07/03/2022
Buddhism Q & A
#10 What is the Pure Land?
There are eight main schools of Chinese Buddhism. Four such schools emphasize different kinds of Buddhist practice: the Chan, Pure Land, Esoteric,and Vinaya schools. Four schools emphasize different points of Buddhist doctrine: the Huayan, Tiantai, Mind-Only, and Three Treatises schools.
Humanistic Buddhism does not belong to any one of these schools or sects. Rather, Humanistic Buddhism follows the original teachings of the Buddha. In his forty-nine years of teaching the Dharma, it was not to ghosts, demons, animals, or beings in the hell realm that the Buddha taught. His teachings were for the benefit of beings living in the human world. It is only fitting that the Dharma given to human beings be called “Humanistic Buddhism.”
Whether it is the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the Huayan Pure Land, the Amitabha Pure Land, or even the Pure Lands advocated by other schools, people often talk about the Pure Land mentioned in the Buddha’s teachings. But let me ask you this: in what realm does the Buddha now reside? Where is he now? You would say: He is in the Pure Land, of course!
In truth, it is not only the place that Amitabha Buddha resides that can be considered a Pure Land. Everyone who has a pure mind has a Pure Land. Buddhists speak of the “Pure Land,” Christians talk about “Heaven,” but some people may ask: what’s the difference? Are there differences between Pure Lands? Which one is the best?
Many Buddhist sutras state that all Buddhas follow the same path. In the Medicine Buddha Sutra it states that by reciting the name of the Eastern Medicine Buddha of Pure Crystal Radiance, one can also attain rebirth in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This is like how you can be hired by the Hong Kong government if you study at Hong Kong University, and a graduate of the Chinese University of Hong Kong or the Hong Kong Polytechnic University can also work for the Hong Kong government. Buddhists should not aim for a specific Pure Land. After you have attained a certain level of practice, you will obtain rebirth in whatever Pure Land you desire.
Sometimes people ask me where the Pure Land or hell are located. I like to say, “Well, the Pure Land is located in Pure Land, and hell is located in hell.” That’s one way to explain it. Another is that Pure Land, heaven, hell, or the animal realm can all be found in the human world. If you go to the marketplace, you will see chickens, ducks, and fish with their intestines cut open and their stomachs flayed, hung on hooks or suspended upside down. Is this not like the Hell of Sharp Knives or the Hell of Boiling Oil? In contrast to this, there are those who live in majestic mansions and enjoy all the material joys and comforts of air conditioning, refrigerators, and so forth. Is such not the same as heaven or the Pure Land? Therefore, hell and the Pure Land are right here. They can be seen in this human world of ours.
The third explanation is that the Pure Land and hell exist in our own minds. Every day, each and every one of us experiences heaven and hell. When we get up in the morning, our minds are free of cares and concerns; we can go to the park for a jog, enjoying the fresh morning air. Isn’t this heaven in this world? But when we get home and sit at the dining table, contemplating what to eat, we give rise to the mind of desire, the state of mind of a hungry ghost. If the meal is not to our liking, we drop our utensils and push away the bowl. Now we’re angry. Is this mind of anger not comparable to hell? Sometimes we even curse or attack others. Is this not the ignorant behaviors of animals? Thus, we can attain the state of heaven, hell, hungry ghosts, or animals. There’s no telling just how many times we slip in and out of heaven and hell in a single day. The Tiantai School promotes the idea that “one thought contains the three thousandfold world system.” The ten dharma realms are found in the mind.
If the mind is filled with pure, compassionate, or charitable thoughts, then we have created our own pure land. But if we experience greed, anger, cruelty, or false understanding, then we are in hell. Are we not then constantly drifting between good and bad, right and wrong? Humanistic Buddhism embraces all the Buddha’s teachings, for everything the Buddha taught is Humanistic Buddhism. To borrow a phrase from the Buddha, “How could Buddhism exist without this human world of sentient beings?”
Humanistic Buddhism is not the invention of a single individual. It is neither the teachings of the Sixth Patriarch nor the thoughts of Venerable Master Taixu. To find the source of Humanistic Buddhism, we must look to the Buddha’s own intentions. Humanistic Buddhism is well-suited to the modern era, as it differs from the Buddhism that was taught many years ago. In the past, monasticism was highly encouraged. All Buddhists were expected to renounce the world and give up their possessions, declaring that “only irreconcilable foes become husbands and wives,” “children are debt-collecting demons,” and“money is the root of all evil,” and other similar ideas. This behavior may be appropriate for those who have joined the monastic order, but what about laypeople? If laypeople gave up everything, how could they live? What meaning can their lives have without spouses, children, money, fame, and luxuries?
Humanistic Buddhism promotes faith and adoration toward the Buddha, belief in the Buddhas and bodhisattvas or gods and deities, and concern for society and all sentient beings. This is Humanistic Buddhism. It must begin with this interest in the human world. If we did not promote Humanistic Buddhism and fail to undertake activities that benefit humanity, choosing instead to seclude ourselves and chant the Buddha’s name all day, would Humanistic Buddhism appeal to you? Therefore, Buddhism cannot simply stress the chanting of the Buddha’s name and the worshiping of the Buddha. Otherwise, it will fail to bring liberation to sentient beings.
The goal of Buddhism is to bring liberation to all sentient beings. In order to do so, Buddhism must first adapt to the needs and spiritual capacity of individual sentient beings. If you don’t like reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name, perhaps you should try meditation. If meditation does not suit you, then you can try bowing to the Buddha. If you refuse to bow to the Buddha, you can try vegetarianism. If vegetarian food is not to your liking, you can contemplate Buddhist ideas and discuss the Dharma, or try chanting Buddhist hymns or music. It’s even acceptable to refuse to believe in the Buddha. You only need to follow the Buddha’s teachings, thereby motivating others to perform good deeds. The Humanistic Buddhism we promote today adapts to the needs and spiritual capacity of all sentient beings. It is pluralistic and multi-functional. It takes many forms, and can be practiced in whatever manner you find suitable. Humanistic Buddhism seeks to follow the Buddha’s principle of teaching to suit the capacity of his audience and building a Pure Land in this world.
Excerpted from “Questions on Buddhist Practice” by Ven. Master Hsing Yun
To read more: https://www.fgsitc.org/questions-on-buddhist-practice/
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