Obtaining Non-retrogression upon Hearing Name
From Amitabha Buddha’s Great Vows 46, 47 & 48
Obtaining Non-retrogression upon Hearing Name
Amitabha Buddha’s Great Vows 46, 47 & 48
Sakyamuni Buddha speaks of the monk Dharmakara, his practice, and his forty-eight vows before he became Amitabha Buddha. Excerpted from the Infinite Life Sutra:
When I become a Buddha, all the bodhisattvas in other worlds who hear my name will attain the Dharma of Non-birth and Non-death, and achieve the dharanis. Pure and joyous, and dwelling in equality, they will cultivate the bodhisattva practice and be replete with roots of virtues. They will instantly achieve the first patience, second patience, and third patience. They will presently attain the state of non-retrogression in all the Buddha-dharma. If this is not so, I will not attain perfect enlightenment.
- Vow 46. Achieve dharanis.
- Vow 47. Hear the name and achieve patience.
- Vow 48. Presently attain non-retrogression.
Vow forty-four spoke of “all the bodhisattvas in the buddha-lands in the ten directions.” Here, vow forty-six refers to “all the bodhisattvas in other worlds.” Both phrases refer to the bodhisattvas who are not in the Western Pure Land.
In “who hear my name,” “hear” undoubtedly includes belief, understanding, joy, and delight. Being joyful and delighted upon hearing Amitabha Buddha’s name, “the bodhisattvas in other worlds” naturally revere and respect him. Even though they are not seeking birth in the Pure Land, they practice this Dharma door and teach it to all sentient beings. They will definitely be helped and supported by Amitabha Buddha.
In “attain the Dharma of Non-birth and Non-death,” there are two kinds of birth and death: segmental and transformational. Sentient beings mired in the six paths undergo both kinds.
Segmental birth and death is one segment at a time. For example, in this world, we are born and then we die. This is one segment. Then again, we are born and die. Another segment. And again and again, endlessly being born and dying. The Buddha called this the fatigue of birth and death. There is no rest. Birth and death are what the beings in the six paths undergo. So, in the Buddha’s eyes, these beings are pitiable ones. There seems to be no way to stop, no way to get out of samsara — this is segmental birth and death.
Arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas have ended their segmental births and deaths; that is, they have transcended the cycle of rebirth. But while they are no longer subject to segmental birth and death, they still undergo transformational birth and death.
Transformational birth and death occur when they make progress in their cultivation. Progress involves change. And change, even a minute one, takes a tremendous amount of effort. Thus, there is suffering in change. So, transforming from a lower state to a higher state is like the death of one and then the birth of another.
When will transformational birth and death cease?
When one becomes a Buddha.
Equal-enlightenment bodhisattvas still have one last trace of habitual subtle wandering thoughts. When they break through that remaining trace, they become a Buddha. Transformational birth and death is ended.
In this vow, Amitabha Buddha helps these bodhisattvas to “attain the Dharma of Non-birth and Non-death.” This is to forever end both kinds of birth and death through the compassionate support of Amitabha Buddha.
In “achieve the dharanis,” dharani means upholding the essence of the entire Dharma. For Pure Land practitioners, Amitabha Buddha’s name is the essence of the entire Dharma. When bodhisattvas in other worlds hear the name of Amitabha Buddha, they know that the name has inconceivable merits and virtues. Their minds will dwell on this buddha-name, on the name Amitabha Buddha.
Some may ask why a bodhisattva who chants this buddha-name does not seek birth in the Pure Land. Different bodhisattvas have different aspirations. Some bodhisattvas hear the buddha-name and immediately seek birth in the Pure Land. Why? They want to attain buddhahood quickly and then help all beings. Other bodhisattvas choose to stay where they are to continue helping beings. Aspiring to help even more beings, they seek Amitabha Buddha’s support.
We need to remember that we are not bodhisattvas.
And so, in order to fulfill our vow to help all beings, we need to be born in the Pure Land. And we need to do so in this current lifetime.
In the phrase “pure and joyous,” upon hearing the name of Amitabha Buddha, bodhisattvas believe and understand, aspire to and rejoice in this Dharma door. They will dwell in the merits and virtues of equality, and in the Dharma of equality.
The foundation of all equality is the equality of the mind, the equality of thought. Only with these can we truly attain the Dharma of equality.
