Buddhism: How long is the road to Enlightenment?

Note: a bit long and detailed, sorry. Lots on my mind on the subject.

So, while reading the new book on Yogācāra or Hossō Buddhism in Japanese, I decided to skip ahead to last chapter after seeing something in the table of contents that caught my eye.¹ In the last chapter, Rev. Shun’ei Tagawa takes up the question about the Yogacara Buddhist approach to Enlightenment, which like any sect, involves seeing one’s true nature and gradually transforming this nature into one of wisdom and compassion. The final transformation is when one becomes a Buddha.

In Buddhism, Rev. Tagawa points out that there is a common debate about sudden versus gradual enlightenment. I’ve discussed this before when speaking about Master Yin-Shun, the Chinese scholar-monk who passed away a few years ago. Like Master Yin-Shun, Rev. Tagawa believes that the debate is somewhat irrelevant since sudden enlightenment could not occur with vast amounts of sincere preparation over a long time anyways, so is practically the same as gradual enlightenment.

But then, Rev Tagawa emphasizes this point:

Here Yogācāra Buddhism takes the gradualist approach. (pg. 120)

By gradualist approach, he spells out the traditional, Mahayana teachings:

• Cultivation of the Six Paramitas, or Six Perfections.
• “Treading the path of the human” as opposed to other states of rebirth.
• The Four Methods of Winning Over People.²

…among other things. The point, as he explains it, is that one works to accumulate good, honest works and effort. As he explains:

Based on the daily honest accumulation of goodness, enlightenment cannot but naturally spring up from within oneself. The rapid attainment of buddhahood can be considered as an end result of this long and continuous accumulation.(pg. 120)

Compare this to the words of Master Yin-Shun whom I quoted in another post from his book The Way to Buddhahood:

Without asking about sudden or gradual enlightenment or about when one will become a Buddha, one should just keep on cultivating. This is the normal way for bodhisattvas. (pg 346-347)

But how long can one expect this accumulation to take before really coming to fruition? Rev. Tagawa then describes the classic Buddhist formula of three great asaṃkhya kalpas. The Sanskrit term kalpa just means “eon”, but implies a really, really long amount of time. The term asaṃkhya (pronounced “asankhya”) can literally mean 1 x 10⁵⁶ in math terms (1 with 56 zeros after it), but is intended to imply something great and incalculable.

As the ancient formula in Indian literature explains an angel’s soft robe brushes up against a mountain of stone eight-hundred miles in width once every 100 years. The time it would take to wear down this mountain due to the angel’s robe brushing up against it every 100 years would be an asankhya.

So, essentially in the classic Mahayana Buddhist teachings, Enlightenment took 3 such vast, incalculable periods of time. Whether this is intended to be a metaphor or literal, the point is is that in “orthodox” Mahayana Buddhist teachings, the road to Enlightenment is near-infinite and incalculably long. Many readers who are interested in Buddhism may find this disheartening or may take offense, or simply refuse to accept it. Keep in mind that Yogacara Hosso Buddhism is not a separate sect within Buddhism, but as I explained in another recent post, represents a specialty scholarship tradition within in the wider Mahayana Buddhism. The point is, this is common knowledge within Mahayana Buddhism, not just exclusive to Yogacara, however it seems to have not been a prominent point while being translated to the West.³ You can see hints of it, for example, in the writings of the famous Zen master Suzuki Roshi, but I think most teachers who come to the West are hesitant to spell it out in those terms too much for fear of scaring off all their students. Can’t blame them since Buddhism is still so small here.

Anyways, in later Japanese Buddhism, and in modern reinterpretations of Buddhism, there are efforts to circumvent this belief in a very long road to Enlightenment, through special practices or teachings, but Rev. Tagawa takes these teachings to task:

We create a framework in which we take delight in simplicity and ease, valuing short-cuts and quick completions. Given this kind of quick-results oriented-framework that we have created in our daily lives, the Buddha-path of three asaṃkhya kalpas obviously cannot be accomplished….Hidden roughly underneath the feeling that seeks for convenience is a cheap frame of mind that seeks to avoid obstacles. The more things that can be avoided, the better. To try to hold onto this approach and at the same time seeking liberation in the quelling, elimination, and dispelling of the afflictions, seems to be extremely selfish, and an inappropriate attitude for traversing along the Buddhist path. (pg. 125)

Master Yin-Shun had something similar to say as well:

