I. The Scripture, Explanation by Patriarch, and Annotation
(A) The Scripture
One cannot attain birth in that land with few virtuous roots and meritorious blessings as causal conditions.
One hears of Amitabha Buddha and holds fast to his name for one day, ……for seven days, single-mindedly and without deviation.
When that person approaches the point of death, Amitabha Buddha and the sacred assembly will appear before him.
When death comes, his mind will not be severely confused. He will at once gain rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Bliss.
Chinese：
不可以少善根福德因緣得生彼國。
聞說阿彌陀佛，執持名號，若一日⋯⋯若七日，一心不亂。
其人臨命終時，阿彌陀佛，與諸聖眾，現在其前。
是人終時，心不顛倒，即得往生，阿彌陀佛，極樂國土。
(B) Explanations by Patriarch
Master Shandao explained this scripture in his In Praise of Dharma Practices with these words (in a gatha):
The Land of Bliss is a realm of unconditioned nirvana;
It’s hard to be reborn there by practicing assorted virtues according to circumstances.
The Tathagata selects the key method –
He teaches us to recite Amitabha’s name with two-fold exclusivity.
For seven days and nights the mind is engaged without interruption;
The practice continued for a long time.
At the end of life the sacred assembly holding flowers appears;
Both the body and mind rejoice on a golden lotus flower.
極樂無為涅槃界，隨緣雜善恐難生；
故使如來選要法，教念彌陀專復專。
七日七夜心無間，長時起行倍皆然，
臨終聖眾持花現，身心踴躍坐金蓮；
(C) Annotation
1. One cannot attain birth in that land with few virtuous roots and meritorious blessings as causal conditions
Some may think that abundant virtuous roots mean aspiring to bodhicitta (i.e. to perfect enlightenment for the sake of other beings), extensive practice of the Six Paramitas (i.e. generosity, precepts, forbearance, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom) and myriad virtuous deeds, and accumulation of good virtues; but they don’t know that “as long as one holds to the Name (of Amitabha Buddha), he has abundant virtuous roots.”
2. Hold Fast to the Name Single-Mindedly and Without Deviation
If viewed from a Sagely Way’s perspective, one will distort the real meanings of “single-mindedly and without deviation”, a particular dharma door of the Pure Land School. They may interpret the state of practice as working very hard in nianfo until realization of Samadhi, bringing illusion and karma under control or to an end, or not giving rise to affliction; they don’t know that “holding fast to the Name” means “the mind having faith in Amitabha’s deliverance, while the mouth reciting Amitabha’s name”; that “single-mindedly” means “not half-heartedly”, or “exclusively”; and that “without deviation/unperturbed” means “not mixed nor disorderly”, that also means “exclusively”. Thus, Master Shandao interpreted this in his gatha as “He teaches us to recite Amitabha’s name with two-fold exclusivity.” Therefore, whoever able to exclusively recite Amitabha’s name for the rest of his or her life (even for seven days, one day, or just one time near the end of one’s life) and aspire to be reborn in the Land of Bliss, the person has already gained rebirth with the empowerment of the Buddha’s Vows. This is easy to understand and to practice. There is no other meaning, nor underlying meaning.
3. When death comes, his mind will not be severely confused.
Many think that when life approaches the point of death, they must try their best to keep the right thoughts and their minds from becoming severely confused, in order to get response from Amitabha Buddha who will come to receive them for rebirth; they don’t know that it is the “appearance of Amitabha that causes them to abide in the right thoughts, and not the other way round.” It is said that “the Buddha’s compassionate protection makes our mind not severely confused”. Besides, “due to one’s exclusive recitation of the Buddha’s name in his or her lifetime, the Buddha appears when death comes; because the Buddha appears, the mind dwells in the right thoughts and will not be severely confused.” This two-fold cause and effect are clearly stated in the scriptures, and explicitly explained by the patriarchs. If we can think with a serene mind, the meaning will appear naturally.
