Reflections on Reading *The Horned Tiger Anthology*

Author: Venerable Huang Nianju

Taking the Triple Refuge, observing the Five Precepts, receiving the Bodhisattva Precepts—some even seek the full Bhikshu Precepts. All of these come from our Original Teacher! Buddhism places the highest value on lineage transmission. Lineage transmission of the Dharma is like passing a lamp from one generation to the next. The Dharma taught by Shakyamuni Buddha is the light of wisdom, a lamp that must be passed down unbroken from generation to generation. This makes Shakyamuni Buddha our true Teacher: he is the one who passed the light of wisdom into our hearts.

The kindness of our Teacher far outstrips even that of our parents. Our parents give us our physical body, while our Original Teacher gives us our wisdom-life, enabling us to realize it. So we are bound to honor our Teachers. Some of you may not have directly received precepts or taken refuge from an elder master, but you are still part of our Laypersons’ Grove community, guided by all who have shared the Dharma here. Anyone who has expounded the Dharma within our Grove counts as a Teacher. As the saying goes, when you drink water, remember its source. We should all hold gratitude for this kindness and repay it. To honor the Teacher is to know this kindness, to feel gratitude for it, and to repay it in turn.

Lately I’ve received a number of books from various sources. One of them I read before the Cultural Revolution, and not just once. I found it again today, and have been reading through several of its volumes. This is why studying the Dharma is so inconceivable, as Confucius also said: “Reviewing the old, one learns the new.” You can’t say, “I’ve read this book once, that’s enough.” Read it again, and as the saying goes, “Every time you pick it up, it feels new.” I got a great deal out of it this time around. Today I’d like to offer the teachings from this book to everyone here; their meaning is truly profound.

This book, in Beijing dialect, is called Jiao Hǔ Jí; the first character is properly pronounced jué. It refers to a tiger with horns. The title comes from a verse by Master Yongming:

“One who has both Chan and Pure Land is like a horned tiger; Now he is a teacher to the world, In the future he will become a Buddha and patriarch.”

To have both Chan and Pure Land means you have attained awakening in the Chan tradition, and can recite the Buddha’s name with single-minded focus. This is the “horned tiger” the verse describes. Tigers are already rare, fierce and brave, the king of all beasts. A horned tiger is all the more formidable! This verse does not appear in the standard Pure Land texts we usually reference, but every word in this collection is the work of a “horned tiger”—a great Chan master who has attained awakening. So today I’ve selected one passage from it that is especially relevant for us.

You might ask: what’s the benefit of this? Don’t we have enough Pure Land teachings as it is? Why turn to the words of Chan masters to explain these points? Because many of us, especially those with a scholarly background, can’t help but hold this assumption: if their spiritual faculties were sharp enough, they should practice Chan instead. Chan is seen as a path for those with superior faculties and keen intelligence, so they often look down on the Pure Land method, dismissing it as a practice for ordinary, unlearned people. Even if they do bring themselves to recite the Buddha’s name, they see it as a last resort, something they turn to only because they have no other option.

This is exactly why teachings like this are so valuable. Every line here comes from great Chan masters who have attained full awakening. Even after their awakening, they still studied Pure Land, and went on to spread its teachings far and wide. This shows the old assumption is wrong: it is not only those with sharp faculties who practice Chan, while those of lesser capacity are limited to Pure Land. These masters not only awakened through Chan practice—they attained full, great awakening. Even after decades of dedicated cultivation, they still chose to practice Pure Land and teach it to others.

From this, we can see the supreme excellence of the Pure Land Dharma gate, which a thousand sutras and myriad treatises all point to, and which all the Buddhas of the ten directions praise in unison. No matter what school of Buddhism you follow, even the greatest Chan masters ultimately rely on Pure Land and propagate it. This only deepens our faith in the Pure Land path and our commitment to practicing it.

The Jiao Hu Ji is full of passages like this, praising the excellence of Pure Land. I’ve chosen just one for today: it comes from a great master of the Chan tradition’s Linji lineage, a fully awakened teacher. He lays out the key points of Buddha-recitation and spiritual practice, and explains how to attain success in them—summarizing everything we need to know for us. He was a Chan practitioner who attained awakening, yet his words carry profound depth. What he says aligns perfectly with the teachings in Master Ouyi’s Essential Explanation of the Amitabha Sutra.

This shows there are no real, inherent divisions between Buddhist schools. In its earliest days in India, Buddhism was not split into separate schools at all. The great master Ashvaghosha is revered as the patriarch of all eight major schools. There were no sectarian splits in India back then: the Dharma was one complete, unified whole. For example, the esoteric Buddhist teachings of Mahamudra and Dzogchen are in fact expressions of the same insight at the heart of the Chan tradition. These are words spoken from the perspective of one who has realized enlightenment through Chan practice.

Today I’ve selected one such piece (found in Volume Four of the Jiao Hu Ji) as an offering to everyone.

The author of this text was Chan Master Yongjue Yuanxian, abbot of Gushan in Fuzhou and a patriarch of the Linji lineage. In his youth, after hearing a monk recite a verse, he felt a strong urge to leave home and ordain. Later he met a wise spiritual teacher, and gradually deepened his practice until he attained full, great awakening. After his great awakening, his final verse read:

“The golden rooster pecks through the blue lapis lazuli; Ten thousand verses stilled, a thousand silences—known only to oneself. I lie at ease on a single sail, the sky bright and clear; No more do the rain doves cry before the mountain.”

(The golden rooster pecking through the blue lapis lazuli represents the sudden emergence of our innate wisdom-light, shattering the veil of ignorance in an instant. The line “ten thousand verses stilled, a thousand silences” points to the complete cessation of all mental chatter and conceptual thought—this state is known only to the one who has realized it. The state of awakening attested to in the Chan tradition is something those who have not realized it cannot experience or even imagine. As an ancient Chan master put it: “Shenxiu, even as a National Master, could not even touch the edge of the Sixth Patriarch’s realization.” Shenxiu had only faith in the Sixth Patriarch: he said, “My master passed the robe and bowl to him, so he must be my superior.” But he had no way of knowing the true depth of the Sixth Patriarch’s awakening. “I lie at ease on a single sail, the sky bright and clear” describes the ease of his settled mind: vast, cloudless, and at peace. The line about rain doves refers to the way ordinary people’s minds are restless and noisy, like doves calling in the rain; but for one who is awakened, that restlessness is gone, like doves falling silent when the weather turns cold, no longer calling from the mountains ahead.)

With such a profound state of realization, this fully awakened patriarch held the “six-character name of Amitabha” in the highest regard, seeing it as the “raft that ferries beings across the degenerate age.” He taught that reciting these six syllables—Namo Amituofo—is the only path for sentient beings in the degenerate age to cross over to liberation; it is the sole method we can rely on. So he wrote this essential guide to Buddha-recitation, sharing it as instruction for all. Its teachings are truly excellent!

