Journal ofTaiwan Normal University Humanities & Social Sciences 2006, 51 (1 ,2), 39-53
An Interpretation of the Chanting Method in
Amitabha Pure Land Buddhism,
with Reference to
Three Sutras in the Da Zheng Zang
Xiang-Yu Zhu
Institute ofChinese, National Taiwan Normal University
Abstract
Pure Land Buddhism is prevalent in China
,
and one of its schools,
Amitabha Pure Land Buddhism,
is particularly popular. Gaining rebirth in Amitabha's Pure Land is the practitioners' highest goal. The Amitabha Pure Land school emphasizes rebirth in Amitabha's paradise rather than becoming (a) Buddha and achieving enlightenment in this very life,
because in this Pure Land people can be free from suffering,
feel tremendously joyful and tranquil,
and attain enlightenment as an eighth-Ievel Bodhisattva. Since,
according to the practitioners' point of view,
the meaning of rebirth in this land is equivalent to that of becoming Buddha,
the method of rebirth is the most essential concept in the theory of the Amitabha Pure Land school. Among the methods of rebirth,
niαn fo fa men (one way of chanting Buddha' s name) gradually became orthodox practice; chanting Amitabha's name ten times is seen as the most important and the best mode of attaining rebirth. Nonetheless,
people of other Buddhist traditions often question the validity of this method. Their queries are as follows: What is the meaning of chanting Amitabha's name ten times? Does this practice still presuppose the law of cause and effect? The author of this paper discusses these topics with regard to Pure Land sutras in the Da Zheng Zang and their commentaries, and provides a more detailed interpretation of Amitabha Pure Land methodology.Keywords: ten times to get rebirth in this pure land
