of Jingci Monastery and Huilin Chan Courtyard. Emperor Zhezong granted him the title "Chan Master Yuanzhao." In his daily life, the master quietly cultivated Pure Land practice. Leifeng Caigong and Zifu Xigong both, while in samādhi, spiritually journeyed to the Pure Land and saw golden lotus flowers marked with the master's name. Someone asked him: "You transmit the direct pointing of Chan — why is your name inscribed in the lotus realm?" He replied: "Though I belong to the Chan tradition, I also practice Pure Land concurrently." In the second year of the Yuanfu era of the Song Dynasty (1099 CE), he passed away at the age of eighty. (Records of the Pure Land and Compilation of Jade Tiger, as above)

Datong Ben (Master Datong): The master's dharma name was Shanben, born to the Dong family in Kaifeng. He was ordained after passing an examination on the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. He visited Yuanzhao at Ruiguang Monastery and tacitly grasped the core teaching; he served diligently for five years and fully mastered its essentials. By imperial decree he served as abbot of Fayun Monastery in the capital and was granted the title "Datong." He later returned to Xiangwu Monastery in Hangzhou, devoting himself solely to Pure Land practice. In samādhi he saw Amitābha Buddha manifest a golden body. In the third year of the Daguan era (1109 CE), on the jiazi day of the twelfth month, he bent three fingers and told his disciples: "Only three days remain." When the time came, he sat cross-legged facing west and passed away at the age of seventy-five. Because the second character of his dharma name was the same as Yuanzhao's, people of the time called Yuanzhao "Great Ben" and this master "Little Ben." (Records of the Pure Land, Compilation of Jade Tiger, as above; Continued Lamp Record, vol. 14)

Zhongju Ben (Master Zhongju): The master's dharma name was Mingben, born to the Sun family in Qiantang. At fifteen he resolved to ordain. He worshipped the Buddha, burned his arm as an offering, vowed to uphold the five precepts, and daily recited the Lotus Sūtra, Complete Enlightenment Sūtra, Diamond Sūtra, and other sūtras; at night he would often walk instead of sleeping. Later he sought instruction from Tianmu Gaoju Miaogong and received tonsure under him. After repeatedly asking for guidance, he was watching a flowing stream when he attained great awakening. After Gaofeng passed away, in the tenth year of the Dade era of the Yuan Dynasty (1306 CE), he became abbot of Lion Courtyard, and students called him Chan Master Zhongfeng. Though the master solely expounded the ultimate truth of Chan, he also frequently promoted Pure Land practice, once saying: "Chan is the Chan of the Pure Land; the Pure Land is the Pure Land of Chan." He wrote 108 poems on longing for the Pure Land, which circulated widely. He composed the Record of Bao'en Courtyard, expounding the meaning of Pure Land, and made forty-eight vows seeking rebirth there. In the third year of the Zhizhi era of the Yuan Dynasty (1323 CE), he stayed at the eastern ridge of Tianmu Mountain. On the thirteenth day of the eighth month, he wrote a gātha, sat peacefully, and passed away at the age of sixty-one. (Records of the Pure Land, vol. 4)

Tianru Ze (Master Tianru): The master's dharma name was Weize, styled Tianru. A native of Yongxin, Ji'an (Jiangxi Province), of the Tan clan. He received tonsure at Heshan and sought instruction from Zhongfeng, attaining complete enlightenment. In the early Zhizheng era, he resided at the Lion Grove in Suzhou. He wrote Questions and Answers on the Pure Land, refuting various doubts and encouraging progress in Pure Land practice. He also compiled essential passages from various schools' commentaries on the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, titled Collected Explications, which circulated widely. In the fourteenth year of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1354 CE), he passed away. (Records of the Pure Land, vol. 4; Compilation of Jade Tiger, vol. 1; Supplement to the Continued Lamp Record, vol. 6)

Chushi Qi (Master Chushi): The master's dharma name was Fanqi, styled Chushi. A native of the Zhu family in Xiangshan, Ningbo. He ordained at Yongzuo Monastery at age nine and received full precepts at sixteen. While reading the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, he had an initial awakening. He sought instruction from Chan Master Yuansou Duan at Jingshan (Jing Mountain). One night, hearing the sound of a drum, he attained great awakening. Since childhood the master had known of the Pure Land Dharma gate; every morning he performed the ten recitations of Amitābha's name to seek rebirth in the Pure Land, never slackening for a single day. When he later became abbot of Tianning Monastery, he built a room on the western side and devoted himself entirely to Pure Land practice — hence the style name "Western Studio." He wrote Pure Land poems that circulated in his time. In the first year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, he was summoned to the capital to teach the Dharma, much to the emperor's delight. In the third year of Hongwu (1370 CE), he served as abbot of Tianjie Monastery. That autumn he fell ill, bathed, changed his robes, and wrote a gātha:

The true nature is perfectly luminous, fundamentally without birth or death; the wooden horse neighs at night, the sun rises in the West.

After finishing it, he said to Mengtang Egong: "I'm leaving." Egong asked: "Where are you going?" He replied: "To the West." Egong said: "There is a Buddha in the West — is there no Buddha in the East?" The master gave a sharp shout and peacefully passed away at the age of seventy-five. (Records of the Pure Land, vol. 5; Compilation of Jade Tiger, vol. 1)

Konggu Long (Master Konggu): The master's dharma name was Jinglong, styled Zuting, sobriquet Konggu. A native of the Chen family in Suzhou. As a child he refused meat and would sit cross-legged as though in Chan meditation. At twenty-eight he ordained and sought instruction from Chan Master Lanyun of Huishan, receiving formal recognition of his awakening. He also cultivated Pure Land practice and wrote 108 Pure Land poems. During the Zhengtong era, he composed his own stūpa inscription, recounting his life. In the eleventh year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1466 CE), he passed away at the age of seventy-nine. (Records of the Pure Land, Compilation of Jade Tiger, as above)

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As for Master Lianchi (Lotus Pond), after he attained great awakening through studying with Master Xiaoyan, he set aside Chan and took up Pure Land practice. His reasoning: when Pure Land practice is fulfilled, Chan realization comes of its own accord. It is like someone who has bathed in the ocean — they have no need for water from a hundred rivers. Or like arriving at the Hanyuan Hall [the main hall of the Tang imperial palace] — there's no need to ask where Chang'an [the capital] is.

Chan Master Xiaoyan: His dharma name was Debao, styled Yuexin; "Xiaoyan" was his sobriquet. Born to the Wu family in Jintai He (Beijing), on the full-moon day of the twelfth month in the seventh year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1512 CE). At twenty-two he ordained and received full precepts at Guanghui Monastery. He studied with over thirty realized teachers and received Dharma transmission from Chan Master Wuwen Cong of Longquan Monastery. He then emerged to serve as abbot of major monasteries including Gaozuo, Niushou, and Yuantong. In the ninth year of the Wanli era (1581 CE), he passed away at the age of seventy. His Dharma heirs include Chan Master Longchi Huanyou Chuan and others.

Master Lianchi: His dharma name was Zhuhong, styled Fohui. His brief biography states: "His sobriquet is Lotus Pond, signaling his aspiration toward the Western Pure Land."

— The master's original dharma name was "Shuhong," later changed to "Zhuhong." People commonly and mistakenly write it as "祩 Hong" (in the "Master's Brief Biography" within the Cloud Dwelling Dharma Collection, it is likewise erroneously written with "祩," reading "the dharma name has 祩 above and Hong below"). The reason for changing 殊 (shu) to 袾 (zhu) can be found in Master Yinguang's Collected Writings, in the letter "To Layman Gao Henian." The relevant passage follows:

"...The lineage verse runs: 'Zong, Fu, Fa, De, Yi; Puxian's vows and aspirations are profound; Wenshu's wisdom is vast and great, accomplishing equal perfect awakening.' The master belonged to the 'Shu' [殊] generation. The reason he changed it to 'Zhu' [袾] is this: during the Hongwu era, there was an eminent monk whom Emperor Hongwu summoned and treated with great favor, specially awarding him a jade cup and commanding him to drink milk as an offering. The monk composed a poem of thanks containing the line: 'A cup of jade nectar comes from the shu domain; ninefold grace descends from on high.' Now Hongwu's surname was Zhu [朱], so he interpreted '殊' as '歹' (bad) + '朱' — that is, 'bad Zhu,' an insult. He immediately ordered the monk beheaded. Only after the execution did he realize it was no insult — but by then, regret came too late. This was the ripening of killing karma from past lives; when karmic force manifests, one cannot remain master of oneself. Killing karma is this hard to eradicate — how can we not be vigilant?... For this reason, Master Lianchi removed the '歹' radical and added the '衣' radical, using the character 袾. Most people never look into this and carelessly write it as 祩, with the 'spirit/altar' radical. Such is their ignorance of character meaning and their careless, superficial temperaments! And so the master's careful attention to fine detail in averting misfortune — his way of rectifying names and aligning with proper speech — has been buried and forgotten. What a pity!"

The above is quoted directly from the Expanded Collected Writings, volume 1, page 69.

The master was a native of Renhe County, ancient Hangzhou, of the Shen clan. He was born on the twenty-second day of the first month in the fourteenth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1535 CE). Exceptionally intelligent from birth, he passed the imperial examination at seventeen and was admitted to the student corps, earning recognition for both scholarship and conduct. Then suddenly he realized that the matter of birth and death is of supreme importance, and from that point his mind turned toward the Pure Land. At twenty-seven his father died; at thirty-one his mother died as well. The following year, after the funerals were concluded, he left home. He went to the Western Hills and received tonsure under Monk Xingli Tianli, then took full precepts at the Zhaoqing Ordination Platform.

He then set out on pilgrimage, visiting realized teachers far and wide. The Continued Lamp Manuscript records:

"...He often wrote the four characters 'birth and death — a great matter' on his desk. One day he accidentally broke a teacup and had an awakening. He composed the Seven Strokes Crossed Out to express his resolve and received tonsure from Xingli of the Western Hills. Traveling north, he sought instruction from Bianrong, then visited Xiaoyan at Liuxiang in the capital to ask for guidance. Xiaoyan said: 'Ah! You've come three thousand li seeking guidance — what exactly do I have to offer you?' At this the master suddenly awakened. He took his leave and headed back. Passing through Dongchang, he heard the drum from the watchtower on the road and attained great awakening! He composed a gātha: 'Thirty years of past affairs — how dubious; what a strange encounter three thousand li away; burning incense and hurling halberds are trivial matters; Māra and the Buddha argue in vain over right and wrong.' Afterward he resided at Cloud Dwelling [Yunqi]."

(Qing Dynasty, Chan Master Tongwen's Continued Lamp Manuscript, vol. 12)

Seven Strokes Crossed Out: [The worldly attachments to be crossed out with a single stroke are] five-colored imperial commendations, husband and wife as inseparable as fish and water, worthy sons and grandsons, wealth and rank, home and fields, peerless literary talent, and romantic sentiment. One of the poems reads:

"A parent's kindness outweighs the hills; five tripods and three sacrificial beasts cannot repay it. Only when parents are freed from worldly dust is the child's duty fulfilled. Ah! This is the great cause of leaving the world. How can worldly feelings be cut through? Filial sons and virtuous grandsons — seek the ultimate in true emptiness. And so, with a single stroke, I cross out the five-colored imperial commendations!"

Chan Master Bianrong: His biography is not recorded in detail. In Bamboo Window, Second Notes, he is written as "Bianrong." Master Lianchi himself recounted his visit:

"When I entered the capital, I went with some twenty fellow practitioners to pay our respects to Master Bianrong and seek instruction. The master taught us: 'Do not be greedy for profit; do not seek fame; do not cling to the doors of the powerful and wealthy — only single-mindedly pursue the Way.' After we left, several young monks laughed and said: 'I thought we'd hear something extraordinary — what use are such broad, generic words?' I said: Not so. What makes this elder worthy of respect is precisely this. Even if he were slow of speech, could he not have gathered one or two of the ancient worthies' encounter dialogues to put on a show? But he didn't. What he says is what he himself practices. He holds up his own practice to teach others — this is a true Chan practitioner, not to be taken lightly."

(See Bamboo Window, Second Notes)

Visiting Xiaoyan at Liuxiang: In his later years — the fifth year of the Wanli era (1577 CE) — Chan Master Xiaoyan was given a hermitage at Liuxiang in the western part of Beijing. In the fifth year of the Longqing era (1571 CE), he had returned south alone, and, charmed by the secluded beauty of Cloud Dwelling's landscape, built a thatched hut and settled there. (This is according to the brief biography. Since he returned south in the fifth year of Longqing, the visit to Xiaoyan at Liuxiang would not have been at that location.)

The mountains had many tigers. The master recited sūtras and mantras and made food offerings, and the tigers caused no harm. During a severe drought the local residents begged him to pray for rain. The master simply chanted the Buddha's name, and rain fell immediately. The people rejoiced and together gathered materials to build him a dwelling. Monks arrived daily, and gradually a monastic community took shape.

The phrase "set aside the other [Chan] and take up this [Pure Land]" means that when Pure Land practice reaches fulfillment, Chan realization is already contained within — as the saying goes, "Once you see Amitābha, why worry about not awakening?" Hence it is called "naturally obtained."

His brief biography says that, grieved by the abuses in both the Chan and scholastic traditions, he vigorously promoted the Pure Land school:

"Moreover, the terms 'Chan' and 'teaching' had developed many abuses: Chan adherents often clung to principle and discarded practice; lecturers lost their way down divergent paths; some even pilfered Buddhist phrases for literary compositions and turned encounter dialogues into idle speculation. The Tathāgata's life-giving wisdom hung by a thread, and the Dharma wheel was nearly overturned. Such people were everywhere. Was this the fault of students, or of those who guided them? The master felt deep sorrow. He believed that to reverse the declining tide, skillful means were necessary — and so he expounded the Pure Land gate as a pillar against the raging torrent... He therefore gathered Pure Land practitioners, focused solely on unifying the mind, and held to nothing but the name of Amitābha..."

Beyond exclusive Pure Land practice, the master's community strictly upheld the Vinaya, honored lectures and sūtra recitation, understood cause and effect, distinguished between misfortune and blessing, reformed monastic rules, and practiced genuinely. He taught for over forty years, and his influence spread across the land; those transformed by him were many.

In the forty-third year of the Wanli era (1614 CE), at the end of the sixth month, he went into the city to bid farewell to old friends. On the fourth day of the seventh month, he sat upright and passed away peacefully. When the assembly asked for final words, he said: "Just honestly recite the Buddha's name. Don't change the subject." He was eighty-one years old, with fifty years as a monk.

The Cloud Dwelling Dharma Collection that he compiled is truly a precious raft for crossing the sea of saṃsāra — a pillar of the Dharma gate. His Commentary on the Amitābha Sūtra expounds the unity of principle and practice and is extraordinarily profound. Since the founding of the Pure Land school, nothing like it had appeared. His wise words and great achievements are recorded throughout the complete works, which deserve to be studied and contemplated carefully.

The Four Great Masters of the late Ming — Lianchi, Zibai, Hanshan, and Ouyi — propagated the Dharma and left behind a body of writings equal to their own height in volume. Master Lianchi was the earliest of them, and after his death his reputation shone brightest. The Pure Land school honors him as the Eighth Patriarch. He wrote over thirty works in his lifetime, compiled into the Cloud Dwelling Dharma Collection, divided into three categories: sūtra commentaries, compiled ancient texts, and original writings.

• Sūtra commentaries include the Hidden Meaning of the Bodhisattva Precepts Commentary, the Commentary on the Amitābha Sūtra, and Essentials of the Commentary on the Sūtra of the Buddha's Last Teaching.
• Compiled ancient texts include the Brief Explanation of the Western Realm Vow, Easy Guide to the Full Precepts, Encouragement for Advancing Through the Chan Barrier, Record of Esteemed Conduct in the Monastic Order, Record of Self-Knowledge, Collection of Rebirth Stories, Water-Land Rite, and Notes on the Food Offering Ritual — over ten works in all.
• Original writings include Feeling the Elephant of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Bamboo Window Notes (first, second, and third collections), Collection of Corrections, Record of the Straight Path, and Mountain Lodge Miscellaneous Records, among others.

After him, the great patriarchs — Ouyi, Jieliu, Sheng'an, Mengdong, and others — all followed the same path.

Master Ouyi: His dharma name was Zhixu, styled Suhua; in later life he took the sobriquet "Elder Ouyi." His surname was Zhong, his secular name Jiming, also called Sheng, styled Zhenzhi. His ancestors were from Bianliang; his founding ancestor crossed south and settled in Mudu, in the ancient Wu region. His father recited the Great Compassion Mantra for ten years, then dreamt that the Bodhisattva Guanyin sent him a son — and so the master was born. This was the hai hour on the third day of the fifth month in the twenty-seventh year of the Wanli era (1599 CE). At seven he began eating vegetarian food. At twelve he studied with a private tutor. Hearing the teachings of the sages, he took upon himself the mission of carrying on their thousand-year tradition, wrote dozens of essays, and attacked heterodox teachings. At seventeen he read the preface to the Record of Self-Knowledge and the Bamboo Window Notes, and from then on no longer slandered Buddhism — he took his anti-Buddhist writings and burned them. At twenty his father died. Hearing the Original Vows of Earth Store Bodhisattva Sūtra, he generated the aspiration to leave worldly life. At twenty-two he devoted himself to Buddha recitation. At twenty-three, upon hearing the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, great doubt surged up, and he resolved to ordain and investigate the great matter of life and death. At twenty-four he received tonsure from Teacher Xueling, a disciple of Master Hanshan. At twenty-eight he fell gravely ill during a meditation retreat and turned his Chan practice toward seeking rebirth in the Pure Land. At thirty-one, witnessing the abuses of the Chan school of his day, he resolved to promote the Vinaya. At thirty-two, preparing to write a commentary on the Brahmajāla Sūtra, he drew four lots to ask the Buddha: first, to follow the Xianshou (Huayan) school; second, the Tiantai school; third, the Ci'en (Faxiang) school; fourth, to establish his own school. He repeatedly drew the Tiantai lot, so he devoted himself to studying the Tiantai scriptures — yet refused to become a formal heir of the Tiantai lineage. He wrote the Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sūtra, compiled the Ten Essentials of the Pure Land, and vigorously propagated the Pure Land school. He authored Guide to Reading the Tripiṭaka, an indispensable guide to the Buddhist canon. On the twenty-first day of the first month in the twelfth year of the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1655 CE), at the noon hour, he sat cross-legged on the corner of his rope meditation platform, raised his hand toward the west, and passed away — at the age of fifty-seven. In the winter of the dingyou year, his cremation was carried out according to proper rites. His hair had grown long enough to cover his ears, his face looked as though still alive, and he sat cross-legged, majestic and upright. His teeth had not decayed. His relics were enshrined in a stūpa to the right of the main hall at Lingfeng. (Excerpted from Biography of the One Who Is Not Eight — the master's autobiography)

Later generations honored him as the Ninth Patriarch of the Pure Land school.

Master Jieliu: Tenth Patriarch of the Pure Land school. His dharma name was Xingce, surname Jiang, a native of Yixing. His father dreamt that Hanshan entered the room, and so he was named "Menghan" ("Dream Hanshan"). When he came of age, both parents passed away, and he resolved to leave the world. At twenty-three he went to Li'an Monastery in Wulin and ordained under Monk Ruo'an Wen. For five years he never let his side touch the mat — practicing meditation day and night — and suddenly comprehended the source of the Dharma. After Wen passed away, the master stayed at Bao'en Monastery, where he met fellow practitioner Monk Xi'an Ying, who encouraged him to cultivate Pure Land practice. In the ninth year of the Kangxi era, he took up residence at Puren Courtyard on Mount Yu, founded a Lotus Society, and students looked to him as their teacher. He wrote Essay on Encouraging True Faith and established the format for intensive seven-day Buddha-recitation retreats. He resided at Puren for thirteen years. On the ninth day of the seventh month in the twenty-first year of the Kangxi era (1682 CE), he passed away at the age of fifty-five. (Orthodox Model of the Pure Land School)

Master Sheng'an: Eleventh Patriarch of the Pure Land school. His dharma name was Shixian, styled Siqi, sobriquet Sheng'an. A native of the Shi family in Changshu, his family had been Confucian scholars for generations. From birth he ate no meat. At seven he took Master Rongxuan of Qingliang Hermitage as his teacher. At fifteen he received tonsure; he was also well-versed in secular classics, skilled in poetry and calligraphy. At twenty-four he took full precepts at Zhaoqing. He strictly observed the Vinaya, never parting from his robes and bowl; he ate only one meal a day and never let his side touch the mat — making this his constant discipline. He studied Tiantai teachings under Dharma Masters Qucheng and Shaotan, and sought instruction from Chan Master Chongfu Lingying on the ultimate matter — attaining realization within four months. He then undertook a closed retreat to read the entire Tripiṭaka at Zhenji Monastery.

In the spring of Jihai (Kangxi 58th year, 1719 CE), he traveled to Mount Ashoka in Siming to venerate the śarīra relics of Śākyamuni Buddha. There he made forty-eight vows, and was moved to see the relics emit light. He subsequently held a Nirvāṇa Dharma Assembly and composed the Text on Arousing the Bodhicitta, an urgent exhortation to the fourfold assembly. Its words were sharp and heartfelt, and most who recited it were moved to tears.

On the 8th day of the 12th lunar month, the day of the Buddha’s Enlightenment, in the first year of the Yongzheng era (Guichou, 1733 CE), he told his disciples: “Next year, on the 14th day of the 4th month, I shall pass on.” After that, he entered seclusion (闭关) in the Cunxiang Studio, capping his daily Buddha-name recitation at one hundred thousand repetitions. The next year, Jiayin (1734 CE), just as he had foretold, he chanted the Buddha’s name, addressed the assembly, and passed away. He lived 49 years, and a volume of his recorded sayings was later circulated widely. (Lianzhong Zhengfan)

Master Meng Dong (梦东大师): The Twelfth Patriarch of the Lotus School. His dharma name was Jixing, courtesy name Chewu, also styled Netang, and he took the sobriquet Meng Dong. He was a native of Fengrun County, east of the imperial capital. He was born into a Ma family. Gifted from childhood, he grew into a voracious reader, working through every classic, historical text, and scholarly work he could find. At twenty-two, a severe illness struck, and he woke to the truth of worldly impermanence, vowing to leave lay life behind. After he recovered, he traveled to Fangshan and went to the Three Sage Hermitage, where he took the tonsure under the senior monk Rongchi.

The next year, he journeyed to Xiuyun Monastery to receive the full monastic precepts from Vinaya Master Hengshi. The following year, he attended teachings on the Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment given by Venerable Longyi, and grasped the full import of the entire sūtra. He then studied the Yogācāra (Xiang) school under Venerable Hui'an, mastering its core principles with great skill. Later, he studied under Venerable Biankong, listening to teachings on the Lotus Sūtra, Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Diamond Sūtra, and others; his insight opened fully and all at once.

In the winter of the 33rd year of the Qianlong era (1768 CE), he visited Venerable Cuiru (courtesy name Chunweng) of Guangtong Monastery, and through their interactions, came to full realization of the ultimate matter of Chan practice. Their dispositions as teacher and disciple were perfectly in accord, and the dharma was transmitted directly from heart to heart. Thus he became the 36th generation of the Linji lineage and the 7th of the Qingshan line. He led Chan meditation and teaching sessions for fourteen years, and the Linji lineage flourished greatly under his guidance.

Whenever he recalled that Great Master Yongming Yanshou, a towering master of the Chan tradition, had still turned his heart to Pure Land practice, he too turned his mind to the Pure Land path. He became a leading proponent of the Lotus School, gave up his Chan inquiries, and dedicated himself entirely to Buddha-name recitation. In the 5th year of the Jiaqing era (1800 CE), he retired to Zifu Monastery on Mount Hongluo, where he continued to guide the monastic community in reciting the Buddha’s name. On the 17th day of the 12th lunar month in the 15th year of the Jiaqing era (1810 CE), he addressed the assembled community, joined his palms, chanted the Buddha’s name, and passed away. He lived 70 years, and a volume of his recorded sayings was later circulated widely. (Lianzhong Zhengfan)

After Master Lianchi, great patriarchs such as Ouyi, Jieliu, Sheng’an, and Mengdong all followed this same path: after fully awakening within the Chan tradition, they left Chan behind to take up the Pure Land path. They gave up Chan inquiry to focus on Buddha-name recitation, and devoted themselves entirely to propagating the Lotus School. Hence it is said: “None were exceptions.” This is because the dharma must be adapted to the times and suited to the capacities of sentient beings. If it were not so, no one could be brought to liberation. (Middle passage omitted)

The earlier text states: “In our present age, abandoning the Pure Land means there is no hope of attaining liberation at all. The sages are far removed in time, and human capacities are weak and limited; without relying on the Buddha’s power, no one can break free of the cycle of rebirth.” This line perfectly explains the principle that “the dharma must be adapted to the times and suited to the capacities of sentient beings.”

“All beings in the nine realms cannot fully complete the bodhisattva path without this dharma; the Buddhas of the ten directions cannot universally deliver sentient beings without this method.” This is why it is said: “If this were not the case, no sentient being could ever be liberated.”

Those who fancy themselves masters of both Chan and the Buddhist teachings in their daily lives, yet scorn the Pure Land as defiled for fear it will taint them—when death comes, most of them fall into a panic, crying out for their fathers and mothers! By contrast, those of simple, honest disposition who keep the precepts and recite the Buddha’s name—even if their faith and vows are not yet fully perfected, and no auspicious signs such as celestial fragrance or heavenly music appear at their passing—die in peace, and are reborn in the Buddha-land.

What is the reason for this? The mind’s waters are originally clear, but grow turbid and agitated under the weight of discriminative thought. The waves of consciousness may rage and surge, but the Buddha’s name settles them into stillness. This is why self-styled “supremely wise” masters who claim to have penetrated the truth fall short of simple, unlearned honest practitioners; those who try to be clever only end up blundering badly. (Middle passage omitted)

If someone scorns the Pure Land as defiled, how can they claim to be versed in Chan and the Buddhist teachings? Is the Pure Land not part of Chan and the teachings? A person who has truly mastered both Chan and the teachings would never scorn the Pure Land as defiled, fearing it will taint them. Those who are called masters of Chan and the teachings, yet scorn the Pure Land as defiled, are only “self-styled” masters—they have given themselves that title, not earned it. If they are only self-styled, they have not truly “penetrated” the teachings at all—in fact, they are utterly “unpenetrated” by them! No wonder they fall into a panic at the moment of death, crying out for their fathers and mothers! These self-styled masters can only claim that status in ordinary times. When the final moment comes, they can no longer hold onto that title—even if they wanted to, they cannot. How pitiful!

As for those who practice with simple honesty, keeping the precepts and reciting the Buddha’s name—even if their faith and vows are not yet fully perfected, and no auspicious signs appear at their passing—they still die in peace and are reborn in the Pure Land. The mind-waters of all sentient beings are originally clear; they grow turbid and disturbed only through delusive discrimination. Though the delusive waves of the eighth consciousness may surge, if one quiets the mind and recites the Buddha’s name, the waves of consciousness will settle of their own accord. This is why self-styled “supremely wise” masters fall short of simple, unlearned honest practitioners; those who try to be clever only end up blundering badly.

Of all the many Pure Land texts, the most essential are the Ten Essentials of the Pure Land. Among these ten, three stand out as the foremost guides for dispelling even the most deeply rooted doubts: the Orally Asked Questions (净土或问), the Direct Pointing (宝王三昧念佛直指), and the Combined Treatise (西方合论). Master Ouyi selected ten of the most important Pure Land texts, designating them the Ten Essentials of the Pure Land; all Pure Land practitioners would do well to study them. Of these ten, the three most essential for severing doubts and giving rise to faith are: Chan Master Tianru’s Pure Land: Orally Asked Questions, Venerable Miaoye’s Direct Pointing, and Yuan Hongdao’s Combined Treatise on the Western Realm. Reading these works, all doubts melt away like ice, and faith and vows grow firm on their own.

Beyond these, the Records of Saints and Worthies of the Pure Land chronicles rebirth accounts across the ages: of bodhisattvas, patriarchs, lay practitioners, women, even those who committed evil deeds and animals. Reading it, you see that practitioners of all fourfold assemblies—whether following Chan, doctrinal study, or Vinaya practice—have aspired to rebirth in the Pure Land, like countless stars orbiting the North Star, or a hundred streams flowing eastward.

The Records of Saints and Worthies of the Pure Land, compiled in nine volumes by Qing dynasty scholar Peng Xisu, is divided into ten chapters:

1. The Founder of the Pure Land Teaching
2. Saints Who Elucidated the Teaching
3. Bhikṣus Who Achieved Rebirth
4. Bhikṣuṇīs Who Achieved Rebirth
5. Royal Patrons Who Achieved Rebirth
6. Ministers Who Achieved Rebirth
7. Male Lay Practitioners Who Achieved Rebirth
8. Practitioners of Diverse Backgrounds Who Achieved Rebirth
9. Women Who Achieved Rebirth
10. Animals Who Achieved Rebirth

The Long Shu Pure Land Text uses simple language to cover the full breadth of Pure Land meaning, with thorough explanations and complete principles—it is the foremost essential text for beginners. Anyone who wishes to guide others to the Pure Land would do well not to overlook this book. (Lower passage omitted)

The Long Shu Pure Land Text (original edition: 10 volumes; expanded edition: 12 volumes) was written by Wang Rixiu, a Song dynasty jinshi graduate of the National Academy. As many works titled Pure Land Text circulated in his time, his is distinguished by his place of origin, Longshu. The text is divided into ten chapters:

1. Initiating Faith in the Pure Land
2. Essentials of the Pure Land
3. Universal Exhortation to Cultivation
4. Methods of Cultivation
5. Accounts of Rebirth
6. Special Exhortations
7. Pointing Out Confusion, Returning to the Essentials
8. Contemporary Responses and Confirmations
9. Assisting in Attaining the Highest Grade
10. The Pure and the Defiled are One and the Same.

(Note 1) The above concludes the first volume, first letter, of Master Yinguang’s Writings: Letter to Venerable Ti’an of Daxingshan Monastery.

(Note 2) The line below reads: “In the past I met a fortune-teller named Zixiao who said, ‘Your lifespan will not exceed thirty-eight years.’ Now I have just reached that number”—this confirms the letter was written when Master Yinguang was thirty-eight years old.

Letter to a Friend on the Essentials of Sutra Collation

Letters make up the largest portion of the Master's Writings. The expanded edition contains 109 letter entries, and some entries include multiple pieces — for instance, there are nine letters under "Letter to a Certain Lay Practitioner of Yongjia." We already read "Letter to Venerable Ti'an," which is the first entry. The present piece, "Letter to a Friend on the Essentials of Sutra Collation," is the second.

As for this "friend," I don't know who Master Yinguang's friend was. But the letter contains the phrase "since you are in the seaside mountains," and since this friend is addressed as "master" (shi), the person must have been a monastic.

The "essentials of sutra collation" are exactly what the letter discusses. The meanings within Buddhist sutras are inexhaustible; different people see different things and write accordingly. Even a single sutra can be classified differently depending on the school — whether under the distinct, perfect, final, or sudden categories — and interpreted differently through the lens of causes and conditions or contemplative insight. In Chinese Buddhism, the two most prevalent exegetical schools are Tiantai and Xianshou (Huayan). The Tiantai school uses the Five Periods and Eight Teachings to classify and interpret the Buddha's entire teaching career. The Five Periods are: first, the Avatamsaka Period; second, the Āgama Period; third, the Vaipulya Period; fourth, the Prajñā Period; and fifth, the Lotus and Nirvana Period. The Eight Teachings consist of the Four Modes of Conversion — sudden, gradual, secret, and indeterminate — and the Four Contents of Teaching — śrāvaka, shared, distinct, and perfect. The Xianshou (Huayan) school establishes Three Periods and Five Teachings. The Three Periods are: the time when the sun first shines, the time when the sun rises and shines broadly, and the time when the sun sets and shines once more. The Five Teachings are: the lesser, initial, final, sudden, and perfect.

Because people's perspectives differ, the same sutra can be classified and interpreted in vastly different ways. For example, the Ullambana Sutra is classified as a lesser teaching for humans and devas in older commentaries, while newer commentaries consider it a Mahāyāna Vaipulya sutra. The Diamond Prajñā Sūtra is called an "initial teaching" by the Huayan school, whereas Tiantai classifies it as perfect, incorporating both shared and distinct teachings. When Tiantai's Master Zhiyi lectured on the Lotus Sutra, he interpreted the text through four approaches: according to causes and conditions, according to the fundamental and the trace, according to the teachings, and according to contemplative insight. This is what is meant by "explanations based on causes and conditions and contemplative insight vary greatly."

Moreover, after the Tang and Song dynasties, Chan flourished, and everyone delighted in the teachings of direct pointing — finding them intimate, invigorating, and easy to benefit from. "Chan path" here refers to Chinese Buddhism's "Patriarch Chan." The path of direct pointing and single transmission pioneered by First Patriarch Bodhidharma became widespread after the Tang dynasty's Sixth Patriarch Huineng. From then on, most Buddhist practitioners loved hearing the teaching of "directly pointing to the mind, seeing one's true nature, and attaining Buddhahood." Whether one actually "sees nature and attains Buddhahood" after hearing it is another matter; but in the moment of hearing, it feels intimate and refreshing, as though great benefit comes easily — hence "everyone loves to hear it."

Because people love these direct-pointing teachings, Chan interpretations of sutras often use the patriarchs' intent to explain the sutras' meaning, and some even pull the Buddha's words to suit their own views. They strip away phenomenal appearances and speak only of fundamental nature. Some use Chan-style sharp turns as transitions; others read symbolic meanings as keys to passage. But as long as they don't contradict the Chan school's principles, these can all serve to supplement the Buddha's teachings. Even if they can't universally benefit practitioners of all capacities or fully embody the Buddha's original intent, they can still each serve a particular type of practitioner, enabling them to "return home by their own path."

For instance, Chan Master Jingting's Distinct Transmission of the Diamond Sūtra explains "receiving, upholding, reading, and reciting" as follows: "Entrusting your whole body is 'receiving'; one thought lasting ten thousand years is 'upholding'; breaking open the dust to reveal the sutra is 'reading'; constantly turning these hundreds of thousands of scrolls is 'reciting.' When Zhaozhou turned the sutra repository, even the old woman gave him a check — tell me, does that old woman have some special insight or not?" He also explains "receiving, upholding, reading, and reciting this sutra" as: "A monk asked Shoushan, 'How does one receive and uphold?' Shoushan said, 'Don't defile it.' Fayan said, 'One who realizes the Buddha-ground is called one who upholds this sutra.' Now, is it Shoushan who speaks correctly, or Fayan?" Would you call this the patriarchs' intent or the sutra's intent?

Another example from "Vimalakīrti's Loose Tongue": "Shutting his door in Magadha, sealing his lips in Vaiśālī — two old coots, identical nostrils; together they prop up a broken clay basin. The Āmrapālī Grove wants to borrow it; they strain to put one over on a gang of slicksters; Mañjuśrī, Maitreya, fifty-two greenhorns..." What kind of writing is this? It's hardly sutra commentary! If you read it as such, you've got it all wrong. I'd say this is precisely a case of "pulling the Buddha's spoken sutras to suit one's own (Chan school) views." I don't know whether that's correct or not.

Or take "Amitābha's Tongue": "Question: The jeweled trees produce sounds that lead people to recite the Buddha's name — is it really true that insentient things speak the Dharma everywhere? Answer: The lantern claps its hands and laughs hehe!" Is this speaking of "phenomena" or of "principle"? The Distinct Transmission of the Diamond Sūtra glosses "good dharmas are not good dharmas" as: "'Cultivation and realization are not absent, but defilement is impossible'; 'Neither thinking good nor thinking evil — that is the Venerable Ming's original face.' Do all of you recognize it?" Is this not "speaking only of fundamental nature"? — All the quotations above are from Chan Master Jingting's Twelve Ways of Reading Sutras.

Though Chan school language can't universally benefit practitioners of superior, middle, and inferior capacity, it can each benefit a particular type, enabling them to "return home by their own path." It also reveals that the meaning of the sutras is profoundly deep and far-reaching, that Buddhist principles are perfectly unobstructed — all dharmas return to the true, every aspect accords with the Way. As the saying goes, "Viewed head-on it's a ridge, viewed from the side it's a peak." For "this" — ultimate truth — is like the great void: boundless, allowing people to divide it into north, south, east, and west wherever they happen to stand. It is also like a maṇi jewel: it has no color of its own — no blue, yellow, red, or white — yet it appears blue when it meets blue, yellow when it meets yellow. Though blue and yellow aren't its true color, its true color isn't separate from blue and yellow. To seek its true color apart from blue and yellow — that would require one who has emptied the five aggregates. This much is clear from the text.

Consider Li Changzhe's Treatise on the Huayan Sutra. Li Changzhe, named Tongxuan, came from the Tang imperial clan. He steered clear of worldly entanglements, lived purely, and devoted himself to the Huayan Sutra. In the seventh year of the Kaiyuan era, he took up residence in an earthen niche on Fangshan, eating only a few jujubes and cypress nuts daily. People called him the Jujube-Cypress Bodhisattva, or the Fangshan Elder. He wrote a forty-volume treatise on the Huayan Sutra; later generations wove the sutra text together with his commentary to form the Combined Commentary, running to 120 volumes. He passed away in seated meditation in the eighteenth year of Kaiyuan (730 CE), at the age of 96.

