Tín Hạnh Nguyện Giữ Vai Trò Quan Trọng Trong Tu Tập Phật Giáo

(D) Tín Hạnh Nguyện Theo Trường Phái Tịnh Độ

I. Tín Hạnh Nguyện Theo Trường Phái Tịnh Độ:

Theo Hòa Thượng Thích Thiền Tâm trong Liên Tông Thập Tam Tổ, trong phần Tín Hạnh Nguyện, thầy đã nhấn mạnh về Tín là tin ở nơi sáu điều: 1) Sao gọi là tự tin hay tin nơi chính mình? Tin nơi chính mình tức là tin tất cả đều do nơi Tâm của mình tạo ra. Vì thế nếu mình niệm Phật, ắt sẽ được Phật tiếp dẫn không sai. 2) Sao gọi là tha tin hay tin ở nơi người? Tin nơi người là tin Đức Phật Thích Ca không bao giờ nói dối, Phật A Di Đà chẳng thệ nguyện suông. Cho nên nều như y theo pháp môn Tịnh Độ mà hành trì, tất cảm được Đức A Di Đà Thế Tôn tiếp dẫn sanh về Cực Lạc. 3) Sao gọi là tin nhân? Tin nhân tức là tin rằng niệm Phật chính là nhân vãng sanh giải thoát. 4) Sao gọi là tin quả? Tin quả tức là tin rằng sự vãng sanh và thành Phật là kết quả của công hạnh tu niệm Phật. 5) Sao gọi là tin sự? Tin sự tức là tin rằng cảnh giới Tây Phương Cực Lạc và tất cả sự tướng ở nơi cõi ấy đều có thật. Cõi nầy có thật như sự có thật của cõi Ta Bà nầy vậy. 6) Sao gọi là tin lý? Tin lý tứ là tin điều “Lý tín duy tâm,” nghĩa là một chơn tâm của mình bao trùm hết cả mười phương quốc độ của chư Phật. Trong Kinh Kalama, Đức Phật dạy: “Đừng tin điều gì chỉ vì bạn đã nghe nó. Đừng tin vào các truyền thống chỉ vì chúng đã được truyền lại qua nhiều thế hệ. Đừng tin điều gì vì nó được nhiều người nói hay đồn đại. Đừng tin điều gì chỉ vì nó được tìm thấy trong các sách giáo điển.

Đừng tin điều gì chỉ vì nó được các giáo sư hay các bậc trưởng thượng dạy bảo. Nhưng sau khi quan sát và phân tích, khi bạn thấy mọi sự hợp với lẽ phải và có lợi ích cho mọi người, thì hãy chấp nhận nó và sống phù hợp theo đó.”

Tín, Nguyện và Hạnh lập thành tông yếu trong trường phái Tịnh Độ. Nếu ba điều kiện này đầy đủ, chắc chắn được vãng sanh Cực Lạc.

Hành giả Tịnh Độ nên để tâm đặc biệt chú trọng đến Tín và Nguyện, phải một lòng cầu về Tây Phương, chứ đừng mong làm chúng sanh cõi trời hay làm Pháp Sư, tuy là giác ngộ thế mấy đi nữa thì những chúng sanh này vẫn còn trong cảnh giới Sanh Tử Luân Hồi. Chỉ có như thế thì Tín Nguyện của mình mới cảm đến đức Phật A Di Đà, và thệ nguyện của Ngài mới có thể nhiếp thọ được hành giả. Nói chung pháp môn Tịnh Độ lấy Tín, Hạnh, Nguyện làm giáo nghĩa, và chỉ khi có chân Tín và Nguyện thiết tha thì Hạnh mới được chuyên cần và thanh tịnh. Tuy nhiên, trở ngại thông thường nhất của phàm phu là chỉ chuyên cần khẩn thiết khi tai họa ập đến nhưng lại trây lười biếng trễ lúc bình thường. Theo Ấn Quang Đại Sư, tổ thứ mười ba của Tịnh Độ Tông Trung Hoa, đây là một luận án chắc cứng như thép, dầu cho ngàn Phật xuất hiện cũng không thay đổi được. Chỉ có vững tin vào chân lý này, hành giả mới có phần nơi cõi Tây Phương Tịnh Độ. Trong “Lá Thư Từ Tổ Ấn Quang,” pháp môn Tịnh Độ trùm khắp cả ba căn, gồm thâu cả hàng lợi căn và độn căn. Tịnh Độ là đại pháp của Như Lai, nhằm mở ra phương tiện cho cả Thánh lẫn phàm đều được giải thoát sinh tử và đạt đến bất thối địa ngay trong hiện đời. Không tin nơi pháp tu vi diệu đặc biệt này quả là đáng thương, đáng tiếc lắm vậy! Giáo pháp chính của pháp môn Tịnh Độ là Tín, Hạnh và Nguyện. Tiêu chuẩn đầu tiên là Tín: Hành giả phải tin rằng cõi Ta Bà đầy đau khổ; tin rằng Tây Phương Tịnh Độ vô lượng hỷ lạc; tin là phàm phu đầy ác nghiệp, thực tế không thể nương cậy vào sức mình để dứt trừ hết thảy hoặc chướng, chứng được Chân Lý và thoát khỏi Sanh Tử ngay trong hiện đời; tin rằng đức Phật A Di Đà có lời nguyện rộng lớn: nếu chúng sanh nào niệm hồng danh của Ngài, cầu về nước Ngài, khi lâm mạng chung thời, được Ngài tiếp dẫn về cõi Tịnh Độ. Tiêu chuẩn thứ nhì là Nguyện: Hành giả nên nguyện mau ra khỏi thế giới và sớm thành tựu vãng sanh về cõi Cực Lạc kia. Tiêu chuẩn thứ ba là Hạnh: Hành giả phải chí thành khẩn thiết niệm Phật, mỗi thời mỗi khắc không gián đoạn, tùy theo hoàn cảnh của chính mình mà thiết lập thời khóa hoặc gấp hoặc hoãn, sớm tối lễ lạy trước bàn Phật. Sống trong giai đoạn hiện tại không khác gì đang nằm yên trên một đống củi lớn, ở dưới lửa đã bắt đầu cháy. Mặc dầu chưa cháy đến thân, nhưng trong phút giây khói lửa sẽ mịt mù bao phủ mọi thứ, không cách chi chạy thoát. Nếu mấy ông vẫn cứ hững hờ và không lo lắng gì cả, không chuyên chú tìm sự giúp đỡ nơi câu niệm Phật, thì sự thấy hiểu của mấy ông quả là nông cạn!

