#shandao

[mahayanapilgrim]

Approaching Buddhism by Reading the Buddhist Sutras

The purpose of learning and practicing Buddhism

Why do people want to know, learn, and practice Buddhism? What benefits do they expect from the Buddhist teachings? The answers vary because people have different views and encounter different problems. In addition, people usually do not know what they want as they frequently change their minds under various circumstances.

However, Shakyamuni Buddha is the wisest, kindest, most benevolent and compassionate person among all living beings in history. Shakyamuni Buddha knows us much better than we know ourselves because we are ignorant about right and wrong, happiness and suffering, good and evil, life and death, and the reality of the universe.

Thus, it is better to know why Shakyamuni Buddha set forth the Buddhist teachings about 2,500 years ago. Shakyamuni Buddha stated his original intent for appearing in the world on two occasions near his death, before he entered nirvana: one in the Lotus Sutra and the other in the Infinite Life Sutra.

Why did Shakyamuni Buddha set forth the Buddhist teachings about 2,500 years ago?

In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha tells his disciples, both sravakas (those seeking self-liberation) and bodhisattvas (those seeking to liberate others), that he came to reveal and expound the right views of a buddha, and further that he wishes to enable all beings to become enlightened and grasp the Buddha’s right views and enter the Buddha’s realm, which is unspeakable and inconceivable.

Sravakas and bodhisattvas are sagely and sacred beings who pursue wisdom and enlightenment to become arhats and buddhas, respectively. Strictly speaking, it is impossible for us to grasp their profound and subtle understanding of the Dharma. Our status is that of ordinary beings subjected to reincarnation within the Six Realms.

Let us look at the Infinite Life Sutra. Shakyamuni Buddha says: “With infinite great compassion, the Tathagata commiserates with living beings of the Three Domains. Therefore, he appears in the world to disseminate the teaching of the Way, wishing to save the multitudes by endowing them with real benefits.”

The Buddha’s original intent does not make sense to us because we are living beings in the Three Domains and Six Realms. In our ignorance, we are compelled to endlessly take rebirth as heavenly beings, human beings, asuras, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings.* In order to end this cycle of suffering, the Tathagata (Thus Gone or Thus Come, another title for the Buddha) Shakyamuni wishes to endow us with real benefits.

What are real benefits? Shakyamuni Buddha, in his great compassion, made it clear: eternal, nirvanic peace and joy. The Buddhadharma is the teaching that cuts off suffering at its root. It can improve the quality of our present life, but the most important thing is to exit the cycle of birth and death forever. This is why Shakyamuni Buddha set forth Buddhist practice in the world.

Four differences in each Buddhist sutra spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha

It is important to note that Shakyamuni Buddha speaks of 84,000 different teachings in the Buddhadharma. These differ in terms of time, place, audience (especially their capacities and aptitudes), and the benefitsbestowed by the teaching. These classifications were established by Master Shandao in his Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra.

Moreover, each Buddhist sutra basically talks about two things: one is the aim and the other is the method. In reading a sutra, we should ask whether our aim aligns with that of the sutra and, more importantly, whether the suggested method to achieve the aim is within our capacity to practice.

Last, but not least, it is important to understand that Shakyamuni Buddha usually tackles the root cause of our problems rather than providing solutions that offer only temporary relief. Such would be like pouring hot water onto a field of ice. Although it helps to melt the ice, the hot water itself will soon turn into ice.

Shakyamuni Buddha would rather extinguish the burning wood under the pot with hot water than pour cold water into the pot to cool it down. The real benefits endowed by the Buddha generally refer to definitive and ultimate solutions that sever the root of our suffering.

The three Pure Land sutras have one common aim and method

It is interesting to note that all three Pure Land sutras have a common aim and method, so they are considered one sutra. The aim of the three Pure Land sutras is to attain rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land, and the method to attain rebirth is to recite Amitabha’s Name.

In other words, if you wish to attain rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land, called the Land of Bliss, you can start reading the three Pure Land sutras. Regarding the method to attain rebirth, Amitabha-recitation is so easy that all of us can do it and practice it under any circumstance.