Consider also Hanshan's Striking the Beat on the Lotus Sutra. Master Hanshan, named Deqing, styled Chengyin, was born to the Cai family in Quanjiao, Anhui. At twelve, he took Venerable Xilin Ninggong of Nanjing's Bao'en Temple as his teacher. He received full precepts at nineteen and studied scriptural teachings under Venerable Wuji Zhan'gong. Studious, sharp, and perceptive, he was well versed in both Buddhist and non-Buddhist learning — Confucian, Daoist, and Huang-Lao. He practiced Chan under Yungu and received his Dharma transmission. He was once falsely accused, imprisoned, and exiled to Leiyang. Before long he went to Caoxi and restored the ancestral temple. Later pardoned, he retired to Mount Lu. In the third year of the Ming dynasty's Tianqi era (1623 CE), he died at Baolin Temple in the tenth month, aged seventy-eight. His writings were extensive. The Striking the Beat on the Lotus Sutra was composed in the wuxu year of the Wanli era (the twenty-sixth year of Wanli, 1598 CE). At the end of the book he writes: "My disciple Xingcheng asked about the central principles of the Lotus Sutra, so I drew out the meaning that lies beyond the Buddha's spoken words to show him." He also writes: "Old Lu [Huineng] said, 'When the mind is deluded, the Lotus Sutra turns the person; when the mind awakens, the person turns the Lotus Sutra.' But the phrase that doesn't pass through the lips is precisely not to be found in ink and paper." Since this is "meaning beyond words" and "not in ink and paper," you can't treat it with the same lens you'd use for standard sutra commentaries.

Consider Zeng Fengyi's Three Schools of Penetration. Zeng Fengyi, courtesy name Shunzheng, art name Jinjian, was from Hengzhou (Hengyang, Hunan). He earned his jinshi degree in the Ming dynasty's Wanli era and served as a director in the Ministry of Rites before retiring. He once debated with a monk for three nights running; from that encounter he took faith in Buddhism, took precepts, ate vegetarian food, and devoted himself to studying sutras and treatises and to contemplative inquiry. One morning, watching the moon set and the sun rise, he suddenly broke through to awakening. He wrote the Three Schools of Penetration: the Penetration of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, the Penetration of the Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, and the Penetration of the Diamond Sūtra.

There is also the Chan practice of taking Buddha-recitation as a huatou — investigating "who is reciting the Buddha's name?" — and the interpretation of the Pure Land's attributes and inhabitants as expressions of fundamental nature, i.e., "self-nature Amitābha, mind-only Pure Land."

You must not judge these works by the standard conventions of the exegetical schools, call them mistaken, and lightly alter them. They belong to a separate tradition that gathers all dharmas and points them toward the ultimate. Change even one word, and you sever the thread connecting the commentary's parts; you'll also fail to align with the doctrinal meaning from beginning to end. Alter one thing, and both paths are lost. It's like cutting flesh to make a wound — all harm, no gain. Restore things to their original face and let them circulate to future generations. Spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums each possess their own beauty; loyalty and filial piety each uphold the moral order. This is a lesson against casually altering old books. I remember reading the Emperor Liang's Repentance as a teenager and coming across the line "transcending all skillful means to accomplish the ten powers." Not yet understanding Buddhism, I thought: how can there be "ten powers"? It must be an error for "ten directions." But though I thought this, I didn't pick up a pen to change it. Later, when I studied Buddhism, I learned that the Buddha possesses ten powers — "accomplishing the ten powers" means attaining Buddhahood. Thank goodness I didn't change it. If I had, wouldn't the transgression have been boundless?

"Since you are dwelling in the seaside mountains" — this notes that Hanshan's commentary on the Lotus Sutra contains passages that don't fully accord with the sutra's true intent, because Hanshan often speaks from the standpoint of fundamental nature in the direct-pointing manner. You can see this by referring back to the quotations from the Striking the Beat cited earlier.

Collating sutras is far from easy. I suspect you may not have the time to attend to it personally and will need to entrust it to others. The person responsible must possess exceptional discernment, meticulous care, and thoroughness — reviewing and cross-checking again and again — so that every error can be corrected, every impurity removed, and the original purity fully revealed. Otherwise, it's better to simply copy the text as it stands, so as not to lose its original character.

Sutra collation is truly difficult. The slightest carelessness not only introduces errors but can create embarrassing howlers. For instance, a book published in recent years rendered "a rabbit burns its body as an offering to a sage" as "a ghost burns its body as an offering to a sage" — so the sage actually got to taste "ghost meat." I wonder how that was. One mistaken character — "rabbit" for "ghost" — and you get the absurdity of "a sage eating ghost meat"!

Typesetting inevitably produces errors. These days, with photoreproduction, you'd think mistakes wouldn't happen — but they do! How? They say the characters get "traced" incorrectly! Errors that merely swap characters are commonplace enough; but there are even more astonishing varieties, where a single character somehow becomes two. Recently I saw a book whose table of contents listed Huayan Jing Zhigui (Essentials of the Huayan Sutra) as Huayan Jing Qiri Gui (Seven-Day Return of the Huayan Sutra), and Xiu Huayan Aozhi Wangjin Huanyuan Guan (Cultivating the Profound Essence of the Huayan: Exhausting Delusion and Returning to the Source) as Xiu Huayan Ao Qiri Wangjin Huanyuan Guan — the single character zhi turned into qiri, two characters. Truly laugh-out-loud funny!

The shoddiness in today's publishing is genuinely alarming. If this is how ordinary book proofreading goes, how much harder must sutra collation be — the hardest task of all? If you can't be meticulous and thorough, you're truly better off just copying the text exactly as it is.

Letter to Master Rongming

Little is known about Master Rongming's life. From the closing words of the letter—"I fear that if you miss the Pure Land teachings, your three years of guarding my closed-door retreat will have been in vain"—we can at least infer that Master Rongming was an esteemed practitioner who studied closely with Master Yinguang and served as his retreat guardian.

The ancients said: Human life is hard to obtain; to be born in a Central Land is hard; to encounter the Dharma is hard; to end the cycle of birth and death is hard. The "ancients" here refers to the eminent monks and worthy masters of old. Their words are based entirely on the Buddha's sutras. Chapter 36 of the Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters states: "The Buddha said: It is difficult for one to leave the evil realms and gain a human body... It is difficult to be born in a Central Land. Having been born in a Central Land, it is difficult to encounter a Buddha..." The Buddhist canon contains many such passages on the rarity of human birth, too many to list here. Instead, let us look at one patriarch's words to clarify this meaning. In Master Lianchi's Bamboo Window Miscellany, there is a chapter titled "The Difficulty of Obtaining a Human Body," which reads:

On the Difficulty of Obtaining a Human Body—Once this human life is lost, it will not return for ten thousand kalpas! Who doesn't know this saying? Yet to know it and carelessly pay no heed is the same as not knowing. In ancient times, Sudatta built a residence for the Buddha. The Buddha, gazing at ants on the ground, said to Sudatta: "These ants have been in ant bodies since the time of Vipashyin Buddha, surviving through the eras of seven Buddhas." A single Buddha's appearance in the world spans an exceedingly long time—how much longer, then, through seven? After Shakyamuni, more than five million years will pass before Maitreya descends as the eighth Buddha. We do not know if these ants have yet shed their old bodies. Even if they have, who knows when they will finally gain a human form! We look around and see people shoulder to shoulder, rubbing sleeves in crowds, yet we do not realize how difficult this human birth was to obtain. Having gained it, to let it slip by in blank indifference is truly lamentable!...

Master Manzhi commented: I have heard that obtaining a human body is as difficult as a one-eyed turtle searching for a hole in a floating log across the vast ocean. Human life is the hardest to obtain, the most fraught with suffering, and the easiest to lose; yet, it is also the very form through which cultivation is most likely to succeed. I hope those who know suffering will use this human life to swiftly seek a better path beyond it, avoiding the cycle of rebirth once more. — In the "Admonitory" section of the Classified and Concise Bamboo Window Miscellany, the very first entry is "The Difficulty of Obtaining a Human Body." I have reproduced Master Manzhi's commentary here. Note that the "one-eyed turtle" mentioned in the text is, according to the Nirvana Sutra, actually a "blind turtle."

"To be born in a Central Land is hard": In the Buddhist canon, the "Central Land" refers to anywhere the Dharma is present. Where there is Dharma, there is the Central Land; where there isn't, it is a frontier region. Even if we gain a human body, if we aren't born where the Dharma exists, how could we ever hear it?

"To encounter the Dharma is hard": Even if we gain a human body and are born in a Central Land where the teachings flourish, actually hearing the Dharma is no simple matter. Lacking wholesome roots, we might end up like the "old mother east of the city"—born in the very same era as the Buddha, yet unable to see or hear him. Today, the Dharma is widespread, but how many truly hear it, awaken faith, and commit to practice?

"To end the cycle of birth and death is hard"—this goes without saying. Please read on:

We are fortunate to have gained a human body, to be born in a Central Land, and to hear the Dharma. Our misfortune is our deep shame at our heavy karma and karmic obstacles, lacking the strength to sever our delusions, quickly escape the three realms, and end the cycle of birth and death! When writing this letter, the Master humbly remarked, "I shamefully feel my karma is deep and my obstacles heavy, lacking the strength to sever delusions." Yet he has already attained rebirth in the Western Pure Land at the highest grade—his cycle of birth and death is already ended. Reading his words here, we should feel deeply ashamed. We are the ones truly burdened by heavy obstacles, unable to sever our delusions. Let alone severing them, we haven't managed to suppress them even slightly. Are we not ashamed?

Nevertheless, we are incredibly fortunate to encounter the great expedient means born from the Thus Come One's ultimate compassion—the Pure Land teachings, which allow ordinary beings like us to attain rebirth with our karma still intact. This is a boundless blessing! Were it not for wholesome roots planted deeply over countless kalpas, how could we hear this inconceivable Dharma and instantly give rise to true faith, vowing to seek rebirth? The Pure Land path is "the Dharma most difficult to believe in all the world" (as the Amitabha Sutra states). Without those deeply planted roots, who could hear it and instantly believe? In his Commentary on the Amitabha Sutra, Master Lianchi outlines ten reasons for this difficulty:

Speaking of what is hard to believe, in brief there are ten:

1. Dwelling in this defiled land, we have grown accustomed to it and feel at ease. Suddenly hearing of the purity and magnificence of that land, we doubt its very existence—the first difficulty.
2. Even if we believe in that land, we wonder: since rebirth is possible in any of the Buddha-lands of the ten directions, why must it specifically be Sukhavati? The second difficulty.
3. Even if we believe we should go there, we doubt the distance: Sahā to Sukhavati is trillions of lands away. How could we possibly reach something so far? The third difficulty.
4. Even if we believe distance is no obstacle, we doubt ourselves: ordinary beings of this broad earth are burdened with heavy sins and obstacles. How could we suddenly attain rebirth there? The fourth difficulty.
5. Even if we believe we can be reborn, we second-guess the method: surely one needs wondrous Dharma gates and manifold practices to reach the Pure Land. How can merely holding the Buddha's name suffice? The fifth difficulty.
6. Even if we believe in holding the name, we assume it must take countless kalpas to achieve. How can one to seven days of practice be enough? The sixth difficulty.
7. Even if we believe seven days is enough, we doubt the mode of birth: the seven realms of rebirth are never apart from womb, egg, moisture, and transformation. How can everyone in that land be born from a lotus flower? The seventh difficulty.
8. Even if we believe in lotus-birth, we doubt the progress: beginners on the path usually encounter many setbacks. How can one be immediately non-retrogressing upon rebirth? The eighth difficulty.
9. Even if we believe in non-retrogression, we assume this is just for guiding dull-minded beings; those with sharp, superior faculties need not go there. The ninth difficulty.
10. Even if we believe the sharp-minded also go, we remain indecisive: some sutras speak of Buddhas, others of none; some speak of Pure Lands, others of none. We waver in doubt. The tenth difficulty.

Therefore, to call it "difficult for all the world to believe" carries weight. Not only those in the evil realms find it hard to believe, but even humans and devas may doubt it. Not only the deluded struggle, but even the worthy and wise. Not only beginners hesitate, but even veterans of long cultivation. Not only ordinary beings question it, but even practitioners of the Two Vehicles. Hence: "the Dharma most difficult for all the world to believe"!

Reading this, we realize that only those who hear of the Pure Land and instantly cast aside all ten doubts can believe deeply, vow, and recite the Buddha's name seeking rebirth. Without wholesome roots planted deeply and firmly over long ages, who could achieve such a state? Today, we see many well-intentioned monastics and laypeople chasing lofty ideals, unwilling to earnestly and exclusively cultivate the Pure Land path. This happens because their wholesome roots from past lives are shallow, and in this life, they haven't met a genuinely realized teacher. This is exactly the ninth doubt mentioned above. They assume the Pure Land teachings are just for guiding dull-witted old grannies. Someone of their own "superior faculties and sharp wisdom" should naturally cultivate higher, profound Dharmas—why act like an old granny?

Do these self-proclaimed superior practitioners not compare themselves to the eminent monks of old? What about Patriarch Huiyuan of Mount Lu, Patriarch Zhiyi of Tiantai, or Patriarch Yongming Yanshou? Were these patriarchs not of superior faculties? Is their own wisdom truly greater than the patriarchs'? Such people simply lack a deep karmic connection to the Pure Land. Having never met a true spiritual friend—someone deeply versed in both the broader Dharma and the Pure Land path specifically—they cannot generate the deep faith and vow needed to seek the Western Pure Land. It is truly a pity.

Although you have some slight faith in the Pure Land, you do not fully grasp its underlying principles. Furthermore, you live in a remote area where the Dharma has not spread. I truly fear that if you spend your days socializing with worldly people, you will eventually be assimilated by them. As the saying goes, "those near ink become black; those near fire get scorched"—this kind of influence is hard to avoid.

Reading this, we learn two things. First, even if we practice the Pure Land teachings, we must thoroughly understand its principles; only then can our faith be authentic. Second, for beginners, constantly mingling with worldly people will inevitably lead to assimilation. Setting out to save sentient beings, they end up being swept away by them instead! We must be constantly vigilant.

If we can keep our minds on the Path, never letting go of the Buddha's name whether busy or idle, and always keeping Western rebirth in mind through both good times and bad, then we can dwell securely in our homeland, adapting to conditions without losing our essence.

This is the Master's instruction for Pure Land practitioners living in secular environments: adapt to conditions without changing your core, live in the world without being stained by it. Only then can your practice advance. If you cannot manage this, you should seek out a dedicated Pure Land monastery and associate with knowledgeable Pure Land practitioners. This ensures you do not squander the profound blessings and immense good fortune of encountering the Pure Land teachings mentioned above. (To be continued below)

If we cannot adapt to conditions without changing our core, or abide in the world unstained, we should head to a specialized Pure Land retreat center for exclusive practice. We must draw near to a great spiritual friend who has long cultivated the Pure Land path and thoroughly understands its principles. Only then will we not waste this life. When Master Yinguang was alive, there were still monasteries dedicated exclusively to Pure Land practice; today, there are virtually none! When he was alive, there were great, realized masters of the Pure Land path one could learn from; today, even if they exist, they are as rare as morning stars! Seeing the Dharma decline to such a state, I cannot help but shed tears.

Letter to Master Wukai

Little is known about Master Wukai's life. I've heard it said that the Pure Land is the method that ultimately fulfills the Buddha's original intention. It surpasses every Chan, doctrinal, and Vinaya tradition — and encompasses them all.

In brief: a single word, one phrase, one verse, or one book can contain it whole; the meaning of these single words and phrases will be explained below. To elaborate: even the profound teachings of the Tripiṭaka and the twelve divisions of the canon cannot fully exhaust it. Tripiṭaka: Sūtras, Vinaya, and Abhidharma. The Sūtras expound the study of samādhi, while also touching on precepts and wisdom; the Vinaya expounds the study of precepts, while also touching on samādhi and wisdom; the Abhidharma expounds the study of wisdom, while also touching on precepts and samādhi. Furthermore: the Sūtras expound the one mind, the Vinaya regulates the three karmic actions of body, speech, and mind, and the Abhidharma distinguishes right from wrong. Twelve divisions: also called the twelve categories of sūtras, or, in newer translations, the twelve divisions of the Buddha's teachings. As Master Gushan's verse puts it: "Prose, verses of repetition, and prophetic verses; unprompted teachings and teachings given without a question; accounts of causes and conditions, parables, accounts of past deeds, accounts of past lives, expansive teachings, accounts of unprecedented events, and doctrinal discussions — these make up the twelve names. For full details, see the Great Treatise, Chapter 33." Even the finest insights of the patriarchs of the Five Houses cannot fully capture it. The Five Houses refer to the five lineages of the Chan tradition: Guiyang, Yunmen, Linji, Caodong, and Fayan. Even if every being across the whole earth attained perfect enlightenment together, and with the power of their long, broad tongues, their spiritual powers, and their wisdom, taught ceaselessly — in every speck of dust, in every Buddha-land, tirelessly, without a pause — could they ever finish describing it? Why not? Simply because the Pure Land is itself inconceivable! And because it is inconceivable, no words can do it justice.

Consider the great Avataṃsaka Sūtra, king of the Tripiṭaka: its final teaching centers on the sovereign of vows. At the close of the Avataṃsaka, after Sudhana had completed his fifty-three visits to teachers, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva taught the Ten Great Vows that guide all beings to the Pure Land. See volume 40 of the forty-fascicle Avataṃsaka, also circulated on its own as the Chapter on Samantabhadra's Conduct and Vows. The wondrous Lotus Sūtra is the crown of all scriptures; simply hearing it can lead one to rebirth, on a par with the stage of Equal Enlightenment. The Medicine King Bodhisattva's Past Deeds chapter of the Lotus Sūtra says: "After the Tathāgata's passing, in the last five-hundred-year period, if any woman hears this scripture and practices it as taught, at the end of her life she will be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss — in the land of Amitābha Buddha, surrounded by the assembly of great bodhisattvas — and will be born within a lotus flower, upon a precious seat." This is what is meant by "hearing and being reborn at once." The same chapter also says: "She will gain the bodhisattva's spiritual powers and the patience of the unborn dharma… only the Tathāgata can match her; among śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and even bodhisattvas, none has wisdom or samādhi equal to hers." Since only the Tathāgata is her equal, it is clear that her status matches that of one at the stage of Equal Enlightenment. So the saying "a thousand sūtras, ten thousand treatises — every one points the way home" has solid grounds. That phrase comes from Master Xing'an's Essay on Awaiting the Mind of Bodhi, section nine, "Seeking Rebirth in the Pure Land."

Mañjuśrī's vow. "Mañjuśrī" is Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, rendered in newer translations as Mañjuśrī, which means "wondrous virtue" or "wondrous auspiciousness." According to the Mahāmaṇivipula Sūtra: in the time of the Buddha Ratnagarbha, Amitābha Buddha was a wheel-turning king and Mañjuśrī was his third prince. After making vast vows before the Buddha, he received the name Mañjuśrī. The Mañjuśrī's Nirvāṇa Sūtra further records that Mañjuśrī manifested his birth in the village of Duōluó in the kingdom of Śrāvastī, in the household of the Brahmin Brahmāyu, and later went forth under the Buddha. Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva's vow verse reads:

At the hour of my death, may every obstacle be cleared; May I behold Amitābha face to face, and be reborn in the Land of Peace. Once born in that Buddha-realm, may all my great vows be fulfilled, And may Amitābha Tathāgata appear before me and grant me prophecy.

(Sīguī Jì, vol. 1)

Samantabhadra's encouragement. Again, according to the Mahāmaṇivipula Sūtra: in the time of the Buddha Ratnagarbha, Amitābha Buddha was a wheel-turning king and the bodhisattva [later known as Samantabhadra] was his eighth prince. After making vast vows before the Buddha, he received the name Samantabhadra. At the Avataṃsaka assembly, he used the Ten Great Vows to guide beings to the Pure Land — hence the term "encouragement."

The Buddha's prophecy in the Mahāsaṃnipāta. In the age of Dharma decline, there is no other way to cross over. I recall the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra saying: "In the age of Dharma decline, out of billions who practice, scarcely one attains the way; only by relying on Buddha-recitation can one be freed from birth and death." (Recalled from memory; the original text has not been checked.)

Nāgārjuna's concise teaching in the Vibhāṣā. He calls it the easy path, which swiftly delivers one from birth and death. Nāgārjuna, the fourteenth patriarch of India, authored the Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā-śāstra in seventeen fascicles, a commentary on the Daśabhūmika Sūtra (the Ten Grounds chapter of the Avataṃsaka), translated by the Tripiṭaka master Kumārajīva of the Later Qin. The work has thirty-five chapters. The ninth, "The Easy Practice," makes clear that Buddha-recitation and rebirth is "the easy path, which swiftly delivers from birth and death." It says: "The Buddha's teachings have countless gateways, just as worldly paths have hard ones and easy ones: walking on land is grueling (the hard path), while sailing by boat is pleasant (the easy path). The bodhisattva path is the same: some press on through diligent effort; others, by the skillful expedient of faith, reach the stage of non-retrogression swiftly through the easy path…" So the saying "every sage of the past and worthy of the present has set their course this way" is no idle claim. Those two lines also come from Master Xing'an's Essay on Awaiting the Mind of Bodhi, section nine, "Seeking Rebirth in the Pure Land."

Truly, as the saying goes, the entire corpus of the Buddha's teachings is but a footnote to the practice of Buddha-recitation. "The teachings of the Buddha's lifetime" refers to all the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna teachings Śākyamuni Buddha gave from his enlightenment to his parinirvāṇa. Tiantai Master Zhizhe [Zhiyi], moreover, classified the Buddha's entire teaching into five periods and eight kinds of teachings. All of these can be seen as footnotes to Buddha-recitation. Nor is that all: every object met by the six sense faculties — mountains, rivers, the earth; light and dark, form and emptiness; sight, sound, smell, taste, and so on — which of these is not a text proclaiming the Pure Land? Such "texts" must be tasted personally. The turning of cold and heat, the wearing down of old age and sickness, floods and drought, war and plague, demonic companions and false views — which of these is not a spur urging one to seek rebirth without delay? For a person who knows how to apply effort, every circumstance becomes a "spurring text," and all can advance the work of the path. If we were to elaborate fully, how could we ever come to an end? For a fuller grasp of the foregoing, it is well to consult the section "Explication of Sūtra through the Phenomena of Dharma," under Master Zhizhe's gloss on the word "sūtra" in his Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra. The meaning above will then become clear on its own.

As for "a single word that encompasses all" — that word is pure. When purity reaches its apex, light shines through. This is not yet the state of supreme enlightenment; how, then, could this single word be lightly taken up? Study the "Verses on the Six Aspects of Buddhahood" and you will see. "Purity at its apex, light shining through" comes from the Śūraṅgama Sūtra: "When purity reaches its apex, light shines through; stillness and illumination contain empty space." The "Verses on the Six Aspects of Buddhahood" were composed by Master Pǔrùn of the Song dynasty. His dharma name was Fǎyún, courtesy name Tiānruì, sobriquet Wūjīzǐ. He was from Changzhou (Changzhou County, Suzhou, Jiangsu), lay surname Ge. Learned in both secular and Buddhist teachings, he propagated Tiantai doctrine and contemplation, and practiced the Pure Land exclusively. During the Zhenghe era of Emperor Huizong of Song, the emperor bestowed purple robes on him and conferred the title Pǔrùn. On the twenty-eighth day of the ninth month of the twenty-eighth year of the Shaoxing era of Southern Song (1158 CE), he sat upright facing west, reciting the Buddha's name, and passed away at the age of seventy-three.

Verses on the Six Aspects of Buddhahood:

1. Buddhahood in Principle (理即佛): In motion and stillness, principle is wholly present; In action and concealment, things are never ultimate. Dimly it follows beings off into things, Vast and remote, it knows no way home.

2. Buddhahood in Name (名字即佛): Only now have I heard the song of non-arising, Only now the song of no dying. Now I know: this very body is it — I rue only the time I let slip by.

3. Buddhahood in Practice (观行即佛): Each thought illumines the constant principle, Each mind stills the dust of illusion. Surveying the nature of all dharmas, There is neither false nor true.

4. Buddhahood in Resemblance (相似即佛): The four attachments are first cast off, But the six sense-objects are not yet emptied. A film still clouds the eye, Seeing blossoms red against empty space.

5. Buddhahood in Partial Realization (分证即佛): Suddenly the mind opens, awake, Calmly, all is penetrated through. The source is not yet fully reached — One still sees the moon through haze.

6. Buddhahood in Full Realization (究竟即佛): From the start, what seemed real was but illusion; Today, every illusion is real. Just return to the nature of old — Not a single dharma is new.

A single phrase refers to faith, aspiration, and practice. Without faith, aspiration cannot be stirred up; without aspiration, practice cannot be guided; without the wondrous practice of reciting the Buddha's name, one's aspiration cannot be fulfilled nor one's faith verified. Every Pure Land sūtra and treatise illuminates this very point. The twenty-eight characters from "without faith" through "verify one's faith" come from the "Clarifying the Essence" section of the Essentials Explained: The Amitābha Sūtra.

A single verse refers to the hymn of praise to the Buddha. By citing the primary reward-body, it gathers in the dependent reward-land; by naming the Transforming Master, it enfolds the host of disciples. Though only eight lines, it lifts up the whole outline of the three core Pure Land sūtras. Those two phrases — "citing the primary reward-body to gather in the dependent reward-land, naming the Transforming Master to enfold the host of disciples" — come from the preface to Master Zhizhe's Commentary on the Contemplation Sūtra, which reads: "What is called the Buddha's teaching of the Contemplation of Amitāyus: the Buddha is the supreme object of contemplation. By citing the primary reward-body, the dependent reward is gathered in; by describing the Transforming Master, the host of disciples is enfolded. Though there are sixteen contemplations, speaking of the Buddha covers them all." The hymn of praise is the eight lines beginning "Amitābha Buddha's body is golden in color." Those eight lines lift up the whole outline of the three Pure Land sūtras — the Contemplation of Amitāyus Sūtra, the Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra, and the Amitābha Sūtra.

A single book refers to the Ten Essentials of the Pure Land, compiled by Master Ouyi in the late Ming. The ten are:

1. Essentials Explained: The Amitābha Sūtra
2. Repentance and Vow Ritual for Rebirth in the Pure Land, and Two Gateways: Resolving Doubts and Practice of Vows
3. Gateway of the Initial Samādhi of the Contemplation Sūtra, and Ritual of Practice and Vows for the Amitābha Sūtra
4. Treatise Resolving Ten Doubts about the Pure Land
5. Treatise on the Crown Prince of Buddha-Recitation Samādhi
6. Questions and Answers on the Pure Land
7. Straightforward Guide to the Crown Prince of Buddha-Recitation Samādhi
8. Xīzhāi's Pure Land Poems
9. Treatise on Birth in the Pure Land and Non-Birth
10. Comprehensive Treatise on the Western Land

Every word is a ferry for those in the age of Dharma decline; every line, a precious mirror for the Lotus School. They were wrung out in tears and blood! They speak from the very nature of reality, guiding each being as befits their capacity. Even the image of plucking one from drowning or snatching one from a blaze cannot convey their anguish and urgency. Without these works, right faith has no soil in which to grow, and false views have no force with which to be quelled. One must read the Ten Essentials of the Pure Land closely and thoroughly before one can know that Master Yinguang's words are truthful, solid speech. Among them, the most essential is the Essentials Explained: The Amitābha Sūtra. The Master's Writings contain many passages praising it — in "Letter to Master Ti'an," "Reply to Layman Pu Dafan," "Reply to Deng Bocheng," and others. For the beginner stepping onto the path, however — for dispelling doubts and giving rise to faith, for serving as a kindly guide along a perilous road, for showing why one must head for the treasure-house — Tianruo's Questions and Answers on the Pure Land and Miaoye's Straightforward Guide are the great champions who break through walls and storm the front. Chan Master Tianruo wrote the Questions and Answers on the Pure Land. A brief account of his life was given earlier (see page 27). Master Miaoye wrote the Straightforward Guide to the Crown Prince of Buddha-Recitation Samādhi. He was a native of Siming, active in the early Ming. Having studied Tiantai doctrine and contemplation, he practiced Buddha-recitation samādhi deeply. Grieved that students often fell ill from hearing phrases like "self-nature Amitābha, mind-only Pure Land" — remedies that turned into the sickness — and sought the Pure Land of bliss within the discriminating, shadowy mind alone, he composed this work in two fascicles. It was published in the twenty-eighth year of the Hongwu era (1395 CE).

One must understand that the Pure Land teaching partakes of all four dharma realms: 1. the realm of phenomena, 2. the realm of principle, 3. the realm of unimpeded interpenetration of principle and phenomena, and 4. the realm of unimpeded interpenetration of phenomena with phenomena. Every phenomenal form is itself a phenomenon of the fourth realm. The reader who would practice must never cling to principle and discard phenomena. If one clings to such an error, both principle and phenomena are lost. It is like a person who, knowing that the faculty of intellect is supreme, throws away the five sense faculties — only to find the faculty of intellect with nothing to stand on. Only one who illumines principle through phenomena and lets phenomena merge into principle can be free of error. The essence of the Pure Land, then, is this: the whole of phenomena is identical with principle. When principle and phenomena interpenetrate perfectly, one is in accord with the ultimate nature. (Abbreviated below.)

Buddhist practitioners often fall prey to the disease of clinging to principle and discarding phenomena. The moment they hear of "self-nature Amitābha, mind-only Pure Land," they dismiss the actual Pure Land altogether — not knowing that "principle is revealed through phenomena, and phenomena shine forth through principle," that "from the nature, form manifests; every form is none other than the nature itself." Master Ouyi's "Pure Land Verses" are aimed precisely at curing this disease. Five of them are appended here. The preface reads: "Whenever Master Boshan cited Pure Land verses, he would often say, 'A pure mind is the Western Land,' using the cause to subsume the fruit. Readers failed to grasp his meaning and ended up letting principle override phenomena — nearly slandering the Dharma! Moved by what I heard, I have taken to citing, 'The Western Land is the mind-only land,' letting phenomena support principle, doing what little I can to correct what is awry and remedy what is amiss." The verses run:

The Western Land is none other than the mind-only land; No need to take up the highest depths of Chan. The Buddha is wholly revealed within the very act of recitation — To harbor more doubts is foolishness and blindness.

The Western Land is none other than the mind-only land; If you would awaken to mind-only, simply recite the West. The Buddha's broad, long tongue was set to this alone — To chase after mysteries beyond is sheer folly.

The Western Land is none other than the mind-only land; If you have not known the West, how could you know the mind? Deluded folk who dream of sudden, perfect awakening Mistake a falling leaf for a piece of gold.

The Western Land is none other than the mind-only land; Only when the land is pure do you know the mind's essence is empty. While the winds of circumstance still stir a single thought, How can you speak of casting all to the winds?

The Western Land is none other than the mind-only land; The sun of wisdom hangs on high, the foremost device. True Pure Land practice fuses phenomena and principle as one — What dharma before your eyes is not subtle and profound?

—Fourteen verses in all; these five are respectfully recorded. From volume 10, part 1 of the Orthodox Teachings of Mount Lingfeng.

Letter in Reply to Master Haishu

Details of Master Haishu's life are likewise unclear. A friend sent me the call for essays from the Shishi Xinbao, and I, Guang, had hoped that you might set forth the profound teachings of the Buddhas and patriarchs, and so form a Dharma connection. Instead, you set me seven topics — (1) that the mind abides within; (2) that direct pointing to the nature reveals it is the mind, not the eye; (3) that the form skandha is itself the Tathāgata-garbha, the wondrous True Suchness; (4) that the eye as an entry is itself the Tathāgata-garbha, the wondrous True Suchness; (5) that the twelve sense-bases are themselves the Tathāgata-garbha, the wondrous True Suchness; (6) that the earth element pervades everywhere; (7) that there is one mind with two gates — and asked me to compose essays on them, calling them "intended as a model." The first six topics come from volumes one through three of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra; the last is from the Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna.

I lost the chance for schooling in my youth and grew up knowing little. On top of that, my karmic burdens ran deep, and I was born with ailing eyes. The Master himself fell ill with a severe eye disease at just six months old, nearly going blind. For the past dozen years or so, I haven't been able to read any sūtras or treatises. I simply hold to the Buddha's name and repent of past karma, trusting in the Buddha's compassion to be reborn quickly in the Western Land. How could I possibly compose essays — let alone ones meant to "serve as a model"? Your humility is truly admirable, but the premise behind your request is so mistaken that I can hardly begin to set out the errors!

The date of the Master's reply is unknown, so we can't tell what span of years "the past dozen years or so" covers. If one wants to unfold the depths of the Śūraṅgama and the Awakening of Faith, why not take as one's model Śākyamuni Tathāgata, Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa, and the ancient worthies who have commented on these very texts? Instead, you'd use what I might write as your standard. How is this any different from a Confucian scholar who wants to expound the legacy of the sage-kings, Confucius, and Mencius, yet rather than taking the Four Books, Five Classics, or Thirteen Classics as his model, takes the songs of woodcutters and shepherds instead? Or a weaver who wants to weave a palindrome brocade, yet rather than following the methods of brocade-weavers, follows the methods of a reed-mat maker? The颠倒 is so extreme!

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra was taught by the Lord Buddha, Śākyamuni Tathāgata: to unfold its depths, one should follow Śākyamuni, the World-Honored One. As for the ancient commentaries, from Tang through Qing, they number over seventy; even today, the Manji Zokuzōkyō alone preserves more than forty. The Awakening of Faith was composed by Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa: to unfold its depths, one should follow the great Aśvaghoṣa. Commentaries on the Awakening of Faith number nearly twenty, all listed in the Manji Zokuzōkyō.

Still, in human relationships, what matters is that each person gives what they honestly can. Long ago, a young boy offered a handful of sand to the Buddha, and the Buddha joyfully accepted it — for sand was all the boy could offer, and the sincerity of his gift was no different from an offering of the rarest delicacies. The story appears in Volume One of the Biography of King Aśoka (Ayuwang Zhuan), under the section on offering earth. The text records: The Buddha was staying at Kalandaka's Bamboo Grove, near Rājagṛha. As the Buddha entered the city for alms, a boy named Deśeng ("Meritorious Victory"), at play with earth, beheld the Buddha's majestic, adorned form and felt a surge of joy. He molded the earth as if it were dough and offered it to the World-Honored One. The Buddha prophesied that, one hundred years after his passing, the boy would become a Wheel-Turning King. The boy was none other than King Aśoka in a former life. The Biography of King Aśoka comprises seven scrolls, translated in the Western Jin by the Tripiṭaka master An Faqin of the Parthian state (Ānxī). It is found in Volume 50 of the Taishō Tripiṭaka.

So now I offer this sand I can so easily provide, setting it before you. I know it's of little use; I simply offer my sincerity. If perchance you might use it to plaster the ground, perhaps it could wipe away my defilements and grow my field of merit. And so I'll string these seven topics together and treat them in a general, sweeping way, just to fulfill my obligation.

The discourse: To hold that the mind is within, without, or somewhere in between is the view of ordinary beings. To insist that the mind is definitely not within, not without, not in between is likewise the view of ordinary beings. Neither of these is the true wisdom that directly reveals the nature — that it is the mind, not the eyes — that points to the source through what is contingent, that shows the wave to be water. Why? Because the five skandhas, the six sense-bases, the twelve āyatanas, the eighteen dhātus, and the seven great elements — every one of them — is the Tathāgata-garbha, the wondrous True Suchness, pervading the entire Dharma-realm. If any of them were "in" or "not in" some location, it would not be the Tathāgata-garbha, the wondrous True Suchness, and would not pervade everywhere. For the Tathāgata-garbha, the wondrous True Suchness, encompasses and nurtures both ordinary beings and Buddhas, embracing emptiness and existence alike; there is not a single dharma, worldly or transcendent, that stands outside it or apart from it. Seen through ordinary eyes, not only are the five skandhas, six sense-bases, twelve āyatanas, eighteen dhātus, and seven elements all subject to arising and ceasing, none of them True Suchness — even the cutting off of delusion, the realization of truth, and the attainment of perfect enlightenment would not stand outside arising and ceasing. Seen through the eye of sage-wisdom, not only are the cutting off of delusion, the realization of truth, and the attainment of perfect enlightenment truly of True Suchness — the five skandhas, six sense-bases, twelve āyatanas, eighteen dhātus, and seven elements are, in their entirety, True Suchness. From the very beginning, not the faintest trace of arising or ceasing has ever been found in them.

Pushing this further: even "True" cannot be upheld; "Suchness" itself has no name. If even "one mind" cannot be grasped, what "two gates" could there possibly be to discuss? This is the ultimate True Suchness, the ultimate Tathāgata-garbha of wondrous True Suchness, the ultimate mind. This is precisely what is meant by: "The five aggregates are all empty; thus is all suffering overcome," and "Perfect Bodhi returns to nothing attained."

On the five skandhas: in newer translations, called the five yùn (aggregates). Yīn (阴) means "to cover"; yùn (蕴) means "to accumulate." They refer to the five — form, sensation, perception, mental formation, and consciousness — which accumulate and cover the true nature. The Buddha taught the five skandhas to those more confused about mind than about form, expanding the mind-factors into four and condensing the form-factors into one.

On the six sense-bases (六入): these are the six faculties — eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. The faculties "enter" the sense-objects; moreover, since the faculties and objects interpenetrate, the twelve āyatanas are also called the twelve "entrances" (入).

On the twelve āyatanas: the six internal faculties and six external objects — form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas (mental objects) — twelve in all. Āyatana means "place of arising": the locus from which the six consciousnesses arise. The Buddha taught the twelve āyatanas to those more confused about form than about mind, expanding the form-factors into ten and a half (the five faculties, five objects, and the form aspect included under the dharma-āyatana), and condensing the mind-factors into one and a half (the mind-faculty and half the dharma-āyatana).

