Last week we talked about “Shakyamuni World-Honored One, came to this world to teach the Dharma in order to save sentient beings.” This coming to the world to teach the Dharma is “in order to save sentient beings, eighty-four thousand dharmas were taught. Only the beings saved by the Pureland dharma method were immeasurable.” The meaning of this is that, Shakyamuni Buddha came to this world, to save sentient beings. Then I thought to myself, the reason why I am here expounding the dharma is also to save sentient beings.
However, sometimes thinking about it, saving sentient beings, it is actually hard to save sentient beings. Sometimes I also think, it is not only sentient beings that are difficult to save, saving oneself is also hard. If a person can truly save themselves, they are already qualified to be called a saint. People in this world have really great ambitions, nowadays some people who want to cultivate, from the start they initiate the bodhi mind wanting to save/liberate sentient beings. Actually this is how I think; in future if our school has saved one person, or two people are saved, or more people, ten people attain salvation, then I will be very happy.
In fact, saving sentient beings is very difficult. To save sentient beings, many dharmas have to be taught. Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths to the sentient beings of the Hinayana; to the sentient beings of the Mahayana, he taught the Six Perfections; to the sentient beings of the Middle Vehicle, he taught the Twelve Links Of Dependent Origination. Shakyamuni Buddha at that time also taught the Amitabha Sutra, so when Master Leguo taught until this point he said: “The number of people who have been saved by the Pure Land Dharma is incalculable.“
What is the Pureland dharma method? The Pureland dharma method is when our Elder Monk Huiyuan (盧山慧遠, 334-416CE) from China, went to the Sutra Repository to read sutras and saw this Amitabha Sutra. He thought about what was said in the Amitabha Sutra, that “As long as you recite the Buddha’s name until your mind is not distracted, the Buddha will come to lead you to Western Pureland.” Elder Monk Huiyuan thought this sutra was very convenient and with a very good dharma method. So he founded the Lushan Buddha Recitation Society (White Lotus Society). This dharma method was called the Pureland dharma, which became what is now Pureland Buddhism.
The first time I saw a book related to Pureland School, it was “Longshu’s Treatise On The Pureland“. In this book, it describes how many people who have learnt about Pureland Sect, recited Buddha’s name, achieved great success and were delivered to Western Pureland.
In the past, I also read this book and was very moved. Even though we are practicing Tantric Buddhism now, everytime after we finish the Tantric practice, after the regular dharma ceremony is completed, we will all chant the Buddha’s name [nianfo]. Our core cultivation is Tantric dharma, supplemented by chanting the Buddha’s name.
I have always thought that Tantric Dharma must be practiced by people with great wisdom, what about Pure Land Buddhism?
Regardless of whether you have great wisdom or little wisdom, everyone can practice. Therefore, if you didn’t get a seat on the first flight, you can still take the second flight. Even though you have not cultivated Tantric dharma until you have a yogic response, if your Pure Land chanting is sufficient, the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will still come to deliver you. Therefore, when Master [Lu] teaches the Dharma, he not only talks about Tantric/Esoteric Buddhism, but also talks about Pure Land. He casts out many nets in order to catch the fish.
“The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra” says that “the beings saved by the Pureland dharma method were uncountable”. Because this sutra was taught by the Buddha, and because we believe in the Buddha, so we believe that there is Amitabha’s Pureland. We recite his name, and because he hears our call, so he can come to lead us. Just like today, at the start, you all heard me talk about “my old master took leave for an hour”, you all would believe that this is very real! Because you all believe in Lu Sheng-yen! If all do not believe in me, then what I said earlier on is just tantamount to boasting.
From this we know that, because we are:
“believing in the words of Shakyamuni Buddha, believing in the words of the Buddhas of the six directions, and chanting the Buddha’s name to attain Buddhahood are the causes and conditions of a great event. Hence, I hope that everyone protects the dharma, and lay practitioners hear the dharma and speak it to others. To constantly do is a good dream. Moreover spread and transmit “The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra“, receive, recite, and expound it. The merits and benefits of these cannot be explained by thoughts and words, those who expound it, have the cause of Buddhahood and the fruit of Buddhahood.”
