In the Vows of Samantabhadra , the Ten Great Vows serve as the guiding light that leads all beings back to the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. These ten vows are the very foundation that all Bodhisattvas uphold and follow during their initial stages of practice. When one’s vow power is fully realised, the Buddha's path is attained, as every single vow is directed toward the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
The Infinite Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the , Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Sutra) also teaches us that we must all follow and cultivate the virtues of the Great Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. From this, we can understand the immense importance of the Ten Great Vows. You, as practitioners, must earnestly put these vows into action. They are the essential conditions for increasing your spiritual achievements and ultimately attaining Buddhahood.
The Essence of Respect for All Buddhas
The very first of these Ten Great Vows is the practice of respect for all Buddhas. This vow clearly tells everyone that every being you encounter—whether you have a karmic connection with them or not—is a Buddha. Therefore, you must treat every being with the utmost respect. When you offer this respect, you must recognise that the one you are respecting is a Buddha. Only by using your own Buddha-heart can you truly perceive the Buddha-nature within others.
It is only because of the illusions and delusions of being reincarnated that this innate Buddha-nature becomes obscured. Beings become friends with confusion, are obstructed by this confusion, and are controlled by their own . Once you understand this truth, you will naturally feel for all beings who are muddled and unaware due to these obstacles.
The Compassionate Lion’s Roar
Because you understand the truth of their situation, you will not disregard these beings. Instead, you will feel even greater pity for their obstacles. You will observe their capacity and, when necessary, offer them the Lion’s Roar—a direct, powerful teaching to wake them from their slumber. This is not done out of malice, but to assist them in walking the right path without deviation, helping them avoid creating further negative causes.
When they are suffering the evil consequences of past actions, your guidance helps them refrain from creating new negative causes. By doing so, they can walk the Buddha's path, remove their impurities, and realise their pure, original nature. Because your heart is filled with respect for them, you will not be led astray by external influences or the voices of other beings. You will not become lost in the cycle of rebirth again.
Mutual Respect in the Fourfold Assembly
At this moment, all Buddhas praise the Forty-eight Great Vows of Buddha. Throughout their own Buddha-lands, they proclaim the holy name of Amitabha Buddha and the wonders of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This gives their own people the opportunity to make a vow to be reborn in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is truly the Buddhas showing respect for the Buddha-nature of all beings, helping to reveal that nature, and assisting them in leaving behind the suffering of all obstacles so they may have the opportunity to attain Buddhahood.
The fourfold assembly of disciples must, even more so, treat one another with mutual respect. This is the practice of respect for all Buddhas. By doing this, you nurture your compassionate Buddha-heart and walk the path of realising your true nature and attaining Buddhahood. Namo Amituofo.
