Study Shandaos Teachings:

Rebirth Is Assured
A Discourse by Master Jingzong
English translation by Fojin, edited by Jingtu

In Chinese history, there are 13 better-known lineage masters of the Pure Land
tradition. Many learned teachers and founders of the various Dharma schools also
advocated Pure Land practice, all with their own interpretations. However, these
explications differ. Over time there arose a mountain of related information, which
can be overwhelming to beginners. The basic issue is whether there is an
appropriate interpretation in terms of both principle and practice.
The Pure Land teachings of Master Shandao thoroughly explain the true
meaning of Amitabha Buddhas 48 Vows. They are most suited to the capabilities of
ordinary beings like ourselves, weighed down as we are by negative karma.
Why should we choose to study the teachings of Master Shandao? The main
reasons:
1. Amitabha Buddha Himself Is Speaking
Since his own time, Master Shandao has been widely acknowledged as an
incarnation of Amitabha Buddha. What he taught should therefore be taken as the
expositions of Amitabha himself. Master Yinguang said, Since ancient times, the
Master (Shandao) has been said to be Amitabhas emanation; we should take his
words as Amitabhas own. Since we aspire to be born in the Pure Land of Amitabha
Buddha, we naturally should regard the Pure Land thought, as personally expounded
by his incarnation, as the benchmark.
2. Definitive for All Time
Master Shandaos teachings are definitive for the ages. They are corrective
and decisive, forming a standard by which all explications and interpretations of
rebirth in the Pure Land are measured. Only explanations that conform to his
teachings can be regarded as correct. Those that dont are not.

The Pure Land thought of Master Shandao is contained primarily in his

Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra (also known as The Four Fascicles). What
motivated him to write it? His purpose was to dispel erroneous or inaccurate
interpretations of the Contemplation Sutra by Dharma masters down through the
ages. Unable to express clearly the fundamental intent of the Buddha and even
misconstruing Pure Land principles, these masters had made the tradition extremely
hard for most people to practice. Shandao was troubled by this phenomenon. With
deep compassion he said, I shall write the Commentary to establish a definitive
interpretation for all time.
During his labor, a sacred monk appeared every night to instruct him on the
details of his work. This personage was Amitabha Buddha. When the Commentary
was completed, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas appeared in his dreams three nights
running to corroborate his work: The meaning contained therein is in complete
accord with the wish of Amitabha and the compassion of all Buddhas. It has no
errors. That is why Shandaos Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra is also
known as the Definitive Commentary or the Verified Commentary. At the end of
the book, Master Shandao himself said, Note that his commentary has been
authenticated (by Amitabha, Shakyamuni and all Buddhas). Not a single word or
sentence should be altered. It should be considered on a par with the sutras.
I have yet to see another master use such a definitive tone in his commentaries,
describing them as being definitive for all time. Moreover, Shandao directed his
assessment and admonishment at eminent monks of his time, who were no ordinary
people. Today, it goes without saying that existing explications should all be subject
to benchmarks laid down in Commentary. We should abide by Master Shandaos
teachings. As for other interpretations, we should practice them if they accord with
Shandaos thought and teachings. If not, we simply set them aside.
3. The Authentic Lineage
Master Shandaos teachings constitute the authentic lineage of the Pure Land
school.
Lineage is of great importance in Dharma practice. Most Pure Land practitioners
are not clear about the concept of lineage. It is generally felt that to recite Namo
Amitabha is something anyone can do easily. Compared with the Chan (Zen) school,
which requires a strict transmission whereby the teacher personally authenticates
the disciples realization of mind, the Pure Land school seems relatively slack. That,