Let’s look at this from another angle, just as the poem says of Mount Lu: “From the side, it is a range; from the front, a peak.” We’ve heard the Pure Land masters speak on this; now let us hear what the Chan masters have to say. In this essay, he lays out six key points:

1. The Source of the Pure Land Teaching:

What is the origin of the Pure Land teaching? "In ages past, the Buddha appeared in the world for the sake of one great cause and condition, expounding countless teachings to suit all capacities—nothing more than to cleanse away the defilements of habitual tendencies and restore one's original purity." Every Buddha, in ages past, has appeared in the world for the sake of this one great cause and condition. As the Lotus Sutra explains, why do all the Thus Come Ones appear in the world? It is for the sake of one great cause and condition—not a small one, but a momentous one! Because of this great cause, they appear in the world. What is this great cause? "To open, reveal, awaken, and cause beings to enter the Buddha's wisdom and vision." Appearing in the world for this great cause, they expound countless teachings, guiding beings according to their capacity, opening, showing, awakening, and enabling them to enter the Buddha's wisdom. They dispel the defilements brought by habitual tendencies and restore one's original radiant luminosity. So the Buddha wants everyone to understand their own wonderful, bright original mind. That's what this one great cause is about.

Why expound countless teachings, adapting the teaching to each capacity? Because your habitual tendencies run so deep. Countless eons of birth and death have piled up bad habits and veiled you in ignorance. The Buddha teaches you to lay these tendencies aside and recover your original pure luminosity—that's the whole point.

"But since capacities differ, teachings also vary in thousands of ways. If one seeks a practice most easy to enter the path, most stable in yielding results, and most swift in attainment, none surpasses the single gateway of Pure Land." People's faculties are not the same—they vary endlessly. No two people are ever completely identical. People differ as much as their faces; if everyone's appearance were exactly alike, how confusing that would be—you couldn't tell anyone apart. So no two faces are alike, and no two sets of faculties are identical. Because faculties differ, the Thus Come One's teachings also vary in a thousand ways. "If one seeks a practice most easy to enter the path, most stable in yielding results, and most swift in attainment, none surpasses the single gateway of Pure Land." Notice: these are the words of a Chan Buddhist, not a Pure Land practitioner bragging. We're not like Old Mother Wang hawking her own melons. These are the words of a great Chan master. Among all teachings, with capacities differing, if you seek the easiest and steadiest—well, some methods today are hardly steady. Take Chan meditation, for instance. Even reaching the stage of sitting through the night without lying down might count as a degree of attainment, yet illness can still arise—there are real cases of this happening right before our eyes. The Esoteric school is indeed supreme, but precisely because it is supreme, the retinues of demon kings disguise themselves as Esoteric practitioners, setting up altars everywhere, recruiting disciples everywhere, spreading heterodox teachings everywhere... once you plunge in, you may be lost for countless eons. Not safe! Especially for a beginner, how would you know a genuine teacher from a fraud? The Esoteric school is good, but it isn't like the Pure Land school. What's the Pure Land approach? If someone says, "I just want you to do nothing else but single-mindedly recite the Buddha's name"—no matter who says it, we can all listen, can't we? Bringing forth the Bodhi mind to recite the Buddha's name is the steadiest way! And not only the easiest and steadiest, but "most swift in yielding results"—the fastest benefit. Three superlatives: easiest, steadiest, swiftest. "None surpasses the single gateway of Pure Land"—praise for Pure Land from the mouth of a Chan practitioner. We should pay special attention to this. When outsiders praise our path, it means it really is so. Why doesn't a Chan Buddhist simply say, "Chan is best! Don't bother reciting the Buddha's name"? Because Shakyamuni Buddha himself openly told us to recite Amitabha's name and seek rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. He never said, "Stay in my land and don't leave." The Buddha is most compassionate, so he uses the finest method to save beings. Shakyamuni Buddha even taught his own father to recite the Buddha's name, and he taught seventy thousand of his kinsmen to recite as well. And Shakyamuni Buddha's father, in his own lifetime, attained enlightenment and obtained the patience of non-arising—just like Vaidehi. Of all the people we should repay, our father comes first. The Buddha saved his father by this very method. That is the hallmark of Pure Land: easiest, steadiest, and swiftest.

"What is meant by 'Pure Land'? It refers to the lands arrayed throughout the vast empty cosmos. Some are pure, some are impure. When sentient beings' minds are pure, they are born in pure lands; when their minds are turbid, they are born in impure lands." What is "Pure Land"? Within the great void, within the entire Dharma realm, there are many lands. Modern astronomy has discovered countless worlds. Some are pure; some are impure. "Pure" means clean and wholesome; "impure" means mountains of knives, trees of swords, the various hells and evils, where beings prey on one another. What kind of person goes where? When a being's mind is pure, they're born in a pure land; when their mind is turbid, they're born in an impure land. This is the natural order. "Being born in an impure land, obstacles and burdens grow daily deeper, and wholesome dharmas become difficult to accomplish. Being born in a pure land, obstacles and burdens are daily dispelled, and wholesome dharmas are easily fulfilled." Born in an impure land, your obstacles grow deeper day by day, and wholesome dharmas become hard to accomplish. Born in a pure land, obstacles grow lighter by the day, and there are no conditions for falling back. Everything you encounter is Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; everywhere you turn, your Bodhi mind is nourished. Even the water you drink increases your wholesome roots; hearing the Dharma, hearing sounds, glimpsing the shadow of the Bodhi tree—you can realize the fruit. All obstacles dissolve, and wholesome dharmas are naturally easy to fulfill. "Therefore, those who study the path must select the pure and reject the impure." So we practitioners must know how to choose what is pure and set aside what is impure. "Even among pure lands, there are various grades. The most supreme among them is the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss." This goes a step deeper. Many who study the Dharma do so in a pure land, but many also study in an impure land. Shakyamuni Buddha's own land—the Saha World—is an impure land. Among the many pure lands, the most supreme is the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. Countless Buddha lands, countless worlds. Long ago, Lokesvararaja Thus Come One was Amitabha Buddha in a previous life. He invited the Buddhas to survey all worlds, examined the various realms, and gathered together everything that was good and essential. Then he made his great vows and established a Buddha land—a Buddha land supreme above all. "This world is accomplished through Amitabha Buddha's immeasurable vows and immeasurable merits. Therefore, its meritorious adornments far exceed what any other land can compare to." Why is the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss so wonderful? As we often recite in the Amitabha verse: "Amitabha, the Great King of Vows..." When we study the Dharma, we speak the truth, not peddling falsehoods. Amitabha is the True-speaker, the Real-speaker, and we call him "Great King of Vows" without exaggeration. It is because among all lands and all vows he reigns as king; none surpass him. The Land of Ultimate Bliss was accomplished by the great vows and great merits of this Great King of Vows. So Amitabha Buddha of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is the most honored, the most exalted—nothing in any other land can compare.

