Pure Land of Sukhavati, an Introduction

Pure Land of Sukhavati

Introduction

Generally, it can be said that there are many pure lands, many paradises of Enlightened Beings we call Buddhas. The Pure land of Great Bliss of the Buddha of Boundless Light, Amitabha, is quite a unique place. There are pure lands in the four directions, East, South, West, North, and in the center. Among them, the pure land of Amitabha is the easiest to get to and therefore quite special. By formulating a special aspiration to be reborn in the pure land of Great bliss, one can accomplish the transference of one’s consciousness to that pure land. The power of prayer, the power of devoted and fervent aspiration, is all that is necessary.

It is said that the pure land of Amitabha Buddha, in relation to our universe, is in the western direction and above our universe. For now, we do not have the ability to perceive it or to go there, because we have not accumulated the necessary karma to be born in such a place, even if that realm exists somewhere, in some manner. We imagine it a bit like the moon, but we do not have yet the opportunity to see it or to be born there.

Dewachen is a manifestation of Buddha Amitabha’s activity. This Buddha has completed the ten perfections, and thanks to the merit thus accumulated, he was able to create the realm of Dewachen for the benefit of all beings. Buddha Amitabha was initially an ordinary being who generated Bodhicitta and developed a lot of efforts to achieve Buddhahood. To do this, he practiced the ten paramitas and led them to complete perfection. He also formulated many wishes and aspiration prayers to create this pure land where beings could be reborn easily.

With the completion of paramitas and his aspiration prayers, Amitabha managed to manifest this pure land, the result of a merit accumulated for a long time, expression of very meritorious actions performed in the past. In fact, Buddha Amitabha did not practice in order to attain enlightenment. He followed another approach. At one time, he was a disciple of a Buddha who gave him specific instruction, and explained to him how a great bodhisattva can manifest a pure land beneficial to all beings. Buddha Amitabha, as a disciple, learned all that he needed to do to reach this goal and manifest a pure land able to help the beings trapped in their delusion and enduring suffering due to karma.

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