If, when I become Buddha, the sentient beings in my land do not decidedly attain the equal of perfect enlightenment, so that they realize great nirvana, may I not attain enlightenment.
Kyogyoshinsho 3.3
Although there are initially nine grades among those aspiring for birth, now [in the Pure Land] there are no distinctions whatsoever. It is like the waters of the Tzu and Sheng becoming one in taste upon entering the sea.
Kyogyoshinsho 3.8
I think about these passages. This is why we’re all here. When we envision ourselves in the pure land, there’s no difference between our future enlightenment, my future enlightenment, or your future enlightenment. We’re just all future buddhas, In this world, we’re always struggling. We’re always struggling, no matter how easy we think life is or how difficult it is.
The first part was one of Amida’s vows.
The second part is actually from the contemplation sutra, or one of the sutras that says there are nine grades of followers of Amida, and we’re the very lowest of the low. And we can’t even do that. So when we do practice or something, we just focus on the hairs that grow between our eye brows. We can’t envision the whole Buddha, but we just focus on the hairs, so that we get glimpses of enlightenment.
I looked up some famous people that have passed on in the past year. People like Jimmy Carter, James Earl Jones, Phil Donahue, Willie Mays, Dr Ruth, Famous Amos. They changed our lives, right?
Even for our temple, in the past year, many in our Sangha many have passed on.
These are all influences in our sangha. These are all how we reflect — when we reflect within our lives and say, these are Buddhas now. No matter what the lesson was, how do we learn from them? How do we owe these people our lives? How can we help people through the hardest times of their lives?
This is why we have a temple. All walks of life, all different lives, all grades of people.
I reflect on all of these influences that we have had in our lives, all of the people that have come together at this temple for us to be able to have a place to remind us or to teach us more about ourselves, but also just give us a safe place to say that every sentient being is equal, will be equal in the future. Everyone’s enlightenment will be the same. There will be no animals in the Pure Land. There will be no gender, no colors, because everyone will be a Buddha.
As we look to each other and learn from each other, just remember everyone deserves to be here. Everyone try to understand their heart and then communicate for the best outcome. This is how our temple will grow, is through the heart of Amida Buddha that penetrates within us and then that heart spreads. That light spreads through aspiration, sincerity and entrusting.
Gassho and Namo Amida Butsu,
Rev. Kory Quon
December 2024