The Significance of Amitabha’s 17th Vow in the Pure Land Teaching
Alan Kwan
25 April 2022
The substance of the three Pure Land sutras is the Name We know that the three Pure Land sutras—namely the Infinite Life Sutra, the Contemplation
The Critical Importance of Following a School’s Lineage
Alan Kwan
24 March 2020
Following a coherent, systematic, and complete…
Looking for the Pure Land: A Visit to Xuanzhong Monastery
Guoying Stacy Zhang
22 September 2017
According to the major sutras of Pure Land Buddhism, the Larger Sukhavativyuha and the Smaller Sukhavativyuha, Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land (Skt. Sukhavati) lies beyond 10 billion Buddha-lands west
What is a Buddha?
Alan Kwan
11 November 2016
A finger pointing at the moon The simple question of “What is a Buddha?” was raised in a casual discussion with a venerable Pure Land
How does Faith Arise from Amitabha’s Name (Rather than from the Delusive Mind)?
Alan Kwan
19 August 2016
Two ways of establishing faith from Amitabha’s Name Master Shandao states in Praise of Rites of Rebirth: “The honorable Amitabha set forth an extremely solemn vow. He
The Independent Action of “Namo Amitabha”
Alan Kwan
8 July 2016
The substance of all the Pure Land sutras is Amitabha’s Name Master Tanluan, an eminent Pure Land patriarch in 6th century China, says in his Commentary
Another Characteristic of Faith in Buddhism: Inheritance
Alan Kwan
27 May 2016
The root of virtue can be inherited life after life In Buddhism, faith is the first of the Five Roots of Virtue—faith, zeal, mindfulness (invocation),
How Does Amitabha-recitation Nourish the Root of Faith?
Alan Kwan
1 April 2016
Faith through devotion is not necessarily the result of the root of wisdom One must have previously cultivated deep roots of virtue in past lives
Evidence Based on Sutras, Commentaries, and Accounts
Alan Kwan
19 February 2016
The teachings of Pure Land Buddhism are easy to practice but difficult to believe in At the end of the Amitabha Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha observes that
Three Ways to Introduce the Pure Land Teachings in the Three Pure Land Sutras
Alan Kwan
5 February 2016
In my last article, we discussed three modes of belief in religious teachings: belief through direct experience (factual evidence); belief through irrefutable deduction (comparative analysis);
How is Dedication Related to Rebirth in the Land of Bliss?
Alan Kwan
8 January 2016
No dedication required for rebirth in the Pure Land through the primary practices Why is it important to differentiate between the Mind of Merit-dedication and
The Difference between Dedication of Merit on the Bodhisattva Path and Dedication-Aspiration in Pure Land Buddhism
Alan Kwan
11 December 2015
One is “born there at once” through the Three States of Mind As discussed in my last article, the context of dedication-aspiration in Pure Land