in fact, helps make the Pure Land tradition widespread, easy to practice, and very
simple. But it doesnt mean that it does not have rules or that Pure Land teachings
have no coherent structure. They do.
During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Chinese Pure Land school followed the
teachings of Masters Tanluan, Daochuo and Shandao. It was pristine Pure Land
Buddhism. However, towards the end of the Tang Dynasty and during the
subsequent Five Dynasties, the main works of these masters were lost in China due
to Buddhism-persecution campaigns and wars. In the ensuing Song, Yuan, Ming and
Qing dynasties, most learned masters of the various schools realized that the basic
purpose of Shakyamuni Buddhas appearance in this world was to lead all beings to
the Pure Land. So they started propagating Pure Land practice and guiding their
followers towards the tradition.
The result was a phenomenon unique to Chinese Buddhism, with all schools
converging in Pure Land. Though this helped popularize Pure Land practice, it also
rendered the schools principles less authentic because of the admixture of many
influences from the Chan, Tiantai and Huayan schools. That explains why the Pure
Land traditions we come across today usually contain teachings from other schools.
So we have Tiantai principles and Pure Land practice, Huayan principles and Pure
Land practice and Chan principles and Pure Land practice.
What does that imply? Because Master Shandaos lineage was interrupted, the
perspectives of Pure Land school were lost to later generations as they classified and
learned the Dharma. They could only rely on the thought and perspectives of the
Chan, Tiantai and Huayan schools. However, they found they were unable to
extricate themselves from the cycle of rebirth by adopting the practices of these
schools. They realized that neither Tiantais emphasis on scriptural study and
meditative practice, nor Huayans view of non-obstruction between principle and
phenomena offered the answer. In the end, coming full circle, they still had to rely
on aspiration to rebirth in the Western Land of Bliss. Such teachings, though, are no
longer pristine, as the principles and the practice involved are not reconcilable.
These mixed approaches have affected ordinary Pure Land practitioners. Indeed,
the very mention of Pure Land nowadays invariably invoke associations with the
teachings of other traditions.
Contrast all this with the thought of Master Shandao, which is pure. Rooted in
the Fundamental Vow of Amitabha Buddha, it fully and comprehensively expounds

Pure Land practice according to Pure Land teachings. It contains no elements of Chan,
Tiantai or Huayan thinking. It is an independent and self-contained thought system
and represents the standard Pure Land teaching.
In short, Shandaos thought represents the authentic lineage of the Pure Land
school. None of the other teachings does. Our Dharma practice must be based on an
authentic lineage.
4. Shandao Synthesized the Pure Land Teachings into a School
Master Shandao synthesized the teachings of the Pure Land school. His Pure
Land thought is the richest, as well as the most complete and comprehensive.
Whether it is the definition and interpretation of the principles, or the establishment
of the practice and rituals, it lacks nothing. Thats why Master Shandao is called
synthesizer of the Pure Land teachings. We take him as representative of the
entire tradition.
Buddhism historians or Pure Land practitioners, adherents of every Dharma
tradition all recognize Master Shandao as the de facto founder of the Pure Land
school.
What does being de facto founder mean? It means the lineage master who set
up the school and established its teachings. He is the banner of the Pure Land
tradition.
Take the Tiantai school. It was founded by Master Zhiyi. For anyone who wishes
to learn and practice the Tiantai path, the thought of Zhiyi is the benchmark. If
Master Zhiyi is set aside, there is no Tiantai school.
In the Pure Land case, Master Shandaos teachings are the yardstick. Without
him, there is no Pure Land school. We should discard anything that is incompatible
with his thinking.
5. Rebirth Is Assured
The benefit we derive from practicing according to Shandao is unique: Our
rebirth in the Pure Land is certain. There is absolutely no doubt about it.
If our practice is based on the thinking of other worthy masters and Dharma
teachers, our rebirth may not be assured. That is because their instructions aim at
people of a different capability and Inclination. They may, for instance, be appealing