II. Comparison of Two Versions of the Amitabha Sutra
| Amitabha Sutra, as Spoken by the Buddha, Chinese version translated by Kumarajiva | The Sutra on Praises of the Pure Land with Buddhas’ Protection and Reception, Chinese version translated by Xuanzang |
| Sariputra | Moreover, Sariputra, |
| If a good man or woman | If [there] are [those with] pure faith, all good men or good women |
| hears of Amitabha Buddha | [who] attain hearing [of] such immeasurable Life Buddha’s names’s immeasurable, boundless [and] inconceivable meritorious virtues, [and his] Land of Bliss’ meritorious virtues’ adornments, |
| And holds fast to his name | [having] heard [of them] already, contemplating [them], |
| for one day, for two days, for three days, for four days, for five days, for six days, for seven days, | If [for] one day [and] night, or two, or three, or four, or five, or six, or seven, |
| single-mindedly and without deviation | Connectedly mindful without [being] scattered, |
| when that person | [for] these good men or good women, |
| approaches the point of death | When [they] approach life’s end, |
| Amitabha Buddha and the sacred assembly | Immeasurable Life Buddha and his assembly [of] immeasurable Voice-Hearer disciples [and] Bodhisattvas together, |
| will appear before him. | [from the] front [and] behind [will] surround, coming [to] abide before them, |
| When death comes, his mind will not be severely confused | [with] loving-kindness [and] compassion blessing [and] protecting, enabling [their] minds [to] not [be] scattered. Then, [having] renounced [their] lives already, |
| He will at once gain rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Bliss. | Following [the] Buddha’s assembly, [to be] born [with] immeasurable life [in the] Land of Ultimate Bliss’ pure Buddha land. |
| Sense-for-sense translation: translation from Sanskrit meanings to ChineseFeatures: Following Chinese grammar; Following Chinese preferences and habits; Brief contents and concise writings. | Word-for-word translation: translation from Sanskrit texts to ChineseFeatures: Following Sanskrit grammar;Not following Chinese preferences and habits;Detailed contents, and elaborated writings. |
The Sūtra On Praises Of The Pure Land With Buddhas’ Protection And Reception《称赞净土佛摄受经》
III. Other Versions of the Scripture “One cannot attain birth in that land with few virtuous roots and meritorious blessings”
- Sanskrit to Chinese (Xuanzang 玄奘, 602-664)—It is not with few good roots that all sentient beings will attain rebirth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss of the Infinite Life Buddha.
- Sanskrit to English (Max Müller, 1923-1900)—Beings are not born in that Buddha country of the Tathagata Amitayus as a reward and result of good works performed in this present life.
- Sanskrit to Japanese (Nakamura Hajime 中村元, 1912 -1999)—One cannot attain birth in the Buddha Land of Infinite Life Tathagata merely with tiny good deeds.
- Tibetan to Japanese (Teramoto, Enga 寺本婉雅, 1872-1940)—One cannot attain birth in that land of the World-Honored One, Infinite Life Tathagata with small quantity of good roots.
IV. Explanations by Great Dharma Masters
(A) Master Honen（法然）says in Dharma Talk on Cultivation In Advance of Death 《逆修說法》
When the practitioner approaches the moment of death, his body is suffering from illnesses and his mind will give rise to three kinds of attachment—attachment to their condition , attachment to one’s body, and attachment to the next lifetime of rebirth. At that time, Amitabha Buddha illuminates with a great light and appears before the practitioner. Having seen such an unprecedented event, the practitioner concentrates his mind, exclusively taking refuge to the Buddha with great respect.
