The Easy and the Difficult Path of Bodhisattva Practice

by Venerable Sheng Yen

The easy path (yixing dao) and the difficult path (nanxing dao) are two ways of Bodhisattva practice. The terms first appeared in Chapter Five, “On the Easy Path” of Nagarjuna’s Exposition of Ten Stages of Bodhisattvahood (Sanskrit  Dasabhumivibhasa Shastra). The chapter introduces the two paths of Bodhisattva practice. It is like travelling in this world: going on foot takes more effort and is more arduous, while going by boat is less physically demanding and thus easier. In general, the easy path is to rely on faith as an expedient means until one attains the stage of non-regression, while the difficult path relies on one’s diligent effort to make progress.

The easy path described by Nagarjuna in his treatise consists of reciting the names of ten Buddhas in the ten directions including Buddha Bhadrashri (Chinese Shande Fo), or those of one hundred seven Buddhas including Amitabha Buddha; or those of one hundred forty-three  Bodhisattvas including Shumana Bodhisattva (Chn. Shanyi Pusa). By the time of Grandmaster Tanluan (476–542) of China, the practice of focusing on just reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha was advocated, as in the first fascicle of the master’s Commentary to the Treatise on Rebirth in the Pure Land (Chn. Wangshenglunzhu). This is called the easy path. It promotes the other-power of Amitabha Buddha’s original vows. By relying on that power, one will be able to transcend to the pure land, and eventually attain the stage of non-regression with the empowerment of Amitabha Buddha.

In his Anthology on Happy Contentment (Chn. Anleji), Grandmaster Daochuo (562–645)  referred to the difficult path as the way of the saints, and the easy path as the pure land way. Japanese Pure Land Master Honen Shonin (1133–1212) used the terms “self-power saintly way” and “other-power pure land” to differentiate the difficult path from the easy path.

It is evident that the easy path mentioned by Master Nagarjuna is to recite the names of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and to seek rebirth in one of the pure lands in the ten directions. However, in China and Japan, pure land followers take the practice with Amitabha Buddha as the easy path, relying on the power of his vows to help them transcend specifically to Amitabha Buddha’s pure land of ultimate bliss. After one arrives in Amitabha’s pure land, all things seen and heard there are mediums and designs through which Amitabha Buddha teaches the Dharma. Therefore, whatever one sees and hears constantly reminds one to be mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma, and mindful of the Sangha. As a result, it becomes much easier for one to attain enlightenment and get to the stage of non-regression.

Nevertheless, it would take a very long time for one who transcends to the pure land by completely relying on the power of Amitabha Buddha’s vow to reach the stage of non-regression. That is because in the pure land one can cultivate wisdom, but not blessings. Cultivating wisdom leads one away from vexation, but without cultivating blessings one cannot attain the merits of a  Bodhisattva. Therefore, though the pure land path is easier it is quite circuitous: one would need to wait till they have reached the stage of non-regression, and then return to the world to deliver sentient beings, to fully cultivate the blessings and virtues of a Bodhisattva. Only when both merits and wisdom are complete would they attain Buddhahood. As a wondrous expedient means, the easy path is particularly conducive for sentient beings that lack self-confidence, who are weak and timid, and who have deep retribution karma, giving them hope for deliverance. It also encourages them to diligently study Dharma and recite the names of the Buddhas.

THREE KALPAS  

As for the difficult path, it entails practising for three asamkheya kalpas, as well as accomplishing the most challenging ways on the Bodhisattva path, and withstanding the most unbearable obstacles to attaining Buddhahood. But it is the common pathway in the practice of Buddhadharma. All past, present, and future Buddhas who have attained and will attain Buddhahood, owe it to generating the unsurpassed and perfect great bodhi-mind on the causal ground. In other words, one who vows to become a Buddha should first attain faith and confidence.

According to the Jewelled Necklace Sutra (Chn. Yingluo Jing), cultivating faith takes one, two, or three kalpas in order to gain faith and confidence without regression, and to progress to the first of the ten stages of abiding in Bodhisattva wisdom (Chn. chuzhuwei). However, in Ashvaghosha’s (100–160) Treatise on Awakening to Faith in the Mahayana (Chn. Dasheng Qixin Lun; Skt. Mahayanasraddhotpada Shastra), he says, “Cultivating faith and  confidence takes ten thousand kalpas.” Building up faith and confidence and being able to enter the first abiding stage of Bodhisattva wisdom is the starting point of the first asamkheya kalpa. Then, arriving at the first bhumi stage of the Bodhisattva path to Buddhahood, one begins the second asamkheya kalpa. Completing the seventh bhumi stage is the starting point of the third asamkheya kalpa. When all ten bhumis are achieved, one has completed the three asamkheya kalpas, and becomes an absolute, universal, enlightened Bodhisattva, and enters the final two stages before realising full Buddhahood.

Bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteshvara (Chn. Guanyin), Mahasthamaprapta (Chn. Shizhi), Manjusri (Chn. Wenshu), Samantabhadra (Chn. Puxian), and  Kshitigarbha (Chn. Dizhang), all have one hundred more kalpas to go before attaining Buddhahood. This is the difficult path. During their time on the path, Bodhisattvas sacrifice their lives and take on rebirths, make unlimited giving of alms, cultivate countless offerings, and study with uncountable Buddhas. While being with sentient beings, they “never seek comfort and happiness for themselves, but vow to free sentient beings from suffering.” Day after day,  gradually the self-centred attachment will gradually dissipate, and blessings and wisdom will grow. When one’s selfless great compassion reaches its fullness, it will be the realisation of Buddhahood.

Before completing the first asamkheya kalpa, one is still an ordinary being. According to the Tiantai School, before the attainment of faith and confidence, one is at the “external ordinary rank.” From the first of ten abiding stages of  Bodhisattva wisdom, till completing the ten stages of transference (Chn. shihuixiang), they are at the “internal ordinary rank.” At these ordinary ranks, Bodhisattvas still have the sense of self and perceive that there are still sentient beings to be delivered, vexations to be eliminated, and Buddhahood to be attained. Because of their unshakeable faith and convictions in the Three Jewels, as well as the confidence on themselves, they bravely move forward and keep practising in accordance to the teachings without looking back.

OBSTRUCTIONS AND REGRESSION

Before the first stage of abiding and during the ten stages of faith and confidence, there would be dangers of losing faith from four kinds of obstructions: demonic, karmic, afflictive, and retributive. There is still a danger that one may lose faith and that’s why these stages are called “with the possibility of regression.” One might experience fluctuations of progress and regression; sometimes one would have strong faith in Buddhadharma and continue to practice, at other times one would drift away from Buddhadharma. However, once bodhi-mind has been generated, one has already planted the cause of eventually becoming a Buddha. Regardless of the strength of one’s causes, there is the chance of such causes emerging again and again from one’s eighth consciousness; and that would keep one continuing to practice Buddhadharma. Upon attaining non-regression in faith and confidence, there is no more uncertainty in the remaining time to be taken before one becomes a Buddha. However, from the viewpoint of suffering, one can say that the torment gets stronger, and the journey becomes more challenging. This is the difficult path for Bodhisattvas.

Did not the Chinese sages and heroes all hold the same view that “even in a cauldron of boiling oil, I would gladly endure hardship and suffering?” Bodhisattvas having to endure hardships and suffering is due to their vows, not to their karmic retributions. Therefore, to Bodhisattvas, this kind of difficult path is really a normal path of cultivation.

However, it should be recognised that the pure land method of Amitabha Buddha is not only for those with lesser faith and confidence. According to the Contemplations on Amitabha Buddha Sutra (Skt. Amitayurdhyana Sutra; Chn. Guanwuliangshou Jing), the conditions for being reborn among the nine grades of rebirth in the pure land, especially that for the highest grade, include the Bodhisattva path of generating the bodhi-mind and cultivating the three sources of blessings. Therefore, it is not completely dependent on Amitabha Buddha’s effort. Only at the lowest level of rebirth in the pure land does one rely completely on the other-power of Amitabha Buddha’s fundamental vow.

THE VOWS OF BODHISATTVAS

Question Should Bodhisattvas vow to deliver sentient beings before they attain Buddhahood?

Answer According to the chapter titled “Karmic Retribution of Sentient Beings in Jambudvipa” in the Original Vows of Kshitigarbha (Earth Store) Bodhisattva Sutra, countless of kalpas ago, Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva was the ruler in a small kingdom, and a friend of the neighbouring king. In both kingdoms, people often committed evil acts and seldom did good deeds. To improve the situation, the two kings wanted to find ways to help people become more virtuous. The first king vowed to attain Buddhahood quickly in order to liberate sentient beings from suffering. The second king vowed to deliver sentient beings from suffering, so that they may live in peace and attain enlightenment, even before attaining Buddhahood himself. The king who vowed to attain Buddhahood quickly eventually attained it and was known as Sarvajnasiddha Tathagata (“Thus Come One Who Has Attained Omniscience”) innumerable kalpas ago. The second king, who vowed to deliver sentient beings before attaining Buddhahood, was Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva, who has yet to attain Buddhahood.

