龍舒增廣淨土文 7

English (machine translation) 7

Language: English

7.1

Composed by Wang Rixiu, Jinshi of the National Academy

Many who practice Chan do not believe in the Pure Land, considering it grasping at characteristics, and wishing to directly point to the human mind to see one's nature and attain Buddhahood. This doctrine is very fine, yet extremely difficult to reach, and those who instead suffer its pitfalls are many. Therefore, I now explain in detail the pitfalls of practicing Chan, citing historical events as evidence, and discuss them alongside various practitioners who do not know the essentials. Hence this fascicle is titled "Pointing Out Delusion and Returning to the Essentials".

7.3

Qingcaotang Reborn as Duke Zeng Lu

7.4

In the Song dynasty there were two monks named Qingcaotang. The earlier one lived past ninety. A woman of the Zeng family often provided him with vegetarian meals and donated clothing and goods. The Venerable was touched by her kindness and said: "This old monk will become madam's son." One day, when this woman gave birth to a son, she sent someone to look, and Caotang had already passed away while sitting. The son born to her was none other than Duke Zeng Lu. Because in his past life he had been a monk and had cultivated merit and wisdom, he passed the highest examinations at a young age. Later he became prime minister, which from a worldly viewpoint could not be surpassed. Even so, this too was a mistake. Why so? The wealth and honor of this world do not last; once exhausted, they come to nothing, and moreover one is swept away along with karmic conditions, with no end to transmigration. It would have been better to first be born in the Western [Pure Land], see the Buddha, resolve the great matter of birth and death, and then come back to serve as prime minister; then, although entering the womb to take birth, this single nature would not be obscured, and thus, although in the world of transmigration, one would no longer be subject to transmigration, and coming and going in birth and death would be at one's own will. Now, unable to resolve birth and death, he thought of petty kindnesses and became another's son, thereby failing to escape craving and love, remaining forever in transmigration. How great was his miscalculation!

7.5

Chan Master Jie Reborn as Dongpo

7.6

Chan Master Wuzu [Jie] was the previous incarnation of Dongpo, with many verified signs. Because of his cultivation in past lives, in this life he had intelligence surpassing others. Because the habitual energies of the five poisons were not yet eliminated, in this life he suffered unexpected banishment mostly on account of his poetic lines; this too was a great mistake. If in his past life as a monk he had practiced Chan while also cultivating the Western [path], he would surely have been born directly into the Pure Land and achieved great merit and great wisdom; why would he have come to this world to suffer so many afflictions? I have heard that when Dongpo traveled south, he carried only a single hanging scroll of Amitābha Buddha. When someone asked the reason, he answered: "This is Shi's official passport for birth in the Western [Pure Land]." If it was indeed like this, then Dongpo only at this point achieved the right strategy. This was also because his long-planted wholesome roots and surpassing clarity and comprehension allowed him to awaken to this principle. I have also heard that Luzhi was in a past life a woman who recited the Lotus Sūtra. Because of the merit of reciting the sūtra, in this life he was intelligent and held official rank; this is coming along with karmic conditions. If he had been born in the Western [Pure Land], how could it have been merely like this?

