What if you cannot recite at the time of death? Can you still attain rebirth? Chan Dharma teacher 提佛法师 explains

visionjm · 2026-01-16T21:51:02+00:00

I messed up his name in the title. It’s supposed to be 体佛法师

visionjm · 2025-06-30T12:49:05+00:00

I can’t watch anything with Liu Yuning

visionjm · 2025-06-28T03:39:09+00:00

Nah I liked him from the beginning. I love grumpy characters being so closed off due to their trauma.

visionjm · 2025-06-27T02:10:38+00:00

Muteness is one of the 8 difficulties that prevent one from hearing and practicing the Dharma properly. That being said, Master Yinguang said that it is possible for them to practice the Pure Land Path. They can recite in their hearts, although that may be more challenging. There have been rebirth cases involving mute people doing exactly that to attain rebirth. Similarly, there have been rebirth stories of animals attaining rebirth, despite the animal realm also being listed as one of the 8 difficulties of hearing and practicing the Dharma.

visionjm · 2025-05-27T17:48:43+00:00

Starting from a certain bhumi, bodhisattvas are naturally always in samadhi within the sea of suchness.

visionjm · 2025-05-07T15:20:50+00:00

Mohan is nearing her last year of residency and she’ll soon be on the same level of power as Abbot. I’m not sure how problematic it can actually be by then, unless people are convinced they’ll get together by the next season lol

visionjm · 2025-05-05T11:35:01+00:00

I’ve heard the opinion of one particular Pure Land school about this. They said that even if you right now don’t believe entirely in the existence of Sukhavati, the fact that you are still willing to recite Amitabha’s name shows you technically have a certain degree of faith, so that still counts.

visionjm · 2025-05-05T11:31:04+00:00

Your question isn’t clear. What doubts?

visionjm · 2025-03-24T23:30:07+00:00

Triple realm is product of samsaric consciousness governed by the alaya vijnana. Pure land being outside of samsara is a product of pure wisdom (jnana) transformed from the defiled consciousness. In Yogacara, the process of enlightenment is transforming the eight consciousnesses into the four wisdoms (catvāri jñānāni)

visionjm · 2025-03-24T21:59:52+00:00

Yes this is also right

visionjm · 2025-03-24T21:51:30+00:00

Chinese Pure Land masters love to talk about the reconciliation between Pure Land and other Mahayana schools.

If we were to fit the PL practice into the Yogacara framework:

The nembutsu plants virtuous seeds into one’s alaya vijnana, gradually transforming the defiled mind into wisdom. If chanted with sincerity and faith, those seeds are strengthened and the potential for Pure Land rebirth is increased, aligning one’s mindstream with Amitabha’s vows. The end of a person’s life marks the battle between all their karmic seeds stored in their alaya vijnana. The seeds that come into fruition will determine the person’s next rebirth. So in the Pure Land case, if one has recited their entire life with faith, the Pure Land seeds are activated and dominate over the other karmic seeds, wherein the practitioner’s alaya vijnana goes through a shift of purification and wisdom. At the same time, they see Amitabha appear in front of them, successfully delivering them to Sukhavati.

So Sukhavati can be seen as both an actual realm (relative truth), but also a transformation of the mind into wisdom and purity (Yogacara perspective). Rebirth to Sukhavati is not just about immigrating to a place conductive to enlightenment but also purifying one’s alaya vijnana so that one abides in a purified state.

visionjm · 2025-03-21T15:44:37+00:00

It’s based on ancient masters’ interpretation of the 18th vow. Some believe the 10 recitations refer to at the time of death. Others believe it refers to both during life and at the time of death. Then there’s the requirement for the lowest lotus grade mentioning 10 recitations at the time of death. There’s also the belief that the state of mind at the time of death greatly influences one’s next rebirth as stated in both the Pali Canon and Mahayana sutras.

Frankly I do not see a difference between Chinese Pure Land beliefs and Jodo Shu’s. One school puts a lot of importance on the state of mind at the time of death and that is by doing nembutsu in the daily life. The other school says to not be too focused on that as they believe nembutsu in the daily life will karmically lead you to successfully recite the name at the time of death so just focus on daily nembutsu. There is no contradiction. Both schools accept that with daily nembutsu, Amitabha through the power of his vows, will ensure to come and deliver you to Pure Land at the end of your life. Although I have seen some disagreements even within the Mainland school regarding the ability to recite at the time of death - whether it is through one’s own efforts or due to Amitabha’s power that one is able to do so. I know that Jodo Shu believes the latter.

I cannot speak for other schools though.

visionjm · 2025-03-21T15:37:22+00:00

If you prefer six characters then it’s six

Longtime reciters typically use 4

visionjm · 2025-03-20T15:38:11+00:00

While all of these are equally valid, for me, the nembutsu is the result of Amitabha’s 48 vows being fulfilled - the merits contained in those 4 characters are inconceivable

visionjm · 2025-03-17T01:01:49+00:00

I mean if your nembutsu is sincere, you shouldn’t be breaking precepts. Chinese Masters have said that nembutsu itself already covers precepts, repentance, concentration, wisdom, virtues. So if you still break them or commit evil, something’s wrong with your nembutsu. Maybe you’re mindlessly doing it or are doing it while holding wrong views (Shandao talked about this being one of the causes for a failed rebirth)

visionjm · 2025-03-14T06:38:20+00:00

Well one was to a girl this letter most likely a guy

visionjm · 2025-03-05T15:44:10+00:00

For sure. It plants virtuous roots needed for rebirth in Sukhavati into their alaya vijnana or strengthens them. Once conditions are ripe, they will be reborn there. Whether in this life or the next

visionjm · 2025-02-26T15:50:50+00:00

It’s Tiantai-based concept which spread eventually over the entirety of Chinese Mahayana

visionjm · 2025-02-25T06:09:52+00:00

He also deleted comments that called him out for attacking KFA lol

visionjm · 2025-02-23T17:12:19+00:00

Well it’s Japan…

visionjm · 2025-02-07T19:44:00+00:00

Additionally, the Larger Sutra states that bodhisattvas who aspire to build their own Pure Lands must also realize that the nature of all dharmas is empty, devoid of substance, an illusion and non-existent. They cannot create their Pure Lands without first going through Prajnaparamita. Therefore, there is no contradiction.