"Within this, there are phenomena and principle; practitioners should not neglect either." We must know that here there are both phenomena and principle. Principle is the essence; phenomena are the appearances. Everything has its appearance, and through that appearance we should reach to its essence. The essence is the principle-body; appearances are phenomenal characteristics. We cannot grasp the essence while ignoring the appearances. Take answering machines, for example: the essence of every answering machine is the same—an answering machine. But look at their forms: large, small, red, green... varieties and qualities differ, and how you use them differs too. So both appearance and essence must be known—this is a rough analogy, of course. "What are phenomena? They are all the phenomenal characteristics of the Pure Land as listed in the sutras." What are "phenomena"? They are all the phenomenal features of the Pure Land described in the sutras: ground of gold, adorned with the seven treasures, jeweled nets and radiant pearls, pearls shining forth, precious incense pervading everywhere... all of these are phenomenal characteristics. "What is principle? It is understanding that all phenomenal characteristics do not arise apart from the one mind." What is "principle"? On this point, we Pure Land practitioners sometimes do not understand deeply enough. What is the essence of the Land of Ultimate Bliss? That is, what is principle? It is "all phenomenal characteristics do not arise apart from the one mind." This "one mind"—we can grasp it—refers to Amitabha Buddha's mind. All phenomenal characteristics are manifestations of Amitabha Buddha's mind; this is what is meant by "one mind." But we must also know: Amitabha Buddha's mind is the very mind of each one of us! Otherwise, would that not be many minds? It is one mind! Therefore, mind, Buddha, and sentient beings are three yet not different. It is likewise the manifestation of the self-mind of each one of us who walks this path. So when the mind is pure, the land is pure. When your mind is pure, you're born in a pure land; when your mind is impure, you're born in an impure land. In truth, mind and land are not two separate things! Even scientists have grasped this point. We ordinary beings always take matter to be real, not realizing that the great scientist Einstein already recognized: matter is a human illusion. That is to say, there is no such thing as matter. So even great scientists are saying "form is emptiness, emptiness is form." Therefore, it is "one mind," and all phenomenal characteristics are manifestations of "one mind." Once we know that "one mind" is the source, we must see phenomena and principle as one seamless whole.

"Although it is called mind-only Pure Land, this does not preclude the existence of the Land of Ultimate Bliss, because the world itself is the manifestation of the one mind." Although we speak of a mind-only Pure Land, this does not mean the Land of Ultimate Bliss does not exist. Its existence is itself the result of the transformation of the one mind. "Although it is called self-nature Amitabha, this does not preclude the presence of the Lord of Ultimate Bliss as teacher, because the teacher is the embodiment of self-nature." Amitabha is everyone's self-nature, everyone's inherent nature. But some may still not believe this. Although it is "self-nature Amitabha," you should still believe that "ten billion lands away there is a Land of Ultimate Bliss, where a Buddha named Amitabha resides." Although it is one mind, there is indeed a Land of Ultimate Bliss and a Buddha named Amitabha. Between these two there is no contradiction, no obstruction! Why? Because this world itself is the manifestation of "one mind." "Although it is quiescently unborn, this does not preclude blazingly going forth to rebirth, for in rebirth one is primordially unborn." In principle, in the constantly quiescent light, everything is unborn. Self-nature is unborn, the patience of non-arising. But this does not prevent you from blazingly going forth to rebirth! Although it is called rebirth, the self-mind of the one reborn actually pervades all places! You have never come or gone—only in phenomenal terms is it spoken this way. In essence, everything is within self-mind. From the Saha World to the Land of Ultimate Bliss, all takes place within self-mind—from self-mind to self-mind. There is no such thing as coming or going! But this doesn't mean rebirth doesn't happen. So when it comes to phenomena and principle, we must hold them together. All phenomenal characteristics are the result of the mind's manifestations; there is no Dharma outside the mind. All is mind's display. Of course, this principle runs deep. We can only come to understand it gradually, by reading sutras and reciting the Buddha's name over time, until one day we see it for ourselves.

"Those of high intelligence often delight in discussing principle while ridiculing phenomenal practice." This refers to those who fancy themselves pure and lofty—they talk of emptiness-principle, talk of mind, talk of nature, and mock those who recite the Buddha's name, mock those who seek rebirth in Pure Land. They simply don't believe in Pure Land, and so they lose the chance to be reborn there. "Those of middling or inferior capacity often cling to phenomenal practice while being confused about true principle." People of middling or lesser faculties just kowtow all day, chase merit, write memorial tablets... They are diligent in these outer practices but don't realize that none of it arises apart from self-mind. So they split phenomena from principle. Some know how to practice phenomenally but don't understand principle. Their faith may be strong, but their grasp of the principles is thin—there's a gap in their understanding. Others can see the principle of self-mind through Chan inquiry and the like, but they don't practice, don't recite the Buddha's name, don't make vows. Both sides fall short.

"One must understand that there is no principle apart from phenomena; phenomena are matters within principle." Know this: phenomena and principle are one body. There is no principle outside phenomena—principle is within phenomena. Take water becoming waves. Where is the water? The water is right there in the waves. Aren't the waves themselves the water? Water is principle; principle is within phenomena. Principle is within the waves; phenomena are also matters within principle. Where do the waves come from? They are produced by water. So waves and water are one body. Are not phenomena and the original mind also one body? What good does knowing this do? It lets you truly understand that "the journey of ten billion lands is not far from here"! Otherwise, no matter how fast you travel, you could never get there. You must see that all of this is within your own mind! Then you can dare to trust in rebirth. That's why our recitation of the Buddha's name can resonate so directly—because reciting the Buddha's name is reciting the Buddha of one's own mind. Of course it works! Calling yourself, how could you fail to wake up? Still, some people lack faith, and sometimes—particularly those who practice and practice—right at the moment of death they face a great "barrier," the barrier of faith. One of these barriers is the moment of death. Some practitioners don't realize that as cultivators we must bring all the karmic obstacles of this life to completion, so at the very end, illness and suffering appear, because many karmic obstacles have not yet been dissolved, and so we undergo some suffering. Master Xuanzang was like this—he suffered some illness at the end of his life. On his deathbed, he told his disciples: "Don't doubt your teacher." Don't assume that just because a Buddha-reciter falls ill, they're finished, that their practice isn't working, and then give rise to a mind of retreat. Be steadfast! This is self-mind. Amitabha is my original mind. I have the merit of reciting the Buddha's name; the Buddha will surely come to receive me. So when it comes to phenomena and principle, we must hold them together. This is the mark of good roots. "Clinging to principle while abandoning phenomena leads to the calamity of falling into emptiness." If you only believe in these principles but don't practice, you fall into emptiness. If you only know how to do meritorious deeds, make offerings... but don't understand the principle of essence, you end up treating the Buddha as little different from a god. In America, I've met several people like this: they make offerings to the Buddha and also to Great Immortal Huang. The Buddha is there, the great immortals are there—pray to them, and they'll give you benefits?

With this kind of attitude toward the Buddha, one vulgarizes the Buddha, pulling Him down to the level of an ordinary deity. Then one's merit falls immeasurably short of that of a person with proper faith. Such a person hasn't even taken the Three Refuges and cannot be called a Buddhist. If you have taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, how can you still enshrine Wong Tai Sin? You can't go on taking refuge in heterodox teachers and demonic retinues as well! If you do, you become one of them. Practicing this way, attainment is impossible! On this point, the relationship must be sorted out clearly. Up to here, Chan Master Yongjue Yuanxian has shown that the Pure Land Dharma-gate is the supreme Buddhist teaching. He has also affirmed the Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra: "Beyond a hundred thousand million Buddha-lands, there is a Land of Ultimate Bliss, and within it a Buddha named Amitābha." Speaking of the "ultimate principle," this Land of Ultimate Bliss and Amitābha are none other than our own mind—in no way different from it. Some people, as soon as they hear "one mind" and "Buddha and Land," feel it can't be real. In fact, "Of all things, nothing is more real than mind"—these are the words of the Cloth-Bag Monk Budai. "Only this mind, mind, mind is the Buddha; of all things, only the no-mind is most real." What manifests from one's own mind is the most real of all. This passage speaks to those of superior faculty and sharp wisdom. A practitioner of superior faculty who recites the Buddha-name can unite wisdom and principle in perfect fusion, attain rebirth of the highest grade, and in that very moment become a great bodhisattva. The moment you're reborn, you're a great bodhisattva—far transcending the Land Where Saints and Ordinary Beings Dwell Together—equivalent to the Vajrayāna's "attainment of Buddhahood in this very body." I asked Guru Gunga about this myself. Everyone, don't look down on the Pure Land school! This is the first point.

