Beyond the Clouds

As found in the Senchaku Hongan Nembutsu Shu by Honen Shonin, Chapter VIII page 78 (Commentary on the Meditation Sutra by Shan Tao):

Now I should like to say something for the sake of everyone who desires Rebirth. I wish to relate a parable in order to protect the faith in their minds and defend it from foreign and heretical views. What is this?

Imagine a man intending to travel hundreds and thousands of miles to the West. Unexpectedly he comes upon two rivers blocking the roadway. The one to the south is a river of fire while the one to the north is of water. Each is a hundred paces across, bottomless in depth, and stretches endlessly to the north and south.

Exactly between the two streams of fire and water, there is a single white pathway about four or five inches wide which extends a hundred paces, from the eastern to the western shores. The waves of the water river surge over and submerge the path; the flames of the fire river rise up and sear it. Both the water and the fire continually surge over the passageway without rest.

The man, upon reaching this faraway deserted place, finds no one there except a large band of robbers and savage beasts, seeing the man alone, they come racing after him intending to kill him. The man, fearing that death is imminent turns and runs straight toward the West. But suddenly he sees those great rivers, and he says to himself, " I see no shore of these rivers, either to the north or south, but between them I see a single white path. It is extremely narrow. The distance between shores is not great, but how shall I cross? Surely I am doomed to die today! If I try to turn back, the band of robbers and savage beasts will close in for the kill. Certainly if I try to avoid them and flee to the north or south, there too savage beasts and poisonous insects will come racing to swarm upon me. If I go west and try to flee along the path, in all probability I shall fall into the stream of fire and water." At this point, his fear is too great to be described. He reflects further, “If I turn back, I shall die. If I stay here, I shall also die. If I go forward, I face the same fate. Since there is no escape from certain death, I had better go straight ahead over the narrow path that lies before me. Since a path exists, one must surely be able to cross over on it."




While he is thinking in this way, from the eastern bank he suddenly hears someone encouraging him saying, "Oh traveller, simply make up your mind firmly to try to cross on this path and you will surely escape the pangs of death! If you linger here, you will surely die!" Then he hears someone else on the western shore calling and saying, "Oh traveller! Single-mindedly and with full concentration come straightforward. I can protect you! Do not worry about the horrors of falling into the fire of the water.”

Hearing one voice urging him on and the other beckoning to him, he is able to steel his own body and mind properly, and he firmly resolves to try to cross over the path. He goes straight forward, allowing no doubt or uncertainty to arise in his mind. But after a step or two, he hears the gang of robbers on the eastern shore shouting, “ Turn back, traveller! The path is dangerous! You cannot possibly pass over it. You will surely die! Our band means you no harm.” But the traveller, even though he hears the voices calling him, does not go back or even glance behind him. Single-mindedly he moves straightforward concentrating on the path before him. Soon he reaches the western bank, free forever from all possible dangers. Then, in the company of good friends who have come to greet him, he rejoices greatly forever.

This is the parable. Now let me explain what it means. The eastern bank corresponds to our Saha world which is like a house on fire; the western bank is the Treasure Land of Supreme Bliss. The gang of robbers pretending to be kind-hearted and the pack of savage beasts represent the elements that make up all human beings: the six organs of sense, the six forms of consciousness and their six objects, the five aggregates, and the four elements. The barren and uninhabited marsh corresponds to our condition in which we are always tempted by evil companions and are never able to meet a true and good teacher.

The rivers of water and of fire are like the greedy love that floods the hearts of all sentient beings and their hatred which burns like fire. The white path only four of five inches wide between the two rivers corresponds to the awakening of the pure mind that desires Rebirth in the midst of the evil passions of greed and anger. Because such greed and anger are strong, they are likened to fire and flood, whereas the good mind, being delicate, is like the white path. The surging waves that always wash over the path are like the covetousness that constantly arises to defile good hearts. The fire ceaselessly sending its flames burning over the path is like the anger and hatred of our hearts whose flames threaten to devour the Dharma treasure of merit and virtue.

The traveller turning directly to the West to cross over the path is like the practitioner turning straight to the West to transfer all his meritorious practice toward Rebirth. The fact that the traveller heard the voice on the eastern shore urging him to go forward and follow the path directly toward the West refers to people who, even after Shakyamuni has passed away, are able to follow the teaching of his Dharma, which still abides even though they no longer see the Buddha. The words of his teaching then are like the voice.

The traveller being called back by the band of robbers after taking only one or two steps shows that those followers of other doctrines and practices, or men with evil views who confuse others by their views and opinions, themselves commit sin and fall away from the path by teaching their views and opinions. By themselves committing sins, they regress and lose what little they had. The person on the western shore calling out to the traveller is Amida expressing his intent to save all beings through his Vow.

The traveller’s quick arrival on the western shore, joining his good friends and rejoicing in their company, is like sentient beings when they reach their final destination after having long been submerged in the sea of birth and death, deluded and bound by their evil passions, transmigrating for endless kalpas without knowing how to emancipate themselves. Favoured by Shakyamuni who kindly encourages them by pointing to the West and turning them in that direction, and blessed with Amida Buddha’s compassionate heart inviting and beckoning to them, they now trust in the intent of the two honourable ones without even taking notice of the two rivers of flame and water.

Remembering without fail the Original Vow, they take the path of the Vow’s power. After death they can attain Rebirth in that Land, where they will meet the Buddha and where their joy will know no bounds.