In the three Pure Land sutras, Shakyamuni Buddha urges us to dedicate our merit and virtues and aspire to be reborn in Amitabha’s Land of Bliss. Alternatively, if we wish to be totally assured of our rebirth, we can recite Amitabha’s Name exclusively and thereby end the fundamental suffering of the cycle of birth and death within the Six Realms.

The Pure Land scriptures are suitable for the aptitude and needs of all beings

With ignorant, ordinary beings as the target audience, the teaching spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha in the Three Pure Land Sutras (The Infinite Life Sutra, the Contemplation Sutra, and the Amitabha Sutra) presents us with facts, rather than profound and abstract concepts.

In the Amitabha Sutra, for example, the Buddha introduces Amitabha Buddha and his Pure Land and says:

If you travel westward from here, passing a hundred thousand kotis of buddha-lands, you come to the land called “Bliss,” where there is a Buddha named “Amitabha.” He is living there now, teaching Dharma.

It is simple and straightforward, showing the existence of Amitabha Buddha and his Land of Bliss in the framework of time and space with which we are familiar. Conversely, many other sutras are spoken for sravakas and bodhisattvas who seek merit through the self-powered practices of meditative and non-meditative virtues. These teachings are beyond the abilities of ordinary beings to comprehend.

Many sutras, such as the Heart Sutra, the Diamond Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, the Shurangama Sutra, and the Avatamsaka Sutra, are famous and popular; however, these sutras are subtle and were not spoken for the benefit of ordinary beings.

Moreover, Shakyamuni Buddha says in the Lotus Sutra that the teachings for sravakasand bodhisattvas are “expedient.” Expedient teachings are a means, not an end. They are meant to lead sagely and sacred practitioners to the real teaching of the One Buddha and so enter the Buddha’s realm, which is unspeakable and inconceivable.

So the Pure Land teaching is not just for ordinary beings, but also for the sagely and sacred beings who wish to be reborn in Amitabha’s Land of Bliss and attain the “real” benefits endowed by the Buddha for ultimate liberation.

* The Three Wretched Realms are hells, hungry ghosts and animals. Adding the Asura, human and heavenly beings, it forms the Six Realms in the Three Domains of this great trichiliocosm called the Saha World.

By Alan Kwan BUDDHISTDOOR GLOBAL

The guiding principles of the Pure Land School are “faith in, and acceptance of, Amitabha’s deliverance; single-minded recitation of Amitabha’s name; aspiration to rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land; comprehensive deliverance of all sentient beings.”

The school’s special characteristics: “recitation of Amitabha’s name, relying on his Fundamental Vow (the 18th); rebirth of ordinary beings in the Pure Land’s Realm of Rewards; rebirth assured in the present lifetime; non- retrogression achieved in this lifetime.”

May all practitioners of deep mind single-heartedly accept the Buddha's words and hold fast to the Nembutsu practice, even at the risk of their own lives. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Namo Amituofo

Namo Amida Butsu

[namandabu]

Tannisho reflections: Chapter 2

In this chapter, Shinran answers those who came to see him and inquire about the practices leading to Birth in the Pure Land. In this section, he gives what is his most confounding statement.

He opens by saying that he is only knowledgeable about the practice of Nembutsu, and that other esoteric practices can be learned from other teachers at Nara or Mt. Hiei, two hubs of Buddhist scholarship and thought in Japan at the time. For him, he summarizes:

"For me, Shinran, there is no alternative but to accept and trust in the teaching of my master Hōnen: that simply by uttering the nenbutsu I shall be given deliverance by Amida."

He says that he does not even know if Nembutsu is the practice that will lead to his birth or not. His reasoning for continuing the practice is that because he is "incapable of any meritorious," the Nembutsu is his only option.

He reasons, however, that from the truth of Amida's Vow flows naturally the truth of Shakyamuni's teachings, the truth of Master Shandao's teachings, and the truth of Master Honen's teachings. Therefore, his experience of the Nembutsu and his teaching of it cannot be in vain.

