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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 27

Pure Land tradition, including
the three Pure Land sutras, with
the aspiration that seekers in the
West will find them inspirational.
Many Western-born people
share a theistic background. The
rationale is that someone born
into Christianity, for example,
but searching for something else,
might be attracted to Pure Land
Buddhism because of its unique
appeal to both “faith” and “reason”.
Statue of Amitābha Buddha seated in
meditation. Borobudor, Java. Indonesia. Tibetan painting of Amitābha in Sukhāvatī
“If Pure Land is to take hold in the
West, we need first to make the
texts available in straightforward
Pure Land teachings into a fully abbot of Hongyuan Monastery in
but eloquent English. The basic
fledged school of thought and Xuancheng, Anhui Province.
information on Pure Land,
practice,” notes Householder Jingtu.
especially in its original form, is just
However, during Emperor Wuzong’s “This pure, original lineage of Pure
not available there at the moment,”
anti-Buddhism campaigns in the Land answered all the questions
he says. “Without texts, you have
late Tang, Shandao’s authoritative that had been holding me back
nothing to start from. Next, we
works on Pure Land were lost in spiritually,” Householder Jingtu
need teachers who are open,
China—even as they found a safe explains. “Questions about the
charismatic, and comfortable with
haven in Japan and became the criteria for rebirth, what’s primary
Western people and cultures, to live
inspiration for Jodo Shu and Jodo and what’s secondary—all flowed
in the West and build small local
Shinshu, the dominant streams of from the essential practice of
communities through teaching and
Japanese Pure Land Buddhism. “As chanting Amitabha’s name. By a
practice.” Looking further ahead,
I delved deeper, I came to know stroke of good karma, I discovered
Householder Jingtu believes that
the hidden history of Pure Land. It that there was a small center
for Pure Land to become popular in
wasn’t until the twilight of the Qing managed by two elderly monastics
the West, Western-born people will
dynasty that the Buddhist scholar right across from my home. I
need to become teachers too.
Yang Renshan brought long-lost devoured all the videos and books
texts of the Shandao lineage, in of this lineage, which made so
Householder Jingtu’s story is one of
their original form, back from Japan much sense to me. I sought out
a journey made whole, a spiritual
to China. Before then, you had a Ven. Huijing and Ven. Jingzong and
trek that has come full circle. It is
millennium of Pure Land syncretism immersed myself in their Pure Land
an inspiring irony that an editor
in the Song, Ming, and Qing eras, teachings, which were based on
who moved effortlessly between
leading to the prevalent mixed Master Shandao’s thought. By 2010,
the intellectual circles of politics
practice we see today.” Pristine Pure I knew that this was the practice for
and culture should find himself
Land is now enjoying a revival in me.” In 2011, he flew to Taiwan to
immersed in a devotional tradition
China and Taiwan, thanks to the take Refuge under Master Huijing.
like pristine Pure Land Buddhism.
efforts of the Chinese Pure Land
Perhaps with assistance from Master
Association, led by Venerable Householder Jingtu’s mission now
Shandao, Tertullian’s dichotomy of
Huijing, who is based in Taipei, and is to translate into English, and to
faith versus reason is not so difficult
his disciple Venerable Jingzong, edit, key texts from the pristine to resolve after all. EH