which pure land do you seek?

[cj39]

I was reading the large sutra and found reference to a prison in the land of bliss. The prison is for Bodhisattvas who have doubt in Amitabha, I'm troubled by this, because a Bodhisattva from another Buddha field after having served another Buddha and been beckoned to the Land of Bliss would no doubt have some kind of questions for a Buddha they may have no knowledge of and if this is deemed as doubt and they are put in prison, well it seems a bit harsh. The prison is described in lovely detail, but still the bonds are made of gold and it's a prison in whatever way it's described. I personally do not want the bodhisattva's in a prison. I know I'm delving deeply into this, but if I as a mere human with all the doubts I have can be reborn in the land of bliss why can't a bodhisattva?

I would think of it more as an infirmary, a place of rest and healing for those of us most afflicted with anger, greed and ignorance. When our condition improves sufficiently and we are ready, we encounter the Buddha who is ever the patient teacher.

[vinodh]

As each Buddha has a pure land, I was wondering is it correct to understand that when someone says they are a pure land Buddhist that they seek rebirth with Amitabha, or is it accepted under pure land we may take refuge with other Buddha's and not actually wish to be with Amitabha?

Aren't we already present in the Buddha Kshetra of Shakyamuni ?



V

[Nighthawk]

Aren't we already present in the Buddha Kshetra of Shakyamuni ?

If you are able to see this as a pure land then all the power to you but for most of us it is a world is full of death, disease, and destruction. Not to mention the many personal responsibilities we have to our families. Amitabha's pure land is the only way for us.

[sinweiy]

Vow 9
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all possessed of the Heavenly-step (Riddisakchatkriya) which can in the shortest moment of one thought travelling over a hundred thousand kotis of nayuta of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Amitabha' ... eight_vows

reborn in Amitabha's Pureland is equal to reborning in all other Buddha's Purelands, i say.

/\

[Thug4lyfe]

Western Pureland of Utmost bliss!!!

Hope to see you homeboys there!!!

[Nighthawk]

Hopefully food eatah!!

[catmoon]

Aren't we already present in the Buddha Kshetra of Shakyamuni ?

If you are able to see this as a pure land then all the power to you but for most of us it is a world is full of death, disease, and destruction. Not to mention the many personal responsibilities we have to our families. Amitabha's pure land is the only way for us.

Well, if you form you ideas of what the world is like from the media, it will certainly appear to be full of death destruction and disease, simply because that's about all they report on!

[Nighthawk]

Ok maybe I was exaggerating but that doesn't change the fact of the first noble truth.

[DarwidHalim]

Ideally we shouldn't seek pure land. We should realize enlightenment. In case, at the end I realize I still full of ignorance, I will seek Amitabha pure land simply because of my practice.

[sinweiy]

Ideally we shouldn't seek pure land. We should realize enlightenment. In case, at the end I realize I still full of ignorance, I will seek Amitabha pure land simply because of my practice.

one way or another, enlightenment by self power is the 'pureland' of Vairochana Buddha. it's the mind ground of everything, everywhere.... Avataṃsaka. one don't say they seek the pureland of Vairocana, but automatically one enter it. Amitabha pure land is just a "capital city" in Avataṃsaka world ( 'pureland' of Vairochana Buddha). it is also very active where mahasattvas are concentrated.

Vairocana (also Vairochana or Mahāvairocana) is a celestial Buddha who is often (e.g. in the Flower Garland Sutra) interpreted as the Bliss Body of the historical Gautama Buddha; he can also be referred to as the dharmakaya Buddha and the great solar Buddha. In Sino-Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of shunyata or emptiness.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vairocana

to me, pureland is Nirvana, is Enlightenment, is inconceivable. when the mind is pure, the land is pure.

/\

[Thug4lyfe]

This video always boosts my morale!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgH8n3mk5RA