Hành giả Tịnh Độ nên ghi nhớ rằng pháp môn Tịnh Độ lấy Tín, Nguyện và Hạnh làm tông chỉ, như cái lư hương ba chân, thiếu một chân tất không đứng vững. Hành giả Tịnh Độ, nếu tinh chuyên tu Niệm Phật và không còn nghi ngờ gì tiêu chuẩn đầu tiên về Tín. Tuy vậy, nếu quí vị vẫn còn bám chấp vào ý tưởng có sự đối đãi giữa Nguyện và Hạnh, quí vị không thể nào có được sự hiểu biết và dung hợp hoàn toàn được. Vì thế, nơi pháp viên diệu không ngại bỗng tự phát sanh nhiều chướng ngại, khiến cho ánh trăng vạn vầng của ngài Triệt Ngộ, Kiên Mật, Ngẫu ích, bỗng dưng bị phân cách chỉ vì một sợi tơ nhỏ nhiệm trước mắt quí vị. Thật là đáng tiết lắm thay! Chân niệm Phật hành giả, trong khi niệm vẫn đầy đủ ba tiêu chuẩn Tín, Nguyện và Hạnh. Như con nhớ mẹ, lúc cảm thương kêu gọi, quyết chẳng khi nào có tâm niệm không tin và không nguyện thấy bóng mẹ hiền. Theo Liên Tông Cửu Tổ là ngài Ngẩu ích Đại Sư: “Được vãng sanh Tịnh Độ tùy thuộc hoàn toàn vào Tín và Nguyện; trong khi mức độ vãng sanh lên chín phẩm cao hay thấp lại tùy vào chỗ hạnh tu tập sâu hay cạn. Nếu Tín Nguyện bền chắc thì khi lâm chung, chỉ xưng danh hiệu Phật mười niệm cũng được vãng sanh. Còn trái lại, thì dù cho có niệm Phật nhiều đến thế mấy đi nữa mà Tín Nguyện yếu kém, thì chỉ được kết quả là hưởng phước báu nơi cõi Nhân Thiên mà thôi.” Tuy nhiên, đây là nói về các bậc thượng căn, còn chúng ta là những kẻ hạ căn, phước mỏng nghiệp dầy, muốn vãng sanh Cực Lạc thì phải có đủ cả Tín Hạnh Nguyện, nghĩa là đầy đủ hết cả hai phần Lý và Sự. Tín là có lòng tin sâu sắc đối với thực thể của chư pháp, tịnh đức Tam bảo, và thiện căn của thế gian và xuất thế gian; có khả năng đem lại đời sống thanh tịnh và hóa giải nghi hoặc. Theo Tịnh Độ tông, tín là tin cõi Cực Lạc có thật và hiện hữu cũng như cõi Ta Bà của chúng ta đang ở đây. Tín là tin rằng Đức Phật A Di Đà luôn luôn hộ niệm, sẵn sàng tiếp dẫn bất cứ chúng sanh nào biết quy kính và xưng niệm đến hồng danh của Ngài. Thực hành, còn gọi là Hạnh, tức là phần thực hành, hay sự hành trì. Theo Tịnh Độ Tông, hành là thiết thực xưng niệm danh hiệu Phật A Di Đà cho đến nhứt tâm và cảm ứng đạo giao để được Đức Phật A Di Đà tiếp dẫn. Có hai loại hành: Pháp hành và tín hành. Theo Hòa Thượng Thích Thiền Tâm trong Liên Tông Thập Tam Tổ, theo quan điểm Tịnh Độ, hạnh là sự thực hành, nghĩa là chuyên trì danh hiệu Nam Mô A Di Đà Phật không xen tạp và không tán loạn. Nguyện là phát khởi từ trong tâm tưởng một lời thề, hay lời hứa kiên cố, vững bền, nhất quyết theo đuổi ý định, mục đích, hoặc công việc tốt lành nào đó cho đến lúc đạt thành, không vì bất cứ lý do gì mà thối chuyển lui sụt. Phật tử chơn thuần nên nguyện tu y như Phật để được thành Phật, rồi sau đó nguyện đem pháp mầu của chư Phật độ khắp chúng sanh, khiến cho nhất thiết chúng sanh đều bỏ mê về giác, phản vọng quy chơn. Theo Tịnh Độ tông, nguyện tức là khởi tâm tha thiết mong cầu thoát khỏi Ta Bà khổ lụy để được sanh về cõi Cực Lạc yên vui. Theo quan điểm Tịnh Độ, nguyện đây tức là mỗi mỗi tâm phát ra đều là “tâm ưa thích” cầu được vãng sanh về Cực Lạc, mỗi mỗi niệm phát ra đều là “niệm mong cầu” được dự vào nơi chín phẩm sen vàng.

Trong ba điều tín hạnh nguyện nầy, người tu tịnh nghiệp bắt buộc cần phải có đủ, không được thiếu sót một điều; tuy nhiên, nguyện là điều cần thiết nhất. Một trong những lời nguyện nầy có nguyện nếu bất cứ chúng sanh nào chịu niệm hồng danh của Ngài từ mười đến một trăm lần vào lúc sắp lâm chung, thì Ngài sẽ tiếp dẫn về Tây Phương Cực Lạc. Trong tất cả các lời nguyện của Ngài có nói “Nếu không như thế, tôi nguyện sẽ không thành Chánh Đẳng Chánh Giác.” Đó là trong quá khứ, còn bây giờ Ngài Pháp Tạng Bồ Tát đã thành Phật; như vậy, tất cả các lời nguyện của Ngài đã thành hiện thực. Bất cứ ai có đủ đầy Tín, Nguyện, và Hạnh đủ đầy đề sẽ được bảo đảm vãng sanh Cực Lạc. Theo Phật giáo, chơn như tương đối trong thế giới hiện tượng, có thể thay đổi, y theo lời nói giả danh mà hiện ra, bất biến mà tùy duyên. Những nhà tư tưởng của trường phái Tịnh Độ chấp nhận dùng tương đãi chân như để diễn tả tuyệt đãi chân như, hay dùng tương đãi chân như như là cỗ xe phương tiện đưa chúng ta đến tuyệt đãi chân như. Phương thức giúp hành giả Tịnh Độ dựa trên sắc tướng để đạt đến Phật tánh là cái vô tướng.

