AWAKENING OF THE FAITH TREATISE

awakening of the faith treatise ; Treatise on the Awakening of the Faith

It was translated into Chinese in 550 by Paramartha, who had come from India to China during the Liang dynasty (502-557). The treatise sets forth the fundamental doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism and attempts to awaken people to faith in it. In particular, it takes up the concept of tathata, meaning thusness or suchness, the true aspect of reality. It was widely studied by Mahayanists in India, and there are several Chinese commentaries.”

Sokk: 53

“The Awakening of Faith is a commentary on Mahayana Buddhism that explains the basic notions of the teaching and is used, particularly in East Asia, as an introduction to the Mahayana. It is one of the few sutras that is also of importance for Zen.”

Sham: 136

Note: The Treatise on the Awakening of the Faith specifically recommends Buddha Recitation for all but the most advanced practitioners: “Next, suppose there is a man who learns this [[[Mahayana]]] teaching for the first time and wishes to seek the correct faith but lacks courage and strength. Because he lives in this world of suffering, he fears that he will not always be able to meet the Buddhas and honor them personally, and that, faith being difficult to perfect, he will be inclined to fall back. He should know that the Tathagathas have an excellent expedient means by which they can protect his

faith: that is, through the strength of wholehearted meditation-recitation on the Buddha, he will in fulfillment of his wishes be able to be born in the Buddha-land beyond, to see the Buddha always, and to be forever separated from the evil states of existence. It is as the sutra says: ‘If a man meditates wholly on Amitabha Buddha in the world

of the Western Paradise and wishes to be born in that world, directing all the goodness he has cultivated toward that goal, then he will be born there.’ Because he will see the Buddha at all times, he will never fall back … [If a cultivator follows this path], he will be able to be born there in the end because he abides in the correct samadhi.’ ” (Y. Hakeda, tr., The Awakening of the Faith, p.102.)