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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    1/797

    PURE-LAND

    ZEN

    ZEN

    PURE-LAND

    Lettersfrom

    Patriarch

    Yin

    Kuang

    Translatedby

    Master

    Thich

    Thi

    `en

    Tam,et

    al

    ForrestG

    !mith,

    consultingeditor

    !"T#$

    T#$%!L$T&'%

    ('MM&TT))

    'FT*)

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    !T$T)!$%+

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    %e

    Yor-

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    2/797

    .!an

    Francisco

    .Toronto

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    3/797

    %ote

    to

    thereader

    This

    isan

    electronic

    /ersionof

    the

    boo-0Pure.Land

    1en,

    1en

    Pure.Land23second

    edition

    455678,hich

    is

    atranslation

    of

    selected

    9assagesfrom

    the

    lettersof

    )lder

    MasterYin

    Kuang,

    theThirteenth

    Patriarch

    of

    PureLand

    The

    original(hinese

    titles

    areYin

    Kuang

    Fa

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    4/797

    !hih

    :en

    (h;ao

    andYin

    Kuang

    Ta!hih

    (hia

    YenLu

    )

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    5/797

    and

    =os

    of

    the>odhisatt/a

    !amantabhadra8

    ereleft

    out,

    butill

    ho9efully

    beadded

    later

    on

    TG,

    May?@@A

    7re9rinted

    and

    donated

    forfree

    distribution

    byThe

    (or9orate

    >odyof

    the

    >uddha)ducational

    Foundation,

    Tai9ei,

    Taian,#'(

    (ontents

    9

    69

    A

    9

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    B

    $bout

    the

    authorPreface

    &ntroduction

    ThePure

    Land

    Tradition9

    4C

    TranslationsLetters

    from

    Patriarch

    YinKuang

    ?A

    letterson

    General

    >uddhism,1en

    and

    Pure

    Land,Pure

    Land

    Practice

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    7/797

    The

    su9reme

    andendless

    blessings

    of!amantabhadra;s

    deeds,

    &no

    uni/ersally

    transferMay

    e/ery

    li/ing

    being,droning

    and

    adrift,!oon

    return

    tothe

    Land

    of

    LimitlessLightD

    The

    =os

    of!amantabhadra

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    and

    established

    the

    #e9ublicof

    (hina

    alsobrought

    in

    itsa-e

    a

    numberof

    9roblems

    for

    the>uddhist

    sangha

    HclergyIFolloing

    the

    9oliticalre/olution,

    an

    intellectual

    climateas

    ushered

    inthat

    as

    unfriendlyto

    the

    interestsof

    >uddhism

    Theattac-

    and

    criticismagainst

    >uddhism

    resulted

    in

    a

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    number

    of

    discriminatory

    measures,such

    as

    s9ecialtauddhistimages

    being

    destroyed

    3Kenneth

    (h;en,

    >uddhismin

    (hina,

    9AAff8

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    $gainst

    this

    bac-dro9,

    toeminent

    mon-s

    roseto

    lead

    theresurgence

    of

    >uddhismJMaster

    T;ai

    *su,

    hoas

    instrumental

    inthe

    re/i/al

    ofthe

    Mind.'nly

    school

    andMaster

    Yin

    Kuang,later

    to

    becomethe

    Thirteenth

    Patriarchof

    Pure

    Land

    The

    mon-mainly

    res9onsible

    forinstilling

    ne

    life

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    and

    meaning

    to

    Hthe

    9ractice

    of>uddha

    #ecitation

    andchanting

    of

    sutrasas

    MasterI

    Yin

    Kuang

    ho,

    afterhis

    con/ersion

    toPure

    Land

    9ietism,

    concentratedon

    li/ing

    a9ure

    religious

    lifebased

    on

    faith,de/otion

    and

    holiness

    HMasterI

    Yin

    Kuangcarried

    on

    histeachings

    mainly

    in

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    the

    9ro/inces

    of

    Kiangsuand

    (he-iang,

    herehe

    gained

    numerousfolloers

    and

    disci9les

    These

    efforts

    byHMasterI

    Yin

    Kuangand

    his

    folloersbrought

    about

    an

    euddha

    #ecitationI

    !ocieties,

    andothers

    of

    asimilar

    nature

    s9rangu9

    all

    o/er

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    (hina

    3&bid8

    The

    com9endium

    ofMaster

    Yin

    Kuang;sletters

    e

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    15/797

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    Preface

    $fter

    the

    demiseof

    the

    historical>uddha,

    *is

    teachingss9read

    in

    to

    maindirections,

    southard

    3Thera/adatradition8

