Different Pure Lands

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Caoimhghín
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Different Pure Lands

Post by Caoimhghín »

Greetings all,

Why is it necessary that there be specific Pure Lands for specific Buddhas? How different really are these Pure Lands (aside from Sukhāvatī, which has a special history)?

This is a stupid question for sure, but its one that has always nagged me in the back of my mind.

:anjali:

-Caoimhghín
Then, the monks uttered this gāthā:

These bodies are like foam.
Them being frail, who can rejoice in them?
The Buddha attained the vajra-body.
Still, it becomes inconstant and ruined.
The many Buddhas are vajra-entities.
All are also subject to inconstancy.
Quickly ended, like melting snow --
how could things be different?

The Buddha passed into parinirvāṇa afterward.
(T1.27b10 Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra DĀ 2)
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kalden yungdrung
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Coëmgenu wrote:Greetings all,

Why is it necessary that there be specific Pure Lands for specific Buddhas? How different really are these Pure Lands (aside from Sukhāvatī, which has a special history)?

This is a stupid question for sure, but its one that has always nagged me in the back of my mind.

:anjali:

-Caoimhghín

Tashi delek C,

Some will before becoming a future Buddha, make some vows.

It is according these vows that there is a Buddha Land. This is sure out of Compassion done. Interesting of one of the vows of Sangye Menla is:
To help women who wish to be reborn as men achieve their desired rebirth. So to be a woman would be not so nice ?


Below the vows of the Buddha Amitabha and the 12 vows of Sangye Menla

Amitabha's 48 vows ( Developed when he was a Bhiksu named Dharmakara) were made by the primary Buddha of the Pure Land school of Buddhism as recorded in the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life.


They are as follows:

Vow 1
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine there should be either hell, or the animal state of existence, or the realm of hungry ghost, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 2
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings who are born there should fall away (die) into the three evil realms, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 3
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings who are born there should not all be of the colour of genuine gold, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 4
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine the beings who are born there should not all be of one appearance without the difference of noble looking or ugly lineaments, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 5
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine the beings who are born there should not be possessed of the supernormal knowledge of recollecting the previous lives of themselves (Purvanivasana i.e. knowledge of all reincarnations), and knowing the events of evolution of hundred thousand nayuta years of kalpas, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 6
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings who are born there should not be possessed of the Divine-eye (Divyatchakchus) which can see a hundred thousand nayuta of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 7
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not be possessed of the Divine-ear (Divyassrotra) which to be able to hear the preachings of a hundred thousand kotis of nayuta of Buddhas, and to a faithful observance, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 8
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all possessed the Intuitive-mind (Paratchittadjna) knowing the thoughts of all beings of a hundred thousand kotis of nayuta of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

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.

Vow 10
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should have arise in their minds the idea of selfishness and covetous thoughts, even with regard to their own bodies, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 11
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all be firmly abiding in a concentrated state of meditation and equanimity (Samadhi) till they have reached Nirvana, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 12
Provided I become a Buddha, if my light should be limited in measurement so that it could not illuminate a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 13
Provided I become a Buddha, if the measure of my life should be limited, even by counting a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Kalpas, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 14
Provided I become a Buddha, if any being should be able to count innumerable pupils belonging to me in that country of mine, even if all the beings of those three million worlds and the whole triple chiliocosm, who after having become Pratyeka-Buddhas, count and continue to do so for a period of a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Kalpas, could know the balance, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 15
Provided I become a Buddha, the life of the beings in that country of mine should be eternal, excepting by their own free will whenever they choose to pass away from life, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 16
Provided I become a Buddha, there should be no evil or sinful existence in that country of mine, even its very name is unknown. Otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 17
Provided I become a Buddha, if the innumerable Buddhas of the worlds of ten quarters do not glorify my name, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 18
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of the ten quarters who after having heard my name, and thus awakened their highest faith and aspiration of re-birth in that country of mine, even they have recollected such a thought for ten times only, they are destinated to be born there, with the exception of those who have committed the five deadly sins (Anantarya), and who have blasphemed the orthodox Law (Dharma), otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 19
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of ten quarters who have directed their thoughts towards the Bodhi and cultivated their stock of various merits with a fervent craving for re-birth in that country of mine, if at the moment of death, should I not appear with an assembly of retinue before them, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 20
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of ten quarters, after having heard my name always longing for that country of mine and cultivating various essential merits for the purpose of realizing their earnest wish to be born in my country, should their fulfillment be failed, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 21
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all be endowed with the glorious body perfected with the thirty-two attributes (Laksanani) of a great being, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 22
Provided I become a Buddha, the Bodhisattvas who come to be born in that country of mine are to be bound to that one birth only, then to become Buddha-elect (Ekajatipratibuddhas), with the exception of those who by their own free will remain in the stage of Bodhisattva-hood for the sake of delivering various beings, wearing the armour of vows to travel to all worlds, performing their Boddhisattva-duties and accumulating their stock of merit, who wish to serve the Buddhas of ten quarters, and convert the various beings in number like grains of sand of the River Ganges to the highest perfect knowledge, whose activities have surpassed the stage of ordinary beings, and who practise the universal virtue of Samantabhadra, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 23
Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattvas in that country of mine, through the Grace of the Buddha should not be able to serve all the Buddhas throughout the countless nayuta of Buddha-worlds within a moment as short as a length of time of refreshment, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 24
Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattva in that country of mine who wish their stock of merit to produce any appliance to be used before the Buddhas, should such things not appear for them to their satisfaction, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 25
Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattvas in that country of mine should not be able to preach the law of wisdom in completion, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 26
Provided I become a Buddha, those Bodhisattva of that country of mine should not all be in possession of a golden body as strong as the diamond of Narayana, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 27
Provided I become a Buddha, the heavenly beings and the various properties produced in that country of mine should all be of supreme beauty and in boundless quantity, and in the infinity of various forms. If any being therein who even possessed the divine-eye is able to perceive the appellations and quantity of such beauties, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 28
Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattva of that country of mine who possesses even the least stock of merit, should not perceive the boundless shining beauty of the Bodhi-trees of my sanctuary, their height being at least four millions of miles, then may I not attain enlightenment.

