A few years ago, we published a book titled "Going Home to the Pure Land" in the hope that it would help people better understand and benefit from their practice of the Pure Land teachings. The book contains a simple practice session that begins with the Amitabha Sutra and its description of the wonders of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
While the physical descriptions of this extraordinary land can be readily recognized, the principles, being more subtle, are not as easily comprehended. Their depth was not an issue when Sakyamuni Buddha spoke the Amitabha Sutra, for those in attendance had already reached certain levels in their practice. They, therefore, understood the implied, profound meanings of the sutra. But with the passage of time, the levels of those who read the sutra have declined progressively. Thus, for students who wish to gain its intended benefits, explanations by wise patriarchs and ancient masters have become increasingly important.
Although there are excellent commentaries on the Amitabha Sutra by the Pure Land patriarchs, I know of only one that is available in English. Fortunately for us, it is the highly regarded explanation by Great Master Ouyi, a seventeenth-century master of the Tiantai school of Buddhism who was later recognized as the ninth patriarch of the Pure Land school. Translated by J. C. Cleary, the commentary is titled Mind-Seal of the Buddhas. Although the Great Master professed qualms about his “mediocrity and ignorance,” nothing in his writing supports these reservations. But the reality of my own mediocrity and ignorance is all too real.
Thus, for this basic introduction to the sutra, it is most fortunate that I have access to several resources on the Pure Land teachings. These include Venerable Master Chin Kung’s lucid and insightful 2003 lecture series, lectures by Venerable Wu Fan, J. C. Cleary’s Mind-Seal of the Buddhas. Also, several Pure Land practitioners have graciously agreed to serve as editors and readers. Their insights and assistance have proven invaluable.
And so, with all these to guide me, I have proceeded with this introduction of the Amitabha Sutra in the hope that its English readers will deepen their understanding and appreciation of it. For although the Amitabha Sutra may initially seem elementary and straightforward, it is incredibly profuse with symbolic representations and profound teachings. Venerable Master Chin Kung once gave a series of more than 330 ninety-minute lectures on it and then commented that he could have kept on lecturing!
Please note that for simplicity’s sake, I will be referring to our practice as buddha-name chanting. Others also refer to this as buddha-name recitation. There will indeed be times that we chant to a basic melody, for instance, when practicing with a group at a Pure Land center. But at other times, we will wish to practice on our own. At such times, instead of a melodic chanting, we can simply utter the name aloud or silently.