The historical Buddha
Shakyamuni had disciples of many different capacities. Although he actually
taught one single way to enlightenment, different parts of his teachings were
taken as vehicles according to the capacities of his disciples. Basically, one
can subdivide all of the Buddha's teachings into the two vehicles of Sutra and
Tantra. Sutra is also called "the causal vehicle," because one builds
up the causes for enlightenment. In Tantra, "the vehicle of fruition,"
one identifies with the fruit, or the different aspects of enlightenment.
To build up the causes for enlightenment means both to remove all causes for
suffering and to practice the way which leads to the cessation of all suffering,
to lasting happiness. In the Smaller Vehicle (Hinayana) the goal is liberation,
because the illusion concerning a true self of the person together with all
gross defilements is dissolved. In the Greater Vehicle (Mahayana) the goal is
full enlightenment. On the basis of the wish to liberate all sentient beings
from suffering, even the subtlest veils of ignorance are removed and the state
of highest wisdom, of complete omniscience, is obtained. This highest wisdom
is nothing but the true nature of our mind.
If one has very strong confidence in the true nature of the mind one can directly
identify with fruition itself, the different qualities of enlightenment. Based
on the teachings about the Buddha nature which is present in all sentient beings,
the Tantric methods of the Diamond Way bring about a very quick result. It is
said of the Diamond Way that the best practitioner can reach enlightenment within
one single lifetime. This is extremely fast, especially when it is compared
to the Sutra approach where enlightenment can be obtained only within aeons.
But not every practitioner is able to use such powerful methods. Most traditions
in the Mahayana are based on the Sutra approach. Only Tibetan Buddhism uses
and transmits all the Tantric methods that the Buddha has given.
Enlightenment expresses itself in different forms. All the Buddha aspects that
Buddha Shakyamuni taught can be summarized into the five Buddha families, and
these five families can be condensed again into Vajradhara (Tib.: Dorje Chang),
the Tantric form of Buddha Shakyamuni himself. All the Buddhas of the ten directions
and also the high Bodhisattvas manifest a pure powerfield around themselves,
which is their own pure land. Buddha Shakyamuni described the qualities of these
pure lands in detail. He taught different methods to connect with the Buddhas
and their pure lands because, compared to other methods, the practice of the
pure lands is a relatively easy way to enlightenment.
Within the circle of the five Buddha families the Buddha Amitabha (Tib.: Öpame,
Eng.: Limitless Light) is the Buddha of the western direction. He bears this
name, because the light radiating from his body pervades all the pure lands
of all the Buddhas of the ten directions. Many aeons ago, in connection with
his Bodhisattva promise, he made extremely strong wishes that he would be able
to manifest a pure land which combines the qualities of all other pure lands,
and that all beings who made corresponding wishes would be reborn there easily.
As a result of these strong wishes he manifested the Pure Land of Great Bliss
(Skr.: Sukha-vati, Tib.: Dewachen) at the time he accomplished Buddhahood.
The teachings on the qualities of Buddha Amitabha and his pure land are found
mainly in the Smaller and Larger Sukha-vati-Vyu-ha, the shorter or longer Description
of the Pure Land of Great Bliss (1st and 2nd century AD), and in the Amita-yur-Dhya-na-Su-tra,
the Sutra of the Meditation on the Buddha of Limitless Life (3rd century AD).
In addition to these three Sutras the method of getting in connection with the
pure lands and taking rebirth there is praised in numerous Mahayana Sutras.
These include some 200 Sutras and commentaries, such as the Avatamsaka, Surangama,
Lotus and Prajnaparamita Sutras. Also the Treatise on the Awakening of the Faith
by Asvaghosha explains this practice very clearly.
In general, there are four causes for a rebirth in the Pure Land of Great Bliss.
The first and main cause is the wish to be reborn there. To visualize the Buddha
and his pure land in one's mind as clearly as possible is the second cause.
The third cause is to avoid negative actions and to practice positive actions.