to those who wish to achieve total meditative concentration in the Chan tradition.
There is a saying: If you recite Amitabhas name with a scattered mind, its all in
vain even if you cry out till your voice is gone. Our hearts sink on hearing this. We
havent yet lost our voices, so our efforts must be even more futile. This saying,
heavily influenced by Chan thinking, suits those capable of achieving meditative
concentration. Clearly it is not meant for us ordinary beings, who are full of
undisciplined and unfocused thoughts. Since the statement was not spoken from our
perspective, we dont benefit from it. Those who believe it will feel that their rebirth
is uncertain. They may well abandon Pure Land practice.
Many monastic and lay advocates of Pure Land these days impose their own
conditions and standards for rebirth. On how we should recite, they say, If you
cannot achieve single-pointed focus while reciting, you should at least attain an
initial state of meditative concentration. If you fail to attain an initial state of
meditative concentration, you should at least achieve such a state partially; and
failing that, at least a tiny bit. If you cannot do any of that, you wont be able to gain
rebirth! They give you more than a hundred reasons why you cannot attain rebirth.
You cant do this, otherwise you will not be reborn; you cant do that, or else your
rebirth is not assured If we look at ourselves closely, we realize very few of us can
satisfy such conditions. But if we follow their practice, we must meet their standards.
What if we cant?
If we practice according to Master Shandaos teachings, there are no such
obstacles. We have none of these fears and worries. In the Infinite Life Sutra,
Bodhisattva Dharmakara made the following resolution:
When I achieve Buddhahood, I shall carry out my vow to transform
all fears into great tranquility.
When I become a Buddha, I shall eradicate all the fears of sentient beings and
give them great peace of mind. This is what Dharmakara vowed.
Our greatest fear is that we dont know how to deal with our anxieties and heavy
karmic defilements such as greed, anger and ignorance. What happens when I am
near death but cannot recite properly? We are burdened with a myriad
apprehensions. We must nip the problem in the bud. We should find the source of
our peace and tranquility Amitabha Buddha (Dharmakara Bodhisattva).
Master Shandao revealed completely the aspirations of Dharmakara and the
merits of Amitabhas vows. Our rebirth is certain if we practice according to his

teachings. He tells us that recitation of Amitabha Buddhas name is the karma of

assurance (action that guarantees our rebirth in the Land of Bliss). There is no
uncertainty at all. What Master Shandao said boosts our confidence. He often
stressed, you gain rebirth easily, all will be reborn, rebirth is certain, and
rebirth is simple No one is left out.
6. A Teaching That Suits the Times and Contemporary Capabilities
The great Song Dynasty poet Su Shi wrote, Seen from the front, the Lu Shan
mountains are a continuous range. Viewed from the side they seem a towering peak.
From afar or close up, from high up or below, they offer different vistas. If we look
at something from different viewpoints, we get disparate perspectives. So our
description of it varies. Take the standpoint of the Tiantai school, which divides the
Pure Land into four categories: Realm of Common Residence for Ordinary and Scared
Beings, Realm of Expediency (inhabited by Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas), Realm of
Adorned Real Rewards (advanced Bodhisattvas) and Realm of Eternally Quiescent
Light (the abode of Buddhas). Ordinary beings can only be reborn the first, or lowest,
domain.
Not so, according to Master Shandao. Adopting the position of Amitabha
Buddhas Fundamental Vow to deliver urgently all defiled ordinary beings, he
classifies the entire Land as a Realm of Rewards. Senior Bodhisattvas and ordinary
beings are reborn there, on an equal basis, by relying on the power of Amitabhas
vow. There is a world of difference between this and the Tiantai perspective.
When learning the Pure Land teachings, we must bear two points in mind:
First, we must stand our ground. How? We need to understand clearly what we
are iniquitous ordinary beings who accumulate negative karma all the time. We
should hold firmly to this view.
Second, we must be clear regarding our goal. We will not err if we keep our
focus on Amitabha Buddha. Otherwise we will waver, changing our minds constantly.
My mind is full of delusions, we may say to ourselves. All my life, I practiced
self-cultivation in order to calm my mind. Yet I have failed. Failure leads to anxiety
and doubt: Oh no! All these years of practice and I am still full of delusions and
confusion. I am doomed! The obstacle of doubt arises.

Is there a way out for us vexed and confused ordinary beings, exactly as we are?
If so, we would need neither to worry nor to fear. If not we must keep searching,
whatever the difficulties.
As it happens, there is a way. It lies in the thought of Master Shandao. Given the age
we live in and our own limited capabilities, we should choose to practice the Pure
Land teachings of Master Shandao.