On the eighteen dhātus: six faculties, six objects, and six consciousnesses. Dhātu means "boundary" or "limit": each of the eighteen has its own boundary and function. The Buddha taught the eighteen dhātus to those confused about both mind and form — this is called the full expansion of both mind and form.

On the seven great elements: earth, water, fire, wind, space, seeing (the nature of the faculty), and consciousness. That the seven elements pervade everywhere is detailed in Volume Three of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra.

One mind, two gates: the gate of mind's True Suchness, and the gate of mind's arising and ceasing.

The above discourse was something I, Guang, happened to set down in a dream some twenty years ago. Now, honoring your gracious request, I offer it to you. If you say the topics must each be treated separately, with full attention to the text, the phrasing, the flow of argument, and the purport, that is beyond what my failing eyes, declining mind, and long-neglected studies could manage. I would ask you to turn to the ancient worthies and contemporary expositors — they will surely fulfill your deepest hopes and satisfy your long-held aspirations.

The writings of Master Yin are, for the most part, encouragements and praises of the Pure Land, teaching people to recite the Buddha's name. But this particular piece is a reply discussing the profound meaning of the Śūraṅgama and the Awakening of Faith, so it doesn't mention his "fundamental practice" (Buddha-recitation). However, in his "Letter in Reply to Layman Wu Xizhen," he did discuss how "the Śūraṅgama Sūtra is the most essential method for reciting the Buddha of the True Mark." I'll excerpt it here for reference:

"The Śūraṅgama Sūtra is truly the most essential method for reciting the Buddha of the True Mark; yet it is also the unsurpassed great teaching for those who hold to the Buddha's name and are resolved upon rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. How so? At the very outset, the sūtra investigates the mind and discerns the nature of seeing, lest one mistake the false for the real and misread the message. Once awakened, it reveals that the skandhas, sense-bases, dhātus, and great elements are all the Tathāgata-garbha, the wondrous True Suchness — and one realizes that every phenomenon, in every aspect, is the True Mark itself. Having awakened to the True Mark, one looks for the marks of the skandhas, sense-bases, dhātus, and great elements and finds them utterly ungraspable; yet this in no way hinders their orderly display as the skandhas, sense-bases, dhātus, and great elements. Of the twenty-five perfect penetrations it presents, apart from Mahāsthāmaprāpta's perfect penetration, which directly pertains to holding the name and also covers the other three modes of Buddha-recitation, all the rest collectively constitute Dharma-gates of reciting the Buddha of the True Mark. So too, the causes and effects of the seven realms of rebirth, the stages of the four kinds of sagehood, and the demonic states within the five skandhas — all of them simply display the principles of accord with and deviation from the True Mark, and the reasons for delusion or awakening."

These mere 173 characters have already fully revealed the profound purport of the entire Śūraṅgama Sūtra — all ten scrolls, all 6,207 characters! When Master Hai reads this, he'll surely find his deepest hopes fulfilled and his long-held aspirations satisfied. Master Yin always humbly disclaimed being a "fully learned master" (tōngjiā); yet if he weren't a great tōngjiā, how could he ever have reached this?

Letter to Master Genqi of Guanzong Temple, Siming

This letter concerns the matter of Venerable Master Dixian preaching the Dharma to Lord Guan, which took place in the seventh year of the Republic (1918), when Master Dixian was lecturing on the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment in Beijing. That year, Master Dixian was sixty-one and Master Yinguang was fifty-eight. The letter was likely written the following year, in 1919.

Upon receiving your letter along with the Record of Manifest Blessings and Benefiting the Netherworld, I was overjoyed to learn that this round of lectures shone even more brilliantly than the last.

The Record of Manifest Blessings and Benefiting the Netherworld documents Master Dixian's preaching to Lord Guan and other beings.

Master Dixian's chronicle records: "In the seventh year of the Republic (1918), a sutra lecture society was launched in Beijing. Xu Wenyu was appointed to oversee its affairs, and the society formally invited Master Dixian to lecture on the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment. In the spring of that year, Mr. Xu traveled south to Guanzong Temple to welcome the Master, and they sailed north together…"

It continues: "While the Master was lecturing in the capital, the City God, Lord Bai, descended through a planchette session at the home of the Qian family from Wujin, on Shaguo Liuli Hutong in the western part of the city. He said he attended the lectures each evening and wished to ask some questions. He requested that the Master be consulted about coming to the altar once, and the Master agreed and set a date. Lord Bai first spoke of the suffering endured by the hungry ghosts under his command and asked how they might be relieved… He then mentioned that Lord Guan also wished to ask some questions, but feared his spiritual power was too great for the medium to bear. He sent word through Lord Bai: 'Wherever the Master lectures from now on, I will surely be present to protect and support the teaching.' Finally, General Zhou also put questions to the Master. All of this is recorded in detail in the Record of Manifest Blessings and Benefiting the Netherworld, as compiled by Mr. Xu and others."

The question of planchette writing is treated in a separate essay in Master Yinguang's Collected Writings, so I won't go into it here.

The "previous" lecture that is being compared probably refers to 1915, the fourth year of the Republic.

The chronicle records: "In the fourth year of the Republic (1915), when the Master was fifty-eight… the first Mahayana study society of the capital region was established, and the Master was chosen as its principal lecturer. Telegrams were sent urging him to come. Though he was already well advanced in years, out of a wish to safeguard the nation's welfare and spread the great Dharma, he took up his staff and traveled north to lecture on the Shurangama Sutra…"

After reading the Record of Manifest Blessings and Benefiting the Netherworld once through, Master Yinguang passed it on to others. Most who read it were astonished, and some said to one another in private: "Master Dixian has already realized the fruit of sainthood, while Lord Guan has not yet seen his true mind."

I read the Record myself thirty years ago and had the same impression. It was only later, when I came across this letter in Master Yinguang's Collected Writings, that the matter became clear to me.

Hearing such talk, Yinguang responded: This question must be examined through the sincere intentions of Lords Bai and Guan. Then both the principle and the facts fall into place, with no risk of overstating the sage or shortchanging the worthy. Lord Bai, for now, can be set aside.

As for Lord Guan, in his lifetime he was a true great man—unswayed by riches and honor, unshaken in poverty and obscurity, unbent by force. After his death, he took refuge in Master Zhiyi, the Tiantai patriarch, and vowed to serve as a temple guardian, protecting the Dharma. From Zhiyi's day to ours, more than thirteen centuries have passed. Across the land, many of the abbots of great monasteries have been great bodhisattvas with realized dharma bodies, manifesting in the world to spread the teaching. Lord Guan has supported and drawn near to each one of them. How could it be that after all this time, he still has unresolved matters requiring Master Dixian's guidance? A being as sharp and perceptive as Lord Guan—how could he have become so dull and unreceptive to the Dharma?

There is, in fact, a very good reason. The story of Lord Guan's taking refuge in Master Zhiyi is recorded in the Separate Biography of Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai, written by the great Master Guanding of Zhang'an (Zhiyi's direct disciple), with commentary by the Song dynasty Siming monk Tanzhao, in the lower fascicle's gloss on the passage about "returning home to select a site, of which Jing and Xiang had not heard… founding a monastery there without a trace of worry." It also appears in volume six of the Comprehensive Chronicle of the Buddhas and Patriarchs, in the biography of the fourth Tiantai patriarch, Master Zhiyi.

An excerpt from the Comprehensive Chronicle of the Buddhas and Patriarchs: "In the twelfth month of the eleventh year of Kaihuang, under the Sui dynasty, the Master arrived in Jingzhou, returning to his homeland to choose a site for a temple. He settled on Yuchan Mountain in Dangyang, where he established a monastery. A hundred or so paces north of the Golden Dragon Pool stood a great tree, its branches spreading and drooping like a canopy, its trunk hollow within like a thatched hut. There the Master sat in meditation and entered samadhi… That night, the clouds parted and the moon shone brightly. He saw two figures with the bearing of kings: the elder, with thick, beautiful hair; the younger, capped and adorned, with elegant tresses. They stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying: 'We are Guan Yu. In the late Han, the realm was in turmoil and the Nine Provinces split apart. Cao Cao was without virtue, Sun Quan guarded only his own interests. We served the house of Shu with loyalty, hoping to restore the imperial line. But the times did not favor our resolve, and we died with our purpose unfulfilled. So we reign over this mountain. Reverend Master, what has brought your holy feet here?' The Master replied: 'I wish to found a place of practice on this spot, to repay the kindness of the land that gave me birth.' The deities said: 'We beg you to take pity on our ignorance and receive us. Half a day's journey from here is a mountain shaped like an upturned boat, with deep, fertile soil. I shall level it for you, that you may build a temple, gather offerings, and protect the Dharma. Pray enter meditation for seven days, and it will be done.' When the Master emerged from samadhi, he found the thousand-foot marsh transformed into level ground, the halls and buildings dazzling, the work beyond any human craft. So swiftly did the spirits accomplish it! The Master led his community to take up residence there, and day and night he expounded the Dharma. One day the deity said to him: 'Today your disciple has heard the supramundane Dharma. I would cleanse my heart and renew my mind, and ask to receive the precepts, that they may be the everlasting root of my awakening.' The Master then lit his incense burner with his staff and conferred the five precepts upon him. From then on, the deity's majestic virtue spread for a thousand li; all who came from near and far to pay their respects were moved to reverence."

So what is this "very good reason"? Please read on.

We are now in the degenerate age of the Dharma. Many monks are worthless: they don the great-collared robe and call themselves monastics, yet know next to nothing of what a monk truly means or is meant to do. Master Yinguang made these remarks sixty years ago, and even then the situation was already like this!

I am a monastic myself, and reading this passage moves me deeply.

The word seng (僧) is a shortened form of the Sanskrit saṅgha, which properly refers to the entire monastic community. But in Chinese usage, seng has come to denote an individual monastic. So the "monks" spoken of here are ordinary, unenlightened monastics—not the saṅgha as a whole, which includes sages and worthies. This distinction matters.

The meaning, then, is this: in this degenerate age, many monastics are worthless.

Among laypeople, even those with faith who study the Dharma will in the end look down on monastics; those without faith, seeing monks wandering the world and engaging in all manner of misdeeds, will say "monks are all like this," and conclude that "the Buddha-Dharma is of no benefit to the country and only harms the world."

Moved by such arrogance, perverse views, and base opinions, and burning with zeal to protect the Dharma, Lord Guan saw that the capital—the hinge of the whole nation, where eminent persons and scholars gathered—offered the right occasion. He manifested himself and made his request, seeking Master Dixian's guidance: to dispel the arrogant, deluded views of laypeople, and to shake degenerate, shameless monks out of their complacency.

Reading this, one can grasp Lord Guan's purpose in asking Master Dixian to teach.

The ancients spoke of "the Tathāgata not forgoing even the merit of threading a needle," and said, "An eighty-year-old grandfather dances, to teach his children and grandchildren." I see Lord Guan's action in the same light.

On "the Tathāgata not forgoing even the merit of threading a needle": Aniruddha once dozed off while listening to the Buddha teach and was rebuked for it. Determined never to sleep again, he eventually lost his sight. One day, while sewing, he thought aloud: "Whoever wishes to gain merit, come thread this needle for me!" The Buddha, hearing him with his divine ear from afar, came to Aniruddha and said: "Hand me the needle; I will thread it for you."

Aniruddha replied: "I had assumed those who seek merit are ordinary beings. The World-Honored One has already attained supreme perfect enlightenment; his merit and wisdom are complete. Why would he still seek merit?"

The Buddha said: "There is no one in the world who seeks merit more than I. The Tathāgata never grows weary of six kinds of practice: giving, teaching and admonishing, patience, expounding the Dharma and its meaning, protecting sentient beings, and seeking the supreme way."—Ekottara Āgama, volume thirty-one.

Though all of this may amount to nothing more than my own guesswork, if I were to put it to Lord Guan and Master Dixian for their verdict, I imagine they would nod and smile, without uttering a word of protest.

We ordinary beings lack the divine eye, so we cannot know what expression Lord Guan wore. But Master Dixian lived in the world for seventy-five years, entering final nirvana only in the twenty-first year of the Republic (1932). He must certainly have heard what Master Yinguang said above, and nodded in silent agreement.

What has been said so far concerns only their outward traces. As for the underlying reality of Lord Guan and Master Dixian, only they themselves know it—how could I presume to gauge or comment on it? The distinction between trace and origin comes from the Lotus Sūtra. Master Yinguang speaks only on the basis of the holy traces that Lord Guan and Master Dixian manifested in this life; their origin can be fully known only by the Tathāgata.

The Record of Manifest Blessings and Benefiting the Netherworld is no longer in circulation today; if it is ever reprinted, the foregoing discussion should be appended to the end of the volume.

Master Genmin, though sincere in his aspiration for the Way, may not yet be clear about monastic discipline and may not understand the proper method of practice. I have taught him to act within his capacity, not to force or strain himself, lest he wear out body and mind and be unable to reap the fruit of the Dharma. I have heard of a certain practitioner who, applying himself wrongly, coughed up blood without cease, and his practice went entirely to ruin as a result. All beginners must be given this counsel.

Masters Genqi and Genmin were most likely students at the Guanzong Study Hall. Master Genmin had been pushing himself too hard in his practice, so Master Yinguang closed the letter with the advice to "act within his capacity." The "lute analogy" in the thirty-fourth chapter of the Sutra in Forty-two Sections is the finest instruction for anyone walking the Way.

Letter to the Buddhist Journal Office (Excerpt)

Over countless eons, the All-Enlightened World-Honored One peeled off his skin for paper, split his bones to make brushes, drew his blood for ink, and used his marrow for water. He did this to keep the eternal Dharma treasure in circulation and deliver all sentient beings. The chapter on "Constantly Following the Buddha to Learn" in the Avatamsaka Sutra's Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's Vows Chapter (that is, the 40th roll of the 40-roll Avatamsaka Sutra) states: "Thus, in this Saha world, the Vairocana Tathagata, from the moment he first awakened the mind of enlightenment, progressed diligently without ever falling back. He offered up incalculable numbers of bodies and lives, peeling his skin for paper, splitting his bones for brushes, and drawing his blood for ink to write the scriptures, piling them up as high as Mount Sumeru. For the sake of revering the Dharma, he did not spare his own body or life..."

Master Guifeng's sub-commentary explains: "There are two ways to interpret the act of peeling skin for paper and the like: one literal, the other contemplative. First, the literal: either out of necessity, lacking materials to record the sacred words, one spares neither body nor life, peeling skin and splitting bone; or, even if bamboo, silk, paper, and ink are plentiful, one still wishes to revere the Dharma through physical hardship to express sincere reverence. That is why such actions are taken. As the Sutra of the Samadhi of Accumulating All Merits records: 'Long ago, countless eons in the past, there was a sage named Supreme Victory who lived in the mountains and forests. Seeing that other celestial sages constantly practiced compassion, he thought to himself: "Compassion alone cannot deliver sentient beings; only by accumulating extensive learning can we eradicate their afflictions and wrong views, giving rise to right view." With this in mind, he traveled to towns and villages everywhere, seeking a teacher who could expound the Dharma. A heavenly demon then approached him, saying: "I have a verse spoken by the Buddha. If you can peel your skin for paper, draw your blood for ink, split your bones for a brush, and write down this verse, I will teach it to you." Upon hearing this, Supreme Victory thought: "For countless hundreds of thousands of eons, I have let my body be cut and mutilated for no good reason, suffering immeasurably to no avail. Now, I should exchange this fragile, impermanent body for the sublime Dharma." Overjoyed, he immediately took a sharp knife, peeled his skin for paper, drew his blood for ink, and split his bones for a brush. With palms clasped to the heavens, he asked the demon to recite the Buddha's verse. Seeing this, the demon grew haggard with worry and promptly vanished. The sage then cried out: "I now do this for the Dharma, sparing neither body nor life. I peel my skin for paper, draw my blood for ink, and split my bones for a brush, for the sake of all sentient beings. This sincere vow is no mere pretense. If there is any being in another world with great compassion who can teach the Dharma, let them appear before me!" At these words, thirty-two buddha-lands to the east, in a land called Pure Undefiled, a Buddha named Pure Name King suddenly appeared before him. Radiating a brilliant light that bathed the sage's body, his pain vanished instantly, and his form was restored. The Buddha extensively expounded the Samadhi of Accumulating All Merits, and upon hearing it, Supreme Victory gained unobstructed eloquence. Having finished his teaching, the Buddha disappeared. With his newfound eloquence, the sage taught the sublime Dharma to sentient beings, guiding countless beings onto the path of the three vehicles. A thousand years later, he passed away and was reborn in the Pure Undefiled land of the Buddha Pure Name King. Because of his reverence for the Dharma, he has now attained Buddhahood." The Buddha told the monk Jing Wei: "That past sage, Supreme Victory, was none other than myself. You should understand from this: if someone seeks the Dharma with reverence, the Buddha does not enter nirvana for them, and the Dharma is never extinguished. Even in a distant land, they will constantly behold the Buddha face to face and hear the true Dharma. This is what is meant by peeling skin for paper, and so on."

Second, the contemplative interpretation: observing that the body—whether skin, bone, or anything else—lacks any fixed, true substance. The entire body is fundamentally empty, possessing no self and nothing belonging to a self. Although it seems to have tangible form, it is like a mass of foam, a bubble, an illusion, or a banana tree. Having no inherent self-nature, it is originally identical to the Dharmadhatu. When we investigate in this manner, the three truths are fully present, forming the three contemplations of emptiness, provisional existence, and the Middle Way. When we articulate this meaning and awaken to this understanding, aligning with the perfect capacity of the mind, that itself is writing the sutras. A sutra serves to express meaning and generate understanding. If we fail to contemplate or investigate, allowing our minds to grasp at deluded appearances, it is as though the sutras do not exist at all.

The Journal of Buddhist Studies has spread the Dharma throughout China and abroad, allowing all sentient beings—those possessing consciousness—to ultimately attain the One Vehicle. I haven't actually read this publication, so I can't say much about its specific contents. "Those possessing consciousness" refers to beings endowed with awareness—simply another name for sentient beings. They are also called "beings possessing life," "beings possessing spirit," or "beings possessing feeling."

Yet secular readers completely lack reverence. Upon waking, they handle scriptures without washing their hands or rinsing their mouths; after using the toilet, they fail to wash up before touching the texts again. They might leave them lying on seats or beds, or even use them as pillows. Reading in bed at night, they toss them together with their undergarments; reading at a desk, they bury them in clutter. They treat the words of sages and worthies as little more than scrap paper, paying no mind and showing not an ounce of respect. Even women from scholarly families use pages of scriptures for flower embroidery, and servants in noble houses use classical essays to wipe things down. The sheer variety of such desecration is impossible to list! These bad habits have accumulated over time; people have grown so used to them that they no longer notice. Without explicitly laying out the consequences—the blessings and misfortunes that follow—people will surely keep desecrating the Dharma. They'll reap no benefit, only great karmic offense. Pitying such ignorance, we must point this out in advance.

This sort of thing is incredibly common, and today it is countless times worse than when Master Yinguang was alive—a truly lamentable state of affairs! In my humble view, there's no need to print images on the book cover. Place the title off to the side, as you would with an ordinary book. In the center, you could print a brief Buddhist gatha (verse) or a short prose passage—anywhere from a few lines to a dozen or so. Keep the wording clear and concise, the font large and bold, and warn readers to treat the book with utmost care, never disrespecting or defiling it.

Reverence brings blessings; disrespect brings disaster. This is the All-Enlightened Dharma King’s sublime path to deliver sentient beings. I've noticed that the Buddhist books printed by the Honghua Society follow the Master's exact guidelines. The title sits to the side, with this text printed in the center of the cover: "All Buddhist sutras and books expounding the Dharma exist to guide people toward good, help them avoid evil, reform their faults, and turn toward virtue. They illuminate the karmic causality of the three lifetimes and reveal our inherent Buddha-nature, allowing us to cross the bitter sea of birth and death to be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Readers must feel gratitude and treat these books as rare treasures. Wash your hands and clear your desk before opening them. Hold reverence and sincerity in your heart, as if standing before the Buddha and the heavens, or in the presence of your teachers and guardians. Only then will you personally receive their boundless benefits. If you act without restraint, carelessly disrespecting and defiling the Dharma, or if you cling to narrow-minded views and recklessly slander it, your sins will fill the heavens, and your karmic retribution will be endless! I urge everyone to turn away from sin, seek benefit, leave suffering behind, and find true joy." The text stands out vividly; reading it naturally fills one with reverence for the Dharma. Sadly, you rarely see this kind of cover on Buddhist books today.

On the inside of the cover, use small print to explain things in detail: although this is called a periodical, it should be treated just like a Buddhist sutra. Moreover, it features images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas at the front. The contents either record actual sutra passages or draw directly upon sutra principles. Unlike worldly, conventional language, it deserves extraordinary reverence. You should also cite evidence from sutras, treatises, and biographical records showing the blessings earned from revering scriptures, as well as the karmic consequences of desecrating them. That way, those who know better won't fall back into old habits and accidentally create evil karma. As for these two elements—the cover text and the inside cover note—you can change the wording from volume to volume, alternate it, or never change it at all. Any of these approaches is perfectly fine. If you do alter the wording, change the phrasing without changing the underlying meaning. That way, the teacher remains honored and the Dharma remains revered. The pímiàn (literally "skin surface," meaning the outer cover) mentioned earlier refers to the book's front cover. The pǐguǒ (literally "skin wrap," meaning the inner cover) refers to the inside of the cover.

’。The "back cover" mentioned below refers to the back of a book. Some Buddhist texts also print the Admonition for Reading Sutras by Chan Master Bao Ning Yong on the inside front cover. It reads:

"The method of reading sutras is something later students must understand. Purify the three karmas; when the three karmas are free of fault, all blessings gather. The three karmas are those of body, speech, and mind. First, sit upright and poised, as if facing the Buddha himself — this purifies body karma. Second, let there be no idle talk; cut off all frivolous laughter — this purifies speech karma. Third, do not let the mind scatter; set aside all worldly entanglements — this purifies mind karma. When the mind within is still and all external conditions fall away, only then can one awaken to the true source and penetrate the Dharma's principles. It is like water clearing so pearls shine, clouds parting so the moon brightens — the ocean of meaning surges in the heart, the mountain of wisdom stands firm in the eyes and ears. Do not take this lightly; it is no small matter. When mind and Dharma are both forgotten, both self and others benefit. If you can practice in this way, you are truly repaying the Buddha's kindness."

The back cover should not have text printed on it, both to avoid defilement and to express reverence. Nowadays some Buddhist periodicals even print Buddha images on the back cover — how can this be anything but "defilement"? There is simply no reverence at all, and the offense is grave indeed.

The twenty-first Indian Patriarch, Venerable Po Xiu Pan Tou, once said that in a past aeon he was on the verge of attaining the second fruit [of awakening], but because he carelessly leaned his staff against a wall painting of a Buddha's face, he lost the attainment entirely. I would say: if even a second-fruit arhat can lose that fruition, then for an ordinary person, they would lose their human rebirth forever and remain trapped in the evil realms without question! It is like a wealthy man who commits a capital crime — he can use his entire fortune to ransom his life — but a poor man is beheaded on the spot. This account appears in the Transmission of the Lamp, in the chapter on the twentieth Patriarch, Venerable Jie Ye Duo. Clearly, irreverence is no small sin.

The Transmission of the Lamp refers to the Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp, compiled in thirty volumes by Chan Master Dao Yuan of the Song dynasty. The chapter on the twentieth Patriarch appears in Volume 2. The full record is found in Volume 51 of the Taishō Tripiṭaka.

"Heaven is the great father, Earth the great mother; all within the four seas are kin... For this reason, the great sages and worthy ones of every age have turned their hearts toward [the Buddha] and revered him." This passage runs 493 characters; please consult the original Collected Writings of Master Yinguang to read it in full. I omit it here.

The principles of the worldly and the transcendent alike do not go beyond the two words "mind-nature"; the affairs of the worldly and the transcendent alike do not go beyond the two words "cause and effect."

"Mind-nature" refers to the unchanging essence of mind (here, nature means essence) — the tathāgatagarbha, the self-purifying mind, the true suchness that is the very substance of mind. The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna states: "The true suchness of mind is the substance of the great totalizing dharma-gate of the one dharma-realm — what is called the mind-nature that is neither born nor destroyed." The Essentials of Śamatha-Vipaśyanā says: "What is unchanging yet accords with conditions — this is mind. What accords with conditions yet remains unchanging — this is nature."

The various schools explain these two terms differently, but the Chan school generally treats them as interchangeable. For instance, the Essence of Mind Transmission by Master Huangbo states: "Mind and nature are not different — nature is mind, and mind does not differ from nature." He also writes: "All buddhas, bodhisattvas, and every sentient being, down to the smallest crawling creature, share this same great nirvana-nature: nature is mind, and mind is Buddha."

Here, the term refers broadly to the fundamental substance of all dharmas. Sentient beings sink through the nine realms while the Tathāgata realizes the one vehicle — yet mind-nature itself neither increases nor decreases. The reason their rise and fall differ so drastically, their joy and suffering so starkly, is simply that their cultivation at the causal stage varies, leading to different fruits at the stage of result. Cause is what generates; effect is what is generated. Where there is a cause, there must be an effect; where there is an effect, there must be a cause. Volume 5 of the Śamatha-Vipaśyanā says: "What draws forth a result is cause; what is obtained is effect."

"Plant melons and you get melons; plant beans and you get beans" — such a cause, such an effect, without the slightest deviation. The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra states: "The rewards of good and evil follow like a shadow. The karma of past, present, and future cycles without fail. If you squander this life, regret will come too late!"

Expounding the Dharma is far from easy. Speak only of principle and those of middle and lesser capacity cannot benefit; speak only of cause and effect and those of superior capacity often tire of hearing it. This is true of audiences, and it seems equally true of those who teach. I once heard a Dharma teacher say, "I don't know how to expound the simpler, story-based sutras" — presumably someone who specializes in teachings for those of "superior capacity," whose gift lies in "deep philosophical discourse." Yet I have also known people who have studied Buddhism for decades and still cannot "discuss the profound and the subtle" — they can only "tell stories." Whether those of "middle and lesser capacity" actually benefit from such an approach, I do not know.

This periodical divides its content into ten categories, its methods varied rather than uniform — well suited to advancing both events and principles together, to carrying sudden and gradual teachings side by side, so that all three levels of capacity are reached and both sharp and dull faculties benefit equally. "This periodical" refers to the Buddhist Studies Journal (Foxue Congbao). I have not seen it myself and do not know what its ten categories are. It would be fitting to include, in the latter sections of each issue, accounts drawn from history of those who found strength in Buddhist practice and went on to embody great loyalty, great filial piety, pure righteousness, or pure benevolence — along with stories of the blessings that come from revering the Triple Jewel and the misfortune that comes from slandering it, the wise words of noble figures who have guided and elevated society, and the essential teachings on refraining from killing and releasing life. If these appeared issue after issue, then ordinary men and women would have something to follow, and broad-minded scholars, upon grasping the principles, would likewise wish to put them into practice. Rather than shaking their heads and covering their ears, they would be all the more eager to listen. These are essential words of guidance for this publication. Those who edit Buddhist periodicals would do well to take them to heart.

And yet — cause and effect and mind-nature, if separated, both suffer; if joined, both flourish. As Master Meng Dong put it: "Those who speak well of mind-nature will never abandon cause and effect, and those who deeply believe in cause and effect will ultimately awaken fully to mind-nature. This follows inevitably from the nature of things."

"Meng Dong" is Master Che Wu; his biography appears on page 39. The quoted passage comes from the section "Dharma Words" in Volume One of the Collected Works of Chan Master Meng Dong. The full passage reads:

"True dharmas possess no fixed nature; purity and defilement arise according to conditions. Since the one reality manifests entirely as the ten realms, the ten realms in their entirety are the one reality. Therefore, those who speak well of mind-nature will never abandon cause and effect, and those who deeply believe in cause and effect will ultimately awaken fully to mind-nature. This follows inevitably from the nature of things."

As for sentient beings in this Dharma-ending age, their faculties are poor and weak. The methods of the Chan and scholastic traditions rely solely on self-power — even awakening is difficult enough, let alone liberation. Only the Pure Land path relies on the Buddha's power. With genuine faith and earnest aspiration, even those guilty of the five gravest offenses and the ten evil deeds can break free from the cycle of rebirth forever and join the great assembly [of the Pure Land].

The Contemplation Sutra of Amitāyus states: "The Buddha said to Ānanda and Vaidehī: Those of the lowest grade, lowest birth — there may be beings who have committed unwholesome deeds, the five gravest offenses and the ten evil acts, every kind of wrongdoing. Such foolish people, because of their evil karma, should fall into evil realms and endure endless suffering for many aeons. Yet when such a person is on the verge of death, they may encounter a good spiritual friend who comforts them in every way, speaks to them of the wondrous Dharma, and teaches them to recite the Buddha's name. Oppressed by suffering, they may be unable to do so. The good friend then tells them: 'If you cannot recite that Buddha's name, then call upon Amitāyus Buddha.' With a sincere heart, without letting the sound cease, they complete ten recitations, calling: 'Namo Amitāyus Buddha.' By virtue of calling the Buddha's name, in each moment of thought they eliminate the karmic obstructions of eighty billion aeons of birth and death. At the end of their life, they see a golden lotus, bright as the sun, appear before them. In the space of a single thought, they are born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss..."

The Lingzhi Commentary [on the Contemplation Sutra] explains: "To instruct someone to recite the Buddha's name means to have them contemplate. Mental contemplation is nian; vocal recitation is cheng."

This inconceivable, supreme Dharma should be taught with both principle and practice held together, with both warning and encouragement offered at once. Let the ocean-tide voice resound; let the great rain of Dharma fall. Break the erroneous attachments of people like Cao Lucen; carry forward the lineage of Master Lianchi and his peers — so that all under heaven may receive the benefit of the Buddha Dharma, and the whole world may feel the virtue of you gentlemen. Then the Dharma will fill the universe, the age will return to the peace of Yao and Shun, the Way will reach beyond all forms in heaven and earth, and its grace will extend to every flying and swimming creature!

"Break the erroneous attachments of people like Cao Lucen; carry forward the lineage of Master Lianchi and his peers": In Volume One of the posthumous writings of Master Yunqi (Lianchi), there are two letters titled Reply to Cao Lucen, Magistrate of Suzhou. The first I omit here. I will excerpt several passages from the second to give a sense of the views Lucen held.

"I am honored by your letter, which runs to some two thousand words of elaborate phrasing and subtle argument, layered deep and wide. I truly admire and respect it. And yet, it seems to me that while your regard for me is deep, your words are rather excessive. If you truly wish to elevate Chan and suppress Pure Land, there is no need for so much: why not simply say, 'I swallow all the buddhas of the three times in a single mouthful — and if not one buddha is established, who then is Amitābha?' Or again: 'If one recognizes mind, the great earth has not an inch of soil — and if there is no soil at all, where then is the Land of Ultimate Bliss?' These two sentences alone would encompass all two thousand words of your letter.

Furthermore, you say that only provisional teachings speak of the Pure Land, and cite the Chapter on Vows and Practice and the Awakening of Faith as examples. Let us set the Awakening of Faith aside for now. The Vows and Practice chapter, as a single chapter, encapsulates the entire eighty-volume Avataṃsaka Sūtra. From ancient times to the present, who would dare call it a provisional teaching? You esteem the Avataṃsaka yet reject the Vows and Practice chapter — if that chapter is provisional, then so is the Avataṃsaka!

Furthermore, you say that the Śūraṅgama Sūtra selects Guanyin but passes over Mahāsthāmaprāpta, and further dismisses him as impermanent and conditioned. Yet when Ājñāta Kaundinya awakened to the two words 'guest' and 'dust,' would you not say he understood impermanence and touched the unborn and undying? Why was he not chosen for perfect penetration? If Guanyin passed the examination, then Mahāsthāmaprāpta failed — but have you not heard the story of the carp that leaped at the Dragon Gate only to be turned back? Surely that is the talk of country folk.

Furthermore, you say that waiting until the lotus opens and one sees the Buddha to awaken to non-birth is slow and roundabout. You are well versed in Chan — how can you not know that awakening from delusion is like waking from a dream, like a lotus opening? Among those who recite the Buddha's name, some see their nature in this very life — the lotus opens in an instant. Others see it after rebirth — the lotus opens after a long while. Faculties are sharp or dull; effort is diligent or slack. The lotus opens sooner or later accordingly. How can you generalize and call it slow?"

To speak precisely about the decline of Buddhism, it did not actually begin in the late Ming. By the mid-Ming period, all schools had weakened. But from the Wanli era onward, they sprang back to life: in the Huayan tradition, Masters Lianchi and Xuelang greatly revived the teaching of perfect interpenetration.

Master Lianchi expounded Huayan doctrine while grounding his practice in Pure Land, as mentioned earlier.

Master Xuelang — whose Dharma name was Hong'en, courtesy name Sanhuai — was a native of Jinling (Nanjing), born to the Huang family. He was precociously intelligent and drawn to stillness; even as a child, he would sit in meditation. His features were distinctive: heavy eyelids, a high forehead, broad cheekbones, a large mouth, square jaw, and skin like jade.

At thirteen, he accompanied his father to Bao'en Temple to hear Master Wuji Zhan lecture on the Lotus Sutra. When the teaching reached the line "The three realms offer no refuge, like a burning house," he was suddenly moved and refused to leave.

Sometime later, his mother missed him terribly and sent his father to bring him home. When his father arrived and pressed him repeatedly to leave, the young Xuelang hid a pair of scissors in his sleeve, slipped away to the stupa of Tripitaka Master Xuanzang, cut off his own topknot, and handed it to his father, saying, "Give this to my mother." His father wept bitterly; the boy simply looked at him and said nothing more. He then became a novice monk.

He mastered the Buddhist canon and read widely in secular literature, studying Jin-dynasty calligraphy and Tang poetry besides. "Without reading ten thousand books," he used to say, "one cannot truly know the Buddha Dharma." When he taught, he discarded all pedantic commentary and spoke straight from the nature of reality. He constantly urged his students to use contemplative insight as the gateway to the Dharma. Whenever he lectured, people who heard him were drawn to the teaching, and his audiences swelled to over ten thousand.

He taught for thirty years without setting up an elaborate platform or a high seat. A cup of tea, a single incense burner, leaning on a small table, he spoke with such clarity and warmth that one never tired of listening. In the twenty-sixth year of the Wanli era, he took charge of the Great Bao'en Temple in Nanjing, personally leading his disciples in restoring its stupas and Buddha images. Once the work was done, he departed.

In his later years he built a thatched hermitage at Wangting, where he fed monks and did manual labor alongside them. He guided his students personally — vegetarian meals by day, baths at evening, Dharma talks at night — cultivating both self-benefit and the benefit of others. Many were transformed under his guidance. Before long, he showed slight signs of illness. One day he told the assembly, "Take good care of the Dharma. I am about to leave." His disciples asked whether they should prepare a seated reliquary or a reclining coffin. He replied: "Those who die sitting use a reliquary; those who die lying down use a coffin. As for the ritual implements — don't bother arranging anything." With that, he asked for a bath, changed his robes, sat upright, and passed away. He was sixty-three.

He had many disciples who received full ordination; the most renowned were Chaosong Jin and Yiyu Run, who widely propagated the Dharma and were known as "Jin's eloquence and Run's skill." Master Xuelang and Master Hanshan had both served under Master Wuji Zhan and were as close as brothers. Master Hanshan wrote a Biography of Master Xuelang, preserved in Volume 30 of the Hanshan's Dream Journey Collection.

For the Tiantai school, there were Masters Youxi and Ouyi, who vigorously carried forward the tradition's teaching and practice. Master Ouyi [Zhixu] has been mentioned earlier.

Master Youxi: his Dharma name was Chuandeng, courtesy name Youmen, art name Wujin. Born to the Ye family in Hengzhou (Zhejiang Province). He received tonsure as a youth under Chan Master Ying'an of Jinxian, then went to study with Master Baisong. Hearing a lecture on the Lotus Sutra, he experienced a sudden spiritual awakening. When he next asked about the meaning of the great samādhi in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, Master Baisong simply stared at him with wide eyes — and in that moment, he broke through. Master Baisong then bestowed upon him a gold-cloud brocade kāṣāya.

Throughout his life, he performed the repentance rituals of the Lotus, Great Compassion, Golden Light, Amitābha, and Śūraṅgama without missing a single day. He settled at Gaoming Temple on Youxi Mountain. Once, while teaching before the Great Buddha of Xinchang, the assembly heard celestial music ringing from the stone chamber nearby — and it ceased only when the lecture ended.

He composed the Treatise on Rebirth as Non-Birth, which integrates the threefold contemplation of Tiantai and illuminates the Pure Land path. He also wrote a brief Dharma discourse that is among his most essential and practical teachings. Over the course of his life, he presided at more than seventy lecture series. At seventy-five, knowing his time had come, he wrote out the seven characters of the Lotus Sutra title by hand, chanted the sutra's name twice more, and passed away peacefully. (From New Continuation of Biographies of Eminent Monks, Fourth Collection, No. 44.)

His published works include Profound Meaning of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra; Commentary on Perfect Penetration; No-Self Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sūtra; Brief Explanation of the Amitābha Sūtra with Round-and-Perfect Notes; Treatise on Rebirth as Non-Birth; and Pure Land Dharma Words.

Chan School: Under Master Huanyou there were four heirs, and through them the lineages of Tiantong and Jingshan carried the Dharma throughout the land.

