The Pure Land teaching of Amitabha’s deliverance through his name
The Pure Land teaching of Amitabha’s deliverance is a genuine Buddhist Dharma, that directly leads all sentient beings in the 10 directions, of different aptitudes and capacities, to buddhahood in this lifetime. It is the Dharma for a person to become a fully emancipated buddha in the boundless realms of existence.
The teaching isn’t just (in both esoteric or exoteric teachings) for humans and heavenly beings to attain meritorious blessings, or for sravaka and pratyekabuddha teachings to attain liberation from samsara through self-power. Neither are the bodhisattva teachings merely for attaining the perseverance of no-birth nor to dwell in the state of non-retrogression.
Why is the Pure Land teaching a Dharma of the Buddha? Because it is a teaching of Amitabha’s deliverance by his vow-power through His Name—Namo Amituofo. This Name is the essence of the Three Pure Land sutras, as said by Master Tanluan, an eminent Pure Land patriarch from the sixth century, in his Commentary on the Shastra on Rebirth.
This Name alone contains all of Amitabha’s unsurpassed and inconceivable merits and virtues. By exclusively reciting this Name, one can become a buddha-like being—not a bodhisattva or an arhat, and certainly not only a blessed person in the world. It is the one and only one real Buddha’s Dharma, called the Reward Dharma that enables us to become a buddha in this lifetime.
The Buddha’s Dharma, encompassing all Buddhist teachings
“When this name is invoked, ten thousand virtues are perfectly present.” That is the Buddha’s Dharma.
“Reciting Amitabha’s Name fully contains the virtues of the Dharma, leaving nothing out.” That is the Buddha’s Dharma.
“The one Name of infinite virtues encompasses and contains all Buddhist teachings.” That is the Buddha’s Dharma.
However, some people cannot believe this inconceivable supreme teaching, which is why Master Tanluan said: “Extraordinary words do not enter the ears of ordinary people.” People’s minds are too narrow to accept it—like a frog at the bottom of a well unable to comprehend the vastness of the ocean.
Before Shakyamuni Buddha introduced the genuine teaching of Amitabha’s deliverance, he introduced teachings of the Dharma for humans and gods, then preached 84,000 expedient teachings such as: the Five Precepts and the Four Noble Truths for Hinayana, and the Six Perfections for Mahayana, for more than 40 years.
Expounded in a simple and direct manner, like a tidal wave . . . all at once
In expounding the Pure Land teaching of Amitabha’s deliverance, it was not necessary for Shakyamuni Buddha to go through the step-by-step process to accommodate audiences of different aptitudes and capacities. He only needed to introduce it in a “factual,” straightforward, simple and direct manner.
Expounding the Pure Land teaching is like a tidal wave—when it surges, the entire sea comes with it all at once. Shakyamuni Buddha speaks of Amitabha’s teaching of deliverance in the following way: “The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single sound,” only that one sound, without the need for a second or third sound.
When speaking of Amitabha’s teaching of deliverance, time is not a factor, as there are no past, present, or future periods of time. All of the Dharma is poured into one sound—this is the Great Empowerment, the Great Perfection. This Name is ultimate and complete. It truly contains all Buddhist teachings.
A teaching supported by scriptural evidence, reason, and experience
Looking at other Buddhist teachings and Mahayana scriptures (known as the Expedient Dharma of Cultivation), the realms of all buddhas are certainly vast and magnificent. Reading them brings great joy and inspiration; but, no teaching surpasses Amitabha’s teaching of deliverance through his Name. This is not simply us bragging about our sectarian affiliation. It is simply the truth that no Dharma, in terms of its scope and power, surpasses Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow of Rebirth through the exclusive recitation of his Name. This is because it allows ordinary iniquitous beings to enter his Reward Land with no preconditions. All beings need only recite this Name to attain Buddhahood.
Since we have come across the Pure Land teaching, we should be joyful, as it is extremely rare and hard to encounter in hundreds of millions of lifetimes! Thus, we must bring forth the Bodhi mind (aspiring to be reborn) and share this Pure Land teaching with all sentient beings with whom we have an affinity.
There truly is no other Dharma like it, as no other Buddhist teaching is easier, simpler, and more supreme than this. This Pure Land teaching is not something we imagined. It is supported by scriptural evidence, by reason, and by experience. Its lineage is pure, and the patriarchs have explained it clearly and without ambiguity.
Buddhism’s future must unfold in the hearts of Buddhists
The future of Buddhism lies in our hearts. If we don’t have a sense of the future and hope in our hearts, how can Buddhism have a future? Many people like to study Buddhism, but do they have hope in their hearts? If they say, “I have a future,” but inwardly they believe “I have no future,” how could they possibly have one?
“Can I really attain buddhahood at the end of this lifetime? Can I certainly become a bodhisattva with the perseverance of the non-arising of dharmas? Can I attain arhatship for sure? Can I even be reborn in the heavens?” If the answer to these questions is “no,” then what future is there?
“Will I certainly fall into the Three Wretched Realms?” When we reflect on our own mounds of afflictions, ego-attachment, karma, wrong views, and evil deeds, we know the answer is “yes.” As a Buddhist, what kind of future is that?
If every Buddhist disciple’s future is the Three Wretched Realms, how can Buddhism have a future? Buddhism’s future must unfold in the hearts of Buddhists. If we all attain rebirth in the Pure Land, it is like rain falling into the ocean—how could Buddhism not have hope or a future?
So whether Buddhism has a future depends on our hearts. Even if Buddhists around the world follow difficult paths and feel that becoming a Buddha is nearly impossible. If even one person, as a buddha-seed, recites “Namo Amitabha Buddha” for assured rebirth in the Pure Land, then Buddhism has a future, it has hope.
So as a Buddhist follower, please disseminate and transmit the Pure Land teaching of Amitabha’s deliverance by exclusively reciting until the end-of-life and teaching others to recite. Namo Amituofo!
Related features from BDG
Attaining Assured Rebirth by Returning to Amitabha Recitation
The Nine Levels in the Contemplation Sutra and the Three Grades in the Infinite Life Sutra
Humility and Respect for the Buddha’s Word: Believing and Accepting the Teaching
Namo Amituofo!