| Shandao | |
| Native Name: | 善導 |
| Native Name Lang: | zh |
| Religion: | Buddhism |
| School: | Pure Land Buddhism |
| Lineage: | 2nd generation |
| Temple: | Wuzhen Temple Xuanzhong Temple Wenguo Temple Fengxian Temple |
| Dharma Names: | Shandao |
| Nationality: | Chinese |
| Birth Date: | 613 |
| Birth Place: | Zibo, Shandong, China |
| Death Place: | Chang'an, Shaanxi, China |
| Teacher: | Mingsheng Daochuo |
| Works: | Commentaries on the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra |
| Background: |
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Shandao (; Japanese: Zendō Daishi; 613–681) was a Chinese Buddhist scholar monk and an influential figure of East Asian Pure Land Buddhism.[1] Shandao was the first Pure land author who outright stated that ordinary people can be reborn in the Pure Land primarily by relying on the power of Amitābha Buddha's vows. Due to this, several modern scholars consider Shandao to be the true founder of Chinese Pure Land.[2] According to Alfred Bloom, Shandao "systematized Pure Land thought and brought it to its highest peak of development in China." Shandao was also the first Pure Land author to state that mere oral recitation of Amitabha's name was sufficient for rebirth in the Pure Land.
Shandao's writings had a strong influence on later Pure Land masters, including the Japanese pure land founders Hōnen and Shinran. In Jōdo Shinshū, he is considered the Fifth Patriarch, while in Chinese Pure Land Buddhism, he is considered the second patriarch after Lushan Huiyuan.
Shandao was born in what is now Zhucheng, in Shandong Province, China. When he was young, he entered the priesthood and devoted himself to the study of the Infinite Life and Vimalakirti Sutras. One day, in the year 641, he visited the temple of the famous Pure Land master Daochuo, who happened to be giving a lecture on the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra. This lecture ultimately inspired him to become Daochuo's disciple, so he could follow and then spread Pure Land Buddhism.[3]
After Daochuo's death, Shandao traveled to the imperial capital at Chang'an (modern Shaanxi) to preach Pure Land Buddhism. There, Shandao dwelt at Xiangji Temple, which continues to honor his memory and contributions.
In his lifetime, Shandao wrote five major works on Pure Land Buddhism, with his commentaries on the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra being among the most influential.
Shandao synthesized much of the teachings of earlier Chinese Pure Land Buddhists, such as Tanluan and Daochuo, however, he also introduced new ideas that became central to both Chinese and Japanese Pure Land traditions. The key four ideas of Shandao's thought are:[4]
Shandao also defended the view that Amitabha was perceived as a reward-body Buddha (samboghakaya) and that Sukhavati was seen as a reward-land by beings who were reborn there. He thus went against a common idea in China at the time which saw Amitabha and his Pure Land as a transformation body (nirmanakaya) with limited lifespan. However, he was also adamant that even though this Pure Land was a glorious reward land, it was not accessible only to Buddhas and bodhisattvas (a common feature of samboghakaya buddha-fields), but was actually accessible to all beings. This is because the power of Amitabha's vows can carry all beings to the Pure Land:
If we discuss the hindrances of the defilements of the sentient beings, It is very difficult to wish to be born in the Pure Land. [However], if we rely completely on the power of the essential vow of Amitabha Buddha, [the reliance] becomes a powerful condition by which all five vehicles are, with equanimity, permitted to enter the Pure Land.Shandao also innovated in his discussion of the nine grades of rebirth into the Pure Land, which he divided into three main categories: higher, middling, and lower. Each category is further divided into three, thus, there is the highest of the higher level, the middle higher, and the lower higher, etc. For Shandao, all of these grades are for different types of sentient beings. This contrasts with previous authors who had argued that higher levels were for bodhisattvas and the lower levels were for ordinary people.
Shandao also held that ordinary people could easily be born in the Pure Land by reciting the Buddha's name. Previous authors had argued that to even be born in the lowest grades one needed to have some spiritual attainment in practicing Mahayana Buddhism.[9] Shandao even argues that even those who have committed the "five grave deeds" (which includes killing one's parents, injuring a Buddha, etc) can attain the Pure Land through the Buddha's power.
Another important teaching of Shandao is the schema of the Three Minds (三心), which indicate the faithful mental attitude that is needed to attain rebirth in the Pure land. This is derived from a passage in the Sutra on the Visualization of Amitayus which states that beings who are born in the highest grade are "sentient beings who resolve to be born in that land, awaken the threefold mind and so are born there."[10] The sutra goes on to explain that the three are: "first, a sincere mind; second, a deep mind; and third, a mind that seeks birth there by transferring one's merit. Those who have these three kinds of mind will certainly be born there."
