Pure Land Buddhism

 

or Amidism, devotional sect of Mahayana Buddhism in China and Japan, centering on worship of the Buddha Amitabha. According to the Pure Land Sutras, composed in India in the 2d cent. A.D., Amitabha vowed to save all sentient beings by granting them rebirth in his realm, the “Western Paradise,” a pure land endowed with miraculous characteristics ensuring its inhabitants easy entry into nirvana. Salvation could be attained by invoking the name of Amitabha with absolute faith in his grace and the efficacy of his vow. It was believed that Amitabha and his retinue would appear to the faithful at the time of death and convey them to his paradise. In both China and Japan the movement gained impetus from the idea of the “end of the Dharma,” which divided the development of Buddhism into three ages: that of the true, the counterfeit, and the decaying dharma, that is, Buddhist teaching. Those living in the present final, degenerate age cannot attain enlightenment by the original means of self-effort, austerity, and superior knowledge and must rely entirely on faith. There were devotees of Amitabha in China as early as the end of the 3d cent. A.D.; the sect was officially founded in 402 by its first patriarch, Hui-Yuan. Later masters spread the faith among the masses, sometimes using evangelical methods, contrasting the torments of hell with the bliss of the “Western Paradise.” In Japan, Pure Land Buddhism was established as a sect by Honen (1133–1212), who taught that even those who had mastered Buddhist philosophy “should behave themselves like simpleminded folk” and renounce all practices except the nembutsu, recitation of the formula Namu Amida Butsu [homage to Amitabha Buddha]. His disciple Shinran (1173–1262) carried Honen's teachings to their logical conclusion by abandoning monastic celibacy and marrying. Shinran held that reliance on one's own effort or on any practice other than the nembutsu would show lack of faith in Amitabha. He broke with Honen's followers on these issues and became the leader of the True Pure Land Sect, which grew to be the largest Buddhist sect in Japan. The numerous representations of Amitabha with his attendant bodhisattvas and the depictions of hell testify to the influence of Pure Land Buddhism on Chinese and Japanese Buddhist art. For translations of the Pure Land Sutras, see E. B. Crowell, Buddhist Mahayana Texts (1894, repr. 1969) and Alfred Bloom, Shinran's Gospel of Pure Grace (1965).

Pure Land Buddhism (traditional Chinese: 淨土宗; simplified Chinese: 净土宗, Jìngtǔzōng; Japanese: 浄土宗, Jōdoshū; Korean: 정토종, jeongtojong; Vietnamese: 浄土宗, Tịnh Độ Tông), also sometimes incorrectly referred to as Amidism^{[citation needed]}, is a broad branch of Mahayana Buddhism and currently one of the more popular schools of Buddhism in East Asia, along with Zen. It is a devotional or "faith"-oriented branch of Buddhism focused on Amitabha Buddha.

Pure Land Buddhism is often found within larger Buddhist practices such as the Chinese Tiantai school, or Japanese Shingon Buddhism. However, Pure Land Buddhism is also an independent school as seen in the Japanese Jodo Shu and Jodo Shinshu schools. There is not one "school" of Pure Land Buddhism per se, but rather it is a large subset of the Mahayana branch of Buddhism.

The main idea behind Pure Land Buddhism is the East Asian world view that the Buddhist world was in decline and that Nirvana had become increasingly difficult to obtain for the common people. Instead of meditative work toward enlightenment, Pure Land Buddhism teaches that through devotion to just Amitabha one will be reborn in the Pure Land in which enlightenment is guaranteed. Pure Land Buddhism was popular among commoners and monastics as it provided a straightforward way of expressing faith as a Buddhist. In medieval Japan it was also popular among those on the outskirts of society, such as prostitutes and social outcastes, who were often denied spiritual services by society but could still find some form of religious practice through worshipping Buddha Amitabha.

Overview

Pure Land Buddhism is based on the Pure Land sutras said by some to have first been brought to China as early as 148 CE, when the Parthian monk Ān Shìgāo (安世高) began translating sutras into Chinese in the imperial capital of Luòyáng [洛陽 (洛阳)] during the Hàn [漢 (汉)] dynasty at the White Horse Temple [白馬寺 (白马寺) Báimǎ Sì]. The Kushan monk Lokakśema, who arrived in Luòyáng two decades after Ān Shìgāo, is often attributed with the earliest translations of the core sutras of Pure Land Buddhism. These sutras describe Amitabha and his heaven-like Pure Land, called Sukhavati.

Although Amitabha Buddha was mentioned, or featured in, a number of Buddhist sutras, the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life is often considered the most important and definitive. In this sutra, the Buddha describes to his assistant, Ananda, how Amitabha, as an advanced monk named Dharmakara, made a great series of vows to save all beings, and through his great merit, created a realm called the Land of Bliss (Sukhavati).^[1] This paradise would later come to be known as the Pure Land in Chinese translation.