Master Huanyou: Dharma name Zhengchuan, courtesy name Yixin, art name Huanyou. Born to the Lü family in Liyang, Jiangsu Province. At twenty-two, he traveled to Jingxi and ordained under Elder Le'an of Jingle Courtyard. Receiving Le'an's guidance, he vowed: "If I do not see my nature and illumine my mind, I will never lie down to sleep." One evening, he heard the sudden crack of a lamp flame and broke through into awakening. Not long after, Elder Le'an passed away. The master traveled to the capital [Beijing] to study under Patriarch Xiaoyan Bao, and after sustained effort, attained the Dharma. He later withdrew to the Demon's Rock on Mount Wutai, where he dwelt for thirteen years.

When the court official Tang Xuewei came to inquire about the Dharma, he earnestly implored the master to return south. The master then took up residence at Longchi Yumen Chan Courtyard in Jingxi. His bearing was simple and unassuming, his presence dignified and solemn. He took the Dharma as his personal charge, and his use of skillful means was so subtle it consistently confounded ordinary expectations. On the twelfth day of the second month in the forty-second year of the Wanli era (1614), he entered nirvāṇa. The day before, a monk arrived from Mount Wutai, and the master spoke with him at length about old times. At dusk he asked for a bath. The assembly, sensing his intention, begged him for final instructions. The master lifted his hat three times. No one responded. He patted his knee and was gone. He was sixty-six.

Under Master Huanyou, four disciples received the Dharma transmission: Miyun Wu, Jingshan Xiu, Xuejiao Xin, and Baopu Lian.

Miyun Wu: Dharma name Yuanwu, art name Miyun. Born to the Jiang family of Yixing, Jiangsu Province. As a child he liked to sit quietly alone, as if savoring some small taste of awakening. Growing up, he read the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch and developed deep faith in the Chan path. One day while gathering firewood, he saw a stack of branches suddenly loom before him — and had a breakthrough. At twenty-nine he left home under Master Huanyou at Longchi; at thirty-three he received full tonsure. After three years of arduous practice, he happened to be passing Mount Tongguan when he stumbled and fell — and in that moment, broke through into great awakening.

In the forty-fifth year of the Wanli era (1617), he succeeded to the abbacy of Longchi. Thereafter he served as abbot at six monasteries in succession — Tongxuan Temple on Mount Tiantai, Guanghui Temple on Mount Jinsu in Jiaxing, Wanfu Temple on Mount Huangbo in Fuzhou, Guangli Temple on Mount Yưwang, and Jingde Temple on Mount Tiantong — for over thirty years, with more than thirty thousand disciples.

In the fourteenth year of the Chongzhen reign, he was appointed by imperial decree as abbot of Bao'en Temple in Nanjing, but declined due to age and illness. The following spring he returned to Tongxuan. On the third day of the seventh month he showed signs of illness. On the morning of the seventh, he rose and inspected the workmen as usual. Upon returning to his quarters, he told his attendant, "I am very tired." He lay down briefly, then tried to sit up. Before he could fully settle into the cross-legged posture, he passed peacefully. He was seventy-seven. His entire body was returned to Tiantong, where a stupa was built. Since his last post was at Tiantong and his whole body was enshrined there, he is known as "Master Tiantong."

He had twelve Dharma heirs, each of whom propagated the teaching in a different region — hence the saying "his Dharma spread throughout the world."

Jingshan Xiu: Dharma name Yuanxiu, courtesy name Tianyin.

A son of the Min clan from Jingxi. He lost his father young and sold vegetables to support his mother. At twenty, he attended a lecture on the Śūraṅgama Sūtra and heard these words: "All sentient beings fail to realize the eternal, abiding true mind—pure, luminous, and fundamental. Instead they rely on deluded thoughts. Because these thoughts are untrue, they circle through birth and death." Struck to the core, he grasped that birth and death were a great matter requiring resolution. He went to study under Master Longchi and received full ordination at twenty-four.

He worked on the koan "What is your original face before your parents were born?" but for a long time made no headway. One day he happened to open the Śūraṅgama Sūtra and reached the passage where the Buddha says to Ananda, "This is not your mind"—in that instant, his original koan shattered. He then entered retreat at Longchi, throwing himself into the "Yunmen's fan" koan for two years. Later, hearing a donkey bray, he attained great enlightenment.

The master carried himself with an open, upright bearing and had a naturally retiring disposition. He trained directly under Longchi for eighteen years. Time and again he was asked to take the abbot's seat and expound the Dharma, and each time he politely declined. In the forty-eighth year of the Wanli reign (1620), he built a thatched hut on Qingshan in Jingxi. Once, snow sealed the mountain for over fifty days and his cooking fire nearly died out. Surrounded by hungry birds and wild beasts, he remained perfectly at ease. Within a few years, the site had grown into a thriving monastery. Troubled by the decline of the Dharma, he labored to revive the essential teachings of the Linji school and gave wide expression to the meaning of the special transmission outside the scriptures. Seekers of the Way came from every direction in an unbroken stream, and his fame spread throughout the land.

He passed into nirvana on the twenty-third day of the ninth month in the eighth year of the Chongzhen reign (1635), at the age of sixty-one. Among his disciples were Shan Ci Ji, Song Ji Shou, Ruo An Wen, Yu Lin Xiu, and others.

Xue Jiao Xin

The master's dharma name was Yuanxin. He was first called Xueting, later Xuejiao, and in his later years styled himself Old Man Yufeng. A native of Jiangjing Lane in Yin County, Ningbo, Zhejiang, his lay surname was Zhu.

At nine, he heard someone recite the Amitābha Sūtra—"water birds and forest trees all proclaim the sounds of the Dharma"—and from that moment turned his heart toward faith in the Buddha. At twenty-nine he left home to seek the Way, visiting Abbot Miao Zhen on Mount Qinyang as well as Master Lianchi (Zhuhong). He later went to study under Longchi, and during a private interview his insight resonated with the master's, whereupon he received the mind seal. He went on to serve as abbot of several major monasteries, including Mount Jing, Kaixian, Dongta, and Yunmen.

One day, feeling slightly unwell, he wrote a farewell verse for the assembly:

Little ones! The road of birth and death is fine and free— bright moon, frost at dawn. Have a cup of tea, and pass away sitting.

He asked his attendant for tea, drank it, and passed away. This was on the twenty-sixth day of the eighth month in the fourth year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing (1647). He lived to be seventy-seven.

Baopu Lian

The master's dharma name was Dalian; his courtesy name was Baopu, also written as Baopu. A son of the Luo family from Lin'an, he was tonsured at fifteen and received full ordination at twenty-two at Yunqi. Initially he attended doctrinal lecture assemblies. One day it occurred to him: "These past few years I've come to understand certain principles of the teachings, but at the critical moment—when death comes—they'll be of no use at all." He then went to Mount Jing to practice Chan and later attained awakening under Longchi. He resided at Jingming Hermitage in Huzhou. He passed into nirvana in the eighth month of the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629). His age at death is unknown.

The above are all eminent masters of the Linji school. In the Caodong lineage, figures of comparable stature appeared in succession—Master Shouchang, Master Boshan, and others—carrying forward a dharma lineage with deep roots and a long history.

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Master Shouchang

Master Shouchang's dharma name was Huijing, his courtesy name Wuming. Because he resided at Shouchang Temple, he was known as Master Shouchang. He was born to the Pei family in Chongren, Jiangxi.

His birth was difficult; his grandfather recited the Diamond Sūtra, whereupon the delivery proceeded smoothly, and so the child was named "Jing" (Sūtra). From infancy he showed remarkable intelligence, and as he grew, his bearing took on a weathered, ancient quality. At nine, he entered the village school and immediately asked, "What is this 'vast, rectilinear energy' (haoran zhi qi)?" The teacher was astonished. At home, the boy seemed perpetually indifferent to worldly affairs. At seventeen he set aside brush and ink, resolved to pursue the Way. At twenty-one he happened to visit a lay Buddhist's home and spotted a copy of the Diamond Sūtra on the desk. Before he had finished even one fascicle, joy rose in him as if he'd recovered something long lost. He gave up meat and wine, determined to leave the household life, and his parents consented.

Around that time, Chan Master Yunkong Zhong was teaching at Lingshan in their home county. He went to study under him and was given the dharma name "Huijing," incorporating his birth name "Jing." He served the master personally for three years. He had long puzzled over what the Diamond Sūtra's four-line gatha could actually refer to. Then one day he came across a verse by Lay Master Fu: "If you want to speak of the four-line gatha, it should never leave the body." His doubt dissolved. He took leave of Lingshan, retreated to Efeng, cut thatch, and built himself a hut. He made a vow: "Until I penetrate the great matter, I will not come down from this mountain!"

He lived there three years, unknown to anyone in the area. One day while reading the Transmission of the Lamp, he came across a monk asking Master Xingshan, "What is the Way?" Xingshan replied, "A fine mountain." The master was completely at a loss. The question seized him with sudden force, and he pressed it day and night, forgetting food and sleep. One day while moving rocks, he came to one he could not lift. He threw all his strength against it—and broke open into vast, unobstructed enlightenment. He immediately composed a verse:

To pursue the supreme path of bodhi, urgently clear away that fine mountain. Once truly known, the mountain is fine no more— turn on your heel and leap clear of the patriarchs' gate!

He went to Lingshan and presented his understanding. His master confirmed the awakening and finally permitted him to be tonsured and receive full ordination. From then on he served his master with tireless devotion, studying the Dharma with him morning and night. For twenty-four years he did not once leave the mountain, as steady as a single day.

In the twenty-sixth year of the Wanli reign, he accepted an invitation to become abbot of Baofang Temple—he was fifty-one. In the thirty-sixth year he took up residence at Shouchang Temple in Xincheng. By nature he was frail, barely able to bear the weight of his robes. Yet during his years on the mountain he pushed himself relentlessly—working the fields with his own hands, breaking stone to open new land, sparing himself no hardship, indifferent to his own comfort. He never locked his door and often walked the mountain paths alone at night. Once, deep snow sealed the roads and he went days without food.

When he emerged to teach and lead beings to liberation, he successively served as abbot of major monasteries including Baofang and Shouchang, and founded more than twenty hermitages and temples. Even at seventy he labored alongside the work monks, farming without cease. His abbot's quarters were bare—nothing but his farming tools.

In the forty-fifth year of Wanli (1617), on the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, the master came back from the fields and said, "I'll not be moving any more stones." The assembly was stunned. On New Year's Eve, he ascended the hall and said: "This year, only this moment remains. Let me ask you—do you know it? That great affair you haven't yet personally struck—apply yourselves to it with a desperate, life-or-death effort!" His words were urgent and repeated. Finally he added: "This is this old monk's last move. I hand it to you all—treasure it."

On the thirteenth day of the first month of the wuwu year (1618), he showed slight signs of illness and stopped eating. He said, "This old monk isn't ill. It's simply time to go." The assembly gathered around his bed, and he was as relaxed and cheerful as ever. On the fourteenth he wrote farewell letters to monastics and laypeople alike. On the sixteenth, the assembly asked to preserve his body intact, but he insisted on cremation. He composed his own fire-lighting verse and instructed his attendant Chezong to chant it and set the pyre alight:

Since beginningless kalpas, just this; today, still, just this. Take this and finish off that— this and that, the same joy and peace.

The next morning, after bathing, he called for a brush and wrote in large characters: "Today, a clear and explicit pointing-out!" He flung down the brush, sat upright, and passed away. This was the wei hour (1–3 p.m.) on the seventeenth day of the first month in the forty-sixth year of Wanli (1618). At cremation the fire glowed in five colors, and his skull and teeth remained undamaged.

The master was born in the twenty-seventh year of the Jiajing reign (1548) and lived to be seventy-one. His dharma heirs included Boshan Yuanlai, Huitai Yuanjing, Jianru Yuanmi, Yongjue Yuanxian, and others. Four volumes of his recorded sayings are extant. Master Hanshan Deqing composed his stupa inscription, found in volume four of the recorded sayings. (The above draws on Zhengyuan Lueji, volume three, and the stupa inscription.)

Master Shouchang was one of the eminent Chan masters of the Ming dynasty, and Master Ouyi held him in the highest regard. As Ouyi wrote in his Private Remarks on the Lineages of Confucian and Buddhist Masters:

In the Chan school, since Master Chushi Qi, I have not heard of anyone of such caliber. Perhaps Elder Zibo comes close. And Master Shouchang Wuming is no disgrace to the style of the ancients.

(Lingfeng Zonglun, 5.3)

In Ouyi's eyes, among all the Chan masters of the Ming, only Shouchang stood beside Elder Zibo. Furthermore, in a letter to Master Yongjue, Ouyi wrote:

You, venerable teacher, are a man of years and deep virtue, firmly holding the mind-seal of Master Shouchang's two words—"refusal" (buken). You need not constantly roar and bellow; the foxes and wild dogs have already lost their nerve.

(Lingfeng Zonglun, 5.2)

One gets a clear sense from this of just how highly Ouyi esteemed Shouchang.

Though Master Shouchang exclusively pointed to the ultimate direct path of Chan, he also offered subtle and profound guidance on Buddha-recitation practice. There is a chapter called "Essentials of Buddha Recitation" in his recorded sayings, reproduced here:

Reciters of the Buddha, purify your mind— with pure mind recite the Buddha, with pure mind listen. Mind is Buddha and Buddha is mind; Buddhahood is nothing but a mind at rest in purity.

Reciters of the Buddha, be diligent and earnest— let pure thought follow without break and the Buddha is already fulfilled. The Buddha's body fills the entire dharma realm; one thought without deviation is the supreme vehicle.

When mind recites the Buddha, cast out all doubt— doubt utterly exhausted is bodhi itself. Thought after thought unborn, no bonds, no weight— the ten directions blaze with light.

Recitation is the Buddha, the Buddha is recitation; the ten thousand dharmas return to one, the living flame of spirit. From the glow of that living flame, extraordinary shoots appear— naturally, they never fall into the realm of expedients.

The mind that recites the Buddha is the Pure Land; within this pure mind all Buddhas dwell. The mind that recites the Buddha surpasses all, empties all conditions— empty mind, and early you reach the road of no birth.

Reciters of the Buddha, keep an upright mind— an upright mind is like a crystal mirror. The ten directions bright and clear—nothing can hide; the myriad phenomena of the world are all imprinted on the ground of mind.

Reciters of the Buddha, be true, be fierce— recite the Buddha with a fierce heart and the wild mind goes still. When the wild mind goes still, the Buddha stands before you, radiant as the moon on a still pool. No matter how the waves may heave, they have nothing to do with you; the appearances of sages and ordinary beings are free from birth and death.

Mind that recites the Buddha—know the season. When the season comes, the mind rejoices on its own: like one caught in a net who smashes open the great barrier, like one who has lost a pearl and would drain the Yellow River dry! Seeing this inconceivable benefit, I do not speak in vain—I say it for your sake.

Mind that recites the Buddha—pursue it fiercely. Right within your reciting, track down what was always yours. You don't become a Buddha because you recite— Buddha-nature stands eternal, imperishable. Lift your brows and look for yourself; in a flash, see it face to face, and all past errors are forgotten.

Reciters of the Buddha, there is a reason: faith does not keep company with any dharma. Pay no mind to Chan sessions or sutra lectures— only when the mind is directly clear can you finally rest.

The ox on the open plain plows up the entire earth; the net flung across the sky gathers in every wild beast. Take them alive, make them submit, and the world is yours— leap the patriarchs, surpass the ancestors, an altogether different road. To all who practice Chan and recite the Buddha, I say: don't mistake your own house rules for an enemy!

— Excerpted from volume four of Master Shouchang's recorded sayings.

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Master Boshan

Master Boshan's dharma name was Yuanlai; his courtesy name was Wuyi. A son of the Sha family from Shucheng, Anqing, he was known as Master Boshan because he resided on Boshan. In his youth he studied the Confucian classics, read widely, and was skilled in composition. At sixteen he went to Mount Wutai and left home under Abbot Jing'an Tong, practicing the Tiantai school's doctrinal study and meditation.

Five years later he traveled to Efeng to study with Master Shouchang Jing. After a long period of inquiry, he was using the latrine one day, leaning against a tree—and attained great enlightenment. He went on to serve as abbot of major monasteries including Boshan in Xinzhou, Dongyan in Lianchuan, Mount Yang, Drum Mountain in Fuzhou, and Tianjie Temple in Jinling (Nanjing).

Near the end of his life he showed slight signs of illness. The head monk came forward and asked, "Master, what of your freedom in coming and going?" The master wrote in large characters: "Clear and distinct," then sat in the full lotus posture and passed away. This was in the ninth month of the third year of the Chongzhen reign (1630). He was fifty-six.

His dharma heirs included Xue Guan Zhi, Shiyu Bao Daodu, Xue Diao Daofeng, and others. His extant works include thirty-five volumes of Extensive Records, two volumes of Admonitions for Chan Practice, and six volumes of Collected Essentials from Recorded Sayings.

Master Boshan's Admonitions for Chan Practice is uniquely powerful in rousing the practitioner's aspiration. A few excerpts:

When you first take up this work, you must bring forth an iron-hard resolve to break through the matter of birth and death. See clearly that the world, the body, and the mind are all empty conditions with no real master. If you don't realize this great principle that is already yours, your mind of birth and death won't break. And if it doesn't break, the demon of impermanence is on you every instant—how will you deal with him? Take this single thought and use it as a door-knocking tile. It's like sitting in the middle of a blazing fire trying to get out—you can't take a wrong step, you can't pause for a single step, you can't let another thought arise, you can't hope for someone to rescue you. At just that moment, don't care about the fire, don't care about your life, don't hope for rescue, don't think of anything else, don't stop even for an instant—charge straight ahead. If you break through, you're a real hand.

This is his instruction on how to begin the work of Chan inquiry. If those who recite the Buddha's name would put the same kind of effort into their practice, I believe they would certainly "reach the Lotus Pond in the time it takes to bend and straighten an arm."

He also wrote: "In your practice, paste the word death on your forehead. Treat this flesh-and-blood body and mind as though already dead…" Master Yinguang likewise said: "If a practitioner of the Way never forgets this word (death), the Way will accomplish itself." Clearly, whether one practices Chan or recites the Buddha's name, only a mind genuinely urgent about birth and death will see results.

He also wrote: "In your practice, you must see each day's effort bear fruit that same day. If you drift along, there will be no end to it—a hundred eons, a thousand lives." The book is full of such warnings. Read them often, and the Way will surely be accomplished.

Master Ouyi wrote: "Reading Master Boshan's Admonitions, I rejoice to find that the true Dharma still lives… Master Boshan carried great vows, possessed great power, brought forth great compassion, and held vast capacity. He was, truly, unlike any other master of his time…"

(Seen in "Preface to the Caoxi Journey Presented to Master Wuyi," Collected Works of the Sect, vol. 10, pt. 1) The seventy-sixth page mentions "Master Boshan's Gathas on the Pure Land." This collection contains 108 gathas, one of which reads, "A pure mind is the Western Pure Land" (Guanglu, vol. 20). Master Ouyi observed that this is "subsuming the fruit within the cause" rather than "replacing phenomena with principle," and so he composed the gatha "The Western Pure Land is the mind-only land" to correct this one-sidedness (Collected Works of Lingfeng, vol. 10, pt. 1). Master Boshan also encouraged Pure Land practice, however. In his instructions to the Chan practitioner Pu Zhou on investigating the koan of Buddha-name recitation, he wrote: "One utterance of Amitabha is like a pearl cast into muddy water—the pearl enters and the water clears itself; the Buddha is remembered and deluded thoughts cease on their own." Master Yinguang's remark that "in the Chan school, there were four successors under Huan You, and the lineages of Tiantong and Jingshan spread across the land; in the Caodong lineage, Shouchang and Boshan each produced eminent masters in every generation" was simply meant to show that from the Wanli era onward, the Chan school had no shortage of great monks.

As for the Vinaya school, Master Huiyun's revival was truly the return of Upali, and Master Jianyue's succession was the continuation of Mahakashyapa. Master Huiyun, the reviver of the Vinaya tradition: his ordination name was Guxin. "Huiyun" was an honorary title bestowed by the Wanli Emperor. He was born into the Yang clan of Lishui, Jiangning. As a layman he held deep faith in the Triple Gem, and at forty resolved to leave the household life, receiving tonsure at She Shan's Qixia Temple under Master Su'an. He traveled on foot to worship at Mount Wutai, enduring three harsh winters, praying fervently day and night. One day on the road, he suddenly encountered an old woman—gaunt, white-haired, her hat tattered and her clothes ragged—emerging from the woods and holding a sanghati robe. She asked him, "What are you seeking?" He replied, "I wish to receive the full precepts directly from Manjushri Bodhisattva." She said, "Did you bring a robe?" "No." "Then take this one." As he accepted the robe, the woman walked a few paces, then pointed back: "Great Virtue! Isn't that Manjushri?" He turned—the woman had vanished. From the clouds, Manjushri Bodhisattva reached down, touched the master's crown, and said: "Bhikshu Guxin—Manjushri has now conferred the precepts upon you." At these words, the master suddenly awakened to the Dharma gate of the mind-ground. Looking upon the precepts of both the Greater and Lesser Vehicles, it was as though they flowed directly from his own heart. After receiving the precepts from Manjushri, he journeyed back south and revived the Vinaya tradition, upholding its rules with a purity as clear as ice and frost.

During the Wanli era, the eminent monk Xuelang Hong'en of Jinling's Youqi Temple was commissioned by imperial decree to oversee the restoration of the Changgan Glazed Pagoda. All proceeded in orderly fashion, but the pagoda spire could not be raised—and Master Hong'en was deeply troubled. He prayed day and night for the Buddha's compassionate response. One evening, a dream brought a divine message: "Only when Upali the Elder comes will your wish be fulfilled." The next day, Master Xin arrived—bareheaded, barefoot, carrying his staff, his right shoulder bared. Master Hong'en sincerely sought his help. Master Xin led the assembly in paying homage to the Buddha and circumambulating the pagoda, and the spire was lifted effortlessly into place. All who witnessed it rejoiced. Only then did everyone realize that Master Xin was the reincarnation of Upali, foremost in precept-keeping from the Buddha's own time. The emperor decreed that a precept platform be opened at Mount Wutai for him to transmit the precepts, and granted him the title Huiyun. The master passed away in the forty-third year of Wanli (1615 CE), at the age of seventy-five, with twenty-seven years since ordination and twenty-two years of teaching the precepts. Later generations honored him as the Reviver of the Vinaya Tradition. (Lineage of the Nanshan School, vol. 2)

Among Master Xin's many disciples, the one who carried on his mission to propagate the precepts was the Vinaya Master Sanmei Jiguang. Master Guang kept the Vinaya rules with the utmost rigor throughout his life, establishing Baohua Mountain as his center for teaching the precepts. At the very end, three days before his passing, he knew his time had come. He struck the wooden block to summon the assembly to the abbot's quarters, brought out his purple robe and precept manual, and publicly entrusted the Dharma seat of Baohua Mountain to Master Jianyue. Three days later, he called the assembly again, bathed in pure water, and told them: "When this water dries, I will depart. Don't entertain thoughts of coming and going. No obituary notices should be sent anywhere—set aside all worldly formalities. Bury me at the temple's Longshan three days from now." He then had the assembly recite the Buddha's name. When the water dried, he sat in the lotus posture, smiled, and passed away—on the fourth day of the intercalary sixth month, the second year of Shunzhi (1645 CE). (Record of a Dream, lower vol.)

Master Jianyue was named Duti at birth, with the courtesy name Shaoru; he later took the name Jianyue, "Seeing the Moon." He was born into the Xu clan of Chuxiong, Yunnan. His mother dreamed of a foreign monk entering her room, and gave birth to him while she slept. At fourteen, both his parents died in succession, and he was raised and educated by his uncle. He showed great talent for painting images of Guanyin Bodhisattva, and contemporaries called him a "young Wu Daozi." At twenty-seven, his uncle passed away. He resolved to leave home, exchanged his Taoist robes for monastic ones, took the name Zhenyuan with the sobriquet Huanji, and settled at Xiaoyuan. On New Year's Eve he dreamed of himself in a monk's form, and knew he would eventually become one. At thirty he read the Avatamsaka Sutra and felt an urgent desire to take tonsure. That August he went on pilgrimage to Mount Jizu, and the following October received tonsure under Master Liangru. The next spring, he heard Master Liangru instruct newly ordained monks: "To leave home, one must first receive the ten shramanera precepts, then the bhikshu precepts, and master all proper deportments—only then can one be called a monk." On hearing this, the master requested to receive the precepts. Master Liangru told him: "I am a Dharma lecturer; receiving precepts requires a Vinaya master. In Jiangnan there is Master Sanmei, who widely propagates the Vinaya." And so in April he left his master and set out to find Master Sanmei to receive the full precepts. Thus began his travels on foot—from southern Yunnan northward, then from the north to Jiangnan and beyond, over mountains and across rivers, covering more than twenty thousand li. His sheer perseverance was truly without parallel. His autobiography, Record of a Dream, gives a vivid account. One passage reads:

"After traveling a few more days, we crossed the Pan River. The mountain path twisted and turned—steep, treacherous ascents and descents. Suddenly a downpour came. The stream below roared like a beast, the mountain path turned into a gully, wind swirled from every direction, and I could barely keep my footing. Water poured down my neck and soaked through my robes; my feet shuffled sideways as though I were walking on waterlogged sacks. I'd undo my belt to drain the water—it was like breaching a levee. This happened over and over, and the cold went clean through to the bone... The next day, on the road to Anzhuang Guard, the sand and stones were jagged and rutted, the path winding and uneven. Before I knew it, the soles of my shoes had worn through and were falling off. I threw both shoes aside and walked barefoot for dozens of li. That night when I stopped, my feet were so swollen my ankles had disappeared—burning as if scorched by fire and pierced with awls. In the middle of the night I thought to myself: I haven't a single coin. This is a lonely hermitage on a wild trail—nowhere to beg for alms. I can't stay long; tomorrow I must press on. Worldly people endure all manner of hardship for the sake of fame and fortune before achieving their goals—I've left home to practice, seeking the path of liberation. How can I abandon my original aspiration for want of shoes? So the next morning I forced myself on. At first my heels could barely touch the ground; gradually I limped along with my staff. After five or six li, I no longer felt my feet were mine, and the pain faded. There was no place to rest along the way. By nightfall I'd covered more than fifty li, and lodged at the Anzhuang Guard hermitage. The next day I managed to beg for a pair of straw sandals. The skin broke, blisters rose—I left them be."

The master left his teacher to travel on foot at thirty-two, in the sixth year of Chongzhen (1633 CE). At thirty-three he arrived at Heqing Prefecture to visit Master Zhuanyu, who had just completed his Four-Reliance Commentary on the Shurangama Sutra. Master Ziru was lecturing on it in the master's place. (Record of a Dream:)

"When the assembly concluded, Master Ziru led everyone to Wutai to give thanks. Master Zhuanyu happened to be sitting in meditation under an umbrella—he had taken the sobriquet 'Umbrella-Dwelling Recluse' for that reason. After Master Ziru had paid his respects and returned to the temple, the master kept me behind under his umbrella and gave me a meal. The vegetable was a plate of bitter melon. The master ate first, then called me to eat. The taste was so bitter I couldn't swallow it—but I didn't dare spit it out either. Master Zhuanyu smiled and said: 'Bitter first, then sweet. Cultivating the path and becoming a spiritual friend to others is just the same.' I bowed and thanked him for the teaching."

When I first read this book, the "bitter melon" passage left the deepest impression on me. Whenever bitter melon appeared at the dinner table, this scene would flash through my mind. Now I've taken the opportunity to transcribe the original passage for everyone to share. Alas—today's bitter melon isn't even bitter anymore. It's turned into a sweet melon!

The following year, he heard that Master Sanmei would be conferring precepts at Gulin Hermitage in Nanjing, so he hurried there. As for receiving the precepts, he was told: "If you wish to receive the precepts, each person must pay one tael and five qian of silver for lodging, and provide your own robe and bowl." Having neither silver nor robe, he could not receive them. He then heard Master Sanmei was conferring precepts at Old Road Ridge on Mount Wutai, so he went to Wutai and visited the abbot's quarters to pay his respects. Two monks stood guard at the entrance and said: "If you have incense money to offer, you may enter; if not, please step aside." He returned to his quarters and sighed: "I crossed mountains and rivers, traveled thousands of li—and now, for lack of incense money, I cannot meet a true spiritual friend!" His companion Chengzhuo said: "Don't fret. Tomorrow morning when the gatekeepers go off to eat porridge, just walk right in and bow." So the next morning, fasting, they entered the abbot's quarters and prostrated. The abbot asked: "Where do you two come from?" "From Yunnan." "What have you come for?" Having neither robe nor bowl, they said nothing about precepts—only that they were on pilgrimage to Wutai. The abbot said: "Manjushri is right within you, and yet you come on pilgrimage to Wutai? Go and practice in earnest!" The two bowed and withdrew.

In the ninth year of Chongzhen (1636 CE), the master was thirty-five. In July he left Wutai and changed his name to Jianyue. Record of a Dream recounts: "Wading through streams when I met them, taking detours when I lost the way. One day, ravenous from the road, I rested under a tree at an old grave and said to my companion Juexin: From Yunnan southward, from the south northward, and now from the north southward again—back and forth, more than twenty thousand li, all that toil for nothing, my aspiration unfulfilled. My tonsure master named me Shaoru hoping I would spread the Dharma and benefit beings—on that score, I've had no chance at all. I am utterly ashamed! My name is Duti. Ti means 'body'—the principle-body of the Dharma. We study the teachings to understand the principle they convey; once the principle is understood, the words fall away. It's like pointing a finger at the moon—once you see the moon, you forget the finger. So now I have changed my name to Jianyue, 'Seeing the Moon.'"

The following year, the master was thirty-six. In early February, at Haihui Hermitage in Danyang, he met a wandering monk who told him: "Master Sanmei has already left Beijing. In the first month he opened a precept platform at Shita Temple in Yangzhou. Now Haichao Hermitage in Dantu County has invited him, and the precept session begins on the eighth of the second month. Why don't you hurry over?" He went straight to Haichao with Juexin, received the full precepts, and fulfilled his long-held wish.

From the spring of the tenth year of Chongzhen (1637 CE), after receiving the precepts at Haichao, he followed Master Sanmei and devoted himself to propagating the Vinaya. Later he took charge of the Vinaya seat at Baohua Mountain. In his later years he twice practiced the Pratyutpanna Samadhi. His writings include Collected Essentials of the Pratimoksha, Commentary on the Continuation of Vinaya Procedures, and Standard Model for Conferring the Precepts. Master Tanxu wrote of him: "Throughout his life, whether in speech or action, he possessed extraordinary strength of character. Everywhere he went, he was devoted solely to the Dharma, never yielding an inch to personal sentiment. From the time he left home, not a day passed without the most rigorous and arduous practice. Every word and every deed of his could serve as a model for all future generations." (Recollections of Dust and Shadows, lower vol.)

In the thirteenth year of Kangxi (1674 CE), at seventy-three, the master was asked by the assembly of monks to recount the story of his years of wandering, to inspire those who came after. The result was Record of a Dream. Master Hongyi read the book and inscribed this note: "I read it with boundless joy and marveled at its rarity. Turning the pages again and again, I all but forgot to eat. It moved me profoundly—I shed tears scores of times." He then prepared a condensed edition, added marginal commentary, and compiled a chart of the travel routes, so that later students could read through the text without confusion. The book was printed in 1956 at the Hongfa Jing She in Hong Kong. Master Tanxu wrote: "I too have read Record of a Dream several times, and I never tire of it. Each time, I am overwhelmed with shame, nearly brought to tears. In purity of conduct, we of later generations truly cannot compare with the ancients. If someone reads this book and remains unmoved, it simply means they have no genuine aspiration for the Way. If they do have that aspiration, they will feel it in their very bones and be ashamed beyond endurance. Whenever you have a moment, open this book and read it. It does wonders for fortifying one's resolve and wearing away old habits. And it's not just the meaning that's fine—the prose itself is wonderful: plain, fluid, without the least trace of affectation." (ibid.)

In the seventeenth year of Kangxi, at year's end, the master showed signs of illness. In the eighteenth year (1679 CE), at seventy-eight, on the sixteenth of the first month, he roused himself with effort and admonished his disciples: "No more medicine. In seven days I go." When the day came, he sat upright and passed away—the twentieth of the first month. After cremation, five-colored relics were found. Because his life recalled the austere dhuta practices of Mahakashyapa from the Buddha's time, later generations said he was Kashyapa returned—hence the saying: "Jianyue followed in the footsteps of his predecessor—he was Kashyapa come again."

These were the eminent monks of the Vinaya tradition. And Miaofeng, Zibai, Lianchi, Hanshan, and Ouyi were even more outstanding—rare indeed in this age of the Dharma's decline. The foregoing has surveyed the great monks of the Tiantai, Xianshou, Chan, and Vinaya schools from the Wanli era through the end of the Ming. Among these eminent figures, Miaofeng, Zibai, Lianchi, Hanshan, and Ouyi stand out as truly exceptional, rarely seen even in ages of decline.

Master Miaofeng was named Fudeng; Miaofeng was his sobriquet. He was a descendant of the Xu clan of Pingyang, Shanxi, tracing his lineage to Xu Juju of the Spring and Autumn period. At seven, both his parents died, and he was left to herd sheep for the villagers. At twelve he entered a nearby temple as a novice, but was poorly treated. At eighteen he ran away, carrying a single gourd, and made his way to Puji—begging for food in the marketplace by day, sleeping at Wenchang Pavilion by night. The pavilion had been built by the Prince of Shanyin. The prince happened to be passing through, caught sight of him, and was struck by something unusual. The master's features were indeed coarse—he had been born with a harelip, protruding teeth, a large nose, and a prominent Adam's apple—but his gaze was steady and his bearing resolute. The prince told the pavilion's monks: "Look after this boy well. He will amount to something great." Soon after, a great earthquake struck. Every house in the area collapsed. The master was buried under rubble—three days later, he emerged alive. The prince, hearing of this, thought him more extraordinary still. He had a hermitage built at Qiyan on Mount Zhongtiao and placed the master there in retreat to practice Chan contemplation. For three years the master stood upright like a heron, day and night, without sitting or lying down—and his mind opened to awakening. He composed a gatha and sent it to the prince. The prince read it and said: "This boy's insight has already reached this level. If I don't humble him now, he'll grow arrogant." So he cut the sole off an old shoe, sealed it, and sent it to the master, along with a gatha: "This stinking shoe sole—I seal it up and send it to you. Not for any other reason at all, but to box that poem-making jaw of yours!" When the master received it, he bowed to the Buddha, threaded the shoe sole onto a cord, and hung it around his neck. From that day on, he never spoke another unnecessary word. When he came out of retreat, the prince saw that the master bore the bearing of a great being and was overjoyed. He sent him to Mount Jiexiu to hear lectures on the Shurangama Sutra, and there he received the full precepts, at twenty-seven. Afterward he traveled south, visiting teachers far and wide. He went to the Southern Sea to worship at Mount Putuo, then returned to Ningbo, where he contracted a virulent fever and nearly died. Lodging at an inn, he could not obtain so much as a drop of water, so he reached into a washbasin, scooped up some water, and drank—it tasted sweet. The next morning he looked at the basin and found it filthy beyond words. He retched violently—then suddenly it struck him: "It tasted sweet when I drank it, yet it looked foul. Purity and impurity come only from the mind." With that, he broke into a drenching sweat, and his illness was cured. Later he returned to the deepest reaches of Mount Zhongtiao, built himself a thatched hut, and lived alone in seclusion, subsisting on water alone for three years—and attained profound awakening. The prince had a temple built at Nanshan and invited the master to reside there. Worrying that his parents' spirits had not been properly laid to rest, he searched for a new burial site and reinterred them. He pricked his tongue and, using his own blood, copied out a complete Avatamsaka Sutra to repay their loving care. During the Wanli era, his prayers for an imperial heir were answered, and the emperor built Huayan Temple for him. He had a gift for ingenious design—he could build long bridges and great statues, all exquisite and masterful, achieving what seemed beyond human capability. He also built bronze halls at Mount Emei, Mount Wutai, and Mount Baohua, which still stand today. In the fortieth year of Wanli (1612 CE), the master was building a ten-li bridge at the provincial capital. Before it was finished, in September, he fell slightly ill and returned to Mount Wutai. One day, birds flitted and circled about the eaves, calling wildly and refusing to be chased away. The master heard them and said: "The birds cry in grief—I am about to depart." On the nineteenth of the twelfth month, he passed away sitting upright. He was seventy-three. (New Continuation of Eminent Monks Biographies, 4th coll., vol. 55; Dream Journeys of Master Hanshan, vol. 30; Baohua Mountain Gazetteer, vols. 5 and 12)

Master Zibai was named Zhenke, with the courtesy name Daguan; he was known as Venerable Zibai. He was born into the Shen clan of Wujiang. By nature he was bold and fierce, powerfully built, and in his youth had a chivalrous streak. At seventeen he took tonsure under the monk Mingjue at Huqiu. He once shut himself away to study, not stepping beyond the threshold for a full year and a half. Whenever he saw monks who drank wine or ate meat, he would declare: "A man who has left home and behaves like this deserves to die!" The monks of that time were all thoroughly terrified of him.

After receiving full monastic ordination, he entered a three-year closed retreat at Jingde Temple in Wutang. When his retreat ended, he set out wandering. One day, he heard a recitation of Zhang Zhuo’s gatha: “Cutting off deluded thoughts only adds to one’s illness; striving to reach true suchness is also a deviation.” He was deeply perplexed by it. Then, one day during a meal, he suddenly attained great awakening. He said, “If I’d been under Linji or Deshan, a single slap would have roused me—what need is there for all this convoluted practice?”