2. Reciting the Buddha-Name Requires Proper Faith

"To cultivate this Dharma-gate, proper faith is foremost. All Buddhas of the three periods, all great bodhisattvas, and patriarchs throughout the ages have entered through this faith first." The difference in merit between proper faith and improper faith is beyond comparison. We must have proper faith—this is the foremost issue. All Buddhas of the three periods, all great bodhisattvas, and patriarchs throughout the ages could enter this Dharma-gate only through this proper faith. So when we come here to pay homage to the Buddha in form, have we actually entered the Buddha's gate or not? We've only entered the gate of Guangji Temple! Truly entering the gate depends on whether you possess proper faith. If you lack this faith, what then? "Without this faith, one hesitates and cannot resolve; one is floaty and unreal." Without proper faith, one hesitates and can't make a decision. What should one cultivate, after all? Can one attain rebirth or not? The moment a crisis comes—as soon as one falls ill—every kind of immortal's recipe and miraculous medicine is brought out, and then one is in trouble. So-called proper faith—do you truly know what to believe in? If doubts can't be settled and the mind remains floaty, then you aren't genuine! "Needless to say one who refuses to cultivate—even one who is willing to cultivate but whose faith wavers, as if present and as if absent, who practices intermittently, lacks the resolve to cut nails and sever iron and the will of Li Guang whose arrow buried itself in stone—such a person can never accomplish the rare merit!" Not to mention one who refuses to cultivate; even a willing cultivator, if lacking proper faith, whose faith drifts in and out, who cultivates a while and then stops—such a person doesn't possess the resolve to cut nails and sever iron. True cultivation demands being an iron man, daring to bite through an iron weight. Only with this kind of resolve can one succeed. You can't cultivate when things go smoothly and abandon the practice when they don't. Without the resolve to cut nails and sever iron, you don't have Li Guang's power to bury an arrow in stone. In those days, when Li Guang saw a tiger, he shot an arrow at it; later he saw it was only a stone, but the arrow had buried itself deep in the rock, feathers and all. This shows how tremendous the power of mind can be! Because he believed it was a tiger, the arrow penetrated. If we can cultivate the Dharma in the same way—making this one Buddha-name like a vast cosmic sword that severs every karmic obstacle—but then half-believe in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, treating it as if present and as if absent, how can we ever accomplish this rare merit? "This is because we ordinary beings, with darkened hearts and inferior consciousness, are bound by habitual tendencies close at hand and cannot know distant, vast realms or subtle, profound states. The moment we encounter anything out of the ordinary, we doubt and fail to arouse faith." Because we ordinary beings have darkened hearts and inferior consciousness, bound by habits close at hand, we are shackled by the tendencies accumulated in this life and recent lives. For example, we've just finished hearing a lecture on the Diamond Sutra, yet if someone scolds us with a single word, we flare up immediately—this is precisely our habitual tendency at work. The Diamond Sutra teaches "no notion of self, no notion of person, no notion of being, no notion of life." When someone scolds you, you should think: Who's being scolded? Is there really a person being scolded? Whom is he scolding? Huang Nianzu? Without Huang Nianzu, whom is he scolding? Doesn't this resolve the matter! But of course, this is easy to say and hard to do. When someone scolds you, rage flares up at once—caused by the habitual tendency of ignorance. Because of this tendency, we don't know the vastness of our own mind. In fact, the breadth of our own mind, the wisdom of our own mind, equals that of all Buddhas throughout the ten directions, and this one thought of ours carries merit beyond conception! It can't be compared to any other merit. "The moment one encounters anything out of the ordinary, one doubts and dares not believe." The moment something goes slightly against one's wishes, faith collapses. So what should be done? "Therefore ordinary beings should simply firmly honor the Buddha's words." So we should genuinely, steadfastly follow the Buddha's words. The Shorter Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra tells us: "There is a world named the Land of Ultimate Bliss; within it is a Buddha named Amitābha..." It calls on us to believe, to recite, to make vows. We simply do as the Buddha instructed. "The Buddha, with great compassion and great wisdom, speaks truthful words, never falsehood." Because the Buddha possesses great compassion—able to give His body to feed a tiger, to cut off His flesh to feed a hawk—such compassion, cultivated over countless eons—coupled with great wisdom, having studied all ninety-five kinds of heterodox teachings and surpassed every branch of learning. The Buddha's wisdom is great wisdom, and He speaks truthful words. "The Buddha is a truth-speaker, a reality-speaker, a thus-speaker, a non-contradictory-speaker, a non-deceptive-speaker." True and unfailing words, without the slightest falsehood. "If one does not believe the Buddha's words, what else can one believe?" If you don't believe the Buddha's words, what else is there to believe? So sometimes, even though we can't understand the principles, it's enough that we can believe. Some principles are very deep; we can understand them slowly over time. If we can understand them right away, all the better—but first we must believe! "What is believed of the Buddha's words comprises two gates: faith in the principle and faith in the matter." Believing the Buddha's words divides into two categories: first, faith in the principle; second, faith in the matter. Whenever we face any matter, there's principle and there's matter. What does faith in the principle mean? "Faith in the principle means believing that my mind itself is the Pure Land, and my nature itself is Amitābha." Believing my mind is the Pure Land, my nature is Amitābha. Thus, in the Vajrayāna, once one cultivates the Dharma, one attains the yidam oneself. For example, if I cultivate Avalokiteśvara, Avalokiteśvara is present in the cultivation itself... This unifies principle and matter. So we too should believe in this way: my mind is the Pure Land; my original nature is Amitābha. This is called faith in the principle. What is faith in the matter? "Faith in the matter means believing that in the West there truly is a Pure Land, and that in the West there truly is Amitābha." Faith in the matter means believing there's truly a Pure Land in the West, and truly an Amitābha Buddha in the West. When one believes both principle and matter, one stands with Great Master Ouyi. Great Master Ouyi taught us the "Six Faiths": faith in self, faith in other, faith in cause, faith in effect, faith in matter, faith in principle. "Also one, also two; not one, not two—to believe and understand in this way is called proper faith." Principle and matter are both one and two, neither one nor two. Such faith and understanding unites matter and principle in perfect harmony—matchless and inconceivable—and only this is true proper faith. "If one believes the principle but not the matter, or believes the matter but not the principle, this is called partial faith and is not proper faith." Believing only one side makes the faith incomplete. If I believe the principle but not the matter, or the matter but not the principle, this is called partial faith and is not proper faith. "If a practitioner has not yet obtained such proper faith, he must consult widely with those who know and extensively examine the sūtras and treatises." If you haven't yet obtained proper faith, then seek guidance from wise mentors and read widely. "Then all doubts will naturally melt like ice, proper faith will naturally manifest, and only then can one arouse the great vow, set in motion the great practice, and proceed straight to Bodhi—without putting it off to a later life." Once proper faith naturally appears, one can arouse the great vow, can set the great practice in motion, and thereby proceed directly toward Bodhi—without waiting for another lifetime, or another, or yet another. "There are people of extraordinary natural talent who, upon reading sūtras and treatises, immediately claim they have obtained proper faith. Yet they are dragged down by habitual tendencies and cannot take a single step forward. They do not know that such interpretations and annotations are not proper faith." Some people are geniuses, at a very high level; the moment they read sūtras and treatises, they assume they've obtained proper faith. But they don't realize that once the habitual tendencies accumulated over countless eons erupt, they'll be shackled. Because what they call proper faith is actually still a mistaken interpretation, not genuine proper faith. "Just as one who truly believes a tiger can devour a person would not dare lightly provoke it. Just as one who truly believes the brew of a poisonous bird can kill would not dare lightly taste it. If one willingly encounters the danger of being devoured or poisoned yet feels no remorse, then one's unbelief could hardly be more complete." If one's faith is truly proper, it's like believing a tiger can eat a person—you'd never dare approach a tiger. That is proper faith. Likewise, if you believe in the Pure Land in this way, with proper faith, you won't waver in half-belief, unable to let go.