II. Hành Giả Tịnh Độ Và Nguyện An Lạc Hạnh:

Theo Kinh Pháp Hoa, Đức Phật dạy một vị Bồ Tát nên thực hành hạnh an lạc về nguyện như sau: “An lạc hạnh nơi nguyện có nghĩa là có một tinh thần từ thiện lớn lao. Vị Bồ Tát nên tỏ lòng thương xót lớn lao đối với những người tại gia và ngay cả chư Tăng, những người chưa là Bồ Tát, nhưng lại thỏa mãn với những ý tưởng ích kỷ là chỉ cứu lấy riêng mình. Vị ấy cũng nên quyết định rằng mặc dù bây giờ người ta chưa cầu, chưa tin, chưa hiểu những gì Đức Phật đã giảng dạy trong kinh này, khi đạt được toàn giác thì với năng lực siêu phàm và và năng lực trí tuệ, vị ấy sẽ dẫn họ vào an trụ trong pháp này.” Theo trường phái Tịnh Độ, Phật tử thuần thành nên phát nguyện tự lợi lợi tha, và hoàn thành nguyện vãng sanh Tịnh Độ của Đức Phật A Di Đà. Đây là pháp môn thứ ba trong năm pháp môn đi vào cõi Tịnh Độ. Phật tử chơn thuần nên luôn phát khởi thệ nguyện rằng: “Phát tâm Bồ đề, tin sâu lý nhân quả, đọc tụng kinh điển, khuyến tấn người tu hành, và cứu độ chúng sanh.” Phát Nguyện là phát khởi từ trong tâm tưởng một lời thề, hay lời hứa kiên cố, vững bền, nhất quyết theo đuổi ý định, mục đích, hoặc công việc tốt lành nào đó cho đến lúc đạt thành, không vì bất cứ lý do gì mà thối chuyển lui sụt. Phật tử chơn thuần nên nguyện tu y như Phật để được thành Phật, rồi sau đó nguyện đem pháp mầu của chư Phật độ khắp chúng sanh, khiến cho nhất thiết chúng sanh đều bỏ mê về giác, phản vọng quy chơn. Theo Tịnh Độ tông, nguyện tức là khởi tâm tha thiết mong cầu thoát khỏi Ta Bà khổ lụy để được sanh về cõi Cực Lạc yên vui. Sức mạnh của nguyện tiêu trừ được trọng nghiệp, quét sạch những bệnh tật của tâm và thân, điều phục ma quân và có thể đưa chư thiên và loài người đến chỗ được tôn kính. Vì vậy Phật tử chân thuần thệ nguyện từ Phật giáo mà sanh, hộ trì chánh pháp, chẳng để dứt Phật chủng, để sanh vào nhà như Lai cầu nhứt thiết trí. Tất cả Phật tử đều muốn vượt thoát khỏi biển khổ đau phiền não trong khi nguyện lại là chiếc thuyền có thể chở họ vượt biển sanh tử để đến bờ Niết Bàn bên kia. Có một số Phật tử học theo nguyện của các vị Bồ Tát như Quán Thế Âm, Phật Dược Sư hay Phật A Di Đà, vân vân. Điều này cũng tốt, nhưng đó vẫn là những biệt nguyện của các ngài. Chúng ta phải lập nguyện của chính chúng ta. Khi chúng ta đã lập nguyện của chính mình tức là chúng ta đã có đích để đến trong việc tu tập. Ngoài ra, một khi chúng ta đã lập nguyện, ngay chuyện dễ duôi chúng ta cũng không dám vì những nguyện ấy đã ấn sâu vào tâm khảm của chúng ta. Theo trường phái Tịnh Độ, có hai điều chính yếu để thệ nguyện cứu mình cứu người. Phải nhận rõ mục đích cầu vãng sanh: Thứ nhất là phải nhận rõ mục đích cầu vãng sanh: Sở dĩ chúng ta cầu về Tịnh Độ, là vì chúng ta muốn thoát sự khổ cho mình và tất cả chúng sanh. Hành giả phải nghĩ rằng, ‘sức mình yếu kém, còn bị nghiệp nặng ràng buộc, mà ở cõi đời ác trược nầy cảnh duyên phiền não quá mạnh. Ta cùng chúng sanh bị chìm đắm nơi dòng mê, xoay vần trong sáu nẻo, trải qua vô lượng kiếp từ vô thỉ đến nay, cũng vì lẽ ấy. Bánh xe sống chết quay mãi không ngừng, ta làm thế nào để tìm con đường độ mình độ người một cách yên ổn chắc chắn? Muốn được như thế duy có cầu sanh Tịnh Độ, gần gủi Phật, Bồ Tát, nhờ cảnh duyên thắng diệu bên cõi ấy tu hành chứng vô sanh nhẫn, mới có thể vào nơi đời ác cứu khổ cho hữu tình. Luận Vãng sanh đã nói: “Phát tâm Bồ Đề chính là phát tâm cầu thành Phật, tâm cầu thành Phật là tâm độ chúng sanh, tâm độ chúng sanh là tâm nhiếp chúng sanh về cõi Phật. Thứ nhì là muốn sanh về Tịnh Độ: Lại muốn sanh về Tịnh Độ, phải có đủ hai phương diện, một là xa lìa ba pháp chướng Bồ Đề; hai là tùy thuận ba pháp thuận Bồ Đề. Làm thế nào để thành tựu sự xa lìa và tùy thuận Bồ Đề? Ấy là phải cầu sanh tịnh độ để được thường gần Phật, tu hành cho đến khi chứng vô sanh nhẫn. Chừng đó mặc ý cỡi thuyền đại nguyện vào biển luân hồi sanh tử, vận tâm bi trí cứu vớt chúng sanh, tùy duyên mà bất biến, không còn gì trở ngại nữa. Cái gì gây ra chuyện Xa lìa ba pháp chướng Bồ Đề? Tâm cầu sự an vui riêng cho mình, chấp ngã và tham trước bản thân. Hành giả phải y theo trí huệ môn mà xa lìa tâm niệm ấy. Tâm rời bỏ không chịu cứu vớt chúng sanh đau khổ. Hành giả phải y theo từ bi môn mà xa lìa tâm niệm ấy. Tâm chỉ mong cầu sự cung kính cúng dường, không tìm phương pháp làm cho chúng sanh được lợi ích an vui. Hành giả phải y theo phương tiện môn mà xa lìa tâm niệm ấy. Cái gì làm cho thành đạt ba pháp thuận Bồ Đề? Vô Nhiễm Thanh Tịnh Tâm: Tâm không vì tự thân mà cầu các sự vui, vì Bồ Đề là thể trong sạch lìa nhiễm trước, nếu cầu sự vui riêng cho mình tức thân tâm có nhiễm, làm chướng ngại Bồ Đề Môn; nên tâm thanh tịnh không nhiễm gọi là tùy thuận Bồ Đề. An Thanh Tịnh Tâm: Tâm vì cứu độ hết thảy mọi đau khổ cho chúng sanh, bởi vì Bồ Đề là tâm trong sạch làm cho chúng sanh được an ổn, nếu không cứu độ loài hữu tình, khiến họ được lìa sự khổ sanh tử, tức là trái với Bồ Đề môn; nên tâm cứu khổ đem lại an ổn cho chúng sanh gọi là tùy thuận Bồ Đề. Lạc Thanh Tịnh Tâm: Tâm muốn khiến cho tất cả chúng sanh được Đại Niết Bàn. Bởi Đại Niết Bàn là chỗ cứu cánh thường vui, nếu không khiến cho loài hữu tình được niềm vui cứu cánh tức là ngăn che Bồ Đề môn; nên tâm muốn cho chúng sanh được hưởng cảnh thường lạc gọi là tùy thuận Bồ Đề. Kế tiếp, hành giả tu Tịnh Độ nên Quán tưởng y báo và chánh báo nơi cõi Cực Lạc: Thứ nhất là Quán tưởng báo thân (chánh báo) kiết tường của Đức Phật A Di Đà: Hành giả Tịnh Độ nên quán tưởng báo thân của Phật A Di Đà sắc vàng rực rỡ, có tám muôn bốn ngàn tướng, mỗi tướng có tám muôn bốn ngàn vẻ đẹp, mỗi vẻ đẹp có tám muôn bốn ngàn tia sáng, soi khắp pháp giới, nhiếp lấy chúng sanh niệm Phật. Thứ nhì là Quán tưởng y báo thiện lành nơi cõi Tây Phương Cực Lạc: Hành giả Tịnh Độ nên quán cõi Cực Lạc bảy báu trang nghiêm như các kinh Tịnh Độ đã nói.

Ngoài ra, người niệm Phật khi bố thí, trì giới, cùng làm tất cả các hạnh lành đều phải hồi hướng cầu cho mình và chúng sanh đồng vãng sanh Cực Lạc. Cuối cùng, hành giả Niệm Phật nên Nguyện Vãng Sanh Tịnh

Độ:

Con nguyện lâm chung không chướng ngại A Di Đà đến rước từ xa Quán Âm rưới nước cam lồ lên đầu Đại Thế Chí kim đài trao đỡ gót Trong một sát na lìa ngũ trược Khoảng tay co duỗi đến liên trì Khi hoa sen nở, thấy Từ Tôn Nghe tiếng pháp sâu lòng sáng tỏ Và liền ngộ vô sanh pháp nhẫn Không rời an dưỡng tại Ta Bà Khéo đem phương tiện lợi quần sanh Hay lấy trần lao làm Phật sự Con nguyện như thế Phật chứng tri Kết cuộc về sau được thành tựu.

Tài Liệu Tham Khảo

References

1. Những Đóa Hoa Vô Ưu, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2012, Tập I, II & III—The Sorrowless Flowers, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2012, Volumes I, II & III.

2. Niệm Phật Căn Bản Cho Ngừời Tại Gia, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2018, Tập I & II— Basic Buddha Recitations For Lay People, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2018, Tập I & II. 3. Phật Giáo Yếu Luận, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2021, Tập I, Chương 4—Essential Buddhist Essays, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2021, Vol. I, Chapter 4. 4. Phật Pháp Căn Bản, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2009, Tập II, Chương 29—Basic Buddhist Doctrines, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2009, Volume II, Chapter 29. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Trung A Hàm Kinh, Viện Nghiên Cứu Phật Học Việt Nam: 1992. Trung Bộ Kinh, Viện Nghiên Cứu Phật Học Việt Nam: 1992.

Trường A Hàm Kinh, Viện Nghiên Cứu Phật Học Việt Nam: 1991.

Trường Bộ Kinh, Hòa Thượng Thích Minh Châu: 1991.

Trường Bộ Kinh, Viện Nghiên Cứu Phật Học Việt Nam: 1991.

Tương Ưng Bộ Kinh, Viện Nghiên Cứu Phật Học Việt Nam: 1993.

11. Từ Điển Phật Học Anh-Việt—English-Vietnamese Buddhist Dictionary, 10 volumes, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2007.

12. Từ Điển Phật Học Việt-Anh—Vietnamese-English Buddhist Dictionary, 6 volumes,

Thiện Phúc, USA, 2005.

13. Vietnamese-English Buddhist Dictionary, 6 volumes, Thiện Phúc, USA, 2005.

Mục Lục Phần Việt Ngữ

(A) Niềm Tin Trong Phật Giáo 3 (Vietnamese page#3/English page#59)

I. II. III. IV. VI. Tổng Quan Và Ý Nghĩa Của Niềm Tin Trong Phật Giáo:

Niềm Tin Trong Đạo Phật: Mê Tín Dị Đoan & Đạo Phật Chết:

Mười Loại Tín Của Chư Bồ Tát:

V. Mười Thứ Tín Tâm: Những Lời Phật Dạy Về “Tín” Trong Kinh Kalama:

VII.Hành Giả Và Niềm Tin Trong Niệm Phật:

(B) Hạnh Trong Giáo Pháp Nhà Phật (Vietnamese page#18/English page#77)

I. Tổng Quan Và Ý Nghĩa Của Hạnh Trong Phật Giáo:

II. Hạnh Bất Thối Chuyển Trong Tu Tập:

III. An Lạc Hạnh:

IV. Thiền Lâm Tứ Hạnh: V. Tâm & Phật: Tứ Gia Hạnh: VI. Thánh Hạnh:

VII.Bồ Tát Hạnh VIII.Bồ Tát Hạnh và Chúng Sanh Hạnh:

(C) Nguyện Trong Giáo Pháp Nhà Phật (Vietnamese page#28/English page#90)

