『무량수경』 제18원의 행신론(行信論) - 범본과 한역의 대조를 통하여 = On the Soteriology of the 18th vow in The Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra - focused on the Comparison of Chinese Translations and Sanskrit Version

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

There have been many controversies surrounding the 18th vow throughout the history of Pure Land Buddhism. The doctrinal debates focus on whether the theme of the 18th vow in The Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sutra is the ‘recitation of Namu Amitabhul (Namo Amitābhāya)’ or ‘faith in Amitābha’. In the history of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, Honen(法然), the founder of Pure Land Buddhism(Jodoshu, 淨土宗) named the 18th vow as ‘Vow of Entering the Pure Land by reciting Namo Amitabhu(Namo Amitābhāya)’, and Shinran(親鸞), the founder of Shin Buddhism(Jodoshinshu, 淨土眞宗) named it ‘Vow of entrusting with sincere mind’ respectively. While Honen focused on ‘practice’, Shinran focused on ‘faith’.
This article aims to find the answer to the 18th vow in The Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra. My approach, however, differs from traditional methods which depend on a single text interpreted by Sanghavarman, I compared the Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra with The Sutra of Tathagata of Immesurable Life and Sanskrit Version(Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra) which has been considered ‘post-Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha’ equally.
As a result, I have acknowledged the phrase of ‘after hearing my name(nāmadheyam śrutvā)’ of Sanskrit Version have been omitted in the 18th vow in the Chinese Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra. If the phrase of Sanskrit version had been translated entirely, all sentient beings could have started practicing recitation of Namo Amitabhul(Namo Amitābhāya)’ succeeding from hearing the name of Amitābhā Buddha. It means that the faith in Amitābhā precedes the recitation of Amitābhā’s name.
Meanwhile, the 19th vow of the Sanskrit version, which corresponds to the 18th vow in the Sanghavarman translation, lacks the “vow of entrusting with sincere mind.” The translator of Sanghavarman Translation edited ‘prasannacitta’ of the 18th vow of Sanskrit Version, which corresponds to the 19th vow in his Translation into the 18th vow of his translation. Without the phrase “entrusting with sincere mind,” the practice of “Namu Amitabhul” would have no basis.
In conclusion, this shows that practice and faith are interconnected, and, at the same time, practice should be based on faith. If we could understand it correctly, many controversies regarding the soteriology of 18th vow could have disappeared from the history of Japanese Pure Land BUddhism. Therefore I suggest naming the 18th vow “the Vow of Reciting Amitābhā’s Name with Entrusting”.