    and

    eastardinto

    (hina,

    =ietnam,

    Korea,a9an

    3Mahayana

    tradition8&n

    )ast

    $sia,these

    teachings

    de/elo9edinto

    ten

    different

    schools,se/eral

    of

    hichremained

    im9ortant

    tothis

    dayJ

    1en,

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Tantric

    and

    Pure

    LandPure

    Land

    isby

    far

    themost

    ides9read

    formof

    >uddhism

    in

    )ast$sia

    $ll

    these

    schoolsteach

    the

    same

    basictruthJ

    0+o

    nothat

    is

    e/il,do

    hat

    isgood,

    -ee9

    the

    mind9ure2

    True

    tothis

    s9irit,

    thePure

    Land

    a99roach

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    is

    sim9le

    and

    straightforardThrough

    mindfulness

    ofthe

    >uddha

    3ie>uddha

    #ecitation8,

    the9ractitioner

    can

    calm

    hismind

    and

    achie/esamadhi

    and

    isdomThus

    reborn

    in

    thePure

    Land

    3ie,in

    his

    9ureMind8,

    he

    ille/entually

    attain

    >uddhahood

    Thisis

    also

    thecore

    teaching,

    the/ery

    essence,

    of

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    1en

    and

    all

    otherMahayana

    schools

    $s+T

    !uu-i

    has9ointed

    out,

    0the9sychological

    effects

    of

    there9etition

    of

    theholy

    name

    areclose

    to

    the

    effectsof

    1en

    meditation2

    Thisnotithstanding,

    the

    mainem9hasis

    of

    the

    PureLand

    school

    lieselsehere

    Pure

    Land9ro/ides

    a

    safety

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    21/797

    net,

    a

    refuge

    oflast

    resort

    fore/eryone,

    through

    thecom9assion

    of

    $mitabha>uddha

    through

    *is=os

    Ta-en

    together,these

    to

    conce9tsof

    the

    Pure

    Land

    as

    Mindand

    as

    atranscendental

    land

    0effecti/ely

    brought

    ithinthe

    reach

    ofall

    men

    thedeli/erance

    taught

    by

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    22/797

    !a-yamuni2

    3$llan

    $

    $ndres8

    >uthy

    do

    eha/e

    to

    9urifythe

    mind

    and

    see-deli/erance

    &t

    isbecause

    in

    theasteland

    of

    >irth

    and+eath,

    subNect

    tothe

    three

    9oisonsof

    greed,

    angerand

    delusion,

    e

    allundergo

    suffering

    the

    ultimate

    sufferingbeing,

    of

    course,

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    death

    )choing

    this

    conclusion,a

    ell.-non

    $merican9rofessor

    made

    thisobser/ation

    about

    themoti/ation

    of

    :estern

    >uddhistsJ

    Probablythe

    maNority

    ofnon.'rientals

    ho

    become

    9racticing>uddhists

    do

    sobecause

    of

    ano/erriding

    need

    forrelief

    from

    suffering

    !ometimesthe

    suffering

    is9hysical,

    but

    moreoften

    it

    is

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    emotional

    and

    often

    9sychosomaticThe

    indi/idual

    9racticingmeditation,

    chanting,

    orany

    -ind

    of>uddhist

    0self.culti/ation2

    is

    moti/atedby

    a

    needfor

    sym9tomatic

    relief,mitigation

    of

    anuddhismin

    $merica,

    9

    ?E58

    Thisis

    9recisely

    hy>uddha

    !a-yamuni,

    hen

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    9reaching

    the

    Four

    %obleTruths

    to

    Kaundinyaand

    his

    friends,taught

    them

    firstthe

    Truth

    of

    !ufferingThe

    letters

    ofMaster

    Yin

    Kuangaddress

    this

    issue

    sOuarely&f

    you

    aresuffering

    and

    ifyou

    realistically

    disco/erthat

    you

    ha/e

    onlya/erage

    moti/ation,

    fortitudeand

    self.disci9line,

    thenPure

    Land

    is

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    for

    you

    Pure

    Landis

    about

    sufferingand

    the

    liberationfrom

    suffering

    A

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    This

    boo-

    consistsof

    euddhaHI

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    *ere,

    then,

    are

    theletters

    of

    thePatriarch

    Yin

    Kuang:e

    ho9e

    the:estern

    reader

    ill

    enNoyand

    benefit

    fromthem,

    as

    se/eralgenerations

    of

    )astern

    readersha/e

    $s

    a1en

    Master

    hasritten

    in

    anotherconte

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    29/797

    that

    >odhidharma

    brought

    to(hinaJ

    loo-

    forthe

    9rint

    ofthe

    Mind2

    =an

    *ien

    !tudyGrou9

    Festi/al

    of!amantabhadra

    %e

    Yor-J455?