This passage points to the crucial difference between self-power practice and other-power deliverance. The esoteric practices he references when talking about Nara and Mt. Hiei are self-powered. This means that they are activities that the practitioner actively participates in in order to facilitate the desired result. They operate on a causal principle: I do this list of activities, train my mind this way, and this will cause my birth in the Pure Land.

An example of these practices might be the way of practicing Nembutsu in Mainland Chinese Pure Land. Nembutsu, as practiced according to this tradition, is said to build a karmic relationship with Amida Buddha over time, culminating in the Nembutsu and mindfulness of the Buddha at the point of death, which causes Birth in the Pure Land.

The crucial thing here is that it relies on the person doing the practice to facilitate the result. Being grateful to Amida and fostering devotion are vital because they train the mind to be in tune with him. This is done so that when one dies, one can maintain mindfulness of Amida Buddha, which will cause the desired result.

Shinran says that he is incapable of doing this or any other practice leading to Birth in the Pure Land. It is impossible for him to exercise right-mindfulness like this of his own accord. Therefore, he must pursue the path of practice that is suitable to him, the path of other-power through vocal Nembutsu as the act of settlement of Birth in the Pure Land. Thus, rather than going to the Pure Land, he is "given deliverance by Amida."

In his language here, Shinran seems to indicate this gift is the result of Nembutsu. As we will see in further chapters, the gift of assurance of Birth and the Nembutsu are actually inseparable parts of the same thing.

The question of capability of practice is important to me, and I still have no definitive answer to it. However, I think that whatever practices I am capable of won't be enough to bring me to full Buddhahood on their own. I am not confident that I could follow the path of Zen to its full fruition, even if years of practice brought me to experience an initial awakening. Zazen might help me in my daily life, but would its results be unshakeable? For me, I cannot be sure. But I can be sure about Amida's Vows. And when I see results in this life, I can only attribute them to Amida's working in the present. I honestly don't know where else they could come from.

[stationpic01]

2018.11.23  Shandao Temple Station 台北捷運 板南線 善導寺站

[buddhisms-theory-of-happiness]

If not for the likes of Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, T'an-luan, Daochuo, Shandao, Genshin, and Genkū from India, China, and Japan, Master Shinran would not have encountered the true teachings of Buddhism.

Just as a single break in a water pipe can prevent water from reaching its destination, if even one of these seven great masters had been missing, he would not have been saved. Therefore, he was deeply grateful for their teachings, and felt that he could never repay them enough.

—-More about BTH—-

[transgenderer]

@aurpiment said:

What about the little guys coming out of the Buddhist monk Kuya's mouth

great point i forgot about that!!!

while looking into this, i also found this painting

in both cases, the little metal buddhas on a stick and the little gold circles with buddha silhouettes, these physically represent the recitation of the nembutsu, reciting the name of amitaba to get into the pure land after death! it totally makes this tradition would need a way to represent speech when its like, *the* devotional act of your whole sect. anyway, both sources have tantalizing details that these arent one-offs but part of a whole artistic tradition:

The painting shares its iconography with one belonging to Ryūshōji Temple in Gifu Prefecture. Comparison with the Ryūshōji painting reveals that this painting originally would have included ten images of Amida, in keeping with the text of the sutra, instead of the present five. The painting may have been altered to fit a ritual space that was not as large as that for which it was originally intended.

Similar statues, all of the Kamakura period and Important Cultural Properties, may be found at Tsukinowa-dera (月輪寺)[4][5] in Kyoto, Jōdo-ji (浄土寺)[6][7] in Ehime Prefecture and Shōgon-ji (荘厳寺)[8][9] in Shiga Prefecture. There are a number of related images of Zendō (Shan-tao), with holes in the mouth thought to be for attaching now lost figures.[10][11]

one temple even has two of them!

