Jiacai's idea in the Jingtu-lun that the Primal Vow is for Both Ordinary Beings and Saints

Abstract

The basic intention of the medieval monk Daochuo was the exaltation of Pure Land Buddhism, which lay in an emphasis on sentient beings as the object of salvation. However, Daochuo had to clarify that Pure Land Buddhism did not contradict the principles of Mahayana Buddhism. Therefore, Pure Land Buddhism as Mahayana Buddhism was clarified by speaking of the Saint's birth in Amida's Pure Land. That is, Daochuo established Amida's Pure Land Buddhism as dedicated to ordinary beings in the age of the decay of the Dharma.Jiacai tried to clarify Pure Land Buddhism as for the sake of ordinary beings in his Jingtu-lun. He emphasized that Amida's Pure Land Buddhism is taught with the aim of liberating ordinary beings basing himself on the forty-eighth vow of the Larger Pure Land Scripture and the expression in the Mediatation Sutra “all ordinary beings of future ages.” He expressed this as “the original [vow] is for both ordinary beings and saints together.” In addition, Jiacai clarified that the object of liberation shifted from ordinary people and saints to ordinary people by reorganizing the Anleji. In a word, Jiacai understood the real intention of Daochuo's Pure Land Buddhism as Pure Land teaching for ordinary beings, and expressed it as, “the original [vow] is for both Ordinary Beings and Saints together”.