Looking at these two cases people might ask, “Which should I aspire to first, attaining Buddhahood or helping others to reach liberation?” The answer depends on one’s aspirations. When he was still a king, Sarvajnasiddha Buddha vowed to attain Buddhahood quickly in order to deliver sentient beings; he did not say he wanted to attain Buddhahood first, and then deliver sentient beings later. In other words, he vowed to attain Buddhahood as a result of completing his Bodhisattva path; after becoming Buddha he would still deliver sentient beings. In fact, after attaining Buddhahood he lived for sixty thousand kalpas, so the sentient beings delivered by him were countless.

The second king, Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva, vowed to deliver all sentient beings ahead of attaining Buddhahood, and since his vow is perpetual, to this day Kshitigarbha is still a Bodhisattva. Based on his own aspirations, Kshitigarbha did not want to follow the usual Bodhisattva path of taking three asamkheya kalpas – so-called because they are incalculably long – plus one hundred kalpas to attain Buddhahood. This does not mean that everyone needs to make the same vow as either Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva or Sarvajnasiddha Buddha.

VOWS AND KARMA

Bodhisattvas experience rebirth due to the power of their vows, while ordinary sentient beings experience rebirth due to the power of their karma. Bodhisattvas take rebirth again and again in the three realms of desire, form, and formlessness for the purpose of delivering sentient beings, while ordinary sentient beings wander through the three realms to receive karmic retribution. Though in the three realms,  Bodhisattvas are free beings who have already achieved liberation, ordinary sentient beings are pitiful beings bound by karmic retribution to the cycles of birth and death. Since saintly Bodhisattvas are free and at ease, to them there’s no difference between attaining Buddhahood first or liberating sentient beings first. Therefore, Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva vowed not to become a Buddha as long as hell is not empty. Among all Bodhisattvas, his compassionate vow stood above all others. Other Bodhisattvas who have not made this vow follow the customary Bodhisattva path of practising for three great kalpas before becoming Buddhas.

To follow the Bodhisattva path is to vow to pursue Buddhahood while also transforming sentient beings. The vow does not mean that one would attain Buddhahood having to deliver sentient beings along the way. In the Kshitigarbha  Sutra, Sarvajnasiddha Buddha vowed to reach Buddhahood quickly, but that’s not to say that he did not go through three great kalpas of practice and delivering sentient beings. However, compared with Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva, who is still going through numerous kalpas of time on the Bodhisattva path, Sarvajnasiddha Buddha attained Buddhahood more quickly. Accordingly, “I vow to attain Buddhahood quickly in order to deliver sentient beings,” and “I vow to deliver all sentient beings before attaining Buddhahood,” are just different compassionate vows of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

DELIVERING SENTIENT BEINGS  

Question Why should the Buddha deliver sentient beings?

Answer In the Diamond Sutra the Buddha says to Subhuti: “Those to whom you refer are neither sentient beings nor non-sentient  beings.” The sutra also says, “According to the Tathagata, sentient beings are not sentient beings; they are merely called sentient beings.” Also, “Truthfully, there are no sentient beings to be delivered by the Tathagata; if there were  sentient beings to be delivered by him, he would be holding the notion of a self, others, sentient beings, and lifespan.” To deliver sentient beings is a vow made by future Buddhas when they make the great resolution to attain Buddhahood. It is a vow made before the attainment of Buddhahood, and thus while one still holds the sense of self. Therefore, before Bodhisattvas and ordinary people attain Buddhahood, there are sentient beings to be delivered.

But after one attains Buddhahood, there will no longer be sentient beings or Buddhas; otherwise, there will still be a duality. If there is still the notion of those who deliver in relation to those who are delivered, it would not be complete. In that case, one is yet to realise the dharma body in its totality. This is because upon attaining the dharma body in its totality, there will be no more distinctions such as inside and outside, this and that. It is like a drop of water that comes from the ocean and returns to the ocean. From the ocean’s perspective, all water belongs to the entirety of water, and only when seeing it from each drop’s perspective are there rivers, streams, rain, dew, snow, frost, ice, and fog.