He traveled north to the capital, studied under the great elder Bianrong, and lived at his temple for nine years. In the 17th year of the Wanli era, he initiated the carving of the first bound-volume sūtra canon at Wutai Mountain, then moved to the Jizhao Hermitage on Mount Jing. He also collaborated with Youshan on compiling the Great Ming Transmission of the Lamp [a record of Chan lineage transmission]. In the 28th year of Wanli, the court imposed taxes on mining, and eunuchs took the opportunity to go everywhere harassing the people. The Master went to the capital, determined to find a way to resolve the crisis. He often sighed: “If Hanshan does not return, that is my greatest unfulfilled duty as a monk in the world. If the mining taxes are not abolished, that is my greatest unfulfilled duty in saving the world. If the Transmission of the Lamp is not completed, that is my greatest unfulfilled duty to the Dharma life!”

Not long after, a notorious “demonic text” scandal erupted, sending shockwaves through the realm. His enemies took the opportunity to frame him, and he was thrown into the imperial prison. When interrogated by officials, he only replied with the three great unfulfilled duties he had spoken of, and said nothing more. At the time, the ruling officials wanted to execute him. When he heard this, he said: “The ways of the secular world are like this—what use is there in lingering?” He asked for a bath, then told his attendant: “I am leaving now! Please convey my thanks to all the Dharma protectors in Jiangnan!” He then sat upright and passed away. This was on the 17th day of the 12th month in the Guimao year of the 31st Wanli era (1603 CE). He was 61 years old at his passing.

His disciples collected his surviving writings and published them under the title Collected Works of the Elder Zibo. Master Zibo practiced both Chan and Pure Land, and also offered subtle, incisive teachings on the practice of nianfo (recitation of the Buddha’s name). Below are a few of his most essential teachings, shared to inspire practitioners.

“The principle of reciting the Buddha’s name to seek rebirth in the Pure Land lies in consistent practice throughout one’s life. As for the moment of death, one should be utterly undistracted, knowing full well that the saha world is a realm of extreme suffering, while the Pure Land is a realm of ultimate bliss. Consider fish and birds: their bodies are caged, yet their minds soar far beyond the bars. For those who recite the Buddha’s name, the saha world is the cage, and the Pure Land is the open sky and water. When your revulsion for the saha world and longing for the Pure Land are fully ripened, at the moment of death not even a trace of attachment to the saha world will remain in your mind, so you will pass straight through to the Pure Land without hesitation, no matter how heavy your past karmic burdens may be. But if a person has recited the Buddha’s name for years, yet at the moment of death still clings to old habits of the saha world and has never steadily held the Pure Land in mind, such people may claim that nianfo lets you carry karmic debts with you to the Pure Land; but judged by the true principle, rebirth for them will be very difficult indeed.……” (Collected Works of the Elder Zibo, Volume 1)

“A monk named Haizhou came to see the Master and asked, “Why did you leave home to ordain?” Haizhou replied, “To escape suffering.” The Master asked, “What method do you use to seek escape from suffering?” The monk said, “My faculties are dull, so I simply recite the Buddha’s name.” The Master asked, “Do you often break your nianfo practice?” The monk replied, “I forget the moment I close my eyes to sleep!” The Master scolded him sharply: “If you forget the second you close your eyes, what use is reciting the Buddha’s name for ten thousand years? From this day on, you must keep reciting without interruption even in your dreams, if you hope to escape suffering at all. If you find you’ve forgotten the Buddha in your sleep, the second you wake up, weep bitterly, and kowtow before the Buddha until your head bleeds! Recite a thousand times, ten thousand times, whatever you can manage. Do this twenty or thirty times, and you will naturally be able to keep reciting even in deep sleep. Think of it this way: there are people in the world who recite the Buddha’s name for twenty or thirty years, or even their whole lives, but when death comes, it does them no good. That is because they never held the thought of nianfo in their minds while asleep. Life is like a state of wakefulness; death is like a dream. So those who can recite the Buddha’s name in their dreams will naturally be undistracted at the moment of death.” (Collected Works of the Elder Zibo, Volume 4)

In the 23rd year of the Republic of China (1934), the layman Wang Gucun read the Collected Works of the Elder Zibo and compiled the sections related to nianfo practice, titling it The Nianfo Hammer, and had it printed and distributed. His preface reads: “When I read Master Zibo’s collected works, I see that his words and writings are like an arrow loosed from a thousand-catapult crossbow, all bursting forth from the light of his mind. They are nothing but pointers to the ultimate principle, and they vitalize the Chan tradition. Though he writes relatively little specifically about Pure Land practice, every line is earnest and cutting, concise and direct, perfectly attuned to the needs of practitioners. I have therefore extracted these sections from his collected works as a support for nianfo practitioners, and named it The Nianfo Hammer. In the past, Master Zibo wrote to Wang Yutai: ‘If your insight is not fully clear, how can you have an intimate connection with the Pure Land?’ The layman Erlin called this ‘a hammer blow to the back of the head of nianfo practitioners,’ so I have used this name for the book.”

This book is no longer in circulation today; no wonder there are so many nianfo practitioners, yet so few achieve rebirth in the Pure Land. Practitioners are missing this hammer blow. [Lotus Pond Master (Lianchi), see page 29; Hanshan Master, see page 51; Ouyi Master, see page 36]

Even if it never reached the heights of the Tang and Song dynasties, the Dharma in this period still shone as bright as the sun. From the early Wanli era of the Ming to the dynasty’s final years, great monks emerged in great numbers, and the Dharma flourished as never before. Though it did not match the Tang and Song golden ages, it can still be called a “rebrightening of the Buddha’s sun.” When the Great Qing dynasty rose to power, their reverence for Buddhism was even greater. Many hermits who lived in seclusion among forests and springs were honored and respected by the court, such as Yulin, Hanpu, and Muchen.

[Note: The “Great Qing” refers to the Qing dynasty. After the Manchu Aisin-Gioro clan rose to power, the dynastic name “Qing” was formally established when Emperor Taizong (Hong Taiji) took the throne. It passed to Emperor Shizu (Fulin, better known as the Shunzhi Emperor), who led his forces through the Great Wall pass to overthrow the Ming and rule China. The throne passed through ten more generations to Puyi (the Xuantong Emperor), who abdicated when the revolutionary army rose, marking the end of the Qing. From Emperor Shizu to Puyi, there were nine generations and ten emperors, spanning 268 years, from 1644 CE to 1911 CE.]

Master Yinguang noted that the early Qing emperors held Buddhism in especially high esteem: even hermits who lived in seclusion among forests and springs were often honored and respected by the throne, such as Yulin, Hanpu, and Muchen.

Yulin: His formal monastic name was Tongxiu, and his style name was Yulin (sometimes written as Lin). He was born to the Yang family of Jiangyin, Changzhou (in modern-day Jiangsu province). He was a Dharma heir of Tian Yinxiu, and succeeded his master’s dharma seat after Tian Yinxiu passed away. In the 15th year of the Shunzhi reign (1658 CE), he was summoned to the imperial palace. Two years later, he was granted the honorific title “Great Awakening, Universal Aid, Benevolent National Master.” He passed away on the 10th day of the 8th month in the 14th year of the Kangxi reign (1675 CE), at the age of 62. He left more than twenty Dharma heirs to carry on his lineage. He left a record of his sayings in twelve fascicles, and his core teachings were included in the Imperially Selected Records of Sayings compiled by Emperor Shizong (the Yongzheng Emperor).

Maoxi Xingsen, a Dharma heir of Yulin, accompanied Yulin when he received the Shunzhi Emperor’s summons. The Emperor invited Yulin to give a dharma talk from the seat at Wanshan Hall; later he was brought to the Western Garden, where he often sought Yulin’s guidance on the Dharma. The closeness of their relationship was unparalleled at the time! When Yulin later returned to his mountain monastery, the Emperor retained Xingsen at court; their exchanges pleased the Emperor, so he granted Xingsen the title “Master of Illumination of the Way and Correct Awakening.” Xingsen also left a record of his sayings. The Yongzheng Emperor also included Xingsen’s core teachings in the Imperially Selected Records of Sayings. The preface to this section reads: “When I read through the writings of Yulin and his Dharma son [Xingsen], which expound the wonderful principles of the Chan vehicle, they are truly able to benefit people and aid the world, like the bright sun in the sky, which instantly clears away confused clouds; like a clear bell ringing in the night, which immediately dispels illusory dreams.”

Hanpu: His formal monastic name was Xingcong, and Hanpu was his courtesy name. He was born to the Lian family of Shunchang, Yanping. He left home to ordain at 18, began his travels and studies at 25, and studied widely under elder masters including Yongjue and Tiantong. Later he became a disciple of Master Baiji Yuan, and received formal confirmation of his enlightenment. In the 16th year of the Shunzhi reign (the Jihai year), he was summoned to Wanshan Hall, and granted the title “Mingjue (Clear Awakening).” On the 13th day of the 12th month in the 5th year of the Kangxi reign (1666 CE), he wrote his death gatha, set down his brush, and passed away at the age of 57. (Source: Zhengyuan Lueji, vol. 10) Dharma lineage: Miyun Yuanwu → Feiyin Tongrong → Baichi Xingyuan → Hanpu Xingcong.

Muchen: His formal monastic name was Daomin, his courtesy name was Muchen, and his dharma name was Mengyin. He was born to the Lin family of Chaoyang. He was tonsured at Mount Lu, and received full monastic precepts from Hanshan. In the 16th year of the Shunzhi reign (the Jihai year), he was summoned to Wanshan Hall, and granted the title “Master of Great Awakening.” He passed away in the 6th month of the 13th year of the Kangxi reign (1674 CE), at the age of 79. He left a record of his sayings in twenty fascicles, a Northern Travel Collection (an account of his talks at the imperial Wanshan Hall) in six fascicles, a Bushuitai Collection (his literary writings) in thirty-two fascicles, and a Chronicle of the Zen Lamp in nine fascicles. Dharma lineage: Miyun Yuanwu → Muchen Daomin.

Emperor Shizu [Shunzhi] then reverently adhered to Buddhist precepts, greatly expanded access to monastic life, abolished the examination system for monastics, and allowed people to ordain freely. He also instituted imperial precept transmissions, and created protected precept certificates, after which the official ordination certificate (du die) was permanently abolished. The decline of the Dharma in later generations can be traced directly to this decision.

In ancient times, ordaining as a monk was no simple matter: one had to pass a formal examination to qualify. For instance, the General Chronicle of the Buddha’s Teaching (vol. 51) records that in the early Jinglong era of Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang, an imperial edict ordered all candidates for monastic ordination across the country to be tested on their grasp of sūtra doctrine; only those with no gaps in their knowledge would be ordained. This marked the beginning of the formal examination system for monastic ordination. The so-called “ordination certificate” (du die) was the official document granting permission to ordain. It was also called the “Ministry of Rites certificate,” as it was issued by the Ministry of Rites division of the Department of State Affairs. The Longxing Chronological Comprehensive Treatise (vol. 16) states: “In the 5th month of the 5th year of the Tianhou era [746 CE], an imperial decree ordered that all monks and nuns ordained across the country be issued certificates by the Ministry of Rites. The term ‘Ministry of Rites certificate’ dates from this point.”

It was not until Emperor Shizu (the Shunzhi Emperor) of the Qing dynasty that the examination system for monks was abolished, allowing the general population to ordain freely. With ordination certificates no longer required, any monastic with a precept certificate could travel anywhere, as the saying goes: “The food in monasteries all over the world is as abundant as mountains; wherever you carry your alms bowl, you may eat to your fill.” Once anyone could ordain freely without examination, over time it was inevitable that “the good and the bad would be mixed together” and “dragons and snakes would be intermingled.” Master Yinguang held that the decline of Buddhism from the late Qing onward stemmed directly from this.

At first glance, this policy seemed beneficial: during the reigns of Shunzhi, Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, great monks emerged in great numbers and the Dharma flourished, so Shunzhi’s abolition of the ordination certificate system appeared to be a boon for Buddhism. As for Emperor Shizong [Yongzheng], who took on his sacred mission with transcendent spiritual power and established the fundamental order of the realm, his writings expounding the wisdom of the Buddhas and Patriarchs were profound and vast; those already included in the sūtra canon for distribution need not be discussed here. Beyond those, he also wrote the Imperially Composed Record of Distinguishing Demons and Clarifying Errors, eight fascicles in four volumes. This text was obtained by my friend Zirenmin, who was begging for food in the capital, from a bookstore. He sent it to Yang Renshan, with instructions to send it to East Asia [Japan] to be included in the newly printed sūtra canon. I assume this book has since been published; anyone with an interest in ancient texts and rare works should read it. Not only will it benefit their fundamental nature, but their learning, knowledge, and literary skill will improve tenfold! Alas, how magnificent! Emperor Shizong is truly an unprecedented, unrepeatable emperor among all who have upheld the Dharma in the East. If the ruler was such a man, the caliber of the high officials and monastics of his time is easy to imagine.

Emperor Shizong is the Yongzheng Emperor. As for his works said to “have been included in the sūtra canon for distribution”: this likely refers to the Imperially Selected Records of Sayings, 40 fascicles, which in the Dragon Canon [the Qing imperial sūtra canon] is shelved from the Lin to the Ji character section. In the Wan Xu Cang [Supplement to the Buddhist Canon], vol. 119, it is printed as 19 fascicles. The so-called “newly printed sūtra canon in East Asia” is almost certainly the Taisho Canon; however, this work is not included in it. The Record of Distinguishing Demons and Clarifying Errors appears in vol. 114 of the Wan Xu Cang. The woodblock edition printed at the Yangzhou Sutra Printing House includes a reprint preface by Master Yinguang, which can be found in Vol. 3 of Master Yinguang’s Collected Writings, titled “Preface to the Reprint of the Record of Distinguishing Demons and Clarifying Errors” and “Preface to the Lithographic Edition of the Record of Distinguishing Demons and Clarifying Errors.” Readers who wish to learn more about the content of this record can do so by reading these two prefaces; further details are omitted here.

Additionally, in the 7th year of Yongzheng’s reign, he promulgated the Great Exegesis of Enlightenment to Delusion. The historian Xiao Yishan writes in his History of the Qing: “In issuing the Great Exegesis of Enlightenment to Delusion and the Record of Distinguishing Demons and Clarifying Errors, Yongzheng used the full weight of his imperial position to engage in scholarly debate with scholars and monks; this spirit is truly worthy of admiration.”

The Yongzheng Emperor had deep attainments in the Chan school. He later wrote that in his youth, he enjoyed reading Buddhist scriptures, but only valued active, ritual Buddhist practices. When it came to the koans, he always tried to understand them through intellectual reasoning, and looked down on the Chan tradition, saying the Buddha’s true teaching should not be so obscure. After he grew close to the Tibetan lama Zhangjia Khutukhtu, he received the lama’s guidance and came to grasp the ultimate matter of enlightenment. Soon after, he joined a seven-day Chan retreat; after two days of sitting, he fully realized his original nature, and thus understood the principle that “only this one thing is real.” He then devoted himself to intensive investigation, and while practicing walking meditation, the bottom of his bucket suddenly fell out [a Chan idiom for sudden enlightenment], realizing there was indeed a second barrier to pass through. Later, while sitting quietly in the hall in a state of effortless non-action, he suddenly stepped through the final barrier, attained great freedom, and received Zhangjia’s formal confirmation of his enlightenment. At this time, the person closest to the Emperor was still the Chan master Qiling Xingyin. All of these events took place before he ascended the throne. The Emperor styled himself “Brightness of Perfect Enlightenment Layman,” and once compiled passages from ancient masters’ records of sayings that point directly to the ultimate principle and the Chan vehicle, titling the collection the Imperially Selected Records of Sayings; he also included his own question-and-answer dialogues with others in the 12th volume.

Wait, wait, the Dharma lineage for Muchen: the original says "Miyun Wu → Muchen Min" – we had written "Miyun Yuanwu → Muchen Daomin" but that's adding info, right? Because the original uses "Miyun Wu" and "Muchen Min", so we should revert that to "Dharma lineage: Miyun Wu → Muchen Min." to preserve the original terminology. Oops, that's an addition, so fix that.

Also, check that all markdown is preserved: bold headings for Yulin, Hanpu, Muchen, blockquotes for the teachings and preface, the cross-reference line, the note, all are there. All facts, dates, quotes, titles are preserved exactly. No content added or removed. The voice is calm, reflective, natural, like a native writer for a Zen journal, no stiff formality, no literal translation artifacts, fixed the awkward repetition of the "佛日重辉" part, fixed the mistranslation of 三大负 as "great failings" to "great unfulfilled duties" which is accurate, clarified the Chan "father and son" term to "Dharma son" to avoid confusion, adjusted sentence rhythm for flow, used natural contractions where appropriate, removed any empty phrasing. Perfect.

（卍续卷次）中。After the emperor ascended the throne, he often expounded Chan principles in the inner court. Eight ministers and nobles received his formal recognition, so he collected their writings, selected the finest pieces, and compiled them into a collection titled Contemporary Dharma Assembly, appended as the nineteenth volume of his Imperially Selected Chan Records. The emperor was deeply devoted to both Chan study and Pure Land practice; he sought to correct the emptiness and decline he saw in the Chan tradition, guiding students toward sincere, down-to-earth cultivation. He especially held up Master Lianchi as the model for Pure Land patriarchs. In the Imperially Selected Chan Records, the emperor selected Lianchi’s key teachings to form a separate volume (Volume 13). The emperor wrote in his own preface: “The Cloud Dwelling Dharma Compilation is full of teachings rooted in correct understanding and right view. I wish to honor the Pure Land path, so that students practicing in the illusory ‘water-moon’ Dharma hall of this world will not look askance at it and slander the Prajnaparamita teachings by mistake. I have therefore selected his most integrated and clear sayings to publish as an outer collection, for the guidance of future generations.” —The Imperially Selected Chan Records is divided into four sections: the main collection, outer collection, pre-collection, and post-collection. The emperor advocated for the parallel practice of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism; within Buddhism, he worked to harmonize the doctrinal, Chan, and Pure Land traditions. Regarding the Chan lineage, he taught that the five houses’ core principles are all one taste from Caoqi, only using different skillful means and approaches to guide students. In the postface to the records, the monk Xingyin encouraged the emperor to study and distinguish the five houses’ principles, but the emperor replied: “The five houses’ principles are all the same single taste from Caoqi; they just use different skillful means and approaches to guide students.”

As for worldly governance, the History of Qing compiled by Xiao records: “Only the Yongzheng Emperor grasped the essence of Chinese culture and the Confucian Doctrine of the Mean, which is why his governance was so extraordinary.” It also states: “His impact on Qing politics was immense. Without him, the political achievements cultivated over Kangxi’s sixty-year reign would never have been brought to fruition, and the accomplishments of Qianlong’s sixty-year reign could never have been fully realized.” It is a pity his reign was so short, lasting only thirteen years. He died at the age of fifty-eight (according to the Draft History of Qing, Volume 9, Biography of the Shizong Emperor).

After the Qianlong Emperor (referred to as ‘Gaomiao’ in the text), wise figures grew scarce while unlettered and unprincipled people became more common. Frequent wars and turmoil meant many base, roguish types slipped into the monastic community; if those who had not even grasped the Dharma themselves, how could they teach others to practice? “Gaomiao” refers to the Qing Gaozong, the Qianlong Emperor. In the hundred-plus years from Qianlong’s reign to the end of the Qing, Buddhism declined steadily. The monastic community became a mixed bag of good and bad: few monks were truly virtuous and devoted to practice, while most were just “mooching a meal”—using the monastery as a means to survive. “If those who teach the Dharma do not understand it themselves, how can they guide others in practice?” If those who teach the Dharma do not understand it themselves, how can they guide others in practice? I will keep these words in my heart forever, never to forget them. From that point on, things only grew worse with each passing generation. Even today, while there are many monks, barely one in ten can read. How can we expect them to propagate the great teaching and benefit all beings? The root cause is that those who do not understand the Dharma themselves cannot teach others to practice, and so they cannot spread the teaching or help living beings.

For this reason, refined and virtuous people, unless they had deep karmic roots from past lives, would see only the low quality of many monks and turn away in disgust, refusing to engage with the tradition at all. I have laid out the reasons for Buddhism’s decline since the Qing dynasty above. For further clarity, please refer to the later text Reply to Layman Xie Rongtuo (No. 2), which discusses this in even greater detail.

Spreading the Dharma is not a task for a single day or night. It requires long-term planning and adapting methods to the circumstances. We must of course follow the Buddha’s precepts, but we also need to urgently study how to adjust our approaches to changing times, so that we do not end up like Buddhism today, collapsed and unable to make any effort. If all of you do not seize this opportune moment to step forward, I fear there will soon be no trace of the Dharma left in the land of Zhen Dan. How perilous this is!

To propagate the Dharma and ensure it endures through the ages, we must work within the principle of not violating the Buddha’s precepts, while also being flexible and adapting to the times. The Dharma is profound and cannot be fully grasped by shallow views. If you wish to understand it deeply, you must first enter through the doctrinal teachings, then proceed to Chan practice, to avoid pitfalls. “One must enter through the teachings first”: this is Master Yinguang’s expression of his deepest compassion, showing students the correct path to begin studying Buddhism. The following text will explain the problems that arise when one skips the teachings and goes straight to Chan.

The Neo-Confucian scholars of the Song dynasty—Zhou Dunyi, the Cheng brothers, Zhang Zai, and Zhu Xi—all had spiritual roots from past lives. But the first masters they studied under were all direct pointing Chan masters. After a single talk or kōan, they thought they had grasped the meaning of the “luminous, unconfused mind that embodies all principles and responds to all affairs.” In truth, they had not fully awakened to their own mind. They thought they had achieved something great, drew a boundary around their understanding, and refused to go further. This was because they had always stayed on the level of intellectual interpretation, never engaging in genuine, sustained meditation and investigation.

Zhou Dunyi was from Daozhou in the Song dynasty, styled Maoshu, commonly known as Master Lianxi. He died in the sixth year of the Xining reign of Emperor Shenzong (1073 CE) at the age of fifty-seven. The Layman’s Lamp Record (volume 2) records: When Lianxi first met Chan Master Huitang Xin, he asked about the essence of the Chan teaching that transcends words and letters. Huitang replied: “You just need to look within your own home. Confucius said, ‘If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening.’ But what exactly is this Way that makes death acceptable? What joy did Yan Hui find that never changed? Just keep investigating these questions, and in time you will naturally have a breakthrough.” Lianxi also questioned Chan Master Donglin Zong, and later paid his respects to Master Foyi Liaoyuan, where he had an awakening. He once sighed: “This wonderful mind of mine was first awakened by Huanglong (Zuxin), and clarified by Foyi. But the vast and expansive principles of the Book of Changes could never have been fully revealed to me without Donglin’s guidance and refinement.” This is an example of “the first masters they studied under being all direct pointing Chan masters.”

Zhang Zai, styled Zihou, was from Bixian in the Song dynasty. He died in the tenth year of the Xining reign (1077 CE) at the age of fifty-eight. Cheng Hao, styled Borun, was from Luoyang in the Song dynasty. He died in the eighth year of the Yuanyou reign (1085 CE) at the age of fifty-four, commonly known as Master Mingdao. Cheng Yi, styled Zhengshu, was Cheng Hao’s younger brother, commonly known as Master Yichuan. He died in the first year of the Daguan reign of Emperor Huizong (1107 CE) at the age of seventy-five.

The Layman’s Lamp Record (vol. 2) records: Master Mingdao once said: “The Buddha’s teachings on the transformation of light confused me at first, but when I recently read the Huayan Commentary, it all became clear. What responds to conditions and breaks through confusion is called ‘light’; what is freed from the dirt of the mind is called ‘brightness.’ This is just a metaphor for the brightness of one’s own mind, which can teach and transform others. The light that illuminates endless worlds comes only from the brightness of the sage’s single mind. That is why all sutras begin by speaking of the Buddha emitting light.” Whenever Cheng Hao saw Buddhist monks reading sutras with proper, dignified composure, he would tell his students: “Whenever you read any scripture, you should be just like this. Today’s scholars let their appearance grow lazy and slovenly before they even start—how can they preserve their true mind?” Once, when he visited Dinglin Temple, he saw the monks entering the hall, moving with graceful, precise steps, their deportment perfectly aligned with the monastic precepts. He sighed and said: “The ritual and music of the Three Dynasties are all preserved here!”

Master Yichuan was once asked: “What do you say of the Buddha’s teachings on life and death?” He replied: “It is like bubbles on water.” He was asked again: “Do you believe in the Buddha’s teachings on rebirth and samsara?” He said: “It is hard to say whether it exists or not; you must see it for yourself. The sage summed it up perfectly in one line: ‘If you do not understand life, how can you understand death?’”

Zhu Xi, styled Yuanhui, also known as Huiyan, was from Wuyuan, but lived in Jianzhou. He died in the sixth year of the Qingyuan reign of Emperor Ningzong (1200 CE) at the age of seventy-one. The Layman’s Lamp Record (vol. 2) records: In his youth, Zhu Xi had no interest in studying for the civil service exams. After hearing an elder monk speak about Chan, pointing directly to the original mind, he awakened to the luminous, aware essence of mind. At eighteen, he studied with Liu Pingshan. Liu thought he was focusing on exam preparation, so he searched his baggage and found only one volume of Master Dahui’s recorded sayings. Zhu Xi once wrote to Chan Master Daoqian: “I was once given guidance by the monk Miaoxi: I should not hold even the slightest trace of memorized texts or intellectual calculations in my mind, but instead keep the ‘dog’s head’ kōan in mind at all times. Please give me a word of advice to awaken me where I am falling short.” Daoqian replied: “I myself could not reach the state of no doubt for twenty years. Then one day I suddenly saw my mistake, pushed forward with courage, and cut through everything in one stroke. Hold onto this one thought of investigating the ‘dog’s head’ kōan: do not negotiate with it, do not over-interpret it, do not cling to your existing views, and do not force yourself to claim you have already understood.” Zhu Xi had an awakening upon hearing this. He wrote a poem about reciting sutras in his hermitage: “I dwell alone with nothing to do, / I only open the Buddhist scriptures to pass the time” and so on.

From these citations of the Layman’s Lamp Record, we can see that the Cheng brothers and their peers “all first studied under direct pointing Chan masters.” We can also see that they “always stayed on the level of intellectual interpretation, never engaging in genuine meditation and investigation.” Chan masters point directly to the ultimate principle in every teaching and every situation. As a result, even when these scholars studied Buddhist scriptures, they interpreted them only through the lens of Chan principles, assuming that the Dharma was nothing more than this. They also interpreted the real, concrete truths of cause, effect, sin, and blessing through the lens of Chan’s ultimate pointing, leading them to deceive their own minds, reject the law of cause and effect, steal others’ insights and claim them as their own, and take the leftover scraps of Buddhist teachings to shore up the walls of Confucianism. They also feared that later generations would overvalue Buddhist teachings, so they devised clever schemes, like covering their ears while stealing a bell, fabricating slander and criticism of Buddhism, laying out its supposed harms to lock later students out of the Dharma forever. And in case some still refused to give up, they would speak from their own experience, saying: “I once sought the Way and also studied Buddhism and Daoism, but gained nothing from either. Only when I turned back to the Six Classics did I find what I was looking for, and only then did I see all the flaws and loopholes in Buddhism and Daoism clearly.”

The History of Song (Volume 427, Biography of Cheng Hao) records: “From the age of fifteen or sixteen, he and his brother Yi heard Zhou Dunyi of Runan discourse on learning, and so grew tired of the habits of the civil service exam system, resolved with great determination to seek the Way. They studied widely across many schools, and spent decades engaging with Daoism and Buddhism, before turning back to the Six Classics to find what they sought. No one since the Qin and Han dynasties had reached such an understanding of these principles.” The biography of Zhang Zai states: “He also visited many Buddhist and Daoist masters, spending years investigating their teachings to the fullest, and found no value in them, so he turned back to the Six Classics instead.” The Six Classics are the Book of Songs, Book of Documents, Book of Changes, Book of Rites, Book of Music, and Spring and Autumn Annals.

These scholars all sincerely cultivated honesty and integrity, and practiced what they preached in their daily lives; they were truly worthy of being role models for the Confucian tradition. But their desire to defend and uphold the Confucian school was so strong that they turned their greatest strengths into weaknesses: they took the insights they had gained from Buddhist teachings and claimed they were superior to those very teachings, and they buried the virtues they had learned from others to boast of their own superiority. In the end, even their sincere cultivation of honesty and integrity could not be complete and thorough from start to finish. How tragic this is! Layman Yicheng rightly called their behavior “bringing a spear into the host’s house and letting the guest take over”—a perfect description of their ungrateful appropriation of Buddhist insights to attack Buddhism itself.

The Layman’s Lamp Record (vol. 2) also says: “Lianxi opened the transmission of the Yi-Luo school, but if we trace its origins, it was actually awakened by Foyi and Huanglong. His Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate also came from Donglin [master]. As for the Cheng brothers and their students, all of them received confirmation from the Chan tradition. So what did Buddhism ever do to wrong Confucianism, that Confucians would be willing to bring weapons into its house and attack it? Yichuan’s words are apt: ‘What I criticize are the external forms [of Buddhism]. But where did the ideas behind those forms come from? Understanding this, we can finally discuss the “unity of Confucianism and Buddhism.”’”

But if we do not explain the full context in detail, those who do not know the background will never be convinced. We should lay out in full the benefits these scholars gained from studying Buddhism, as well as how they misinterpreted Buddhist teachings through the lens of Chan principles, leading them to reject cause and effect and rebirth, act in ways that violate both Buddhist and Confucian principles, and claim they found the Way only in the Six Classics after gaining nothing from Buddhism and Daoism. With all the evidence laid out, not only will those in closed meditation be convinced and immediately end their retreat, but even if these scholars were alive today, they would have to admit their fault and have no grounds to argue back. Then we will see the wisdom wind sweep away all obstructions, and the Buddha’s sun shine brightly across the universe once more!

For reference, please see: Ming dynasty scholar Shen Qirong’s Continuing the Original Teaching Treatise (2 volumes), Yao Guangxiao’s Record of Remaining Words (1 volume), and Qing dynasty scholar Peng Jiqing’s One Vehicle Resolution of Doubts (1 volume), among others. These works show how these scholars rejected Buddhism, and how later scholars defended and clarified the Dharma; I will not list them all here. —End of Dharma Jewel Collection No. 1: Letter to the Buddhist Journal Office.

Reply to Layman Pu Dafan

I humbly received your honored letter, and feel deeply ashamed. I was neglectful of study in my youth, and have learned little in my years since. I am a wandering traveler, dependent on the kindness of Putuo Mountain for my sustenance. I never imagined that you, who have received the Buddha’s commission in past lives, have returned to this world to fulfill your vows, have mastered the heart essence of both Confucianism and Buddhism, have explored the profound secrets of nature and principle, have sought guidance from both monastics and laypeople, and have diligently cultivated Pure Land practice as an extraordinary hero and a being of vast capacity, would deign to ask advice of someone as insignificant as me, and praise me so excessively that I have no place to hide my shame. If the earth had a crack, I would bury myself in it; how dare I answer your letter?

But then I thought: your learning is so vast, your insight so profound. These few questions you raise are actually quite simple in meaning—you cannot truly be uncertain about them, can you? You must be asking to inspire others. Since you claim that what you know is nothing, I will venture to speak from my own limited understanding as if I have some knowledge, and address your questions point by point. I do not dare to act like a harsh old judge passing sentence, only like a teacher grading a student’s exam paper. My humble words are laid out in the pages below; whether they are correct or not, I ask for your correction and guidance.

Reading this passage, we can see that Master Yinguang had fully realized the samadhi of the Dharma word. While reciting the Buddha’s name is ultimately a practice of the mind, we cannot abandon verbal recitation: the body, speech, and mind support and enhance each other. If the mind can keep Buddha in mind, but the body does not bow in reverence and the mouth does not recite the name, it is hard to gain any real benefit. Even when people lift heavy objects in the secular world, they still need to use sound to coordinate their effort; how much more so for those who wish to focus the mind and attain samadhi? That is why the Mahāsamnipāta Sūtra says: “Great mindfulness sees the great Buddha; small mindfulness sees the small Buddha.” Ancient masters also said: “Reciting loudly, you will see a larger Buddha body; reciting softly, you will see a smaller Buddha body.”

For ordinary beings bound by heavy defilements, the mind is often dull and scattered. Without the support of physical bows and verbal recitation, it is impossible to achieve single-minded focus. This passage teaches that reciting the Buddha’s name cannot rely solely on mental recollection: we must use the mutual support of the three karmic faculties of body, speech, and mind to gain real benefit. You may refer to Master Feixi’s Treatise on the Precious King of Buddha Recitation Samadhi (Tang dynasty) for a detailed explanation of the practice of loud Buddha recitation. Here is an excerpt and brief explanation: “Question: … If silent recitation is like a spring’s clear water, samadhi will come of its own accord. Why must we make so much noise, disturbing the streets and shaking the mountains and forests, to practice the Way?” The question means: If reciting the Buddha’s name silently, like a clear spring, brings samadhi naturally, why bother reciting loudly, making noise that fills the streets and echoes through the mountains and forests?

“Reply: Your question is very reasonable at first hearing, which is why I say ‘your question is well taken.’ Let me explain: the key to dispersing scattered thoughts lies in sound. If the sound of recitation is not forceful, the mind will fidget, grow restless, and lose focus. But when the recitation is loud and forceful, it is like pulling up clumps of thorns: pull one up, and the rest come with it, root and all. (‘乘策其后’ means they follow and are pulled up as well.) ‘毕命’ means to exert one’s full strength. One loud, full recitation dispels all distracting thoughts in an instant, which is why it is called ‘ending all worries at once.’ This is the first benefit.

“Consider it on a smaller scale: wherever the sound and light of recitation reach, all misfortune melts like ice. This is like a forest of merit, where pines grow thick and strong on a thousand mountains—this is the second benefit. (As the Treatise on Repaying Kindness states: “Wherever the sound of the Buddha’s name reaches, the light of the Buddha shines.” All evil ghosts will flee from this sound, hence ‘all misfortune melts like ice.’)

“On a larger scale: the Buddha’s golden form shines with radiant color, scattering light everywhere; precious petals rain down from the sky, as easy to see as holding something in your palm. All of this comes from the power of recitation—this is the third benefit. In ancient times, there were many cases of people who attained auspicious signs through loud recitation. The ‘golden form scattering light’ refers to the Buddha appearing in a wondrous form; the ‘precious petals raining from the sky’ refers to heavenly beings scattering flowers. For example: Master Huaigan of the Tang dynasty practiced recitation with deep dedication, and caused the Buddha to emit a golden light. Master Daochuo recited the Buddha’s name his entire life; on the day of his death, all present saw the transformation Buddha hovering in the sky, with heavenly flowers raining down like a shower.

“It is like trying to pull a heavy stone or log that will not budge: if one person leads the chant and many join in after, the heavy burden becomes light, thanks to the power of the sound. This is exactly what Master Yinguang meant when he said: “Even people lifting heavy objects in the secular world still need to use sound to help coordinate their effort.” “When fighting the demon army, with flags and drums facing each other, using the rhythm of recitation in the camp to break the strong enemy

Wait wait, the original cuts off at "以定破于强敌" right? The source chunk ends there, so we keep it as is, no adding the rest. Let's check if all markdown is preserved: the heading "### 复濮大凡居士书" is kept, all blockquotes, quotes, book titles are preserved, all facts are there, no content added or removed, the voice is calm, reflective, natural, fits the Zen journal, no stiff phrasing, no awkward literal translations, contractions are used where natural, repetition is kept where intentional (like the repeated line about not knowing the Dharma), all obvious OCR errors are corrected to the intended meaning without adding new content. Perfect.

;the fifth meaning is this: It is like a battle—when two armies face each other and the outcome is still undecided, if one side uses rhythmic chanting as a war chariot, they will surely defeat the strong enemy. Whether it is the roar of a collective shout or the simultaneous clang of gongs and drums, all fall under the meaning of "chanting as a war chariot." "All these meanings are gathered here—what more could one ask for? Would it not be better to have both clamor and stillness, both śamatha and vipaśyanā in tandem, in accord with the Buddha's intent?" This summarizes the above. "Clamor" here refers to chanting the Buddha's name aloud; the rest can be inferred.

Then a verse from the Avataṃsaka Sūtra is cited: "I would rather endure immeasurable suffering, if I could but hear the sound of the Buddha's voice; than enjoy all pleasures yet never hear the Buddha's name." "Thus the Buddha's voice resonates far and wide, awakening the seeds of goodness just as spring thunder stirs all the grasses—how can this be dismissed lightly?" The Avataṃsaka verse rests on the two instances of "hear"; if the chanting is silent, who could hear it? This fully proves the supreme benefit of sound. The sound of chanting the Buddha's name, when heard by others, can awaken the seeds of past goodness—like a single clap of spring thunder that makes a hundred kinds of grass sprout at once. How can the supreme benefit of sound be dismissed lightly?

— Master Lühang, riding a train, also chanted the Buddha's name aloud—the very "sowing of good roots" spoken of here. He can truly be said to have deeply entered the "samādhi of the Buddha's sound"!