Today our senses do not perceive things, experiences, and other people with equality. Why not? We have a discriminatory mind, a deluded mind. This mind is not impartial, so the external world is not perceived as equal. We view everything with inequality. This is so different from Buddhas who view everything and every being with equality.
How do we cultivate equality of mind?
We chant the name of Amitabha Buddha.
The buddha-name is actually the entire Dharma realm because the name represents the true nature. “Amitabha” means infinite light and infinite life. Infinite light pervades all of space and infinite life includes the three times of past, present, and future. So, the name “Amitabha” covers the entire Dharma realm. The buddha-name is the Dharma of equality, the true equality, and is unsurpassable and wondrous.
When we chant, the most important thing is to maintain continuous mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha. We chant until we reach the state where we are mindful of Amitabha Buddha all the time. But we do not attach to the thought of “we,” who are mindful of Amitabha Buddha; nor to “Amitabha Buddha,” whom we are mindful of. This is dwelling in equality.
When we are “dwelling in equality,” our mind is pure and impartial like that of bodhisattvas, and our daily behavior is true bodhisattva practice!
“Replete with roots of virtues” refers to the actions that benefit all sentient beings. Not just some — all. In this sutra, this means propagating the Pure Land method.
We ordinary Pure Land practitioners are not bodhisattvas, but we can still do all we can to help people to go to the Pure Land. And so we propagate this Pure Land Dharma door with all our hearts and minds because we now understand. We know that only this Dharma door can enable all sentient beings to truly attain perfect enlightenment in one lifetime, and that other Dharma doors are more difficult for us ordinary people to practice. For example, other Dharma doors require the practitioners to eliminate all afflictions, but Pure Land practitioners only need to subdue their afflictions to transcend the cycle of rebirth.
The forty-seventh vow’s last line, “They will instantly achieve the first patience, second patience, and third patience,” speaks of three kinds of patience.
First is the patience of sound and echo, which means the bodhisattvas thoroughly believe, understand, and apply the Buddhas’ teachings.
Second is the patience of gentleness in accordance with the truth. The bodhisattvas get along and accord with all beings. They also rejoice at others’ meritorious deeds and help them achieve these deeds. These two attainments are found in Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s ten great vows.
Third is the patience of non-arising and non-ceasing. The bodhisattvas see the truth of all dharmas and understand that all dharmas are neither rising nor ceasing. What they see is exactly as the Buddhas have taught.
“They will presently attain the state of non-retrogression in all the Buddhadharma.” This forty-eighth vow states that the bodhisattvas in the ten directions perfectly attain the three non-retrogressions of level, practice, and mindfulness. They attain exactly what the bodhisattvas in the Pure Land attain.
Upon hearing the buddha-name, the bodhisattvas in the ten directions will instantly attain the three kinds of patience and become non-retrogressive bodhisattvas. Non-retrogressive bodhisattvas are at least at the seventh ground level of bodhisattvahood, a very high level of enlightenment. All of these are due to Amitabha Buddha’s support.
We can see that these forty-eight vows are indeed very complete and thoughtful. The first forty-three vows are entirely for Amitabha Buddha to help sentient beings in the six paths. The last five vows are to help bodhisattvas in the ten directions.
With most of the forty-eight vows benefiting us beings in the six paths, we will show our gratitude to Amitabha Buddha by diligently practicing and sincerely seeking birth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
With that birth, we will achieve what we have yearned for and sought for so long — buddhahood. Finally, we will be able to truly fulfill our fundamental vow to help all beings to end suffering and attain lasting liberation and joy.
[This concludes the entire forty-eight great vows of Amitabha Buddha.]
>> Learn more: The Initiation, Amitabha Buddha’s Forty-eight Vows
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Dedication of Merit
May the merits and virtues accrued from this work
adorn the Buddha’s pure land,
repay the four kinds of kindness above,
and relieve the sufferings of those in the three paths below.
May all those who see and hear of this
bring forth the bodhi mind
and at the end of this life,
be born together in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Note: The above is excerpted from the book “Awakening the Bodhi Mind: Amitabha Buddha’s Forty-Eight Vows”, which is available for download at eLibrary collection, Amitabha Gallery.
The Amitabha Buddha’s forty-eight vows is derived from the Chinese verses of the Infinite Life Sutra, that we are immensely grateful to the compilation efforts by Mr Xia Lianju. Translation credits go to The Pure Land Translation Team, Pure Land College Press.
