One Question Changes Countless Lives
I am grateful to Ananda, beyond any words I can say - for seeing clearly - for listening deeply - and for asking ONE question of his cousin and teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha, one day on a hill called Vulture Peak.
Because of his question - and Shakyamuni’s answer - and Shinran’s true teaching - my beloved Jessie has ended her countless births into lives of endless suffering at last. She lives now as a True Buddha - and soon enough I will too.
Shakyamuni Buddha invites you each and all to join us - whether you’re old or young, smart or dumb, Buddhist or non-Buddhist. None of it matters in the least.
In his major work, The True Teaching, Practice and Realization of the Pure Land Way, Shinran explains why he believes that The Larger Pure Land Sutra is the true and final teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha. Here’s what he said:
To reveal the true teaching: It is the Larger Sutra of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life.
The central purport of this sutra is that Amida, by establishing the incomparable Vows (to create a Pure Land so as to save all beings), has opened wide the dharma-storehouse, and full of compassion for small, foolish beings, selects and bestows the treasure of virtues.
[The sutra further reveals that] Sakyamuni appeared in this world and expounded the teachings of the way to enlightenment, seeking to save the multitudes of living beings by blessing them with this benefit that is true and real.
Thus, to teach the Tathagata’s Primal Vow is the true intent of this sutra; the Name of the Buddha (AMIDA) is its essence.
Then Shinran rhetorically asks this question:
How is it known that [this sutra] was the great matter for which Sakyamuni appeared in the world?
He answers, not just for himself, but for all who are ready and willing to listen deeply, by quoting the Sutra itself.
First, he explains what (and who) provoked Shakyamuni to preach this final teaching. It turns out it was ONE question asked by Shakyamuni Buddha’s cousin and disciple, Ananda:
[Ananda asked,] “Today, World-honored one, your sense organs are filled with gladness and serenity. Your complexion is pure. Your radiant countenance is majestic, like a luminous mirror in which clear reflections pass unobstructed. Your lofty features are resplendent, surpassing all words or measure.
Never before have I beheld your facial features as sublime as they are now. Indeed, Great Sage, I have thought to myself:
Today, the World-honored one abides in the dharma most rare and wondrous.
Today, the Great Hero abides where all Buddhas abide. Today, the World’s Eye abides in the activity of guide and teacher.
Today, the Preeminent one of the world abides in the supreme enlightenment.
Today, the Heaven-honored one puts into practice the virtue of all Tathagatas.
The Buddhas of the past, future and present all think on one another.
Do not you, the present Buddha, also think on all the other Buddhas now?
And then Ananda asks that ONE question that changed countless lives:
Why does your commanding radiance shine forth with such brilliance?
Of all the great disciples and enlightened bodhisattvas who were there, and attending carefully to the person and words of Shakyamuni Buddha, it was Ananda - who called himself “dull witted”, who somehow noticed SOMETHING about the Buddha Shakyamuni that day which no one else did.
Then, the Sutra says, Shakyamuni Buddha questioned Ananda’s insight. It seemed strange, indeed, that this devoted but not particularly sharp disciple recognized the subtle difference in Shakyamuni’s face that day - when no one else did:
Then the World-honored one said to Ananda, “Did devas (angelic beings) so instruct you that you ask this, or do you inquire of my noble appearance out of your own wisdom?”
Ananda replied to the Buddha, “No deva came to teach me; I ask this myself, simply from what I observe.”
The Buddha said, “Well spoken, Ananda! Your question is excellent. You ask this insightful question having summoned up deep wisdom and true and subtle powers of expression, and having turned tender thoughts to all sentient beings.
Shakyamuni Buddha goes on to talk about his feelings for us ALL :
In his boundless compassion, the Tathagata (Buddha) is filled with commiseration for the beings of the three realms.
Shakyamuni Buddha goes on to talk about why he has appeared in the world:
I have appeared in the world and expounded the teachings of the way to enlightenment, seeking to save the multitudes of living beings by blessing them with the benefit that is true and real.
Shakyamuni Buddha goes on to talk about how rare it is, in our countless lives of endless rebirths, to encounter a True Buddha:
Rare is it to encounter and rare to behold a Tathagata, even in countless millions of kalpas (1 kalpa = 336,000,000 years). It is like the blossoming of the udumbara flower, which seldom occurs.