7.7

Elder Zhe's Rebirth Had Much Grief and Suffering

7.8

There was Elder Zhe, who resided in a great monastery in the capital. For forty years he did not sleep, sitting in meditation with bitter diligence. Dying seated in this manner, afterwards his paper-padded robes were cremated and yielded śarīra. An eunuch bought one of his paper robes for thirty thousand cash, precisely because it possessed śarīra; his efficacy was already such as this. Had he cultivated [rebirth in] the West, he would certainly have become a bodhisattva of the stage of non-retrogression, immediately at ease with birth and death. Then, what would prevent him from coming back to this world to cross over sentient beings? Not knowing to cultivate this, he was instead reborn into great wealth and nobility, where he endured much sorrow and suffering all his life—how lamentable! Even if one enjoys great wealth and nobility, it ultimately comes to an end, and one transmigrates as before. Someone said: "Given Elder Zhe's diligent cultivation, why did he endure much sorrow and suffering in this life?" I reply: The Buddha said, "Even after hundreds of thousands of kalpas, the karma created does not perish. When the conditions meet, one still receives the retribution oneself." Master Yongjia also said, "When awakened, the karmic obstacles are fundamentally empty; when unawakened, one must pay back past debts." Because Elder Zhe had not yet settled the great matter of birth and death, his birth in a place of great wealth and nobility in this life was due to the vow of his previous life. That he endured much sorrow and suffering was due to the meeting of conditions to pay back the past debts of hundreds and thousands of lifetimes. If one is born in the West, past debts do not need to be paid back. Why is this? Because one is at ease with birth and death. Even when entering into the realm of birth and death of all sentient beings to ferry them across, one's singular nature is already unobscured and transcends the three realms; how could one need to pay back past debts? Furthermore, with such diligent cultivation as Elder Zhe's, he was still unable to transcend the three realms. Is it not because the shores of the three realms are extremely high, its sea of suffering extremely deep, and its surging waves extremely swift, so that it is not easy to transcend? Those who cultivate [the path to] the West and transcend do so by relying on the Buddha's power. To have a Buddha and not rely on him is like a destitute and starving person seeing a wealthy man and not relying on him—how lamentable!

7.9

Elder Gu's Later Rebirth Indulges in Wealth and Nobility

7.10

There was Elder Huigu, who first dwelt at Taiping in Shuzhou, and later dwelt in a great monastery in eastern Zhejiang; he was also an elder monk renowned for his conduct. Upon death he was born into the family of a prime minister, and in his subsequent life passed the highest civil examination, which the world certainly considered an honor. Yet this was a great error in calculation. Why is this? In his previous life he observed the vegetarian precepts, but in this life he eats meat, and must regard eating meat as delicious. In his previous life he practiced pure cultivation, but in this life he approaches sexual desire, and must regard sexual desire as wonderful. In his previous life he was calm and tranquil, but in this life he enjoys wealth and nobility, and must regard wealth and nobility as wonderful. This is like stepping into mud: with every step, one sinks a step deeper; what can be done? The Śūraṅgama-sūtra says, "When that which is heard is exhausted, the exhaustion of hearing does not abide. When awareness and that which is awoken are emptied, the awareness of emptiness is consummate and complete." This means that the things heard are exhausted, and one exhausts hearing such that it does not abide. Therefore, although one enjoys pleasure in the world, what can one do about its non-abiding? Because it does not abide, it passes away; because it passes away, it cannot endure. Furthermore, awareness realizes that all which is awoken returns to emptiness; being empty, it has no reality. If one can truly realize awareness in this emptiness, then the sincerity of true awakening is consummate and complete, and one will never fall again. Had Elder Gu awakened to this principle, he certainly would not have remained in the prime minister's house. Even if he had not yet been able to awaken to and clarify his true nature, he could at least have cultivated [rebirth in] the West to escape transmigration. The Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra states that worldly practitioners are like settling muddy water: although settling it makes it clear, the sediment of mud has not been removed, and stirring it makes it turbid again. This refers to [someone like] Elder Gu. If one is born in the West, sees the Buddha, and attains the Way, then returning to be born in this world is like scouring away the sediment of mud: it becomes purely clear water, which will not become turbid again even if stirred. Therefore, even an elder monk renowned for his conduct cannot fail to cultivate [rebirth in] the West. Elder Gu is sufficient as a warning.

7.11

The West Is Like Accepting an Official Post Immediately

7.12

For example, suppose a man has an official post available but does not accept it, insisting that he will study to become the principal graduate [in the imperial examinations]; his aspiration is certainly admirable. However, the principal graduate cannot be obtained with certainty; it is certainly better to accept the post for now and devote oneself to studying. If he obtains the position of principal graduate, it will be like adding flowers to brocade; if he does not obtain it, he will not lose his status as an official. Cultivating [rebirth in] the West corresponds to accepting the post for now. Devoting oneself to studying corresponds to concurrently practicing Chan meditation. Not obtaining the position of principal graduate corresponds to practicing Chan without awakening. Not losing his status as an official corresponds to directly escaping transmigration and greatly enjoying bliss. Once born in the West, seeing the Buddha, and hearing the Dharma, how could one fail to have a great awakening? Therefore, the teaching of the West truly must not be discarded.