Tsukinowa-dera or Gatsurin-ji (月輪寺) is a Buddhist temple near Mount Atago in Ukyō-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The temple was first founded in 781, it is associated with the Shugendō practices of Kūya and Hōnen. Its treasures include eight Heian period statues. Images of Amida Nyorai and Kūya chanting the nembutsu are amongst those designated Important Cultural Properties.[1][2]

BUT!!! i cant find ANY other kuya statue pictures with this property, and these are the only other shandao pictures with it i could find:

regardless, very cool! my only real gripe is that this is a bit too specialized for my purposes. these represent speech, but only a single speech act, and comparatively unabstractly by drawing a guy to represent someone saying his name

also

@fliegendekuhe said:

One thing I've seen a bit in old art (european only though, I don't know about other cultures) is having the painting and then putting the dialogue as a caption underneath, rather than within the image itself. I wonder how common that is as an approach?

this is very common i believe, there's ton of asian art where you just paint words along the top or side or whatever. boringly literal imo

so you will of course know about the speech bubble, an american invention for comics which has now reached global fixation as the go-to method for representing speech visually. you may also know about the speech scroll, independently developed in medieval europe and mesoamerica as a way to represent speech in art

(both of these are referred to as "speech scrolls" but actually i dont think theres strong evidence the maya ones literally represent scrolls? a similar symbol is used for breath in general. sometimes there are footprints drawn on the scroll to indicate progress or direction. anyway)

but the weird thing is, if you try to find other visual representations of speech in art (to be clear, i mean representing the speech itself, not poses and such that indicate a depicted person is speaking), you come up empty! i cant find anything on speech representation in chinese, indian, japanese, african art. just mesoamerican and european, and the modern speech bubble. which is weird, right? humans have existed forever, thought about the nature of language forever, thought about speech as a thing in itself, separated from a speaker, forever. but they dont draw it? or no one has bothered to study and share the ways they draw it?

[gleaningsinbuddhafields]

Jodo Shu: Three Minds and Four Modes of Practice

The 7th century Chinese Buddhist monk Shandao (pinyin: Shàndǎo, 善導, 613-681) is probably the single most influential monk in the entire Pure Land Buddhist tradition. Both Japanese and Chinese traditions claim him as a patriarch of their respective lineages. Shandao taught an interpretation of the Pure Land that was much less ambiguous and more accessible than earlier masters and popularized some…

[bluemallowz]

Clingy Boyfriend 

[justmiilk]

Wang He Di / Dylan Wang Lockscreens ☆彡

Credits: @justmiilk

~ I came up with the idea to start making edits thanks to @beautyandthebigboss , please check out her amazing gifs and lock screens. 💫 

[littletoska]

king of my heart: a daoming si & shancai playlist

And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for King of my heart, body and soul

And all at once, you are all I want, I'll never let you go

Note: meteor garden 2018 has stolen my heart-- more specifically, daoming si & shancai have! I've always been a huge fan of the hana yori dango j-drama and also the Korean version ‘boys over flowers’ and i’m glad to say, this c-drama is living up to its predecessors and has made a place in my fangirl heart. i’m happy yet sad that this drama is coming to its end in a week or two. it’s been a fun, exciting, and emotional roller coaster ride for sure. but until the ending of said drama, here’s a playlist of all the songs that remind me of this couple and their relationship. hope you enjoy and feel free to recommend songs to add to this playlist!

[theyellow--submarine]

[mahayanapilgrim]

Situating Amitabha’s 18th Vow Among the 48 Vows

All of Amitabha’s causal vows are coherent and all are related to his 18th Vow

To the novice reader, it can seem that Amitabha Buddha’s 48 vows in the Infinite Life Sutra are a series of elevated aspirations randomly strung together. But if we follow Master Shandao’s reading of Amitabha’s 48 vows, we will discover that Dharmakara Bodhisattva, the former body of Amitabha Buddha, presented his 48 vows as a unified set. We will also find that the 48 vows are coherent and all are related to Amitabha’s 18th Vow, the Fundamental Vow—also known as the Vow of Rebirth by Amitabha-Recitation.

Let us take a look at Amitabha’s 1st Vow, known as the Vow of No Wretched Realms in the Land. It states:

If, when I attain Buddhahood, there should be in my land a hell, a realm of hungry spirits or a realm of animals, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.”

