Right now we are definitely deluded and if we turn our heads now and put pure faith solely in Amitabha's vow, we too will be reborn in Pure Land in no time. The problem is my friend we don't want to leave until our time comes. So we are really attaching to this life. If we really want to leave, recite Amitabha for a week and truly request that Buddha will take us, then he will come. But nobody wants to do this.Astus wrote:This line of reasoning for the futility of monasticism and that we are in the final days make me think of Shinran who realised his utterly evil, totally deluded situation and put his faith solely in Amitabha's vow as the only way to escape samsara and attain buddhahood. That argument makes all other teachings totally pointless.
It comes down to totally let go, and Shinran has totally let go and repent (admitted that he had created karma and truly wanted to change-to not continue to do again, this is the definition of repent, not just chanting or reciting mantras or Buddhas). So your repentance has to be pure and truth...this is the basis for all cultivation also. Most people are too deluded to turn their heads, so repentance is very importance. By cultivating the path you are considered repenting because you are not trying to walk the path of evil karma (3 karma of body, speech, and mind (greed, anger, and ignorance). This is why refuge in triple jewels is important.
As for the argument, if you really want to attain Buddhahood via Pure Land, while living why do you want to create karma? To attain Buddhahood is to stay way from creating karma. Others people don't cultivate, that's their problem. Not yours lol. To create evil karma, you will be lead further away from Buddha, and only demons and maras endorse your behavior no gods, Bodhisattvas, or Buddhas will be protecting you. The benefit of truly keeping the 5 precepts is you will be protected from evil by proctectors such as gods, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas. I mean after all you are cultivating the path that's been taught by Buddhas, of course they will support you. By creating evil karma, will this bring conditions that would allow you to recite Amitabha, lets say before you die? What if you just die suddenly?
Thanks for reading my rant