Is Merit-dedication Allowed in Pristine Pure Land Buddhism?
The general concept of merit-dedication By definition, bodhisattvas are those who follow the Buddhist path in order to deliver other sentient beings from suffering. In
The general concept of merit-dedication By definition, bodhisattvas are those who follow the Buddhist path in order to deliver other sentient beings from suffering. In
Travelers to Japan notice the impressive gates that mark Shinto shrines, in Japanese, torii, as well as the shimenawa, referring to a type of rope made from
Pure Land practitioners are puzzled by a moral dilemma Despite the fact that aspiring to be reborn in the Land of Bliss is the same
The role of Bodhichitta in Pure Land practice Referring to Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow, Master Shandao identified Name-recitation to be the karma of assurance of rebirth. It is
Practitioners following the Path of the Great Vow in Pure Land Buddhism as classified by Master Shandao take exclusive Amitabha-invocation as their main practice. By
The Two Paths in Pure Land Buddhism Practitioners who have studied the Shandao tradition of pristine Pure Land Buddhism will in all probability possess an
Rebirth is assured by practicing with “right mindfulness” When interpreting the Third Contemplation in his Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra, Master Shandao wrote: “If when a
Three different kinds of mixed practices Having discussed the importance of the exclusive practice of Amitabha-recitation for assured rebirth in Amitabha’s Land of Bliss, we
The so-called sectarianism of Buddhism in Japan has enabled Pure Land Buddhism to develop as a quasi-independent tradition within Buddhism. One of the central figures
Just one Buddha, instead of all Buddhas We have previously discussed why, in order to ensure rebirth in the Land of Bliss, Pure Land practitioners should
Buddha-invocation signifies reliance on Buddha-power To attain rebirth in the Land of Bliss, Pure Land practitioners are advised not to mix Amitabha-invocation with other Buddhist
Faith is not genuine if the practice is not always active Master Shandao (613–81) introduced an important concept about faith in Amitabha’s deliverance and the