Namo Amitabha
[Amida] Buddha, in the causal stage, made the
universal Vow: When beings hear my Name and think on me,
I will come to welcome each of them, Not discriminating at all between the poor and the rich and wellborn,
Not discriminating between the inferior and the highly gifted; Not choosing the learned and those upholding
pure precepts, Nor rejecting those who break precepts and
whose evil karma is profound. When beings just turn about at heart and often say the nembutsu('nien-fo' in Chinese,
'buddha-anusmriti' in Sanskrit and 'nembutsu' in Japanese, consists in repeating the six-character formula:
na-mo-o-mi-t'o-fo in Chinese or namu amida butsu in Japanese.),
It is as if bits of rubble were turned into gold.
Pure Land
Buddhist Scriptures
This Buddhist Faith Fellowship web site provides the
basic Pure Land Buddhist scriptures and other important sacred
texts for beginning or advanced practicers. The Larger
and Smaller Sutra & the Contemplation Sutra were written
over 2000 years ago. For the 21st century Western reader, they
may appear at first to be written in a fantastic language that
makes the entire Pure Land teaching diffiicult and incredible
to believe. However, these text were written in a
literary style that the people of the Sub-Indian
continent could understand as appreciate. In other words,
the language and symbols are of another culture and time.
Therefore, these Three Sutras are NOT TO BE READ LITERALLY but
are to be read in a metaphoric or symbolic way. Remember that
all Buddhist texts begin with "Thus have I heard" which means
that the texts are just a skilful means that point to the
truth and are not the truth themselves. Do not get
distracted by the fantastic scenes but concentrate on the
meaning behind the circumstances.
The other text is a 13th century Janpanese
commentary that was written in a more direct and
simple way. It is classic text and a must to read. We
hope you enjoy these sutras and text and may they deepen your
faith and practice.
Life’s most awesome event is death, and death comes to all without
regard to wealth, beauty, intelligence or fame. Death is inevitable, but how you
die—terrified and confused, or with confidence and spiritual mastery—is within
your control.