Pure Land Buddhism Analysis

In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, which is a book that was written by Harper Lee and is a historical fiction book, Mayella Ewell, a poor white woman who is at the center of an enormous controversy and is abused by her alcoholic father, isn’t powerful when it comes to gender, class, and race, in my opinion.

According to ancient tales the Siddhartha Gautama also known as the Buddha, was born in southern Nepal one of the world’s holiest places (Gene). The Buddha, born son of the warrior caste parents was predicted by wise men that “the child would be a successful as either a universal monarch or a great ascetic” (RoAT 172). As son of wealthy parents he was not aware about the world around him, he spent most of his life inside the palace walls. He was married at sixteen, to Yosodhara, she conceived a child named Rahula (Prebish 52). Siddhartha’s mother died when he was an infant and his father pleased him with royal pleasures. Including royalties such as power to rule, and arrange marriage. One day Siddhartha traveled outside his palace with his chariot driver. He saw a different perspective of life, after witnessing a sick man and old man, a dead man, and a shramana. Legends account that within days left the palace, leaving his wife and new

During an interview with a Buddhist minister assistant at the Orange County Buddhist Church, he briefly described the history of Shin Buddhism as an enlightening discovery made by Siddhartha Gautmama. According to the minister, Gautmama’s goal was to surpass duhkha, a human condition where they experienced, difficulty, frustration, or suffering. He became the first awakened person who is also referred to as Amida, the Buddha of Immeasurable Life and Light, after he accepted the truth of oneness and the interconnection all aspects have with one another (Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada 2015). Soon after, Shinran Shonin became a Buddhist monk and hoped to reach enlightenment as did Gautmama, but was unable to do

The Buddhist Temple of Chicago practices one of the most popular sects of Buddhism in Japan called Jodo Shinsu, also known as Pure Land Buddhism (Shotō 1). Instead of stressing the Eight Fold Path, as traditional Theravada Buddhists do, Pure Land Buddhists chose to interpret the teachings of the Buddha more freely (Wangu 1). Furthermore, Pure Land Buddhists seek guidance from Amitabha Buddha, a deity figure from Mahayana Buddhism (Wangu 1). As the current ruler of the Western Paradise of Sahavaki, it is believed that when Amitabha Buddha was on the verge of enlightenment, he made a vow claiming that if he attained Nirvana, he will help those who seek his name reach Nirvana as well (Wangu 1). Now, devote Pure Land Buddhists proclaim

" The King, like the moon when full should feel great joy, for he has acquired a wondrously noble son. I do not worship Brahma, but I worship this child; and the gods in the temples will descend from their places of honor to adore him. Banish all anxiety and doubt; the omens manifested indicate that the child now born will bring deliverance to the whole world. The wheel of empire will come to him. He will either be a king of kings to govern all the lands of Earth, or eh will become a Buddha. He is born for the sake of everything that lives. His pure teaching will be like the shore that receives the shipwrecks. His power of meditation will be like a cool lake; and all creatures parched with the drought of lust may freely drink from it. The king of the law has come forth to rescue from bondage all the

When reading a Record of Buddhist Kingdoms, by Fa-hsien I recognized a recurring theme. Fa-hsiens travels, through different kingdoms provides the reader with insight on the life and teachings of Buddha, and the tenets of the religion he founded. Although I recognized many themes, I will reflect on three that I found insightful, and inspiring. They are self-denial, Kindness to strangers, and sacrifice.

When, through his Buddhahood, he had cognized this fact, the earth swayed like a woman drunken with wine, the sky shone bright with the Siddhas who appeared in crowds in all the directions, and the mighty drums of thunder resounded through the air. Pleasant breezes blew softly, rain fell from a cloudless sky, flowers and fruits dropped from the trees out of season-in an effort, as it were, to show reverance for him,? (The Global Experience, Ashvaghosha, pg. 79).

Even when we are presented with answers or guides to the many questions we have about life and to how we should live, as inquisitive animals, we strive to enhance our understanding and so begin to learn that perhaps, ultimately, the answers don’t simply come from outside but also from within us. This is then perhaps the greatest implication of this paper, finding new ways in understanding what the true way of life is for human beings and what the true way of life is for ourselves. In the discussion of Zen Buddhism, William A. Young’s framework’s itself must first be explained and understood.