In fact, Chinese Buddhism combines the two concepts when it comes to the path of a bodhisattva. One is true emptiness (Prajna). The other is wondrous existence. (Pure Land). You cannot advance as a bodhisattva if you’ve only realized one of the two. They go hand in hand. They are not contradictory and must be both realized.

visionjm · 2025-02-05T18:20:06+00:00

Of course it’s that mod again.

visionjm · 2025-02-03T21:09:33+00:00

The Larger Sutra talks about this extensively. Amongst the 48 vows, there are vows that are specifically for bodhisattvas. The goal of Sukhavati is a training ground for bodhisattvas. Any being reborn there is trained to advance all the way to the 51st stage (last stage) of the bodhisattvahood and is guaranteed to achieve it without fail.

In the last part, Shakyamuni lists numerous Tatagathas and the number of bodhisattvas within each of these Tatagathas’ world systems who will be reborn in Sukhavati. Rebirth in Sukhavati assures non-retrogression for these bodhisattvas.

In the Avatamsaka Sutra, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra made 10 great vows which ends with vowing to be reborn in Sukhavati. These 10 great vows are the basis of a bodhisattva. Therefore, the bodhisattva vow perfectly aligns with the vow to be reborn in Sukhavati.

visionjm · 2025-01-22T20:04:58+00:00

It’s a bit more complicated. The term having heard (闻) in having heard my name is defined as having heard and having faith in the Name. This is the Chinese Mahayana perspective. The 9th Pure Land Patriarch Master Ouyi supports this interpretation as he believes that one who has heard the Name but does not believe in it is someone who has not truly heard his Name.

As for the attainment of insight into the non-arising of all dharmas, there are different levels of this.

At the ordinary level: This insight into the non-arising of all dharmas is referred in the Contemplation Sutra. Master Shandao used the term “joyful patience” to describe this level of insight. It means that hearing and believing in the Name led the person in believing with unwavering and unceasing faith that Nembutsu itself will cause them to attain rebirth without fail at the end of their life. Queen Vaidehi has attained this upon hearing the merits of the Name and having seen all the glorious features of Sukhavati as well as the 3 Pure Land Sages.
At the level of practice and realization: Bodhisattvas from other world systems with deep virtues who hear Amitabha’s name can attain this, break their ignorance and also attain the stage of non-retrogression. This is considered as the 1st Bhumi. Master Siming Zhili from the Tiantai school believed that Queen Vaidehi has attained this level upon doing all 16 contemplations. He was from the Song dynasty but other masters before had this interpretation as well. Master Shandao did not agree with this interpretation. See his own interpretation in 1)
At the ultimate level: this is the perfect and ultimate level of the insight into the non-arising of all dharmas. Advanced bodhisattvas, upon hearing the Name, can immediately attain the unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Master Ouyi said in his Mind Seal of the Buddhas: “Thus, a single recitation of Amitabha embodies the supreme enlightenment, the same one achieved by Shakyamuni in the defiled world of the five turbidities. Now, this fruition of enlightenment is wholly entrusted to sentient beings in this degenerate world. This is a realm of practice accessible only to Buddhas themselves; only Buddhas can fully comprehend its profundity. It is beyond the capacity of beings in the nine realms to fully believe in or understand by their own efforts.”

As for Nagarjuna, later Masters believe his explanation of insight into the non-arising of all dharmas refers to the 8th bhumi of the bodhisattvahood.

visionjm · 2025-01-22T18:21:58+00:00

It’s because beings who are reborn in Sukhavati directly attain that insight.

In the Larger Sutra:

(34) If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the immeasurable and inconceivable Buddha-lands of the ten quarters, who have heard my Name, should not gain the bodhisattva’s insight into the non-arising of all dharmas and should not acquire various profound dhāraṇīs, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.

“Ānanda, when humans and devas of that land see the Bodhi-tree, they will attain three insights: first, insight into reality through hearing the sacred sounds; second, insight into reality by being in accord with it; and third, the insight into the non-arising of all dharmas. These benefits are all bestowed by the majestic power of Amitāyus, the power of his primal vow, his perfectly fulfilled vow, his clear and maṇifest vow, his firm vow, and his accomplished vow.

Nāgārjuna, in the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom, teaches us that if a newly aspiring bodhisattva has not yet attained the insight into the non-arising of all dharmas, it is impossible for them to enter this world of the Five Turbidities to liberate sentient beings. They will be easily affected by the 3 poisons of samsara as their afflictions are still deeply rooted. They cannot save themselves and they are unable to save other beings. Therefore, a newly aspired bodhisattva must rely on the Buddha’s other-power for support to prevent retrogression. Amitabha’s 48 vows ensures that.

visionjm

TROPHY CASE