In Hymns in Praise of Birth (Wangsheng Lizan Ji, 往生礼讃), Shandao explains the three minds as follows:
If you wish to attain birth in that land unfailingly, you should possess the three minds as mentioned in the Contemplation Sutra and, then, ensure birth there. What are the three minds? First, sincere mind; worshiping that Buddha as the bodily act, praising and glorifying him as the verbal act, and concentrating on and contemplating him as the mental act - in performing those three kinds of acts, you are required to be sincere. Hence, this is called 'sincere mind.'Second, deep mind; this is the true faith which accepts that you are an ordinary person full of evil passions, possessed of few roots of good, subject to transmigration in the three worlds, and unable to escape from the 'burning house'; nevertheless, now you recognize the fact that Amitabha's Universal Primal Vow definitely ensures birth in the Pure Land of those who recite the Name even ten times or down to once. Since you do not entertain even a single thought of doubt, such a state of mind is called 'deep mind.' Third, making aspiration for birth through merit-transference; you aspire for birth through transferring all the roots of good towards it; hence, such a state of mind is called 'making an aspiration for birth through merit-transference.'Those who possess all the three minds unfailingly attain birth. If one of them is lacking, birth cannot be attained. Detailed expositions are given in the Contemplation Sutra.
Shandao discusses Pure Land practice in various ways. His most general schema is one which divides practices into primary practices (zhengxing) and miscellaneous practices (zaxing). For Shandao, the primary Pure Land practices are:
Shandao further highlights the importance of nianfo, the oral recitation of Buddha's name (in Chinese: Nāmó Ēmítuófó, 南無阿彌陀佛, "Homage to Amitabha Buddha"), by classifying it as the "primary deed" (zhengye), while calling the other four practices "auxiliary" (zhuye). This indicates that for him, oral recitation of Amitabha's name is the most important practice out of the five. Miscellaneous practices on the other hand include all other practices, including keeping Buddhist precepts, doing meritorious acts, other forms of Buddhist meditation and so forth. In Hymns in Praise of Birth, Shandao also taught the "Five Mindful Practices" and "Four Modes of [Pure Land Buddhist] Practice" (四修).[11]
The Five Mindful Practices, which Shandao quotes directly from Vasubandhu's Discourse on the Pure Land (Jìngtǔ lùn 浄土論) are: (1) worship Amitabha reverentially with a concentrated mind and make offerings; (2) praise the glory of Amitabha and his Pure Land; (3) concentrate, contemplate and think of Amitabha and the noble beings of the Pure Land; (4) aspire to be born in the Pure Land with a sincere heart; and (5) concentrate on and rejoice in your good deeds and the good deeds done by all beings and dedicate the merit of all good deeds towards birth in the Pure Land.
The Four Modes of Practice are described by Shandao as:
Aside from nianfo, Shandao often emphasized other textual, meditative and ritual practices. Shandao's tract, "The Meritorious Dharma Gate of the Samādhi Involving Contemplation of the Ocean-like Marks of the Buddha Amitābha" (Chinese: 阿彌陀佛相海三昧功德法門; Pinyin: Ēmítuófó xiāng hǎi sānmèi gōngdé fǎmén) emphasizes samādhi and ritual practice. Also, Shandao's direct disciples, such as Huaigan, were recorded as having emphasized meditation practices.[12] Similarly, Shandao's Fǎshì Zàn (法事讚) focuses on the ritual recitation of the Amitabha Sutra in front of an altar with a statue of the Buddha.[13] Shandao also practiced copying the Pure Land sutras. The Xu Gaoseng zhuan contains a biography of Shandao which states that "after he entered the capital, he preached his teaching extensively. He transcribed the Amituo jing (Amitabha Sutra) many tens of thousands of times."[14]
- First, reverential practice: this is to revere and worship the Buddha and all the holy sages in his assembly; hence, this is called 'reverential practice.' Perform this act continuously with determination until the end of your life; this is a long term practice.
- Second, exclusive practice; this is to recite the Buddha's Name exclusively, be mindful of, contemplate, worship and praise the Buddha and all the holy sages exclusively without mixing other acts with these; hence, this is called 'exclusive practice.' Perform these acts continuously with determination until the end of your life; this is a long term practice.
