I was reading a book about the Pure Land. It said the Pure Land is here and now. I thought that it was a place we go to when we die. I just wanted to double check that the Pure Land is a place where we go to when we die.
The Pure Land is both, hereand- now and a realm for after we die. In traditional Pure Land Buddhism, the Pure Land is something for after death. It is said that Amida and his entourage will appear when you call the Name of Amida Buddha (say, “Namu Amida Butsu”) with one’s last breath and, then, one would be carried off to the Pure Land. And there developed many physical practices to ensure one would call the Name of Amida Buddha. Sometimes these practices were to help ensure one would call the Name and, sometimes, these practices were to build up enough merit so that Amida would appear even if I forgot or could not call the Name.
Then comes Shinran. Shinran showed that any practice was selfish and self-motivated and, thus, doomed to failure. What mattered was “Faith” (Shinjin) or Awakening of one’s powerless self and limited self, and the only hope was to receive the Infinite Wisdom and Immeasurable Compassion of Amida.
Shinran called this the “Two Kinds of Deep Faith.” At the same time: On one hand, total failure, selfish and destined for hells; and on the other hand, embraced by Amida and destined for the Pure Land.
Of course, using logic and human thought, it is impossible to be both destined for hells and destined for the Pure Land at the same time. This is the spiritual core of Shinran’s thought and teaching.
Thus, the Pure Land is here and now. When one is Awakened with Shinjin, the benefits of the Pure Land are in this lifetime, while one is alive. And the Pure Land is the ultimate destination after death. This is a spiritual answer, not a logical answer.
Gassho (with palms together), Rev. Ron