Origin
The tale of Buddha Amitabha and his paradise of the Pure Land began with Siddhartha Gautama, the Founder of Buddhism. He relates that there are as many Buddhas as there are grains of sand in the beach and that one in particuliar, Buddha Amitabha, created a realm of pure bliss and happiness, free from suffering, far to the east. He holds that this Buddha, was so concerned with the corruptness of our world, that he created a pure land of bliss that would allow for one to attain enlightenment in his realm, after death had occured. This pure land is said to possess golden streams, honey and fruits and a sense of pure happiness without suffering, which would allow for an easier path to enlightenment.
Beliefs
The belief practices of Pure Land Buddhism were laid down by two individuals in 12th and 13th century Japan. They were Honen and Shinran, master and student, who laid down the path to this religion. Though, eventually they parted ways and formed two separate belief systems of Pure Land faith, they were fundamental in shaping the religion. Both emphasize the glory of Buddha Amitabha and the Pure Land or Land of Measureless Light and the paths required to get there. For both men, it was a matter of belief in this Pure Land that motivated them to form a separate, yet distinct form of Buddhism that became very popular in Japan. In fact, today most Japanese Buddhists would classify themselves as a part of the Pure Land faith.
Practice
Both Honen and Shinran emphasize the reciting of Buddha Amitabha´s name, though they differ in reasons. For Honen, saying ¨¨Namu Amida Butsu¨¨ was a way of asking for rebirth in the Pure Land, while for Shinran, saying ¨¨Namu Amida Butsu¨¨ was a way of thanking Amitabha for allowing rebirth in the Pure Land. Other key differences are that for Honen, it was also necessary to meditate and perform rituals in addition to reciting. For Shinran, all that is needed is the recital of the Buddha Amitabha´s name. Both believe in the same destination, but differ in the path to get there. And while this path of Buddhism is very popular in Japan, it is quite rare in the Western World and it is only perhaps with time that this Lost God of Buddhism can be found.
Source
Gomez. Luis O. The Land of Bliss: The Paradise of the Buddha of Measureless Light. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. 1996
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