After Shakyamuni Buddha entered nirvana more than 2,500 years ago, a number of forms of Buddhism developed in East Asia and parts of Southeast Asia -- a broad area encompassing a number of countries including China, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. Mahayana ("Great Vehicle") Buddhism was the first dominant Buddhist tradition in that part of the world.
In time, a number of separate schools arose within the Mahayana tradition -- a circumstance that should not be surprising, considering the wide variety of traditions, ethnic tendencies, and indigenous religions of the people who lived in the region. Among the different schools that arose within Mahayana Buddhism, three gained the widest appeal: the Esoteric school, the Chan (Zen) school, and the Pure Land school.
Today, Pure Land Study is the largest of all the schools of Buddhism in East Asia.
Pure Land Study traces its existence back to Shakyamuni Buddha -- the historical Buddha who founded what is now known as Buddhism in India more than 2,500 years ago.
In many of his Sutras, or teachings, Shakyamuni Buddha spoke of another Buddha, named Amitabha Buddha, who lived on earth countless aeons ago.
Before Amitabha Buddha attained Buddhahood, he promised to create a delightful and wonderful realm called the Pure Land, or "Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss," where inhabitants are freed from the cycle of birth and death so they can focus singlemindedly on attaining enlightenment. Amitabha pledged that once he became a Buddha, he would guarantee that anyone who one-pointedly recited his name with a sincere desire to be reborn in the Pure Land would indeed be reborn there. When Amitabha Buddha attained Buddhahood, he fulfilled this vow.
In Buddhism, a Buddha is not an almighty god. Rather, a Buddha is one who has achieved enlightenment by realizing his or her own Buddha-nature. The central tenet of Buddhism is that each of us can become a Buddha by attaining realization of our own Buddha-nature.
Amitabha Buddha's Western Pure Land is a realm full of wonders and adornments where inhabitants enjoy not only their beautiful surroundings, but also the company of countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as they advance toward their inevitable enlightenment. In the Pure Land, the journey toward enlightenment is smooth and easy because there is none of the suffering, defilement, or delusion that so often blocks spiritual progress.
There is no illness, old age, or death in the Pure Land, and there is no danger of being reborn on earth or in any other realm where death occurs unless one vows to go there voluntarily to help other beings. The Pure Land is not an eternal abode. Rather, it is a way-place where inhabitants dwell in unimaginably wonderful surroundings as they progress toward complete enlightenment.
Bodhisattvas are beings who have attained enlightenment (or almost complete enlightenment) but have vowed not to accept full Buddhahood until all other sentient beings have been enlightened.
Two great Bodhisattvas are especially important in Pure Land Study. They are Great Strength Bodhisattva, or Da Shi Zhi and Guan Yin Bodhisattva, who is referred to as Great Compassion Bodhisattva.
Hosts of Buddhas and Boddhisatvas either dwell in the Pure Land or visit there regularly to help its inhabitants fulfill their goal of attaining enlightenment.
Many Sutras and commentaries are used in Buddhism, but only five Sutras and one Commentary are considered of paramount importance in the Pure Land School. (These Sutras and commentaries are listed and described on the page titled "Sutra.") The most common Pure Land practice is Buddha recitation, or the recitation of the name of Amitabha.
Amitabha's name can be recited in many different ways: silently or aloud, alone or in a group, with or without chanting beads, and with or without musical accompaniment. But one should always chant the name of Buddha singlemindedly, sincerely wishing to be reborn to the Pure Land.
Other Pure Land practices include contemplating the qualities of Amitabha, visualizing Amitabha, and reciting Sutras.
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One important feature of Pure Land Study is its acknowledgement that attaining rebirth in the Pure Land is the major step forward on the ultimate journey toward eventual enlightenment. The Buddha-name recitation technique used in Pure Land Study is so simple and straightforward that any Pure Land student -- "ten thousand in ten thousand" -- can use it to attain rebirth in the Pure Land, freedom from the cycle of birth and death, and eventual enlightenment (provided, of course, that the student also cultivates his or her Pure Mind).
