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Foundations of the Pure Land
Week 7: Clearing up Misconceptions
Welcome to our six-week online video course with Dharmavidya David Brazier, a psychotherapist and head of the Amida Order, an international Pure Land Buddhist community. With a background in both Soto Zen and Pure Land Buddhism, each week Brazier will be leading us through six foundational teachings of the Pure Land path. This week, in this bonus seventh video, Brazier addresses a common misconception: isn't Pure Land the same as Christianity?
Foundations of Pure Land, Week 1: Other Power.
Foundations of Pure Land, Week 2: Honen's Legacy.
Foundations of Pure Land, Week 3: Chanting the Nembutsu.
Foundations of Pure Land, Week 4: The Pure Land Take on Mindfulness.
Foundations of Pure Land, Week 5: Social Engagement.
Foundations of Pure Land, Week 6: Art and Tradition.
What a wonderful analysis and comparison of Buddhism and Christianity you have provided for us today Dharmavidya! You did an excellent job of clearly framing the motivating forces behind the decisions to convert to Buddhism that have driven so many people who were born into a monotheistic society to trade a system of intolerance for one of total acceptance.
That being said, I feel compelled to ask; What would the Buddha have said about the concept of Pure Land? It certainly did not exist as a concept involving dualism during his lifetime as far as I can see. The story of Siddhartha Buddha and his attainment of enlightenment is really pretty straight forward. His journey from ego and attachments (which create suffering) to eventual non-self and non-attachment (enlightenment) must be a journey that requires active participation, discipline and practice. No work... no growth.
As we are aware, the Buddha is often quoted as saying to his followers that they should take nothing he said as truth until they have done the work and followed the same path to denial of self that he took. For me, pure land Buddhism seems to fall short of this requirement because dualism (self) is allowed to flourish in a mystical land where individuals who have not managed to free themselves from the chains of attachment are somehow provided with a free pass to escape the endless cycle of rebirth and suffering that the Buddha said could only be broken by 'enlightenment'.
For me, 'Taking Refuge' in the Buddha, The Dharma & the Sangha" is not a form of dualism. For me, it is simply an acknowledgement of the path that I am stepping on that will lead AWAY from dualism.
I AM enjoying this series, however! Thank you!
According to the Buddha Infinite Life Sutra, an immeasurable number of eons ago a king, impressed by the preaching of a Buddha named World Freedom, renounced the throne to follow him. The king took on the name Dharma Treasury and began to practice bodhisattva austerities under the guidance of this Buddha.
After examining an infinite number of Buddha lands and pondering for a very long time, Bodhisattva Dharma Treasury vowed to create his own Buddha land when he attained enlightenment. This "pure land" would combine the best features of all the Buddha lands he had examined, and he pledged to bring all sentient beings who placed their hopes of salvation with him to this new Buddha land.
Bodhisattva Dharma Treasury completed his practices and became the Buddha Amida. He established his pure land in a part of the universe one hundred thousand million Buddha lands to the west of this world.
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