It is better to examine one’s own preparedness!…After making the resolution, they [such Buddhists] want to be enlightened suddenly and want to become buddhas immediately. Without examining themselves and their own resolve, they think that such and such is the great teaching that will enable them to become a buddha easily. This can be compared to wanting to become a leader and deciding to run for president without first pausing to examine one’s academic record and experience. (pg. 346)

I have to admit I agree with both men. My first experiences with Buddhism were with the Pure Land Buddhist teachings in Japan, and part of me really believed that without any striving I could become a Buddhist just by saying some words. Later, I gradually realized that this belief was rooted in a selfish desire not to put any effort into Buddhist practice, which in turn led to a long period of confusion where I gave up on the Pure Land Buddhist teachings, then dabbled around a lot.

However, after reading Rev. Tagawa’s writings, I found that this actually oriented me *back* into the Pure Land Buddhist teachings as taught by Honen in particular. Honen was very familiar with the Yogacara/Hossō teachings in his day, as the school was still quite prominent and among the elite groups in Buddhism at the time, and I believe Honen saw the teachings of the three asankhya kalpas as both literal, and a sign that most folks would not have the resolution to carry them through. In the famous Ohara Debate, Honen was quoted as saying:

“The teachings of them all are profound and of great value to me. If only people’s capacity were really equal to the requirements of the Dharma, they would attain salvation as easily as turning on their heels. But the fact is that a dull, ignorant person like myself is not fit as a container of such treasure. So I find it very hard to understand and very easy to go astray…”

Even Rev. Tagawa admits that the road is long and difficult for regular people:

It is, in fact, not so easy to maintain a perfect Buddhist lifestyle in our normal daily life. If we reflect on our life as one in which we should be aiming for enlightenment, it is something in which we continually move toward, and then retreat, from our goal.

I know this all too well from personal experience. Like the others, Master Yin-Shun in his book admits that many Buddhists may feel intimidated by the long road ahead, and like Honen of the Jodo Shu Buddhist sect, encourages people who lack confidence to seek rebirth in the Pure Land:

If, therefore, one is timid and finds it difficult to practice the Bodhisattva-way, fearing that one will fall into the Two Vehicles [i.e. backslide] or that following the karmic forces will cause one to drift apart from the Buddha Way, then chanting the name Amitābha Buddha is most secure! It is a wonderful skillful means that can best embrace and protect those sentient beings who are beginners so that they do not lose faith.

And later:

To strengthen the faith of beginners with timid and weak minds, the Buddha taught the easy path as a skillful means. There is no harm in being reborn in a Pure Land; when the power of patience is achieved, then one can practice the extensive difficult deeds of transforming sentient beings.

So, after reading the words of these great men, past and present, I think it really has helped me to understand the Big Picture of the Buddhist path, and also to help orient me into practices I know are in my control, like reciting the nembutsu, pouring efforts into the Pure Land as much as possible through good deeds and study of the Dharma. Thus, while the road is quite daunting, it’s also clear and straightforward and through Pure Land Buddhism I hope to get there.

Namu Amida Butsu

P.S. Like I stated in the previous post, knowing the greater Mahayana tradition puts a lot of things in better perspective in whatever Buddhist tradition you follow.

¹ Turns out Col. Mustard did it in the library with the wrench. I knew it!

² According to this helpful Buddhist dictionary the Four Methods of Winning Over People:

1. Giving either the Dharma or other gifts.
2. Speaking kind words.
3. Acting for their welfare or benefit.
4. Physically working alongside them.

This is I believe another Mahayana-Buddhist only list, but I could be wrong.

³ Also, it should be noted that in Vajrayana traditions, this three asankhya kalpas maybe understood to mean something different and that the road to Enlightenment may or may not be much quicker. Kukai, founder of Japanese Vajrayana or Shingon Buddhism, wrote a famous treatise called the sokushin jōbutsu gi (即身成仏義) or “Doctrine of Enlightenment in this very body” which states in the beginning:

Question: In the sutras and shastras it is explained that after three aeons one can attain enlightenment. Is there evidence for the assertion that one can attain enlightenment in this very existence?

Answer: The Tathagata has explained it in the Esoteric Buddhist texts.

–From : Kukai: Major Works by Prof. Hakeda

So, for the purposes of this post, I am not including esoteric or vajrayana Buddhism in the discussion other than to provide a contrast.