I. Tổng Quan Và Ý Nghĩa Của Nguyện Trong Đạo Phật:

II. Bồ Tát Tổng Nguyện:

III. Bồ Tát Biệt Nguyện:

(D) Tín Hạnh Nguyện Theo Trường Phái Tịnh Độ (Vietnamese page#47/English page#111)

I. II. Tín Hạnh Nguyện Theo Trường Phái Tịnh Độ:

Hành Giả Tịnh Độ Và Nguyện An Lạc Hạnh:

18 28 47 Tài Liệu Tham Khảo 55

(Vietnamese page#55/English page#120)

Mục Lục 56 (Vietnamese page#56/English page#121)

Faith-Practice-Vow Play

An Important Role In Buddhist Cultivation

Thiện Phúc

According to Buddhism, “Faith” regarded as the faculty of the mind which sees, appropriates, and trusts the things of religion; it joyfully trusts in the Buddha, in the pure virtue of the Triratna and earthly and transcendental goodness; it is the cause of the pure life, and the solvent of doubt. The question is to what place, faith is placed in Buddhism? Faith in Buddhism is totally different from faith in other religions. While other religions confirm that to believe means to be saved. Faith in Buddhism, in the contrary, faith means acceptance in the believe and knowledge, and there is nothing to do with “to believe means to be saved” in Buddhism. In Buddhism, faith means acceptance in the believe and knowledge that taking the three refuges and cultivating in accordance with the Buddha’s Teachings. Sincere Buddhists do not only believe in the Buddha as the noblest of Teachers, in the Buddhist Doctrines preached by Him, and in His Sangha Order, but practice His precepts in daily life. In Buddhism, there exists no “blind faith.” In no circumstances the term “believe or be damned” survives in Buddhism. In the Kalama Sutra, the Buddha taught: “Nothing should be accepted merely on the grounds of tradition or the authority of the teacher, or because it is the view of a large number of people, distinguished or otherwise. We must not believe in a thing said merely because it is said; nor in traditions because they have been handed down from antiquity; nor rumors; nor writings by sages, merely because sages wrote them; nor fancies that we may suspect to have been inspired in us by a Deva; nor from inferences drawn from some haphazard assumption we may have made; nor because of what seems analogical necessity; nor on the mere authority of our own teachers or masters. We are to believe when the writing doctrine or saying is corroborated by our own reason and consciousness.

In other words, everything should be carefully weighed, examined and judged according to whether it is true or false in the light of one convictions. If considered wrong, they should not be rejected immediately, but left for further consideration.” Conduct or behavior means practice. In Buddhism, the function of mental factor intention is to move our mind toward an object, to perceive and realize it. Thus mental factors intention is the basis for all our wishes (wishing in body, speech and mind). Practice also means to cultivate or to start out for bodhi-mind to act out one’s vows to save all living beings (all beings possess Tathagata-garbha nature and can become a Buddha; therefore, vow to save them all).

According to Buddhism, everywhere and at all time, Buddhist cultivators should always keep the firm conduct in cultivation, our actions must be in accordance with “Prajna” at all time. Resolve or aspiration refers to the fulfillment of religious vows and developing a correct attitude toward religious practice. A bodhisattva vow, which is the first step on the way to enlightenment A vow to onself as self-dedication, usually bodhisattva vows above to seek Bodhi and below to save beings or to save all beings before benefiting from his own enlightenment or entering into nirvana. In Mahayana Buddhism, “Praniddhana” is the seventh in the tenfold list of Paramitas that a Bodhisattva cultivates during the path to Buddhahood. Vow is something that comes from the heart and soul, a deep rooted promise, swearing to be unrelenting in seeking to attain a goal. This is having a certain mind-set or something one wishes to achieve and never give up until the objective is realized. Thus, there there should be absolutely no reason whatsoever that should cause one to regress or give up that vow or promise. Sincere Buddhists should vow to follow the teachings to sultivate to become Buddhas, then to use the magnificent Dharma of enlightenment of the Buddhas and vow to give them to all sentient beings to abandon their ignorance to cross over to enlightenment, to abandon delusion to follow truths.

Devoted Buddhists should always vow: “Awaken mind with a longing for Bodhicitta, deeply believe in the law of Cause and Effect, recite Mahayana sutras, encourage other cultivators and save other sentient beings.”According to the Ninth Patriarch of Pureland Buddhism, the Great Master Ou-I: “If Faith and Vow are solidified, when nearing death, it is possible to gain rebirth by reciting the Buddha’s name in ten recitations. In contrast, no matter how much one recites Buddha, if Faith and Vow are weak and deficient, then this will result only in reaping the merits and blessings in the Heavenly or Human realms.” However, this teaching only applies to beings with higher faculties. As for us, beings with low faculties, thin blessings and heavy karmas; if we wish to gain rebirth to the Ultimate Bliss World, we must have Faith, Practices and Vow. In other words, we must carry out both parts of Theory and Practice. Faith regarded as the faculty of the mind which sees, appropriates, and trusts the things of religion; it joyfully trusts in the Buddha, in the pure virtue of the Triratna and earthly and transcendental goodness; it is the cause of the pure life, and the solvent of doubt. According to The Pureland Buddhism, faith is believing in the Ultimate Bliss World truly exists just as the Saha World on which we are currently living.

Faith means to have faith that Amitabha Buddha is always protecting and will readily rescue and deliver any sentient being who knows to respect and recite sincerely His name. According to the Pureland Buddhism, practice means one must recite the Amitabha Buddha with the utmost sincerely to the point of achieving one-mind or single-minded recitation in order to establish the unimaginable connections and having the Buddha rescue and deliver the cultivator to the Western Pureland after death. According to Most Venerable Thích Thiền Tâm in The Thirteen Patriarchs of Pureland Buddhism, with point of view from the Pureland, practice means to take action or make application of the teaching. This means to recite often the virtuous name “Namo Amitabha Buddha” without distraction and without chaos throughout one’s life. Vow is something that comes from the heart and soul, a deep rooted promise, swearing to be unrelenting in seeking to attain a goal. This is having a certain mind-set or something one wishes to achieve and never give up until the objective is realized. Thus, there there should be absolutely no reason whatsoever that should cause one to regress or give up that vow or promise. Sincere Buddhists should vow to follow the teachings to sultivate to become Buddhas, then to use the magnificent Dharma of enlightenment of the Buddhas and vow to give them to all sentient beings to abandon their ignorance to cross over to enlightenment, to abandon delusion to follow truths. According to the Pureland Buddhism, Vow is to wish sincerely, praying to find liberation from the sufferings of this saha World, to gain rebirth to the peaceful Ultimate Bliss World. According to Most Venerable Thích Thiền Tâm in The Thirteen Patriarchs of Pureland Buddhism, with point of views of the Pureland, vow is with each thought that arises, there is a “love and yearning” to gain rebirth in the Ultimate Bliss World, and with each thought, there is a “wish and prayer” To achieve a place in the nine-levels of Golden Lotus. In these three components of faith, practice, and vow, it is absolutely essential for the Pureland cultivator to have all three; however, vow is the most important.

(A) Faith In Buddhist Teachings

I. An Overview and Meanings of Faith in Buddhism:

Faith (Sraddha-skt) plays an extremely important role in Buddhism. It is one of the Five Roots (Positive Agents) that give rise to other wholesome Dharmas (Faith, Energy, Mindfulness, Concentration, Wisdom). Faith regarded as the faculty of the mind which sees, appropriates, and trusts the things of religion; it joyfully trusts in the

Buddha, in the pure virtue of the Triratna and earthly and transcendental goodness; it is the cause of the pure life, and the solvent of doubt. In Buddhism, doubt means having no faith that is directed towards the Four Truths, the Three Jewels, cause and effect, and so on.

