Pure Land School

( by the Faculty of the Developing Virtue Secondary School, CTTB, Talmage, California )

A Buddhas's "Pure Land" is a word-system imbued with many special characteristics: the three evil destinies of the hells, ghosts and animals are absent; the earth is gentle and even; the landscape is beautiful and distinctively lovely. Life there resembles our vision of living in blissful heaven. Yet, unlike the heavens, the luxury and grandeur of a Pure Land is designed to inspire in the inhabitants mindfulness of the Triple Jewel. Dwellers there always get to hear the Buddha and his retinue of Boddhisattvas teaching the Dharma. All beings born in the Pure Land eventually become Buddhas themselves in other world-system, or they purposely remain high Boddhisattva to help living beings. Once born in a Pure Land one never again falls into the three lower realms of existence or retreats from the Buddha's path.

Amitabha Buddha established a Pure Land called the " Land of Ultimate Happiness", situated billions of world-systems from us in the West. Amitabha means "Measureless Light" and Amitayus, another of his names, means " Measureless Life". Beings in our world have colse affinities with Amitabha Buddha, therefore our Buddha, Shakyamuni, spoke the Amitabha Sutra on our behalf. The Amitabha Sutra will be the last Sutra to remain in our world as the Dharma declines. After the Amitabha Sutra disappears, the only Buddhadharma remaining in the world will be the words "Namo Amitabha Buddha". These words will survive for one hundred years bringing liberation to limitless beings who sincerely recite them. After that, only the words "Amitabha Buddha" will endure as an efficacious method for seeking liberation. After another hundred years Amitabha Buddha's name will disappear leaving no more Buddhadharma in our world, until the next Buddha, Maitreya, appears in about ten million years.

This explains why the method of reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha is considered to be so important. There are three prerequisities for being reborn in the Land of Ultimate Happiness.

1. Faith.

There must be a basic faith in oneself: that by turning away from the bad and going towards good we can transform ourselves to a degree that merits this superior rebirth. We also, must believe the Pure Land does indeed exist. In Buddhism faith is extremely important. It says in the Flower Adornment Sutra,

Faith is the source of the Path,

the mother of merit and virtue.

It nurtures all good dharmas.

2. Vows.

We must make vows to be reborn in the Pure Land and also, make great vows to benefit all sentient beings.

3. Practice.

We need to really cultivate the Buddha's teachings and diligently recite the Buddha's name.

The Buddha said that one who wishes to be reborn in Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land must cultivate the following virtues:

First, one must be filial to and serve one's parents, respect teachers and elders, have a kind heart and not kill any being, and practise the ten kinds of good karma.

Second, one must receive the three refuges ( taking refuge in the Triple Jewel ) and perfect the various moral regulations.

Third, one must resolve to become Enlightened, have deep faith in cause and effect, recite the Great Vehicle Sutras, and diligently practise according to them.