    E

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    30/797

    There

    shall

    beno

    distinction,

    noregard

    to

    maleor

    female,

    goodor

    bad,

    euddha

    *onen!honin

    3as

    Ouotedin

    0Pure

    Land>uddhist

    Painting28

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    &ntroduction

    The

    Pure

    LandTradition

    The

    goal

    ofall

    >uddhist

    9ractice

    isto

    achie/e

    )nlightenmentand

    transcend

    thecycle

    of

    >irth

    and+eath

    thatis,

    to

    attain>uddhahood

    &n

    theMahayana

    tradition,

    the

    9reconditionfor

    >uddhahood

    isthe

    >odhi

    Mind,the

    as9iration

    to

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    33/797

    achie/e

    )nlightenment

    for

    thebenefit

    of

    allsentient

    beings,

    oneselfincluded4

    !ince

    sentient

    beings

    areof

    different

    s9iritualca9acities

    and

    inclinations,many

    le/els

    of

    teachingand

    numerous

    methodsere

    de/ised

    inorder

    to

    reache/eryone

    Traditionally,

    the

    sutrass9ea-

    of

    B,@@@,ie,

    an

    infinitenumber

    of

    methods,

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    de9ending

    on

    the

    circumstances,the

    times

    andthe

    target

    audience$ll

    these

    methodsare

    e

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    his

    de9th

    of

    9racticeand

    understanding,

    thatis,

    on

    hismind

    $8

    !elf.9oer,

    other.9oer

    Throughout

    history,the

    Patriarchs

    ha/eelaborated

    /arious

    systems

    tocategorie

    +harma

    methodsand

    the

    sutrasin

    hich

    theyare

    e

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    those

    that

    rely

    onthe

    assistance

    ofthe

    >uddhas

    and>odhisatt/as

    3other.9oer86

    Traditionally,

    most

    >uddhistschools

    and

    methodsta-e

    the

    self.9oera99roachJ

    9rogress

    along

    the9ath

    of

    )nlightenmentis

    achie/ed

    onlythrough

    intense

    andsustained

    9ersonal

    effort

    >ecauseof

    the

    dedicationand

    effort

    in/ol/ed,schools

    of

    this

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    self.9oer,

    self.effort

    tradition

    allha/e

    a

    distinctmonastic

    bias

    Thelaity

    has

    generally9layed

    only

    a

    su99orti/erole,

    ith

    themost

    s9iritually

    ad/ancedideally

    Noining

    the

    'rderof

    mon-s

    andnuns

    >est

    -nonof

    these

    traditionsare

    Thera/ada

    and

    1en

    Parallelto

    this,

    9articularlyfolloing

    the

    de/elo9ment

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    of

    Mahayana

    thought

    andthe

    rise

    oflay

    >uddhism,

    amore

    fleuddhas

    and

    >odhisatt/asto

    sincere

    see-ersof

    the

    :ayMost

    re9resentati/e

    of

    thistradition

    are

    the)soteric

    and

    PureLand

    schools

    *oe/er,

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    39/797

    unli-e

    the

    former

    3or1en8,

    Pure

    Landdoes

    not

    stressthe

    master.disci9le

    relationshi9and

    de.em9hasies

    the

    roleof

    sub.schools,

    roshisQgurusand

    rituals

    Moreo/er,the

    main

    aim

    ofPure

    Land

    rebirth

    in

    theLand

    of

    "ltimate>liss

    through

    the

    9oerof

    $mitabha

    >uddha;s

    B

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    =os

    isa

    realistic

    goal,though

    to

    beunderstood

    at

    se/eralle/els

    Therein

    lies

    thea99eal

    and

    strengthof

    Pure

    LandA

    >8

    PureLand

    in

    a%utshell

    Pure

    Land,

    li-eall

    Mahayana

    schools,

    reOuiresfirst

    and

    foremostthe

    de/elo9ment

    ofthe

    >odhi

    Mind,E

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    41/797

    the

    as9iration

    to

    attain>uddhahood

    for

    thebenefit

    of

    allsentient

    beings

    Fromthis

    starting

    9oint,

    themain

    tenets

    ofthe

    school

    canbe

    understood

    at

    tomain

    le/els,

    thetranscendental

    and

    the9o9ular

    de9endingon

    the

    bac-ground

    andthe

    ca9acities

    ofthe

    culti/ator

    i8

    &n

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    its

    9o9ular

    form,

    ie,for

    ordinary

    9ractitionersin

    this

    s9iritually+egenerate

    $ge,

    sometenty.siuddha,

    PureLand

    in/ol/es

    see-ing

    rebirthin

    the

    Landof

    $mitabha

    >uddhaThis

    is

    achie/edithin

    one

    lifetime

    throughthe

    9ractice

    of>uddha

    #ecitation

    ithsincere

    faith

    and

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    /os,

    leading

    to

    one.9ointednessof

    mind

    orsamadhi

    The

    de/otees

    ofthis

    school

    /enerated

    $mitabha>uddha

    and

    soughtnot

    outright

    %ir/anabut

    rebirth

    in

    the

    0Pure

    Land2of

    $mitabha,

    alsocalled

    !u-ha/ati

    &nthat

    idyllic

    en/ironment,

    none

    negati/e

    -armicaccumulations

    ould

    becreated

    and

    all

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    euddhist*andboo-,

    9

    466.8

    Thus,at

    the

    9o9ular

    le/el,the

    Pure

    Landof

    $mitabha

    >uddhais

    an

    idealtraining

    ground,

    an

    idealen/ironment

    here

    the9ractitioner

    is

    rebornthan-s

    both

    to

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    45/797

    his

    on

    efforts

    andthe

    9oer

    of$mitabha

    >uddha;s

    /os3other.9oer8C

    %o

    longersubNect

    to

    retrogression,

    ha/ingleft

    >irth

    and+eath

    behind

    fore/er,the

    culti/ator

    can

    nofocus

    all

    hisefforts

    toard

    theultimate

    aim

    of>uddhahood

    This

    as9ect

    ofPure

    Land

    isthe

    form

    underhich

    the

    school

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    is

    9o9ularly

    -nonB

    ii8

    $tthe

    ad/anced

    le/el,ie,

    for

    culti/atorsof

    high

    s9iritual

    ca9acity,the

    Pure

    Landmethod,

    li-e

    othermethods,

    re/erts

    the

    ordinary,deluded

    mind

    tothe

    !elf.

    %atureTrue

    Mind5

    &nthe

    9rocess,

    isdom

    and>uddhahood

    are

    e/entuallyattained

    This

    ise

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

    47/797

    folloing

    ad/ice

    of

    theeminent

    1en

    master(hu

    *ung

    3a9!hu-o8,

    one

    ofthe

    three

    0+ragon.)le9hants2

    of4Eth.4Cth

    century

    (hinaJ

    #ightno

    you

    sim9ly

    mustrecite

    the

    buddha.nameith

    9urity

    andillumination

    Purity

    meansreciting

    the

    buddha.name

    ithoutany

    other

    thoughts&llumination

    means

    reflectingbac-

    as

    you

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    recite

    the

    buddha.name

    Purityis

    sammata,

    0sto99ing2&llumination

    is

    /i9asyana,0obser/ing2

    "nify

    yourmindfulness

    of

    buddha

    throughbuddha.name

    recitation,

    andsto99ing

    and

    obser/ingare

    both

    9resent

    3((leary,

    Pure

    Land,Pure

    Mind8

    $s

    statedin

    >uddhism

    of

    :isdomand

    Faith

    3!ection4B8J

    &f

    e

    ha/e

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    the

    roots

    and

    thetem9erament

    of

    Mahayanafolloers,

    e

    shouldnaturally

    understand

    thatthe

    goal

    of

    >uddha#ecitation

    is

    toachie/e

    >uddha.