III. The Correct Practice of Buddha Recitation:

How do we practice? We practice rightly, and Buddha-recitation is right practice. "A Pure Land cultivator who has already established correct faith should engage in correct practice. Master Zhenxie teaches: take this Buddha-name as a hua tou, or meditation topic, and throughout the entire day, directly bring it to mind. Do not recite with a grasping mind; do not recite with an empty mind; do not recite with a mind that is both; do not recite with a mind that is neither." "Zhenxie Liao" is the dharma name of a great Chan master—it means "truly set down, truly at rest." Master Zhenxie once said that correct Buddha-recitation practice comes in several forms, and different faculties suit different ways of reciting. Take this Buddha-name as you would a hua tou, devoting all your time to upholding it: not reciting with a grasping mind, not with an empty mind, not with a mind that is both, and not with a mind that is neither. We can’t manage this right from the start; this mode of recitation is called principle-holding (li chi), and it is beyond what most ordinary people can do. But we should know of it. What exactly does it entail? "When the before and after of thought are severed, no single thought arises, and without traversing any graduated stages one directly enters the Buddha-ground—this is principle-holding recitation." "Cutting off the before and after" is a crucial turning point. Our delusive thoughts chase one another in an unbroken stream—one rising just as the last falls, never pausing for a moment. No matter how we practice, the ultimate goal is to cut off this cascade of delusion. When there is a break between what has passed and what has yet to arise, the stream is severed: the past is gone, the future has not yet come, and the middle is empty. With this cutting off of before and after, even a momentary pause in delusive thoughts is enough to awaken to the Way. If the break is total and delusion never rises again, you have realized the Way. This is what cultivation is. When you truly cut off before and after and no thought arises, you no longer need to pass through sequential stages of practice. Buddha-recitation is a sudden, perfect method, a complete teaching, so it does not follow graduated steps; it cuts straight through, just like the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) of the esoteric tradition. Both Chan and Pure Land are sudden, perfect teachings that cut straight through—you don’t climb one step at a time. If you can recite to this level, you will directly transcend to the Buddha-ground! This is principle-holding. Attaining Buddhahood in this very body in the esoteric path rests on the exact same principle. "As for practice-holding (shi chi): focus your mind, unify your attention, and simply rest your reliance on the single phrase ‘Amitabha Buddha’ as you would on Mount Sumeru itself—nothing can shake you. Recite this way in the morning; recite this way in the evening; recite this way as you walk; recite this way as you sit; recite this way as you go about your daily tasks and interact with others; recite this way in both favorable and adverse circumstances." Though principle-holding is hard to pull off, practice-holding is something anyone can do. Keep your mind focused: don’t get caught up in other things, don’t dwell on other thoughts. Put your whole heart, your whole attention, into reciting this “Namo Amitabha Buddha” well. Recite as if you’re leaning on Mount Sumeru itself—nothing can budge you. Just lock your reliance onto this Buddha-name. Whether you’re suffering or at ease, facing good fortune or hardship, it’s just “Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha…” Morning, evening, walking, sitting, adverse conditions—all the same. In short: don’t let this phrase slip your mind. Keep in mind: this same recitation applies to both good and bad circumstances. "When pure recitation continues without break, the mind opens on its own—this is no different from the mind-opening of principle-holding." Reciting purely in this way allows the recitation to continue without interruption. This is how Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta came to open his mind naturally. This is no different from principle-holding. We may not be able to do principle-holding, but "when pure recitation continues without break, the mind opens on its own"—this borrows the words of Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta: "Without relying on expedient means, the mind opens on its own." The mind-opening achieved through practice-holding is no different from the mind-opening of principle-holding. The special quality of the Buddhadharma lies in its equality. As long as you can recite with single-minded focus, when your mind opens through recitation, it is just as Confucius said: “Some are born knowing, some learn through study, some learn through striving—yet their knowing is one and the same.” Once you know, it is all the same; that is the principle at work. "Even if you haven’t yet opened your mind, at the moment of death you will still be reborn in that land—your rank will not be middle or lower." Here the Chan master is giving you his word, his guarantee. Even so, it might still sound like a high bar to those listening. Let me give you an example: long ago there was a man named Ge Jizhi. His wife was a weaver. In ancient times, men farmed and women wove—while the husband studied, the wife worked at the loom. Someone taught his wife to recite the Buddha’s name: each time she pushed the shuttle, she would say “Amitabha Buddha,” and she kept this up all day long. She was very diligent, working at the loom from dawn to dusk. Her husband followed an unorthodox path, cultivating immortality, so he said to her: “This recitation is meaningless. Study with me and cultivate the path of immortality instead!” His wife did not budge, and kept reciting. One day, Amitabha Buddha truly appeared before her, bathed in radiant light. She quickly prostrated herself and called her husband to do the same. Her husband said “Ah!” and saw—though not the full form, only the upper half of the Buddha’s body. He too prostrated and believed. “So reciting the Buddha really can make you see the Buddha! If that’s true, then the Buddha’s promise to receive us at the moment of death must be real too.” So he burned all his immortality texts. You see? He burned those books, and the two of them were both reborn in the Pure Land. This shows we can practice Buddha-recitation even in the middle of our daily work. Here’s another example: a blacksmith surnamed Huang would strike the iron once and recite the Buddha’s name once, and in the end attained realization. This practice is the easiest, most reliable path: no pitfalls, no risk of falling into demonic states. Speaking of demonic states, they are all too common, which is why Chan halls hang the Shurangama Mantra. If you rely only on sitting meditation without the support of mantra, falling into a demonic state is all but inevitable! For those who recite the Buddha’s name, Amitabha Buddha dispatches twenty-five Bodhisattvas to the Sahā world to protect you, so this is the most reliable path of all. We’ve covered principle-holding and practice-holding: the first leads to sudden transcendence of the Buddha-ground, the second can get you there too. But what if you can’t manage either? The text goes on: "If your strength is insufficient and your practice is not yet pure, you must cultivate in line with your capacity." If you can’t keep up unbroken recitation, do what you can—use whatever strength you have. If you are unwell, if you are sick and can’t sustain long recitation sessions, then recite as much as you are able. This is called “cultivating according to one’s capacity.” It is not the same as actively giving up. If a good novel comes along and you think reading it is more important, so you forget your recitation; if there’s a good TV show and you decide watching is more important… that is active abandonment. No one is forcing you to watch TV or read novels. If you let that derail your practice, such active neglect is inexcusable. So the key is to “cultivate according to your capacity.” "Some recite morning and evening; some recite ten times at dawn." Master Mingzhen was like this: he practiced the Chan tradition, but every morning he did ten recitations of the Buddha’s name. "Accumulating merit and virtue, gradually cultivating good fruits, the essential point is that faith and vows must be firm; at the moment of death one will certainly attain rebirth, though the grade will be somewhat lower and the Buddha will be seen somewhat later." This aligns perfectly with Master Ouyi’s teaching: as long as your faith and vows are firm, you will attain rebirth at the moment of death—only your rank may be lower, and you may see the Buddha a little later. The whole point comes down to the firmness of your faith and vows. If they are unshakable, rebirth at the moment of death is assured. If you are busy with many affairs and have little time, if you can’t chant a hundred thousand times, can’t even manage thirty thousand—then just do what you can. Even ten recitations will do! This is what Amitabha Buddha promised in his Great Vow. From the words of Chan Master Yongjue Yuanxian, we can see that Chan masters and Pure Land masters are “breathing through the same nostrils”! This gives us all the more confidence. What the Pure Land and Chan schools teach is one and the same: the same principle, the same path, the same message. It is not a case of each side claiming to be right, each holding its own view and bickering endlessly—they are in full agreement. "Yet it is like ranking last and passing the examination—it is still not bad." This is like taking an exam: you scored the lowest passing grade, but you still passed and earned the rank of juren. You may be the lowest-ranked juren, but you are still a juren—no one calls you “a failure, the lowest-ranked juren,” do they? You still get all the privileges of the rank. It’s also like college admissions: you were accepted, but some admitted students didn’t show up, so you took their spot. You’re just the same as the other admitted students, aren’t you? You were still accepted! Isn’t that far better than not getting in at all? So even if your rank is lower, this way of reciting is still correct practice. So we must recite, we must cultivate! The Pure Land school focuses on reciting “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” If you practice the esoteric path or another Dharma door and recite its single mantra in the same way, you will get the same result. I can guarantee this to all of you! If you truly focus on a single mantra in this way, it is a mantra of the Lotus Buddha family, and holds the same power as mantras from other families. As long as your faith is single and pure, it works! There are people who recited only the single Vajra mantra and still attained rebirth! That is the principle at work. Of course, the Pure Land path is best, since Buddha-recitation is the primary method. But other mantras—such as reciting the holy name of Avalokiteshvara—can also lead to rebirth if practiced to this same degree.

