14) One who fearlessly vowed to protect
All those who merely hear his name
Keep this Deity, Buddha Amitabha
As your eternal refuge! That is my heart advice.
This verse teaches us to keep Buddha Amitabha as our Yidam, our meditational Deity.
There are very many Buddhas, such as the one thousand and two, who, for the sake of sentient beings, come in the past, present, and future of this fortunate world age. Some Buddhas are compassion Deities, like Avalokitesvara and Amitabha. Some Buddhas are long life and healing Buddhas like Medicine Buddha and Amitayus. Some Buddhas are wisdom Deities like Manjushri. Some Buddhas clear away obstacles like Venerable Tara, and so on; there are so many!
Buddha Amitabha is for the time of five degenerations. These five are:
1 Degeneration of delusions
2 Degeneration of lifespan
3 Degeneration of view
4 Degeneration of beings
5 Degeneration of times.
Degeneration of delusions means they have become extremely gross. Degeneration of lifespan means life expectancy is diminishing. Degeneration of views means that people have mistaken views. Degeneration of beings means that they are very wild and difficult to subdue. Degeneration of times means times of conflict and violence.
Before attaining enlightenment Buddha Amitabha made forty-eight prayers for the sake of beings like ourselves who are living in these times of the five degenerations, who could not be subdued by any other Buddha. These prayers can be found listed in the extensive Amitabha Sutra. One of the most important prayers among the forty-eight was a promise that any person who, at the time of death, thinks of him with faith and utters his name one time, will be actually met in the bardo by a welcoming escort, be protected from suffering of the fears of death, and be brought to the Pureland of Sukhavati. Buddha Amitabha is the embodiment of all Buddhas’ love, compassion, power, and so on, the supreme transcendent Deity for our times. Since all Buddhas are essentially the same nature, by accomplishing one Deity, we accomplish all Deities. By practicing one Yidam, one Teaching, one Guru, and one visualization, all accomplishment will be guaranteed. Therefore, my disciples seeking liberation should definitely keep the unfailing refuge in Buddha Amitabha close to their heart; that is my instruction here, given in the form of heartfelt advice.
