19-7-2011 Elucidation on the Three Powers

The Aura of Wisdom 

By Living Buddha Sheng-yen Lu
Translated by True Buddha Foundation Translation Team (Cheng Yew Chung, Victor Hazen, Dance Smith)

This was translated from Grandmaster Lu's 154th book, 智慧的光環.

CHAPTER 49 - Elucidation on the Three Powers

There exist many Buddhist schools with a diversity of views and thoughts, separated by the way in which each responds to the karmic affinity and natural capacity of the cultivator.

My personal views on how I see Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism and Tantric Buddhism are as follows:
Zen is established on a premise outside of words and beyond the doctrines of Buddhism. It directly reveals the mind and the attainment of buddhahood upon seeing the True Nature. It therefore encompasses the pure wisdom of enlightenment, as its body of essence is emptiness itself.
Pure Land Buddhism teaches that any individual who wants rebirth through reciting the Buddha? name, and who responds to the dedication of Amitabha`s power of great compassionate vows with great faith in his chanting, shall enter into the Samadhi of the recitation of the Buddha? name and be delivered directly to Sukhavati in the karmic body of a common mortal. He shall be reborn at any of the nine levels of lotus emanation.
In the case of Tantric Buddhism, it relies on the Vajra Master to transmit the teachings, give blessings and empowerment. It also requires the establishment of a mandala, the recitation of mantra and the cultivation of practices, during which one forms mudras, practices visualization, and magnetizes the principal deity to reveal its presence. Eventually, one becomes the True Reality, and becomes the Buddhadharma itself. It encompasses multi-levels of embedded profound secrets that are simply wonderful and mysterious.
In other words, Zen Buddhism relies on personal power. The Pure Land School relies on external power. Tantric Buddhism hinges on personal power, external power and the Guru`s power.
Let me explain this. Zen is the cultivation of thoughts, penetrating directly into the mind to reveal its very source so that one may attain buddhahood. It relies solely on personal power to attain enlightenment.
Pure Land Buddhism relies on the deliverance from the Buddha, and thus it is all about external power. With the recitation of the Buddha? name, maintaining a constant flow of pure thoughts, and complete devotion to the chanting of Amitabha`s epithet, the evil karma of eight billion kalpas of birth-and-death is eliminated. Hence, one is reborn in the buddhaland.
In Tantric Buddhism, it hinges on three powers. First is the blessing power of the Root Guru. When one achieves union with the principal deity, one receives the deity`s power, which is external power. Finally, when the practitioner develops to the level that reveals his or her Buddha Nature, it is considered personal power. With the revelation of the Buddha Mind, one attains buddhahood in this very body.
I feel that Zen is most difficult to practice, whereas Pure Land Buddhism is the easiest. Tantric Buddhism places great emphasis on the stages of cultivation, and holds the most profound of meanings.

Amituofo

Lotuschef

Pure Karma

True Buddha School