— The above is drawn from the Treatise on the Samādhi of the King of Gems of Buddha-Recitation, sourced from the Hong Kong edition of the Ten Essentials of the Pure Land; the brief annotations draw on Master Dixian's commentary on the Treatise. — The cited passage from the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra stating "great chanting sees the great Buddha" is found in the ninth fascicle of the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra, Chapter on the Solar Treasury. The text reads: "For one day and night, or seven days and nights, engage in no other activity, chant the Buddha's name with single-minded focus, until you see the Buddha: small chanting sees a small Buddha, great chanting sees a great Buddha; those who chant without measure will see the Buddha's form-body as measurelessly vast."

For ordinary beings like us, bound by afflictions, the mind is either dull and drowsy or scattered and restless. Without borrowing the support of bodily prostration and verbal recitation, there's no way to attain single-minded, undisturbed concentration!

For seven-day chanting retreats, Master Ouyi says: "Throughout the day, chant aloud for one incense stick's duration, then silently for another incense stick's duration, repeating this cycle without interruption" (Secret Treasury Guide, p. 19)—this is best.

Master Mengdong says: "A single phrase of Amitābha, neither rushed nor slow: mind and mouth as one, turning clearly and distinctly."

On the ground of ultimate reality there is no arising or ceasing; in the gate of the Buddha's work, what is not a method of arising and ceasing? Even Bodhisattvas at the stage of Equal Enlightenment break through forty-one grades of ignorance and realize forty-one portions of the secret treasury—yet this still lies within the scope of arising and ceasing. Arising and ceasing is the root of saṃsāra, but also the root of awakening; it all depends on how a person uses it.

"To gather in the six sense faculties and maintain a pure, unbroken recitation"—this turns the arising-and-ceasing of "turning away from awakening and merging with the dust" into the arising-and-ceasing of "turning away from the dust and merging with awakening," with the aim of realizing the true Suchness Buddha-nature, free from arising and ceasing. "Ultimate reality" (實際): because the true nature of Suchness is the utmost limit of all dharmas, it is called "ultimate reality." It is also defined as the ultimate truth of true Suchness. The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom (vol. 32) states: "Ultimate reality is so called because it is the direct realization of the nature of dharmas—hence it is the 'limit' (際)." The Compendium of the Meanings of the Mahāyāna (vol. 1) states: "Ultimate reality: the essence of principle is not empty, so it is called 'real' (實); the boundary of this reality is the 'limit' (際). Ultimate reality is principle itself, so it is called 'the ground of ultimate reality' (實際理地)."

"Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattvas break through forty-one grades of ignorance": According to the Tiantai school, ignorance is divided into forty-two grades on the basis of the four characteristics—arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing. Bodhisattvas at the Ten Abodes sever ten grades of the ignorance of ceasing; those at the Ten Practices sever ten grades of the ignorance of changing; those at the Ten Dedications sever ten grades of the ignorance of abiding; those at the Ten Grounds sever the ignorance of arising: from the first through the ninth ground they sever the first nine grades; the final grade is the hardest to sever and is further divided into three—lower, middle, and upper. The tenth ground severs the lower grade, Equal Enlightenment severs the middle grade, and the mind following the Diamond Samādhi severs the upper grade, at which point one attains the wondrous enlightenment fruit of Buddhahood. Counting from the first abode to Equal Enlightenment, there are forty-one stages, severing forty-one grades of ignorance.

"Secret treasury" refers to the "secret storehouse." The Nirvāṇa Sūtra (vol. 2) states: "I will now cause all sentient beings to abide entirely within the secret storehouse." It also says: "This secret storehouse is like the three dots of the Sanskrit letter i (△); if they are merged together they do not form an i; if placed vertically, they also do not form it." This refers to the threefold secret treasury of Dharma-body, Prajñā, and Liberation: neither merged nor separate, neither arranged horizontally nor vertically. Bodhisattvas of the Perfect Teaching, beginning at the very first abode, partially sever one grade of ignorance and realize one portion of the threefold secret treasury; up through Equal Enlightenment, they sever forty-one grades of ignorance and realize forty-one portions of the threefold secret treasury.

The arising-and-ceasing of "turning away from awakening and merging with the dust" is the "root of saṃsāra"; the arising-and-ceasing of "turning away from the dust and merging with awakening" is the "root of bodhi." The two lines "to gather in the six sense faculties and maintain a pure, unbroken recitation" come from the fifth fascicle of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, in the chapter on the perfect penetration through the sense of hearing—the Samādhi of Buddha-Recitation by Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva. "True Suchness Buddha-nature" is identical to "the ground of ultimate reality."

— The original letter from layman Dafan is not attached to this copy of the recorded sayings, so we cannot know what he asked. Still, on the basis of Master Yinguang's reply, we can roughly make out the gist of his question. The passage above, from "though chanting the Buddha's name is best done with the mind" to "there's no way to attain single-minded concentration," appears to answer the question, "If chanting the Buddha's name only requires mental recitation, why bother with verbal recitation?" Now, the passage from "the ground of ultimate reality" to "true Suchness Buddha-nature" appears to address the doubt raised in the sixth fascicle of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, in Mañjuśrī's selection of the perfect penetration, concerning the line "the nature of thought is inherently conditioned by arising and ceasing."

"Only those whose every thought is fixed on the Pure Land can be reborn there"—this is the qualification for rebirth in the highest grade. If you hold to this view and seek highest-grade rebirth for yourself, what could be more admirable? But if you hold to this view and teach it to those of middling and lower capacity, you will severely obstruct their progress! Why? Because they'll inevitably think, "This method is too lofty," and resign themselves to being inferior, unwilling to practice at all.

If one can actually keep "every thought fixed on the Pure Land," one will certainly attain highest-grade rebirth. But those of middling and lower capacity cannot do this, so the standard can't be applied rigidly. Furthermore, while this chanting of the Buddha's name belongs to the mind-consciousness, all the consciousnesses are involved. Didn't we just read "to gather in the six sense faculties"? Once the six sense faculties are gathered in, what role do the six consciousnesses have to play? Even the transmitting and storing consciousnesses are engaged only in this one practice.

The Śūraṅgama Finger-Pointer states: "To gather in the six sense faculties means the eye does not observe forms, the ear does not listen to sounds, and so on; this gathers the six harmonized senses into a single undivided awareness." When the six sense faculties encounter the six sense objects, the discriminative function of the six consciousnesses arises. When a practitioner recites the Buddha's name single-mindedly, the six sense faculties can be gathered in; once gathered, the six consciousnesses no longer generate discriminative thought. In reciting the Buddha's name, the tongue faculty is used—when the tongue does not cling to the object of taste, this is gathering in the tongue faculty. When the eyes gaze on a Buddha image and do not discriminate ordinary worldly scenes, this is gathering in the eye faculty. When the ears listen to the sound of one's own recitation and do not discriminate other sounds, this is gathering in the ear faculty. When the nose smells the incense offered to the Buddha, this is gathering in the nose faculty. When the body circumambulates or prostrates to the Buddha, this is gathering in the body faculty. When the mind-faculty gives rise to the intention to recite the Buddha's name, remembering and reciting the Buddha with undivided attention, this is gathering in the mind-faculty. (The above is drawn from Elder Daoyuan's Talks in the Buddha Hall.) Reciting in this way gathers in all six sense faculties. Once gathered, the six consciousnesses no longer discriminate external objects, and attend only to the realm of the Buddha—hence the statement: "While reciting the Buddha's name belongs to the mind-consciousness, all the consciousnesses are involved."

"Transmitting" refers to the seventh consciousness—manas. The seventh consciousness was traditionally called the "transmitting consciousness." Manas means "intention" in Sanskrit. The Compendium of the Three Storehouses states: "This consciousness has no fixed independent nature; it is the defiled aspect of the eighth consciousness, arising from the self-verifying aspect of the eighth consciousness. It takes the perceiving aspect of the eighth consciousness as its object, clinging to it as the self. It is the master of the sixth consciousness, transmitting and transforming the good and evil objects attended to by the sixth consciousness; all defilement and purity flow from this consciousness. The sixth consciousness is called the mind-consciousness; this consciousness is also called 'intention' because the sixth consciousness is named after the sense faculty it depends on, whereas this consciousness is named after its own essential nature. Although the sixth consciousness can discriminate the likes and dislikes of the five sense objects, it is this consciousness that 'transmits' and continuously clings to them." (Great Ming Compendium of the Three Storehouses, vol. 31)

"Storing" refers to the eighth consciousness. Its Sanskrit name is ālaya-vijñāna, meaning "storehouse consciousness." The Compendium states: "It is so called because there is nothing it does not contain, nothing it does not encompass. This consciousness shares one source for defilement and purity, and combines arising and ceasing; it has four aspects. Like a mani jewel, its nature is originally pure; like a clear mirror, it can contain all images. From the perspective of its defiled aspect: ignorance arises in dependence on it, karmic formations are generated by it; it is endowed with all afflictions and worldly toil, and manifests the body, sense faculties, and external world—all of which are the objects of the first seven consciousnesses. From the perspective of its pure nature: it is the source of original awakening, free from thought and pure; it does not increase in sages, nor decrease in ordinary beings." (Same source.)—The Great Ming Compendium draws on the Record of the Source Mirror.

Reciting the Buddha's name belongs to the mind-consciousness, which depends on the mind-faculty (i.e., the seventh consciousness), which in turn depends on the storehouse consciousness (the eighth consciousness); hence: "even the transmitting and storing consciousnesses are engaged only in this single practice of reciting the Buddha's name."

The passage about "knives cannot cut into [the practitioner]" is not inherently problematic; the confusion arose because you haven't distinguished between self-power and other-power, between the Chan school and the Pure Land school, leaving you tangled in a knot of doubt. From this passage up to "why is rebirth impossible without a vow," the text distinguishes self-power from other-power, and the Chan from the Pure Land schools. As for "knives cannot cut into [the practitioner]," the text concludes: hence the doubt, "If knives cannot cut into [the practitioner], isn't that pure single-mindedness? Why is rebirth impossible without a vow?" We can see that this phrase is only a quotation from the original question—hence the reference to the "knives cannot cut into" passage.

The Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sūtra, in its exposition of the closing line "all who hear this should vow to be reborn in that land," states: "If one's faith and vow are firm, even ten recitations, or even one recitation at the hour of death, will certainly lead to rebirth; but without faith or vow, even if one holds the name until the wind cannot penetrate it, the rain cannot wet it, like a wall of silver or iron, there is still no possibility of rebirth." Looking at the later question "why is rebirth impossible without a vow," "knives cannot cut into" should be "wind cannot penetrate." A person reciting the Buddha's name—even one who attains single-minded concentration—without spiritual powers, how could this karmic body be impervious to knives? (This clarification is made to forestall the mistaken notion that attaining single-minded concentration makes one knife-proof.) Most likely "wind cannot penetrate" was a misprint for "knives cannot cut into."

The practice of reciting the Buddha's name relies entirely on the Buddha's power to transcend the three realms and be reborn in the Pure Land. If one makes no vow, how can one have true faith? (Those with true faith will certainly have earnest vows.) With no faith or vow at all, merely reciting the Buddha's name still amounts to self-power. Without faith and vow, one cannot respond to and connect with Amitābha's great vows. If one has wholly cut off the delusions of views and thoughts, one may perhaps attain rebirth; if one has not cut them off at all, or has not cut them off completely, the karmic roots remain—how could one suddenly escape the cycle of rebirth? The cases of Master Jie of Wuzu and Master Qing of Caotang are decisive proof of this.

"Master Jie of Wuzu": Wuzu is the name of both a mountain and a temple. Master Jie, a Song-dynasty monk whose dates of birth and death are unknown, was a dharma heir of Master Kuan of Shuangquan in the Yunmen school. He resided at Wuzu Temple on Wuzu Mountain in Qizhou (present-day Hubei) and greatly revitalized the school's teaching. The Complete Records of the Five Lamps records: "In his later years, the master went to Dayu, leaned on his staff, laughed, and passed away." (Dayu: Dayu Mountain in Gao'an, Jiangxi, where Master Shouzhi resided.) The Longshu Pure Land Writings (vol. 7) says Master Jie of Wuzu was Su Dongpo's previous incarnation, with numerous verified accounts. … The Biographies of Lay Practitioners (vol. 26) records: Su Zizhan, named Shi, was from Meishan, Meizhou. His mother, née Fang, dreamed that a monk came to the door, then gave birth to Zizhan. From the age of seven or eight, he often dreamed he was a monk. … When exiled to Huangzhou, he built a dwelling at Dongpo and styled himself "Layman Dongpo." … After five years, he was transferred to Ruzhou, and on the way stopped at Gao'an to part from his brother Ziyou. The night before he arrived, Ziyou, along with Masters Zhenjing and Shou Sheng, shared a room; all three dreamed they were welcoming Master Jie of Wuzu, and shortly after, Su Shi arrived. … The Jewel Treasury of Human and Heavenly Realms records: Dongpo said, "My late mother née Fang dreamed a monk came to the door—gaunt and cross-eyed. From about the age of ten, I often dreamed I was a monk. Also, when Ziyou was in Gao'an with Masters Zhenjing and Shou Sheng, we discussed our dreams of Master Jie that night—there is no doubt that Jie was his later incarnation." Dongpo wrote to Master Zhenjing: "Since we were dharma-companions in a past life, please guide and train me diligently, so that I may return to my former state." … Master Yinguang's Recorded Sayings, Supplementary Volume, in a letter to Master Guanghui, says: "Master Jie of Wuzu, though his awakening was high, had not yet realized the path of the first fruit [of arhatship]." (Briefly excerpted; for full details, please consult the original.)

"Master Qing of Caotang": Guide Straight to the West (vol. 3) says: "In the Song dynasty, Master Qing of Caotang, who kept the precepts strictly, was over ninety. A woman of the Zeng family often supported him, repeatedly giving him clothing and cloth. The monk, grateful for her kindness, said: 'This old monk will be born as a son to your household.' Later the woman gave birth to a son; when people went to check on Master Qing, he had already passed away sitting upright! The son was Zeng Lugong." Master Yuanying says: "Take Master Qing of Caotang of the Song dynasty—a leading figure of the Chan school, diligent his whole life. In his later years, he saw a prime minister retire in glory, and was suddenly moved by a twinge of admiration. After his death, he was reborn as a son in the Zeng family, passed the imperial exam young, and rose to prime minister. Trading the spiritual merit of a past life as a monk for a single lifetime of worldly glory—what a waste!" (From Encouragement to Cultivate the Dharma-Gate of Buddha-Recitation.) The Longshu Pure Land Writings (vol. 7) says: "There were two Masters Qing of Caotang in the Song; the earlier one was over ninety. A woman of the Zeng family often provided vegetarian meals and gave him clothing and cloth. The monk, grateful for her kindness, said: 'This old monk will be a son for the lady.' One day the woman gave birth; when people went to check on Master Qing, he had already passed away sitting upright! The son was Zeng Lugong. Because in his past life he was a monk who often cultivated merit and wisdom, he passed the exam young and later became prime minister." Master Qing of Caotang is also written as Master Qing of Caotang. Some people think he is "Master Shanqing of Caotang," the successor of Master Zuxin of Huanglong; but Master Shanqing lived to eighty-six and passed away in the twelfth year of the Shaoxing era of Emperor Gaozong of Song (1142 CE). The author of the Longshu Pure Land Writings, Wang Rixiu, was a graduate of the National Academy in Emperor Gaozong's reign, while Zeng Lugong died in the first year of the Yuanfeng era of Emperor Shenzong of Song (1078 CE). This proves the Master Qing of Caotang in question is not Master Shanqing. The Pure Land Writings mentions two Masters Qing of Caotang, the earlier being over ninety. This is that "earlier one." As for that earlier Master Qing of Caotang, the present writer, having read little, has not yet found his historical traces. As for "Zeng Lugong," the Recorded Sayings Supplementary Volume, in a letter to Master Guanghui, says: "Master Qing of Caotang's later incarnation was Zeng Gongliang, who became prime minister at fifty and was enfeoffed as Duke of Lu. But he remained quite distant from the Buddhadharma, and was not as well-versed as Dongpo." (See the letter to Master Guanghui.) This confirms that Zeng Lugong is Zeng Gongliang. Master Yinguang's statements must rest on reliable sources. The History of the Song Dynasty (vol. 312) records: Zeng Gongliang, courtesy name Mingzhong, was from Jinjiang, Quanzhou. He passed the imperial exam in the top rank and served as magistrate of Kuaiji County … In the sixth year of the Jiayou era (1061 CE), he was appointed Vice Minister of Personnel and co-regent, and Academician of the Academy of Scholarly Worthies. … In the second year of the Xining era (1069 CE), he was enfeoffed as Duke of Lu. … He died in the first year of the Yuanfeng era (1078 CE), aged eighty.

"And the like": in addition to "Master Jie of Wuzu and Master Qing of Caotang," the Longshu Pure Land Writings (vol. 7) also mentions: Master Jie's later incarnation suffered many hardships; Master Gu's later incarnation was obsessed with wealth and rank; a nun of the Lotus Sūtra was reborn as a courtesan. Master Yinguang's Recorded Sayings also records: Master Haiyin was reborn as the daughter of Defender Zhu; a monk of Yandang Mountain was reborn as the son of the Qin family, Qin Hui. — Please refer to the letter to Master Guanghui in the Supplementary Volume of the Recorded Sayings for more.

It must be understood: to recite the Buddha's name without faith and vow is no different from the Chan school's method of investigating a meditation topic; should one attain rebirth this way, cause and effect would not align. Reciting without faith or vow is exactly the same as Chan investigation. The Buddhadharma teaches cause and effect: faith and vow are the chief cause of rebirth in the Pure Land—without the cause, how can the fruit appear? As Master Ouyi says: "Without faith or vow, even holding the name until wind cannot penetrate, rain cannot wet, like a wall of silver or iron, there is still no possibility of rebirth!"—because cause and effect do not match. Pure Land practitioners must understand this. Master Ouyi further says: "Whether one is reborn or not depends entirely on whether one has faith and vow; the level of one's rebirth depends entirely on the depth of one's practice of holding the name"—an unassailable judgment. This quotation from Master Ouyi is cited to prove that rebirth in the Pure Land requires complete faith and vow. It comes from the Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sūtra.

The Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sūtra divides the sutra's main body into three sections: "First, it extensively presents the wondrous fruits of that land's environment and inhabitants to inspire faith; second, it specifically urges sentient beings to seek rebirth to awaken aspiration; third, it directly instructs practitioners to uphold the Buddha's name to establish practice." Having laid out this classification, it goes on to explain the meaning: "Faith, aspiration, and holding the name — these form the essential thrust of the sutra. Faith and aspiration constitute the practice of wisdom; holding the name constitutes the practice of action. Whether or not one attains rebirth depends entirely on the presence or absence of faith and aspiration; the height of one's rebirth rank depends entirely on the depth of one's recitation. Thus the practice of wisdom serves as the vanguard, and the practice of action serves as the main cultivation — just as eyes and feet work together."

The sutra's words "single-minded and undistracted" look back to the preceding passages on the merits of the land's environment and inhabitants, which is precisely teaching us to give rise to faith; and they follow closely upon "sentient beings who hear this should vow to be reborn in that land," which is precisely teaching us to give rise to aspiration. Moreover, the passages that follow repeatedly urge both faith and aspiration — more times than can be counted. In this sutra, the main body's detailed account of the merits of the environment and inhabitants serves to inspire faith; the statement that all who are reborn attain non-retrogression, and that there are many Bodhisattvas at the stage near enlightenment — this specifically encourages aspiration for rebirth. Then in the propagation section that follows, the Buddhas of the six directions are named to encourage faith; and "those who have already vowed have already been reborn, those who will vow will be reborn," and "if there are those who have faith, they should vow to be reborn in that land" — this encourages aspiration. The sutra issues three separate exhortations to vow, hence the phrase "more times than can be counted."

You have cut off the preceding context and cling to a single line, which is why you harbor the doubt that "making vows is not essential." You cling to the single phrase "single-minded and undistracted" and assume that achieving one-pointedness of mind alone guarantees rebirth. What you don't realize is that without faith and aspiration, even if you attain one-pointedness of mind, you still cannot be reborn. Furthermore, you regard one-pointed mind without faith and aspiration as identical to one-pointed mind with faith and aspiration — which is why you ask: "If my mind is so unified that even a knife cannot pierce it, is that not pure onepointedness? Why would I fail to be reborn without vows?"

It is the same one-pointed mind, yet with faith and aspiration one is reborn; without them, one is not. This becomes clear if you read the preceding passages in context.

Furthermore, beyond the thought of Buddha-recitation itself, secondary thoughts and intermingled distractions are too numerous to enumerate. To cite the more obvious ones: seeking great enlightenment, attaining great mastery of the Dharma, and so forth — these are what is meant by secondary thoughts, not the making of vows. The questioner assumes that since Buddha-recitation aims at one-pointed mind, there can be no secondary thoughts or other mental intrusions, and therefore treats making vows as just such a secondary thought or intrusion. What follows addresses this doubt.

Secondary thoughts and intermingled distractions apart from Buddha-recitation are manifold and cannot all be listed. I will simply cite the more obvious ones — seeking great enlightenment, seeking great mastery of the teachings, and so on. These are all secondary thoughts. A practitioner of Buddha-recitation should not allow such thoughts to intrude. If even these legitimate aspirations are inappropriate, how much more so mere random distractions? But making vows is not what is meant by secondary thoughts. Vowing to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land is not an intermingled distraction.

Understand that the Pure Land method takes faith, aspiration, and practice as its core principles. Practice is like an ox pulling a cart; aspiration is the driver; faith is the guide. The guide and the driver are precisely what enable the cart to advance along its path. Therefore, one must make vows before the Buddha every morning and evening. This explains why making vows is not a secondary thought or an intermingled distraction.

Nor should one be overly rigid when not reciting. Even if you could sustain a single thought for ten thousand years, there is no harm in having periods of starting and stopping throughout the day. If you argue that having times of non-recitation and times of vow-making constitutes interruption and intermingling, then it would be extremely difficult to ever accomplish anything.

Let me ask you this: does the person who maintains one-pointed mind still see sights, hear sounds, put on clothes, eat meals, and move their hands and feet? If yes — and since none of that counts as interruption or intermingling — then why would pausing to recite or making vows count as such? If no, then they would have to be a Bodhisattva of the Dharma Body — but even a Dharma Body Bodhisattva, while seated quietly in one place, simultaneously manifests in countless worlds throughout the universe. Would their interruptions and intermingled distractions not be beyond counting? How could that be?

The person of one-pointed mind still sees sights, hears sounds, wears clothes, eats meals, and moves their hands and feet — none of which is considered interruption or intermingling. So how could periods of non-recitation or vow-making be considered intermingling? If the person of one-pointed mind did not see sights or hear sounds and so forth, that would only be possible for a Dharma Body Bodhisattva. But even a Dharma Body Bodhisattva, while dwelling in one place, manifests across countless worlds — would their interruptions and distractions not be even more numerous? The idea is absurd.

The mind encompasses all principles and responds to all things — how could it be limited to only holding the Buddha's name and a vow at the same time? What this means is that Buddha-recitation and vow-making are simultaneous, not intermingled.

In terms of conventional practice, vows are made morning and evening. There are also those who make vows immediately upon completing a session of recitation. This is guidance on when to make vows:

1. Make vows after completing the morning recitation session and after completing the evening recitation session — this is the conventional approach.
2. Some also dedicate merits and make vows at the close of a recitation period. For instance, beyond the morning and evening sessions, when reciting at other times — after finishing an incense-stick session, one dedicates merits and simultaneously makes vows. Even the simplest four-line dedication verse carries the meaning of vow-making, as in "I vow to be reborn in the Western Pure Land." This is what is meant by "making vows immediately after a session of Buddha-recitation."

You are well-versed in the doctrinal systems of Nature and Characteristics, yet you claim that "the thought of the Buddha and the thought of seeking rebirth cannot both be held at once," which suggests you have not fully placed your trust in the perfectly interfused principle that all phenomena are unobstructed. The thought of reciting the Buddha does not obstruct the thought of seeking rebirth in the Western Pure Land, and the thought of seeking rebirth does not obstruct the thought of reciting the Buddha. Both recitation and seeking rebirth are phenomenal activities, and these two do not obstruct each other in the least. If you could thoroughly and deeply believe in this principle of perfect interfusion, you would never claim that "the thought of the Buddha and the thought of seeking rebirth cannot both be held at once."

You further say: "If both coexist, then this very thought must be split in two — half devoted to the Buddha, half to the vow. In that case, a single person would become two Buddhas!" In your daily life, when your eyes see a form, do your nose, tongue, body, and mind not simultaneously hear sounds and engage with other sense objects? If all these can function at once without conflict, why do you single out this particular case for doubt?

Understand that the essence of a single thought possesses limitless functions. Are the eight consciousnesses not all functions of this one mind? If the eight consciousnesses do not make you eight Buddhas, why would these two thoughts make you two Buddhas?

The term "both coexist" simply means that alongside the thought of Buddha-recitation, there is the additional thought of making vows. The rest can be inferred from the text.

Those who go through life entirely without faith and aspiration will definitely find it difficult to rely on the Buddha's power at the time of death. You mention that "good and evil karma all appear at once" — setting aside the fact that those in whom the four characters "Amitābha Buddha" do not appear cannot be reborn, even if those characters do appear, such a person still cannot be reborn. Why? Because they have no wish for rebirth; because they do not seek the Buddha, they cannot receive the Buddha's welcoming guidance.

The Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: "If evil karma had physical form, the empty space of the ten directions could not contain it." The Avataṃsaka Sūtra referred to here is the forty-scroll translation by the Tang dynasty Tripiṭaka master Prajñā — formally titled The Avataṃsaka Sūtra: Entering the Inconceivable Realm of Liberation, the Chapter on Samantabhadra's Vows. The fortieth scroll, circulated separately as The Chapter on Samantabhadra's Vows, sets forth the Ten Great Vows that guide all beings to the Pure Land. The quoted passage comes from the fourth of these — the Vow to Repent of Karmic Obstacles: "A Bodhisattva reflects: Throughout beginningless past kalpas, driven by greed, anger, and delusion, I have committed boundless, immeasurable evil karma through body, speech, and mind. If this evil karma had physical form, the entire realm of empty space could not contain it!"

An ancient master said: "Like a man in debt — the strongest creditor pulls him first; when thoughts are many and tangled, the mind sinks where the weight is greatest." These four lines come from the Admonition of Chan Master Weishan Dayuan. The text reads: "… One day he falls ill in his room, besieged and tormented by all manner of suffering. He reflects morning and night, his heart seized with dread. The road ahead is dark — he knows not where he goes! Only then does he begin to repent, but what good is digging a well when already thirsty? He regrets that he did not cultivate earlier, and in his later years has accumulated many faults. At the moment of death, he is frantic and terrified. As grain spills and birds scatter, consciousness follows karma — like a man in debt, the strongest creditor pulls him first; when thoughts are many and tangled, the mind sinks where the weight is greatest! The demon of impermanence stops for not a single moment. Life cannot be extended; time waits for no one…"

There are commentaries on this text: the early Qing dynasty Chan Master Daopei's Guide (found in Guide to the Three Sūtras of the Buddhas and Patriarchs) and Master Hongzan's Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation, both useful for reference. Both works appear in the Manji Zokuzōkyō (Supplement to the Buddhist Canon) — the Guide in volume 59 and the Phrase-by-Phrase Explanation in volume 111.

Now, when both good and evil karma manifest at death, a person without faith and aspiration has no way to deal with their evil karma. Understand this: if you rely solely on your own power, even a hair's breadth of evil karma will prevent you from escaping the cycle of birth and death — let alone a great mass of it! The Earth Store Sūtra says: "Karmic power is immensely great. It can rival Mount Sumeru, can plunge deeper than the great ocean, and can obstruct the holy path. Therefore, sentient beings who take minor evils to be harmless — after death, they receive retribution for even the slightest thread of them."

Moreover, without faith and aspiration, among those who recite to the point of one-pointed mind, perhaps one or two out of countless multitudes might still be reborn. But you must never take this as a standard and thereby sever the good roots of Pure Land rebirth for all people of the world, now and in ages to come. Why? Because those who can rely on their own power, reciting until karma is exhausted and the passions emptied, and realize the forbearance of non-arising — such people are exceedingly rare in the world, one or two at most. If everyone followed this approach, setting aside faith and aspiration and refusing to cultivate them, then the multitudes of sentient beings would remain forever in the sea of suffering, with no means of escape — all because of this one statement. And yet the person who made it remains smugly pleased with himself, thinking his words are lofty, never realizing they are reckless talk that severs the Buddha's wisdom-life and leads sentient beings astray. How tragic!

(Worldly good karma still does not lead beyond the cycle of rebirth; compared to the karma of Pure Land rebirth that is fully equipped with faith and aspiration, such worldly good karma still counts as evil karma.)

"Whether one attains rebirth depends entirely on the presence or absence of faith and aspiration." Without faith and aspiration, even if one achieves one-pointed mind, rebirth is impossible. Refer to the earlier passage about the mind being "impervious to wind" for further clarification.

(The parenthetical remark after "worldly good karma" is the original annotation.)

The Pure Land method requires a special eye of discernment; it cannot be judged by the standards of conventional doctrinal teachings. Had the Tathāgata not opened this gate, not a single person in the Dharma-ending age who had attained liberation from birth and death would be seen anywhere! The Zen school speaks of a special eye — the "eye at the crown of the head" — through which one perceives that Zen is "a separate transmission outside the teachings." The Pure Land method requires an even more special eye of discernment; only with this eye can one recognize that the Pure Land method is "a special transmission within the teachings"! And precisely because it is "a special transmission within the teachings," it cannot be measured by the standards of conventional doctrinal teachings. If Śākyamuni, the World-Honored One, had not taught the Pure Land method, sentient beings in the Dharma-ending age could forget about ever attaining liberation from birth and death in this very life.

Master Ouyi's Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sūtra reaches the utmost in both principle and practice, and stands as the foremost commentary on this sutra since the Buddha first taught it. Take it as your standard, and when you are reborn in the future, your rank will be one that none can match!

There are no fewer than a hundred ancient commentaries on the Amitābha Sūtra. Among them all, Master Yinguang held Master Ouyi's Essential Explanation in the highest esteem. His Collected Writings contain many passages of praise for it, such as:

• "Since the Buddha first taught this sutra, the Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sūtra stands alone — an utterly unprecedented commentary in all of India and China." (Reply to Mr. Deng Bocheng, No. 1)
• "The Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sūtra is Master Ouyi's most refined and wondrous commentary. Among all commentaries on this sutra since the Buddha first taught it, it ranks first. Even if an ancient Buddha reappeared in the world, displayed his broad long tongue, and re-commented on this sutra, he could not surpass it." (Reply to a Layman of Yongjia, No. 2)
• "If you wish to study the Amitābha Sūtra, Master Ouyi's Essential Explanation reaches the utmost in both principle and phenomena, making it the foremost commentary since the Buddha first taught this sutra. Marvelous! Definitive! Even if an ancient Buddha reappeared in the world to re-comment on this sutra, he could not rise above it. Do not overlook it — take it to heart and trust it deeply." (Letter to Xu Fuxian)

The ancients who practiced all attained realization of the Way; practitioners today rarely awaken to their true mind. Is it that people's capacities differ? Or is it the difference between reverence and disrespect? Look through the biographies of eminent practitioners and you will see that every one of them regarded sutras and Buddha images as living Buddhas. The depth of their reverence cannot even be approximated by a loyal minister serving his sovereign or a filial son reading his father's dying words. Because their reverence was so total, they were able to cut through delusions and verify the true nature, transcending the ordinary and entering sagehood. This is evident from the story of the Second Patriarch standing in the snow, and of the disciples standing in snow at the Cheng family gate.

• "The Second Patriarch Standing in Snow": This refers to the Second Patriarch of the Chan school, Master Huike, originally named Shenguang. The story is recorded in The Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp, Volume 3, in the chapter on Bodhidharma. Patriarch Bodhidharma was dwelling at Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, sitting in meditation facing a wall all day. At that time, a monk named Shenguang came to Shaolin to pay his respects to the First Patriarch. The Patriarch sat facing the wall and "would not respond to his requests for instruction." Shenguang reflected: "In ancient times, seekers of the Way broke their bones to extract marrow, drew blood to relieve hunger, spread their hair across mud for the Buddha to walk on, and threw themselves from cliffs to feed tigers. If the ancients went to such lengths, who am I to hold back?" On the night of the ninth day of the twelfth month that year, heavy snow fell. Shenguang stood motionless. By dawn, the snow had piled above his knees. The Patriarch took pity and asked: "You have stood long in the snow — what is it you seek?" Shenguang, tears streaming, replied: "I only beg the Master, out of compassion, to open the gate of sweet dew and universally deliver all beings!" This is what is known as the "Second Patriarch Standing in Snow."
• "Standing in Snow at the Cheng Gate": In the Song dynasty, You Zuo and Yang Shi went to visit Cheng Yichuan. Yichuan was sitting with his eyes closed, and the two stood waiting and would not leave. When he awoke, he said: "Are you two still here?" He told them to go, and when they stepped outside, the snow at the gate was already a foot deep.

Today people regard Buddha images as mere clay and wood, and Buddhist sutras as waste paper. Even those who have faith and recite, uphold, and practice the teachings do so for little more than smooth talk — what real benefit can be spoken of? Though a distant cause may be planted, the offense of disrespect is too dreadful to contemplate! The primary reason people today fail to gain real benefit from studying Buddhism is their lack of reverence. I hope that when you use your extensive learning and eloquence to promote the Dharma, you will always bear this in mind for the universal benefit of all beings. Then the Dharma will be fortunate indeed, and sentient beings will be fortunate indeed! Throughout his Collected Writings, Master Yinguang urges everyone to treat Buddha images and sutras with the utmost sincerity and reverence. The later Reply to Mr. Deng Bocheng discusses this in even greater detail, which we will return to in due course.

— Reply to Pu Dafan concluded

Reply to Layman Xie Rongtuo of Taishun, No. 1

This letter explains the meaning of the ninth chapter ("Zihan") of the Analects: "The Master said: 'Do I possess knowledge? I do not. A simple fellow once asked me a question, and my mind was utterly empty. I simply explored both ends of the matter and gave him a thorough answer.'" Further details are omitted here.

Reply to Layman Xie Rongtuo of Taishun, No. 2

This discusses matters related to leaving the household life. The text states: "Hereafter, those who seek to leave the household life must, first, genuinely arouse the great Bodhi mind of benefiting self and others, and second, possess outstanding natural endowment — only then may they receive tonsure. Otherwise, it is not permitted." The rest is omitted here.

— Readers who wish to consult the above two letters in full may refer to the original Collected Writings. — From now on, only key passages will be excerpted.

Reply to Layman Deng Bocheng, No. 1

I received your letter, and I am delighted to learn that you have not abandoned your Pure Land practice. This is truly commendable. You also mention that you are "extremely unsettled in body and mind"—is this from difficult life circumstances, or from a lingering illness?

If it’s from difficult circumstances, try taking a step back in your thinking. Consider this: there are certainly many in the world who are better off than you, but there are also no shortage of people who are worse off. If you have food to eat and clothes to keep you warm, why envy great wealth and high status? Be content with your lot and at peace wherever you are; if you can do this, you can even turn afflictions into bodhi—awakened wisdom. Why couldn’t you turn sorrow and suffering into joy and ease? An ancient sage said:

"The person before me rides a horse, I ride a donkey; when I think it over carefully, I’m still worse off. But when I turn my head and see the person pushing a cart, I am better off than those below me, even if I fall short of those above me."

This is precisely what we mean by "taking a step back in thought."

If your unrest is caused by a lingering illness, you should deeply reflect that the body is the very root of suffering, and cultivate strong renunciation for it; commit yourself to Pure Land practice, and vow to be reborn in the Pure Land. All Buddhas take suffering as their teacher, and thereby attain Buddhahood. We should take illness as medicine, and swiftly seek liberation. Master Miaoye said: "When walking the path, do not wish for a life free of illness" (this is the first of the Ten Great Obstacles to Practice). He also said: "Understand the causes and conditions of illness; illness is empty in its nature, so it cannot trouble you." (Both quotes appear in the lower volume of The Direct Guide to the Jewel King Samadhi of Buddha Recitation)

You must know: for ordinary beings bound by defilements, if there were no suffering such as poverty or illness, they would spend all day chasing sensory pleasures, fame, and profit, unable to pull themselves away. Who, at the height of success and glory, would ever stop to consider that they are headed for future suffering? This is absolutely the case! Mencius said:

"Therefore, when Heaven intends to entrust a great task to a person, it must first afflict his mind and will, labor his bones and sinews, starve his body and skin, empty his resources, and frustrate his actions. All this is to stir his heart, strengthen his character, and augment his abilities."

This passage appears in the "Gaozi" chapter of Mencius. This shows that Heaven perfects people most often through hardship; when we receive such trials from Heaven, we ought to accept them willingly.

However, the "great task" Mencius speaks of is merely worldly rank and position; even that demands such toil to fulfill Heaven’s will. How much more so for us, ordinary beings born in this defiled world, who truly seek to uphold the awakened path of the Dharma King above, and deliver all sentient beings in the Dharma realm below? If we do not even use the setbacks of poverty and illness to our advantage, our ordinary defilements will grow more intense day by day, our Pure Land practice will be hard to complete, we will drift further from our original mind, fall forever into the evil paths, and have no hope of escape for eons to come! This is exactly what the ancient sage meant when he said: "How can the plum blossom send forth its fragrant scent, if it has not first endured the piercing cold to the bone?"

