Questions: [a] Is it difficult to reach Āmítuófó’s (Amitā[bha] Buddha: 阿弥陀佛) Pure Land? [b] Is practice there difficult?
Answers: [a] No, and [b] no. Below are 5 reasons on why this is so.
[1] As the Buddha taught in the Immeasurable Life Sūtra《无量寿经》, it is ‘easy to be reborn’ (易往) in Āmítuófó’s Pure Land. The minimum criteria needed are the Three Provisions (三资粮) of Faith, Aspiration and Practice (信愿行), to connect to Āmítuófó’s blessings for facilitation. (See their definitions at https://purelanders.com/2018/02/08/the-three-provisions.)
[2] The Pure Land Path is thus the Easy Practice Path (易行道), as taught by Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva (龙树菩萨). (See the analogy at https://purelanders.com/2018/05/02/is-aspiring-for-birth-in-pure-land-cowardly on why this is so.)
[3] In fact, the Pure Land path is the swiftest progress towards Buddhahood, as it is available with all kinds of great skilful means (方便) and empowerment with great supernormal powers (神通). As the Buddha taught in the Sūtra On Praises Of The Pure Land With Buddhas’ Protection And Reception《称赞净土佛摄受经》, ‘Be born in the Western Land Of Ultimate Bliss, to receive and use all kinds of meritorious virtues’ adornments of the pure Buddha land, with the Great Vehicle’s Dharma joy. In day and night, during the six periods be close to, for making offerings to Immeasurable Life Buddha, travelling in the ten directions to make offerings to all Buddhas, at all Buddhas’ places hearing the Dharma and receiving predictions, with blessings and wisdom’s provisions swiftly attaining perfection, to quickly realise Unsurpassable Right And Equal Bodhi.’ (生西方极乐世界，受用种种功德庄严清净佛土大乘法乐。日夜六时亲近供养无量寿佛，游历十方供养诸佛，于诸佛所闻法受记，福慧资粮疾得圆满，速证无上正等菩提。)
[4] With Āmítuófó’s Other-power (他力) for support, it is easy in practice both here, before reaching Pure Land, and easy in practice there, after reaching Pure Land. (See chart at https://purelanders.com/2019/08/26/the-first-second-halves-of-the-easy-practice-path for illustration.)
[5] With great ease (自在) in Pure Land, life cannot be difficult there at all. As the Buddha taught in the Amitābha Sūtra《阿弥陀经》, ‘As that land’s sentient beings, are without all kinds of suffering, and only receive all kinds of bliss, it is thus named “Ultimate Bliss”.’ (其国众生，无有众苦，但受诸乐，故名极乐。)
相关经典
Related Sūtras:
《阿弥陀经》
Amitābha Sūtra
purelanders.com/sutra
《称赞净土佛摄受经》
Sūtra On Praises Of The Pure Land With Buddhas’ Protection And Reception
purelanders.com/tang