IV. Concurrent Cultivation of Merits:

"A Pure Land cultivator who focuses on reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name must also widely cultivate all forms of merit to support that practice. The Contemplation Sutra states: Those who wish to be reborn in that land should cultivate threefold merit. First: be filial to parents, serve your teachers and elders, and hold a heart of compassion that does not kill. Second: take refuge in the Three Jewels, fully uphold all precepts, and do not transgress proper conduct. Third: give rise to Bodhicitta, deeply believe in cause and effect, recite and study the Mahayana, and encourage fellow practitioners to advance." Pure Land cultivators must not only focus on reciting Amitabha, but also widely cultivate all forms of merit—this is the proper foundation of Pure Land practice. Buddha-recitation is the main practice; all other practices are supports. The Contemplation Sutra says: "Those who wish to be reborn in that land should cultivate threefold merit." Elder Master Zhengguo once told me when giving a talk: “In all my Dharma lectures, I only speak of two things: the threefold merit for transcending the world, and Amitabha Buddha’s Eighteenth Great Vow.” That is why everyone should cultivate the threefold merit for transcending the world. Amitabha’s Eighteenth Great Vow reads: “If any sentient being who wishes to be born in my land recites my name even ten times, and yet does not attain rebirth, may I not attain perfect enlightenment.” So even ten recitations will do! The “threefold merit” refers to: First: “Filial to parents, respectful to teachers and elders, and a compassionate heart that does not kill.” This shows how important honoring teachers and filial piety are. Today, while our teachers are still alive, we can serve them; when they pass away and leave this world, what should we do? We should perform Dharma practices for their liberation and dedicate the merit to them—this is cultivating worldly merit! “A compassionate heart that does not kill” means do not take life, cherish the lives of all sentient beings, do not cause them to die. There is an old Chinese saying: “Heaven has the virtue of loving life.” Now that we have taken refuge in the Buddha, we should hold a compassionate heart and refrain from killing. We should cultivate the ten wholesome deeds—cultivating the ten wholesome deeds is none other than upholding the Five Precepts and Ten Wholesome Deeds. Second: “Take refuge in the Three Jewels, fully uphold all precepts, and do not violate proper conduct.” We are all eager to receive precepts, and we should study them carefully to understand them fully. Once you have received precepts, you must not break them—the karmic consequences of breaking precepts are extremely severe! Whether you realize it or not, once you have received the precepts, breaking them brings karmic retribution. For this reason, after receiving precepts, we must clearly understand which actions constitute a violation. The Bodhisattva precepts are very high and profound—if you don’t take them, that is fine; but if you do take them, you must resolve to uphold them. If you happen to break a precept, you must repent quickly. Repentance is permitted. But if you break a precept and do not repent, do not even recognize that you have broken it, and continue violating precepts day after day, then no amount of merit you cultivate can make up for it! The second of the threefold transcendent merit is upholding the precepts. Third: “Give rise to Bodhicitta, deeply believe in cause and effect, recite and study the Mahayana, and encourage practitioners to advance.” Elder Master Zhengguo spoke at length about the threefold transcendent merit, so we will only touch on it briefly here. As we recite these words today, our gratitude for this mentor grows even deeper. Having a mentor who offers such excellent guidance is so important! These three kinds of karma are the proper foundation of Pure Land practice for all Buddhas of the three time periods. Their attainment of awakening all rests on this as the root cause. "Master Sengzhao said: Though conditioned phenomena are false, abandoning them makes the Buddha-path hard to accomplish. Though the unconditioned is true, clinging to it causes the nature of wisdom to remain unclear." Master Sengzhao taught: the practices you cultivate are still all conditioned phenomena. Conditioned phenomena are not ultimately real, but if you cast them aside, your Buddha-path will be even harder to complete. Is filial piety toward parents not a conditioned action? Conditioned actions are not ultimate or perfect, but if you cast them aside, your Buddha-path will not flourish. Though the unconditioned is true, if you cling to the unconditioned—rejecting all conditioned phenomena to seek only the unconditioned—that very clinging is itself conditioned! To blindly cling to the unconditioned is itself a conditioned act. For this reason, once you cling to the unconditioned, your wisdom will not shine clearly. "If you now wish to cultivate the samadhi of Buddha-recitation, seek rebirth in the Pure Land, and swiftly attain the fruit of Buddhahood and bodhi, you must take single-minded Buddha-recitation as your core practice, and supplement it with the cultivation of merit. Morning and evening, diligently make offerings to the Three Jewels, prostrate, repent, give generously, and uphold the precepts—these are all acts of goodness that purify the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, and strengthen your pure conditions. Dedicate every wholesome root you cultivate to the Pure Land, and you will accomplish the merit of Buddha-recitation." If you wish to cultivate the samadhi of Buddha-recitation, seek rebirth in the Pure Land, and swiftly attain the fruit of Buddhahood and bodhi, you must take single-minded Buddha-recitation as your core practice, and supplement it with the cultivation of merit. Morning and evening, diligently make offerings to the Three Jewels, prostrate, repent, give generously, and uphold the precepts—these are all acts of goodness that purify the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, and strengthen your pure conditions. Dedicate every wholesome root you cultivate to the Pure Land: this is like sailing with the current, and adding oars to your boat makes it go all the faster.

