Pure Land School

Categories: Traditions and Lineages | Mahayana

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

• Chinese :  净土宗 jìngtǔzōng
• Japenese :  浄土宗 Jōdoshū
• Korean :  정토종 jeongtojong
• Vietnamese :  Tịnh Độ Tông

Pure Land School, also unpopopulary known as Amidism, is a branch of the Mahayana and currently one of the most 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 Tien Tai 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.

Overview

Pure Land Buddhism is based on the Pure Land sutras first brought to China circa 150 by the Parthian monk An Shih Kao and the Kushan monk Lokaksema, which describe Amitabha, one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, 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. In this sutra, The Buddha describes to his assistant, Ananda how Amitabha, still a mere disciple, makes a great series of vows to save all beings, and through his great merit, creates a realm called the Pure Land, or the Western Paradise. This Pure Land is intended as a refuge for those who are weighed down by negative karma and cannot obtain Enlightenment themselves.

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 Shan-tao (613–681). The philosophy spread to Japan and slowly grew in prominence. Honen Shonin (1133–1212) established Pure Land Buddhism as an independent sect in Japan, known as Jodo Shu. Today Pure Land is, together with Chan, 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.pinyin jìngtǔ, jp. jodo, vi. or "Western Pureland" (Ch., a region offering respite from karmic transmigration. The Vietnamese also use the term 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 nirvana.

Adherents believe that over history, Buddhism as a religion declines naturally, and Enlightenment through one's own means becomes more and more difficult. This phrase is referred to as mappo in Japanese, or "Dharma Decline" and was a source of great concern in East Asian thought.

Thus, adherents believe that Amitabha Buddha provided an alternate practice towards attaining enlightenment: the Pure Land. The main idea behind Pure Land Buddhism is that nirvana is difficult to obtain without the assistance of Amitabha Buddha. Instead of solitary meditative work toward enlightenment, Pure Land Buddhism teaches that devotion to Amitabha will lead one to the Pure Land (reminiscent of avenfrom which Nirvana will be easier to attain.

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.

Some Pure Land Buddhists have taught that in order for a devotee to be reborn in Amitabha's Western Paradise or Western Pure Land, they should chant or repeat a mantra or prayer to Amitabha as often as possible to reinforce a proper and sincere state of mind. This practice is known as the nian fo (Ch.) or nembutsu (Jp.).

It is believed, that if practitioners chant Amitabha Buddha's name continuously, when their current life comes to an end they can be received with their karma by Amitabha Buddha. This fairly simple form of veneration has contributed greatly to its popularity, especially in Japan.

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. Visualization practices for Amitabha are more popular among esoteric Buddhist practices, while the nianfo is more popular among lay followers.

1. - Pure Land Buddhism is a branch of mainstream Mahayana Buddhism and one of the most popular schools in the Far East.

It is centered around the Buddha Amitabha ("Infinite-Light"), also known as the Buddha Amitayus ("Infinite-Life"), whose double name is shortened to "Amituo" in Chinese, "Amida" in Japanese and "Adida" in Korean and Vietnamese. He is preaching the Dharma in his buddha-field (buddhakshetra), or "pure land" (c. jingtu, j. jodo), named "the Happy One" (Sukhavati). Pure Land Buddhism is sometimes designated by the term "Amidism".

- The main practice is the commemoration of Amida ( j. nembutsu), either through contemplation, seeking a vision of him in this life, or through the chanting of his name in order to be reborn in his pure land at the time of death.

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 in Western Pure Land Buddhism.

Early India

Both the "Larger Sukhavati-vyuha-sutra" and the "Shorter Sukhavati-vyuha-sutra" exist in Sanskrit, in Tibetan and in Chinese. A pedestal of an Amitabha statue was discovered near Mathura in 1977 : dated 104 C.E., it is the oldest dated document of Indian Mahayana Buddhism.

Indian masters such as Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu wrote treatises on the Pure Land but their works have been preserved in Chinese only.

China

Pure Land scriptures, such as the "Pratyutpanna-samadhi-sûtra", were among the first Buddhist sutras to be translated into Chinese. In 402, the monk Huiyuan, basing himself on the "Pratyutpanna-samadhi-sutra", founded the White Lotus Society (Bailianshe) on Mont Lushan, which was at the origin of the Lushan tradition of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism. The same sutra was used by Zhiyi (538-597), founder of Tiantai school, to develop his own interpretation of Pure Land.

The Shandao Tradition follows mostly the "Threefold Pure Land Sutra". This began with Tanluan (476-542) but owes its name to Shandao (613-681) who empasized the pratice of chanting the Buddha's name as the sufficient condition to be born in the Pure Land. This tradition includes also masters such as Daochuo (562-645), Huaigan (?-?) and Shaokang (?-805). Although it did not survive the anti-Buddhism persecution of 845 in China, it is this tradition that was to develop later in Japan.

The Cimin Tradition goes back to Cimin (Huiri, 680-748), who visited Gandhara. His teachings combine meditation (chan) and discipline (vinaya) within a Pure Land framework. This syncretism caracterizes later Pure Land Buddhism in China (as well as in Indochina and Korea), trough the works of masters such as Yongming (Yanshan, 904-976), Yuanzhao (Lingzhi, 1048-1116) and Yunqi (Zhuhong, 1535-1615).

Commentaries on Pure Land were also written by masters of almost every school of Chinese Buddhism, including Jicang (549-623) of the Mâdhyamika (Sanlun) school, Kuiji (532-682) of the Vijñânavâda (Faxiang) school, and the Korean Wonhyo (617-686) of the Avatamsaka (Huayen) school.

See also :

• Category:Patriarchs of the Chinese Pure Land School

Japan

Most of the Pure Land scriptures were already known and studied during the Nara period (8th Century). From the establishment of the Tendai school at the begining of the Heian period (794-1185), "Pure Land teaching" (Jodo-kyo) spread to the aristocracy under the influence of the master Genshin (942-1017). In the esoteric Shingon school, the role of Amida was also stressed by Kakuban (1094-1143).

The "Pure Land School" (Jodo-shu) was in due course founded by the Tendai monk Honen (1133-1212): while rediscovering the Chinese Shandao Tradition, Honen asserted that chanting the Buddha's name was the only necessary practice. Among Honen's disciples, Shinran (1173-1263) established his own interpretation : the "True Pure Land School" (Jodo-Shinshu) which insists on the faith aspect of the nembutsu. Those two schools were to become the largest ones in Japan.

Two more schools were established during the Edo period : the Yuzu-nembutsu-shu looks to the Tendai monk Ryonin (1072-1152) as its founder, while the Ji-shu traces its teachings back to Ippen (1239-1289). In adition, the Obaku school, founded in Japan by the Chinese Chan master Yinyuan (j. Ingen, 1592-1673), offers a combination of Zen and Pure Land teachings.

Vajrayana

Amitabha or Amitayus occupies a important place in the Vajrayana tradition. Infinite-Life Buddha (Tibetan: Tsepame) is the central figure of longevity rites (Tibetan: tsegrub), while the practice of consciousness transference (Tibetan: phowa) aims at rebirth within the buddha-field of Sukhavati (Tibetan: dewachen). Some tulku, like the Panchen Lama, are also considered as emanations of Infinite-Light Buddha (Tibetan: Oepame).

Organizations

• Jodo Shu Buddhism Official Website