Moreover, with the Buddha’s compassionate and merciful protection, the practitioner’s delusions disappear at once, correct thoughts arise, and he stays peaceful and calm. Thus, the Sutra on Praises of the Pure Land says, “Protected by the Buddha’s compassion and mercy, the mind is not confused; once the life comes to an end, the being attain rebirth and abide in non-retrogression.” The Amitabha Sutra says, “Amitabha Buddha and the sacred assembly will appear before him. When death comes, his mind will not be severely confused. He will at once gain rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Bliss.” The meaning of “the mind is not confused” and “his mind will not be severely inverted” is that “(the Buddha) makes him abide in correct thought”.
It is clear that not the correct thought before death causes the Buddha and His assembly to appear; but the appearance of the Buddha causing the being to have correct thought. Whoever having practiced in his lifetime for the rebirth, he is assured to be received by the sacred assembly when death comes. Once the sacred assembly has appeared, the power of the Buddha enhances the dwelling in correct thoughts.
Most of today’s practitioners, however, do not recognize the way: they are lazy in practice and pray momentarily for correct thought when life comes to the end. That’s not the correct view. Practitioners who understand this way will not have a timid mind arise in their routine practice. This is the most important thing in Pure Land practice.
(B) Master Daojin（道鏡）and Master Shandao (precept master, not the patriarch) (善道; not 善導) say in Nianfo Mirror （《念佛鏡》）:
Question: According to Amitabha Sutra, “one cannot attain birth in that land with few virtuous roots and meritorious blessings as causal conditions.” What does it mean by “few virtuous roots” and “abundant virtuous roots”?
Answer: Among the eighty-four thousand dharma doors taught by the Tathagata, from the perspective of the Nianfo dharma door, the miscellaneous practices, in general, are of few virtuous roots. Only the practice of nianfo, or reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha, produces abundant virtuous roots and meritorious blessings. Why? According to the Contemplation Sutra, those beings of the lowest birth of the lowest level will immediately attain rebirth in the Pure Land just by reciting (the Buddha’s name) ten times. One recitation can eliminate the offenses created during birth and death in eight hundred millions kalpas. That means clearly that the debts are settled by earning the meritorious virtues of eight hundred million kalpas. Hence, we know that practicing Nianfo gives abundant virtuous roots.
All other miscellaneous practices that rely on self-power, will take many kalpas to achieve enlightenment. The practice of Nianfo, riding on the power of Amitabha Buddha’s fundamental vow, can assure rebirth within one to seven days in the Pure Land’s non-retrogression ground. The Amitabha Sutra thus says, “If a good man or woman hears of Amitabha Buddha and holds fast to His name for one day, for two days, …for seven days, single-mindedly and without deviation, when that person approaches the point of death, Amitabha Buddha and the sacred assembly will appear before him. When death comes, his mind will not be severely confused. He will at once gain rebirth in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Bliss.” Therefore, we know the practice of Nianfo gives abundant virtuous roots and meritorious blessings.
(C) Master Yuanzhao（元照）also says in Commentary on the Meanings of the Amitabha Sutra《阿彌陀經義疏》
（六）元照大師《阿彌陀經義疏》又言： 問：四字名號，凡下常聞，有何勝能超過眾善？ 答：佛身非相，果德深高，不立嘉名，莫彰妙體，十方三世，皆有異名。況我彌陀，以名接物！是以耳聞口誦，無邊聖德，攬入識心，永為佛種，頓除億劫重罪，獲證無上菩提。信知非少善根，是多功德也。
Question: As an ordinary being, I always hear of the four-character Name. What makes it better than all other good deeds?Answer: While the body of the Buddha does not have any form, His meritorious attainments are deep and advanced. The wondrous nature of the Buddha will not manifest if no auspicious name is established. All the Buddhas of the Ten Directions and the Three Periods also have different names, needless to say our Amitabha Buddha who uses His Name to connect with beings! By hearing and reciting the Name, the boundless sacred merits are planted into the consciousness of the mind and become the seeds of Buddhahood forever. This instantaneously clears the serious offenses of ten million kalpas, and results in supreme enlightenment. One should know and believe that there are not few virtuous roots, but abundant merits.