When we are in doubt in the Three Jewel, we cannot advance in our path of cultivation. When we doubt the law of cause and effect, we will not hesitate to create karmas. When we are in doubt in the four truths, it is extremely difficult for us to attain liberation. According to The Pureland Buddhism, faith is believing in the Ultimate Bliss World truly exists just as the Saha World on which we are currently living. Faith means to have faith that Amitabha Buddha is always protecting and will readily rescue and deliver any sentient being who knows to respect and recite sincerely His name. While practice means to take action or make application of the teaching. And vow means to wish to attain Buddhahood or to gain rebirth in the Ultimate Bliss World. According to Most Venerable Thích Thiền Tâm in The Thirteen Patriarchs of Pureland Buddhism, with point of view from the Pureland, practice means to take action or make application of the teaching. This means to recite often the virtuous name “Namo Amitabha Buddha” without distraction and without chaos throughout one’s life. The Pure Land followers believe that “Vow” is with each thought that arises, there is a “love and yearning” to gain rebirth in the Ultimate Bliss World, and with each thought, there is a “wish and prayer” To achieve a place in the nine-levels of Golden Lotus. In these three components of faith, practice, and vow, it is absolutely essential for the Pureland cultivator to have all three; however, vow is the most important. The Great Master Ou-I, the Ninth Patriarch of Pureland Buddhism taught: “If Faith and Vow are solidified, when nearing death, it is possible to gain rebirth by reciting the Buddha’s name in ten recitations. In contrast, no matter how much one recites Buddha, if Faith and Vow are weak and deficient, then this will result only in reaping the merits and blessings in the Heavenly or Human realms.” However, this teaching only applies to beings with higher faculties. As for us, beings with low faculties, thin blessings and heavy karmas; if we wish to gain rebirth to the Ultimate Bliss World, we must have Faith, Practices and Vow. In other words, we must carry out both parts of Theory and Practice.

According to Buddhism, “Faith” regarded as the faculty of the mind which sees, appropriates, and trusts the things of religion; it joyfully trusts in the Buddha, in the pure virtue of the Triratna and earthly and transcendental goodness; it is the cause of the pure life, and the solvent of doubt. The question is to what place, faith is placed in Buddhism?

Faith in Buddhism is totally different from faith in other religions.

While other religions confirm that to believe means to be saved. Faith in Buddhism, in the contrary, faith means acceptance in the believe and knowledge, and there is nothing to do with “to believe means to be saved” in Buddhism. In Buddhism, faith means acceptance in the believe and knowledge that taking the three refuges and cultivating in accordance with the Buddha’s Teachings. Sincere Buddhists do not only believe in the Buddha as the noblest of Teachers, in the Buddhist Doctrines preached by Him, and in His Sangha Order, but practice His precepts in daily life. In Buddhism, there exists no “blind faith.” In no circumstances the term “believe or be damned” survives in Buddhism. In the Kalama Sutra, the Buddha taught: “Nothing should be accepted merely on the grounds of tradition or the authority of the teacher, or because it is the view of a large number of people, distinguished or otherwise. We must not believe in a thing said merely because it is said; nor in traditions because they have been handed down from antiquity; nor rumors; nor writings by sages, merely because sages wrote them; nor fancies that we may suspect to have been inspired in us by a Deva; nor from inferences drawn from some haphazard assumption we may have made; nor because of what seems analogical necessity; nor on the mere authority of our own teachers or masters. We are to believe when the writing doctrine or saying is corroborated by our own reason and consciousness. In other words, everything should be carefully weighed, examined and judged according to whether it is true or false in the light of one convictions. If considered wrong, they should not be rejected immediately, but left for further consideration.” However, according to The Pureland Buddhism, faith is believing in the Ultimate Bliss World truly exists just as the Saha World on which we are currently living. Faith means to have faith that Amitabha Buddha is always protecting and will readily rescue and deliver any sentient being who knows to respect and recite sincerely His name. Also according to Buddhism, the religious life which is evolved from faith in the teaching of others. It is that of the unintellectual type, in contrast with those whose intelligence is sharp, their religious life is evolved from practice on the teaching of others. In Buddhism, faith plays an extremely important role in Buddhism. It is one of the Five Roots (Positive Agents) that give rise to other wholesome Dharmas (Faith, Energy, Mindfulness, Concentration,

Wisdom).

II. Faith in Buddhism:

A basic belief in Buddhism is that the world is filled with sufferings and afflictions that are caused by the desires, angers and ignorance, pride, doubt, and wrong views. If the above mentioned troubles could be removed, then the sufferings and afflictions would naturally end. However, removing the above mentioned troubles does not mean that we chase after worldly pleasures, nor does it means pessimism. According to the Buddha, most of daily life’s troubles are caused by attachment. We get angry, we worry, and we become greedy and complain bitterly. All these causes of unhappiness, tension, stubbornness and sadness are due to attachment. Thus if we want to end sufferings and afflictions, we must end attachment, no exception. However, to end attachment is not easy for in order to end attachment we must conquest ourselves. Thus the Buddha taught in the Dharmapada Sutra: “The greates of conquests is not the subjugation of others but of the self. Even though a man conquers thousands of men in battle, he who conquers himself is the greatest of conquerors.” In fact, the ultimate goal of a Buddhist is to look inward to find his own Buddha and not outward. Thus, the goal of a Buddhist is the development of self-dependency, the ability to set oneself free of sufferings and afflictions. Buddhism is strongly against a blind belief on other forces of salvation with no basic factors. The Buddha always reminded his disciples: “You should reject blind belief. Do not judge by hearsay, not on mere assertion, not on authority of so-called sacred scriptures. Do not hurrily judge according to appearances, not believe anything because an ascetic or a teacher has said it.”

With Buddhism, to believe religion without understanding it thoroughly, it’s a blind faith, or it’s not different from superstition. Even though understanding but understanding without finding to see if it’s right or wrong, in accordance or not in accordance with truth, with reality, it’s also a form of superstition or wrong belief. Believe that when you sow a seed of hot-pepper, you will have a hot-pepper tree and eventually you will reap hot-pepper fruit. However, even though you have already sown the seed of hot-pepper, but you realize that you don’t like to eat fruit that is hot, you stop fertilizing and watering the hot-pepper tree, the tree will wither and die, and will not produce any fruit. Similarly, if you know an action is bad and unwholesome, you refuse to act, of course you will not receive any bad or unwholesome consequence. The Buddha refuses to believe that whatever happens to a person, either good or bad, is due to chance, fate or fortune. Everything that happens has a specific cause or causes and there must be some tight relationships between the cause and the effect. Those who want to believe in Buddhism should not rush to become a Buddhist with the wrong understanding or blind belief in Buddhism. You should take your time to do more researches, to ask questions, and to consider carefully before making your final decision. Religions that worship god have always considered reason and wisdom as the enemy of faith and dogma for them there exist only “believe” or “not believe” and nothing else. In fact, if we accept that there exists a so-called almighty god, we cannot accept any of the findings of modern science; neither Darwin’s science of biological evolution nor the theories of the nature and evolution of the universe coming from modern physics. They believe that a so-called creator god invented humankind and the universe all at once and that these three realms of god, man and universe, all are separate. However, modern science agrees with what the Buddha taught almost twenty-six centuries ago, and proves that the universe as one infinite process of change. Furthermore, the belief of salvation by god caused a serious danger to the whole world, especially from the first century to the end of the nineteenth century, for those who believe in the salvation of god believe that they must impose salvation on others. For this reason, Catholic countries sent their troops and priests all over the world to save others by force. And as a result, millions of people got killed or slaughtered and subjugated in the name of god.

Buddhism is in contrast with other religions that believe in god. Buddhism teaches that one must develop wisdom. However, wisdom in Buddhism is not simply believing in what we are told or taught. True wisdom is to directly see and understand for ourselves. With this wisdom, people will have an open mind that listens to others’ points of view rather than being closed-minded; people will also carefully examine fatcs that contradicts their belief rather than blindly believing.

Sincere Buddhists never believe in the law of eternity. The Buddha accepts the law of impermanence or change and denies the existence of eternal substances. Matter and spirit are false abstractions that, in reality, are only changing factors or dharmas which are connected and which arise in functional dependence on each other. Thus, Buddhist faith means that the devotee accepts the Buddha as a Teacher and a Guide, His doctrine as way of life, and the Sangha community as the examplars of this way of life. According to Buddhist point of view in faith, everyone is completely free to make his own choice in faith, no one has the right to interfere with other people’s choice. Let’s take a close look in the Buddha’s teaching in the Kalama Sutra: “Nothing should be accepted merely on the ground of tradition or the authority of the teacher, or because it is the view of a large number of people, distinguished or otherwise. Everything should be weighed, examined and judged according to whether it is true or false in the light of one’s own true benefits. If considered wrong, they should not be rejected but left for further considerations.” Therefore, we see clearly that Buddhism is based on personal expeirence, rationalism, practice, morality, and insight. There is no need to propitiate gods or masters. There is no blind adherence to a faith, rigid dogmas, rituals, scriptures, or myths. The Buddha always confirmed his disciples that a salvation can only be gained by man and by man only during his life without the least help from a so-called god or gods. The Buddha taught us to try to recognize truth, so we can understand our fear, to lessen our desires, to eliminate our selfishness, and to calmly and courageously accept things we cannot change. He replaced fear, not with blindly and irrational belief but with rational understanding which corresponds to the truth. Furthermore, Buddhists do not believe in god because there does not seem to be any concrete evidence to support this idea. Who can answer questions on god? Who is god? Is god masculine or feminine or neuter? Who can provide ample evidence with real, concrete, substantial or irrefutable facts to prove the existence of god? So far, no one can. Buddhists suspend judgment until such evidence is forthcoming. Besides, such belief in god is not necessary for a really meaningful and happy life. If you believe that god make your life meaningful and happy, so be it. But remember, more than two-thirds of the world do not believe in god and who can say that they don’t have a meaningful and happy life? And who dare to say that those who believe in god, all have a meaningful and happy life? If you believe that god help you overcome disabilities and difficulties, so be it. But Buddhists do not accept the theological concept of salvation. In the contrary, based on the Buddha’s own experience, he showed us that each human being had the capacity to purify the body and the mind, develop infinitive love and compassion and perfect understanding. He shifted the gods and heavens to the self-heart and encouraged us to find solution to our problems through self-understanding. Finally, such myths of god and creation concept has been superseded by scientific facts. Science has explained the origin of the universe completely without recourse to the god-idea.