Pure Land Buddhism played a minor role in early Indian Buddhism, particular the Mahayana branch, but first became prominent with the founding of a monastery upon the top of Mount Lushan by Hui-yuan in 402. It spread throughout China quickly and was systematized by a series of elite-monastic thinkers, namely, Tanluan, Daochuo, Shandao, and other. 613–681). The religious movement spread to Japan and slowly grew in prominence. Hōnen (1133–1212) established Pure Land Buddhism as an independent sect in Japan, known as Jōdo Shu. The Buddhist Encyclopedia published another version of lineage that includes 13 Patriarchs of Pure Land Buddhism. Today Pure Land is, together with Chan (Zen), the dominant form of Buddhism in China, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Contemporary Pure Land traditions see the Buddha Amitabha preaching the Dharma in his buddha-field (sa. buddhakṣetra), called the "Pure Land" (zh. 净土, pinyin jìngtǔ, jp. 浄土 jodo, vi. Tịnh độ) or "Western Pureland" (Ch. 西天, pinyin xītiān), a region offering respite from karmic transmigration. The Vietnamese also use the term Tây Phương Cực Lạc (西方極樂) for "Western Land of Bliss", or more accurately, "Western Paradise". In such traditions, entering the Pure Land is popularly perceived as equivalent to the attainment of enlightenment. After practitioners attain enlightenment in the Pure Land, rather than becoming a Buddha and entering nirvana, they will return to the six realms as bodhisattvas and help deluded beings in samsara.

Thus, adherents believe that Amitabha Buddha provided an alternate practice towards attaining enlightenment: the Pure Land. In Pure Land Buddhist thought, Enlightenment is difficult to obtain without the assistance of Amitabha Buddha, because people are now living in a degenerate era, known as the Age of Dharma Decline. Instead of solitary meditative work toward enlightenment, Pure Land Buddhism teaches that devotion to Amitabha will lead one to the Pure Land from which enlightenment will be guaranteed.

In medieval East Asian culture, this belief was particularly popular among peasants, and individuals who were considered "impure", such as hunters, fishermen, those who tan hides, prostitutes and so on. Pure Land Buddhism provided a way to practice Buddhism for those who were not capable of practicing other forms. It is believed, that if practitioners chant Amitabha Buddha's name, or the nembutsu, when their current life comes to an end they can be received with their karma by Amitabha Buddha (帶業往生). In the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life the Amitabha Buddha makes 48 vows, and the 18th Vow states that Amitabha will grant rebirth to his Pure Land anyone who can recite his name as little as 10 times.^[2] This fairly simple form of veneration has contributed greatly to its popularity throughout East Asia.

Another alternate practice found in Pure Land Buddhism is meditation or contemplation of Amitabha and/or his Pure Land. The basis for this is found in the Contemplation Sutra, where The Buddha describes to Queen Vaidehi what Amitabha looks like, and how to meditate upon him.^[3] Visualization practices for Amitabha are more popular among esoteric Buddhist practices, such as Japanese Shingon Buddhism, while the nianfo is more popular among lay followers.

Eastern Pure Land

In esoteric Vajrayana Buddhism, Amitabha's Western Pure Land is the counterpart to Akshobhya's Eastern Pure Land, or Abhirati. While especially recognized by the Japanese Shingon sect, Eastern Pure Land Buddhism is less popular than Western Pure Land Buddhism.

See also

Japanese Buddhism

Schools Tendai • Shingon Pure Land • Zen Nichiren

Founders Saichō • Kūkai Hōnen • Shinran Dōgen • Eisai • Ingen Nichiren

Sacred Texts Avatamsaka Sutra Lotus Sutra Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra Infinite Life Sutra

• Jodo Shu
• Hongaku Jodo
• Jodo Shinshu
• Amida Trust
• Hōnen
• Shinran
• Ippen
• Yuzu Nembutsu
• Buddhism in China
• Faith in Buddhism
• Phowa
• Chionin Temple

Notes

Further reading

• Eitel, Ernest J. Hand-Book of Chinese Buddhism, being a Sanskrit-Chinese Dictionary with Vocabularies of Buddhist Terms in Pali, Singhalese, Siamese, Burmese, Tibetan, Mongolian and Japanese (Second Edition). New Delhi, Madras: Asian Educational Services. 1992.

External links

• Master Chin Kung, a promoter of Pure Land Buddhism
• Hongaku Jodo Compassionate Lotus tradition. An American Pure Land Buddhist church. [1]
• Jodo Shu Buddhism official website
• Jodo Shinshu English Website Jodo SHinshu English website with the translated works of Shinran (content stolen from http://www.shinranworks.com/)
• Amida Trust Home page of Amida Trust, A UK Charity that supports Amida-shu a Pure Land Denomination based in the UK.
• The Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life
• A Contemplative View of Amida - The Buddha of the Land of Bliss
• Pure Land Learning College in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
• True Buddha School
• Master Chin Kung Web Site
• Amitabha Education Network

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