7.13

Three Bodhisattvas Cultivating [Rebirth in] Tuṣita

7.14

Zhiyi's Treatise on the Ten Doubts states: "Three bodhisattvas cultivated [rebirth in] Tuṣita: the first was named Asaṅga, the second Vasubandhu, and the third Siṃhabhadra. They agreed that whoever was born first in Tuṣita and saw Maitreya should immediately return to report. Siṃhabhadra died first, and after several years there was no report. Next Vasubandhu died, and after three years he came to report, saying: 'The days in heaven are long. I was born in Tuṣita, paid homage to Maitreya Buddha, listened to him preach the Dharma, and immediately came to report; yet already three years have passed.' They asked: 'How is Siṃhabhadra?' He said: 'He was born in the outer court of Tuṣita, became attached to heavenly pleasures, and has not yet seen the Buddha.'" Now, when even bodhisattvas cultivating [rebirth in] Tuṣita still harbor attachment and fail to see the Buddha, this is the root of transmigration. From this it is known that Tuṣita is difficult to cultivate and entails falling, unlike the West, which is easy to cultivate and free of falling. Zhiyi also said: "There are those who saw Śākyamuni Buddha and did not attain the Way. If one cultivates [rebirth in] the West and sees Amitābha Buddha, none fail to attain the Way." Thus, the vow power, merit, and spiritual majesty of Śākyamuni Buddha and Amitābha Buddha are certainly different in scope. Therefore Bodhisattva Daci said: "In the ten directions and the three periods of time, Amitābha is the foremost Buddha." Reciting his name extinguishes all sins, whereupon one is born in the Pure Land. How fitting!

7.15

The Lotus Nun Whose Later Rebirth Was an Official Courtesan

7.16

When Ouyang Yongshu was prefect of Yingzhou, an official courtesan's breath had the fragrance of a lotus flower. A monk who possessed knowledge of past lives said: "This courtesan in her previous life was a nun who recited the Lotus Sūtra for thirty years. Through an error of a single thought, she ended up like this." They asked the courtesan, saying: "Have you ever read the Lotus Sūtra?" She answered: "Having fallen into this life, when would I have leisure to recite sūtras?" When they gave her the Lotus Sūtra, she read and recited it fluently; when they gave her other sūtras, she was unable to read them. From this it was known that the monk's words were trustworthy. Had this nun known the Dharma-gate of the West, she could have achieved the highest rebirth of the highest grade. Because she did not know it, she fell to becoming a courtesan; how could this not be lamentable? From this one knows that for those who can use the Dharma-gate of the West to teach others, their merit in rescuing and elevating them is vast indeed; how could their karmic reward be easily measured?

7.17

Diagram of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination

7.18

Diagram of the Transmigration in the Three Realms and Six Destinies

7.19

Ignorance means the obscuration of the true nature; action means movements; consciousness means the conscious spirit. (Those written in long lines are the Diagram of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination; those written in short lines are the Diagram of the Three Realms and Six Destinies.) From the Great Avīci Hell up to the Heaven of Controlling Others' Emanations are all called the Desire Realm, because they have desires. Above this is the Form Realm, which has only form bodies without male and female gender forms. Above this again is the Formless Realm, which also lacks a form body and has only the conscious spirit, like ghosts and spirits. These are collectively called the three realms. Observing this, how could one be deluded by other paths and not cultivate [rebirth in] the West? / Name means feeling, perception, impulse, and consciousness; form means the physical body; the six entrances mean the six sense faculties. Contact means that which touches the six sense faculties. Because the true nature is obscured, it cannot remain tranquil and motionless, thereby generating the conscious spirit. Because there is name-and-form, there are consequently the six entrances; because of the six entrances, there is contact; because of contact, there is feeling; because of feeling, there is craving; because of craving, there is grasping; because of grasping, there is perpetual existence; because of this, one again undergoes birth. Because of birth, there is old age and death. Linked in this succession without interruption, they are called the twelve links.

7.20

Longshu's Expanded Pure Land Writings, Fascicle Seven (End)

Linked texts (1)

龍舒增廣淨土文 — Classical Chinese