善導=Shandao,; 長西=Chosai; 三心=the Three Minds, the sincere mind, the profound minds, the longing minds (which dedicates all kinds of merit toward rebirth in the Pure Land); 自利真實=self-salvation perspective; 利他真實=altruistic perspective
Having devoted all his life to spreading Pure Land Ideology, Master Shandao (631-681) is widely known as the second patriarch in Chinese Pure Land Sect. Aside from that, he is also honored as Zendo Daishi in Japanese Pure Land Sect. Despite the fact that Master Shandao’s ideology is introduced to Japan as early as mid-seventh century, it was not until Honen’s(1133-1212) promotion in 12th century that Master Shandao’s ideology becomes prominent and indispensable in Japanese Pure Land Sect, amongst which Kuhonji School (one of the five branches) is founded by Honen’s disciple, Chosai (1184-1266). This thesis mainly focuses on how Master Shandao’s ideology develops in Japan from the perspective of the Three Minds (the utterly sincere mind, the profound mind, and the longing mind which dedicates all kinds of merit toward rebirth in the Pure Land) as depicted in the Commentary on the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra, which Chosai applies to his preaches at Kuhonji in his late years. To begin with, when interpreting the utterly sincere mind, Chosai focuses more on one that is attainable by ordinary beings rather than one that is perfectly identical to Amitabhā’s. Ordinary beings are only required to do their best in their spiritual cultivation, based on Amitabhā’s original vows and convictions. As to the profound mind, Chosai mainly separates Master Shandao’s seven profound minds into two categories: “conviction to rebirth in the Pure Land” and “conviction that is hard to waver”. “Conviction to rebirth in the Pure Land” mainly depicts ordinary beings’ firm believes in rebirth into the Pure Land. From “liberation” to “verification”, Chosai gives a clear account on how ordinary beings acquire such a profound mind. “Conviction that is hard to waver” mainly depicts ordinary beings’ firm believes in rebirth into the Pure Land, which cannot be wavered even when accused of not being able to do so. Finally, when interpreting the longing mind which dedicates all kinds of merit toward rebirth in the Pure Land, Chosai focuses on “directing all kinds of merit toward rebirth in the Pure Land” and “directing it with a resolution that is hard to waver”. Since being born into the Pure Land is an ultimate goal, ordinary beings dedicate their all kinds of merit to, they must do so with a resolution that is hard to waver. Since each aspect of the Three Minds is strongly connected to rebirth in the Pure Land, Chosai advocates that the Three Minds are developed based on an initial intention of self-salvation. From Chosai’s perspective of “mental factors, mental liberation, and ability to transform”, subtle relationships among the Three Minds can be sufficiently analyzed. To begin with, from a perspective of “mental factors”, Chosai believes that the profound mind comes first in ten mental conditions for cultivation of goodness, while the longing mind which dedicates all kinds of merit toward rebirth in the Pure Land comes fifth. The utterly