Finally, the fourth cause is to develop Bodhicitta, the Enlightened Attitude,
the wish to obtain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings on the basis
of love and compassion. But on the basis of these general teachings there exist
many different levels of practice that the Buddha gave in correspondence with
the different capacities of his students. It is these practices that one can
divide into the two main categories of Sutra and Tantra which will be briefly
described below.
The Sutra Level
In terms of the Amitabha practice, the Sutra level of teachings is the basis
for the Pure Land School, which is the biggest Buddhist school in the world
with more than one hundred million followers. This school's main practice is
the recitation of the name of the Buddha Amitabha together with three kinds
of accumulations.
The first accumulation is confidence in the Western Pure Land and in Buddha
Amitabha's promise to rescue all who recite his name, as well as confidence
in one's own self-nature, which is intrinsically the same as his. To recite
the Buddha's name is to recite the true nature of mind. The second is to make
wishes, the determination to be reborn in the Pure Land, in one's pure mind,
in order to be in the position to save oneself and others from all sufferings.
The third is to practice, which in this school means that one mainly has to
recollect the Buddha Amitabha, reciting the Buddha's name until one's mind and
that of Buddha Amitabha are in unison, i.e., to the point of single-mindedness.
Stable meditation and insight are then achieved. Besides recollecting the Buddha
Amitabha it is also necessary to study the Sutras of the Mahayana, and to do
various kinds of positive activities. In this way one can build a bridge to
Dewachen, the Pure Land. But one can also say that these three aspects - confidence,
wishes, and practice are actually one and the same in essence, as the one contains
all and all are contained in one.
The main practice in the Pure Land School is to recite the name of Amitabha,
but there are also three other forms. In one form one recollects the Buddha
by looking at a statue or form of the Buddha. Another form is to recollect the
Buddha by vizualisation, and a third form is to recollect the Buddha by meditating
on the true nature of mind. The recitation of the name of a Buddha has the same
effect as reciting a mantra. This is the connection to the Tantric or esoteric
schools. Buddhist masters of different traditions often commented, "The
method of reciting the name of a Buddha encompasses the Meditation (Zen), Sutra
Studies, Discipline (Vinaya), and Esoteric Schools." This is because when
reciting the Buddha's name, one rids oneself of all delusions and attachments,
which is Zen. The sacred words 'Amitabha Buddha' contain innumerable sublime
teachings, hidden in and springing forth from those words, which is the Sutra
Studies School. Reciting the Buddha's name purifies and stills the three karmas
of body, speech and mind, which is the Discipline School. The Esoteric School
will be explained in the context of the Tantra level.
The formal title of the Pure Land School in China is Ching-t'u Tsung, corresponding
to the Jodo Shu in Japanese Buddhism. Devotion to Buddha Amitabha was, prior
to Hui Yüan (334 - 416), an optional practice within Buddhism. Hui-yüan
established this practice as an independent activity, and developed a Buddhist
school around this practice by founding the White Lotus Society in the year
402. He emphasized the Buddha Amitabha's promise to cause all faithful beings
to be reborn in his pure land, focusing on the practice of repeating the phrase
known as the Nien-fo: "Na-mo A-mi-t'o Fo," literally meaning, "Homage
to Amitabha Buddha." This practice is also used in the Japanese version
of the Pure Land School, where it is called Nembutsu (Namo Amida Butsu).
The eminent 16th century Zen Master Chu Hung has said, "This (Pure Land)
is the most primal and the most subtle and wondrous. It is also the simplest.
Because it is simple, those of high intelligence overlook it. Birth and death
are not apart from a single moment of mindfulness. Consequently, all the myriad
worldly and world-transcending teachings and methods are not apart from a single
moment of mindfulness. Right now, take this moment of mindfulness and be mindful
of Buddha, remember Buddha, recite the Buddha's name. How close and cutting!
What pure essential energy, so solid and real! If you see through where this
mindfulness arises, this is the Amitabha of our inherent nature. This is the
meaning of the patriarch coming from the West (the meaning of Zen)."
