T'an-luan's View of the Ten Thoughts (Junen)

A characteristic feature of T'an-luan's Pure Land Buddhism lies in its thought that Amida Buddha's Vow-power is dominant indirect cause 増上縁. The attainment of birth in the Pure Land, attainment of the state of nonretrogression and abiding in a state in which Buddhahood will be attained in the next life are all promised in Amida Buddha's Original Vow. Once one attains birth in the Pure Land by riding upon the power of the Original Vow, one will surely attain a state in which Buddhahood will be realized in the next life. Thus the important thing is to first be born in the Pure Land. Tan-Iuan understands that those who will be born in the Pure Land are common beings living in the age of the five defilements in which no Buddha is present. Thus he reaches the conclusion that the ten thoughts mentioned in the section on the birth of those of the lower rank of the lower grade found in the Meditation Sutra is none other than the dominant indirect cause of Amida Buddha's power of the Original Vow. These ten thoughts are said to have two meanings: recollection of Amida Buddha and recitation of Amida Buddha's Name. It is necessary both to undertake them continually until the moment of death and to undertaken them with firm faith. Since it is difficult for common beings to continue the recollection as death approaches, the recitation of the Buddha's Name, with its immeasurable merits, is recommended. The charcateristic feature of Tan-Iuan's view of the ten thoughts lies in the fact that it focuses on the merits of the Name. Since the Buddha's Name contains immeasurable merits, it is possible to gain immeasurable merits by reciting the Name, and attain birth in the Pure Land. Tan-Iuan's ten thoughts are the method for undertaking bodhisattva practices by gaining birth into the Pure Land through the recitation of the Name