Amida Tathagata as the Eternal Buddha

During the development of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan, two approaches to Amida Buddha appeared. The first one – adopted by the Jodo sect – has it that Amida Tathagata is a Sambhogakaya Buddha. Sambhogakaya, often translated as Body of Enjoyment, is one of the three bodies of a Buddha, the other two being the Nirmanakaya or Created Body and the Dharmakaya or Truth Body. The Sambhogakaya is made out of pure light and possesses all the wondrous, splendid and transcendental characteristics of an Enlightened One. The Nirmanakaya is the ephemeral body of a Buddha while the Dharmakaya, being the Body of the Ultimate Reality, is formless and shared by all the Buddhas. In Jodo Shinshu, another approach to Amida appeared, centred on the comments made by Master Shinran. This approach, informs us that the Tathagata of Unhindered Light and Eternal Life, has a much longer lifespan than that mentioned in the Sutras. Actually, it is declared, that Amida Buddha is the Eternal Buddha who attained Supreme Enlightenment in the remotest past.

Accepting the Teachings of Master Shinran, we also accept Amida Tathagata as the Eternal Buddha. The very concept of the Eternal Buddha appears in the Lotus Sutra and more specifically in Chapter 26. There, Shakyamuni expounds that His body is just an ephemeral appearance of the Buddha in this world as well as that He attained Enlightenment innumerable aeons ago. In Jodo Shinshu, it is believed that Buddha Shakyamuni was an incarnation of Amida Buddha, in order to liberate all beings from samsara. Thus, since Shakyamuni Buddha is accepted as an emanation of Amida and Shakyamuni in the Lotus Sutra makes it clear that He is a temporal form of the Eternal Buddha; the direct result is a verification of the commentaries made by Master Shinran.

In Tendai and Nichiren Buddhism, this belief is considered a heresy since the place of the Eternal Buddha for them, is attributed solely to Shakyamuni while Amida Buddha is considered just one of His numerous emanations. In order to defend Jodo Shinshu here, we must firstly clarify that the belief of Amida being the Eternal Buddha, is not a Shin Buddhist innovation. Tibetan Buddhists addressed and still address to Amida during prayer, calling him the Supreme Dharmakaya. Additionally, soon after the appearance of Jodo Shinshu, many priests of the Shingon sect accepted that Amida and Dainichi Nyorai are both aspects of the Dharmakaya. Secondly, if we accept that Shakyamuni was an emanation of Amida Buddha, then we verify the very teachings of the Lotus Sutra where it is clearly stated that Gautama Buddha was a temporal form of the Eternal Buddha who - for Shin Buddhists - is none other than Amida Tathagata.

In the previous argument, an important question arises:

Why do we believe that formless Dharmakaya may have a name and form like that of Amida or Dainichi?

In Jodo Shinshu, there is a unique teaching to explain this. Master Shinran taught that Amida Nyorai as the Eternal Buddha, manifests in two ways. The first one is Dharmakaya as Emptiness which is formless and the other one is Dharmakaya as Compassion, which receives form and leads us to salvation. Thus, Amida Tathagata is the very compassionate activity of the Dharmakaya, which was revealed through the life and accomplishments of Dharmakara Bosatsu and His unsurpassed Vows. Thanks to these Vows and most notably the Primal Vow, all ordinary beings that place their faith in Amida Buddha and utter His Sacred Name, can attain Buddhahood. Namu Amida Butsu!

The Precepts and Jodo Shinshu

In Buddhism -both Hinayana and Mahayana- lay and ordained people accept certain codes of conduct like the Five Precepts which many lay practicioners vow to follow, the Eight Precepts, the Ten Precepts and the Vinaya. The mildest of all are the Five Precepts which are the following:

1. As the Buddha refrained from killing until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from killing until the end of my life.
2. As the Buddha refrained from stealing until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from stealing until the end of my life.
3. As the Buddha refrained from sexual misconduct until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from sexual misconduct until the end of my life.
4.  As the Buddha refrained from false speech until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from false speech until the end of my life.
5. As the Buddha refrained from alcohol until the end of his life, so I too will refrain from alcohol until the end of my life.

When we read the Five Precepts for the first time, it is nearly sure we will think that it would be more than just logical for a Buddhist to refrain from the negative actions described. Many of us develop the aspiration to find a Teacher who can offer us the opportunity to Vow that we will try to avoid violating them.

In Jodo Shinshu -the most suitable Teaching for these Latter Days of the Dharma- people wish to be born in the Pure Land of Amida Buddha through the Other Power of the Tathagata and attain Enlightment. In order to attain their Birth (ojo) there, they just have to develop pure faith (shinjin) in the Primal Vow and the Power of Amida Buddha. Thus, the very result of shinjin is the Birth in the Pure Land. As we can see here, no ethical codes, no precepts, no other practices, no personal merits and self-effort are required. So, in Jodo Shinshu, people do not need to follow the precepts in order to receive shinjin and attain their ojo.

Master Shinran himself, having been raised as a Tendai monk before meeting Honen Shonin, struggled to keep the monastic code and the precepts and this caused him great disappointed. After encountering the Pure Land teaching of nembutsu, he learned and realised that by wholeheartedly entrusting Amida and the Primal Vow, his ojo would be sure and Enlightment in the Land of Ultimate Bliss a reality. He married his wife, Eshinni and had six children with her.

Jodo Shinshu followers -the followers of Master Shinran's Teachings- do not have to follow the precepts. Even if some of them decide to do so, it is fine but it must be strongly noted that even if they successfully follow them, this will add nothing to their salvation which is realised only after receiving shinjin from the Tathagata of Immeasurable Life and Infinite Light.

Even during the first years of the establishment of Jodo Shinshu as a new Pure Land branch, other Buddhist school were very critical because of the fact that the believers did not feel any obligation to follow the Mahayana codes of conduct. Today, many Buddhists even within the Jodo Shinshu school, try to blend the basic teachings with practices of other schools so the question about the precepts is one that must be answered. Again! A Shin Buddhist cannot follow the precepts if he/she believes that they contribute to the salvation. If it is beleived that they are just good for his life and the other beings then it is fine.

Even though I am a Jodo Shinshu follower, I received the Five Precepts from Drupgyud Tenzin Rinpoche. Actually, I did it two days ago. And even from the first day I realised the importance of the Teachings of our Masters. It may sound simple and easy to follow the Precepts but in the very end, even this simple code of conduct is a true challenge. 

Not killing living beings? I do not kill human beings but how about the mosquitoes, the ants and all kinds of bugs that I kill intentionally or accidentaly?

No stealing? I do not steal but isn't it stealing when I get only a small amount of money from my parents without asking for their permission?

Proper Sexual Conduct? How can a teenager like me, living in this defiled age avoid lust? Even if adultery is easily avoided, lustful thoughts for men or women prevail.

No lying? Even if I avoid telling grave lies or lie about my spiritual experiences, I cannot avoid telling minor lies mostly in order not to unveil those spoken in the past. Not to mention angry speech.

No intoxicants and alcohol? It really requires great strength when half your friends drink wine and smoke.

Surely it is not impossible to follow the precepts but it can be really difficult at some times. Little by little, intentionally or accidentally we violate them every day with minor or major offences and this is what makes the Pure Land Path so important. So important in this defiled age. Even if I am an evil and foolish being, Amida Buddha is there, the Vow is working in me and through the Other Power, when my very end comes, I will enter the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Namo Amida Bu!