Buddhism considers human’s liberation the priority. Once the Buddha was asked by a monk named Malunkyaputta, whether the world was eternal or not eternal, whether the world was finite or infinite, whether the soul was one thing and the body another, whether a Buddha existed after death or did not exist after death, and so on, and so on. The Buddha flatly refused to discuss such metaphysics, and instead gave him a parable. “It is as if a man had been wounded by an arrow thickly smeared with poison, and yet he were to say, ‘I will not have this arrow pulled out until I know by what man I was wounded,’ or ‘I will not have this arrow pulled out until I know of what the arrow with which I was wounded was made.’” As a practical man he should of course get himself treated by the physician at once, without demanding these unnecessary details which would not help him in the least. This was the attitude of the Buddha toward the metaphysical speculation which do not in any way help improve ourselves in our cultivation. The Buddha would say, “Do not go by reasoning, nor by argument.” Besides, Buddhism does not accept such practices as fortune telling, wearing magic charms for protection, fixing lucky sites for building, prophesying and fixing lucky days, etc. All these practices are considered useless superstitions in Buddhism. However, because of greed, fear and ignorance, some Buddhists still try to stick to these superstituous practices. As soon as people understand the Buddha’s teachings, they realize that a pure heart can protect them much better than empty words of fortune telling, or wearing nonsense charms, or ambiguous chanted words and they are no longer rely on such meaningless things. In Buddhism, liberation is a motto which heightens

(elevates) the unfettered spirit beyond the irrational wall of conventional restriction in which the faith of each individual must be chosen by that individual and by no one else. However, the Buddha always emphasized “Try to understand thoroughly before believing, even with my teachings, for acting freely and without knowing the real meaning of whatever you act sometimes you unintentionally destroy valuable traditions of yourselves. This is the same as a diamond being thrown into the dirt.” The Buddha continued to advise: “When you do anything you should think of its consequence.” Nowadays, more than 2,500 years after the Buddha’s time, all scientists believe that every event that takes place in the world is subject to the law of cause and effect. In other words, cause is the activity and effect is the result of the activity. The Buddha described the world as an unending flux of becoming. All is changeable, continuous transformation, ceaseless mutation, and a moving stream. Everything exists from moment to moment. Everything is recurring rotation of coming into being and then passing out of existence. Everything is moving from formation to destruction, from birth to death. The matter of material forms are also a continuous movement or change towards decay. This teaching of the impermanent nature of everything is one of the most important points of view of Buddhism. Nothing on earth partakes of the character of absolute reality. That is to say there will be no destruction of what is formed is impossible. Whatever is subject to origination is subject to destruction. Change is the very constituent of reality. In daily life, things move and change between extremes and contrasts, i.e., rise and fall, success and failure, gain and loss, honor and contempt, praise and blame, and so on. No one can be sure that a “rise” does not follow with a “fall”, a success does not follow with a failure, a gain with a loss, an honor with a contempt, and a praise with a blame. To thoroughly understand this rule of change or impermanence, Buddhists are no longer dominated by happiness, sorrow, delight, despair, disappointment, satisfaction, self-confidence and fear.

In the noble teachings of the Buddha, it is honesty, kindness, understanding, patience, generosity, forgiveness, loyalty and other good qualities that truly protect us and give us true happiness and prosperity. A man who possesses the above mentioned characteristics, that man is travelling on the Path to the Buddha’s Land. It is true that

Buddhahood cannot be found outside. It has no limit and not be confined in the East, West, South or North. It is in fact, in every man’s mind. In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha taught: “Once upon a time, there was a father who was very old and death was hovering on him. He had a little son and wanted him to be well off in the future. He hided a very valuable diamond between the hems of his son’s shirt and then gave him some advice. After his father’s passing away, the son forgot completely about the hidden diamond. He became poor, wandering here and there to beg for help, met with nothing but refusal. One day, he suddenly remembered about the hidden treasure left by his father, from thence he became a rich man and no longer depended on others for help.”

Most of us are agreed to the fact that among all living beings, human beings are unique beings who can understand what we are and what we should be. Compared to other beings, man is most complete and superior not only in the mentality and thinking, but also in the ability of organization of social life. Human beings’ life cannot be substituted nor repeated nor determined by someone else. Once we are born in this world, we have to live our own life, a meaningful and worth living life. Thus the ancient said: “Man is the most sacred and superior animal.” And the Buddha taught in the Upasaka Sutra: “In all beings, man is endowed with all necessary faculties, intelligence.

Besides man’s conditions are not too miserable as those beings in hell, not too much pleasure as those beings in heaven. And above all, man’s mind is not so ignorant as that of the animals.” So man has the ability to build and improve his own life to the degree of perfection.

III. Superstitions & Dead Buddhism: Superstitions mean strange principles and unorthodox theories.

Belief or rite unreasoningly upheld by faith such as venerating the head of tiger, and buffalo, the snake and centipede deities, the Lares, consulting fortunteller, reading the horoscope, etc., don’t belong to the Buddhist teachings. Buddhism means wisdom. And, Buddhism never accept superstitions; however, superstitious beliefs and rituals are adopted to decorate a religion in order to attract the multitude. But, after some time, the creeper which is planted to decorate the shrine outgrows and outshines the shrine, with the result that religious tenets are relegated to the background and supertitious beliefs and rituals become predominent. Besides, those who practice a kind of Buddhism with its superfluous organizations, classical rituals, multi-level offerings, dangling and incomprehensible sutras written in strange languages which puzzle the young people, they are no better than those who have supertitious beliefs. They are followers of a kind of Dead Buddhism, for they themselves cause the young people to have their view the Buddhist pagoda is a nursing home, a place especially reserved for the elderly, those who lack self-confidence or who are superstituous. Furthermore, there exists a dead Buddhism when the Buddhadharma is only in talking, not in practice. It’s not enough to say that we believe in the Buddha; it’s better not to know the Buddhadharma than knowing it only for talking. Time flies really fast like a flying arrow, and days and months fly by like a shuttlecock. The water waves follow one after another. Life is passing quickly in the same manner. Impermanence avoids nobody, youth is followed by old age moment after moment, and we gradually return to the decay and extinction of old age and death, leaving no trace or shadow. Sincere Buddhists should always remember that if we merely believe in Buddhism without practicing, it’s no better than believing in a dead Buddhism. It’s like going into a restaurant and reading the menu to enjoy ourselves without ordering any food for eating. It does not benefit us in the least. Thus, we should always bear in mind that if the Way is not put in practice, it’s a dead or dead-end Way; if the virtue is not achieved by cultivating, it’s not a real virtue.

IV. Ten Kinds of Bodhisattvas' Faith:

1) Ten Kinds of Indestructible Bodhisattvas' Faith: Indestructible faiths are firm and indestructible beliefs. According to the Flower Adornment Sutra, Chapter 38, there are ten kinds of indestructible faith of Great Enlightening Beings. Enlightening Beings who abide by these can attain the supreme indestructible faith of great knowledge of Buddhas: indestructible faith in all Buddhas, in all Buddhas’ teachings, in all wise and holy mendicants; in all enlightening beings, in all genuine teachers, in all sentient beings, in all great vows of enlightening beings, in all practices of enlightening beings, in honoring and serving all Buddhas, and in the skillful mystic techniques of enlightening beings.