    hood

    :hy

    is

    itthat

    the

    goalof

    >uddha

    #ecitationis

    to

    becomea

    >uddha

    5

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    &t

    is

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    e

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    the

    9ast,9resent

    and

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    e

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    This

    state

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    >uddha.hood

    hat

    elsecould

    it

    be

    Thishigh.le/el

    form

    of

    PureLand

    is

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    ofdee9

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    ca9acitiesJ

    0henthe

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    the

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    is

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    to

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    name

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    recite

    theMind2

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    the

    ad/anced

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    &n

    its

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    (8

    Faith,

    =osand

    Practice

    These

    threefactors

    are

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    theyare

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    rebirthin

    the

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    achie/ed

    Faithmeans

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    >uddha;s

    =oto

    rescue

    all

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    *is

    name,as

    ell

    asfaith

    in

    one;s

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    on

    !elf.%ature,

    hich

    isintrinsically

    the

    sameas

    *is

    3torecite

    the

    >uddha;sname

    is

    to

    recitethe

    Mind8

    =osare

    the

    determinationto

    be

    reborn

    inthe

    Pure

    Land

    in

    one;s9ure

    Mind

    so

    as

    to

    bein

    the

    9ositionto

    sa/e

    oneselfand

    others

    Practice

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    generally

    means

    reciting

    the>uddha;s

    name

    tothe

    9oint

    hereone;s

    Mind

    andthat

    of

    $mitabha

    >uddhaare

    in

    unison

    ie,

    tothe

    9oint

    of

    singlemindedness!amadhi

    and

    isdomare

    then

    achie/ed

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    that

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    into

    many

    9arts

    Faith,=os

    and

    Practice,although

    three,

    arereally

    one

    Thus,it

    can

    be

    saidthat

    rebirth

    inthe

    Pure

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    on

    three

    conditionsor

    to

    conditions3Faith

    and

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    e/en

    onecondition

    3Faith8,

    as

    theone

    contains

    alland

    all

    iscontained

    in

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    one

    The

    formula

    tobe

    used

    de9endson

    the

    audienceand

    the

    timesThe

    aim

    is

    toenable

    sentient

    beingsto

    achie/e

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    >uddhahood

    +8

    Transferenceof

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    (entral

    to

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    traditionis

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    of

    the

    >odhisatt/a

    +harma-ara,the

    future

    $mitabha>uddha,

    ho

    cameto

    eodhisatt/a

    ideal

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    of

    dedicationof

    merit4?

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    transference

    is

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    the/o.9oer,

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    other.9oer,in

    Pure

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    TheMahayana

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    his

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    one

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    e9och.ma-ing

    de/iationshich

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    offthe

    Mahayana

    from

    so.called

    original

    >uddhism

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    Mahayanistsaccumulate

    stoc-s

    of

    meritnot

    only

    forthe

    material

    oftheir

    on

    enlightenmentbut

    for

    the

    general

    4@

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    culti/ation

    of

    merithich

    can

    beshared

    eOually

    bytheir

    fello.beings,

    animateand

    inanimate

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    isthe

    true

    meaningof

    Parinamana,

    thatis,

    turning

    one;s

    merito/er

    to

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    s9iritualinterest

    3+T

    !uu-i,tr,

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    !utra,9

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    hich

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    the

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    !ome

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    re/erted

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    re9eating

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    u9

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    in!u-ha/ati

    Hthe

    PureLandI

    and

    itmay

    be

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    that

    in/ocationof

    Kuan.Yin;s

    nameforms

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    aayoffset

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    :e

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    if

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    hea/y

    cloudabo/e,

    the

    chancesare

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    itill

    rain

    >ut

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    -no

    thatif

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    and

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    !imilarly,

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    alter

    the

    hole

    courseof

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    &tis

    only

    byacce9ting

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    idea

    oflife

    as

    onehole

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    Mahayanists

    canad/ocate

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    9racticeof

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    identify

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    oursel/es

    ith

    *er

    andas

    a

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    merits

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    to

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    hich

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    thencounterbalance

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    and

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    *oe/er,

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    less

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    role

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    !utraJ

    theorst

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    may

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    thePure

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    if,on

    the

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    death,

    heconcentrates

    on

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    >uddha;sname

    one

    toten

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    ithutmost

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    sincerity

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    can

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    tole/els

    $t

    thele/el

    of

    e/eryday

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    as

    theorst

    criminal

    oncegenuinely

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    is

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    andmay

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    rebirth

    in

    the

    PureLand

    albeitat

    the

    loestgrade

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    offers

    ho9e

    toe/eryone

    yet

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    la

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    44

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    and

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    orMind,

    as

    the

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    re9ents

    and

    concentrates

    onthe

    >uddha;s

    nameith

    utmost

    sincerityand

    one.9ointedness

    ofmind,

    for

    that

    momenthe

    becomes

    anaa-ened

    9erson

    silentlymerging

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    aay4A$s

    the

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    0theLand

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    >uddha

    is

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    =an

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    Festi/al

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    3London8,

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    the

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    benefit

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    Ouite

    legitimate

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    9ersonal

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    9ublished

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Life,

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    to

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    su99lies

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    gates

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    /ariety

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    characters

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    drun-

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    9

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    4?48

    368The

    crucial

    roleof

    other.9oer

    in>uddhist

    culti/ation

    isem9hasied

    in

    the

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    !utras,among

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    38!ee

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    3self.9oer8

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    andtari-i

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    isthe

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    the

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    >y

    HisdomIe

    transcend

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    by

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    e

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    orld

    of9articulars

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    hile

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    comes

    donards,but

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    isour

    intellectual

    ayof

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    in

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    hoe/er

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    tofold

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    =ol6

    %o

    ,9

    648

    3A8

    *istorically,

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    go

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    tradition

    asnot

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    thereJ$lthough

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    >uddhaorshi9

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    seems

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    ofearly

    Mahayana

    >uddhism3)liabeth

    ten

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    inoNi

    '-aa-i,

    PureLand

    >uddhist

    Painting,9

    48

    %oteJ

    $n

    earlyform

    of

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    can

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    the

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    the

    Pali(anonJ

    &n

    the

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    the

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    ad/isedhis

    disci9les

    tothin-

    of

    himand

    his

    /irtuesas

    if

    they

    sahis

    body

    beforetheir

    eyes,

    herebythey

    ould

    be

    enabledto

    accumulate

    meritand

    attain

    %ir/anaor

    be

    sa/edfrom

    transmigrating

    in

    thee/il

    9aths

    3+T

    !uu-i,

    The)astern

    >uddhist,

    =ol

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    6,

    %o

    ,

    964C8

    For

    details,

    seeGlossary,

    0Pure

    Land!chool2

    3E8!ee

    the

    folloing9assage

    on

    >odhisatt/a9ractice,

    from

    the

    0Practicesand

    =os

    ofthe

    >odhisatt/a

    !amantabhadra2J>ecause

    of

    li/ingbeings,

    they

    bring

    forthgreat

    com9assion

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    com9assion

    the>odhi

    Mind

    is

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    born

    and

    because

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    >odhi

    Mind,they

    accom9lish

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    )nlightenment

    3$/atamsa-a!utra,

    ch

    @

    !ee$99endi

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    be

    born

    in

    mycountry,

    and

    ifthey

    should

    notbe

    born

    byonly

    thin-ing

    of

    mefor

    ten

    times

    may

    &not

    attain

    the

    highest)nlightenment

    3Meditation

    !utra,Ouoted

    by

    )liabethten

    Grotenhuis,

    o9cit,

    9

    4A8

    46

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    3B8

    Professor

    $llan$

    $ndres

    hasnoted

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    the

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    hich

    ha/eco.euddha#ecitationI

    to

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    9raNnaisdom

    by

    hison

    self.