The sutras taught by the Buddha include scientific ones, as well as philosophy, astronomy, geography, Righteous Dharma, and also expedient methods. Such awakened ones with great wisdom are rare.
As I personally have been to the Western Pureland, and have personally guaranteed that I came from Western Pureland, if in future after I leave I may probably just directly return there. My previous “sightings” were very real, even now they are still vivid in my mind, as if they are right in front of my eyes. Because this is a true pure vision, I am certain the Western Pureland is real.
Nowadays, when the Masters expound dharmas, they recite exactly how it is written in the books.
Someone asked: “Have you been to Western Pureland?”.
He said: “If I had been there, it means I am dead!”
It’s as if asking them whether they’ve been there is a way of urging them to die quickly, since funeral parlors display banners that say “Rebirth in the Western Pure Land!“
However, today the Guru can tell you all: “I did go, and I went only once, just once. If you want to go again, he said: ‘Come back when you’re finished!‘”
Therefore I assure everyone, there is indeed a Western Pureland. The Buddhas there are very majestic. Everyone can believe what Shakyamuni Buddha said and what I said today. As long as we normally recite the Buddha’s name in the morning and evening when we are free, think of the Buddha in our hearts, with a focused mind, the Buddha will come to lead you. Therefore Master Leguo said:
“In summary, believing in the words of Shakyamuni Buddha, believing in the words of the Buddhas of the six directions, and chanting the Buddha’s name to attain Buddhahood are the causes and conditions of a great event.”
I think Shakyamuni Buddha himself is also very smart and has great wisdom. His choice is different from the choices of ordinary people in the world. People of this world, if they are born as a prince, they will choose to become king in future and not become ordained as a monk. This is called “the causes and conditions of a great event.”
Today if Shakyamuni Buddha did not renounce the world, and he became king of a small country in India, no one would know him today. Today, who knows the names of the kings of those small countries in India?!
To be honest, of the presidents of United States I only know a few. Like the founding father Washington, Lincoln, Wilson, and Jefferson! These few are more famous, the rest I don’t know.
So in fact, Shakyamuni Buddha made the right choice. He wanted to renounce the world to become a Buddha rather than a king.
Speaking of which, in the past when I retired from the military as a major, my superior told me: “Don’t retire! If you don’t retire, I will make you a lieutenant colonel. If you rise further, you might become general, or even become a major general!”
I said: “I don’t want it, I don’t want to be a general. If I become a general, few people will know me, only a few subordinates will recognize me.”
Today, I am learning Buddhism because of the causes and conditions of a great event in life, therefore now there are nearly a hundred thousand disciples in the world.
So today this choice, we are now all choosing the causes and conditions of a great event in life. Becoming a king, becoming a general, they cannot compare to the meaningfulness of learning Buddhism. Like the rich people in this world, sometimes people don’t necessarily know them. Now today we learn Buddhism, learning dharma is for the causes and conditions of a great event. Our starting point is the same as Shakyamuni Buddha, this way our life will be more meaningful than anyone else’s.
Reverend Leguo said:
“Hence, I hope that everyone protects the dharma, and lay practitioners hear the dharma and speak it to others. To constantly do is a good dream. Moreover spread and transmit “The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra“, receive, recite, and expound it. The merits and benefits of these cannot be explained by thoughts and words, those who expound it, have the cause of Buddhahood and the fruit of Buddhahood.“
We are all with the cause and fruit of Buddhahood, today we listen to “The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra“, we must always expound the merits of Amitabha Buddha to others, print “The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra“, chant the Buddha’s name frequently, or read and recite this Sutra, often expound this Sutra. This is very meritorious and meaningful. The person who expounds this has planted the cause of Buddhahood in the hearts of sentient beings, and those who listen will obtain the fruit of Buddhahood!
Today I will speak until here.
Om Mani Padme Hum.