Again the Diamond Sutra says, “Virtuous men and women who vow to attain the unsurpassed perfect wisdom of a buddha (Skt. anuttara-samyak-sambodhi), should give rise to such a mind: ‘I should deliver all sentient beings, and when all sentient beings are delivered, there is really no one sentient being that is delivered.’” Before attaining Buddhahood, all aspiring Bodhisattvas must deliver sentient beings; therefore, there are sentient beings to be delivered. So, from the standpoint of Bodhisattvas, there are always sentient beings to be delivered. Even after reaching the first Bodhisattva ground, knowing there are no sentient beings to deliver, they would still strive to deliver sentient beings. After reaching the eighth Bodhisattva ground, it would be a natural process, and they no longer need to make a deliberate effort to deliver sentient beings.

Therefore, upon becoming a Buddha one would no longer need to deliver sentient beings, because in fact there are no sentient beings to deliver. Rather, all sentient beings deliver themselves. They receive resonating response of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in manifested forms depending on the level of their virtuous roots, merits and blessings, and karmic affinity. These manifestations are the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in the minds of sentient beings, not the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas out there.

The virtuous roots of sentient beings are inherent but without cultivation and nurturing, they would not grow and manifest. The more one strives to learn Dharma, the more one can resonate with the responses of compassionate guidance from Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. One needs to first help oneself so that one can be helped by others; only then would they receive resonating manifestations of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

GROWING VIRTUOUS ROOTS   

Buddhism often uses the analogy of a bell – when a bell is struck lightly it chimes softly; when struck firmly it chimes loudly, but if not struck it won’t chime by itself. Therefore, if sentient beings do not strive to grow their virtuous roots, even though the Buddha’s dharma body is omnipresent, it would not be of help. To grow their virtuous roots, people should generate bodhi-mind; it means that when sentient beings resolve to strive for Buddhahood, they would obtain the Buddha’s guidance and resonating response. When they attain Buddhahood, they would receive and resonate with sentient beings’ request for guidance, rather than for the Buddha to seek resonance with sentient beings. On attaining Buddhahood, all Buddhas are omniscient. That is why they are said to be completely and perfectly knowing and enlightened, and to respond to requests without fail. When sentient beings ask for help, the Buddha will definitely respond.

The Buddha does not rely on knowledge to deliver sentient beings. The Buddha’s omniscience does not mean that he needs to know everything known by all sentient beings, nor does he need to base his response on the logic and ideals in the experience of sentient beings. This is because the Buddha is the whole, while sentient beings are partial and individual. The Buddha can give sentient beings what they need,  without having to learn what sentient beings know. Rather, he would give directly to sentient beings what they need. Therefore, sentient beings of different capacities benefit differently from the Dharma. The analytical and inductive methods used by ordinary human beings are based on individual and partial perspectives. The capacity of the Buddha’s mind contains the whole; therefore,  his completely and perfectly knowing cannot be explained or measured by the methods used by ordinary people.

TRANSFORMATION BODY

The Buddhas we see in this world, such as Shakyamuni Buddha, principally exist in his transformation body. They look like human beings when in the human realm, like heavenly beings when in heaven, and like hell denizens when in hell. When among a particular type of sentient beings, Buddhas are like that type of sentient being. As such a manifested Buddha has a shape and form, and exists in space and time. Therefore, he would need to learn in order to attain all knowledge of human beings; he would then use that knowledge as tools to deliver all sentient beings, thus benefiting them. The Buddha can simultaneously appear as countless forms in countless places to enlighten countless sentient beings. Yet, the essence of his dharma body does not move.

Therefore, simply because the transformation body of a Buddha arises and subsides, it does not mean that his dharma body would also arise and subside. It is also not correct to assume that the dharma body of a Buddha has limitations just because his transformation body needs to acquire human knowledge. In fact, the transformation body of a Buddha is also completely and perfectly knowing; this is because in its different forms the transformation body is never apart from the dharma body. However, it is not correct to say that the dharma body’s complete and perfect knowing can be deduced from the knowledge and ability of the transformation body as perceived by ordinary sentient beings.

CHAN PRACTICE AND ENLIGHTENMENT 

Question What shall one do if after lifelong Chan practice, one still has not attained enlightenment?

