The Amitabha Recitation & Pure Land

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The practice of Amitabha recitation is a direct and speedy way to realize Buddhahood in the Perfect Teaching and it is astounding. Hence all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas extol this Buddha recitation practice as it is also the practice of all the Buddhas.

In the Amitabha Sutra, the World Honored One exhorted us three times to seek rebirth in the Pure Land while the Buddhas from six directions exhorted us to believe in this Sutra, which is also an exhortation to us that we must believe in the words of Sakyamuni Buddha. The Buddhas from the six directions represents Buddhas from the ten directions from the past, from the present and from the future.

Hence from this we know that the World Honored One’s intention in exhorting us to seek rebirth in the Pure Land, is tantamount to all Buddhas from the ten directions exhorting us to seek rebirth in the Pure Land. This exhortation is truly unfathomable, earnest to the highest degree.

The Buddha educates sentient beings so that they may become enlightened and leave their sufferings. Rebirth into the Western World of Ultimate Bliss (Pure Land) is in fact the most perfect enlightenment, the ultimate joy, ensuring we will never retrogress until we become Buddha.

Cultivating the Amitabha recitation method help us to eliminate afflictions, to become increasing wiser, to leave Samsara (cycle of rebirths), to complete the journey towards Buddhahood.

All Buddhas and Tathagatas advise us to think about Amitabha, to remember the Amitabha and to recite his name and let go of all other thoughts. The belief put forward by Pure Land Buddhism in practicing Amitabha recitation to achieve without retrogression to become a Buddha, is built upon this theoretical foundation. From the ancient times until today, many have followed this method and attained enlightenment and they are our models.

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