This seems to be a simple and straightforward aspiration, almost commonplace among bodhisattvas. Indeed, most buddhas make this vow in their casual ground, like Akshobhya Buddha’s Fifith Vow.

However, we will be deeply moved if we know why Amitabha Buddha gives this vow first place in his master plan of deliverance. Dharmakara makes his priority the deliverance of sentient beings who suffer most and have the least capacity to leave the world of suffering because of their heavy karmic obstructions. Sentient beings may not know or care about the suffering of beings in these realms, but the buddhas do.

Without being asked, Dharmakara proactively made vows to save ordinary beings from reincarnation within the Six Realms as they are likely to fall into the Three Wretched Realms—the animal, hungry ghost, and hell realms—after death. Due to their ignorance, they are inexorably dragged there by their past karma under the Law of Causal Conditioning.

This vow draws the attention of ordinary beings caught in the cycle of birth and death within the Six Realms. It arouses their concern, triggers their intrinsic fear of suffering, and piques their interest to learn more about Amitabha’s Land of Bliss. As Dharmakara Bodhisattva, Amitabha Buddha wished to pacify their minds, and created an ultimate solution for them and all suffering beings.

“May I not attain perfect Enlightenment” is an extremely high opportunity cost

Dharmakara’s aspirations to make his vows, to practice Buddhism over countless kalpas, and to attain the enlightenment of a buddha is expressed in his 48 vows. They are a single package of deliverance for us ordinary beings reincarnating within the Six Realms in the Land of Saha.

When considering the 48 vows, we should take a practical rather than an itellectual approach. Through his vows, Amitabha Buddha is sincerely and earnestly telling us why he makes such vows for us, how he builds the Pure Land, and what benefits he wishes to bestow on us through his Name—particularly the benefit of assured rebirth in his reward land, the Land of Bliss.

It is important to note that all 48 vows start with: “If, when I attain Buddhahood,” and end with “may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.” This means that Dharmakara is not making wishes, but vows. Each is a solemn promise and a binding agreement. If he fails to fulfill any of his vows, he must bear the consequence, which is not attaining perfect Enlightenment.

Of course, for a genuine bodhisattva, attaining perfect Enlightenment is their one and only goal. To frame vows in such a way is a risky proposition for any bodhisattva, as the opportunity cost is extremely high.

Drawing attention to those who reincarnate within the Six Realms

If we interpret Amitabha’s First Vow as just describing one of the benefits of the Pure Land, or we take it as a vow common to all buddhas who wish to eliminate our heavy karmic obstructions and prevent us from falling into the wretched realms, we do not understand the deep and profound meaning of this vow made by Dharmakara Bodhisattva.

The First Vow draws the attention of those who, like us, live in the defiled lands and are afraid of falling into wretched realms of suffering after death. The fear of losing our life (or the body of our present incarnation) is hidden deep in the minds of all ordinary beings, because it may happen at any time in the space of a breath.

Since this is the deep and profound concern of all iniquitous ordinary beings in the Six Realms, Dharmakara makes it his top priority to deliver sentient beings who suffer most and have the least capacity to leave the world of suffering because of their heavy karmic obstructions.

Thus, in another version of the Infinite Life Sutra, Dharmakara announces at the beginning of his 48 vows: 

All beings in the various reincarnated realms come to be reborn in my land and receive the fullness of joy. My compassionate heart exerts itself to rescue all sentient beings and deliver them from Avici Hell.

Although the Three Wretched Realms are highlighted in the First Vow, all six realms of reincarnation, including the asura world, human world, and deva world, are absent in the Land of Bliss. However, aiming to deliver human beings in the defiled lands, Dharmakara speaks from the standpoint of humans so that they can easily understand, believe, and accept his vows.

Why is the 18th Vow fundamental?

Shakyamuni Buddha and the patriarchs identify the 18th Vow as the Fundamental Vow and the other 47 as “vows of admiration.” This is because once we attain assured rebirth through Amitabha-recitation, as stated in the 18th Vow, we will naturally attain all the benefits promised by Amitabha Buddha in the other 47 vows.