Answer In Chan Buddhism, enlightenment means letting go of everything and having no attachments in the mind; that is to say, there is nothing to seek and nothing to give up. So if within a single thought we could let go of all our myriad engagements, in that moment we would be in enlightenment. As far as sudden realisation or sudden enlightenment is concerned, there is no gradual progress or stages of attainment. So there is no need to worry about whether one has attained enlightenment before passing on.

In Chan practice, one must guard against setting one’s mind on seeking or anticipating enlightenment. Seeking enlightenment, one will not attain it; anticipating enlightenment, one is merely lost and confused. Seeking and anticipating are delusions, attachments, entanglements, and clinging. Therefore, while true Chan practitioners are aware of enlightenment, they do not covet it as the goal of practice. The thought of being enlightened is appropriate before one begins practising, but during the course of practice, one must let go of this thought in order to practice well.  

Therefore, practitioners of Chan emphasise the process rather than the goal. During the process, one follows the guidance of a good teacher, uses the correct methods, and practices diligently to go forward with determination. As the  saying goes, “One slap, one bloody palm, one step, one footprint.” One simply upholds the method in each and every thought, paying no concern to anything else. If one is clearly aware thought after thought without a break, holding closely to the method without gaps, meticulously without end, the practice naturally gathers strength. At this time one will know that none of these ideas – being enlightened or not, birth and death or nirvana – has anything to do with practice.

RENOUNCE ALL ATTACHMENTS  

Beginning Buddhist practitioners generally know that the cycle of birth and death is an ocean of sufferings, and nirvana is the shore of liberation, but they do not really understand that there is no absolute boundary between birth and death, and nirvana. So beginners think that they should fear birth and death, and seek nirvana; they believe that before attaining enlightenment, they are shackled by vexations, troubled by birth and death, and tormented by myriad sufferings. And that once they attain enlightenment, they will be liberated from the cycle of birth and death, and become completely free. Little do they know that such a [dualistic view] is an expedient means for the confused, to lure them into practising the Dharma; it is not for the enlightened. Once they step into the gate of the Dharma, gain faith and start to practice, they should be taught to not practice for any goals, that seeking enlightenment is also attachment. One has to be rid of all attachments in order to attain enlightenment, and not be afflicted by birth and death.  Recognising this, one will be able to let go of the desire to seek or anticipate enlightenment.

Spending one’s whole life practising without gathering strength indicates that from beginning to end, one has not learned to renounce attachments or let them go. Nevertheless, if one always practices diligently, even though one is driven by the fear of birth and death and the yearning for enlightenment, at least one need not worry about falling into the three lower planes of the desire realm. After all, focusing one’s mind on leaning towards enlightenment is better than towards hell.

VOW POWER  

Buddhadharma emphasises the power of our vows as well as the force of karma. If in our practice we are guided by our vows, even though obstacles from our past karma might prevent us from attaining liberation in this lifetime, we would at least not stray from the Three Jewels. If we cannot attain enlightenment in this life, we will still be able to continue diligently practising the three learning of precepts, samadhi, and wisdom in the next life, guided by the power of our vows. This is because the merits of upholding the precepts, together with the deeds of samadhi and wisdom, will lead us to be reborn in a heavenly place or in the pure land, or even attain enlightenment. At the very least, we would be reborn into the human world to continue studying and practising the Dharma.

Therefore, Chan practitioners should not be concerned about the direction they may go after death. However, there are practitioners who perceive that the strength of their practice is weak, who lack confidence and doubt the strength of their vow and the depth of their cultivation. They may fear that because their vow and their strength in the practice of precepts, samadhi, and wisdom are not strong enough, at the time of death they would be affected by the manifestation of bad karma or led astray by demonic foes. This would separate them from the Three Jewels, causing them to fall into the three lower planes, trapped in the cycle of birth and death with no chance to return. For these practitioners, it’s better to rely on Amitabha Buddha’s vow and seek rebirth in the Western pure land. In the meantime, they can use the merits accrued from all aspects of their practices including Chan meditation, to increase the provision for rebirth in the pure land; this would be the most reliable way.

Therefore, since the Song Dynasty, there has been much interaction between the schools of Chan and Pure  Land, and the dual practice of Chan and Pure Land has been promoted. This entails an equal emphasis on the methods of Chan and the power of the vow to seek rebirth in the pure land. If one can gather strength through Chan practice, there will be no need to worry about whether one will attain enlightenment. As in the case of a true Chan practitioner mentioned earlier, if one’s practice cannot gather strength, one would still have the wondrous pure land as one’s temporary home to continue one’s practice.