Vow 29
Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattva of that country of mine should not all possess the wisdom of eloquent oration after having read, recited, and observed the Dharma of the sutras, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 30
Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattvas of that country of mine, have their wisdom of oration limited, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 31
When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if that country of mine should not be limpid and brilliant as to reflect the miniatures of the innumerable, inconceivable and boundless Buddha-worlds of ten quarters as one's face is seen in a bright mirror, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 32
If after I have obtained the Buddhahood, in that country of mine, there should be magnificent palaces towering up from the ground to the void, also the lakes, winding streams, blossoming trees, and all other properties which are compounded of various jewels and thousands of kinds of perfumes, minutely embellished in the most wondrous state surpassing all heavenly and human worlds. The scent of the perfumes should thoroughly pervade the worlds of ten quarters, whereof the Bodhisattvas, having smelt them thereby directed their minds to Bodhi; otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 33
When I obtain the Buddhahood, any being of the boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters whose body if be touched by the rays of my splendour should not make his body and mind gentle and peaceful, in such a state that he is far more sublime than the gods and men, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 34
When I obtain the Buddhahood, if the beings of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds should not attain the "Endurance of Nirvanic Life" (Ajatah sarvadharmah) of Bodhisattva, and the deep knowledge of "Adharanamudro" (or Dharani?) after having heard my name, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 35
When I obtain the Buddhahood, women of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters after having heard my name thereby awakened in faith and joyful aspiration, and turning their minds towards Bodhi, therefore dislike their own female lives, when they be born again, in their next life should not be incarnated into a masculine body, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 36
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters after having heard my name, after their death (in their next life) will still continue their Bodhisattva-duty till they have obtained the Buddhahood, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 37
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the heavenly beings of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters, having heard my name, should not worship me with prostrate reverence, and joyfully and faithfully perform their Bodhisattva-duty, and be honoured by gods and men, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 38
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the heavenly beings of that country of mine, should they desire a garment will be able to perceive themselves, as quick as thought, covered by apparitionally produced costumes, excellent to their satisfaction, worthy to be praised by the Buddha, without the work of sewing, washing, dying, etc. Otherwise may I not attain enlightenment.

Vow 39
When I attain the Buddhahood, if the heavenly beings of that country of mine should not be enjoying happiness as great as that that of the holy bhikkhus,(Asravakchava the finality of the stream of passions) then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 40
When I attain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of that country of mine wish to see the boundless, holy, pure Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters, they will at once behold them from the jewel-trees as though one's face were being reflected in a highly burnished, brilliant mirror, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 41
When I attain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other worlds after having heard my name, should suffer from any diminution in the functional powers and not be endowed with all sense-organs in completion before reaching the Buddhahood, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 42
When I obtain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas hearing my name from other Buddha-countries, should not all attain the pure Samadhi of emancipation (Suvibhaktavati) from which they could serve innumerable and inconceivable number of Buddhas, Tathagatas, by a moment of thought; and if that Samadhi of theirs should come to an end meanwhile, then may I not attain enlightenment.