In Zen Buddhism one has to understand the truth of self-nature Amitabha, Mind-Only
Pure Land. As the Vimalakirti-Nirdesha Sutra states: "When mind is pure,
the Buddha land is pure." Rebirth in the pure land is, ultimately, rebirth
in our pure mind. This high level form of pure land is practiced by those of
deep spiritual capacities: "When the mind is pure, the Buddha land is pure
... to recite the Buddha's name is to recite the mind." Thus, at an advanced
level, Pure Land and Zen are the same in essence.
The Tantra Level
On the Tantra level, or the level of the Diamond Way, again many different forms
of practice exist. The main focus of the Diamond Way is identification: to behave
like the Buddha until one becomes a Buddha oneself. Even if one can already
do the practice without having many special prerequisites, because the Buddha
Amitabha made such strong wishes for all sentient beings, the practice actually
becomes more powerful if one has received an authentic transmission from one's
teacher. This transmission consists of the Amitabha empowerment (Tib.: wang),
the 'oral transmission' or authorization for the practice (Tib.: lung), and
the exact explanation how to practice in a correct way (Tib.: thri).
Every Tantra practice can be divided into two or three parts. The two parts
are the development phase, where one builds up a certain visualization, and
the completion phase of the meditation, where one dissolves whatever one has
built up and lets the mind rest in its own nature. When divided into three parts,
the aspects of practice are called "Mudra, Mantra, and Samadhi" in
Sanskrit, and the Mantra recitation is added in connection with the development
phase. The first part, Mudra, building up the form of the Buddha with all details
in one's mind, functions to purify the defilements of the body and as a result
of that to manifest the pure aspect of the body which is the emanation body
of a Buddha (Skr.: Nirmanakaya). The Mantra recitation fulfills the purpose
of purifying the defilements related to speech and to manifest the pure aspect
of speech which is the body of enjoyment of a Buddha (Skr.: Samboghakaya). Finally,
the function of the dissolving or completion phase (samadhi) is to purify the
defilements related to mind and to manifest the state of truth or the body of
phenomena of a Buddha (Skr.: Dharmakaya). These functions are basically the
same, whether one takes a short, medium, or extensive form of Amitabha practice.
The longest forms can last a day or more and include many different kinds of
rituals like offerings, etc. Because the meaning of these practices is very
profound, it is not possible to explain all aspects in this context.
The Diamond Way also contains a very special form of practice, one of the most
profound teachings the Buddha has given. This is the so-called "Transference
of Consciousness" (Tib.: phowa) or the practice of conscious dying. In
the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism it is taught in the context of the Six
Teachings of Naropa. It is also taught as a part of the Tantric Teachings of
the Nyingma lineage given by the great Indian master Padmasambhava who was the
main founder of Buddhism in Tibet.
During Phowa practice one learns to direct one's mind towards Buddha Amitabha
and to transfer one's consciousness into the Pure Land of Great Bliss. Thus
it is possible to establish a definite connection with the Buddha Amitabha and
to arrive at a direct experience of this extremely pure and joyful state. This
is especially useful at the time of death. Instead of being driven through the
intermediate state (Tib.: bardo) into a new rebirth in the cycle of existence,
one goes directly into the state of highest bliss, from where one can freely
choose whether or not to come back for the benefit of beings. Being in the state
of the Buddha himself one receives further teachings and develops very quickly
towards the state of full enlightenment.
However, through this kind of practice it is even possible to realize more and
more the pure nature of one's mind, which means to manifest the pure land here
and now. In this case one doesn't need to send one's energy and awareness to
the Pure Land and one needn't wait for the result to come when one builds up
the causes. Instead, one can develop, in this lifetime, a huge capacity to benefit
others and to liberate them from all sufferings. This is the actual meaning
of the Phowa practice. It is a great gift, and the most powerful of all the
different forms of Amitabha practice.
BUDDHISM TODAY, Vol.6, 1999
Copyright ©1999 Kamtsang Choling USA