V. The Correct Vow of Buddha-recitation:

"The fifth is the correct vow. Master Cizhao said: Practice without a vow will surely be hollow; a vow without practice will surely be empty. Only when practice and vow support each other can one ascend to the jewel-land." This lines up exactly with Master Ouyi’s teaching on the “three provisions” of faith, vow, and practice. The first section laid out the principle and the matter at hand; the second established correct faith; the third covered practice—reciting the Buddha, with faith and vow as its foundation; the fourth covered concurrent cultivation of merit, which is still part of practice; this fifth section addresses vow. Faith, vow, and practice are the three essential provisions; none can be left out. What Chan masters describe is the same as what our Pure Land masters teach: we need correct faith, correct vow, and correct practice. Here we are speaking specifically of the correct vow. You can practice all you want, but without a vow, your practice will never take root. And if you only make vows to be reborn in the Pure Land but never actually practice, your vow is just empty words. Only when practice and vow go hand in hand can you ascend to the jewel-land of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. "Therefore, all who recite the Buddha must give rise to the correct vow. The correct vow is not a vow seeking human or heavenly blessings, nor a vow for the small fruits of the provisional vehicle, nor a vow that you alone should be reborn in the Pure Land and attain bodhi. Rather, it is a vow that all sentient beings together be reborn in the Pure Land and together attain bodhi." This is why we are urged to give rise to the correct vow. The Amitabha Sutra encourages us again and again to make this vow, to seek rebirth in the Pure Land. What is this correct vow? It is not a wish for human or heavenly rewards. These days, most people still chase after worldly gains, asking for this and that… It is not a wish to attain the arhat’s fruit or other partial awakenings; nor is it a vow that you alone will be reborn in the Pure Land. Thinking “I alone will be reborn there; samsara is terrifying, I just want to escape!” … That is not the correct vow! The correct vow is this: may all sentient beings be reborn together in the Pure Land, and together attain full awakening. Just as the dedication verse at the end of the sutra reads: “Together we are reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.” So every part of the teaching points us away from selfishness and toward this: “If there are any who see or hear this, may they all be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.” Don’t think this “those who see and hear” refers only to us, reciting for our own benefit. Know that in the vastness of space, there are countless beings who see and hear what our physical eyes cannot perceive! And the sound of our recitation fills the entire universe. To be honest, the number of beings who see and hear is immeasurable. "When this vow is given rise to, it can immediately possess measureless merit, can dissolve measureless karmic defilements, can break through measureless demonic nets, and will forever become the true seed of Buddhahood. This is what is called the Bodhicitta." When this vow arises, these words are crucial—pay close attention. Once this vow arises, you are endowed with measureless merit. “Endowed” means to possess fully, to have in abundance. This vow can dissolve measureless karmic obstructions and defilements; it can shatter measureless demonic nets. Demonic nets are layered and tangled—this is all too true in real life, and they are terrifying to encounter. It is said to be one net, but you never know which part of it you might be caught in! Some are trapped in the net of form; some in the net of fame; some in the net of profit… There are endless demonic nets! But once this vow arises, it can shatter all these nets, and you will forever become the true seed of Buddhahood. This “true seed” is the Buddha-seed. Once you give rise to this vow, you become an eternal Buddha-seed. You should hold such a vast vow: may all the merit of your practice be dedicated so that all sentient beings are reborn together in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is what is called the Bodhicitta. Therefore, the Bodhicitta is the king of all wholesome deeds. When you first give rise to the Bodhicitta, it is like a bird emerging from the egg. While still inside the shell, before it breaks out, it can already cry out. The sound of its cry surpasses that of all other birds. This is a metaphor for ordinary beings: once you give rise to the Bodhicitta, you are like that bird still inside the egg—you are still an ordinary being, yet you have already surpassed countless other beings. Therefore, the great vow must not be abandoned; the Bodhicitta must not be left ungenerated. "Therefore, practitioners should give rise to it daily in this way, give rise to it moment by moment in this way." So practitioners should give rise to this vow every day, in every moment, holding this single mind as you practice and perform all wholesome deeds. "When the power of the vow is firm and unchanging, then all the ten thousand wholesome deeds become the proper causes of the Pure Land, the wondrous practices of bodhi. What reason is there to worry about not attaining rebirth?" When your vow-power is firm and unchanging—Master Cizhao shares this example: there was a Buddha-reciter at Guangji Temple who recited until the Buddha came to receive him. He never expected it to happen so soon, and thought, “I still have so many unfinished matters. Amitabha Buddha, may I take leave? Please give me a few more years.” If you think this way, your vow has changed! But as long as it remains unchanged, all wholesome deeds become proper causes for the Pure Land, wondrous seeds of bodhi. So what is there to fear about not attaining rebirth?

VI. Proper Mindfulness at the Moment of Death:

We're still talking about practice—about seeing it through to the very end. What makes us precious is the capacity to persevere. Such a supreme Dharma: ordinary beings need only recite to be reborn, to transcend birth and death, to reach the Land of Ultimate Bliss. The spiritual powers of those reborn through Amitābha-recitation far surpass those of all Arhats. Once there, empowered by the Buddha's strength, you can travel from the Land of Ultimate Bliss to the Sahā world and back in the time it takes to eat a single meal. So if you wish to go from the Pure Land to Tuṣita Heaven to pay respects to Maitreya, that too is a round-trip of one meal's length. You can see how extraordinary such powers are—they all exceed what your own karma could ever yield. This is the power of Amitābha's vows, surpassing everything else.

"The merit of the pure karmic work is built up in ordinary days, but the final thought at the moment of death is of utmost importance." So you must persevere to succeed. Often, those who recite the Buddha's name may not see the Buddha for a time or receive any auspicious signs—but this is a test. If you receive no auspicious signs, can you still persist in recitation to the end, with firm faith and firm vows? With unwavering faith, rebirth is certain. But at the moment of death, if you fail at the last moment—when success is nearly in your grasp and yet you stop reciting—how utterly regrettable that would be! So the final thought at death is extremely important. We must persevere, no matter the difficulty—just this one Buddha-name, carried through to the end! In the end, as long as you can still recite, even if you had committed the "Five Heinous Sins and Ten Evils," ten recitations at the moment of death can dissolve hell and bring rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The final key is not that ten recitations in ordinary days suffice—you need the merit accumulated through daily practice, for this plays a crucial role at the critical moment. "Whether one is born in the Pure Land or the impure realm, whether one enters sainthood or remains an ordinary being—all is turned by this single thought." Whether you are reborn in the Pure Land or the impure realm, whether you enter sainthood or remain an ordinary being—even rebirth in a donkey's womb, a horse's belly, on a bed of knives or beneath a forest of blades... all of these depend entirely on a person's final thought. So this final thought is tremendously important. Some people are exemplary throughout their lives, yet at the last moment give rise to hatred and are reborn as snakes or other creatures.

"It is often seen that practitioners who recite the Buddha's name always say they seek rebirth in the Pure Land, yet at the moment of death most lack proper mindfulness." Time and again we see people who recite the Buddha's name, who constantly speak of seeking rebirth in the Pure Land—but at the moment of death they have no proper mindfulness. Many people are exactly like this. Why do they fail to attain rebirth? After a lifetime of effort, at the moment of death they cannot manage it because they lack proper mindfulness. This was spoken by the ancients! If such cases existed among the ancients, today the situation is surely even more severe.