    effortsT;an.luan

    considered

    H>uddha

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    #ecitationI

    the

    best

    9racticefor

    sal/ation,

    thatis,

    for

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    HitI

    isthe

    easiest

    9ractice

    throughthe

    9oer

    of$mida;s

    com9assionate

    /os30%embutsu

    in

    the

    (hinesePure

    Land

    tradition2&n

    The

    )astern>uddhist,

    =ol

    6,%o

    ?,

    9

    @8

    Pleasenote

    that

    understandingthe

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    nature

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    of

    the

    Pure

    Land,as

    Mind.'nly

    andas

    a

    se9arateentity,

    reOuires

    meditationand

    recitation

    notintellectual

    reasoning

    &n

    secularestern

    thought,

    aareness

    of9sychological

    9roNection

    asa

    source

    ofsu9ernatural

    being

    hasser/ed

    to

    demythologie

    demons,goblins,

    angels

    andsaints

    and

    robthem

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    9oer

    The

    >ardo

    ThodolHTibetan

    >oo-

    ofthe

    +eadI,

    hoe/er,s9ea-s

    of

    thedeities

    as

    09roNections2

    butne/er

    as

    0mere9roNections2

    The

    deitiesare

    9resent

    and

    mustbe

    dealt

    ithreligiously

    notNust

    by

    intellectualinsight

    3+G

    +ae

    inThe

    Perennial

    +ictionaryof

    :orld

    #eligions,9

    568

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    358

    For

    details,see

    >uddhism

    of:isdom

    and

    Faith,section

    ?5

    Theordinary,

    deluded

    mind

    3thought8includes

    feelings,

    im9ressions,conce9tions,

    consciousness,

    etcThe

    True

    Mind

    isthe

    fundamental

    nature,the

    'riginal

    Face,#eality,

    the

    >uddha%ature,

    etc

    The

    TrueMind

    is

    tothe

    ordinary

    mindhat

    ater

    is

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    to

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    Lord

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    strength

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    the

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Letter

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    medicine,

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    their

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    Land

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    of

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    ancients

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    offenses

    and

    transgressions

    isimmeasurableD

    :itnessing

    this,those

    endoed

    ith9rofound

    isdom

    canonly

    sigh

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    9ityand

    com9assion

    $n)lder

    Master

    once

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    Thoseho

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    Mind

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    surely

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    (ause

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    dee9ly

    in

    (ause

    and)ffect

    naturally

    understand

    theMind

    and

    !elf.%aturein

    de9th

    This

    isa

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    TheMaster;s

    ords

    are

    atruth

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    hasithstood

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    testof

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    aneedle

    9ric-ing

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    those

    ithdelusi/e

    isdom

    Last

    autumn,

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    during

    your

    esteemed

    brother;s/isit

    to

    P;uT;o

    Mountain,

    &brought

    u9

    these0sincere,

    res9ectful2

    9oints

    *oe/er,&

    onder

    hetherhe

    has

    ta-enthem

    as

    the

    sincere,earnest

    ords

    theyere

    meant

    tobe

    ??

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Letter

    ?

    $

    PureMind

    in

    aPure

    Land?

