Welcome to the English-language website of the Pure Land school.
Our aim is to introduce to international audiences the teachings and practices of Pure Land Buddhism according to the lineage of Master Shandao (善導大師, 613-681) of Tang Dynasty China.Master Shandao, long revered in East Asia as an incarnation of Amitabha Buddha, is universally acknowledged as the de facto founder of the Pure Land school of Buddhism. Grounding his teachings in the three Pure Land sutras preached by Shakyamuni Buddha, he urged practitioners to aspire to rebirth in the Land of Bliss by reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha exclusively.
more
After the Charter, it is necessary to be familiar with the school’s founder, for the former is based on the teachings of the latter.
The founder occupies a preeminent position in the school, unmatched by others. The founder of the Pure Land school was Master Shandao of the Tang Dynasty, widely accepted as an incarnation of Amitabha Buddha. He synthesized and completed the Pure Land teachings and wrote the Five Works in Nine Fascicles, which definitively laid down the thought and practices of the Pure Land tradition.
more
English translation by Householder Jingtu
A “charter” outlines the principles characteristic of a Dharma school and sets forth guidelines for practice by its adherents.
The Pure Land Charter was drafted by Dharma Master Huijing. It serves as a manifesto for the Pure Land school, summarizing its evolution over more than a millennium, up to the present day. The Charter consists of 18 clauses defining the essential elements of the school and clearly lays out its framework.
The Pure Land Charter was drafted by Dharma Master Huijing. It serves as a manifesto for the Pure Land school, summarizing its evolution over more than a millennium, up to the present day. The Charter consists of 18 clauses defining the essential elements of the school and clearly lays out its framework.more
Dharma Master Huijing
“Be grateful for everything.” Gratitude is invaluable, for in difficult or challenging times, we will be truly moved by the help given from someone who is noble. If we are rescued from danger, we will be grateful indeed. We will want to repay them with money or, if we don’t have any, our own lives because we are in our rescuer’s debt. ……more
Dharma Master Jingzong
The more a bell is struck, the further its sound travels. Amitabha’s deliverance works the same way: the more the people assault it, the further His Dharma message reaches.more
Impermanence
By Master HuiyuanAll things in this world are unpredictable and impermanent, always arising and ceasing endlessly. There is no such thing as a banquet that never ends or a sun that never sets. Even sorrows and joys, like the waves of a sea, will dissipate in the end.more