Doubts and arguments about the essence of the Pure Land teaching
The Pure Land teaching is spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha in the three Pure Land sutras, namely: the Infinite Life Sutra; the Contemplation Sutra; and the Amitabha Sutra. In these sutras, the Buddha advises us to aspire to be reborn in Amitabha’s Land of Bliss through the exclusive recitation of Amitabha’s Name.
From the Buddhist point of view, the fundamental cause of suffering is birth and death. Rebirth in a Pure Land, say the Land of Bliss, is likely to be the only way for an ordinary being who wishes to end their suffering from the unceasing cycle of birth and death within the Six Realms.
Some Buddhists say that the Pure Land teaching is one of Shakyamuni Buddha’s 84,000 teachings that can deliver 84,000 kinds of sentient beings with different capacities and aptitudes, and different interests and goals in life, and so on, and lead them all to ultimate emancipation.
However, in the Infinite Life Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha says:
“After I have passed into Nirvana, do not allow doubt to arise. In the future, the Buddhist scriptures and teachings will perish. . . . Those beings who encounter it (Amitabha’s teaching) will attain deliverance in accord with their aspirations.”
This means that Amitabha’s teaching of rebirth through the “other-powered” practice of the recitation of his Name is not like Shakyamuni Buddha’s teachings. It continues into the far distant future and works independently. Even Shakyamuni Buddha’s 84,000 teachings of cultivation through “self-powered” practices, such as observing precepts, practicing meditation, and cultivating wisdom will perish in future.
There are other Buddhists who say that Buddhism is the teaching of cultivating the mind through meditative practices to attain perfect enlightenment. Some say Buddhism is the cultivation of the body through non-meditative practices to purify the three karmas of body, mouth, and mind. Some Buddhists also say that without rigorous practice based on faith, a person cannot gain any benefit from the Buddhist teachings. They maintain that the easy practice of the Pure Land teaching, the recitation of Amitabha’s name, is only a teaching for slow-witted sentient beings to make a connection with a buddha.
Obviously, people hold different views on these matters. Master Yinshun said: “There are immeasurable meanings in Buddhist teachings, however, the fundamental one is purity.” Purity means non-attachment in all matters, phenomena, and even thoughts in the mind. Strictly speaking, only buddhas are pure.
A Pure Land is a buddha-land where a buddha’s mind and body dwell
If one’s mind is pure, one’s body will be pure too, and the land (all external circumstances and environments) where one’s body and mind dwell is also pure. So there is a saying: “Pure Land, Pure Mind,” and vice versa. Pure body and mind refers to the Buddha’s mind and body that dwell in the Pure Land.
Shakyamuni Buddha says in the Eighth Contemplation: “Because buddhas, tathagatas, have Dharma Realm Bodies, and so enter into the invoking minds of each sentient being. For this reason, when you invoke or contemplate a buddha, that mind itself produces the Buddha’s image and is itself the Buddha.”
Master Shandao explained the Dharma Realm Body: “The Buddha’s mind permeates the Dharma Realm, the Buddha’s body permeates the Dharma Realm, and it is unobstructed, so it is called Dharma Realm Body.” In other words, there is no differentiation between mind, body, and land for buddhas. They all exist in a state of oneness.
Because ordinary beings talk about the “existence” of mind, body, and land in our world, Shakyamuni Buddha explained the “existence” of the buddhas in terms of mind, body, and land. Ordinary beings cannot visualize and imagine the meaning of “oneness” without differentiation in name and form.
Rebirth in a Pure Land is also the pursuit of purity
Following Shakyamuni Buddha’s teachings, many Buddhists focus on purifying their minds through meditative practices, and many Buddhists focus on purifying their bodies in the Threefold Karma through non-meditative practices, like the Three Meritorious Deeds.
A Pure Land is a buddha-land where a buddha’s mind and body dwell. Regardless of the method or the path that a person takes to attain rebirth in a Pure Land, does it mean that his body and mind are naturally as pure as those of a buddha when he dwells in the Pure Land? The answer is yes!
Pursuit of purity is the goal of our life. Some people purify their mind, and some purify their body. However, some aspire to be reborn in the Pure Land. By rebirth in the Pure Land, one’s body and mind will become naturally pure as well. The crucial point is: how can a person attain rebirth in the Pure Land?
Without the Buddha’s merits and virtues, a person cannot be reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land, nor any other buddha-land. However, only a buddha has the Buddha’s merits and virtues. It is akin to the chicken-and-egg problem. Is it possible for the buddhas to transfer their merits and virtues to us? And how can they do so?
Amitabha’s teaching of deliverance through his Name is an “uninvited” teaching
In the three Pure Land sutras, Shakyamuni Buddha tells us how a capable buddha (not Shakyamuni himself, but Amitabha) can give us his merits and virtues in the form of light through his Name. It is this that enables us to attain rebirth if we wish to enter Amitabha’s Buddha-land.
The entire operation of delivering sentient beings by the buddhas is inconceivable, and only buddhas know how it happens and how it works; not any sentient beings nor even bodhisattvas know. In other words, if Shakyamuni Buddha does not appear among humans to proactively tell us of Amitabha’s deliverance, we have no way to hear the teaching.
Shakyamuni Buddha says in the Infinite Life Sutra:
“As the Tathagata, I regard beings of the three worlds with boundless great compassion. The reason for my appearance in the world is to reveal teachings of the Way and save multitudes of beings by endowing them with real benefits.”
“Endowing us with real benefits” refers to “telling us how Amitabha Buddha can give us his real merits and virtues in the form of light through his Name to enable us to attain rebirth in his real reward land, the Land of Bliss adorned with real merits and virtues, if we wish or aspire to be reborn.”
So Amitabha Buddha is our “uninvited friend” introduced by Shakyamuni Buddha. In addition, Amitabha’s teaching of deliverance through his Name is an “uninvited teaching” spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha with his own intent, not on any request by others, because no one knows how to request such a teaching.
Related features from BDG
Queen Vaidehi’s Sight of Two Buddhas Emitting Light in the Contemplation Sutra
Additional Benefits of Attaining Rebirth Through Amitabha-Recitation: the Perseverance of No-Birth by “Seeing” the Buddha
Those with Faith in the Name Should Aspire to Rebirth in the Land of Bliss
