Those able to understand both Ch'an and Pure land planted good roots in their previous lives. Such persons do not cling to principle while refraining from aciton nor do they seek principle that is removed from action. They perceive them both as propensities of mind; being completely free from doubt in that respect, there is no further need to be prodded by others. Due to their understanding, such persons are in position to determine their rebirth in the uppermost tier of Pure Land, in the golden lotus.
There is a fair amount of talk about the principle, but it is mostly superficial and as soon as someone attempts to explain this matter at some depth, little or no effort is made to comprehend and there are usually no signs of faith being generated. While giving a lecture, I have been frequently asked peripheral questions before I had the chance to broach the topic. One of the sages from antiquity commented that "Pure Land is one's own mind, Amitabha one's own nature." Pure Land is not outside one's own mind and Amitabha is not outside one's own nature, which is both principle and action. They are the perfect manifestation of nature and form. People who have never met someone truly attained may become confused when they meet someone who claims there is no Pure Land and no Amitabha outside one's own mind and one's own nature and there is no need to search further. Whoever clings to his/her own views in such manner and does not hold Pure Land and Amitabha as truly existing neither understands Ch'an nor Pure Land.
Some people believe in Pure Land but practice Ch'an in hope of becoming enlightened; there is no need for rebirth in Pure Land or to see Amitabha then, they feel. Mind is identical with its domain and vice versa; there is no other option. Being interchangeable, the two are inseparable. There is no contradiction in reciting "Buddha" or "mind" and whoever has a problem with that has fallen into duality. We have to understand the nature of mind as single thought, as unobstructed as space, transcending time. When thought is firmly anchored on Amitabha, it reaches out in the ten directions, and when mouth recites Amitabha's name at the same time, the resultant person and the dependent condition become one. Reciting "Buddha" with a focussed mind enables the practitioner to see the Buddha and to become buddha, transcending time. While seeking rebirth in Pure Land, the practitioner is converting sentient beings because in reality there is no front or back; mind is both buddha and sentient beings. When we say the mind is amitabha, then he holds all sentient beings in his mind; mind as sentient beings beholds Amitabha, thereby becoming unified. Manifestations of Pure Land take place in one's mind. At such time, the manifestations of one's mind become the manifestations of buddha; my mind is buddha-mind and buddha-mind is my mind: There is just one, undifferentiated substance. The mind of sentient beings is their Amitabha mind, Amitabha being a projection of the sentient beings' minds. How could Amitabha dwell in the minds of sentient beings and not have sentient beings dwell in his?
When we use our original buddha-mind for the recitation of "Buddha", we cannot not have the mind of the historical Buddha. It sounds complicated but it is easy to believe. If you practice, you will clearly derive benefits from it, and the results will be permanent. Pure Land is just mind, and Amitabha is merely one's own nature, but that does not imply that there is not any Pure Land in the West or that there is no Amitabha and no need to seek rebirth. Neither does it disclose mind and self-nature as the only conditions of birth and death. We must understand that to seek buddha is to seek one's own mind. When seeking one's own mind one is seeking buddha.
Understanding that mind has the propensity to become Pure Land does not mean being there; knowing that Amitabha is one's own self-nature does not imply knowing Amitabha. But people do not realize it is not enough to think about these matters. A partial understanding of the doctrine is onesided and inevitably results in problems.
In Pure land, attachment resulting from greed does not arise, nor do the remaining two poisons, namely anger and ignorance. This raises the question whether one can be without all that. Think about clothes or food and clothes or food come; but suppose they do not come: Feeling hungry and dejected, you quickly realize Pure Land is not merely a matter of mind or imagination. Amitabha has the potential of untold blessings and the power to make the world tremble: Hell can change into a lotus under his steady gaze as he observes the world. We lack the power to sustain our own existence, let alone to transform hell into a lotus. We have built the walls that separate us from our intuitive insight and now we cannot understand infinity. Some reject western Pure Land in the belief that it stands for birth and death, and choose eastern Pure Land instead; little do they know they chose annihilation. Neither accepting nor rejecting is a mark of an enlightened mind and whoever picks and chooses, though having eradicated delusion, has not attained buddhahood yet.
Sakyamuni Buddha cultivated good causes for an inconceivably long period of time and perfected virtues for just as long. As we follow him on his enlightening path we move up. Simultaneously, we reach in the opposite direction, saving sentient beings, and there is neither a space nor time to be found wherein judgements could be formulated or distinctions made. For the practice of Ch'an accepting and rejection are both wrong, but for the recitation of the Buddha's name, accepting and rejecting are both right. Ch'an is self-reliant while recitation practice is reliant on a power of the Buddha. There is much misunderstanding regarding these two methods and at times they are pitted against one another. Non-discriminating mind is the sweet dew of Ch'an. It turns to poison in the recitation of the Buddha's name: This is the key point of that controversy.
In the words of a sage from long ago, "A rebirth in Pure Land means a decision to be reborn; going to Pure Land is not really going." First part of that sentence speaks of principle. They complement each other and jointly bring the combination of principle and action to perfection. This wonderful teaching is unfortunately misunderstood by most and the paradigm or principle and action that it advances is frequently overlooked. Most of those in Pure Land practice engage in the activity but never give thought to the principle. Not understanding that "going to Pure Land" does not mean literally going somewhere, but that the action is in the decision and in the rebirth, they overlook how the action assists the principle at the expense of action produces an intellectual vacuum, but clinging to action at the expense of principle still makes rebirth in Pure Land possible. This method was devised out of compassion for the uninformed multitude and makes the Buddha's enlightening path accessible to them even if they do not understand its principle. Reciting "Amitabha" does nor signify the great enlightenment. Just holding on to the Buddha's name while reciting, caring neither about understanding nor enlightenment, will reduce evil karma.
Ch'an adepts should recite the Buddha's name to prevent backsliding and those who have selected Pure Land practice should settle in it and not consider any other. It is essential to establish your faith firmly, recite the Buddha's name holding on to it till it becomes completely familiar and from then on refrain from reciting with your mouth. Continue with recitation using your mind alone until the Buddha's name becomes permanently entrenched in it. When the Buddha is mind and mind is the Buddha, the Tripitaka, the twelve divisions of the Mahayana Canon and the seventeen hundred supreme koans become manifest. Three thousand revered rules for renunciants and eighty thousand fine actions are included in that instant. Whoever practices this way does not generate greed, hatred and ignorance and that is true discipline. Reciting without thoughts of self, others, right or wrong is cultivation of patience and eliminating all interruptions to the recitation is practicing zeal. If no false thought arises during recitation, this is a sign of correct meditation, and a distancing oneself from confusion when reciting is the mark of wisdom. The great master Lien Chi put it as follows: "One mention of Amitabha includes all of the eight teachings and perfectly accommodates the five sects." (The five major Buddhist sects in China of his time). The misunderstanding of recitation of the Buddha's name is rooted in a perception that is shallow, and that is where the problem lies.