    *o

    delighted

    &as

    to

    recei/eand

    read

    yourletterD

    The

    sage

    (h;uPo.yu,

    u9on

    reachinghis

    fiftieth

    birthday,loo-ed

    bac-

    andrealied

    the

    errors

    heas

    still

    committingat

    age

    forty.nine:hen

    nearing

    se/enty,

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    (onfucius

    eoo-

    of

    (hanges

    inde9th

    and

    thusa/oid

    maNor

    transgressions

    The

    scholarshi9of

    these

    sageshad

    reached

    thehighest

    le/el

    ofmind

    and

    thought

    Today;sscholars

    li-e

    tostudy

    cha9ter

    bycha9ter,

    ith

    fe

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    shoing

    concern

    for

    theissue

    of

    rectifyingmind

    and

    thoughtThus,

    they

    9eruseboo-s

    all

    day

    longithout

    understanding

    thetrue

    intent

    ofthe

    sages,

    their

    ordsand

    actions

    differingfrom

    those

    ofthe

    sages

    asgreatly

    as

    day

    fromnight

    or

    sOuarefrom

    round

    Thereis

    no

    9ossible

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    corres9ondence

    :e

    are

    note/en

    s9ea-ing

    hereof

    the

    transgressionsof

    mind

    andthought

    if

    these

    transgressionsere

    enumerated,

    thelist

    ould

    beendlessD

    >uddhistsutras

    teach

    folloersto

    9ractice

    re9entanceconstantly

    in

    order

    totranscend

    delusion

    andachie/e

    >uddhahood

    Thus,e/en

    the

    >odhisatt/a

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Maitreya,

    ho

    has

    attainedthe

    le/el

    of)Oual

    )nlightenment,

    still9ays

    res9ect

    tothe

    >uddhas

    of

    theten

    directions

    duringthe

    siody

    &f

    this

    istrue

    for

    the>odhisatt/a

    Maitreya,

    hatcan

    e

    say

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    of

    common

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    filledith

    hea/y

    -armicafflictions

    &f

    you

    donot

    feel

    shame

    andremorse,

    your

    !elf.%aturemay

    be

    thesame

    as

    the

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    it

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    by

    afflictionsand

    e/il

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    cannot

    manifest

    itselfust

    li-e

    a9recious

    mirror

    hichhas

    been

    co/ered

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    ith

    dust

    for

    eons,not

    only

    doesit

    not

    reflectlight,

    e/en

    itsreflecting

    nature

    is

    hidden&f

    you

    realiethat

    the

    mirroralready

    9ossesses

    the

    natureof

    brightness

    andstri/e

    ceaselessly

    toclean

    it,

    thelight

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    ill

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    until

    itreaches

    ma

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    then

    become,

    once

    more,something

    of

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    the

    orld

    ?$notherletter

    to

    Teng

    Po.ch;eng3(hinese

    ed

    =ol&,

    9

    48

    ?6

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    You

    should

    realiethat

    the

    9otentialfor

    reflection

    isinherent

    in

    themirror

    and

    is

    notthe

    result

    of9olishing

    &f

    itere

    not

    so,

    abric-

    ould

    alsoshine

    brightly

    hen9olished

    Yet,

    youshould

    also

    realie

    thatalthough

    the

    brightnessis

    inherent

    inthe

    mirror,

    ithout

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    9olishing,

    the

    day

    ouldne/er

    come

    henit

    ould

    gleam

    TheMind.%ature

    of

    sentient

    beingsis

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    $lthoughit

    is

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    to

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    >uddhas,

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    cloudedI

    Thus,if

    sentient

    beingsdo

    not

    mend

    theirays,

    from

    e/ilto

    holesome,

    andturn

    their

    bac-s

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    on

    orldly

    dusts

    0tomerge

    ith

    )nlightenment,2their

    inherently

    /irtuousnature

    cannot

    a99ear!uch

    a

    mind.consciousness,

    inherently9ossessing

    the

    >uddha%ature

    in

    fullbut

    busily

    creating

    e/il-arma

    and

    suffering

    mired

    in>irth

    and

    +eathfor

    many

    eons

    is

    no

    differentfrom

    a

    dar-house

    filled

    ith

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    treasures

    You

    not

    onlycannot

    ma-e

    useof

    the

    treasures,you

    may,

    infact,

    suffer

    further

    loss&s

    this

    notlamentable

    PureLand

    is

    9reciselythe

    sublime

    methodenabling

    the

    9ractitionerto

    turn

    his

    bac-on

    orldly

    duststo

    merge

    ith)nlightenment

    and

    return

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    to

    the

    source

    3theMind8

    Laymen

    boundu9

    in

    mundaneaffairs

    cannot

    easilyfind

    the

    time

    toattend

    retreats,

    9racticemeditation

    and

    recitethe

    sutras

    This

    methodis,

    therefore,

    /erysuitable

    for

    9ersonssuch

    as

    yourself)ach

    one

    can

    9ayres9ect

    to

    the>uddhas

    and

    recitesutras

    or

    >uddha

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    $mitabha;s

    name

    according

    toindi/idual

    circumstances

    andca9acities,

    dedicating

    themerits

    thus

    accruedto

    rebirth

    in

    thePure

    Land

    &naddition

    to

    yourregular

    culti/ation

    sessions,

    youshould

    9ractice

    >uddha#ecitation

    hen

    al-ingor

    standing,

    recliningor

    sitting,

    s9ea-ing

    orremaining

    silent,

    eatingor

    dressing,

    throughoutthe

    day,

    here/er

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    you

    may

    be

    :hen

    /eneratingthe

    >uddhas

    inclean

    9laces,

    youmay

    recite

    either

    aloudor

    silently

    &ndirty

    9laces

    3suchas

    ashrooms8

    or

    incircumstances

    that

    donot

    call

    forre/erence

    3such

    asslee9ing

    or

    bathing8

    youshould

    Nust

    recitesilently

    To

    recitealoud

    hen

    reclining

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    is

    not

    only

    disres9ectful,it

    is

    alsofatiguing

    and

    maylead

    in

    timeto

    illness

    !ilent

    recitationbrings

    the

    sameblessings

    and

    /irtuesas

    oral

    recitation,

    aslong

    as

    itis

    distinct,

    earnestand

    not

    subNectto

    distractions

    You

    already

    -nothat

    you

    must

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    confess

    your

    transgressions

    and9ractice

    re9entance

    Thisis

    /ery

    muchin

    accord

    iththe

    Pure

    Land

    methodbecause

    0hen

    themind

    is

    9ure,the

    >uddha

    land

    is9ure2

    *oe/er,

    onceha/ing

    re9ented,

    youshould

    change

    yourays

    and

    9ractice

    holesomedeeds,

    lest

    yourre9entance

    consist

    ofem9ty

    ords

    bringing

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    no

    real

    benefit

    Thisis

    also

    trueif

    you

    ishto

    be

    freeof

    euddha

    #ecitationand

    reach

    ?

