Amida Buddha

[The Cobbler's Apprentice]

Truly astonished that various past and future Buddhas have been mentioned and discussed here and elsewhere, and no mention of Amida - the heart of Pure Land Buddhism. Pure Land, in its many manifestations and variations, has in fact the largest following throughout the Far East amongst the "common folk".

Amida, throughout various suttras throughout time, called:-

1 Immeasurable Light
2 True and Real Light
3 Boundless Light
4 Enlightenment of Nondiscrimination
5 Unhindered Light
6 Beyond Conception
7 Unequaled Light
8 Ultimate Shelter
9 Lord of Blazing Light
10 Great One Worthy of Offerings
11 Light of Purity
12 Light of Joy
13 Great Consolation
14 Light of Wisdom
15 Uninterrupted Light
16 Inconceivable Light
17 Inexpressible Light
18 Light that Surpasses the Sun and Moon
19 One who is without Equal
20 One of the Vast Assembly
21 Oceanlike Great Mind
22 Supremely Honored One
23 Power of Nondiscrimination
24 Power of the Great Mind
25 Inexpressible Buddha
26 Bhagavat
27 One of the Hall
28 Pure One who Broadly Grasps All Beings
29 Honored-one beyond Conceptual Understanding
30 One of the Bodhi-tree
31 Truly Immeasurable One
32 Music of Purity
33 Store of Virtues Fulfilled through the Primal Vow
34 One Imbued with Purity
35 Treasury of Virtues
36 Ultimately Honored One
37 Inconceivable Light



Recommended:- "Amida:- Buddha of Infinite Light" by D.T. Suzuki where Suzuki brings in the writings of the Christian mystic Meister Eckhart, and thus draws upon the deep affinities between the two Faiths, Buddhism and Christianity.

[The Cobbler's Apprentice]

The Pure Land myokonin Saichi wrote:-

84,000 delusions
84,000 lights
84,000 joys abounding

Delusions.......ignorance......experiencing ourselves with/from a self-centred perspective.

The "lights" of Amida, Reality-as-is, reality as ''a vital, ephemeral agent of awareness and healing". Since the light is not harsh, cold, and distant, but soft, warm, and proximate, it is felt as a compassionate working.

Delusions become "joys abounding".

[BigJohn]

I have several statutes of Amida Buddha.

Having said that, Buddhas of the past and of the future are considered by some/most in the West as fairy tales. I am one of the few, who do not believe that.

[The Cobbler's Apprentice]

Originally Posted by BigJohn

I have several statutes of Amida Buddha.

Having said that, Buddhas of the past and of the future are considered by some/most in the West as fairy tales. I am one of the few, who do not believe that.

The one I love is Amida Looking Back. Her hands are in the mudra of teaching/invitation, but she looks back, her first concern for those who do not, cannot come, for whatever reason.

In parallel with this is Rembrandt's painting of the Prodigal Son, where the son who stayed at home and "fulfilled all righteousness" looks on at the reconciliation of the father and the prodigal with uncomprehending eyes.

As is said in the Pure Land:- "Amida saves even the good person, how much more so the evil person."

Originally Posted by The Cobbler's Apprentice

Amida - the heart of Pure Land Buddhism. ...the deep affinities between the two Faiths, Buddhism and Christianity.

That's awesome topic to come to mind as someone posted my use of the word "divine" was not Buddhist! Thanks! I was literally thinking of Amida Buddha when reading their denial of anything divine in Buddhism.

[The Cobbler's Apprentice]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky

That's awesome topic to come to mind as someone posted my use of the word "divine" was not Buddhist! Thanks! I was literally thinking of Amida Buddha when reading their denial of anything divine in Buddhism.

Words are powerful things, at least to me. Yet i dislike strict definitions. I do accept that there is sometimes a need for them, but often they can tend to congeal and begin to dictate possibiities, even seek to set parameters to the actual "working" of grace in the mind/heart.

Off on a tangent - yet not quite - Buddhists seek to become Buddhas themselves, generally speaking. Yet many Christians seek only to "follow" Jesus. This is why the Christian mystics, who speak of union with God, are often treated with suspicion, even seen to be on the brink of heresy.

As Merton said, speaking of grace, in dialogue with Suzuki, "We must not forget that God is His own Gift".

What is the difference between "Buddha Nature" and "Christ" (the Universal Christ?)

Approaching "God" through the mystics, definitions/words begin to be inadequate. The "divine"?.....honestly I just don't know. What is in a word/

[sky]

Originally Posted by The Cobbler's Apprentice

This is why the Christian mystics, who speak of union with God, are often treated with suspicion, even seen to be on the brink of heresy.

Or on the brink of insanity....

[The Cobbler's Apprentice]

Originally Posted by sky123

Or on the brink of insanity....

Well yes, that as well....

[sky]

Originally Posted by The Cobbler's Apprentice

Well yes, that as well....

To many so called ' Heretics' hung, drawn, and quartered in the name of God by so called Christians. It seemed to be a very popular word and excuse in the past.....

[Miss Hepburn]

Is this another way to say Amida Buddha?
I found this: When someone calls upon Amitabha Buddha, they are able to be reborn into the Pure Land,
where enlightenment can be obtained much more easily than on Earth.