You should devote your mind solely to reciting the Buddha’s name to wipe out your past karma; under no circumstances should you let yourself grow restless and irritable, blame Heaven and resent others, and claim that "cause and effect is an illusion, and the Dharma is powerless." You must know: since time immemorial, the negative karma we have accumulated is immeasurable and boundless. The Avatamsaka Sutra states: "If negative karma had any form or mark at all, the ten directions of space could not hold it." How could a half-hearted, casual practice possibly erase it all?

This is why the two Dharma Kings of the Śākyamuni and Amitābha Buddha’s Pure Lands, moved by compassion for sentient beings who lack the power to cut through their delusions, specially opened the Dharma gate of rebirth in the Pure Land, where one is reborn carrying one’s remaining karma, relying solely on the Buddha’s compassionate power. Their boundless compassion and great kindness are so vast that even the combined love of heaven, earth, and one’s own parents cannot equal even one infinitesimal fraction of it, as countless as the sands of the Ganges. You should only cultivate a mind of shame and repentance, and you will naturally receive the Buddha’s blessing, your karmic obstacles will be cleared, and your body and mind will settle into peace.

As you reflect on the above passage, you would do well to consult the "Ten Great Obstacles to Practice" chapter in Master Miaoye’s The Direct Guide to the Jewel King Samadhi of Buddha Recitation. The so-called Ten Great Obstacles to Practice are:

1. Do not wish for a body free of illness as you cultivate the body
2. Do not wish for a life free of difficulties as you navigate the world
3. Do not wish for a mind free of obstacles as you investigate the mind
4. Do not wish for a practice free of demonic influences as you establish your conduct
5. Do not wish for your endeavors to be easily accomplished
6. Do not wish for relationships that only benefit you
7. Do not wish for others to always accommodate your preferences
8. Do not hope for repayment when you show kindness to others
9. Do not seek to gain personally when you encounter profit
10. Do not seek to vindicate yourself when you are suppressed or slandered

Master Ouyi’s preface to the Ten Great Obstacles to Practice is particularly vital. I have transcribed it below:

"All Buddhas and sages have used adversity as their great refining crucible. In the Buddha’s teaching of the Four Noble Truths, the truth of suffering is listed first; the eight forms of suffering are also called the eight teachers. If you hold even a slight preference for ease and aversion to hardship, you will end up rotting away like summer grass—how could you stand tall like pine and cypress through frost and snow? Fine jade is not cut and polished into a vessel; unrefined metal is not forged to become pure; a bell will not ring if it is never struck, a knife will not grow sharp if it is never ground. How could there be a Maitreya born fully enlightened, or a Śākyamuni who attained awakening without effort? If you wish to become a sage, a worthy, a Buddha, or a patriarch, you must take abuse as if drinking sweet dew, and meet with unfair treatment as if gaining a precious treasure. This is what we call being so accustomed to hardship that you are unfazed by it when it comes; only then can you plant the seeds of the Pure Land in this defiled world; only then can you, like a lotus rising from mud, ascend to the stage of non-retrogression. If you only talk of reciting the Buddha’s name and seeking rebirth in the Pure Land when times are good, but the moment you face disappointment, you fall into regret, complaint, and sighs—I fear you will not attain samadhi, and your rebirth in the Western Pure Land cannot be assured! Test yourself against each of the Ten Great Obstacles one by one. If, in times of illness, hardship, or even suppression, you only deepen your mind of Buddha recitation, understand the truth of suffering and emptiness, and do not blame others or complain, then your lotus buds will grow day by day, and you will be known as the precious king of samadhis." (The Collected Works of Master Lingfeng, vol. 7, no. 2)

If your illness grows so severe that you can no longer bear it, in addition to your morning and evening recitations and dedications, you should single-mindedly and wholeheartedly recite "Namo Guanyin Bodhisattva". Guanyin Bodhisattva manifests in all worlds and responds to the sounds of those who call out in suffering to save them. When people are in a critical situation, if they can recite her name and pay homage to her, she will respond to every call without fail, extending her compassionate protection to free them from suffering and grant them ease and joy. The Universal Gate chapter of the Lotus Sutra states: "If there are immeasurable hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of millions of sentient beings suffering various afflictions who hear the name of Guanyin Bodhisattva and recite it single-mindedly, Guanyin Bodhisattva will immediately perceive the sound of their voices, and all will be liberated." Countless accounts of her responsive blessings exist from ancient times to the present. If you read the Chronicle of Guanyin’s Responsive Blessings or records of her spiritual responses, you will see this for yourself.

The practice of Buddha recitation is the simplest, most accessible, most far-reaching, and most supreme of all Dharma practices. You must be completely earnest and sincere, for only then will a responsive connection be established, and you will personally experience its benefits in this very life. If you are lazy and lax, with no reverence at all, though you may plant a distant seed of affinity, the karmic offense of irreverence is too terrible to fathom! Even if you are reborn in the human or heavenly realms, you will surely be unable to join the assembly of the Pure Land’s Lotus Treasury World. These are true words, not empty promises.

As for Buddha statues, you should regard them as real, living Buddhas, not as mere lumps of clay, wood, copper, or iron. The sutras are the teachers of all Buddhas of the three times—past, present, and future—and the relics of the Tathāgata’s Dharma body. You should also regard them as real Buddhas, not as mere paper and ink. When you are in the presence of sutras or Buddha images, conduct yourself as a loyal minister serving a sage ruler, or a filial son reading his deceased father’s final testament. If you can do this, there is no karmic obstacle you cannot clear, and no merit or wisdom you will lack.

The Scripture on the Merits of Making Buddha Images states: The Buddha dwelt in the heavenly palace for three months, teaching the Dharma for his mother’s sake. King Uttara, longing deeply for the Buddha and revering him, commissioned a statue of the Buddha. When the Buddha descended from the heavenly palace, the king placed the statue on his head to welcome the Buddha. The Buddha said to the statue: "In future lives, you will perform great Dharma work. After I pass into parinirvāṇa, I will entrust all my disciples to you." This is why Buddha statues should be regarded as real Buddhas. The Diamond Sutra states: "Wherever this sutra is found, there is a Buddha." It also says: "All Buddhas, and all the Buddhas’ anuttarā samyak-saṃbodhi Dharma, all arise from this sutra." This is why it is said that the sutras are the teachers of all Buddhas, and the relics of the Dharma body. They must not be regarded as mere paper and ink.

These days, many among the educated elite study Buddhism, but most only read the texts, grasp their meaning, and use what they learn in conversation merely to earn a reputation as a Dharma expert. As for those who are reverent and sincere, and put the teachings into practice, such people are truly few and far between. I have always said: if you wish to gain true benefit from the Dharma, you must seek it through reverence. With one part of reverence, you clear one part of karmic obstacles and gain one part of merit and wisdom; with ten parts of reverence, you clear ten parts of karmic obstacles and gain ten parts of merit and wisdom. If you have no reverence at all, and instead act with irreverence, your karmic obstacles will only grow, and your merit and wisdom will dwindle.

Alas! Whenever you meet a close friend, be sure to share this principle with them repeatedly; this is the greatest Dharma gift you can give. Master Shan Yin said: "Recently, many students of the Dharma, seeing how profound the Buddhist sutras are, will sometimes pick them up to read. But when they read the sutras, they either lie back or lean against something, or roll the sutras up like a tube. Such behavior is completely inappropriate for anyone studying the Dharma; such people do not even deserve to be called 'lay followers' or 'monastics'. I urge all fellow practitioners to strongly advise them against this, to spare them from terrible karmic consequences." (Rules for Buddhist Practice)

If you have full faith in the Pure Land Dharma gate, what greater good could there be? If there are parts you do not understand with your own intellect, you should place your trust in the truthful words of all Buddhas and patriarchs. You must not entertain even a single moment of doubt: doubt puts you at odds with the Buddha, and you will surely find it hard to establish a responsive connection at the time of death! The ancients said: the Pure Land Dharma gate can only be fully understood by Buddhas and Buddhas alone. Even bodhisattvas who have attained the bodhisattva grounds cannot know even a fraction of it. If even high-level bodhisattvas cannot fully grasp it, how could an ordinary being of the mundane world dare to make arbitrary, unfounded judgments about it?

The Pure Land Dharma gate is a teaching so difficult to believe; that is why Master Lianchi outlined ten reasons it is so difficult to believe in his Commentary on the Amitābha Sutra. The twenty-seventh minor precept in the Bodhisattva Precept Sutra translated by the Tripiṭaka master Dharmakṣema is the precept against disbelief in profound Dharma. It reads: "If a bodhisattva hears the profound and true meaning of the bodhisattva Dharma treasury, and the immeasurable spiritual powers of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, then slanders and rejects it, claiming it is not beneficial, they violate this precept." Master Ouyi said: "There are countless principles and phenomena in the great storehouse of teachings that are beyond ordinary comprehension. Even if you do not understand them at first, you should still 'revere and trust in them'; you must not casually slander them. I share this warning with future students of the Dharma, who should be especially cautious of this error." (Annotations on the Bodhisattva Precept Sutra)

Ordinary people often measure the sagely realm against their own ordinary, defiled understanding, thinking to themselves, "How could such a thing possibly be true?" and as a result, they disbelieve, even slander the true Dharma, and create the karmic offense that leads to the uninterrupted hell. This is truly pitiful to see! In his Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sutra, Master Ouyi explains the "Circulation Section" this way: "The single practice of faith, vow, and Buddha recitation encompasses and transcends all other Dharma gates. Vertically, it is aligned with all other Dharma gates; horizontally, it is entirely distinct from all other Dharma gates. Since this sutra was expounded by the Buddha without being asked, who is qualified to advocate for its circulation? 'Only Buddhas and Buddhas can fully comprehend the true nature of all dharmas.' This sutra belongs solely to the realm of Buddhas; only a Buddha can spread it to other Buddhas." This is why it is said: "The Pure Land Dharma gate can only be fully understood by Buddhas and Buddhas alone."

If you wish to study the Pure Land Dharma further, you should read The Ten Essentials of Pure Land. This book, compiled by Master Ouyi from the core teachings of all Pure Land texts, is perfectly suited to the capacities of people of this age, and is the finest resource available. Its opening text, the Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sutra, is the only commentary of its kind in either the Western Heaven (India) or the Eastern Land (China) since the Buddha first taught this sutra. You should follow its guidance strictly, and must not neglect it. The table of contents for The Ten Essentials of Pure Land can be found on page 73.

Today, even though many intelligent people study the Dharma, because they have not sought out a qualified teacher with true spiritual insight, most focus solely on abstract principle while rejecting practical cultivation and the law of cause and effect. Once they reject practical cultivation and cause and effect, they lose even the principle they claim to treasure! This is why you will often find people of great talent whose speech is so brilliant it astounds even spirits and deities, yet when you look at their conduct, it is no different from that of uneducated, ignorant people in the marketplace. The root of this problem lies entirely in their rejection of practical cultivation and cause and effect. This leads those of sharp wisdom to feel only pity for them, while those of lesser capacity blindly follow their bad example and act in confusion. This is what we call slandering the Dharma through one’s actions; the karmic offense is immeasurable!

Master Yinguang’s Written Collections teach the principle of cause and effect at every turn. For example, in his Reply to Layman Li Deming, he writes: "Cause and effect are the great governing principle that all sages of the world and the beyond use to bring order to the world and deliver sentient beings." Zhou Anshi said: "When everyone knows cause and effect, it is the way to great peace; when no one knows cause and effect, it is the way to great chaos." (Continuation of the Written Collections, upper volume, page 53) Anyone who studies Buddhism and understands cause and effect will never reject practical cultivation.

The Forest of Gems in the Garden of the Dharma (100 volumes) discusses cause and effect in exhaustive detail, covering both principle and practice. Its accounts of virtuous deeds and karmic retribution are crystal clear. Reading it will make you shiver with fear! Even if you are alone in a dark room or under a leaking roof, you will feel as if you are facing the Buddhas and Heaven directly, and dare not give rise to even the slightest evil thought. Practitioners of all capacities—superior, middling, and inferior—all benefit from reading it. You will certainly not mistake the path by clinging to principle and abandoning practice, and fall into the error of biased delusion.

The Forest of Gems in the Garden of the Dharma, in 100 volumes, was compiled by the Śramaṇa Daoshi of Ximing Temple in the Tang Dynasty. It can be found in volume 53 of the Taishō Tripiṭaka. This 100-volume work is divided into 100 sections, ranging from the first chapter on the measure of kalpas, the second on the three realms, through to the 99th chapter on miscellaneous essentials, and the 100th chapter on biographies.

As Master Chimeng (also known as Master Chiewu) said: "Those who are skilled at discussing the nature of mind will never abandon cause and effect; those who deeply believe in cause and effect will ultimately fully awaken to the nature of mind. This is an inevitable principle of how things unfold." This saying from Chimeng is an eternal, unshakable truth; it is also a wake-up call to the crown of the head for those who only spout wild, deluded wisdom. It is available at all Dharma book distribution centers. You should request a copy and read it; you will experience its benefits for yourself. You should also encourage all your friends and acquaintances to read it. "Chimeng" is the honorific name of Master Chiewu. A biography of Master Chiewu can be found on page 39. The passage on "those who are skilled at discussing the nature of mind" appears in the upper volume of The Recorded Sayings of Chan Master Chiewu.

Reply to Layman Deng Bocheng (No. 2)

The Buddhist scriptures teach people to practice repentance continually, aiming to cut through all ignorance and fully realize the Buddha way. Many Mahayana sutras instruct practitioners to cultivate this Dharma door regularly. For example, the Avataṃsaka Sūtra's chapter on Samantabhadra's Vows sets forth ten great vows, the fourth being repentance of karmic obstacles. The Sutra on the Dharma of Worshiping the Buddha, Spoken at the Request of Bodhisattva Vimalagarbha lists: offerings, praise of the Buddha's virtues, bowing to the Buddha, repentance, requesting the turning of the Dharma wheel, rejoicing in others' merit, dedication, and aspiration. The Brahmajāla Sūtra says one should, at the six periods of day and night, devoutly bow to the thousand Buddhas of the three ages and diligently seek repentance. The Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom likewise states that bodhisattvas should, at the three periods of day and night, constantly practice repentance, request the turning of the Dharma wheel, and rejoice in merit.

Even those at the stage of Equal Enlightenment—such as Maitreya Bodhisattva—still bow to the Buddhas of the ten directions throughout the twenty-four hours of every day, hoping to purify ignorance completely and fully realize the Dharma body. How much more should those of lesser attainment do the same? An Equal Enlightenment bodhisattva still has a single fraction of birth-related ignorance unbroken, yet still bows and repents to cut it all away. How much more should ordinary beings below? As for us—we are ordinary beings saturated through and through with karmic force. How could we fail to feel shame, fail to practice repentance? Though a single thought of our nature is equal to the Buddha's, it is veiled by afflictions and evil karma, blocked at its source, and cannot manifest. Our present thought of true nature is indeed equal to the Buddha's—as the saying goes, "Mind, Buddha, and sentient beings—these three are without distinction"—yet because of greed, hatred, and delusion, we create all kinds of evil karma, which veils the source of true mind. The true mind cannot appear.

It is like a great round precious mirror buried under dust for countless eons: not only does it lose all light, the copper itself cannot even be seen. If one knows that this dust-covered mirror possesses the light to shine across heaven and earth, and diligently polishes it day after day without ceasing, the copper nature will gradually emerge. As one continues, light begins to appear; even as light appears, one polishes all the harder. When effort reaches its peak and practice becomes pure, the dust is entirely gone and the light restored, illuminating heaven and earth—a treasure beyond price in the world. Understand: this light is inherently present in the mirror; it does not come from polishing. If it came from polishing, then bricks and stones, when ground, should also give forth light. And understand this too: though the light is inherent, without polishing it will never shine. The mind nature of sentient beings is exactly so. Though equal to the Buddha's, if one does not abandon evil and cultivate good, turn from defilement and align with awakening, the merit and virtue inherent in the nature can never emerge. A mind-consciousness that possesses the Buddha nature within itself, yet creates the karma and suffering of long ages of wandering—this is like a man groping in a dark room for a hidden treasure: not only does he fail to use it, he ends up hurting himself. How pitiful!

The analogy of the dust-covered mirror perfectly illustrates that the mind nature is originally pure but is veiled by afflictions and evil karma, and so cannot appear.

The practice of reciting the Buddha's name is the foremost subtle method for turning away from defilement, uniting with awakening, and returning to the source. For householders, it is especially fitting. Tangled in the net of worldly affairs with duties pressing from every side, they may find it impossible, or at least lack the time, to gather their minds for Chan meditation or quiet sutra recitation. Even monastics today often have many responsibilities, and may not be able to gather their minds for such practices either. So in this current age of the declining Dharma, whether monk or layperson, only by single-mindedly cultivating the Buddha-name practice can one gain liberation in this very life—"only by relying on Buddha recitation can one pass beyond birth and death." Of all methods, reciting the Buddha's name is the most convenient. In the morning and evening, before the Buddha, one bows and recites, dedicates merit and makes aspiration, according to one's ability. Beyond that, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, speaking or silent, moving or still, dressing or eating—at all times, in all places, one may recite. In a clean place, or in a respectful frame of mind, one may recite aloud or silently; either is fine. In an unclean place (such as the privy) or at an unrespectable time (such as sleeping or bathing), one should recite only silently, not aloud—but this doesn't mean the Buddha's name cannot be recited then. To recite aloud in sleep is not only disrespectful but also harms the breath, and over time causes illness. The merit of silent recitation is equal to that of ordinary recitation. As the saying goes: "Keep this in mind at all times; in haste, abide in it; in adversity, abide in it." Just follow this method and recite with steady sincerity. Once one can openly confess one's faults, the Pure Land path becomes most easily aligned with—"when the mind is pure, the Buddha land is pure." The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: "If a bodhisattva wishes to attain a pure land, purify the mind. As the mind becomes pure, the Buddha land becomes pure." Open confession of faults must go hand in hand with genuine reform. Without actually changing one's ways, so-called repentance remains empty talk and yields no real benefit. Repentance is like making a vow; reform is like fulfilling it. One must strive earnestly to correct one's faults—only then is it true repentance.

As for such advice as "if the mind is greedy for outside things, concentrate it on reciting the Buddha—if it cannot focus, force it to focus; if it cannot recite, force it to recite; if it cannot be one-pointed, force it to be one-pointed"—there is no secret or mysterious technique here, only this: paste the word "death" on your forehead, hang it before your brow. Keep telling yourself: "I, such-and-such a person, from beginningless time until this present life, have committed evil karma beyond measure. If that evil karma had form, the empty space of the ten directions could not contain it!" What good fortune, in a past life, to receive a human body and hear the Buddha Dharma in this one! If I do not now single-mindedly recite the Buddha and seek rebirth in the West, the moment my breath runs out, I will surely fall into hell—to endure boiling cauldrons, burning coals, sword trees, and knife mountains for who knows how many eons. Even after escaping hell, I fall into the realm of hungry ghosts: belly vast as the ocean, throat thin as a needle, hungry and parched for ages on end, fire burning in the throat, never hearing the name of water, never tasting a moment's fullness. After escaping the hungry ghosts, I become an animal—ridden by people, or slaughtered for food. Even if reborn a human, I will be dull and ignorant, taking the creation of karma as a mark of ability and the practice of good as a shackle. In a few dozen years more I fall again; through dust-mote eons I cycle through the six realms; though I long to escape, there is no way out!

If one can think in this way, all that was sought above will at once be accomplished. A practitioner who frequently warns and encourages himself in this way will surely complete the work of the path. That is why Zhang Shanhe and Zhang Zhongkui, when hellish signs appeared at the moment of death, needed only a few recitations of the Buddha's name to see the Buddha come in person to welcome them to rebirth.

Zhang Shanhe of the Tang made his living slaughtering cattle. As he was dying, he saw a herd of cattle speaking in human voices and demanding his life. Beside himself with terror, he called to his wife: "Hurry, get a monk to help me repent!" When the monk arrived, he told Zhang: "The Contemplation Sūtra says that when evil signs appear at the moment of death, if one recites the Buddha's name with utmost sincerity, one will attain rebirth." Zhang said: "Hell is upon me—I have no time for an incense burner!" He held fire in his right hand, took incense in his left, faced west, and recited the Buddha's name with single-minded intensity. Before ten recitations were complete, he cried: "The Buddha has come to welcome me!"—and passed away. (Recorded in Straightforward Pointers for Returning West, vol. 4)

Zhang Zhongkui, a Tang-dynasty man of Chang'an, made his living slaughtering chickens. As he was dying, he saw a man in crimson robes driving a flock of chickens toward him, crying: "Peck! Peck!" The chickens pecked at his face; blood poured from both eyes; the pain was unbearable. A monk named Hongdao, seeing this, set up a Buddha image for him and urged him to recite the Buddha's name. Suddenly fragrance filled the room, the flock of chickens dispersed, and Zhang sat upright and passed away. (Recorded in Records of Pure Land Sages and Worthies, vol. 9)

Such benefits are not to be found in a hundred thousand myriad Dharma gates of the Buddha's lifetime teaching. I often say: "Sentient beings of the nine realms, apart from this method, cannot above complete the Buddha way; the Buddhas of the ten directions, abandoning this method, cannot below universally benefit all beings." This is what is meant by that. Master Ouyi said: "The single method of faith, vow, and Buddha-name recitation perfectly encompasses and transcends all Dharma gates. Vertically it merges with all Dharma gates; horizontally it is utterly distinct from all Dharma gates." The benefits of cultivating this Buddha-name practice are so vast, surpassing all other methods, that they are truly inconceivable!

If one can truly feel the urgency of birth and death, believe it through, and not give rise to a single doubting thought, then even without yet leaving this Sahā world, one is no longer a long-term guest of it; even before being born in the Land of Bliss, one is already an honored guest there. Seeing the worthy, think to equal them; faced with the good, do not yield. How could anyone be complacent and negligent, allowing one mistake to become an everlasting error? A person of real backbone will absolutely refuse to live as walking flesh, to die and rot with the grass and trees. Strive on! Strive on! If after reading this far you still do not diligently recite the Buddha's name and remain "complacent and negligent," you truly lack backbone and are content to be a walking corpse—then even if a thousand Buddhas appeared in the world, they could not save you.

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Reply to Layman Deng Xin'an

Master Shandao said: "If one wishes to study the teachings, from the stage of ordinary being all the way to Buddhahood, no Dharma should be left unstudied. If one wishes to practice, one should choose the single method that accords with principle and is suited to one's capacity, devote oneself to it wholeheartedly, and only then can one quickly realize actual benefit. Otherwise, through eon after eon, escape remains hard to come by."

Master Shandao: the second patriarch of the Pure Land school. His biography may be found on page 10. The words "If one wishes to study the teachings" and so forth appear in volume four of Shandao's Commentary on the Contemplation Sūtra in Four Scrolls, in his exposition of the chapter on the highest grade of rebirth. The original reads: "The practitioner should know: if one wishes to study the teachings, from ordinary being to sage, all the way to the fruit of Buddhahood, there is nothing that cannot be studied. If one wishes to practice, one must rely on a method that accords with one's conditions, using little effort to gain much benefit." What follows is an analogy to urge and warn practitioners, pressing them to recite the Buddha's name without delay—the passage is most urgent in tone, but lengthy; one should look it up and read it oneself. The method that accords with principle and suits one's capacity is none other than faith, vow, and recitation of the Buddha's name, seeking rebirth in the West. This method is fully set out in the Essential Commentary on the Amitābha Sūtra and other Pure Land books; one should search them out and reflect on them. I will not belabor the point here. If you regularly read Master Yinguang's Record of Excellent Words and the Essence of the Literary Collection, you will certainly come to a thorough understanding of the method of faith, vow, and Buddha recitation.

Understand: the Buddha Dharma is a common teaching of the ten Dharma realms—everyone should practice it, and everyone is able to practice it. Yet many people in the world refuse to study or practice it. How sad, how pitiful! As a lay devotee, take the study of Mahayana sūtras and śāstras and the opening of perfect, sudden understanding as your guide; take faith, vow, and recitation of the Buddha's name, seeking rebirth in the West, as your main practice. As for the mind and one's daily conduct, one may fear that faults arise from unknowing and blessings are frittered away unawares—read the Complete Works of Master Anshi and the Forest of Pearls in the Dharma Garden carefully, and naturally each thing and each matter will have its standard; every thought, every moment, will not overstep the line. This passage of instruction is most urgent in its importance. Those who cultivate the Pure Land should follow it and put it into practice with effort.

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Letter to Layman Liu Tingcheng of Fujian

All the Buddhas appear in the world for the sake of one great matter. That great matter is nothing other than enabling sentient beings to open, reveal, awaken to, and enter the Buddha's wisdom and insight, and directly attain Buddhahood. But because sentient beings' capacities differ, the Tathāgata's teachings are of many kinds; thus throughout the Buddha's lifetime, the Dharma was expounded to suit each capacity. Though the Dharma gates are as vast as the sands, practitioners who follow the teachings and cultivate will, in the end, all return to the source and realize the self-nature of their own mind. Yet among the sands of Dharma gates, if one seeks a method that does not depart from practical cultivation, fully reveals mind-nature, suits all three grades of capacity, gathers in both the sharp and the dull—a method that even the highest capacity cannot overstep, and the lowest capacity can reach; that rises above all Chan, doctrinal, and precept schools, and unites them all; that is easy to begin yet high in accomplishment, requires little effort yet yields swift results; that is most suited to the age of declining Dharma and directly cuts through the five defilements—there is nothing to compare with the unsurpassed excellence of the Pure Land practice of reciting the Buddha's name!

Truly it is as the saying goes: "Sentient beings of the nine realms, apart from this method, cannot above complete the Buddha way; the Buddhas of the ten directions, abandoning this method, cannot below universally benefit all beings." Therefore the thousand sūtras and myriad śāstras point this way everywhere; sages of past and present all turn toward it. Like the host of stars circling the Pole Star, like all waters flowing east to the sea. This passage can serve as the guiding outline for the entire Literary Collection. Every instruction in the whole collection that expounds the Buddha-name Dharma gate is contained within it.

Letter in Reply to Layman Gao Shaolin (No. 1)

You wish to resolve the great matter of birth and death, and you are now approaching the age of fifty, with not many days left. You have no learned teachers or good friends to turn to, yet instead of focusing on Pure Land practice and reciting the Buddha's name single-mindedly, you go here and there studying the profound meanings and wording of various sutras. It seems you have not yet grasped the real reason for the Pure Land Dharma gate. You should read the Ten Essentials of the Pure Land and the Records of Pure Land Sages and Worthies. Settle your mind and read them carefully, and you will naturally know which way to turn.

The purpose of studying Buddhism is to cut off afflictions and resolve birth and death. If you do not focus on Pure Land practice, how can you resolve birth and death? Take me, for example: I, too, am past fifty, and I know full well my days are few, yet I am still "rummaging through old papers." It is truly "entering the sea to count the sands, only to wear myself out in vain"! The fault lies in a heart not urgent about birth and death, so I drift along and waste my time. Take note! The thirtieth day of the twelfth month is almost upon us! (A common Chinese metaphor for the moment of death, when one's karmic accounts come due.)

All sentient beings are our past parents and future Buddhas. To kill them and eat them — how could we bring ourselves to swallow a single bite? If you truly understood this, even at the cost of your life, you would not eat any meat at all. Still, the Buddha guides people step by step. Those of superior faculties are told to cut it off entirely; those of middling or lesser faculties are told to reduce gradually, until they too come to give it up completely. The Brahmajāla Bodhisattva Precepts, in the section on light transgressions (precept three), say: "Those who eat meat cut off the seed of great compassion and the Buddha-nature; all sentient beings will see them and turn away." The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra records the Buddha telling Mahākātyāyana: "There are countless reasons not to eat meat." For example: "Sentient beings have, since beginningless time, always been our six kinds of relatives; meat is produced from impure vital energy; other sentient beings who smell it are filled with terror, like dogs that bark in fear at the sight of a caṇḍāla..." The Śūraṅgama Sūtra says: "Even if a meat-eater should attain a state resembling samādhi, they are really a great rākṣasa. How can one who eats the flesh of sentient beings be called a son of the Śākyas?"

Master Lianchi said: "Worldly people eat meat, some claiming it is only natural. So they kill at will, pile up karmic debts, and pass the custom down through the generations without ever realizing what they are doing. As the ancients put it, this is something to weep over and sigh over." He also said: "That people eat meat is a most strange thing, yet they do not think it strange — only because the habit is handed down in their families and shared by their neighbors, and after long practice they no longer recognize it as wrong, even taking it for right. Why would they find it strange? If today someone killed a person and ate their flesh, everyone would be horrified and punish them on the spot, because this is not yet a common practice. The whole world follows the habit without seeing its wrongness — this, too, is something to weep over and sigh over!" (from Essay on Abstaining from Killing).

Those who seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land must not fear death. If you die today, you are reborn in the West today — that is the meaning of "If one hears the Way in the morning, one can die content in the evening." How can you cling to life when the time comes? If you cling to the dust of the world and cannot let go, that very attachment becomes an obstacle: the vision of the Pure Land will not appear, and instead the realms of the six paths will manifest, and you will be reborn in the good or evil paths according to your karma. Once those realms appear, rebirth in the West will have become nothing but a picture painted on a cake!

Therefore, those who practice for rebirth in the West: whether you die today or live another hundred and twenty years and then die, it is all the same. Let your past karma take its course; do not foolishly scheme and calculate. If your faith and vow are genuine, when your karmic reward is exhausted and your life ends, your spirit will immediately transcend to the Pure Land, your karma laid down from worldly toil. A lotus will open in one of the nine grades, and the Buddha will confer on you the prediction of your eventual Buddhahood. If you seek rebirth in the West, how can you fear death? When your karmic reward is exhausted, death is inevitable — can fear keep you from dying?

During the Japanese colonial period in Taiwan, there was a Jōdo Shinshū mission hall in one town that enshrined a statue of Amitābha. Every morning at five o'clock, an old woman would come to the hall to pay her respects. She would kneel before the Buddha and pray aloud: "Amitābha Buddha! This world is so bitter! I want to be reborn in the Western Pure Land. Amitābha! In your great compassion, please come quickly and guide me to the West!" She did this every single day. A young man who looked after the hall had made his sleeping mat under the Buddha's pedestal, and the old woman's cries for rebirth woke him each morning and kept him from sleeping. One morning, when she came again with her "I want to be reborn in the West" prayers, the young man had an idea. As she was wailing, "Amitābha! Please come quickly and guide me to the West!" he spoke from under the pedestal: "All right then — tomorrow — I will come — and fetch — you — to the West!" The old woman was so startled she nearly jumped out of her skin! She turned and ran, and never came back. From that day on, the young man could sleep soundly until the sun came up. A laugh!

It is like a person with no legs, who can barely move a single step, sitting at a crossroads. If someone who wants to go straight home does not know the way, a guide can point out the right road so they reach home quickly. But the person going home would never throw the guide's words away just because the guide himself cannot walk. This passage is the Master's own modest way of speaking. But we can also borrow it as a lesson: a person with right understanding and right view may not be able to practice every teaching in perfect accordance with the Dharma themselves, but they can correctly point out the great road home for others. As long as listeners follow the bright road they have been shown and step forward along it, they will certainly reach their destination — rebirth in the West, the attainment of the Buddha Way.

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Letter in Reply to Layman Gao Shaolin (No. 2)

In your letter you mention that you pay respects to the Lotus Sutra, focus your mind on reciting the Buddha's name, and wish to reduce your faults but have not yet managed to do so, so you plan to follow a daily merit-and-demerit ledger for self-examination. This shows that your recent practice is truly learning for your own sake — nothing at all like people today who only chase fame and praise, deceiving themselves and others. Excellent! Excellent!

"Learning for one's own sake" means practicing and studying specifically to resolve one's own birth and death. Whether paying respects to sutras, reciting mantras, or any other form of practice, sincerity and reverence must be the foundation. If sincerity and reverence are at their height, even an ordinary being who cannot perfectly attain the merits described in the sutras will still gain merits beyond conception. Without sincerity and reverence, the practice is no different from acting in a play: the joys and sorrows are all put on, not coming from within. Even if some merit results, it is no more than the deluded blessings of the human and heavenly realms. And these deluded blessings will inevitably be used to create evil karma — when will the suffering that follows ever come to an end? You should share this meaning with fellow practitioners far and wide, so that practice is true practice and action is real action, and the benefit will be vast. The Master asks you to share it with your fellows precisely because he wants all people to attain liberation in this very life, and ultimately to become fully enlightened. From this we can see the Master's utterly selfless compassionate heart. If we do not truly practice and truly act, we have let the Master down beyond measure!

The rules you have set for bowing to the sutra are perfectly fine in principle. If we look at them in terms of actual practice: if you bow to the whole sutra at once, you should recite: "I take refuge in the Great Vehicle Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra, and in all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Lotus Assembly." When you bow down, visualize the verse for revering the sutra: "True emptiness and Dharma-nature are like empty space; the everlasting treasure of the Dharma is beyond conception. My form appears before the treasure of the Dharma; with one mind, in accordance with the Dharma, I offer my very life in reverence." Visualize the whole sutra radiating light, and all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas described within each radiating light, shining upon yourself and upon all sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm. If you bow to each character individually, you should recite: "With one mind I revere the Great Vehicle Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra, the Dharma-treasure of such-and-such character." When you bow to a particular character, you recite that character; from "Thus have I heard" all the way to the end of the sutra, follow this method for every character.

That said, the practice of visualization is by no means easy. If your understanding of the principles is unclear, or your mind is scattered and confused, it may even give rise to demonic obstacles. The main thing is to approach it with utmost sincerity and reverence. If you can visualize, then visualize; if not, simply bow with full sincerity and respect, straight through without distraction, and the merit is also immeasurable.

This is how to bow to the sutra. When you bow to each character, every character is honored as a Dharma-treasure. For example: "With one mind I revere the Great Vehicle Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra, the Dharma-treasure of the character rú (如)." Bow down, rise, and bow to the second character: "With one mind I revere the Great Vehicle Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra, the Dharma-treasure of the character shì (是)..." Bow in this way through "wǒ" (我) and "wén" (闻), all the way until you finish the sutra and conclude your bows — the pattern is clear. As for the routine you have set up — bowing to the sutra directly, visualizing the verse when you bow down, and reciting or visualizing the Buddha when you rise — it is not as good as placing the sutra before the Buddha and focusing solely on bowing to Amitābha Buddha, which is more concentrated and consistent. Do not suppose that visualizing one Buddha yields less merit than visualizing many Buddhas: you must know that Amitābha Buddha is the embodiment of the entire Dharma realm. All the merits of all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times are wholly present in Amitābha alone. It is like Indra's Net of Jewels: a thousand jewels are gathered into one jewel, and one jewel is reflected in a thousand jewels. Take one and you have all, with nothing lacking and nothing extra.

Ordinary people cling to self and always get stuck on the notion that one is less than many. How could they understand the principle that "the one gives rise to the boundless, and the boundless is contained within the one"? The one is all, the one holds all, so bowing to one Buddha is bowing to all Buddhas — the one and the many are not two. For practitioners of long cultivation, there is no harm in broadening the object of contemplation: the wider the field, the more focused the mind. But for beginners, if the field of contemplation is too wide, the mind becomes scattered; with deep obstacles and shallow wisdom, demonic states may even arise. This is why the World-Honored One and all the patriarchs of every generation have taught people to single-mindedly recite Amitābha Buddha's name. Once samādhi is attained through reciting the Buddha's name, then hundreds of thousands of Dharma gates and countless profound meanings are all fully present. The ancients said: "One who has bathed in the great ocean has no need of the waters of a hundred streams," and "Once you have reached Hanyuan Hall, you need not ask the way to Chang'an." These are the most fitting descriptions. Only by focusing on reciting the Buddha's name and entering deeply into this one gate can you reach "Hanyuan Hall," and only then can you be said to have "bathed in a hundred streams."

As for stopping evil and cultivating good, and earnestly examining yourself, there is nothing better than a merit-and-demerit ledger. But if your mind is not grounded in sincerity and reverence, even daily records of merit and demerit are just empty forms. I have read the preface to Master Yunqi [Lianchi]'s Record of Self-Knowledge and learned of the "Merit-and-Demerit Ledger of the Immortal Lord Taiwei." If you wish to examine your good and evil, merits and demerits, you should follow Master Yunqi Lianchi's Record of Self-Knowledge. This book has recently been printed and distributed by Minglun Press.

From my own observation: just maintain reverence and hold fast to sincerity. Throughout the day and night, never allow even a single thought of frivolity, negligence, or carelessness. In your dealings with the world, keep only loyalty and forbearance in your heart. Then at all times and in all places, evil thoughts will have no way to arise. If, driven by long-standing habits, an evil thought should occasionally surface, as long as sincerity, reverence, loyalty, and forbearance are in your heart, you will naturally become aware of it the moment it arises. Once aware, you will cut it off at once, and it will certainly not grow or develop, dragging your three karmic actions — body, speech, and mind — along with it.

The Master's meaning is this: as long as you constantly maintain sincerity and reverence, and keep loyalty and forbearance in your heart, the effect of stopping evil and cultivating good will surpass the keeping of any merit ledger. The reason petty people fake goodness while actually doing evil is that they think no one knows. They do not realize that the only ones who do not know are ordinary people of the world. Enlightened sages, of course, see everything clearly; and heavenly beings and spirits, though not yet enlightened, see everything clearly through their karmically attained knowledge of others' minds. How much more so the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas, whose minds and wisdom-eyes see the three times as perfectly as the palm of their own hand.

If you want no one to know of your deeds, the only way is to make sure you yourself do not know. But if you yourself know, then heaven, earth, ghosts, spirits, Buddhas, and bodhisattvas all know and see. If you truly understand this, you will not dare to be negligent even in a dark room, and you will not dare to harbor an evil thought where no one sees — because heaven, earth, ghosts, spirits, Buddhas, and bodhisattvas all know. Even a shameless person would have nowhere to hide his face in such a case — how much more so a true cultivator who puts the teachings into practice!