2) Ten Grades of Bodhisattva’s Faith: In the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha reminded Ananda about the ten grades of Bodhisattva faith: the mind that resides in faith and faith which destroys illusions, rememberance (unforgetfulness or the mind that resides in mindfulness), zealous progress or the mind that resides in vigor, wisdom or the mind resides in wisdom, settled firmness on concentration or the mind that resides in samadhi, non-retrogression or the mind that resides in irreversibility, protection of the Truth or the mind that resides in protecting the Dharma, reflexive powers or the mind that resides in Making Transferences, the nirvana mind in effortlessness or the mind that resides in precepts, action at will in anything in anywhere or the mind that resides in vows.

V. Ten Grades of Bodhisattva Faith:

In the Surangama Sutra, book Eight, the Buddha reminded Ananda about the ten grades of Bodhisattva faith. First, the mind that resides in faith and faith which destroys illusions. With the mind centered in the middle, they enter the flow where where wonderful perfection reveals itself. From the truth of that wonderful perfection there repeatedly arise wonders of truth. They always dwell in the wonder of faith, until all false thinking is completely eliminated and the middle way is totally true. This is called the mind that resides in faith. The second Bodhisattva’s faith is the rememberance, the unforgetfulness or the mind that resides in mindfulness. When true faith is clearly understood, then perfect penetration is total, and the three aspects of skandhas, places, and realms are no longer obstructions. Then all their habits throughout innumerable kalpas of past and future, during which they abandon bodies and receive bodies, appear to them now in the present moment. These good people can remember everything and forget nothing. This is called “The mind that resides in mindfulness.” The third Bodhisattva’s faith is the zealous progress or the mind that resides in vigor. When the wonderful perfection is completely true, that essential truth brings about a transformation. They go beyond the beginningless habits to reach the one essential brightness. Relying solely on this essential brightness, they progress toward true purity.

This is called the mind of vigor. The fourth Bodhisattva’s faith is the wisdom or the mind resides in wisdom. The essence of the mind reveals itself as total wisdom; this is called the mind that resides in wisdom. The fifth Bodhisattva’s faith is the settled firmness on concentration or the mind that resides in samadhi. As the wisdom and brightness are held steadfast, a profound stillness pervades. The stage at which the majesty of this stillness becomes constant and solid. This is called the mind that resides in samadhi. The sixth Bodhisattva’s faith is the non-retrogression or the mind that resides in irreversibility. The light of samadhi emits brightness. When the essence of the brightness enters deeply within, they only advance and never retreat. This is called the mind of irreversibility. The seventh Bodhisattva’s faith is the protection of the Truth or or the mind that resides in protecting the Dharma. When the progress of their minds is secure, and they hold their minds and protect them without loss, they connect with the life-breath of the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions. This is called the mind that protects the Dharma. The eighth Bodhisattva’s faith is the reflexive powers or the mind that resides in Making Transferences. Protecting their light of enlightenment, they can use this wonderful force to return to the Buddha’s light of compassion and come back to stand firm with the Buddha. It is like two mirrors that are set facing one another, so that between them the exquisite images interreflect and enter into one another layer upon layer. This is called the mind of transference. The ninth Bodhisattva’s faith is the nirvana mind in effortlessness or the mind that resides in precepts. With this secret interplay of light, they obtain the Buddha’s enternal solidity and unsurpassed wonderful purity. Dwelling in the unconditioned, they know no loss or dissipation. This is called the mind that resides in precepts. The tenth Bodhisattva’s faith is the action at will in anything in anywhere or the mind that resides in vows. Abiding in the precepts with self-mastery, they can roam throughout the ten directions, going anywhere they wish. This is called the mind that resides in vows.

VI. The Buddha’s Teachings on Sraddha in the Kalama Sutra:

In the Kalama Sutra, the Buddha taught: Do not have Faith (believe) in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe in anything because it is spoken or rumoured by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found in religious books. Do not believe in anything only because it is taught by your teachers or elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that everything agrees with reason and is for the benefit of all beings, then accept it and live accordingly.

VII.Practitioners and Faith in Buddha Recitation:

1) Five Faiths in the Pure Land: Faith means an attitude of belief in the Buddha and his teachings, and devote oneself to cultivate those teachings. Faith regarded as the faculty of the mind which sees, appropriates, and trusts the things of religion; it joyfully trusts in the Buddha, in the pure virtue of the Triratna and earthly and transcendental goodness; it is the cause of the pure life, and the solvent of doubt. According to The Pureland Buddhism, faith is believing in the Ultimate Bliss World truly exists just as the Saha World on which we are currently living. Faith means to have faith that Amitabha Buddha is always protecting and will readily rescue and deliver any sentient being who knows to respect and recite sincerely His name. There are five kinds of faith in the Pure Land: First, Faith in others: What is faith in others? This is to have faith that Sakyamuni Buddha would never speak falsely and Amitabha Buddha did not make empty vows. Therefore, if cultivators practice according to Pureland teachings, then Amitabha Buddha will deliver them to the Ultimate World. Second, Faith in causation: What is it to have faith in causation? This is to believe that reciting Buddha is the action or cause for gaining rebirth and enlightenment. Third, Faith in effect: What is it to believe in effect? To believe in effect means to believe that in the matter of gaining rebirth and attaining Buddhahood as the end result, or the consequence of reciting Buddha. Fourth, Faith in practice: What is it to have faith in practice? To faith faith in practice means to believe in the existence of the Western Pureland and that the forms and characteristics in the Ultimate Bliss World that the Buddha spoke of it in the sutras are all true. It exists just as this Saha World really exists. Fifth, Faith in theory: What is it to have faith in theory? This is to believe that “all theories are within the mind;” thus, the mind encompasses all the infinite Buddha Lands in the ten directions.

2) Six Elements in Faith: According to Most Venerable Thích Thiền Tâm in The Thirteen Patriarchs of Pureland Buddhism, he emphasized that to have Faith is to believe in the following six elements: First, Self-Faith or faith in self. What is self-faith or faith in one’s self ? This is to have faith that everything is created within one’s mind; therefore, if a practitioner recites Buddha, then, absolutely, Buddha will receive him or her. Second, Faith in Others or trust others.

What is faith in others? This is to have faith that Sakyamuni Buddha would never speak falsely and Amitabha Buddha did not make empty vows. Therefore, if cultivators practice according to Pureland teachings, then Amitabha Buddha will deliver them to the Ultimate World. Third, Faith in Causation or to believe in the cause. What is it to have faith in causation? This is to believe that reciting Buddha is the action or cause for gaining rebirth and enlightenment. Fourth, Faith in Effect or faith in the result. What is it to believe in effect? To believe in effect means to believe that in the matter of gaining rebirth and attaining Buddhahood as the end result, or the consequence of reciting Buddha. Fifth, Faith in Practice. What is it to have faith in practice? To faith faith in practice means to believe in the existence of the Western Pureland and that the forms and characteristics in the Ultimate Bliss World that the Buddha spoke of it in the sutras are all true. It exists just as this Saha World really exists. Sixth, Faith in Theory. What is it to have faith in theory? This is to believe that “all theories are within the mind;” thus, the mind encompasses all the infinite Buddha Lands in the ten directions.

3) Faith-Interpretation-Performance-Evidence: All Buddhist teachings are expedient. Thus, it can be said that rebirth in the Pure Land depends on four conditions of Faith-Interpretation-Performance- Evidence, or on two conditions of Faith and Vows, or even one condition of Faith, as the one contains all and all is contained in the one. The formula to be used depends on the audience and the time.

The aim is to enable sentient beings to achieve rebirth in the Pure Land as a middle point toward Buddhahood. Faith, interpretation, performance, and evidence or realization of the fruit of Buddha’s doctrine. The Pure Land Sect believes that during this Dharma-Ending Age, it is difficult to attain enlightenment and emancipation in this very life if one practices other methods without following Pure Land at the same time. If emancipation is not achieved in this lifetime, one’s crucial vows will become empty thoughts as one continues to be deluded on the path of Birth and Death. Devoted Buddhists should always be very cautious, not to praise one’s school and downplay other schools. Devoted Buddhists should always remember that we all are Buddhists and we all practice the teachings of the Buddha, though with different means, we have the same teachings, the Buddha’s Teachings;

and the same goal, emancipation and becoming Buddha. Faith (belief) regarded as the faculty of the mind which sees, appropriates, and trusts the things of religion; it joyfully trusts in the Buddha, in the pure virtue of the Triratna and earthly and transcendental goodness; it is the cause of the pure life, and the solvent of doubt. According to The Pureland Buddhism, faith is believing in the Ultimate Bliss World truly exists just as the Saha World on which we are currently living. Faith means to have faith that Amitabha Buddha is always protecting and will readily rescue and deliver any sentient being who knows to respect and recite sincerely His name. Interpretation means the awakening is to achieve a level of insight and understanding equal to that of the Buddha through Zen meditation or Buddha recitation. Awakening is to see one’s nature, to comprehend the true nature of things, or the Truth. However, only after becoming a Buddha can one be said to have attained Supreme Enlightenment or attained the Way. According to the Pureland Buddhism, practice means one must recite the Amitabha Buddha with the utmost sincerely to the point of achieving one-mind or single-minded recitation in order to establish the unimaginable connections and having the Buddha rescue and deliver the cultivator to the Western Pureland after death. Great Master Shan-Tao taught: “If you wish to study meaning to understand the Dharma, you should study all Dharmas, from the mundane level to the level of the Buddhas.

