| Patriarch | Classification | Verification in Texts | Significance |
| Bodhisattva Nagarjuna | The difficult and the easy paths | There are innumerable modes of entry into the Buddha’s Dharma. Just as there are in the world difficult and easy paths – travelling on foot by land is full of hardship and travelling in a boat by sea is pleasant. So it is among the paths of the bodhisattvas. Some exert themselves diligently, while others quickly enter Non-retrogression by the easy practice based on faith. (The Ninth Chapter of the Discourse on the Ten Stages: Translated from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki) –Chapter on the Easy Path Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Vow is like this: If someone recites my name and takes refuge in me, this person at once attains the karma of assurance and will achieve supreme enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi). One should therefore recite often. (HQ) –Chapter on the Easy Path | Pioneer of the Pure Land School |
| Tanluan | The difficult and the easy paths | Rigorously contemplating the Commentary on the Ten Bodhisattva Stages by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna, “I find there are two paths by which Bodhisattvas seek the stage of non-retrogression: the path of difficult practice and the path of easy practice. With the path of difficult practice, the difficulty is in seeking non-retrogression in this world of five defilements at a time when there is no Buddha. This difficulty appears in many ways. I will indicate what is meant by roughly listing several of them. Cultivators get waylaid from the Dharma of the Bodhisattva by the apparent good practiced in non-Buddhist ways. The Sravaka’s concentration on self-benefit interferes with the Bodhisattva’s practice of great compassion. Evildoers lacking self-reflection compromise the excellent merits of others. Misguided teachings nullify the Buddhist cultivation . The path of difficult practice is based only on self-power and lacks the support of Other Power. Such problems as these, which may be seen everywhere, are examples of this difficulty. It is compared in its hardship to journeying overland on foot. “In the path of easy practice, one aspires to be born in the Pure Land by solely entrusting oneself to the Buddha as the cause. Allowing oneself to be carried by the power of the Buddha’s Vow, one duly attains birth in the Pure Land. Supported by the Buddha’s power, one immediately enters the assurance of enlightenment of the Mahayana. The stage of assurance of enlightenment is none other than the stage of non-retrogression. It is compared to travelling in a boat by sea, pleasant.” –Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth in the Pure Land | Defined the school’s attributes |
| Self-power and other-power | From these proofs we can see that Other Power is to be taken as the augmentative cause. How could it be otherwise? Further, the following illustration will point out the characteristics of self-power and of Other Power. Out of fear of falling into the three evil realms, people undertake the observance of precepts. Because of their observance of precepts, they are able to cultivate meditation. Because they cultivate meditation, they acquire spiritual powers. Because they have spiritual powers, they are able to roam freely throughout the heavenly realms. Such is termed ‘self-power’. Again, an inferior man cannot even mount a donkey. However, when he follows an entourage of a Cakravartin king, he is able to fly through space and roam freely throughout the heavenly realms unobstructed. Such is termed ‘Other Power’. How ignorant we ordinary beings are! Practitioners of these latter times, when you hear about “Other Power”, learn it, and have faith! --Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth in the Pure Land | ||
| Daochuo | The Path of Sages and the Path of Pure Land | Question: All sentient beings have Buddha-nature, and they should have met many buddhas since distant eons ago. Then why are they still in the samsara and cannot escape from the burning house? Answer: According to Mahayana teachings, they couldn’t escape from the burning house certainly because of not knowing two excellent ways to eliminate life and death. Which two? First, the sagely way; second, rebirth in the Pure Land. The sagely way is difficult to realize nowadays because of two reasons: Firstly, the Great Saints passed a very long time ago; secondly, there is little understanding about the profound doctrines. Thus, the Candragarbha Sutra said, “In the Age of Dharma Decline, billions of sentient beings attempted to cultivate themselves for enlightenment; but not one of them has succeeded.” We’re right now in the Age of Dharma Decline, as well as the unwholesome World of Five Turbidities, and the Pure Land is the only path that can lead us to the goal. Thus, the Greater Sutra says, “If sentient beings, even those who have committed evil deeds for a lifetime, continuously call my name ten times at their deathbed, should they not be born in my land, may I not attain Perfect Enlightenment.” –Collection on the Land of Peace and Joy | Affirmed the school’s path |
| Shandao | Immediate and Gradual Teachings | Encompass Treasury of Bodhisattva, Embrace Immediate Teaching — Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra in Four Fascicles Diadem Sutra explicates gradual teachings, Ten thousand kalpas’s meritorious cultivations, Attained the non-retrogression stage; Contemplation Sutra and Amitabha Sutra as such, the Immediate Teaching Treasury of Bodhisattva. — In Praise of Pratyutpanna | Completed the Pure Land School |
| Paths of Importance and Great Vows | The Buddha who transforms the Saha World, in response to the request, propagates Pureland’s Path of Importance expansively; the Buddha who secured the Land of Peace and Joy, highlights the exceptional path of the Great Vow. The “Path of Importance” includes two doors, the meditative and the non-meditative practices, as told in the Contemplation Sutra. Meditative practice still focuses on anxiety and concentrates the mind; non-meditative practice means eradicate evil and nurture good. By dedicating these two practices, one aspires to rebirth in the Pure Land. The “Path of Great Vow”: The Infinite Light Sutra states, “All evil and good living beings who attained rebirth, with no exception, were being carried by the great vow power of Amitabha Buddha as augmentative cause”. Though preceding passages spoke of merits of the meditative and the non-meditative virtues, the Buddha’s underlying wish is that sentient beings recite Amitabha’s name single-mindedly. — Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra in Four Fascicles | ||
| Primary and Miscellaneous Practices | Based upon the practice to establish the conviction for rebirth, there are two practices: Primary Practice for one, Miscellaneous Practice, another. Speaking of “Primary Practice”, the practitioners who practice according to the rebirth sutras are recognized as performing the Primary Practices. What are these? Single-mindedly recite the Contemplation Sutra , the Amitabha Sutra, and the Infinite Life Sutra . Single-mindedly focus on thinking, contemplating, and keeping in mind the two splendid rewards of the Land of Bliss. If prostrating, then single-mindedly prostrating towards Amitabha Buddha. If chanting, then single-mindedly chant Namo Amituofo. If offering praises, then single-mindedly offer praises to Amitabha Buddha. Thus the Primary Practice is as such. In the Primary Practices, there are two kinds: One is “To recite Amitabha’s name single-mindedly and without deviation, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, whether for long or short periods – that is the karma of assurance. It is so because it accords with Amitabha Buddha’s vow.” If you rely on prostration, recitation, etc, those are called ”Supportive Action”. Other than the Primary and Supportive Practices, all other good actions are called “Miscellaneous Practices”. If one has practiced the Primary and Supportive Actions, being mindfully devoted, kept in mind, and chanted Amitabha Buddha’s name, such actions are called “Uninterrupted”. Suppose that after the Primary and Supportive Practices, , we still engaged in Miscellaneous actions, then our mindfulness would be frequently interrupted. Though we can still gain rebirth by offering dedication to the merits of Miscellaneous Practices, they would still be regarded as distracted and mixed practices.. — Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra in Four Fascicles |
The sound of Namo Amituofo is Light