Vow 43
If after I have obtained the Buddhahood, that any Bodhisattva of other countries having heard my name, will be incarnated as a member of a noble family (if he so desires) when he dies, otherwise may I not attain enlightenment.

Vow 44
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name will all obtain a combination of full virtues and joyfully perform their Bodhisattva-duty, otherwise may I not attain enlightenment.

Vow 45
When I have obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name, all will attain the "Samantanugata"(the thoroughly and equal Samadhi in a fixed state of meditation) through that Samadhi they will see innumerable and inconceivable Buddhas constantly till they have obtained the Buddhahood, otherwise may I for-bear from obtaining enlightenment.

Vow 46
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of that country of mine should be able to hear the preachings of the Dharma whenever they desire (the voices of teaching will present themselves naturally to their ears), otherwise may I refrain from attaining enlightenment.

Vow 47
When I have obtain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other countries after having heard my name should not immediately reach the state of Avaivartika (i.e. not turning back from Bodhi), then I would refrain from attaining enlightenment.

Vow 48
When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name should not reach the first, second and third degrees of Dharma-endurance immediately or should turn back from the Law of Buddhas, then I would refrain from attaining enlightenment.



Sangye Menla 12 vows:


The 12 Vows of the Medicine Buddha upon attaining Enlightenment, according to the Medicine Buddha Sutra[6] are:

To illuminate countless realms with his radiance, enabling anyone to become a Buddha just like him.

To awaken the minds of sentient beings through his light of lapis lazuli.

To provide the sentient beings with whatever material needs they require.

To correct heretical views and inspire beings toward the path of the Bodhisattva.

To help beings follow the Moral Precepts, even if they failed before.

To heal beings born with deformities, illness or other physical sufferings.

To help relieve the destitute and the sick.

To help women who wish to be reborn as men achieve their desired rebirth.

To help heal mental afflictions and delusions.

To help the oppressed be free from suffering.

To relieve those who suffer from terrible hunger and thirst.

To help clothe those who are destitute and suffering from cold and mosquitoes.
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Caoimhghín
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by Caoimhghín »

:anjali:
kalden yungdrung wrote: Tashi delek C,
What language is "tashi delek" from? Tibetan?
kalden yungdrung wrote:Below the vows of the Buddha Amitabha and the 12 vows of Sangye Menla
[...]
They are as follows:
[...]
Vow 48
When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name should not reach the first, second and third degrees of Dharma-endurance immediately or should turn back from the Law of Buddhas, then I would refrain from attaining enlightenment.

Sangye Menla 12 vows:
[...]
To relieve those who suffer from terrible hunger and thirst.

To help clothe those who are destitute and suffering from cold and mosquitoes.
Thank you for that interesting summary. I don't know much about this "Sangye Menla" figure. I am familiar, though, with the particular veneration of Sukhāvatī in light of Amitābha's particular pūrvapraṇidhāna. So it makes sense that given the prominence of Amitābha as a refuge, Sukhāvatī should also hold a special prestigious reputation.

But for instance, what is the functional difference between Vaidūryanirbhāsa, Abhirati, Fudaraku (補陀落, a Pure Land attributed to Avalokiteśvara in Japan), or the Pure Land atop Gṛdhrakūṭa mentioned in the Lotus Sutra (which I have a particular interest in)?

Is it just that the Buddhas/Bodhisattvas that produced them had different vows? Why are their vows dissimilar?

If the dharmakaya of the Buddha's are one and the same, and the Awakening of Gautama-Buddha is the same as the Awakening of other Buddhas, how differentiated are these Pure Lands?

I have a lot of questions, and I don't necessarily suspect they will all be answered, but I'll take whatever answers people can give me.

-Caoimhghín.
Then, the monks uttered this gāthā:

These bodies are like foam.
Them being frail, who can rejoice in them?
The Buddha attained the vajra-body.
Still, it becomes inconstant and ruined.
The many Buddhas are vajra-entities.
All are also subject to inconstancy.
Quickly ended, like melting snow --
how could things be different?

The Buddha passed into parinirvāṇa afterward.
(T1.27b10 Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra DĀ 2)
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by Lobsang Chojor »

I'll just help while I can,

Yes, tashi delek is Tibetan for hello.

Sangye Menla is the Medicine Buddha

:namaste:
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by kalden yungdrung »

Coëmgenu wrote::anjali:
kalden yungdrung wrote: Tashi delek C,
What language is "tashi delek" from? Tibetan?
kalden yungdrung wrote:Below the vows of the Buddha Amitabha and the 12 vows of Sangye Menla
[...]
They are as follows:
[...]
Vow 48
When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name should not reach the first, second and third degrees of Dharma-endurance immediately or should turn back from the Law of Buddhas, then I would refrain from attaining enlightenment.

