..續本文上一頁p. 48) Belittling Mashasthama and praising Avalokitesvara: the teachings of the Buddha are audience-specific. Thus, to some, Avalokitesvara”s teaching on the faculty of hearing is supreme, while to others, Mahasthama-prapta ”s on Buddha Recitation is the highes t. This is why the Buddha praises all sutras as supreme and many sutras are ca led “king of the sutras” – “king ” for its target audience.

　　23. Wonderful Enlightenment: the stage of cultivation immediately preceding Perfect Enlightenment, or Buddhahood. Polar Mountain : The mythological mountain at the center of the universe.

　　24. All of these texts. along with others on Pure Land, have been translated into English. See the list of publications of the Sutra Translation Committee at the front of this book or contact the Buddha Education Foundation in Tai wan (overseas@ budaedu. org. tw).

　　25. Supportive recitation: recitation performed by one or more Pure Land practitioners alongside a dying person, to assist him in achieving rebirth in the Pure Land. This is important for Pure Land practitioners as at the time of death, one is like a turtle being skinned alive. Filled with pain and fear, without the support of like- minded practitioners, one is likely to forget about Buddha Recitation and Pure Land rebirth. See also Note 20.

　　26. This is comparable to driving west from New York to Los Angeles, and then in a split second, taking the wrong fork on the highway, winding up south at the Mexican border. To make the right decision at the fork requires study of the relevant maps (previous cultivation). Alternatively, the driver can put his trust in a guide who knows the way (a good spiritual advisor). The crucial point here is to have the right advisor at the right moment. In this scenario, one second late is too late.

　　27. Bodhi M ind: Skt/Bodhicitta. The spirit of Enlightenment, the aspiration to achieve it, the Mind set on Enlightenment. It involves two para lel aspects; i) the determination to achieve Buddhahood and ii) the aspiration to rescue all beings. The ultimate goal of all Mahayana practice is to achieve Enlightenment and transcend the cycle of Birth and Death – that is, to attain Buddhahood. In the Mahayana tradition, the precondition for Buddhahood is the Bodhi M ind (bodhicitta), the aspiration to achieve full and complete Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings,oneself included.

　　28. This is a crucial teaching of Pure Land Buddhism. As Vasabandhu, the Patriarch of the Mind-Only School wrote in his well-known Treatise on Rebirth:

　　“To develop the Bodhi M ind is precisely to seek Buddhahood; to seek Buddhahood is to develop the m ind of rescuing sentient beings; and the m ind of rescuing sentient beings is none other than the m ind that gathers in all beings and helps them to achieve rebirth in the Pure Land.” (Seeker”s Glossary of Buddhism. 2nd ed., p. 64)

　　Appendices : The Bodhi Mind

　　by Dharma Master Thich Thien Tam

　　(excerpted from Buddhism of Wisdom and Faith Horizontal Escape)

　　Essay on the Bodhi Mind

　　1) Meaning of the Bodhi Mind (Bodhicitta)

　　Exchanging the virtues of Buddha Recitation for the petty merits and blessings of this world is certainly not consonant with the intentions of the Buddhas. There-fore, practitioners should recite the name of Amitabha Buddha for the purpose of escaping the cycle of Birth and Death. However, if we were to practice Buddha Recitation for the sake of our own salvation alone, we would only fulfill a sma l part of the Buddhas” intentions.

　　What, then, is the ultimate intention of the Buddhas

　　 The ultimate intention of the Buddhas is for all sentient beings to escape the cycle of Birth and Death and to become enlightened, as they are. Thus, those who recite Amitabha Buddha”s name should develop the Bodhi M ind (aspi…

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