Therefore, if you wish to reduce your faults, you must begin by fearing that all sages and ordinary beings know and see everything. To "see the ancient sages in the soup and on the wall," to "be watchful in solitude as shadow and bedding bear witness" — these are still shallow sayings, framed in terms of worldly perception. "Seeing the ancient sages in the soup and on the wall": The Book of the Later Han, in the biography of Li Gu, records: "After Emperor Yao passed away, Shun gazed after him for three years. When he sat, he saw Yao on the wall; when he ate, he saw Yao in his soup." (Book of the Later Han, vol. 63) "Being watchful in solitude, knowing that shadow and bedding bear witness": The Great Learning says: "When petty persons are idle and alone, there is no evil they will not do... Therefore the noble person must be watchful in solitude." The History of Song, in the biography of Cai Yuanding, records a letter he wrote to instruct his sons: "When you walk alone, do not shame your shadow; when you sleep alone, do not shame your bedding. Do not slacken in your practice just because I have been disgraced." (History of Song, vol. 434)

In truth, our mind is in perfect accord with the very body of the ten-direction Dharma realm. Because of our delusion, our knowing is limited to this single body. But the sages of the ten-direction Dharma realm have fully realized the Dharma-realm treasury-mind inherently possessed by their own minds; therefore every thought and movement of all sentient beings in the Dharma realm is intimately known and seen by them. Why is this? Because all share the same true suchness, and self and other are not two. If you understand this, you will naturally be cautious and vigilant, holding fast to reverence and sincerity. At first you will strive to put an end to deluded thoughts; in time, there will be no deluded thoughts left to put an end to. (Evil thoughts are originally just deluded imaginings. If you do not recognize them, they become real evil; but if you can recognize them, the deluded imaginings vanish and the true mind appears.)

An ancient worthy said: "Do not fear the arising of thoughts; only fear that awareness comes too slowly." If you can stay awake and aware at all times, deluded thoughts naturally cease, and the true mind appears. How does one stay aware? When a deluded thought arises, sharply recite a single Buddha's name; or contemplate where the deluded thought comes from and see that it is ungraspable — and all deluded thoughts will vanish of themselves.

Reply to Layman Gao Shaolin, Letter Three

Many in this world cultivate practice seeking to transcend birth and death, yet again and again they try to fathom the Tathāgata's inconceivable Dharma through their own deluded understanding. They end up driving north to reach Yue—headed entirely the wrong way—unable to attain liberation. If they still lack right view in this very life, what hope is there for the next? Suppose by some chance they regain a human body, only to be seduced by whatever deluded merit they cultivated before—how could we expect them to strive even harder for liberation? Master Yinguang thoroughly exposes the root ailment of ordinary practitioners right here. The Buddha taught that all Dharma gates—whether great or small, provisional or definitive—require one to rely on one's own effort to sever delusion and realize truth before escaping birth and death. If even a hair's breadth of delusion and karma remains, liberation is impossible. And so one cycles from life to life, from kalpa to kalpa, cultivating in vain. A rare few possess sufficient strength to press forward without retreating, and thereby gain liberation. Most, however, briefly awaken only to become confused again; they advance for a moment and fall back for an age. Even after kalpas as numerous as dust motes, they cannot break free. The reason you and I remain ordinary beings today is precisely that we failed to recognize the Pure Land Dharma gate—a teaching the Tathāgata bestowed universally for practitioners of all three levels of capacity, the most complete and sudden of all paths.

Even knowing of the Pure Land, if one's faith is not genuine, one's vow not earnest, and one's practice not vigorous, liberation in this very life remains impossible. How many people in the world can match Patriarch Yinguang's fierce diligence and accomplish liberation in a single lifetime? And yet—"He was a great man, and so am I; I should not deceive myself or shrink back in discouragement." We must rouse ourselves to practice without delay. "Where there's a will, there's a way."

The Buddha, moved by compassion for beings who lack the power to sever delusion and find it so hard to escape birth and death, opened a special "lateral escape" Dharma gate—one that relies on the Buddha's compassionate power and allows beings to be reborn carrying their karma with them. Whether or not one has severed delusion, if one possesses genuine faith and an earnest vow, recites the Buddha's name (the primary practice), and cultivates wholesome deeds, dedicating the merit toward rebirth (the supporting practice), not a single person will fail to be born there. Even one guilty of the five ānantarya crimes and the ten evils—when at death's door the hells appear before him—if his consciousness remains clear and he meets a wise teacher who instructs him to recite the Buddha's name and seek rebirth in the West, then whether he recites ten times or only once, the moment he draws his last breath he will be reborn. This is from the lowest birth of the lowest grade chapter of the Contemplation Sutra—the golden words of the World-Honored One himself. Once reborn, one joins the great oceanic assembly, forever beyond the cycle of saṃsāra, gradually progressing until Buddhahood is complete. Had such a wretched sinner never heard this inconceivable Dharma, he would not escape the hells even after kalpas as numerous as dust motes. Rebirth as a hungry ghost or animal would be hard enough to obtain—let alone a human body with the chance to practice and transcend birth and death.

According to the lowest birth of the lowest grade chapter of the Contemplation of the Infinite Life Sutra: a great evildoer guilty of the five ānantarya crimes and ten evils, provided his consciousness remains lucid at death and he encounters a wise teacher who instructs him to recite the Buddha's name, will assuredly attain rebirth. These are the golden words of the World-Honored One, and we should hold deep faith in them. Yet the real difficulty lies in this one phrase: "consciousness remains lucid"! And not just for perpetrators of the five ānantarya crimes and ten evils—even ordinary people are mostly addled and confused at the moment of death, their minds clouded and scattered. Even with a wise teacher at their side, they may not be able to recite—and how much harder when a wise teacher is so rarely encountered.

One must forge an unshakable resolve: at the moment of death, one will absolutely be reborn in the Western Land. It is not enough to refuse the body of some commonplace nobody—not even the body of a human or heavenly king, nor the body of a monk who renounces the world, awakens upon a single hearing, masters the great dhāraṇī, propagates the Dharma far and wide, and universally benefits all beings—one should regard even such a glorious form as poison and a snare, never giving rise to a single thought of wanting to assume it. With this kind of iron resolve, one's faith, vow, and practice become capable of moving the Buddha, and the Buddha's great vows become capable of drawing one in. When the response and the teaching meet, one is embraced and guided by the Buddha, ascending directly to the nine grades, forever free of saṃsāra. With such unwavering aspiration, the saying holds true: "Of ten thousand who cultivate, ten thousand will go."

The Three Refuges and Five Precepts are the initial gateway into the Buddha Dharma. Any other Dharma gate requires this foundation—how much more so this inconceivable Pure Land path, the simplest, easiest, most complete, and most sudden teaching for attaining liberation in a single lifetime? If one does not examine the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, and does not uphold the Five Precepts, one will not even regain a human body—let alone a body born from a lotus, complete with the marks of beauty and radiant light. Studying Buddhism begins with learning to be a decent human being. The Three Refuges and Five Precepts are the very foundation of human life, which is why Pure Land practitioners must receive and uphold them, as taught in the Three Foldings of Merit in the Contemplation Sutra.

Your day is fading and the road ahead is long. Take the most direct route: for now, focus exclusively on reading and reciting the three Pure Land sūtras and the Chapter on the Vows of Samantabhadra, and study the available commentaries on the Pure Land sūtras. As for recorded sayings, the Diamond Sūtra, and the Lotus Sūtra—set them aside for the time being. What is urgent must come first, and the mind cannot serve two purposes at once. For someone in later years, laying up provisions for the journey to rebirth is the true "urgent task."

As for reducing one's faults, this is essential work in both Confucian and Buddhist practice. Qu Boyu, at fifty, understood the errors of his previous forty-nine years—so much so that people said of him: he wishes to reduce his faults but has not yet managed it. This is genuine effort applied on the ground of the mind, not some matter of constant slips in body and speech. Qu Boyu, given name Qiu, was a disciple of Confucius. See the Analects, chapter "Duke Ling of Wei." Lay practitioners living at home, constantly mingling with ordinary people in daily social life, should be on guard at every moment. Otherwise, not only will the mind's karma be impure, but body and speech may be stained as well. To benefit both oneself and others, nothing compares to studying widely the words and deeds of the ancients, keeping them as a mirror. The Anshi Quanshu is truly the foremost book of its kind in any age—harmonizing the inner teachings of Confucianism and Buddhism, laying out cause and effect in vivid detail, and offering clear methods of practice as a guide for ordinary people. Read it often, and no doubt will remain unresolved, no action taken carelessly.

Anshi Quanshu: written in the early Qing by Zhou Mengyan. Zhou Mengyan, also named Siren and styled Anshi, was a scholar of Kunshan. Broadly learned in the Buddhist canon, he held deep faith in the Pure Land teachings and called himself the Western-Yearning Layman. Observing that sentient beings commit boundless transgressions, with the two karmas of lust and killing accounting for the greater share, he wrote two books on abstaining from each: Taming the Waves of Desire and Provisions for Myriad Virtues. He also compiled Direct Pointers to the Western Land in four volumes. In the first month of the fourth year of the Qianlong reign (1739 CE), he bid farewell to his family, saying: "I am about to return west." They asked him to bathe in fragrant water, but he declined: "I have been bathing in fragrant water for a long time now." He passed away chatting and smiling. A wondrous fragrance filled the entire room. He was eighty-four. (Record of Pure Land Sages and Worthies, vol. 8) The Anshi Quanshu consists of: Abridged and Expanded Commentary on the Tract on Hidden Merit; Provisions for Myriad Virtues; Taming the Waves of Desire; and Direct Pointers to the Western Land.

The Fayuan Zhulin is even more comprehensive in scope. Though not a particularly profound scripture, it is ideal for beginners moving gradually from shallow to deep, with little risk of misunderstanding. If one fails to thoroughly grasp the workings of karma—what is offense, what is merit—and instead tries to plunge straight into the ultimate truth of the real mark, one's view may well be clouded. Mistaking one's experience, one takes confusion for awakening, seeks to rise and falls instead! For the Fayuan Zhulin, see page 198.

Since you have committed to Pure Land practice, you should make Master Lianchi's Newly Compiled Pure Land Vow Text your primary reference. (There is a commentary on this vow text in the lower scroll of Sheng'an's Recorded Sayings—read it and you'll appreciate its subtlety.) That vow text is complete in both phenomena and principle, with not a single meaning or Dharma left out. Among all Pure Land vow texts, Patriarch Yinguang esteemed Master Lianchi's Vow for Rebirth in the Western Land above all others. In a draft reply to a certain layman he wrote: "This text is thorough in both diction and reasoning—the crown jewel of ancient and modern writings."

Reading through your letters, you do seem to be genuinely applying yourself on the ground of the mind. Yet today's scholars so often specialize in empty talk while neglecting real practice. Their aim is reputation and honor, the appearance of cultivation—not genuine self-reflection or the reduction of faults. This is called abandoning oneself, called great false speech, called shamelessness! Those who are free of this are disciples of the sages; those who carry such a spirit are base and worthless—sinners against the Dharma, rebellious children of the Buddha! If it's there, correct it; if not, take it as warning. A straight mind and straight conduct alone accord with the Buddha. How many there are in this age who "speak empty words"! Where is Patriarch Yin's blow to the head, his hammer from behind, to wake them up? Alas.

Furthermore, since you yourself are cultivating Pure Land practice—that is, correcting faults, turning toward good, reciting the Buddha's name, and aspiring to rebirth in the West in this very life—you should also encourage everyone you know to take up the same practice. Follow the "Universal Encouragement" chapter of the Longshu Pure Land Text, guiding people to plant this inconceivable root of goodness according to their ability and means. If you wish to teach others, start with those closest to you and move outward. Could you bear to deny your wife, your children, this benefit? Never forgetting to benefit others—that is the Bodhisattva path as it should be.

For one who seeks rebirth single-mindedly: beyond the ten morning recitations, in every moment—walking, standing, sitting, lying down; speaking, silent, active, still; dressing, eating, even attending to bodily needs—keep the six-syllable great name resting between heart and lips. Of course, adapt your recitation to the time and place. When using the latrine or sleeping, recite silently and never aloud. Silent recitation carries equal merit; reciting aloud in such situations is disrespectful, and reciting while lying down also depletes the breath—bear this in mind.

Passages like this recur throughout the Writings, and readers may find the repetition tedious; it may seem unnecessary to copy them again. Yet I feel that each rereading brings something fresh—one truly never tires of them. Reading such words again and again deepens one's sense of Patriarch Yin's all-encompassing compassion.

Understand this: the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss, as taught, cannot be reached by ordinary beings—nor even by Hīnayāna sages—because it is an inconceivable Mahāyāna realm. A lesser sage who turns his mind toward the Mahāyāna can reach it. An ordinary being without faith and a vow to move the Buddha, even if he cultivates every other excellent practice and upholds the name as the supreme practice, still cannot be reborn. Faith and vow are what matter most. Master Ouyi said: "Whether or not one is reborn depends entirely on the presence of faith and vow; one's grade of rebirth depends entirely on the depth of one's recitation." This is an ironclad verdict that not even a thousand Buddhas appearing in the world could overturn. If you can truly believe this, you can be assured of your share in the Western Land.

The Treatise on Rebirth states: "The realm of Mahāyāna good roots, where no disparaging names exist—women, the disabled, those of the two vehicles' disposition are not born there." The Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is an inconceivable Mahāyāna realm; therefore, there are no women there, nor anyone whose faculties are incomplete.

Reply to Layman Gao Shaolin, Letter Four

Receiving your letter, I see that you've been cultivating with genuine sincerity of late—examining your own faults, working to reduce them, aspiring to the way of sages and worthiness rather than merely chasing the hollow reputation of a practitioner. This brings me boundless joy!

Self-reproach (自讼): This means holding oneself accountable. Analects, Gongye Chang: "I have never seen anyone who could perceive his own faults and inwardly reproach himself." Collected Commentaries: "One who inwardly reproves himself—his mouth says nothing, yet his heart blames itself."

Reducing faults (寡过): Having fewer errors. Analects, Xianwen: "The Master wished to reduce his faults but had not yet succeeded."

Seeking the reputation of practice: Refer to Master Xing'an's "Essay on Arousing Bodhicitta," particularly the sections on "false, orthodox, true, and counterfeit," to see whether you suffer from the disease of reputation-seeking.

Those who wish to learn from the Buddhas and Patriarchs to transcend life and death must proceed through shame, remorse, ceasing evil, and cultivating good. (Shame, remorse, ceasing evil, and cultivating good are precisely self-reproach, reducing faults, subduing the self, and returning to propriety. If you can reprove yourself, faults will naturally diminish. Few faults is the actual practice of subduing the self. Having subdued the self, you naturally return to propriety.)

Shame and remorse (惭愧): The Nirvana Sutra says: "The Buddha declared: There are two white dharmas that can save sentient beings. First, shame (cán); second, remorse (kuì). Shame means not committing wrongdoing oneself; remorse means not inducing others to commit it. Shame is inward self-disgust; remorse is disclosure to others. … Those without shame and remorse cannot be called human; they are called beasts!" (Brahmacarya Chapter)

Remorse/Confession (忏悔): The Zichiji says: "In Sanskrit, kṣamā; this is translated as 'remorse for the past.' Some say chàn-huǐ, combining both Sanskrit and Chinese. According to the Yeshū commentary: Take its meaning—that of not creating new offenses. Chàn means to cease and cut off future wrongs; huǐ means to feel shame in the heart for past transgressions."

Subduing the self and returning to propriety (克己复礼): Analects, Yanyuan: "The Master said: To subdue the self and return to propriety is ren. If for one day one could subdue the self and return to propriety, the whole world would turn to ren." Subduing the self means restraining one's selfish desires—constraining oneself so that all conduct returns to propriety. Collected Commentaries: "Completely subdue one's selfishness; let everything return to propriety."

Your resolve regarding fasting and vigilance is deeply sincere. But you must plant your feet on solid ground and do your utmost to follow through. Otherwise it becomes falsehood layered on falsehood. To know is not difficult; to practice is hard. How many clever people in the world have passed their entire lives merely talking without acting! They enter the treasure mountain and return empty-handed—what a pity! What a pity!

"Merely talking without acting" is the common failing of practitioners. I myself am among those "many clever people." I must take advantage of the fact that this life isn't entirely "finished" yet. Having personally arrived at the "treasure mountain," I urgently need to reach out both hands and gather enough "treasures" so that when the last day of the twelfth lunar month arrives, I won't return "empty-handed." Let us encourage one another, fellow Pure Land practitioners!

As for a mind filled with delusive thoughts, bustling to and fro, clustering around wherever the mind wanders—this happens because you haven't truly raised proper mindfulness. When proper mindfulness is sincere and keen, those thoughts will follow it into single-pointed concentration instead. As the saying goes: When the mind is skillfully trained, even bandits become innocent children; when training loses its way, even your own limbs turn into enemies.

At the stage of an ordinary being, who doesn't have delusive thoughts? When thoughts arise during Buddha-recitation, the ancient worthies offered methods to counteract them. A few are recorded here for reference:

Master Yunqi's Posthumous Manuscripts: "Question: This mind has been running wild for so long. Although I use Buddha-recitation to gather it in, I regain it only briefly before losing it again. How can I maintain it? Answer: A long-rebellious territory cannot be reclaimed in a single battle. Only through firm, courageous perseverance—waiting until the mind-ground opens to clarity—will one naturally attain it once and for all."

He also said: "A long-disturbed mind won't settle in an instant. When the reciting mind isn't clear, don't worry—just let the practice deepen. Recite each character and phrase with your whole heart." The so-called "reciting each character and phrase with your whole heart"—if you follow the "ten-recitation counting method" described below, delusion will naturally subside.

One Hundred Questions on Buddha-Recitation: "How can one eliminate scattered thoughts? (Answer:) Don't try to eliminate them. Just rouse your spirit, and with this single thought, place everything wholly on the Buddha. Scattered thoughts will vanish."

Master Xing'an said: "Don't complain that delusive thoughts are many when you recite the Buddha's name. Just observe where they arise. Gathering them carelessly is itself a sickness; deliberately driving them out is also a demon. Fighting fire by adding firewood only feeds the flames; opening a dike to channel water only creates a flood. Simply recite each character clearly. When recitation reaches its peak and the passions fall away—what's left?"

The Sutra of Perfect Awakening says: "Knowing this to be an empty flower, there is no more turning of the wheel, nor any body and mind subject to birth and death."

At the stage of an ordinary being, who doesn't have afflictions? You must anticipate and guard against them in your daily life, so that when circumstances arise, they won't suddenly flare up. Even if they do, you can immediately awaken awareness and reflection to dissolve them.

The circumstances that stir afflictions are countless, but the most potent come down to just a few: wealth, sensual desire, and unexpected adversity. If you understand that ill-gotten wealth is more harmful than a venomous snake, you won't suffer the affliction of grasping at money when it appears. The Buddha regarded gold as a venomous snake—this story is widely known; see briefly "Taste of Dharma," entry 95. There's also the account of someone who, greedy for gold, was reborn as a venomous snake after death, found in the Sutra of Wise and Foolish Causes and Conditions, scroll 4, and the Sutra and Vinaya Different Aspects, lower scroll.

When you give others convenience, it ultimately comes back to your own path—then you won't feel the affliction of refusing to help the desperate and needy out of miserliness.

As for sensual desire: even when facing beauty like flowers or jade, maintain the heart of an elder or younger sister. Even if she is a courtesan, regard her this way—generating compassion and the resolve to liberate her. Then you won't suffer the affliction of lust stirred by beauty.

If husband and wife respect each other as guests, regarding wife and concubines as benefactors who help continue the ancestral line rather than treating them as instruments of mutual pleasure, then there will be no affliction of destroying the body through indulgence, of a wife unable to bear children, or of children failing to amount to anything.

If children are properly taught from a young age, there will be no affliction of filial defiance or ruined family reputation. Please refer to the Records of Eminent Sayings of Patriarch Yin: Section Nine, On Lay Practitioners of Faith: A. Teaching the Great Human Relations; B. On Family Education (pp. 192–202).

As for unexpected adversity: you should give rise to compassion, pitying the other person's ignorance rather than arguing. You can also reflect that you may have harmed them in a past life, and that through this encounter you're repaying an old debt—generating a joyful heart. Then there will be no affliction of retaliating against adversity. Please refer to Records of Eminent Sayings, Section Six, On Emphasizing Cause and Effect (pp. 104–132).

However, the foregoing is meant to accommodate beginners. If a long-cultivating practitioner can realize self-emptiness, then endless afflictions will all transform into the Great Treasury of Light. Consider: a knife is sharpened by grinding; gold is refined to purity; the lotus, nourished by mud, achieves its pristine radiance. Circumstances have no inherent nature—whether they harm or benefit depends on the person.

Self-emptiness (我空): Also called life-emptiness or person-emptiness. Sentient beings, though possessing body and mind, are merely provisional combinations of the five aggregates, without any permanent, singular self-entity—hence "self-emptiness." Also called sentient-being emptiness. The Ten Dharmas of the Tripiṭaka says: "Self-emptiness: Regarding the five aggregates, forcibly positing a master is called self-clinging. If one examines the five dharmas of form, sensation, perception, formation, and consciousness, none has self-nature; no self-entity can be found—this is called self-emptiness."

Great Treasury of Light (大光明藏): The Sutra of [Tathāgata's] One [Body] says: "The Tathāgata's body is the Treasury of Infinite Light." The Thousand-Armed Dhāraṇī Sutra says: "Know that this person is the Treasury of Light, illumined by the light of all Tathāgatas."

The three karmic actions and four postures (walking, standing, sitting, lying down)—always maintain Yanyuan's Four Negations. The five precepts and ten good deeds—emulate Master Zeng's Three Daily Reflections.

Four Negations: Do not look at what is contrary to propriety; do not listen to what is contrary to propriety; do not speak what is contrary to propriety; do not act contrary to propriety. (Analects, Yanyuan)

Three Daily Reflections: Master Zeng said: "Each day I reflect on three things: In serving others, have I been loyal? In dealings with friends, have I been trustworthy? In transmitting [the teachings], have I failed to practice them?" (Analects, Xue'er)

Though no one sees you in a dark room, Heaven, Earth, and spirits all know. The moment a thought stirs in secrecy, its reward or retribution is determined—heaven and abyss apart. "Dark deeds in hidden rooms, the gods' eyes flash like lightning; private whispers on earth, Heaven hears as thunder." "Yang Zhen's Four Knowings." The Book of Consequences and Retribution says: "Misfortune and fortune have no gate; they are summoned by oneself alone. The recompense of good and evil follows like a shadow." It also says: "When the mind turns toward good, though the good hasn't yet been done, auspicious spirits already follow. When the mind turns toward evil, though the evil hasn't yet been done, inauspicious spirits already follow."

If you can cultivate in this way, you'll find that all your actions become good, and evil finds no place to arise. This is what's meant by "Do no evil; practice all good." This is truly the great framework for rectifying the heart and making the intention sincere. Don't dismiss the Buddhist teachings as trivial or claim they aren't as straightforward as the Confucian approach.

Rectifying the heart and making the intention sincere (正心诚意): The Great Learning: "The ancients who wished to make their illustrious virtue shine throughout the world first governed their state. Wishing to govern their state, they first regulated their families. Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons. Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first made their intentions sincere. Wishing to make their intentions sincere, they first extended their knowledge. The extension of knowledge lies in investigating things. When things are investigated, knowledge is extended. When knowledge is extended, intention becomes sincere. When intention is sincere, the heart is rectified. When the heart is rectified, the person is cultivated. When the person is cultivated, the family is regulated. When the family is regulated, the state is governed. When the state is governed, the world is at peace."

The Buddha-dharma—the Tripiṭaka of twelve divisions—its principles are lofty, profound, and vast; its scope is boundless. There is nothing it doesn't embrace, nothing it doesn't contain. It is vast and profound—not "trivial." It's just that people today seldom find the gate to enter, and can't help but sigh before the "treasury" in discouragement!

As for the Pure Land method of Buddha-recitation, it takes faith, vows, and practice as its three essential principles. When these three are fully present, rebirth is certain. Without true faith and earnest vows, even genuine practice won't lead to rebirth—much less the halfhearted efforts of the lax! Master Ouyi said: Whether one attains rebirth depends entirely on the presence or absence of faith and vows; the level of rebirth depends entirely on the depth of name-recitation. This is an unchanging truth for all three times, a wondrous path that embraces practitioners of all capacities. You should throw your whole being into it, so that you may personally realize its true benefit.

Master Ouyi's words appear in the Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sutra. After the main division's three sections are complete, it continues: "Faith, vows, and name-recitation are the essential meaning of the sutra. Faith and vows constitute the practice of wisdom; name-recitation constitutes the practice of action. Whether one attains rebirth depends entirely on the presence or absence of faith and vows; the level of rebirth depends entirely on the depth of name-recitation. Thus the practice of wisdom serves as the guide, while the practice of action is the main cultivation—like eyes and feet working together."

The three—faith, vows, and practice—are all explained in detail throughout the Ten Essentials. And the first, the Essential Explanation of the Amitābha Sutra, within the Fivefold Profound Meaning, in the third section on clarifying the aim, elaborates these three principles most thoroughly and precisely. Afterward, each section and paragraph contains further instructions—you should study them carefully. I won't repeat everything here.

A brief excerpt: This sutra takes faith, vows, and name-recitation as the essential principles of cultivation. Without faith, vows cannot arise; without vows, practice cannot be guided; without the wondrous practice of name-recitation, vows cannot be fulfilled and faith cannot be verified. In the sutra: first, the dependent and principal [lands] are presented to generate faith; next, vows are urged to guide practice; then name-recitation is revealed as the direct path to non-retrogression.

Faith means: faith in oneself, faith in others, faith in cause, faith in effect, faith in phenomena, faith in principle. Vows means: weariness of Sahā and yearning for the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Practice means: holding the Name with a unified mind, without confusion…

Only the method of name-recitation gathers the widest range of capacities and is easiest to begin. Therefore the compassionate Śākyamuni, unasked, spoke of it himself, especially singling it out for the greatly wise Śāriputra. It may be called: the foremost expedient among expedients, the unsurpassed definitive teaching among definitive teachings, the most complete and sudden among complete-and-sudden teachings! Hence: "A clear pearl cast into turbid water—the turbid water cannot but become clear; the Buddha's name cast into a scattered mind—the scattered mind cannot but become Buddha." (The above clarifies the aim.)

On the prologue: "Furthermore: the two existences serve as a prologue exhorting faith; the land named Ultimate Bliss serves as a prologue exhorting vows; the Buddha named Amitābha serves as a prologue exhorting the wondrous practice of name-recitation." Faith, vows, and name-recitation are the sutra's essential meaning… like eyes and feet working together (as quoted above).

On "should give rise to vows": "If faith and vows are firm, then even ten recitations or one recitation at life's end will certainly attain rebirth. Without faith and vows, even if you recite the Name until wind can't enter and rain can't penetrate—like a wall of bronze and iron—there is still no basis for rebirth. Pure Land practitioners must understand this."

On "hearing the name and holding to it": "Hearing leads to faith; faith leads to vows; only then will one hold to the Name. Not believing and not vowing is the same as never hearing. Though it becomes a distant cause, it isn't called 'hearing-wisdom.' Holding to it means each thought remembers the Buddha's name—therefore it is 'reflection-wisdom.'"

On the concluding section: "The one method of faith, vows, and name-recitation perfectly gathers and perfectly transcends all dharmas. Vertically, it is identical to all dharmas; horizontally, it is utterly distinct. Since it was spoken unasked, who could presume to promote its transmission? Only a Buddha with a Buddha can fully exhaust the reality of all dharmas: this sutra belongs to the Buddha's domain alone—only Buddha with Buddha can transmit it… First, the transmission exhorting faith; second, the transmission exhorting vows; third, the transmission exhorting practice."

On "already, now, and future vows": "Those who already vowed have already been born; those who now vow are now born; those who will vow will be born. This directly shows that vows arising from faith are never in vain. Without faith, vows cannot arise; without vows, faith cannot bear fruit. Therefore: if you have faith, you should give rise to vows. Moreover, vows are the seal of faith and the pivot of practice—an especially essential matter. In raising vows, faith and practice are both included—hence the earnest threefold exhortation."

On the five turbidities: "Furthermore, just this faith and vow adorn a single recitation of Amitābha. They transform the turbidity of kalpa into the pure assembly of the Pure Land; the turbidity of views into Immeasurable Light; the turbidity of afflictions into Eternal Quiescent Light; the turbidity of sentient beings into lotus-birth; the turbidity of lifespan into Immeasurable Life. Thus a single recitation of Amitābha is precisely the anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi dharma that our root teacher Śākyamuni attained in the evil world of the five turbidities. Now he bestows this entire fruit of awakening upon beings in that turbid, evil world. This is the domain practiced by all Buddhas—only a Buddha with a Buddha can exhaust it; it cannot be believed or understood through the self-power of the nine realms."

On the difficult-to-believe dharma: "The single practice of faith, vows, and name-recitation requires no contrivance, yet perfectly transforms the five turbidities—only faith can enter. It is not a realm accessible to ordinary reasoning. Were it not that our root teacher came into this evil world, manifested the attainment of bodhi, and with great wisdom and great compassion saw this, practiced this, and spoke this—how could sentient beings ever receive it?"

As for Buddha-recitation—when the mind won't settle into unity, gather it and recite with urgent sincerity; naturally it will unify. The foremost method for gathering the mind is utmost sincerity. Without sincerity, there's no way to gather it. Once you're sincere but the mind still isn't fully unified, gather your ears and listen closely. Whether reciting aloud or silently, the recitation should rise from the heart, the sound issue from the mouth, and the sound enter the ear (in silent recitation, the mouth doesn't move, but in the mind there remains the image of reciting). The heart and mouth recite clearly and distinctly; the ears hear clearly and distinctly. When you gather the mind this way, delusive thoughts naturally subside.

If the waves of delusion still surge, use the ten-recitation counting method. Then your mind's full strength is poured into a single Buddha's name—even if a delusive thought tries to arise, there's no room for it. This is the ultimate wondrous method for gathering the mind in recitation. In the past, those who propagated the Pure Land hadn't spoken of it, because people's faculties were still sharp enough to unify without it. Master Yin found the mind hard to subdue and so discovered the wonder of this method. He tested it repeatedly with consistent results—it isn't a casual opinion. He wished to share it with dull-facultied people of his time and ages to come, so that everyone who practices would reach the goal.

This is the Patriarch's utmost compassion, revealing this wondrous method of gathering the mind in recitation. We should follow his instruction, hoping to personally realize its true benefit.

— Next, the counting method:

The ten-recitation counting method works as follows: When reciting the Buddha's name, from the first phrase to the tenth, you must recite each clearly and also keep count clearly. After ten, start again from one—you can't count to twenty or thirty. Count as you go; remember as you recite. Don't use beads; rely on the mind alone. If counting straight to ten is difficult, divide it into two breaths: one to five, then six to ten. If that's still hard, do three breaths: one to three, four to six, seven to ten. Recite clearly, count clearly, hear clearly—delusive thoughts find nowhere to gain footing. Single-minded non-confusion will come naturally in time.

Following this method, develop constancy and exert diligent effort. Don't slacken or turn back until the goal is reached. This is the Patriarch's teaching, born of experience—you should trust it deeply and practice it vigorously.

Note: This ten-recitation method and the morning ten-recitation are the same in gathering delusion but very different in how they're practiced. The morning ten-recitation takes one full breath as a single recitation, regardless of how many Buddha-names are said. Here, one phrase of the Buddha's name is one recitation. The former works for the morning ten only—if you do twenty or thirty, it will injure your breath and cause illness. Here, reciting one phrase, the mind knows one; reciting ten phrases, the mind knows ten—from one to ten, from one to ten again. Even if you recite tens of thousands daily, count this way.

Not only does it eliminate delusion, it best nourishes the spirit. Fast or slow, there's no obstruction; from morning to night, it's always appropriate. Compared with bead-counting recitation, the benefit is night and day! Beads tire the body and disturb the spirit; this method rests the body and settles the mind. When you're busy working and counting is difficult, just recite earnestly and directly. When the work is done, gather the mind and resume counting. Then the bustling thoughts will follow the Buddha's name into single-pointed focus.

Mahāsthāmaprāpta said: "Gather the six sense-roots entirely; let pure recitation continue unbroken; attain samādhi—this is the foremost method."

Those of sharp faculties needn't worry. But for us dull-facultied types, without this ten-recitation counting method, trying to gather all six roots and maintain unbroken pure recitation would be immensely difficult!

People nowadays often think Buddha-recitation is easy. In one sense, it is—anyone can recite a Buddha's name. But to recite it well, to reach single-minded non-confusion—that isn't easy at all. Hence: "A three-year-old can recite it, but an eighty-year-old may not have mastered it" (meaning single-mindedness).

Also, understand that this method of gathering the mind in recitation is an inconceivable dharma—at once shallow and deep, at once small and great. Simply trust the Buddha's words. Don't let your own limited understanding breed doubt, lest the good roots of countless kalpas be severed midway and you fail to obtain the true benefit. That would be tragic!

Patriarch Ouyi said: "In the Great Treasury of Teachings, many principles and events lie beyond ordinary thought. Though you can't immediately understand them, you should trust them reverently. Never rashly generate slander." (Commentary on the Bodhisattva Precepts of the Dīgha, Explanation of the Twenty-seventh Precept: Not Believing the Deep Dharma.)

Bead-counting recitation is suitable only while walking or standing. If you're sitting quietly to rest the spirit, the hand movement prevents the spirit from settling—and over time, illness results. The ten-recitation counting method works for walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. When lying down, only silent recitation is appropriate—don't recite aloud. Reciting aloud is, first, disrespectful and, second, injures the breath. Remember this well!

If you can only recite with a rosary, you must learn to recite without one, using the ten-recitation counting method. At the moment of death, your hands won't be able to hold a rosary.

Layperson, you're nearing fifty, bound by the cage of worldly obligations, and have never sought out a teacher. If you wish to end the cycle of birth and death in this very life, you should devote yourself exclusively to the Pure Land. Set the Diamond Sutra and Lotus Sutra aside for now. Once you've thoroughly mastered the Pure Land teachings and attained single-mindedness, then study them—it won't be too late. If you take them up now, I fear your energy and wisdom won't be equal to both. You'll gain one and lose the other, mastering neither, and both benefits will slip away.

Of all things, none is more urgent than birth and death. Handle this great matter first—it's the pressing priority. Everything else can wait.

The Discernment of Errors and Heterodoxies pertains to the Chan school. Even those deeply versed in Buddhist doctrine find it difficult to understand—how much more a layperson? Discernment of Errors and Heterodoxies: Eight scrolls. Xuzang, Volume 114. Authored by Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing dynasty, titled "Imperial Compilation of the Discernment of Errors and Heterodoxies." In the Linji school, by the late Ming and early Qing, under Miyun Yuanwu there was a monk named Sanfeng Fazang, who cited the Record of Wisdom-Realization to expound the lineage's key principles. The wider community was startled and skeptical; criticism erupted on all sides. Yuanwu wrote to admonish him; Fazang replied in his own defense and composed the Five Schools' Origins, putting forth heterodox views. Yuanwu wrote the Brief Refutation of Errors, refuting him repeatedly. Fazang's disciple Tanji Hongren then wrote the Defense of the Five Schools, further maintaining his teacher's position. Later, Emperor Yongzheng condemned the views of Fazang and Hongren as "demonic teachings" and refuted the Defense of the Five Schools point by point—this became the Discernment of Errors and Heterodoxies. In the book, Sanfeng Zang is called "Demon Zang" and Tanji Ren "Demon Ren." So this "demon" refers to Fazang and Hongren—not the "four demons" of standard Buddhist cosmology.

All Chan texts and records—don't study them at all. Chan's meaning lies beyond words. If you interpret it literally, you'll misunderstand the Buddha-dharma, turning a good cause into a bad result. That's precisely why the Song-dynasty Chan master Dahui Zonggao committed the Blue Cliff Record to the flames—he feared people would misunderstand it and suffer the consequences.

The Brief History of the Śākya Lineage is a chronicle-style book focused mainly on Chan. All such works should be set aside and left uninvestigated. Brief History of the Śākya Lineage: Four scrolls. Taishō Tripiṭaka, Volume 49; Xuzang, Volumes 132 and 133. Compiled by Jue'an of the Yuan dynasty. The book is in annalistic form, recording Buddhist history, largely following the Comprehensive Mirror of the Śākya Lineage, also citing the Comprehensive Records of Buddhas and Patriarchs of Successive Generations. So that Buddhist monks might have some general knowledge of secular history, the rise and fall of successive dynasties is also included.

I often say: To obtain the true benefit of the Buddha-dharma, seek it within reverence. With one measure of reverence, one measure of karmic offense is extinguished and one measure of merit and wisdom grows. With ten measures of reverence, ten measures of offense are extinguished and ten measures of merit and wisdom grow. Without any reverence at all, though you may plant a distant cause, the offense of disrespect and arrogance is beyond imagination. Whenever you meet anyone of faith, convey this to them. This is the definitive truth, from the beginner's first aspiration to ultimate realization. If you dismiss it as the stale preaching of some pedantic monk, you're simply abandoning yourself. And not only would you be failing Master Yin—you'd be failing yourself!

The Patriarch's compassion moved him to remind us, again and again, that learning Buddhism requires reverence. If we still let it go in one ear and out the other, we fail ourselves most grievously!