Sangye Menla 12 vows:
[...]
To relieve those who suffer from terrible hunger and thirst.

To help clothe those who are destitute and suffering from cold and mosquitoes.
Thank you for that interesting summary. I don't know much about this "Sangye Menla" figure. I am familiar, though, with the particular veneration of Sukhāvatī in light of Amitābha's particular pūrvapraṇidhāna. So it makes sense that given the prominence of Amitābha as a refuge, Sukhāvatī should also hold a special prestigious reputation.
8 Medicine Buddhas.jpg
8 Medicine Buddhas.jpg (284.88 KiB) Viewed 3487 times
Sangye Menla is the Medicine Buddha. It is a very good Tantra for people who practice Medicine.This Tantra did i practice for many years and it is a great Tantra. Helping people with an illness goes better with the help of the Menla Tantra.Many western doctors who are not Buddhist, are attracted to the Blue Lapis lazula Buddha.

One can do good things also for the dying people with the help of the dissolving of the 8 Medicine Buddhas into the crown of the head of the dying person.Further as higher Tantra, one can "be", the Medicine Buddha.
Then one can be reborn in the Pure Eastern Realm of Sangye Menla. It is just like the Western Paradise, it is a Pure Buddha Realm where one can obtain Buddhahood. So the Amida Buddha and Sangye Menla Tantra's, are practised in Maha yana and the adherents are many. Western Paradise is very popular in the Buddhist world.

Is it just that the Buddhas/Bodhisattvas that produced them had different vows? Why are their vows dissimilar?
Their vows are dissimilar because enlightenment seems to be an "individual" case. If i would become a Buddha and you too, then i am not equal to you, but we share a lot of similarities and we do not fight of course. Fighting is something for unrealised persons.

If the dharmakaya of the Buddha's are one and the same, and the Awakening of Gautama-Buddha is the same as the Awakening of other Buddhas, how differentiated are these Pure Lands?
Here i see it as the Nature is for every Buddha the same. Nature or Emptiness was NOT created by the Buddhas. Here they have "Identity" for those who cannot see them. So they all dwell in Dharmakaya but emanate in Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya for the sake of the sentient beings who cannot "see", because of karma. These Buddhas do not move from their "Seats", but are seen everywhere. :bow:

Well these Pure Lands can be seen as like , i prefer to go on holiday to Thailand and another person likes more (to be in) Amsterdam. Or other said i like potatoes and you rice. But both foods stills our hunger. We do it according our karma / mentality/ person.


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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by sillyrabbit »

Don't all Buddhas have Pure Lands because those "buddha-fields" are the "natural consequences" of becoming Buddhas?
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by Rakz »

sillyrabbit wrote:Don't all Buddhas have Pure Lands because those "buddha-fields" are the "natural consequences" of becoming Buddhas?
buddhalands are a reflection of the sambhogakaya
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by kirtu »

Coëmgenu wrote:
But for instance, what is the functional difference between Vaidūryanirbhāsa, Abhirati, Fudaraku (補陀落, a Pure Land attributed to Avalokiteśvara in Japan), or the Pure Land atop Gṛdhrakūṭa mentioned in the Lotus Sutra (which I have a particular interest in)?

Is it just that the Buddhas/Bodhisattvas that produced them had different vows? Why are their vows dissimilar?

If the dharmakaya of the Buddha's are one and the same, and the Awakening of Gautama-Buddha is the same as the Awakening of other Buddhas, how differentiated are these Pure Lands?
The Dharmakaya of the Buddhas is exactly the same. It is exactly the same Dharmakaya that you and all beings possess. The difference is that the Buddhas have realized the Dharmakaya, the ultimate truth.

Bodhisattvas produce different vows due to their circumstances. However they are all vows to help beings in some way. So the ultimate intention is the same while the details are (or can be) different.

The main difference between different Pure Lands is that Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land is easy to get in to. Other Pure Lands require a lot of merit. In fact Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land requires some merit as well but it is still not difficult to attain.

However I have a lama who says that while these differences are true, once to reach Sukavati (Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land) other Pure Lands are more or less easy to visit. His analogy is the ease of travel between the US and Canada.

There are also pure and impure Buddha fields (sometimes people might write pure and impure Pure Lands). This planet is an impure Buddha field . It is said to be Shakyamuni Buddha's Pure Land. Obviously it needs some purification .... We have discussed this here from time to time and you can search to find those threads.

