The Amitabha Sutra is the conclusive scripture of the Pure Land teaching of Amitabha’s deliverance. However, the core teaching of the sutra regarding the method of gaining rebirth is often misunderstood or misinterpreted. These incorrect understandings may become major obstacles to attaining assured rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land, through the exclusive practice of Amitabha-recitation.
The text of this core teaching consists of three main sections:
1. Failure to attain rebirth in the Land of Bliss with “few” good roots and blessings in causal conditions.
2. Single-mindedness without confusion in holding fast to the Name.
3. The mind not being inverted near the end of life.
“Few good roots and blessings as causal conditions”
In Xuanzang’s translation of the Amitabha Sutra, it says: “Hearing of the immeasurable, boundless, inconceivably meritorious Name of Amitayus Buddha.” This describes Amitabha’s Name as “abundant,” different from “few,” in good roots and blessings attained in causal conditions.
It also says: “All sentient beings born in that Buddha-land receive immeasurable and boundless merit; it is not those with few wholesome roots who can attain rebirth in the Pure Land of Amitayus Buddha.”
The Sanskrit-English translation of the Amitabha Sutra states: “Sentient beings are not reborn in that land through wholesome actions done in this present world.”
Furthermore, the Sanskrit-Japanese translation of the Amitabha Sutra states: “One cannot attain rebirth in the Buddha-land of Amitayus Tathagata merely through minor wholesome deeds.”
“Single-mindedness without confusion in holding fast to the Name”
Master Shandao explained this concept with a single word: exclusive. Exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha. It contains the following meanings:
1. It has abundant good roots.
2. Because it contains abundant good roots, it qualifies one as a “good man” or “good woman.”
3. Throughout one’s lifetime—whether long or short—is what is meant by “whether for one day . . . or up to seven days.”
4. Without mixing or duality, is what is meant by “single-mindedness without confusion.”
5. Throughout one’s life establishes the karmic causes.
On our deathbeds, Amitabha Buddha personally comes to welcome the practitioner. Protected by Amitabha’s power, the mind naturally becomes free of inversion, and one is reborn through “right mindfulness.”
Master Shandao explained the core teaching with the following verse:
The Land of Bliss is the unconditioned realm of Nirvana.
With mixed and miscellaneous virtues, birth there is hard to attain.
Therefore the Tathagata selected the essential Dharma,
Teaching the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha with twofold exclusivity.
“The mind not being inverted (undisturbed) near the end of life”
Let us look at the following passage from the Sutra: “When this person approaches the end of life, Amitabha Buddha, together with the assembly of noble beings, appears before him.”
This means that, for a person who believes in and accepts Amitabha’s deliverance, aspires to be born in Amitabha’s Pure Land, and exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha; when he approaches death, Amitabha Buddha and bodhisattvas will appear before him, to comfort and protect him, bringing peace and stability to his mind.
The appearance of Amitabha Buddha as we approach death also has its cause; that cause is the practitioner’s exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha. This cause brings forth this result. It is the first of the twofold causality.
Next, the Sutra says: “When this person’s life is near its end, his mind is not inverted, and he immediately attains birth in the Land of Bliss of Amitabha Buddha.”
This means that, because Amitabha Buddha appears as we are near to death, the practitioner naturally becomes free of mental inversion. At life’s end he is assured of rebirth in the Land of Bliss through “right mindfulness.” This means there is no doubt and no worries regarding Amitabha’s deliverance. Again, with this cause, there is this result. It is the second of the twofold causality.
Some people think that one must first possess the ability to maintain an undisturbed mind with no inversion, before Amitabha Buddha will come to welcome them. Since they feel incapable of doing so, fear arises in their hearts. This is clearly a misunderstanding of the Sutra.
Three sections and two layers: Tiers of cause and effect
Referring to the logical sequence of occurrences as stated in the Amitabha Sutra, it shows that Amitabha’s arrival is the cause. Because Amitabha comes to welcome the practitioner, his mind abides in right mindfulness and is not inverted. Master Xuanzang says, “Through compassionate empowerment, the mind is made free of confusion.”
Thus, the undisturbed mind just before death, of someone who exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha, is completely dependent on Amitabha’s power, not on one’s own meditative strength or self-cultivated ability. These passages can be analyzed, in logical sequence, as the so-called “three sections and two layers of cause and effect.”
First section: “Good men and good women, who hear of Amitabha Buddha and hold fast to his Name; whether for one day . . . or up to seven days, with single-mindedness without confusion”—this refers to exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha throughout one’s life.
Second section: “When this person approaches the end of life, Amitabha Buddha, together with the assembly of noble beings, appears before him.” This refers to Amitabha Buddha and sacred beings coming to welcome the practitioner just before death.
Third section: “When this person’s life comes to an end, his mind is not inverted, and he immediately attains birth in the Land of Bliss of Amitabha Buddha.” This refers to rebirth through right mindfulness at the moment of death.
The first and second sections constitute the first layer of cause and effect: exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha as the cause, and Amitabha Buddha and sacred beings coming to welcome one just before death as the result.
The second and third sections constitute the second layer of cause and effect: Amitabha Buddha and sacred beings coming to welcome one just before death as the cause, and rebirth through right mindfulness as the result.
If there is the first—“exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha”—there will certainly be the second—“Amitabha and sacred beings coming to welcome one at death.”
If there is the second, there will certainly be the third—“rebirth through right mindfulness at life’s end.” These are tightly linked, with the key lying in the first exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha.
Reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha throughout one’s life is our responsibility, while rebirth at death is Amitabha Buddha’s responsibility. There is no need to worry or concern ourselves with our condition at the time of death. There is no need at all.
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