Pure Land Teaching in India and China

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Compare and contrast Robert Szuksztul’s article, Jan Nattier’s article, The
Smaller Sutra (Sutra on Amitāyus Buddha Delivered by Śākyamuni
Buddha), and the 2 videos.

2016 English BA
Lecturer: Venerable Dr. Chuan Sheng
Student: Venerable Heng le 2016029
09-09-2021
The ultimate goal of all Buddhist practice is to achieve Enlightenment and transcend the cycle of

Birth and Death which is called Samsara that is to attain Buddhahood. In the Mahayana

tradition, the precondition for Buddhahood is the Bodhi Mind; the aspiration to achieve

Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. Even though the ultimate goal is the same,

the many branches of Buddhism differ when it comes to the methods and approaches in order to

achieve this goal. For example, I, myself devoted my life since I was six years old to become a

monk and have been practising Theravada Buddhism till now. When we achieve a goal, there

can be many paths and methods, thus we have the opportunity to find out the most appropriate

one for our spiritual journey. Though I can introduce myself as a Theravada Buddhist monk, I

found that it is very beneficial for me to practice Pure Land Buddhism too especially having

exposed to Pure Land teachings in the previous semester and this semester. At the beginning of

studying Pure Land Buddhism, I mistakenly thought that pure Land Buddhism is closer to

Bhakthi rather than Saddha because it stressed more on having faith and expecting an external

help. The term Bhakti means people have their faith on a divine power in order to get rid of fear

and worry which are the basic human weaknesses. However, having studied in Buddhist college

of Singapore and attending Venerable Dr. Chuan Sheng’s lectures, I understood that it is not

focused on Bhakti, but a self-cultivation and a spiritual expectation towards liberation; as such I

have a strong and clear knowledge about Pure Land Buddhism now. Thus, our lecturer provided

us two reading materials; Robert Szuksztul’s article, Jan Nattier’s article, The Smaller Sutra

(Sutra on Amitāyus Buddha Delivered by Śākyamuni Buddha), and the 2 videos. Therefore, in

this essay I am going to compare and contrast aforementioned articles and two videos.

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First, Robert Szuksztul’s article “Possible Roots of the Pure Land Buddhist Notion of Practice in

Light of Some Early Buddhist Sources” provides information that many constitutive ideas of

Pure Land Buddhism can be found in the earliest period of Buddhist texts, such as the Pāli

canon. The article focuses on few key factors like faith (pasanna, saddhā), vows (paṇidhi) or

recollections (anussati). The School of Pure Land is based on three sutras: the Larger and the

Smaller Sukhāvatīvyūha and the Sutra of Contemplation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life,

and also pure land practitioners believed in Buddha Amitābha’s limitless light and the goal of

this practice is to be born in the Western Paradise or Pure Land, which is called in Sanskrit

Sukhāvatī or Land of Bliss. In the 1st part of the article, it allocates a wide space to talk about

Recollections. Basically, it mentions 10 Recollections; the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha

virtuous behaviour, generosity, and the Devas and recollection of breathing (ānāpānasati), of
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death (maraṇasati), of the body (kāyagatāsati), and of peace (upasamānussati). Having

reflected, one can concentrate on Buddha’s incomparable virtues and qualities, thus his mind is

not obsessed by lust, hatred, or delusion; on that occasion his mind is simply straight, based on

the Buddha. Then the writer explains about attitudes such as faith, reverence and generosity.

Faith is explained in Buddhism as a serene commitment to the practice of the Buddha's teaching

and trust in enlightened or highly developed beings, such as Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. When it

comes to Mahayana Buddhism, faith was given a much more important role than the early

Buddhism. Having a strong devotion to the Amithaba Buddha, faith gained a central role in Pure

Land Buddhism. According to the Lecture Note 03, the section 12 explains that “one who has

faith in Buddhas, who are in six directions, is protected by them and lead to reach enlightenment

without retrogression. For this reason, all beings should aspire to birth in the Pure Land”. The

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AN 6.9; DN 33.9: ‘cha anussatiṭṭhānāni — buddhānussati, dhammānussati, saṅghā-nussati, sīlānussati,
cāgānussati, devatānussati.’

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video “The Smaller Amitabha Sutra | 佛 說 阿 彌 陀 經 | Pure Land Buddhism | Jodo Shinshu”

and Sutra of buddha’s Teaching On Amitabha(the first part) video show the wonderful qualities

of the Pure Land; beauty, calmness, comfort and Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Shakyamuni

Buddha preaches this Sutra in order to help foolish worldly people to reborn in Pure Land. The

second video is really colourful and animated with latest graphics, thus it brings a real sense of

Pure Land. It can attract us and help us to imagine Pure Land. Both videos are based on the

similar story as it is mentioned in the smaller Amitabha Sutra which exactly goes with the

explanation of the Sutra.

In the video “Hymn on The Larger Infinite Life Sutra | 大 無 量 壽 經 偈 | Pure Land | Shin

Buddhism” Master Shinran explains that one can be saved by faith alone. Shinran does not

subscribe to self-power, but believed in “other-power” instead, where even faith itself is a “gift

given by Amitabha. Such faith, according to master Shinran is supported by three elements: (1)

three attitudes; sincere mind, trustfulness and desire for rebirth into Pure Land which presented

in the eighteenth vow, (2) the achievement of Buddha Nature and (3) the absence of doubt.

