The Buddhafields

What is Buddhafields or Buddha Pure Lands?

Buddhafields in Sanskrit term is known as "Buddhakṣetra"  which denotes the area where a Buddha guides sentient beings toward enlightenment. Buddhafields or Buddha Pure Lands oriented practices and concepts are found within basic Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist cosmology, and form an important component of the Mahayana Buddhist traditions of China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Tibet. 

The term "Buddhafields or Pure Land Buddhism" is used to describe both the Pure Land doctrines of salvation of Mahayana Buddhism. In Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, there are many Buddhas, and each Buddha has His own Pure Land.  

These are by far the most popular among Buddha Pure Lands as follows:-

1) Vaidūryanirbhāsa (東方淨琉璃世界) of Bhaisajyaguru Medicine Buddha in the East.

2) Sukhavati (In Sanskrit) western Pure land or Dewachen (In Tibetan) of Amitabha Buddha in the West.

3) Tushita Heaven (兜率天) refers to some Buddhist scriptures have noted that the future Buddha Maitreya is currently teaching at the Inner Court of Tushita Heaven (兜率天內院)

4) Zangdok Palri (The Copper-coloured Mountain) of Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava is in the South-Western Continent of our world.

What made all the difference was the transcendental and supernatural power of the Buddha’s presence. This phenomena is called “the Buddhafields” - an effulgence that radiates from every Buddha, and can affect beings in it’s space time vicinity. Shakyamuni Buddha explains the size and power of the Buddhafield varies from one Buddha to another - and that Amitabha Buddha has the greatest Buddhafield of all. In fact, there is no place in the universe that is not touched by this Buddhafield. This is why the light and the life of Amitabha Buddha is continually available to all beings, everywhere.

The Buddhafields have developed into its pristine state through the compassion deeds of the Buddha during former lives as a Bodhisattva. According to the Mahayana and Vajrayana teachings, there are an infinite number of such field or Pure Land. Each has the particular qualities so as to meet the spiritual needs of being with different capacities. The Buddhafields are vary in their degree of purity, reflecting the level of attainment of the Pure Land resident beings.

Our world is the Buddhafield under the aegis of Shakyamurni Buddha, but there are other fields where a Buddha still present, most notably is The Amitabha Buddha's Sukhavati or the most popular known as the "Western Pure Land" or in the Tibetan word " Dewachen" the ultimate blissful Buddhafield. 

The Amitabha Western Buddhafield - Sukhavati (In Sanskrit) or Dewachen (In Tibetan) 

According to the sutra known as the Rolling of Drums, countless eons ago there was a joyous kingdom whose sovereign had great devotion for the buddha of that time, Lokesvararaja. The king renounced his kingdom, became a monk, and vowed to reach enlightenment. 

He expressed his bodhicitta intention through forty-eight vows, and promised to refuse buddhahood if any of these vows were not fulfilled. With these words, the earth trembled and flowers rained down from the skies. Praises resounded and with them the prophecy that this monk would surely become a buddha. And so he did, as the Buddha Amitabha.

In his lifetime as this bodhisattva monk, Amitabha saw that countless pure realms existed for realized ones who had been victorious over the mind's delusions, but no such realm was accessible to those still struggling on the path. 

Among his forty-eight vows was the aspiration to create a pure realm for all those who heard his name, wished to attain that realm, established the roots of virtue, and dedicated their merit in order to be reborn there. So powerful was his intention that he swore to refuse buddhahood if it did not enable him to manifest such a realm.

Thank you for reading, may you find peace and great bliss. With your support it helps to spread the Buddha’s precious teachings and turning the Dharma wheels in the world.

Aspiration For Bodhichitta

For those in whom the precious Bodhichitta has not arisen

May it arise and not decrease

But increase further and further.

Dedication of Merit

By this merit may we obtain omniscience then.

Having defeated the enemies wrong-doings.

May we liberate migrators from the ocean of existence.

With its stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death.

Note

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Pictures courtesy and credit to the rightful owners.