Question: Some say that Buddhahood is only attainable through Tantra practices. If so, and since most Pure Land practitioners do not practise Tantra, can they attain Buddhahood in Amituofo’s [Amitabha Buddha] Pure Land?
Answer: Everyone can manifest all the levels of enlightenment in Amituofo’s Pure Land – to even become the greatest Bodhisattvas on the brink of Buddhahood. Even though Buddhahood is in spirit realisable there, personal Buddhahood is always manifested outside the hosting Buddha’s Pure Land out of compassion to benefit more beings. Amituofo’s Pure Land’s guaranteed high efficiency of training future Buddhas is stated clearly in the Amitabha Sutra by Sakyamuni Buddha –
‘Among them [all beings in Amituofo’s Pure Land, who are all spiritually non-retrogressible], many are in the Stage Of One Life To Replacement [of preceding Buddhas in other world systems; Eka-jati-prati-baddha]. Their number is extremely great, and cannot be known by counting, and can only with immeasurable and boundless asamkhyeya [incalculable] kalpas be spoken of.’
All forms of Dharma practices can be fully mastered in Amituofo’s Pure Land. Even if Tantra practices, which some say can lead to enlightenment in one lifetime are practised these days in our world in this Dharma-ending age, not many can realise enlightenment, unless they are already very well-practised in previous lives. This is why our era is called the Dharma-ending age. It is also why Sakyamuni Buddha clearly taught in the Immeasurable Life Sutra that the practice of reaching Pure Land is the most feasible practice in this age.
Having reached Amituofo’s Pure Land, one is bound for the swiftest Buddhahood. Staying here, there is not only no guarantee for Buddhahood, there is the risk of repeatedly facing the problem of three lifetimes: http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2010/08/are-you-recycling-yourself-every-three-lifetimes. Even some relatively ‘junior’ tulkus (recognised reborn masters) who did not reach Pure Land or enlightenment in the last life can experience backsliding upon return to this world: http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2015/05/full-review-what-if-you-are-a-tulku-recognised-reborn-master
This is why even great masters such as Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava: founder of Buddhism in Tibet), Lama Tsongkhapa (founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and author of the Lam-rim Chen-mo), Nagarjuna (founder of the Madhyamaka school) and many others highly recommend practice to be born in Amituofo’s Pure Land: http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2015/10/guru-rinpoche-lama-tsongkhapass-exhortation-to-reach-pure-land
[Questions by the named, with answers by other commenters]
Q: What is tantra? Is it good?
A: Buddhist Tantra is Dharma and of course good, but it is complex, while the Pure Land path, as above, is relatively simple yet with profound results, guaranteeing the fastest progress to Buddhahood.
[Questions by the named, with answers by other commenters]
Q: Sakyamuni Buddha made 500 vows as stated in Compassionate Flower Sutra which is much more than Amitabha Buddha who only made 48 vows?
A: Those who study the Mahayana teachings in depth will realise that the quality of all complete Bodhisattva and Buddha vows are the same; not dependent on the quantity of vows. For instance, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s 10 Great Vows are known universally to be the Ten Great KING Of Vows, as they contain the essence of all Bodhisattva and Buddha vows, including Amituofo’s 48 Great Vows and Sakyamuni Buddha’s 500 Great Vows. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s 10th vow links all beings to Amituofo’s 48 Great Vows, while Amituofo’s Pure Land is so excellent that according to his 17th Vow, all Buddhas, including Sakyamuni Buddha, will recommend all beings to reach it.
Q: Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land is so far away whereas Sakyamuni Buddha’s Pure Land is at Vulture Peak which is so close? So Sakyamuni Buddha’s Pure Land is superior and we should go to Sakyamuni Buddha’s Pure Land?
A: Have you experienced it when you reached the place in India? Most only see a rocky mountain. Only the very pure in this world can see it ALL the time, while Amituofo’s Pure Land is experienceable by all who reach it, ALL the time. As in the Comtemplation Sutra, despite the physical distance, Sakyamuni Buddha taught that Amituofo’s Pure Land is not far. It can be reached when the Three Provisions of Faith, Aspiration and Practice are adequate, riding upon the combination of self and other-power of Amituofo. Here is a bonus article to share:
Why Slander Of Pure Land Is Especially Grave
http://thedailyenlightenment.com/2014/12/why-slander-of-pure-land-is-especially-grave
[Questions by the named, with answers by other commenters]
Q: You said:”Even if Tantra practices, which some say can lead to enlightenment in one lifetime are practised these days in our world in this Dharma-ending age, not many can realise enlightenment, unless they are already very well-practised in previous lives. ” This is not true.
A: The above said ‘not many can’. This is true, especially in comparison to those who manifest signs of birth in Pure Land, who are plentiful: https://purelanders.com/?s=testimon
Q: Tantric practitioner can attain Buddhahood in one lifetime if they practice hard enough, and definitely they need to possess renunciation, bodhicitta and the correct view of shunyata. and they must study, contemplate and then practice correctly. It is not easy to achieve high realization through tantra, because most of the so called practitioners do not even have renunciation, they still love samsara.. so the cause is definitely not because they didn’t practice hard in previous lifetimes.
A: As mentioned, ‘It is not easy to achieve high realization through tantra’. Practice in past lifetimes can affect practice in this lifetime too. The Pure Land path remains the fastest path to Buddhahood, which is why it is recommended by every single Buddha, in fulfilment of Amituofo’s 17th vow. Do see ALL the links in the article above, including this: https://purelanders.com/2015/08/24/does-amituofos-pure-land-offer-the-fastest-way-to-buddhahood & https://purelanders.com/2015/08/24/does-amituofos-pure-land-offer-the-fastest-way-to-buddhahood Amituofo
[Questions by the named, with answers by other commenters]
Comment: you are saying those who had success in tantra MUST have practiced well in past lives, i do not know how you come to this conclusion… This is definitely not the case, so please do not write something you are unsure of.
Reply: In which sutra did the Buddha say Tantra can be successfully practised by anyone without having any good Dharma practice in past lives at all? Everything in Samsara is dependent on cause and effect. No Tom, Dick or Harry can suddenly become a Buddha in this present lifetime without sufficient causes and conditions accumulated from the past at all. If possible, who are the Toms, Dicks, and Harrys now? There should be many of them among us now?
Comment: Some say that spinning prayer wheels can lead to birth in Pureland? Do we spin clockwise or anticlockwise?
Reply: Clockwise. Spinning a mani wheel sincerely can create merits but the guarantee for birth in Pure Land is by giving rise to the Three Provisions – https://purelanders.com/2010/04/01/the-three-provisions-of-faith-aspiration-practice Amituofo