Open Diary

Home

Jōdo Wasan 39–44

12th of December 2023

These wasan mainly discuss the various features of the Pure Land, specifically relating to its infinite, boundless teaching that reaches all of us. I have only made minimal notes here, because I think the meaning is very similar for each of them.

39

The delicate, wondrous sounds of jewel-trees in the jewel-forests
Are a naturally pure and harmonious music,
Unexcelled in subtlety and elegance,
So take refuge in Amida, the music of purity.

sounds: the branches of the trees, the waters of the ponds, and the things that work and move – these all, without exception, produce the sound of dharma.
pure and harmonious: the softness of the sounds of the notes, kung, shang, chiao, cheng, and yu [of the ancient Chinese scale].

The Pure Land is the same as the dharmakaya itself, which is the formless teaching body. That is, the true nature of reality is the Buddhadharma itself. Therefore, the nature of Pure Land itself is to preach the Dharma in infinite ways, which we all hear just by being part of that true reality already. Therefore Amida is here given the name "the music of purity".

40

Trees of seven precious materials fill the land,
Mutually reflecting each other’s brilliance;
The flowers, fruits, branches, and leaves all shine thus,
So take refuge in Amida, the store of virtues fulfilled through the Primal Vow.

Here imagery similar to Indra's net is invoked, as if the Dharma preached by the trees reflects off the other trees resonantly. In the realm of truth, then, the teachings and the preaching of them are resonantly enhanced by the realm of truth itself.

41

Pure winds blow in the jewel-trees,
Producing the five tones of the scale.
As those sounds are harmonious and spontaneous,
Pay homage to Amida, the one imbued with purity.

Again we are told of another way that the teachings are enhanced, even simply the wind passing through the land of true enlightenment causes immense preaching of the teachings. From the perspective of the Pure Land, there is no event that can occur that will not result in the preaching of the purifying teachings.

42

Beams of light, thirty-six hundred
Thousand billion in number,
Shine brilliantly from within each flower;
There is no place they do not reach.

Everywhere is fully illumined by the light of Amida, both in the Pure Land and in our saha world. There is no way we can escape from it, no way to move away from it. It is like diamond-like shinjin.

43

Buddha-bodies, equal in number
To the thirty-six hundred thousand billion
Beams of light, emerge from each flower;
Their features and marks are like mountains of gold.

features: the major characteristics of a Buddha.
marks: the minor characteristics of a Buddha.

44

Each feature and mark releases, throughout the ten quarters,
A hundred thousand beams of light;
Thus the Buddhas constantly teach and spread the excellent dharma
And lead beings into the Buddha’s path.

The Dharma that the Buddhas teach is the true teaching of the Pure Land, and the Buddha means Amida Buddha, since, according to the 17th vow, all Buddhas preach that Dharma.

Joe Bentley