Theos-Talk Archives (January 2003 Message tt00625)

PURE LAND BODHI-HEART GREAT COMPASSION VOW
Subject: GREAT COMPASSION BODHISATTVA VOWS OF VENERABLE MASTER HSUAN HUA

THESE ARE PURE LAND BUDDHIST AVALOKITESVARA VOWS.


"Here are the Eighteen Solemn Vows made by Tripitaka Master Hua while
sitting beside his mother's grave." These are the vows of a bodhisattva. I
have edited the introduction to them a little for brevity.

"I bow before the Buddhas of the ten directions, the Dharma of the
Tripitaka, and the holy Sanga of the past and present, praying that they
will hear and bear witness.

"I ...resolve not to seek for myself either the blessings of the gods or of
men or the attainments of the Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, or high
Bodhisattvas. Instead, I rely on the Most Supreme Vehicle, [Mahayana 
reliance on the COMPASSION OF AMITABHA and INVOCATION OF 
HIM BY HIS REVEALED NAME] and bring forth the heart of Bodhi 
[WISDOM=COMPASSION], vowing that all living beings of the Dharma 
Realm shall attain the Utmost Right and Perfect Enlightenment at the same 
time as I."

"1. I vow that I will not attain the Right Enlightenment if there is even one
Bodhisattva in the ten directions and the three periods of time to the end
of empty space and the Dharma Realm who has not yet become a Buddha."

"2. I vow that I will not attain the Right Enlightenment if there is even one
Pratyekabuddha in the ten directions and the three periods of time to the end
of empty space and the Dharma Realm who has not yet become a Buddha."

"3. I vow that I will not attain the Right Enlightenment if there is even one Sravaka
in the ten directions and the three periods of time to the end
of empty space and the Dharma Realm who has not yet become a Buddha."

"4. I vow that I will not attain the Right Enlightenment if there is even one
human being in the ten directions and the three periods of time to the end
of empty space and the Dharma Realm who has not yet become a Buddha."

[the text is missing number 5)

"6. I vow that I will not attain the Right Enlightenment if there is even one asura
in the ten directions and the three periods of time to the end
of empty space and the Dharma Realm who has not yet become a Buddha."

"7. I vow that I will not attain the Right Enlightenment if there is even one
animal in the ten directions and the three periods of time to the end
of empty space and the Dharma Realm who has not yet become a Buddha."

"8. I vow that I will not attain the Right Enlightenment if there is even one hungry ghost
in the ten directions and the three periods of time to the end
of empty space and the Dharma Realm who has not yet become a Buddha."

"9. I vow that I will not attain the Right Enlightenment if there is even one being in the hells
in the ten directions and the three periods of time to the end
of empty space and the Dharma Realm who has not yet become a Buddha."

"10. I vow that I will not attain the Right Enlightenment if there is any being in the triple world who has taken refuge with me and has not yet become a Buddha, be it a god, immortal, human being, or asura, a bird,
fish, plant, or animal, a magical dragon, beast, ghost or spirit.

"11. I vow to bestow upon all living beings of the Dharma Realm all the
blessings and happiness I am destined to recieve.

"12. I vow to take upon myself the miseries of all living beings of the
Dharma Realm, that I alone may endure them on their behalf.

"13. I vow that my spirit [??? if there is 'no self', what spirit is he
speaking of here ???] shall enter the hearts of all living beings who do not
believe in the Buddhadharma, causing them to reform their evil conduct and
practice the good, and causing the to take refuge with the Triple Jewel and
ultimately realize Buddhahood.

"14. I vow that every living being who has seen my face, or even heard my
name will bring forth the Bodhi heart, and quickly realize the Buddha way.

"15. I vow to observe reverently the Buddha's regulation and take only one
meal a day and that at noon.

"16. I vow to enlighten all living beings according to their dispositions

"17. * I vow in this very life to attain the Five Eyes and the Six Spiritual
Penetrations and the ability to fly freely.

"18. I vow that all my vows will all be fulfilled.

"I vow to save the numberless living beings
I vow to cut off the inexhaustible afflictions.
**I vow to study the limitless Dharma-doors.
I vow to realize the supreme Buddha-way. "

* and ** are references to mastering 'skillful means', mystic siddhis /
powers and all righteous religious paths, all for the sole purpose of saving
other beings.

The "three periods of time" are the past, present and future.

"end of empty space and the Dharma Realm" refers to a / this particular
saha (suffering) world, or cosmic manifestation. 

I have summarized the above from the Buddhist Text Translation Society's
1974 Edition of "A General Explanation of the Buddha Speaks of Amitabha
Sutra" and the "Records of the Life of the Venerable Master Hsuan Hua",
Volume One, Compiled and translated by American Bhikshuni Heng Yin. The
latter text was published in 1981 by the Dharma Realm Buddhist University
Buddhist Text Translation Society, Talmage, California, USA.


In another installment in this series on Buddhism, I quoted Venerable Master
Hua on the importance of Nama Recitation in the Dharma-ending Age.

It should be clear from the above that the core of Mahayana Buddhism in its
Pure Land Other-power Bodhisattva doctrine is profoundly personal, and that
'wisdom' defined in the Pure Land Tradition as COMPASSION is contradicted by
the atheists' doctrine of no-self. No-self means no one to have compassion
for, no one to save, or to perceive the need, or to do the saving. There is
certainly no loving Father-of-all-beings (or beings for that matter !) in
atheistic Theravadin Buddhism.

Please read my other postings on Buddhism in my current series on the
subject at saragrahi.org.

I hope this information helps,

your aspiring servant, Bhakti Ananda Goswami



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]