Request: clear explanation of the nature of Sukhavati or a "pure land" in general

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Brunelleschi
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Joined: Tue May 05, 2015 4:09 pm

Request: clear explanation of the nature of Sukhavati or a "pure land" in general

Post by Brunelleschi »

Hello,

I have a request: Could someone take the time to explain how the/a pure land in Buddhism is to be understood? Hailing from Europe I feel like my view of the pure land is influenced by Abrahamic thinking - which is obviously incorrect. I've read some explanations but I'd like to get a more philosopical explanation.

A pure land could also be called a Buddha-field. Which in itself is an extension of the mind of a Buddha (or generated by but in itself identical to). Is this correct?

Thanks in advance. :anjali:

Best regards,
B
Admin_PC
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Re: Request: clear explanation of the nature of Sukhavati or a "pure land" in general

Post by Admin_PC »

Brunelleschi wrote: Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:58 pmA pure land could also be called a Buddha-field. Which in itself is an extension of the mind of a Buddha (or generated by but in itself identical to). Is this correct?
Yes, that pretty much sums it up. Buddhism (of just about all flavors) has the teachings that mind is the forerunner of all experiences. The Pratyutpanna Samadhi sutra (a Pure Land sutra that is not one of the main 3) teaches:
As I think of the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm, these three realms are formed by my mind. I can see what I think of.
and
The mind with perceptions is saṁsāra; the mind without perceptions is nirvāṇa. Dharmas as perceived are not something pleasurable. They are empty thoughts, nothing real.
The Vimalakirti sutra shows that perception for a Buddha/Bodhisattva is vastly different than that for a common being. It also says:
“Thus, a bodhisattva who lives in the inconceivable liberation can
manifest all the splendors of the virtues of all the buddhafields within a
single buddhafield. Likewise, he can place all living beings in the palm of his
right hand and can show them with the supernatural speed of thought all
the buddhafields without ever leaving his own buddhafield. He can display
in a single pore all the offerings ever offered to all the Buddhas of the ten
directions, and the orbs of all the suns, moons, and stars of the ten directions.
He can inhale all the hurricanes of the cosmic wind-atmospheres of the
ten directions into his mouth without harming his own body and without
letting the forests and the grasses of the buddhafields be flattened. He can
take all the masses of fire of all the supernovas that ultimately consume all
the universes of all the buddhafields into his stomach without interfering
with their functions. Having crossed buddhafields as numerous as the sands
of the Ganges downward, and having taken up a buddhafield, he can rise up
through buddhafields as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and place it on
high, just as a strong man may pick up a jujube leaf on the point of a needle.
Buddhafield (buddhaksetra) is precisely how Sukhavati is referred to in the Shorter Sukhavati Sutra in Sanskrit.
Brunelleschi
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Re: Request: clear explanation of the nature of Sukhavati or a "pure land" in general

Post by Brunelleschi »

Ok, that's interesting. Thanks. :)
Vasana
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Re: Request: clear explanation of the nature of Sukhavati or a "pure land" in general

Post by Vasana »



This vid is really Worth a watch if from aabrahamic teachings you are suspicious about Buddhist teachings on heaven, helll and other realms. Seeing that it's possible makes the notion of pure-realms more feasable as illusion like environments where swift progress can be made.
'When thoughts arise, recognise them clearly as your teacher'— Gampopa
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
Vasana
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Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:22 am

Re: Request: clear explanation of the nature of Sukhavati or a "pure land" in general

Post by Vasana »

viewtopic.php?t=27333

DGA wrote: Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:45 am The following is from the late Kalu Rinpoche's book, Gently Whispered, pp. 79-80. He is describing Pure Land practice as a means to liberation in the time after physical death, in the "bardo of possibility." For more details on this, go get the book and read it.
Development of such potential is the main idea behind the pure land practices, which foster the aspiration toward rebirth in a realm of pure bliss, of pure experience. The form given for expressing this motivation is devotion to an enlightened being named Buddha Amitabha. The virtue of devotion to Buddha Amitabha is that his pure land is directly accessible through faith, motivation, and aspiration. If the aspiration to attain the pure blissful experience of Dewachen is strong enough, then during the bardo state where there is no physical body as a hindrance, the process can happen instantaneously. Before the mind is required by karmic patterns to take a physical rebirth, the process can be started that will culminate in the experience of the realm of pure awareness. Through the development of faith, motivation, and aspiration to Buddha Amitabha in this life, one can short circuit all established patterns, allowing the mind to break through the individual's enmeshing karma.

With such an approach, one can attain a state equivalent to the realization of the first level of an accomplished bodhisattva. This incredible experience is described in the texts with such phrases as "taking birth in a flower in a beautiful realm of supreme bliss." The eloquent way in which it is presented in several texts has provided a basis for the aspiration and devotion that is the center focus of the pure land school. Practicing Amitabha meditation definitely establishes the tendencies which will allow the transformation to take place in the bardo of possibility. Practice of other yidams can also effect the same result. When the mind is no longer subject to the limitations of the physical embodiment, the complete instability of mental projections provides unusual potential for complete transformation, to the extent that liberation can come about in a very short period of time, even instantaneously, if one's practice is stable enough.
In other words: devotion to Amitabha is equally effective to other Dharma practices in preparing the mindstream for liberation in the time after death but before rebirth, and has the advantage of being accessible and relatively easy. This practice is truly excellent. I rejoice in the aspirations of those who are committed to Buddha Amitabha.