Shinran propounds that Amitabha’s vow is non-discriminatory and also an infinite attitude to

save all beings or he does not accept final nirvana. The devotion from the followers of Amitabha

thus arises from his all-encompassing great compassion. In here, I was very surprised to know

that people who commit grave karmas still can be saved by Amitabha Buddha according to the

explanation of master Shinran though the Sutta exclude them. I think, this is because no one is

too evil for Amitabha Buddha to save especially due to his vow is without discrimination.

Therefore, people who committed grave Karmas, still they have an opportunity to be free from

Samsara. I can remember that Venerable Devadatta also commited two grave Karmas such as

shedding the blood of the Buddha and caused schism in the Sangha order. However, having faith

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on the Buddha at the last moment in his life, it is said that he will reborn as a silent Buddha in the

name of Satthissara in the future. Thus, the early Buddhism and Master Shinran agree that even

people who committed grave karmas have a hope for the liberation.

In contrast, the second article, Jan Nattier’s “The Indian Roots of Pure Land Buddhism: Insights

from the Oldest Chinese Versions of the Larger Sukhavativyuha” focuses more on evidences that

occurred after the Buddha’s passing away, but not more on Tipitaka like the 1st article. Jan

Nattier says that after the Buddha’s demise, his life was glorified and upgraded into a superior

status rather than a human. When the Buddha upgraded into such a status, the value of the

Arhant was demoted and needed to focus on a higher achievement like Buddhahood instead of

Arahant. Thus, the concept of Bodhisattva became more popular because it was the pattern that

at least one disciple of every Buddha must vow to become a Buddha himself. Venerable

Dharmakara also thus vowed to become a Buddha in order to save countless of sentient beings. I

can remember that there are 28 paintings in the ceiling of my temple in Sri Lanka, which

describe about previous 28 Buddhas vow to become Buddhas. It is not a doubt that Theravadins

also strongly believe that one must vow to become Buddha. In the first article written by Robert

Szuksztul clearly mentions that a vow is understood as a powerful agent and remains active long

after the author of the resolve passes from existence, even in an absolute sense. He further

concludes that the vows in the Pāli canon have similar structure to the vows of Amitabha. Thus, I

see a similarity here; both articles agree that vows play a major role in the path of realization and

especially in Pure Land Buddhism. Another factor that Jan Nattier’s article focused is the

different Buddhas and world systems exist. In early Buddhism, it is mentioned that one Buddha

can appear one time in the world. Therefore, in order to cater many Buddhasthe idea of many

world systems appeared, of course there is no contradiction that Shakymuni Buddha had already

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preached that there are countless worlds in this universe. Then this kind of notion paved the way

for many Buddhas to exist in many world systemslike Maha Aksobhya Buddha in the East, then

Amitabha buddha in the West, and subsequently countless Buddhas throughout the ten

directions.

In conclusion, If Buddhism is a huge river which flows through mountains, forests, villages, and

cities sustaining the lives of countless of sentient and insentient beings, Pure Land Buddhism can

be described as a strong branch of that river which renders the same duty. In the course of

history, it has enlightened the countless lives of the ordinary people and led them to liberation.

Pure land Buddhism did not appear at once, but a long time journey and a development. The

roots of the Pure Land can be traced back to even early Buddhism too. Therefore, I tried to

discuss important key points in Pure Land and compare and contrast Robert Szuksztul’s article

“Possible Roots of the Pure Land Buddhist Notion of Practice in Light of Some Early Buddhist

Sources.”, Jan Nattier’s article “The Indian Roots of Pure Land Buddhism: Insights from the

Oldest Chinese Versions of the Larger Sukhavativyuha.”, The Smaller Sutra (Sutra on Amitāyus

Buddha Delivered by Śākyamuni Buddha), and the aforementioned 2 videos in this essay.

Finally, I would love to end this essay here quoting the primal vow (13 th) of the Amitabha

Buddha.

“If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten directions who sincerely

and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and recite my Name, even

ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment. Excluded, however,

are those who commit the five gravest offences and abuse the right Dharma.”

(Word count 1686)

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References

1. Lecture Notes 3,4 and 5

2. Two articles

i. Robert Szuksztul. “Possible Roots of the Pure Land Buddhist Notion of Practice
in Light of Some Early Buddhist Sources.” The Polish Journal of the Arts and
Culture 16:4 (2015): 155-177.
ii. Jan Nattier. “The Indian Roots of Pure Land Buddhism: Insights from the Oldest
Chinese Versions of the Larger Sukhavativyuha.” Pacific World: Journal of the
Institute of Buddhist Studies, 3d ser., 5 (Fall 2003):179–201.http://www.shin--‐
ibs.edu/documents/pwj3--‐5/09Nattier35.pdf

3 The Smaller Sutra (Sutra on Amitāyus Buddha Delivered by Śākyamuni Buddha). dBET
PDF version 2010: pp. 89-96 (IV).<http://www.bdk.or.jp/document/dgtl-
dl/dBET_ThreePureLandSutras_2003.pdf>

Videos
 “Sutra of the Buddha’s Teaching on Amitabha.” (Part 1.) 2011. 20:37 min.
http://aputi.com/c/1works/play_page/01fo_jt5j_amita-e.html?id=2554?aputi

 “The Smaller Amitabha Sutra.” (Jodo Shinshu/Shin Buddhism.) 2020. 30:12 min.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSTk2X6KhMg

 “Chapter 23 | Hymn on The Larger Infinite Life Sutra | 大 無 量 壽 經 偈 | Pure

Land | Shin Buddhism” Nov 23, 2020. 14;45 min https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9VIbkoXeOaU&t=598s

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