Conversely, if we are not assured of rebirth in the Land of Bliss, all benefits promised by Amitabha Buddha in the other 47 vows are, for us, meaningless—just empty talk. Therefore, the only aim of the Pure Land teaching is rebirth in the Pure Land. This is also the original intent of Dharmakara and the aim of all Pure Land practitioners.

[demonslayedher]

My research: The monk Ippen arrived and started sharing his teachings about Pure Land Buddhism and the Nembutsu prayer. He was influenced by Tang Dynasty monk Shandao's teaching on the white path--

Me: "Shiroi Michi" like "Shiroi michi wo yuku," a lyric in LiSA's new song, "Akeboshi!" Expand on this teaching, please?

My research: You know what? Fine. Let's go there. This is a metaphor for people trying to reach the Pure Land. The idea is also called "Nigabyakudo" (two shores, white path), represented by a sea of flames to the south which represents anger and hate, and a sea of water to the north which represents desire, and a thin, straight white path between them stretching west.

Me: Oh! Like that mural at Eikando Temple!

My research: Yes, very good! You could think of this "shiroi michi" as "the straight and narrow."

Me: I want to look back at all the lyrics now with this interpretation in mind.

My research: Or you could stay focused, maybe even use your interest in the character of Himejima Gyomei to ask more questions about the widespread cultural impact of the Nembutsu prayer, as that was Ippen's thing, so much so that he was the founder of the Jishu Sect that taught--

Me: That train was probably heading west, you know. But the use of flames and water as representative of sins and the suffering they cause makes me sad because of all the imagery of lining Tanjiro and Rengoku-san up side by side in the new OP--

My research: Okay, stop now.

[theamericanhui]

Xiangji Temple 2/12/2022 Part 1

Xiangji Temple (simplified Chinese: 香积寺; traditional Chinese: 香積寺; pinyin: Xiāngjī Sì) is a Buddhist temple located in Chang'an District of Xi'an, Shaanxi. The temple is regarded as the cradle of Pure Land Buddhism.  In 681, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang dynasty (618–907), master Shandao, the founder of Pure Land Buddhism, died. To commemorate Shandao, his disciple Huaiyun (怀恽) established the temple, which became the first temple of Pure Land Buddhism.

-----------------------------

I live only about 5 minutes drive from Xiangji Temple and it was the perfect day to go and snap some shots. Great stuff.

[buddhisms-theory-of-happiness]

If not for the likes of Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, T'an-luan, Daochuo, Shandao, Genshin, and Genkū from India, China, and Japan, Master Shinran would not have encountered the true teachings of Buddhism.

Just as a single break in a water pipe can prevent water from reaching its destination, if even one of these seven great masters had been missing, he would not have been saved. Therefore, he was deeply grateful for their teachings, and felt that he could never repay them enough.

[richard-st-clair]

The Parable of the White Path

with Commentary

by Master Shan-tao

And to all those who wish to be reborn in the Pure Land, I now tell a parable for the sake of those who would practice the True Way, as a protection for their faith and a defense against the danger of heretical views. What is it? It is like a man who desires to travel a hundred thousand 'li' to the West. Suddenly in the midst of his route he sees two rivers. One is a river of fire stretching South. The other is a river of water stretching North. Each of the two rivers is a hundred steps across and unfathomably deep. They stretch without end to the North and South. Right between the fire and water, however, is a white path barely four or five inches wide. Spanning the East and West banks, it is one hundred steps long. The waves of water surge and splash against the path on one side while the flames of fire scorch it on the other. Ceaselessly, the fire and water come and go. Parable: The man is out in the middle of a wasteland and none of his kind are to be seen. A horde of vicious ruffians and wild beasts see him there alone, and vie with one another in rushing to kill him. Fearing death he runs straightway to the West, and then sees these great rivers. Praying, he says to himself: "To the North and South I see no end to these rivers. Between them I see a white path, which is extremely narrow. Although the two banks are not far apart, how am I to traverse from one to the other? Doubtless today I shall surely die. If I seek to turn back, the horde of vicious ruffians and wild beasts will come at me. If I run to the North or South, evil beasts and poisonous vermin will race toward me. If I seek to make my way to the West, I fear that I may fall into these rivers."

