Mind Only Pure Land- Master Chu-hung
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 9:59 pm
In some of the books I've been reading I came across the fact that certain people were attacking Shin Buddhism based on the theory of the pure land being mind-only. Shinran rejected what they were saying but I always thought the basic idea of the Pure Land being mind-only itself wasn’t in error and that it was more the conclusions they were drawing from it that were problematic. Finally I came across something in the writings of the 16th century Chinese Pure Land master Chu-Hung that really helped me understand the problem. His teaching of mind not being apart from objects was really eye opening for me and I wanted to share it because it might help others too.
Some people say that the Pure Land is nothing but mind, that there is no Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss beyond the trillions of worlds of the cosmos. This talk of mind-only has it source in the words of the sutras, and is true, not false. But those who quote it in this sense are misunderstanding its meaning.
Mind equals objects: there are no objects beyond mind. Objects equal mind: there is no mind beyond objects. Since objects are wholly mind, why must we cling to mind and dismiss objects? Those who dismiss objects when they talk of mind have not comprehended mind.
Some people also say that the Pure Land which is seen at the moment of death is entirely in they dying person’s own mind, so there is no Pure Land.
People with this opinion fail to consider this. It would be right to say this is the dying persons own mind if he alone saw that which is seen at the moment of death by those who recite the Buddha Name and are born in the Pure Land along with the congregation of saints coming to greet him, the heavenly music, unearthly perfumes... [etc.] But everyone there at the time of death sees it…
Let me ask [the person who thinks Pure Land is mind-only], “When hell appears to you at the moment of death, is this not mind? “ “It is mind.” “Does the person fall into hell?” “Yes, he falls into hell.” “Then it is obvious that since the person falls into hell, hell exists. Is it then only the Pure Land that does not exist? When the mind manifests hell, the person falls into a hell that really exists. When the mind manifests the Pure Land, isn’t the person born in a Pure Land that really exists?” As the saying goes:
Better you should speak of existence on the scale of the polar mountain, than to speak of nonexistence to the extent of a mustard seed.
Don’t do it!
Some people say that the Pure Land is nothing but mind, that there is no Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss beyond the trillions of worlds of the cosmos. This talk of mind-only has it source in the words of the sutras, and is true, not false. But those who quote it in this sense are misunderstanding its meaning.
Mind equals objects: there are no objects beyond mind. Objects equal mind: there is no mind beyond objects. Since objects are wholly mind, why must we cling to mind and dismiss objects? Those who dismiss objects when they talk of mind have not comprehended mind.
Some people also say that the Pure Land which is seen at the moment of death is entirely in they dying person’s own mind, so there is no Pure Land.
People with this opinion fail to consider this. It would be right to say this is the dying persons own mind if he alone saw that which is seen at the moment of death by those who recite the Buddha Name and are born in the Pure Land along with the congregation of saints coming to greet him, the heavenly music, unearthly perfumes... [etc.] But everyone there at the time of death sees it…
Let me ask [the person who thinks Pure Land is mind-only], “When hell appears to you at the moment of death, is this not mind? “ “It is mind.” “Does the person fall into hell?” “Yes, he falls into hell.” “Then it is obvious that since the person falls into hell, hell exists. Is it then only the Pure Land that does not exist? When the mind manifests hell, the person falls into a hell that really exists. When the mind manifests the Pure Land, isn’t the person born in a Pure Land that really exists?” As the saying goes:
Better you should speak of existence on the scale of the polar mountain, than to speak of nonexistence to the extent of a mustard seed.
Don’t do it!