It is said that history is shaped by the lives of great men.  Great men are leaders.  They bring about change; they improve the lives of others; they introduce new ideas, models, and theories to society.  Most of the world's religions were founded, developed, or discovered by great men.  Two particular religions - Christianity and Buddhism - developed in different parts of the world, under different circumstances, and in different social atmospheres.  But each religion is based upon the teachings of a great man.  When one compares the life of Buddha with the life of Jesus, one finds that the two share many things in common.  This essay aims to compare and contrast the lives of Buddha1 and Jesus in two key areas:  conception and birth.

Tree in Bodh Gaya, in present-day Bihar India. He there preached his teachings and thus

Pure Land Buddhism offers a way to enlightenment for people who can’t handle the subtleties of meditation, endure long rituals, or just live especially good lives. The essential practice in Pure Land Buddhism is the chanting of the name Amitabha Buddha with total concentration, trusting that one will reborn in Pure Land, where it is much easier for a being to work towards enlightenment. Pure Land Buddhism is particularly popular in China and Japan.

The aspiration of all sentient beings is to reach enlightenment; to realize their Buddha-nature and ascend to Buddhahood. The path and method to reach enlightenment, however, differs depending on the perspective from which one views Buddhism. Dogen, in his teachings on Zen Buddhism, promotes the practice of zazen to reach enlightenment. Shinran and the Pure Land sect are devoted to Amida Buddha, who they believe will bring them to the Pure Land, and enlightenment. The ways espoused by Dogen and Shinran are similar in some aspects, but differing enough in others to warrant the separate sects of Buddhism in Japan. For the purposes of this examination, the two sects can be summarized by how they look at reaching enlightenment: Zen Buddhism focuses inwardly, while Pure Land focuses outwardly. By examining their own words on how one is to reach enlightenment, the similarities and differences in their methods can be seen, allowing a better understanding of the teachings of their respective sects.

However, it is far from being the only links that one can make between Zen and Pure Land Buddhism. Indeed, most features of the path and the characteristics of enlightenment in Zen have a similar counterpart in Pure Land Buddhism. First of all, and perhaps most flagrantly, conventional teachings are also eschewed in favor of less conventional means in Pure Land Buddhism. Just like Zen, in order to attain spiritual realizations (in Pure Land’s case, shinjin), mind training is necessary. The practice prescribed is extremely similar to Zen. Instead of a “live word”, Pure Land practitioners constantly repeat a phrase (this practice is called nembutsu) for months, years or even decades. Eventually, the repetition becomes automatic, going as far as doing “nembutsu while yawning” (Li, Apr 4., 2016). Just like Zen’s kensho, it is at this point that the Pure Land practitioner can reach shinjin. In Pure Land Buddhism, the realizations also transcend simple logic and reason: “it is not merely belief as intellectual assent, but strong, inner conviction” (Bloom 1999, 230). Because realizations transcend conventional thinking, conventional knowledge is also seen as detrimental in Pure Land Buddhism: “Recognition of our ignorance is connected with our becoming truthful. Since we can become united with each other in truthfulness, ‘genuine trust’ or spiritual oneness is actually truthfulness” (Maida 1989, 32). Also like Zen, spiritual realizations are sudden and not gradual: “Shinran’s teaching is absolute Other Power and transcending or immediate (ocho)” (Bloom 1999, 231). Finally, the traditional monastic practices and rules are also disregarded in favor of a lay life. This is due to another inversion from Shinran. Traditionally, Pure Land Buddhism was regarded as the easy and inferior way for people who couldn’t engage in more serious and demanding practice. However, Shinran, because

Siddharta Gautama was twenty-nine years old when he abandoned his family to search for a means to bring to an end his and other’s suffering after studying meditation for many years. At age thirty-five, Siddharta Gautama sat down under the shade of a fig tree to meditate and he determined to meditate until he reached enlightenment. After seven weeks he received the Great Enlightenment which he referred to as the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold Path. Henceforth he became known as the Buddha.

E. Preview Main Points: Today we will take an in-depth look at the beliefs of the Four Noble Truths and Karma and the customs of meditation and the Sacred Mandela. We will also explore its history in India and of Buddha, and how the Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh have truly shaped this life changing religion.