Why Do We Study the Amitabha Sutra?

Question: There are so many sutras. Why study the Amitabha Sutra?

Response: The purpose of learning and practicing the Amitabha Sutra is to attain rebirth in the Western Pure Land—to be close to Amitabha and to study and practice there. What is wrong with studying and practicing in this world?

This world does not provide a good learning environment nor does it provide good teachers or fellow practitioners. The human life span is short, too short for learning. Amitabha Buddha provides us with the best learning environment. And if we want to go, we can. Sakyamuni Buddha told us that when we go to that environment, all Buddhas will be our teachers, and people of supreme virtue will be our fellow practitioners.

In the Pure Land there is no cause for our greed, anger, and ignorance to arise. Why? Because whatever we need will appear before us, so we have no cause to become greedy. Everyone in the Western Pure Land is a good person. Nobody has any bad thoughts or bad intentions. Nobody uses harsh language. We have no cause to become angry. In other words, there is no condition for us to become angry.

What our senses touch is the Dharma, the sages' teachings. We will not be ignorant. In other words, we do not have to end or do anything about our greed, anger, and ignorance. When we live there long enough, our greed, anger, and ignorance will naturally be uprooted.

~ Based on Ven. Master Chin Kung's 2003 lecture series on the Amitabha Sutra