Why Concentrate specifically on Chanting Amitabha Buddha’s Name?
Excerpted from Ten Doubts About Pure Land, by Master Zhi-yi
We sentient beings tend to have polluted, scattered minds and dispositions that focusing on many Buddhas making it difficult for us to attain samadhi. But why should we not recite the name of any Buddha as we wish? Why concentrate specifically on Amitabha Buddha and seek rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss?
The 6th Century T’ien T’ai Chinese Patriarch Master Zhi-yi had once addressed this question in the book “Ten Doubts About the Pure Land”.
Here’s what Master Zhi-yi teaches us:
During the entire preaching career, Sakyamuni Buddha in numerous occasions urged sentient beings to focus on Amitabha Buddha and seek rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is particularly mentioned in numerous sutras such as the Visualization Sutra, the Amitabha Sutra, the Longer Amitabha Sutra/the Infinite Life Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, and the Avatamsaka Sutra. Not only is this frequently repeated in sutras by Sakyamuni, it is also commonly seen in those sutra’s commentaries written by ancient Patriarchs, as well as unanimously advised by the Bodhisattvas appeared in the various sutra teaching assemblies.
One should realize that, Amitabha Buddha possesses the power of His forty-eight compassionate vows to rescue us sentient beings. The Visualization Sutra states:
“Amitabha Buddha possesses 84,000 signs of perfection, each sign has 84,000 minor marks of excellence and from each minor mark 84,000 rays of light shine forth, illuminating the entire Dharma Realm [cosmos] to gather in, without exception, all sentient beings who practice (Mindfulness) Recitation of Buddha-name.
If any sentient being recites His name, there will be correspondence between the cause (Buddha Recitation) and the response (attainment of Buddhahood), and he will surely be reborn.”
On top of that, the Amitabha Sutra, the Infinite Life Sutra etc. teach that when Sakyamuni Buddha preached these sutras, the Buddhas of the ten directions, numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River, all “extended their tongues to cover the entire universe,” essentially bearing witness to the truth that any sentient being who recites Amitabha’s Buddha name shall be assured of rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Thanks to the great compassionate vow-power of the Buddha.
We should know that Amitabha Buddha has great affinities (causes and conditions) with this Saha World. As the Infinite Life Sutra states:
“In the Dharma-Ending Age, when all other sutras have disappeared, only this sutra will remain for another hundred years to rescue sentient beings and lead them to the Western Pure Land.”
This shows that Amitabha Buddha has strong affinities with sentient beings in this defiled world.
Although one or two sutras have urged rebirth in other pure lands, this cannot be compared to the fact that many more sutras and commentaries have earnestly pointed us to Amitabha’s Pure Land as the focus of seeking rebirth.
Common people lacking in true wisdom will be wise to follow the teaching of the Buddha rather than acting arbitrarily as they wish. This is why, from time immemorial, Pure Land practitioners are urged to diligently recite Amitabha Buddha’s name.
Shall we ponder a moment, what does it mean to follow the Buddha’s teaching?
By focusing our study and practice to seek rebirth in the Western Pure Land, we are a serious student that truly follows our teacher Buddha’s teaching.
Resources:
Biography of Master Zhi-yi (538–597 CE)
See also: Benefits of Mindful Chanting of Amitabha Buddha
See also: Single-minded Practice of Buddha-name Chanting
