[29] Top Ten Points For Introducing The ‘Pure Practices’ Chapter’ 十大《净行品》简介点

十大《净行品》简介点
[29] Top Ten Points For Introducing The ‘Pure Practices’ Chapter’

[1] Supportive Practice: In the Sòng Dynasty (宋朝), to express his great devotion and to promote the ‘Pure Practices’ Chapter’《净行品》with the Pure Land Dharma Door (净土法门), the Pure Land Tradition’s 7th Patriarch Great Master Xǐngcháng (净土宗七祖省常大师) used his pricked blood to copy it.

His founded Pure Land practice group was also named after the chapter, as ‘Pure Practices’ Society’ (净行社). Other than the Main Practice (正行) of mindfulness of Buddha (念佛), the chapter was also practised in thought, word and deed as a Supportive Practice (助行), to merge with the Buddha path (佛道) at all times and places.

[2] Supplementary Teaching: The Pure Land Tradition’s 13th Patriarch Great Master Yìnguāng (净土宗十三祖印光大师) also added the chapter within publication of ‘The Pure Land Tradition’s Five Sūtras’《净土五经》as a supplementary chapter, and wrote a preface to introduce it.

[3] Bodhi Mind: The chapter’s aspiration verses, which are vows (愿), are expressions of the Bodhi Mind (菩提心) within aspects of everyday life, be they mundane or spiritual, letting the mundane inspire the spiritual too, to form the roots that extend towards Buddhahood’s fruit.

With these verses, be our life experiences positive, neutral or negative, all can remind us to be as selfless as possible, with the welfare of all beings in mind, speech and action as much as possible. Thus will we grow in our compassionate practices (慈悲行), and further align with the Bodhisattva path (菩萨道) for spiritual purification.

[4] Flower Adornment Sūtra: For emulating Universal Virtue Bodhisattva (普贤菩萨), the Pure Practices’ Chapter’s vows also facilitate Universal Virtue Bodhisattva’s Practices And Vows’ Chapter’s《普贤行愿品》Ten Great Vows’ King (十大愿王), which culminate with the Tenth Vow to reach the Pure Land (净土) Of Ultimate Bliss (极乐世界) for realising Buddhahood.

While the Pure Practices’ Chapter is the 11th chapter of the Flower Adornment Sūtra《华严经》taught by Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva (文殊菩萨), Universal Virtue Bodhisattva’s Practices And Vows’ Chapter《普贤行愿品》is the 40th and final chapter of the same sūtra taught by Universal Virtue Bodhisattva, and is the fifth and final main sūtra (chapter) in ‘The Pure Land Tradition’s Five Sūtras’《净土五经》. It can be recited regularly as a supportive Pure Land practice too.

The three key teachers featured in the Flower Adornment Sūtra are the Flower Treasury World’s (华藏世界) Flower Adornment World’s Three Noble Ones (华严三圣), with the Main (Central) Honoured One (主尊) being Mahāvairocana Buddha (毗卢遮那佛), his Left Side Attendant (左胁侍) being Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva and his Right Side Attendant (右胁侍) being Universal Virtue Bodhisattva. The two flanking Bodhisattvas’ qualities represent those needed for becoming the Buddha in the centre.

Although all perfect Bodhisattvas (圆满菩萨), who are actually remanifested Ancient Buddhas (古佛), have balanced great compassion, wisdom, vows (aspirations) and practices (悲智愿行) needed for Buddhahood, in the format of the trio above, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, who is more popularly known for representing Great Wisdom (大智), can be said to represent both compassion and wisdom (悲智) more here, while Universal Virtue Bodhisattva, who is more popularly known for representing Great Practice (大行), can be said to represent both practices and vows (愿行) more here.

Thus, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva’s teachings in the Pure Practices’ Chapter can be said to initiate walking of the path to Buddhahood with the necessary compassion and wisdom, while Universal Virtue Bodhisattva’s teachings in the Universal Virtue Bodhisattva’s Practices And Vows’ Chapter can be said to conclude with the necessary practices and vows.

[5] Noble And Ordinary Beings: Even Bodhisattvas (菩萨) advancing through the Ten Faiths (十信), Ten Abodes (十住), Ten Practices (十行), Ten Dedications (十回向), Ten Grounds (十地) and Equal Awakening (等觉) have to align with the one hundred and forty-one (Bodhisattva) vows in the chapter to advance towards Buddhahood.

Even if ordinary laypersons and monastics sincerely recite this chapter to give rise to these vows regularly, they will also advance accordingly, with thought to thought aligning with the Buddhas’ minds, and when approaching life’s end, attaining a High Grade (上品) in Pure Land.

[6] Buddhahood Qualities: The chapter’s vows are for nurturing the Ten Kinds Of Three Karmas (十种三业), Ten Kinds Of Perfection (十种具足), Ten Kinds Of Wisdom (十种慧), Ten Powers (十力), Ten Kinds Of Skilfulness (十种善巧), Seven Awakening Factors (七觉), Three Concentrations (三定), Six Perfections (六度), Four Bráhma Vihāras (四梵), Ten Wisdom Powers (十智力), Ten Kings’ Protection And Support (十王护持), Ten Deliverances Of Sentient Beings (十度生), and Ten Transcendences Of All (十超众), which are qualities needed for Buddhahood, for benefitting one and all. Diligent mindfulness of them create great meritorious virtues (功德) too.

[7] Bodhisattva Vows: The chapter’s vows include those for Bodhisattvas when At Home (菩萨在家), Initially Leaving Home (创出家), Cultivating Meditative Concentration (修禅定), Majestic Conduct When Advancing And Retreating From Dwellings (住处进止威仪时), Begging For Alms Food, Teaching And Transforming (乞食教化), On The Road Seeing And Hearing All Matters (在路见闻诸事), Reaching Villages To Beg For Alms Food (至聚落乞食), Alms Food-Begging, Prostrating And Reciting (食讫礼诵), and In Day And Night Sleeping And Waking (昼夜寝觉).

[8] Additional Vows: Beyond the chapter’s vows, one can also add other traditional and personal vows aligned with the Bodhi Mind, in the general format of, ‘If when (fill in action or encounter here), there should be aspiration for sentient beings, to _____, and _____.’ (若 _____ 时，当愿众生，_____，_____。) Recitation of these vows supplement the regular recitation of Bodhisattva Precepts (菩萨戒) committed to.

[9] Aspirations For Practice: While reciting the chapter’s verses by themselves, or when with corresponding actions or encounters might seem to be merely making good wishes, they are actually reminders to permeate daily life with the Bodhi Mind, to encourage living as Bodhisattvas in speech and actions too.

[10] Additional Recitation: It is also an excellent practice to chant one to ten or more recitations of Āmítuófó’s (阿弥陀佛) name after each vow, upon a corresponding action or encounter, for creating more meritorious virtues, as a reminder to aspire and practise for reaching his Pure Land too.