Question: Is there anyone who can tell if I can reach Amituofo’s Pure Land in this lifetime?
Answer: Please be VERY WARY of anyone who claims to be able to do so, as there is no clear way to know if what the person says is true, and if so, so-called endorsements and advice given might be wrong and jeopardise spiritual progress towards Pure Land. Also, the Buddha clearly discouraged claiming of having this or that power to gather followers, which might or might not be real, as we can see in this article:http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2014/02/are-there-mediums-manifestations-of-buddhas-bodhisattvas-around True teachers, including the Buddhas, when they confer predictions of Buddhahood, will only inspire continual practice, instead or arousing pride or complacence.
If someone says you WILL reach Pure Land in this life, what will you do? If you become PRIDEFUL, and lessen or stop learning and practising Nianfo (mindfulness of Amituofo), it means, as the 13th Pure Land Tradition’s Patriarch Great Master Yinguang warned, you do not have enough of the Three Provisions (Faith and Aspiration, as expressed in Practice), which means Pure Land is unlikely to be within reach. As such, to have someone say you WILL reach Pure Land is not needed at all, unless it is personal ASSURANCE from AMITUOFO TO OFFER PEACE OF MIND WHEN NEARING THE END OF LIFE.
OR if someone says you WILL NOT reach Pure Land in this life, what will you do? If you become COMPLACENT, and lessen or stop learning and practising Nianfo (mindfulness of Amituofo), it means, as the 13th Pure Land Tradition’s Patriarch Great Master Yinguang warned, you do not have enough of the Three Provisions (Faith and Aspiration, as expressed in Practice), which means Pure Land is unlikely to be within reach. As such, to have someone say you WILL NOT reach Pure Land is not needed at all, unless it is personal ENCOURAGEMENT from ANYONE TO URGE MORE SINCERE PRACTICE TO REACH PURE LAND.
In short, we should just CONTINUE TO LEARN AND PRACTISE NIANFO well now, instead of wondering or worrying about whether we can reach Pure Land in this lifetime. Such distracting and pointless wonder and worry only takes up time and energy, that can otherwise be spent on better learning and practice, which are what really help to fortify our Three Provisions for reaching Pure Land. Our spiritual destiny is in our hands, and the assurance we need will come from Amituofo eventually, when we have given rise to the Three Provisions sufficiently with our diligent efforts. We know this is definitely true, as attested by countless Pure Land practitioners throughout history!
[Questions by the named, with answers by other commenters]
Q: No comment. Though I do have gurus who can confirm on phowa to Sukhavati.
A: (The above ‘no comment’ is followed by a comment though.) The article is about ‘Does Anyone Know If I Can Reach Pure Land?’ as titled – about whether anyone can confirm one CAN reach Pure Land; not about whether anyone HAS reached Pure Land. That said, who confirms the gurus’ confirmations? If uncertain, support-chanting should continue till there is some form of assurance or great peace of mind.