Is Buddha a God?
There’s only one reason Sakyamuni Buddha Came to Our Saha World over 2,500 years ago. What is it?
Once the Buddha was asked . . . if he was a God?
The Buddha replied that no, he was not a god.
Then was he an angel? No.
A spirit? No.
Then what was he?
The Buddha replied that he was awakened.
Since the Buddha, by his own assertion, is not a god, we do not worship him. We respect and are grateful to him for teaching us many different methods to help us find the way to be liberated from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and like him, to become perfectly enlightened.
Out of all that the Buddha taught, Pure Land Buddhism is one the Buddha highlighted in numerous occasions and encouraged us to aspire and to practice. Sakyamuni Buddha had repeatedly taught his followers about the Western Pure Land, the Land of Ultimate Bliss, and encouraged all of us to make a vow to reborn in the Western Pure Land and practice mindfulness of Amitabha.
From over 2,500 years ago, Sakyamuni Buddha, after his enlightenment, explained that he saw not only his past lifetimes but also how the future would unfold.
Sakyamuni saw people in our time having more afflictions, worries, and wandering thoughts. Our deeply-ingrained bad habits become more entrenched over thousands of lifetimes. This would make liberating ourselves solely by our own efforts almost impossible. He knew that to end one’s problems and attain ultimate happiness, many people would need the help of another Buddha — Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Infinite Life.
While almost all of his teachings are resulted from being asked a question, Sakyamuni Buddha, in the departure of the norm and knowing when the time was right, initiated the teaching that introduced Amitabha and his Pure Land. This spontaneous teaching by Sakyamuni is what makes this teaching so special.
Introducing Amitabha and his Pure Land to all beings in our Saha World is, in fact, the single and most important reason for Sakyamuni to have come to our world as pointed out by Master Shandao (613–681), the Pure Land Patriarch who lived during the Tang Dynasty of Ancient China.
The Pure Land Teaching Introduced by Sakyamuni
In this teaching, Sakyamuni recounted how the Bodhisattva Dharmakara, after witnessing the suffering of sentient beings, spent five eons (an incredibly long period of time) studying all the Buddha lands. Dharmakara then made forty-eight vows, the fulfillment of which would create the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. He declared that he would not attain Buddhahood unless his vows for a perfect pure land, where all beings would advance along the Buddhist path and never again fall back into samsara, were accomplished.
Once these vows were accomplished, Dharmakara Bodhisattva became Amitabha Buddha. He is now speaking the Dharma in his pure land and helping all who are truly sincere in their vows to be reborn there.
With help from Amitabha, we do not have to rely on ourselves to attain enlightenment as we would with other methods. In Pure Land Buddhism, we rely on the compassionate Buddhas and Bodhisattva to help us. Thus, reliance on self and on another are combined as we request by way of our mindful chanting that Amitabha Buddha, through the strength of his vows, help us to be reborn in his Pure Land as we breathe our last breath in our present body.
Amitabha also vowed that once we attain this rebirth, we will always progress in our practice and learning. We will be able to continue our practice in his Pure Land, or, when we choose, return to this and other worlds to help others, without being affected by unfavorable environments or our former bad habits. If we wish, we will be able to do this before we attain supreme enlightenment.
Due to Amitabha Buddha’s merits and virtues, and the goodness of all the beings there, his Pure Land has innumerable wonders and advantages, all of which arise from the great vows, deeds, and purity of all the beings there.
Through his vows, Amitabha helps all beings create the causes to plant the roots of goodness. With his deeds, he creates the conditions for beings to accumulate merits. With his purity, he has created a perfect land — one that is free from anger, and intolerance. It is a land of peace, serenity, and equality. In comparison, our world is one of delusion and suffering, filled with worries.
Five Sutras of Pure Land Buddhism
To gain a comprehensive understanding, one should study the five sutras of Pure Land Buddhism. The Five Sutras of Pure Land Buddhism are imperative for practitioners to go deeply to learn, recite, and understand the Pure Land Doctrine.
1. The Amitabha Sutra [Sutra text]
The Commentary of Amitabha Sutra by Grand Master Ou-I is also highly recommended.
2. The Infinite Life Sutra [Sutra excerpts]
3. The Visualization Sutra [Sutra text]
4. The Chapter of the Practices and Vows of Bodhisattva Samantabhadhra from the Avatamsaka Sutra [Sutra text]
5. The Chapter on Mahasthama Bodhisattva’s Mindfulness of Amitabha to Universally Realize Samadhi from the Surangama Sutra [Sutra text]
Mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha
While it is important to gain an understanding of Amitabha by reading the five sutras and vow to reborn in the Western Pure Land, one should also get started with the Buddha-name chanting practice on a daily basis.
By continuously practicing (Amitabha) Buddha-name chanting or “Amituofo”, the ultimate goal is to seek the help of Amitabha Buddha to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss at the end of this lifetime!
How to get started? Follow a sample chant you like from the Amitabha Mindful chanting music collection and start your chanting practice today! Cultivate utmost faith in Amitabha Buddha. Make a vow to reborn in the Western Pure Land. Practice Amitabha Buddha-name chanting everyday.
It is simple and easy to get started. The reward empowered by Amitabha Buddha for all beings is inconceivable!
Namo Amitabha!
