24) The Vow for Rebirth in the Pure Land

In each Buddha Recitation session, after the recitation itself, the practitioner immediately pays respect to Amitabha Buddha, seeking His guidance. He then kneels down and recites verses of repentance, Vows and dedication (transference) of merit. This last part is very important, because it is the time when he concentrates his mind to direct merits and virtues toward the desired goal. This is similar to a boat which moves by human strength or engine power but whose direction is determined by the person at the rudder. The Vow for rebirth is the part of Pure Land cultivation in which the practitioner uses his mind to steer the boat of Buddha Recitation toward the Western Pure Land.

However, many cultivators, missing this point, recite compositions which exhort cultivation rather than repentance and Vows. I am referring to the compositions beginning with such lines as "the thatched hut is a place of peace to nurture our Self-Nature ..." or "the universe of dust is spinning out of control; this ephemeral life comes together and dissolves itself hundreds of times ..." Such recitation is not in line with Pure Land practice.

As far as the form of the Vow for rebirth is concerned, some cultivators prefer long compositions through which they can develop an earnest mind. Others prefer a shorter version that includes the desire to achieve rebirth in the Pure Land. These ideas are succinctly expressed in the "Prayer to Amita[bha] Buddha," as follows:

Of Buddhas in all places and at all times, Amita[bha] Buddha is the foremost. He delivers sentient beings of all nine grades. His glory and power are unlimited. We now are taking complete refuge in him, and repent our physical, oral and mental sins. If there is any blessing or good action, we sincerely apply it as parinamana [transference of merit]. May we, as fellow Amidists, enjoy miraculous manifestations from time to time. At the end of our lives, the scene of the Western Paradise will manifest clearly in front of our eyes. What we see and hear will contribute to our good progress toward rebirth in Paradise. We shall see the Buddha and end further births and deaths, just like Buddhas who deliver all beings. May boundless klesas [afflictions] be severed. May countless approaches be practiced. We vow that we wish to deliver all sentient beings and that all may achieve Buddhahood. Even if the Void is finite, our wish, however, is infinite ... (Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada, tr., The Buddhist Liturgy, p. 271-273.)

25) Vows Should be Made in Earnest

In addition to the above composition, there is another text, which is considered quite effective. It has been reported that when reciting it, some cultivators see auspicious marks while others, in their dreams, view Amitabha Buddha emitting illuminating rays. Such responses are too numerous to be recounted here. Excerpts from the composition follow below:

I vow that at the moment of death, there will be no obstacles, 
The Lord Amitabha Buddha will welcome me from afar, 
Avalokitesvara will shower sweet dew upon my head, 
Mahasthamaprapta will bring a lotus blossom [for my feet]. 
In a split second, I will leave the turbid world, 
Reaching the Pure Land in the time it takes to extend my arms; 
When the lotus blossom opens, I will see Amitabha Buddha, the Compassionate, 
Hearing the profound Dharma, I will be enlightened and reach Tolerance of No-Birth. 
I will then return to the Saha World, without leaving the Pure Land, 
Through all kinds of expedients, I will benefit sentient beings, 
Always taking earthly toil as Buddha-work. 
This is my Vow, please accept it and help me fulfill it in the future.

If the cultivator is of limited capacity or failing memory and is unable to recall long involved sentences, he should simply memorize the following short form of the Vow for rebirth in the Pure Land:

On .... (date), this disciple, (name) ... vows that through the virtues just accumulated, he will, at the time of death, be welcomed and guided by Amitabha Buddha to the Land of Ultimate Bliss, so that he may achieve Buddhahood and save sentient beings.

This short Vow, accompanied by its exact date, has the effect of strongly focussing the practitioner's mind at all times on the Pure Land and on rebirth there. This small detail is an expedient that renders the Vow that much more powerful and firm.

When making the Vow for rebirth in the Pure Land, we should do so from the depth of our earnest mind. If we merely recite pro forma at our convenience, without earnestness, our practice of Buddha Recitation will not be true and sincere. Elder Master Yin Kuang has said:

Deep sincerity is a major element that leads to one-pointedness of mind. One part of deep sincerity destroys one part of bad karma and yields one part of merit and wisdom. Ten parts of deep sincerity destroy ten parts of bad karma and yield ten parts of merit and wisdom.

The ancients have also said:

The power of deep sincerity focussed in any direction can explode mountains and melt gold in that direction.

Determination has great power indeed!

This author remembers the story of a French physician. Young and widowed, he travelled to the countryside to allay his sorrow. One day, when he was staying at a blacksmith's house, he was touched by the beauty of his host's daughter. He told her about his widowhood and, seeking her hand in marriage, obtained the consent of her parents. However, before the wedding could take place, he began to co-habit with her. Shortly thereafter, he left for the city. Seeing his daughter pregnant and growing heavier and heavier by the day, with the culprit no more in sight than the wings of a redbird in flight, the blacksmith reflected on the fact that he was too poor and isolated to sue successfully. He therefore tried to relieve his anger and frustration by striking his hammer against its iron stand each evening, while shouting the name of the physician, wishing to blow his head apart. Unbeknownst to him, in the faraway city, each evening at five o'clock, the physician would grab his head and scream in pain. He tried every known remedy without success.

Some time afterward, a friend of the doctor, on a visit to the countryside, happened to pass the blacksmith's shop one evening and overheard the striking hammer and the swearing. He went in to inquire and having understood the whole story, deduced the cause of his friend's predicament. Upon returning to the city, he urged the physician to make amends by marrying the blacksmith's daughter. As might be expected, after the wedding, the physician's strange symptoms disappeared.

Thus, we can see the unseen power of the mind. If we realize the significance of the above story and sincerely vow to recite Amitabha Buddha's name, why worry about failing to get a response?

In short, Faith and Vows are "wisdom practice," while Buddha Recitation is "action practice." "Wisdom practice" is like the two eyes, "action practice" is like the two feet. Feet and eyes should complement one another, Vows and Practice must be in earnest. Only then can we achieve rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.