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    one.9ointedness

    of

    mind%o

    e

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    the

    em9ty

    s9ace

    ofthe

    ten

    directionscould

    not

    containit

    Than-s

    togood

    conditions,

    &

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    reborn

    ina

    human

    bodyand

    ha/e,

    in

    addition,had

    the

    o99ortunityto

    hear

    the+harma

    *oe/er,

    gi/enmy

    e/il

    -arma,

    &must

    no

    recitethe

    >uddha;s

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    see-ing

    rebirth

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    in

    the

    Pure

    Land'therise,

    hen

    mybreath

    has

    ceased,H&

    am

    boundto

    endure

    the

    sufferingsof

    hells,

    hungryghosts

    and

    animalityI$fter

    reco/ering

    a

    humanbody,

    &

    ouldlac-

    intelligence

    andbe

    deluded,

    9roneto

    create

    e/il

    -arma,unable

    to

    9erformgood

    deeds

    readily&n

    no

    time,

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    &

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    dee9erinto

    the

    e/ilrealms

    :ith

    myresidual

    bad

    -armafrom

    9re/ious

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    stillnot

    re9aid,

    &ould

    commit

    nee/il

    -arma,

    constantly

    re/ol/ingalong

    the

    !iuddhacoming

    to

    0recei/eand

    guide2

    them

    bac-to

    the

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    throughout

    *isteaching

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    Therefore,&

    ha/e

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    said

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    0if

    the%ine

    #ealms

    ofsentient

    beings

    donot

    9ractice

    thismethod,

    they

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    the

    fruitsof

    )nlightenment,

    hileif

    the

    >uddhas

    ofthe

    ten

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    this

    method,they

    cannot

    benefitthe

    masses

    far

    andide2

    &f

    you

    ha/eutmost

    Faith

    and

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    culti/ate

    earnestly,

    see-ing

    esca9efrom

    >irth

    and+eath,

    then

    e/enthough

    you

    stillha/e

    not

    left

    thee/il,

    deluded

    orld,you

    ill

    notremain

    long

    in

    the!aha

    :orld

    either:hile

    you

    maynot

    ha/e

    reachedthe

    Pure

    Land

    yet,you

    ill

    soonbe

    a

    neguest

    in

    the

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Land

    of

    "ltimate

    >liss

    Fromno

    on,

    henyou

    meet

    /irtuous9ersons,

    do

    your

    utmostto

    emulate

    themhen

    you

    encounteran

    o99ortunity

    to

    9racticegood

    deeds,

    donot

    hesitate

    *ocan

    you

    ha/ethe

    heart

    to

    9rocrastinate,lest

    the

    errorof

    one

    momentlead

    to

    ten

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    thousand

    lifetimes

    of

    regret!urely

    those

    ithhigh

    as9irations

    cannottolerate

    being

    0al-ingcor9ses,2

    running

    aimlessly

    hileali/e

    and

    sim9lydecaying

    after

    death,along

    ith

    the

    grassand

    trees

    #edoubleyour

    efforts

    ande

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Land

    is

    singlemindedness,

    you,as

    a

    layman,still

    ha/e

    your9arents

    and

    yourfamily

    $lthough

    you

    shouldnot

    unduly

    see-ealth

    and

    honor,you

    should

    still

    fulfillyour

    family

    obligations

    ?A

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    for

    to

    culti/atethe

    +harma

    isnot

    to

    abandone/erything

    &f

    youcould

    let

    go

    ofe/erything

    and

    stillmanage

    to

    9ro/idefor

    your

    9arents

    andfamily,

    that

    ouldbe

    all

    tothe

    good

    'therise,it

    ould

    be

    contrarynot

    only

    tohuman

    morality

    butalso

    to

    the

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    +harma

    This

    is

    somethingyou

    should

    alsorealie

    $s

    a

    filialson,

    you

    should

    counselyour

    9arents

    concerningculti/ation,

    so

    thatthey

    may

    9ractice

    >uddha#ecitation

    and

    see-rebirth

    in

    thePure

    Land

    &fthey

    can

    9ractice

    ithfaith,

    they

    illsurely

    achie/e

    rebirth'nce

    reborn,

    they

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    ill

    transcend

    the

    mundaneand

    enter

    sagehood,esca9e

    >irth

    and+eath,

    Noin

    the'cean.ide

    $ssembly,

    be

    closeto

    $mitabha

    >uddhaand

    e/entually

    achie/e>uddhahood

    Mundane

    filiality

    cannotbe

    com9ared

    ithsuch

    an

    achie/ementD

    &fanyone

    ere

    to

    ad/iseothers

    to

    culti/atethe

    Pure

    Landmethod,

    the

    merits

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    and

    /irtues

    from

    suchteaching

    ould

    beentirely

    his

    &nthe

    future,

    heould

    surely

    be

    rebornin

    the

    u99erlotus

    grades

    ?E

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Letter

    6

    The

    TrueMar-

    =ehicle

    hasno

    Mar-s6

    &t

    is

    /erydifficult

    indeed

    tores9ond

    to

    theim9ortant

    Ouestions

    raised

    inyour

    letter

    :hy&t

    is

    becauseyour

    as9irations

    arelofty

    hile

    my

    -noledgeis

    limited

    andmeager

    Loftiness

    andmeagerness

    cannot

    meet

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    therefore,

    my

    teaching

    illnot

    be

    a99ro9riateto

    your

    needsD

    *oe/er,in

    the

    True

    Mar-!ingle

    =ehicle,

    themar-s

    of

    loftinessand

    meagerness

    cannot

    befound

    :ithin

    this=ehicle,

    hether

    themar-s

    are

    loftyor

    limited

    de9ends

    onho

    they

    areconcei/ed

    Loftiness

    andmeagerness

    alays

    9ossess

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    in

    full

    the

    natureof

    the

    +harma#ealm

    Moreo/er,

    themeagerness

    to

    hich&

    refer

    encom9asses

    allthe

    dharmas

    ofthe

    Ten

    #ealms

    The

    PureLand

    Patriarch

    !hanTao

    has

    saidJ

    &fyou

    ish

    to

    study0meaning,2

    Hunderstand

    the+harmaI

    you

    shouldstudy

    all

    dharmas,

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    from

    the

    mundane

    le/elto

    the

    le/elof

    the

    >uddhas*oe/er,

    if

    youant

    to

    engage

    in09ractice,2

    you

    shouldchoose

    a

    methodcom9atible

    ith

    the

    Truthas

    ell

    asyour

    on

    ca9acitiesand

    le/el

    andthen

    concentrate

    on

    itearnestly

    'nly

    thencan

    you

    rea9benefits

    siftly

    'therise,

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    e/en

    if

    you

    s9endmany

    eons,

    youill

    not

    beable

    to

    esca9e>irth

    and

    +eath

    This

    beingso,

    there

    isno

    better

    method

    thanto

    recite

    the>uddha;s

    name

    itha

    mind

    ofFaith

    an

    =os,

    see-ingrebirth

    in

    thePure

    Land

    &fyou

    ish

    to

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    go

    dee9er,

    you

    shouldcarefully

    9eruse

    the(ommentary

    on

    the)ssential

    Points

    ofthe

    $mitabha

    !utra

    andother

    Pure

    Landsutras

    and

    treatises

    >uddhism

    isan

    o9en

    methodithin

    the

    ten+harma

    #ealms

    e/eryoneshould

    9ractice

    itand

    anyone

    can9ractice

    it

    >ecause

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    they

    do

    not

    fullyunderstand

    its

    truenature,