Shakyamuni Buddha goes on to talk about the fact that Ananda’s sincere and peceptive question will change countless lives:
This question you now ask will bring immense benefit; it will enlighten the minds of all devas (angelic beings) and human beings.
And finally, Shakyamuni Buddha goes on to talk about how infinite his wisdom and his insight truly are - simply because he IS a True Buddha, rather than a non-Buddha:
Know, Ananda, that the perfect enlightenment of the Tathagata (Buddha) is immeasurable in its wisdom and vast in its guidance of beings to enlightenment. His insight knows no impediments; nothing can obstruct it.
So it was - and so it is.
I close with a Shin Ugly thought:
For us to begin to listen deeply, somehow we must find the humility to recognize that while we each and all contain the SEED of Buddhahood as our common fundamental nature - we are surely not Buddhas YET.
It does us no good - really and truly - to play a Buddhist game of “dress up” - the way kids go into the attic and try on their parents old clothes. They pretend to an adulthood they have not reached - because they’re children who need to so pretend. But why should we?
It does us no good - really and truly - to behave like the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz. Eyes shut, shaking with fear, he vainly tries to find courage with the desperate mantra “I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid” - when indeed he is petrified. Why play that kind of a Buddhist game - why pretend so, when a terrifying event - a terrorist attack - a great tsunami - the death of a loved one - can overwhelm us any of us, entirely?
However well intended, such intellectual and emotional dishonesty in this Age of Dharma Decline does us no good at all. It doesn’t bring us ANY closer to our goal - our aspiration - to end our suffering and become True Buddhas at last.
We’re simply not capable of the infinite serenity and unbroken bliss that are marks of a True Buddha. So why not just admit it? Why not simply admit our common need as plain people? Why not be honest, once and for all, about our common inability - that we are simply unable to end our suffering once and for all, by any or all of our own devices, practices, efforts?
How much better - how much easier - to look inside - and to listen deeply - and simply recognize the the Shin Ugly TRUTH: there remains a vast gulf between our current experience, and the experience of a True Buddha - our current wisdom and the wisdom of a True Buddha - our current level of insight, and the insight of a True Buddha.
Shakyamuni IS a True Buddha. And as True Buddha, he declared without any egotism that his wisdom and his insight are entirely unobstructed.
How about we compare and contrast, looking honestly, and listening deeply, so his teaching can give us glimmer of how much we are each and all obstructed right up until this moment - by our blind passion, our endless cravings and aversions, our ineradicable egotism?
Once we see ourselve as we truly are - it opens us up as nothing else can. We become ready, at last, to recognize - to SEE - that in the Larger Sutra Buddha Shakyamuni is throwing out a lifeline to all of us drowning in the ignorance and sorrow of endless rounds of birth and death.
All we need do is grab on by listening deeply, allowing Amida Buddha’s infinite light to pierce our darkness. It is Amida who will bring forth the simple faith - the true entrusting - that leads to birth as a Trie Buddha in the Pure Land at the end of this life.
That’s why I say, once again:
I am grateful to Ananda, beyond any words I can say - for seeing clearly - for listening deeply - and for asking ONE question of his cousin and teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha, one day on a hill called Vulture Peak.
Because of his question - and Buddha Shakyamuni’s answer - and Shinran’s true teaching - my beloved Jessie has ended her endless suffering at last - and has become a True Buddha - and so has my mother - and soon enough so will I.
And so can you.
Simply listen deeply - and listen deeply some more.
As you do, Amida Buddha will lead you to entrust yourself completely. If you are listening, and you have questions, you can join us HERE and get your questions answered.
I will get you TRUE answers - Shakyamuni Buddha’s answers and Shinran’s answers - answers that will work - guaranteed - for plain people like you and me in this age of Dharma Decline. These answers - not mine, but Shakyamuni Buddha’s will embrace us, and hold us - and bring us as last to the end of our journeys - to the end of suffering at last - to birth in our next life as True Buddhas.
NamuAmidaButsu - I take refuge in Amida Buddha.