- Third, uninterrupted practice: this is to perform acts of reverence, worship, recitation of the Name, praise, mindfulness, contemplation, making aspiration and transferring your merits uninterruptedly with continuous concentration, without mixing other acts with these; hence, this is called 'uninterrupted practice.' Do not allow evil passions, such as greed and anger, to arise to interrupt your practice. Whenever you commit faults, repent immediately. Without awaiting moments, passage of time, and days, keep your practice pure and unadulterated; and so this is called 'uninterrupted practice.'
- Perform these acts continuously with determination until the end of your life; this is a long term practice.
In addition, Shandao's expositions on the Pure Land are also rooted in classic Madhyamika and Yogacara principles, indicating his deep study of the Buddhist philosophical tradition. Shandao was also noted to be a practitioner who engaged in ascetic practices such as never lying down to sleep and constantly practicing samādhi and ritual activity, and he is said to have advised other people to do the same.[15]
In his Commentary on the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra, Shandao described the Pure Land Buddhist path using a now famous parable known as the Parable of the Two Rivers and White Path (Ch: 二河白道) which describes a man harried by bandits and wild beasts who comes to a river bank. Spanning a river is a narrow, white path, while on one side the river is made of churning water, and the other fire. Then, the man hears a voice calling from the other side of the river, assuring him that if he crosses the path, he will be safe.
The voice on the other side of the river is said to be Amitabha Buddha leading the follower across toward the Pure Land.
Shandao's tract, the "Correct Mindfulness for Rebirth at the Moment of Death" (Chinese: 臨終往生正念文; Pinyin: Línzhōng wǎngshēng zhèngniàn wén), presents a nuanced understanding of the rebirth process and details many dangers that he believed could hinder the dying aspirant’s rebirth in the Pure Land. In another tract, "The Meritorious Dharma Gate of the Samādhi Involving Contemplation of the Ocean-like Marks of the Buddha Amitābha" (Chinese: 阿彌陀佛相海三昧功德法門; Pinyin: Ēmítuófó xiāng hǎi sānmèi gōngdé fǎmén) Shandao describes a specific set of ritual protocols and practices for helping dying Buddhist devotees achieve successful deliverance from “evil destinies” and procure successful rebirth in the Pure Land. Other similar hagiographical records from Shandao reflect concerns regarding more complicated requirements for rebirth in the Pure Land, including but not limited to recitation of Amitābha's name on one's deathbed specifically. Charles Jones also shows how Shandao conceived of it to be possible for one to fail to be born "at the final moment ... if impure persons defiled the ritual space and allowed demonic beings to invade."[16]
At the same time, Shandao and his disciple Huaigan emphasised that all ordinary beings, no matter their level of attainment, are capable of birth by the power of the Buddha's vows, and that "even the worst evil-doer could say the name of the Buddha and gain immediate access to a glittering Pure Land immediately after death." In particular that utterance is interpreted by Shandao as calling "Amitābha Buddha for seven days or even for one day for as little as ten oral invocations or even one oral calling or one contemplation," and that birth in the Pure Land was not for superior practitioners, but for the lowest kinds of people who have performed "unwholesome acts: the Five Heinous Deeds, the ten evils, and everything that is not good."
Shandao wrote several texts, including Mahayana commentaries.
Shandao's extant works include:
In Japanese Pure Land traditions, such as Jōdo-shū and Jōdo Shinshū, Shandao is traditionally seen as having advocated for the exclusivity of the nianfo/nembutsu as a practice in order to seek salvation through Amitābha, meaning that reciting the name of Amitābha Buddha was all that was needed. Writers such as Julian Pas have suggested that these traditional narratives surrounding Shandao were misleading, and that rather he wrote extensive commentaries to scriptures regarding complex samādhi practices such as visualization and meditation, showing that he promoted different practices and methods.[19] [20]
On the other hand, defenders of the Japanese approach, such as Jérôme Ducor, have suggested that writers such as Pas have misrepresented the relevant Japanese sources, and that Shandao's scheme clearly delineates between "meditation sūtras" such as the Pratyutpanna Sūtra from sūtras that teach "birth in the Pure Land," among which are included the Infinite Life Sūtra, the Amitābha Sūtra, and the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra. Ducor also notes how Shandao's Commentary on the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra makes clear the distinction between birth in the Pure Land by faith and nianfo/nembutsu, which he regards as definitive and a "non-requested" teaching, from the meditative practices such as visualisation, which he regards as a skilful means and a teaching given only on request by Queen Vaidehī.[21]