Thereupon he is seized with an inexpressible terror. He thinks to himself: "Turn back now and I die. Stay and I die. Go forward and I die. Since death must be faced in any case, I would rather follow this path before me and go ahead. With this path I can surely make it across." Just as he thinks this, he hears someone from the east bank call out and encourage him: "Friend, just follow this path resolutely and there will be no danger of death. To stay here is to die." And on the west bank. there is someone calling out, "Come straight ahead, single-mindedly and with fixed purpose. I can protect you. Never fear falling into the fire or water!"

At the urging of the one and the calling of the other, the man straightens himself up in body and mind and resolves without any lingering doubts or hesitations. Hardly has he gone a step or two when from the east bank the horde of vicious ruffians calls out to him: "Friend, come back! That way is perilous and you will never get across. Without a doubt you are bound to die. None of us means to harm you." Though he hears them calling, the man still does not look back but single-mindedly and straightway proceeds on the path. In no time he is at the west bank, far from all troubles forever. He is greeted by his good friend and there is no end of joy. Commentary:

That is the parable and this is the meaning of it: what we speak of as the "east bank" is comparable to this world, a house in flames. What we speak of as the "west bank" is symbolic of the precious land of highest bliss. The ruffians, wild beasts, and seeming friends are comparable to the Six Sense Organs, Six Consciousnesses, Six Dusts, Five Components, and Four Elements [that constitute the "self"].

The lonely wasteland is the following of bad companions and not meeting with those who are truly good and wise. The two rivers of fire and water are comparable to human greed and affection, like water, and anger and hatred, like fire. The white path in the center, four or five inches wide, is comparable to the pure aspiration for rebirth in the Pure Land which arises in the midst of the passions of greed and anger. Greed and anger are powerful, and thus are likened to fire and water; the good mind is infinitesimal, and thus is likened to a white path [of a few inches in width].

The waves inundating the path are comparable to the constant arising of affectionate thoughts in the mind which stain and pollute the good mind. And the flames which scorch the path are comparable to thoughts of anger and hatred which burn up the treasures of dharma and virtue.

The man proceeding on the path toward the West is comparable to one who directs all of his actions and practices toward the West[ern Paradise]. The hearing of voices from the East bank encouraging and exhorting him to pursue the path straight to the West, is like Shakyamuni Buddha, who has already disappeared from the sight of men but whose teachings may still be pursued and are therefore likened to "voices." The calling out of the ruffians after he has taken a few steps is comparable to those of different teachings and practices and of evil views who wantonly spread their ideas to lead people astray and create disturbances, thus falling themselves into sin and losing their way.

To speak of someone calling from the West bank is comparable to the vow of Amitabha. Reaching the West bank, being greeted by the good friend and rejoicing there, is comparable to all those beings sunk long in the sea of birth and death, floundering and caught in their own delusions, without any means of deliverance, who accept Shakyamuni's testament directing them to the West and Amitabha's compassionate call, and obeying trustfully the will of the two Buddhas while paying no heed to the rivers of fire and water, with devout concentration mount the road of Amitabha's promised power and when life is o'er attain the other Land, where they meet the Buddha and know unending bliss.

[From Taisho daizokyo, XXXVII, 272-3] selected from William Theodore de Bary, The Buddhist Tradition in India, China and Japan, Vintage, Random House, NY: 1972. ISBN: 0-394-71696-5, pp. 204-207 

[bzckpackersinnz]

Dans le dernier parc où on est allé, on a aperçu un groupe de jeunes qui prenaient leur cours de guitare. J’ai trouvé ça génial, en plein parc et à cette heure ci. 

La dernière chose qu’on a vu c’est ce magnifique temple, le Shandao Temple. Tellement haut, tellement impressionnant (je suis impressionnée par un peu tout et n’importe quoi en ce moment haha)