Does Śākyamuni Buddha Have His Own Pure Land? 释迦牟尼佛有自己的净土吗？

尔时，光明遍照高贵德王菩萨摩诃萨言：「… 如来何故… 不修净土？」…  佛言：「… 汝今当知，我实不出阎浮提界。

At that time, King Of Bright Light’s Pervasive Illumination With Noble Virtues Bodhisattva Mahāsattva said, ‘… Why did the Thus Come One… not cultivate a Pure Land?’… The Buddha said, ‘… You now should know, that I truly did not arise from Jambudvīpa’s world [here].

譬如有人说言此界独有日月，他方世界无有日月，如是之言无有义理。若有菩萨发如是言，此佛世界秽恶不净，他方佛土清净严丽，亦复如是。

For example, if there are persons saying that only this world has a sun and moon, that other directions’ worlds are without suns and moons, such words are without reason. If there are Bodhisattvas who give rise to this statement, that this Buddha’s world is filthy and not pure, that other directions’ Buddha Lands are pure, magnificent and beautiful, this is likewise thus, [without reason].

善男子！西方去此娑婆世界，度三十二恒河沙等诸佛国土，彼有世界名曰无胜。彼土何故名曰无胜？其土所有严丽之事，皆悉平等无有差別，犹如西方安乐世界，亦如东方满月世界。

Good man! To the Western direction from this Sahā World, passing thirty-two Ganges Rivers’ sands’ of many other Buddha Lands, there is a world named “Unsurpassable”. Of that land, why is it named “Unsurpassable”? That land’s all matters, are of magnificence and beauty, all are equal, without differences, similar to that of [Amitābha Buddha’s (阿弥陀佛: Āmítuófó)] Western [Pure] Land Of Peace And Bliss, likewise like the [Medicine Master Buddha’s (药师佛: Yàoshīfó)] Eastern [Pure] Land Of The Full Moon.

我于彼土出现于世，为化众生故，于此界阎浮提中现转法轮。非但我身独于此中现转法轮，一切诸佛亦于此中而转法轮。… 慈氏菩萨以誓愿故，当来之世，令此世界清净庄严。以是义故，一切诸佛所有世界无不严净。」

I, from that land appeared in this life, for transforming sentient beings thus, in this world of Jambudvīpa within appearing to turn the Dharma wheel. Not only does my body alone in this world within appears to turn the Dharma wheel, all [other] Buddhas are likewise in this world within, and turn the Dharma wheel… Maitreya Bodhisattva, with his vows thus, in a future life, will enable this world to become pure and magnificent. With this meaning thus, all worlds of Buddhas are without those not magnificent and pure.’

Notes: [1] Although the terms ‘Buddha worlds’ (佛世界) and ‘Buddha lands’ (佛土) used generally can refer to any worlds where Buddhas are in, be they pure or defiled, Buddha Lands which are Pure Lands (净土), instead of defiled lands (秽土) are definitely pure, magnificent and beautiful, never filthy and not pure.

[2] All Buddhas are capable of, and will accomplish Pure Lands out of defiled lands, as one of the indispensable skilful means to expedite beings’ spiritual progress towards Buddhahood.

[3] This Sahā World (娑婆世界) we are in, which is a defiled land with the much pain and suffering, is not the Unsurpassable World (无胜世界) that Śākyamuni Buddha originated from, which is a Pure Land.

[4] Our world is just one of many defiled lands that he, along with all other Buddhas manifest in, to guide us to actual Pure Lands. Knowing that every single Buddha, with their perfect and complete compassion for us does so is incredibly moving, despite already having their own Pure Lands elsewhere, where they are concurrently guiding beings to Buddhahood.

[5] It is not easy to know which is farther to the West of our world – Amitābha Buddha’s Pure Land or Śākyamuni Buddha’s Pure Land. The first is taught to be a hundred thousand koṭis (i.e. 十万亿: one trillion) of Buddha lands away in the Amitābha Sūtra 《阿弥陀经》, while the latter is thirty-two Ganges Rivers’ sand grains’ number of Buddha lands away. These vast distances represent our great spiritual estrangement from our Buddha-nature, which can nevertheless be closed with right spiritual practice that connects to the Buddha mindful of.

[6] Despite these two Buddhas having equally wonderful Pure Lands, while there are also countless other Pure Lands, all Buddhas, including Śākyamuni Buddha himself, will selflessly and especially praise reach of Amitābha Buddha’s Pure Land. This was explained by Śākyamuni Buddha in the ‘Sūtra On Rebirth As Aspired’《随愿往生经》to be for enabling us to focus our minds, to easier attain rebirth.

[7] It also accords with Amitābha Buddha’s 17th vow that ‘all immeasurable Buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions’ (十方世界无量诸佛) will ‘greatly praise and proclaim’ (咨嗟) his name. Although his Pure Land is the easiest to reach, through it, all other Pure Land are reachable.

[8] Yet to be liberated by the end of this life, we can return to this defiled land, perhaps to further purify it, or to reach a Pure Land, to purify ourselves. Of course, we should do our part to better this world now, though there are realistic limits to how much this can be done. According to Chinese Buddhist calculation, this year 2019 marks the 3045th anniversary of the Buddha’s Parinirvāṇa, which means we are already 15.45% into the Dharma-Ending Age (末法时期) which the Buddha warned of, with 8,455 years left, after which might be called the ‘Dharma-Ended Age’ (无法时期), a long period without any Dharma at all. Maitreya Bodhisattva’s arrival to become a Buddha, to further purify this world will be 5.6 billion years later, with this purification not being immediate.

[9] We can simultaneously better this world, while aspiring to reach Pure Land – to learn how best to better this world, by learning from a perfect working model example, to know exactly what this world should become. This is the most efficient way to master accomplishment of a Pure Land, to shorten the learning curve, and to minimise its steepness. With the most effective training through a Buddha in Pure Land, we will easily become great Bodhisattvas, who can most easily purify defiled lands. The faster Pure Lands are accomplished, the more beings can be easily helped. We can also first reach Pure Land by the end of this life, before aiding Maitreya Bodhisattva in purifying this world later.

[10] It is insensitive to insist Pure Land is only here and now, when many others in this world are going through the living ‘hell’ of pain and suffering, due to war, starvation, sickness and such.

[11] Even having but a short glimpse of an actual Pure Land means we are still heavily defiled during all other times. We must not mistake brief personal experiences of serenity to be of an actual Pure Land. Doing so will distract ourselves from learning about, and practising to reach the actual Pure Land. It can also lead to complacency, to not better ourselves and this world for the sake of one and all, thinking we and the environment are already ‘good enough’.

[12] Being attached to such short-lived ‘private’ tranquillity is ultimately pointless, not at all emulating the Buddha’s great example of accomplishing an actual Pure Land, and guiding us to one.