Kirt
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Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by sillyrabbit »

Rakz wrote:
sillyrabbit wrote:Don't all Buddhas have Pure Lands because those "buddha-fields" are the "natural consequences" of becoming Buddhas?
buddhalands are a reflection of the sambhogakaya
Thank you :)
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by kalden yungdrung »

sillyrabbit wrote:
Rakz wrote:
sillyrabbit wrote:Don't all Buddhas have Pure Lands because those "buddha-fields" are the "natural consequences" of becoming Buddhas?
buddhalands are a reflection of the sambhogakaya
Thank you :)

Tashi delek,

Buddha Lands have their causes related to the done vows of the sentient being, before they became a Buddha.
If a sentient being is a Buddha then this Buddha can emanate in different forms like Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya, to teach the sentient beings ( in their promised Pure Realms ).

The Buddhaland is sure not a material world, but if it is a reflection ? Sambhogakayas emanate and create......

The Nirmanakaya form is mostly used to teach humans etc.
The Sambhogakaya form for the higher realised sentient beings.( Pure Realms)

A Buddha can emanate and appear as a sentient being to help them but if every Buddha has a "world" where they can mature sentient beings , that is what i do not know.

But one thing is sure, every Buddha has Compassion and out of this Compassion they can assume many illusionary bodies to help sentient beings. A Pure Buddha Land is one of the many countless examples.

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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by cj39 »

Also according to traditions there can only be one Buddha per world system at a time. The Mahayana therefore needed multiple world systems to accomadate the various Buddhas, with each one residing in their own Buddha-land. Here is a thread about it from Dhamma Wheel.com:

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=764
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by Losal Samten »

cj39 wrote:Also according to traditions there can only be one Buddha per world system at a time. The Mahayana therefore needed multiple world systems to accomadate the various Buddhas, with each one residing in their own Buddha-land. Here is a thread about it from Dhamma Wheel.com
Only one supreme nirmanakaya who performs the twelve deeds can exist in one realm at one time. In Mahayana, multiple regular buddhas can appear simultaneously.
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by cj39 »

Losal Samten wrote:
cj39 wrote:Also according to traditions there can only be one Buddha per world system at a time. The Mahayana therefore needed multiple world systems to accomadate the various Buddhas, with each one residing in their own Buddha-land. Here is a thread about it from Dhamma Wheel.com
Only one supreme nirmanakaya who performs the twelve deeds can exist in one realm at one time. In Mahayana, multiple regular buddhas can appear simultaneously.
Thank you for that clarification. Are "regular Buddhas" the same as transformation bodies?
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by Losal Samten »

cj39 wrote:Thank you for that clarification. Are "regular Buddhas" the same as transformation bodies?
By regular buddhas I mean the other types of nirmanakaya aside from the supreme nirmanakaya, the birth, artisan and diverse nirmanakayas.
Lacking mindfulness, we commit every wrong. - Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche
འ༔ ཨ༔ ཧ༔ ཤ༔ ས༔ མ༔
ཨོཾ་ཧ་ནུ་པྷ་ཤ་བྷ་ར་ཧེ་ཡེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ།།
ཨཱོཾ་མ་ཏྲི་མུ་ཡེ་སལེ་འདུ།།
Sentient Light
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Re: Different Pure Lands

Post by Sentient Light »

https://digest.bps.org.uk/2015/09/09/me ... ontagious/ <-- this is a study I point to every now and then because I think it supports the idea of a Buddha-land, at least insofar as the concept that a Buddha being present must inherently have some palpable effect on the environment in which he or she appears, and that proximity to a Buddha in the world would inherently make something like concentration meditation easier--I also think this is why (and this is purely anecdotal) it is easier to get into sublime states of meditative absorption when in a group than when alone; it's the same effect on a much smaller scale.

So I think that the abode of a Buddha's nirmanokaya manifestation must certainly emanate some palpable effect on the environment, and I think it stands to reason that the sambhogakaya emanation of a Pure Land functions in much the same way. Simply put: by being present near a purified mind, and by focusing on that purified mind (Mindfulness of Buddha), the purification of our own minds is made more simple. Or, in other words, "Other Power."
:buddha1: Nam mô A di đà Phật :buddha1:
:bow: Nam mô Quan Thế Âm Bồ tát :bow:
:bow: Nam mô Đại Thế Chi Bồ Tát :bow:

:buddha1: Nam mô Bổn sư Thích ca mâu ni Phật :buddha1:
:bow: Nam mô Di lặc Bồ tát :bow:
:bow: Nam mô Địa tạng vương Bồ tát :bow:
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