What Are the Roots of Virtue, Merit, and Causes and Conditions Required for Rebirth in the Pure Land?

The "wholesome" in "wholesome roots" refers to the wholesome karma cultivated and the wholesome actions performed with a wholesome and pure mind within the Dharma. Examples include deeply taking refuge in the Three Jewels, making offerings to the Three Jewels, having right faith in Buddhism, diligently cultivating precepts, meditative concentration, and wisdom, possessing a considerable degree of merit and understanding of the Dharma, no longer prioritizing worldly dharmas, generating the great Bodhicitta mind, vowing to save all sentient beings. It means not contradicting the teachings of the Three Jewels, deeply believing in all sutras spoken by the Buddha, following the teachings willingly, being happy to learn without slandering, being transformed by the Buddha, feeling the Buddha's profound kindness, and vowing to repay the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha with all one's body and mind, and so on. The "root" in "wholesome roots" means the capacity (root potential), signifies that it has already become a seed, implies a foundation that is solid, firm, and unshakable, means wholesome dharmas are deeply planted in the heart, and also signifies the ability to grow wholesome dharmas and wholesome fruits. Without these wholesome roots, one is not in accord with the Land of Ultimate Bliss and its multitude of superior wholesome beings; being out of accord, one cannot dwell together in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The above is a qualitative description of wholesome roots; it cannot be quantitatively described. The standard for judging the depth or shallowness of wholesome roots cannot be concretely articulated. Only those with considerable experience and wisdom can discern it correctly and truly. Without experience and wisdom, even if standards were given, one still could not make a true judgment based on them. This is similar to judgments in worldly matters. For instance, the evaluation and ranking of university professors and lecturers: even with standards to follow, primary and secondary school students still cannot make true judgments based on them. Outsiders cannot judge the insiders; those of lower levels cannot judge those of higher levels.

Judging the level of Dharma practice is even more so like this. The vast majority of people are at the stage of being outsiders and low-level. How could they possibly judge whether someone is a wholesome spiritual friend, whether they are enlightened and have attained the grounds (bodhisattva bhumis), or whether the Dharma they speak truly accords with the meaning taught by the Buddha? Even comparing against standard answers, one still cannot judge it truly. Therefore, regarding deeply harmful heretics and demonic paths that harm sentient beings, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Dharma protectors handle them discreetly; there's no need to explain the reasons to sentient beings. Some people, after long contemplation over time, gradually come to understand.

Regarding merit, of course, it must be equivalent to the merit of the beings in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, equivalent to the merit of heavenly beings, qualifying one to enjoy the blessings of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. This means one has already accumulated vast stores of merit and virtue, enabling rebirth at life's end, finally enjoying this merit within the Land of Ultimate Bliss. If one has not planted such vast wholesome karma of merit, one cannot enjoy great blessings and cannot be reborn there. This type of merit primarily refers to pure merit, such as the merit of upholding precepts, the merit of meditative concentration, the merit of Buddha recitation, the merit of wisdom, the merit of revering, believing in, and delighting in the Three Jewels. These merits all correspond to the virtues of learning the Buddha Dharma; they are not the worldly blessings of wealth and honor that can be enjoyed in the Saha World.

What are the causes and conditions for rebirth? Causes and conditions are the prerequisites. The "cause" is the seed of wholesome karma cultivated, such as the merit of Buddha recitation achieving single-mindedness without distraction, the mind abandoning the Saha World's clinging without confusion, possessing precepts, meditative concentration, and wisdom, subduing greed, hatred, and delusion, single-mindedly aspiring to the Land of Ultimate Bliss, aspiring to attain Buddhahood and save sentient beings. The "condition" is the ripening of wholesome karma conditions, assistance from wholesome friends, unwholesome karma not manifesting, karmic creditors and debtors staying away, absence of obstacles, so that the cultivated merit and virtue can evoke the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and holy beings to come at life's end, extending their hands in welcome. Only those who are complete in wholesome roots, merit, and causes and conditions can be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Ordinary practitioners whose cultivation is insufficient cannot attain rebirth.