A pure land is the celestial realm or pure abode of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a "buddha-field". The various traditions that focus on pure lands have been given the nomenclature Pure Land Buddhism. Pure lands are also evident in the literature and traditions of Taoism and Bon.
Discussion
In the Mahayana sutras, there are many pure lands. Bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteśvara and Manjushri would obtain pure lands after they attained buddhahood. In the Lotus Sutra, Buddha's close followers such as Śāriputra, Mahākāśyapa, Subhuti, Maudgalyāyana and Buddha's son Rāhula would also have pure lands. The relative time-flow in the pure lands may be different, with a day in one pure land being equivalent to years in another. Pure lands have been documented as arising due to the intention and aspiration of a bodhisattva such as the case of Amitābha, but other discourse has codified that they are entwined with the theory of the saṃbhogakāya and are understood to manifest effortlessly and spontaneously due to other activities of a Buddha and the pure qualities and the mysteries of the Three Vajras. The five features of Buddhahood - the attributes of the Sambhogakāya - play a role: perfect teacher, teaching, retinue, place and time. Nakamura establishes the Indian background of the padma imagery of the field which is evident iconographically, as well as in motif and metaphor:
The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism states that "The heavens of the realm of subtle materiality consist of sixteen, seventeen, or eighteen levels of devas... The last five heavens are collectively designated as the five pure abodes, and the divinities residing there are called the Śuddhāvāsakāyika devas." Five Pure Abodes
The Śuddhāvāsa worlds, or "Pure Abodes", are distinct from the other worlds of the Rūpadhātu in that they do not house beings who have been born there through ordinary merit or meditative attainments, but only those Anāgāmins who are already on the path to Arhat-hood and who will attain enlightenment directly from the Śuddhāvāsa worlds without being reborn in a lower plane. Every Śuddhāvāsa deva is therefore a protector of Buddhism.. Because a Śuddhāvāsa deva will never be reborn outside the Śuddhāvāsa worlds, no bodhisattva is ever born in these worlds, as a bodhisattva must ultimately be reborn as a human being through their 'compassion' and bodhisattva vows.
, in discussing the Mind Stream of Lokeśvararāja that in fulfillment has come to be known as Amitābha: Sukhāvatī is by far the most popular among Pure Land Buddhists. There are many old and recent Buddhist texts reporting the condition of its dying believers. Some Buddhists and followers of other religions claimed they went there and came back, and they were viewed as cults. Some controversial teachings said the successors of Amitabha in Sukhāvatī would be Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta.
Other identified pure lands
Vulture Peak : While Zhiyi was chanting the Lotus Sutra, he saw the meeting of Gautama Buddha and bodhisattvas there. Nanyue Huisi said, "Only you can know that, only I can proof you".
Inner Court of Tushita : Some Buddhist scriptures have noted that Maitreya is currently teaching at the Inner Court of Tushita, with some Buddhist Masters, such as Xuanzang, expressing a wish to go there. Other Buddhist monks have also been known to have dreamt of going to the Inner Court of Tushita. Some Yiguandao followers claimed to have traveled there. The Inner Court of Tushita was historically a popular place for Buddhists to wish to be reborn in; however, the vast majority of Pure Land Buddhists today hope to be reborn in Sukhavati.
Abhirati of Akshobhya in the east is suggested by some scholars to be the earliest pure land mentioned in Mahayana sutras.
Vaidūryanirbhāsa of Bhaisajyaguru in the east is compared by some pure land buddhists to Amitabha's pure land in the west. Bhaisajyaguru is also said to have avatars in six other pure lands.
Zangdok Palri of Padmasambhava is in the earth. Dudjom Rinpoche said it was prophesied that all who had taken refuge in Padmasambhava or anyone who had any sort of connection with him would be reborn in Zangdok Palri.
The Field of Merit is a pictorial representation in tree form of the triratna and the guru, employed in Tibetan Buddhism as an object of veneration when taking refuge. It is visualized internally as a part of the commencement phase of each sadhana. The Field of Merit is a Pure Land. Each school or sect has its own distinctive form of the tree in which the numerous lineage-holders or vidyadhara and dharma protectors or dharmapala are represented. In discussing the visualisation of the Merit Field, Namkha'i links the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha with the Three Roots of Guru, Deva and Dakini:
The merit field, that is the source of all the accumulation of merit, designates the manifestation of the Three Jewels and of the Three Roots visualised by the practitioner.
Mandala
s, especially sand mandalas, are 'pure lands' and may be understood as Nirmāṇakāya, as are all murti, thangka and sacred tools that have consecrated, dedicated and the 'deity' invoked and requested to reside. Some namkha are pure lands. According to Nirmāṇakāya theory, nirmanakaya spontaneously arise due to the intention, aspiration, faith and devotion of the sangha.