I'm sharing this teaching here with the intention of promoting this practice among those who may be curious about it. I found it inspiring when I read it first. Maybe you will to?

:cheers:
'When thoughts arise, recognise them clearly as your teacher'— Gampopa
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
vikas113
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Re: Request: clear explanation of the nature of Sukhavati or a "pure land" in general

Post by vikas113 »

Buddha during his enlightenment saw that because of their karmas beings fall down to deepest of hells and go as high up to highest heavens. Rebirth of any living beings can majorly be classified into 6 realms. rebirth in hells (cold or hot hells), rebirth a hungry ghost, rebirth as an animal, rebirth as a demon(asura), rebirth as a human, rebirth as a god of heavens. Each and every birth is impermanent, even after becoming a god of the highest heaven and enjoying limitless pleasures for thousands of years, one dies and falls down into the deepest of hells suffering an unimaginable amount of suffering.

Buddha equated most painful tortures in human realms equal to a dust particle while he said that the pain which one suffers in hells is comparable to Mt. Everest.

Even the gods finally die and are born again in any of the 6 realms. Even the hell being is finally liberated and born again in any of the 6 realms. This is an unending cycle of birth and death which he called samsara. There is no true liberation and just constant change and no stability.

What is the use of becoming a god in heaven when one will eventually fall down and go to the hells or become an animal and suffer unimaginable torture, thirst, hunger and slavery?

Only a Buddha overcomes birth and death and is entirely free from all suffering. Our Earth's Buddha's name was Sakyamuni Buddha.Buddha said that the universe is filled with life, there are many planets and worlds all over the galaxy and many of them have life. He also said that there are also Buddhas present in many of these worlds and teaching living beings the noble Dharma to get freedom from rebirth and attain enlightenment.

Buddhas said that each of these Buddhas has a different world, Some worlds are made up of flowers, Some worlds are entirely made up of gold, silver, mirrors etc. Also in worlds, they just use facial expressions to communicate and some use just mind to communicate.

Amitabha Buddha is also a Buddha of one of the world, Our Earth is called Saha world while Amitabha Buddha's world is called Sukhavati world.

Amitabha Buddha's world's ground is made up of 7 treasures, namely gold, silver, aquamarine, crystal, conch shell, ruby and emerald. There are ponds of refreshing water with colorful lotuses radiating with lights. The People there are not born through intercourse but the are born in a lotus flower through a magical transformation. People living there are superbly beautiful and rich, free from all diseases and worry, they never age and have various supernormal powers.

Just by wishing about food and clothing, there appear divine delicious foods of 100 flavors and celestial clothing and jewelry. There are palaces for each person living there which are made up of 7 treasures and have gardens and ponds inside and outside them.

There are trees from which most pleasing music resound, these trees have celestial flowers and fruits. These trees can be of one, two, three or even upto 7 treasures. They are very pleasing to look at, nothing like this world and surpasses even the highest hevens in beauty.

Amitabha Buddha, along with 2 great bodhisattvas Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva-Mahasattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva Mahasattva teach people there the teaching of dharma. All 3 of them have a superb appearance and radiate light which heals all mental and bodily diseases and vexations.

Amitabha Buddha's light is superb and peaceful and reaches innumerable lands in all the 10 directions.

The life of the Buddha and people living there is so long that it is practically incalculable and far greater than the lifespan of gods which don't even stand a comparison. Plus after innumerable thousands of millions of billions of years when people living there die, they will never fall into any evil rebirths. They will again be born in front of the same Buddha or other Buddhas or will themselves become a Buddha with their own world like Amitabha Buddha just as per their own wish. There is no more suffering after being born there.

Basically , That land is zero tension, zero worries, no aging, no ugliness, no diseases, no poor life. Life with full satisfaction, beautiful body, richness and a vast amount of supernatural powers.

Each living being living there is peaceful in mind and superb in appearance because of the Buddha's power of the vows he made in the past.

Amitabha Buddha is real, Hells are real and heavens are real. One should not think that they don't exist.

To be born in Amitabha's world is very easy. One should chant Amitabha's name with a wish to be reborn in that land with a sincere mind. Even just ten times saying 'Namo Amitabha Buddha' but with a sincere heart in enough to gain rebirth in that land. All this is possible because of the Amitabha Buddha's vows.

Buddhas never lie, Amitabha Buddha is real, Many people have been reborn in that land and there are testimonies and eyewitnesses to it.

What I have wrote is in breif, for actual sutra read in the following order.

The longer sutra on Amitabha Buddha

Buddha Pronounces the Sūtra of Visualization of Amitāyus Buddha

Namo Sakyamuni Buddha! Namo Amitabha Buddha!
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