Amitabha’s Pure Land School and Zen Buddhism
Meditation and Amitabha Mindfulness Go Hand-in-hand
Ancient Chinese text found, since the Song Dynasty or could be even earlier, that some masters of Zen Buddhism promoted the dual practice of Zen and Pure Land (the mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha). What’s the benefit of such dual practice? Can Zen practice and Pure Land go hand-in-hand?
The Chinese Zen Master Yung-Ming (904–975) collected passages from the entire Tripitaka demonstrated that “to point to the Mind is to return to the Pure Land”. Even at our present Dharma-Ending Age, many Zen masters also glorify Amitabha’s Western Pure Land.
The Pure Land Dharma door (Mindfulness of the Buddha) was preached by Sakyamuni Buddha himself without being requested as seen in the Amitabha Sutra. This Pure Land Dharma is also praised and extolled by all Buddhas in the ten directions throughout the universe.
The Pure Mind is the Enlightened Mind
Often followers who focused on Zen teachings understand the supreme way of Zen is to attain Enlightenment. Yet they tend to miss the original meaning of Enlightenment, which is to end the cycle of Birth and Death. Pure Land School advocates the transcendence of birth and death as the ultimate goal, regardless one strives to attain enlightenment or not. To transcend the endless cycle of birth and death is exactly the very purpose of the Amitabha Mindfulness practice.
According to the Chinese Zen Great Master Han-Shan (1546–1623) during the Ming Dynasty, even Bodhisattvas who are already enlightened still practice Buddha-name Recitation, because without Buddha-name Recitation (mindfulness of the Buddha) they cannot attain supreme, complete Enlightenment. Anyone who practices Buddha-name Recitation single-mindedly and without distraction will find that all defilement vanishes. With their minds thus pure, they are called enlightened. Buddha Recitation is Zen. No Bodhisattva abandons mindfulness of the Buddha after Enlightenment. All Patriarchs achieved rebirth in the Pure Land (of their minds). Thus, Buddha-name Recitation is Zen, Zen is Buddha-name Recitation.
Zen or Pure Land, or Zen and Pure Land?
In our present time, Zen practitioners find it far too difficult to attain Enlightenment or escape the cycle of Birth and Death, while Pure Land followers find it easier to escape that cycle. What’s the reason? It is because to practice Zen, you must stop the thought process, while to recite the Buddha’s name, you must concentrate on thoughts. In other words, to practice Zen, you must sever all false thoughts, and that is very difficult. Since we sentient beings have been mired in false thinking for innumerable eons, it is very difficult to detach ourselves from it.
To practice Pure Land, we just need to use pure thoughts to transform impure thoughts. Up-keeping the pure thoughts means constantly being mindful of Amitabha. Buddha-name recitation thus swaps impure thoughts with pure thoughts, sort of like fighting poison with poison to purify one’s thoughts.
Therefore, some may find Zen practice difficult to attain Enlightenment, while those who practice Buddha-name recitation find it easy to reach that goal. If one really wants to end the cycle of Birth and Death, one should concentrate on Buddha-name recitation, and there need be no further worry about ending the cycle. Most importantly, when one ends the cycle of Birth and Death and reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land, it kick starts one’s path to the attainment of Supreme, Complete Enlightenment without retrogression. Read previous article to learn more on Why Amitabha’s Pure Land.
Practicing Buddha-name recitation centered on the mind is real Buddha-name Recitation. This is because Mind is Buddha, Buddha is Mind. Buddhist teachings taught us that, “The Mind, Buddhas, and Sentient Beings are undifferentiated and equal. Outside of Mind, there is no Buddha, outside of Buddha, there is no Mind. Buddha is Mind, Mind is Buddha.”
If a practitioner recites the Buddha’s name in this manner, he will gradually arrive at the stage where there is neither Mind as subject nor Buddha as object. And there is neither a subject nor an object of recitation. This is the stage before the arising of a single thought. If the practitioner can really understand the Dharma as transcending subject and object, what difference is there between Zen and Pure Land?
Meditation to the Pure Land (Taught by Zen Master Han-Shan)
Here is a wonderful method (in addition to the oral Buddha-name recitation method described above) that Master Han-Shan taught:
Picture a great lotus, shaped like a wheel and colored blue, yellow, red or white. During meditation and Buddha Recitation, always contemplate this lotus blossom clearly.
Think of yourself as sitting on this lotus seat. Think about Amitabha Buddha emitting light, illuminating your own body.
When visualizing, do not be bound by walking, standing, sitting, or reclining positions. Also do not be bound by time. Just visualize the Pure Land clearly. Whether your eyes are open or closed, (the image) should never be blurred.
Even in your dreams you should still see Amitabha Buddha, the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Kuan Yin) and Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta (Shih Chih) and all other Bodhisattvas sitting each on their own lotus blossom — all radiant and clear.
Zen and Pure Land are Complementary
Single-minded recitation of the Buddha name is the correct and most expedient method to practice in our busy lives nowadays.
To have a better understanding of how meditation and Amitabha’s Pure Land go hand in hand, one should read the Meditation Sutra (or Visualization Sutra) expounded by Buddha Sakyamuni himself. In this sutra, Sakyamuni taught 16 wonderful visualization techniques to Queen Vaidehi so that she can attain rebirth in the Pure Land.
One may visualize only the body of Buddha Amitabha, the Bodhisattvas or the realm of the Pure Land with its golden ground and wonderful lotus blossoms. If you keep the object of visualization clearly in mind twenty-four hours a day, whether walking, sitting, standing, reclining, with eyes open or closed, the pure realm will always appear before you. If you can pursue any one of the 16 meditations over a long period of time, you will suddenly become enlightened. The Pure Land is then everywhere.
Zen and Pure Land are indeed complementary! Read the full Zen Master Han-Shan’s Talk on Zen and Amitabha’s Pure Land here.
Those who practice Zen or Pure Land should understand this truth: “all Dharma methods are equal and none is superior or inferior.” No one who really understands the deep meaning of the Dharma can have an obstinate prejudice that sees inferiority and superiority between the various Buddhist methods. No one with that kind of obstinate prejudice can gain any real benefit from the Dharma.
All sentient beings are encouraged to take this opportunity to learn more about Amitabha, practice Buddha-name recitation, and vow to reborn in the Amitabha’s Pure Land. Pick a sample chant from the Amitabha Mindful Chanting music collection and start your mindfulness practice today!
Anyone who follows such practice will attain Complete Enlightenment in the Pure Land in one lifetime!
Resources:
Zen Master Han-Shan’s Zen and Pure Land Talk
Meditation Sutra (or Visualization Sutra)
Amitabha Mindful Chanting Music Collection
Five Pure Land Sutras