    some

    (onfucianscholars

    blindly

    criticie>uddhism

    *oe/er,

    thee/il

    -arma

    resultingfrom

    maligning

    the+harma

    9ales

    before

    the-arma

    of

    /ilifyingit

    ith

    one;son

    bodyD

    Thesedays,

    some

    indi/iduals,

    mouthingMahayana

    teachings,

    6Letter

    tothe

    layman

    Teng

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    *sin.an

    3(hinese

    ed

    =ol&,

    9

    8

    ?C

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    consider

    themsel/es

    aa-enedto

    the

    :ayThey

    sayJ

    0&am

    HintrinsicallyI

    a>uddha,

    hy

    recite

    the>uddha;s

    name

    $fflictionsare

    >odhi,

    hatis

    the

    need

    tose/er

    them

    Lust,anger

    and

    delusionare

    9rece9ts,

    concentrationand

    isdom,

    hy

    se/erlust,

    anger

    anddelusion2

    Their

    ords

    are

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    as

    lofty

    as

    thehea/enly

    clouds,

    buttheir

    actions,

    u9onclose

    euddhismTheir

    e/il

    -armais

    ten

    thousandtimes

    orse

    thanthat

    of

    9ersons

    homalign

    >uddhism

    throughmere

    ignorance

    ofthe

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    :hile

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    their

    efforts

    in

    studyingthe

    +harma

    arenot

    entirely

    asted,these

    can

    onlyconstitute

    the

    seeds

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    in

    thefuture

    Their

    transgressions,on

    the

    other

    hand

    the

    /ilificationof

    the

    +harmaith

    their

    bodies

    ill

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    resultin

    retribution

    alongthe

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    Pathsfor

    countless

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    to

    come

    You

    should

    studyMahayana

    sutras

    andcommentaries

    to

    ensurethat

    your

    understanding

    isbroad

    and

    com9lete$s

    far

    asculti/ation

    is

    concerned,

    youshould

    concentrate

    onFaith,

    =os

    andrecitation

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    the>uddha;s

    name

    ?B

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Letter

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    cansee

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    name,boing

    to

    theLotus

    !utra

    andtrying

    to

    reduceyour

    transgressions,

    but

    youha/e

    not

    yetachie/ed

    success

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    thin-ing

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    folloing

    a

    s9ecial

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    re/ie

    your9rogress

    day

    byday

    $ll

    theseactions

    demonstrate

    that

    yourculti/ation

    in

    recentdays

    is

    trulyaimed

    at

    self.im9ro/ement,

    unli-ethose

    ho

    attem9tto

    decei/e

    othersith

    e

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    in

    your

    actions

    $

    mindof

    sincerity

    andres9ect

    is

    the

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    Landculti/ation

    :ith

    uttersincerity

    and

    res9ect,

    e/enthough

    you

    areonly

    an

    ordinarybeing

    hose

    /irtuesare

    not

    yet

    9erfected,you

    ill

    achie/eunimaginable

    resultsD

    (on/ersely,

    ithout

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    sincerity,

    boing

    and

    recitingare

    no

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    9erforming

    onstage,

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    and9rancing

    $lthough

    you

    maybe

    dis9laying

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    may

    result

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    merits

    ofthe

    human

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    of

    e/il-arma

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    of

    immense

    sufferingin

    the

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    e

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    the

    benefits

    idely

    Youshould

    not

    thin-that

    the

    meritsand

    /irtues

    of

    recitingthe

    name

    of,or

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    one>uddha

    are

    less

    encom9assingthan

    those

    recei/edfrom

    reciting

    thename

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    >uddhas

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Treasure

    >ody

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    the/irtues

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    directions

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    +harma

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    arefully

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    >uddha

    Thisis

    li-e

    the

    Neellednet

    of

    &ndra,hose

    thousands

    andthousands

    of

    Neelsare

    fully

    reflected

    inone

    Neel,

    theimage

    of

    oneNeel

    is

    reflected

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    in

    thousands

    and

    thousandsof

    Neels,

    andeach

    and

    e/eryNeel

    encom9asses

    e/eryother,

    in

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    Letter

    to

    thelayman

    Kao

    !hao.lin

    3(hineseed

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    &,9

    58

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  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    To

    great

    sagesho

    ha/e

    culti/atedfor

    a

    longtime,

    idely

    /arying

    conditionsand

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    matter

    infact,

    the

    more

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    are,

    themore

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    theminds

    of

    thesesages

    become

    For

    beginners,on

    the

    otherhand,

    if

    conditionsand

    en/ironments

    are

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    /aried,

    the

    mind.consciousness

    grosconfused

    and

    unfocussedThose

    ith

    hea/yobstructions

    and

    shalloisdom

    may

    e/en,

    attimes,

    be

    afflictedby

    demons

    Forthis

    reason,

    >uddha

    !a-yamuniand

    the

    Patriarchsall

    enNoined

    usto

    recite

    the>uddha;s

    name

    singlemindedly

    untilachie/ing

    samadhi

    at

    hich

    timehundreds

    of

    thousands

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    of

    +harma

    methods

    andcountless

    sublime

    meaningsill

    manifest

    themsel/esin

    full

    Toe

  • 8/13/2019 Yin-Kuan -- Pure Land Zen

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    Letter

    A

    The

    TenThousand

    +harmas

    ha/eno

    True

    %atureA

    From

    yourletter,

    &

    learnedthat

    in

    recentdays

    you

    ha/e

    engagedin

    earnest

    culti/ation,e

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    am

    /ery

    ha99y

    indeedD

    Tofollo

    in

    thefootste9s

    of

    the>uddhas

    and

    sages

    andesca9e

    >irth

    and+eath,

    you

    shouldfirst

    de/elo9

    an

    attitudeof

    shame

    andre9entance,

    abandon

    e/ilays,

    9erform

    holesomedeeds,

    -ee9

    the

    9rece9tsand

    9ractice

    self.restraintYou

    should

    aimfor

    the

    Truth

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    and

    9ractice

    to

    yourutmost

    ability

    'therisethere

    is

    deceitithin

    deceit

    Thus,understanding

    the

    +harma

    isnot

    difficult

    9racticeis

    the

    realdifficultyD

    Many

    intelligent

    9ersonsmerely

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    butfail

    to

    9racticeThey

    therefore

    astean

    entire

    lifetime,

    s9oilinga

    /isit

    tothe

    Neelled

    mountainand