"Some are greedy for life and afraid of death, attached to this bag of skin." It's simply this—greed for life, fear of death, attachment to this fleshly body. While alive, they spare no effort to protect it, cherish it, nurture it... but when death approaches, "Oh! Oh!..."—this body they loved so dearly must still be discarded, yet they cannot bear to let it go. If they cannot let go, proper mindfulness cannot be maintained.

"Some gaze back at wife and children, unable to bear the parting." Others, at the moment of death, look at their beloved, look at their children—and tears stream down, because the pain of separation is hard to endure. This is exactly the suffering of parting from loved ones! We often see such scenes: people weep even before boarding a train or plane, not knowing when they'll meet again. If at the time of parting emotions are not dispelled, if you cannot regard them with detachment, if you cling with reluctance—then you'll be unable to recite the Buddha's name, and there'll be no hope of rebirth.

"Some are bound to family wealth and cannot let it go." "How much money do I still have, where is it stored, I haven't had time to tell my family, who should be informed, how should it be handled, how should it be divided..."—a whole chain of concerns still on your mind, and then you cannot generate the proper mindfulness of Buddha-recitation.

"Some, due to adverse circumstances, die nursing grievances." Or perhaps one encounters something disagreeable—being wronged, harboring resentment—and the heart fills with hatred, complaints, a sense of injustice... all of these will cause you to lose proper mindfulness.

"Some, pressed by illness and pain, depart in agony." If you've already lost proper mindfulness in ordinary days, you'll meekly accept "falling into ruin." Illness and suffering are severe! Lying in bed with all manner of life-sustaining tubes piercing your body, in such torment—it is not easy to maintain proper mindfulness.

"Having lost proper mindfulness, one meekly accepts the fall." Once proper mindfulness is lost, you can only meekly accept the "fall into ruin"! Therefore, at such a moment, you must grit your teeth and press on—it is truly only by virtue of this single Buddha-name that success is possible. Below it also says: don't be afraid at the moment of death! This is the Zen school's view, and it is also the supreme excellence of the Pure Land school. One truly must endure the test to succeed.

If we truly cultivate in accordance with the Dharma in ordinary days—if we truly have proper faith, proper vows, and steadfast belief—then at the moment of death the Buddha will come to welcome us. The Buddha will compassionately protect and bless us, keeping our mind from disturbance—this is the greatest proof of our rebirth. But you must conform to Amitābha's vow-power! You must truly possess the heart aspiring to be born in that land, not half-hearted and indecisive. Single-minded and unwavering in faith—not only cultivating daily but also not abandoning at the moment of death, willing to be reborn—at that time the Buddha will bless you, and through the power of samādhi will grant you a samādhi as well, so that your proper mindfulness will be clear and distinct. If you cannot receive such blessing and rely only on yourself, but at that moment have lost proper mindfulness—then the outcome is hard to predict! Furthermore, if at the end you can recite in such a way, you can also draw the Buddha's welcome. You might originally be incapable of receiving the welcome, but if at that moment your faith is steadfast, the Buddha will compassionately protect and bless you, coming to welcome you.

"I now urge practitioners—at this moment, simply believe sincerely in the sutra text, and with unwavering concentration maintain proper mindfulness." I am urging all of you practitioners! At this moment, you need only sincerely believe in the sutra text, trust the Buddha's words—the Buddha will surely come to welcome you at death! To bless and protect you!

"Compassionately protecting and blessing, keeping the mind undisturbed." These eight characters appear in Master Xuanzang's translation of the Amitābha Sūtra, but not in the Qin-dynasty translation we usually recite. They particularly highlight the characteristic of "Other Power." Amitābha Buddha compassionately protects and blesses you; you need only maintain single-minded undistractedness, and there'll be no problem! But what if you can't recite to the point of single-minded undistractedness? What then? It is precisely these eight characters from Master Xuanzang's translation that give you confidence. The Buddha comes to welcome you; the Buddha's compassion upholds you, enabling your mind to remain undisturbed. Therefore, the Pure Land Buddha-recitation Dharma-door is called the "Other Power Path"—its inconceivable nature lies precisely here. By adding these words, we remind everyone: if at the moment of death you lose proper mindfulness and cannot receive the Buddha's welcome, then you will fall into ruin.

"Let go of everything and recite the Buddha's name until the end. Alas! The matter of death is of utmost importance—in an instant, the next life arrives. A single mistaken thought brings suffering through countless eons. Should one not be cautious?" You must let go of everything, trust in this single Buddha-name, and recite until the end! So the key lies right here. This was a great Chan master, an eminent figure of the Chan school, who attained enlightenment within Chan, personally recited the Buddha's name, and studied the sutras. The summary of the Pure Land Dharma-door he presented is precisely this essay. The final thought at death is still cultivation, so one must cultivate until the very end.

The six points discussed above, when summarized, come down to "Faith, Vows, and Practice." Among these, "Faith and Vows" are most crucial. Master Ouyi also said: as long as your faith and vows are steadfast, "whether one attains rebirth depends entirely upon the presence or absence of faith and vows." Whether you can be reborn depends wholly upon whether you possess faith and vows. Faith must be proper faith; the vow-power must be genuine. Since you vow to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, do not linger in attachment to the Sahā world! If you cling to the Sahā world while saying you vow to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss—you're standing with feet in two boats. Such a vow is not firm, and what happens at the moment of death is hard to predict.

If you truly have deep faith and earnest vows, you will certainly be reborn. Regardless of how well or poorly you recite, or the circumstances of your recitation, the grade of your rebirth depends upon the depth of your recitation. If you recite to the level of principle-oneness, then at that moment you are a great Bodhisattva. If you recite to the level of phenomenon-oneness, you are an Arhat. If you have not reached this level, and must wait through the gradual opening of the flower to see the Buddha, it will depend upon the quality of your recitation.

So, since we cultivate the Pure Land, each person has their own circumstances, but everyone can strive to recite. The most essential among these is proper faith, truly giving rise to the great vow. As Chan Master Yongjue Yuanxian said earlier: when you give rise to the great vow, you are endowed with immeasurable merit and dissolve immeasurable karmic obstacles. Because in this way you break through the endless net of karma. This is consistent with Master Ouyi's teaching. Therefore, let us again use Master Ouyi's words to supplement this point, so that our path of cultivation becomes clearer and lies within our own grasp.

In those days, my late teacher Xia Lanju, upon hearing of the Pure Land Dharma-door, returned to his room and rejoiced for several days, so overjoyed was he! He said: "This time I finally have a way out!" Apart from this Dharma-door, to escape the six realms would be exceedingly difficult! One would need to completely sever the view-delusions and thought-delusions in order to get out. To sever the view-delusions and thought-delusions means not only abandoning the greed, hatred, delusion, and arrogance of the human world, but also completely eliminating the greed, hatred, delusion, and arrogance of the Desire Realm heavens, the Form Realm heavens, and the Formless Realm heavens—only then can one exit the six realms. So escaping the six realms is this difficult!

Now, we rely upon this single Buddha-name, possessing faith and vows—and regardless of whether you recite much or little, well or poorly, as long as you have faith and vows, rebirth is certain! Therefore, leaving the Sahā world to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss is a share belonging to everyone! I hope all of you can rejoice just as Teacher Xia did. So that in the future we may form a cause to meet again in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, I conclude my offering here. Thank you, everyone! (End of full text)