However, if you want to engage in 'practice,' you should choose a method compatible with the Truth as well as your own capacities and level and then concentrate on it earnestly. Only then can you reap benefits swiftly. Otherwise, even if you spend many eons, you will not be able to escape Birth and Death.” Knowledge derived from any sources but memory, i.e., knowledge from perception, from feelings, from sensing, etc. Devoted cultivators should always remember that to have “proof of rebirth in the Pure Land” does not mean that you know the day and time you will die, or see some so-called auspicious signs for externalists can guess such thing. Real “proof of rebirth in the Pure

Land” is that from now on we must be earnest in our cultivation, practicing Zen in the morning, performing good deeds at noon, and reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name at night.

4) Pure Land Practitioners: Faith in Others-Other Power and Self- Power: Faith in others means to have faith that Sakyamuni Buddha would never speak falsely and Amitabha Buddha did not make empty vows. Therefore, if cultivators practice according to Pureland teachings, then Amitabha Buddha will deliver them to the Ultimate World. The power or strength of another (external power, power of another), especially that of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, obtained through faith in Mahayana salvation. The Pure Land sect believes that those who continually recite the name of Amitabha Buddha, at the time of death, will be reborn in his Pure Land. Tariki is associated with Pure Land traditions, which is based on the notion that “in the final dharma age, sentient beings are no longer capable of bringing about their own salvations (liberations), and so must rely on the saving grace of Amitabha Buddha.” Tariki is commonly opposed to “Jiirki” or “own power,” which involves engaging in meditation and other practices aimed at the attainment of liberation. Tariki is said by the Pure Land traditions to be an “easy path,” since one is saved by the power of Amitabha Buddha, while “Jiriki” is a “difficult path” because it relies on personal efforts. Those who believe in other power (reliance of the power or stregth of another), especially that of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, rely on faith in Mahayana salvation. This is the only guideline for those who trust to salvation by faith, contrasted with those who seek salvation by works, or by their own strength. According to Masters Chih-I and T’ien-Ju in the Pure Land Buddhism, with regard to other-power, if anyone believes in the power of Amitabha Buddha’s compassionate vow to rescue sentient beings and then develops the Bodhi-Mind, cultivates the Buddha Remembrance (Recitation)

Samadhi, grows weary of his temporal, impure body in the Triple Realm, practices charity, upholds the precepts and performs other meritorious deeds, dedicating all the merits and virtues to rebirth in the Western Pure Land, his aspirations and the Buddha’s response will be in accord. Relying thus on the Buddha’s power, he will immediately achieve rebirth. In 'Letters From Patriarch Yin-Kuang,' Great Master Yin-Kuang said: “As far as the Consciousness, Zen and Sutra Studies methods are concerned, even if you pursue them all your life, you will find it difficult to grasp their profound essence. Even if you do, you will have to sever delusive karma completely to escape Birth and Death.

When speaking of this, I fear that your dream will not come true and will remain just that, a dream!” Thus, in my compendium, I frequesntly refer to the sutras and commentaries that should be read, how to go about reading them and the difficulty of benefitting from the Consciousness, Zen and Sutra Studies methods. This is because the Pure Land method calls upon the compassionate power of Amitabha Buddha or other power, while other methods rely on self-power, self-cultivation alone.

5) Practitioners and Faith in Buddha Recitation: According to Buddhism, “Faith” regarded as the faculty of the mind which sees, appropriates, and trusts the things of religion; it joyfully trusts in the Buddha, in the pure virtue of the Triratna and earthly and transcendental goodness; it is the cause of the pure life, and the solvent of doubt. The question is to what place, faith is placed in Buddhism? Faith in Buddhism is totally different from faith in other religions. While other religions confirm that to believe means to be saved. Faith in Buddhism, in the contrary, faith means acceptance in the believe and knowledge, and there is nothing to do with “to believe means to be saved” in Buddhism. In Buddhism, faith means acceptance in the believe and knowledge that taking the three refuges and cultivating in accordance with the Buddha’s Teachings. Sincere Buddhists do not only believe in the Buddha as the noblest of Teachers, in the Buddhist Doctrines preached by Him, and in His Sangha Order, but practice His precepts in daily life. In Buddhism, there exists no “blind faith.” In no circumstances the term “believe or be damned” survives in Buddhism.

In the Kalama Sutra, the Buddha taught: “Nothing should be accepted merely on the grounds of tradition or the authority of the teacher, or because it is the view of a large number of people, distinguished or otherwise. We must not believe in a thing said merely because it is said; nor in traditions because they have been handed down from antiquity; nor rumors; nor writings by sages, merely because sages wrote them; nor fancies that we may suspect to have been inspired in us by a Deva; nor from inferences drawn from some haphazard assumption we may have made; nor because of what seems analogical necessity; nor on the mere authority of our own teachers or masters.

We are to believe when the writing doctrine or saying is corroborated by our own reason and consciousness. In other words, everything should be carefully weighed, examined and judged according to whether it is true or false in the light of one convictions. If considered wrong, they should not be rejected immediately, but left for further consideration.” Faith plays an extremely important role in Buddhism. It is one of the Five Roots (Positive Agents) that give rise to other wholesome Dharmas (Faith, Energy, Mindfulness, Concentration, Wisdom). Faith regarded as the faculty of the mind which sees, appropriates, and trusts the things of religion; it joyfully trusts in the Buddha, in the pure virtue of the Triratna and earthly and transcendental goodness; it is the cause of the pure life, and the solvent of doubt. In Buddhism, doubt means having no faith that is directed towards the Four Truths, the Three Jewels, cause and effect, and so on. When we are in doubt in the Three Jewel, we cannot advance in our path of cultivation. When we doubt the law of cause and effect, we will not hesitate to create karmas. When we are in doubt in the four truths, it is extremely difficult for us to attain liberation. According to The Pureland Buddhism, faith is believing in the Ultimate Bliss World truly exists just as the Saha World on which we are currently living. Faith means to have faith that Amitabha Buddha is always protecting and will readily rescue and deliver any sentient being who knows to respect and recite sincerely His name. While practice means to take action or make application of the teaching. And vow means to wish to attain Buddhahood or to gain rebirth in the Ultimate Bliss World. According to Most Venerable Thích Thiền Tâm in The Thirteen Patriarchs of Pureland Buddhism, with point of view from the Pureland, practice means to take action or make application of the teaching. This means to recite often the virtuous name “Namo Amitabha Buddha” without distraction and without chaos throughout one’s life. The Pure Land followers believe that “Vow” is with each thought that arises, there is a “love and yearning” to gain rebirth in the Ultimate Bliss World, and with each thought, there is a “wish and prayer” To achieve a place in the nine-levels of Golden Lotus. In these three components of faith, practice, and vow, it is absolutely essential for the Pureland cultivator to have all three; however, vow is the most important. The Great Master Ou-I, the Ninth Patriarch of Pureland Buddhism taught: “If Faith and Vow are solidified, when nearing death, it is possible to gain rebirth by reciting the Buddha’s name in ten recitations. In contrast, no matter how much one recites Buddha, if Faith and Vow are weak and deficient, then this will result only in reaping the merits and blessings in the Heavenly or Human realms.” However, this teaching only applies to beings with higher faculties. As for us, beings with low faculties, thin blessings and heavy karmas; if we wish to gain rebirth to the Ultimate Bliss World, we must have Faith, Practices and Vow. In other words, we must carry out both parts of Theory and Practice. For Pure Land practitioners, faith is believing in the Ultimate Bliss World truly exists just as the Saha World on which we are currently living. Faith means to have faith that Amitabha Buddha is always protecting and will readily rescue and deliver any sentient being who knows to respect and recite sincerely His name.