Two Rivers and a White Path
Two Rivers and a White Path is Shan-tao’s parable of the path of birth into the Pure Land. It is set forth in his Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra as part of his exposition of the sutra passage:
When sentient beings who aspire to be born in the [Pure] Land awaken the three minds, then they will be born there. What are these three? They are sincere mind, deep mind, and the mind of directing merit, aspiring to be born.
This passage is crucial for the Pure Land tradition, because the attitude of the practicer described here, termed the “three minds,” has been considered an analysis of the faith necessary to nembutsu practice.
Shan-tao expounds the three minds in detail and then sets forth his parable as an aid in “guarding one’s faith against attacks” from the outside and from the viewpoints of differing beliefs. To summarize:
A solitary traveler is journeying westward through a plain when he finds himself pursued by brigands and wild beasts.
He rushes toward the west, when suddenly he comes upon a river channel coursed by two currents. On his right, flowing to the north, is a torrent of raging water; on his left, flowing to the south, is a river of flames.
Both extend endlessly at immeasurable depth, one hundred steps across. Dividing the two rivers and joining the eastern and western banks is a white path four or five inches wide, incessantly swept by the waves and scorched by the flames.
Behind the traveler are brigands and beasts, and to the north and south also there are wild animals and poisonous insects.
Seeing death everywhere - whether he turns back, remains on the bank, or plunges ahead - he decides to venture on the path.
At that moment, he hears a voice from the eastern bank exhorting him to advance fearlessly, and another from the western side commanding him: “O traveler, with the mind that is single, with right-mindedness, come at once! I will protect you.”
He therefore resolutely sets out over the path, and though the brigands attempt to lure him back, he proceeds until he reaches the western shore, where he is greeted by the friend who encouraged him.
According to Shan-tao, the two rivers represent greed and anger, and the white path is the pure aspiration for birth in Amida’s land.
Moreover, the exhortation from the eastern bank is Shakyamuni’s teaching, and the encouragement from the west is Amida’s call.
Shinran states that the white path represents the power of the Primal Vow (Teaching, Practice, and Realization, Chapter on Shinjin), interpreting the parable as showing that the practicer’s pure shinjin, which expresses itself as true aspiration for the Pure Land, is one with Amida’s aspiration to bring all beings to enlightenment.
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Paul’s note: This passage above is from the reading tools section of Shinran’s Complete Works.