Pure Land
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Shambhala Publications05/18/2021Pages: 264Size: 5 x 7.75ISBN: 9781611808902DetailsPure Land Buddhism has more adherents than any other Buddhist tradition yet remains poorly understood in the West. This is the case despite Pure Land teachings being well integrated throughout history with Chan and its Japanese counterpart Zen, as well as embedded in Tibetan Buddhist practice. Centered on faith, devotion, and prayer to Buddha Amitābha, Pure Land constitutes its own tradition that continues to grow in popularity throughout the world.
This concise introduction presents at last a complete and accessible guide to Pure Land thought and practice that will surprise and delight readers in its richness and scope. The author traces its history beginning from its development in India through China and Japan up to the present day. This overview goes on to cover the core principles of Pure Land centered on the belief that prayer and contemplation on Buddha Amitābha can lead to rebirth in a realm free from suffering that is ideal for progress on the path to enlightenment.RelatedCheck items to add to the cart orAuthor BioCharles B. Jones is an associate professor of Religious Studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He earned a PhD at the University of Virginia in 1996 and specializes in Pure Land Buddhism in China.Praise"This is the first book in English that covers the essential elements of the overall development of Pure Land Buddhism—from India to its spread in China and East Asia. This impressive work by Professor Jones is based on the latest scholarship but is presented to be accessible to ordinary readers who are not specialists. Pure Land dispels the stereotypical image of Pure Land Buddhism as being ‘merely’ a devotional and popular belief. Instead, we learn that its beginnings are reflected in the Sanskrit texts and were nurtured through the two millennia of orthodox tradition practiced by not only laypersons but also by monastics. The Pure Land tradition probably offers the most egalitarian path to enlightenment, which partly accounts for its ubiquitous presence throughout the Mahayana Buddhist world. This book is certain to expand the readers’ knowledge of the scope of what Buddhism offers to the contemporary world." —Kenneth K. Tanaka, past president of the International Association of Shin Buddhist Studies and Professor Emeritus at Musashino University, Tokyo
"Charles Jones presents Pure Land as having had a central role in the history, thought, and practice of East Asian Buddhism. Despite being one of the most popular streams of Mahayana, Pure Land has long been marginalized in the West. It is sometimes seen as simple-minded, when its simplicity results from the profundity of a direct path to awakening. Unlike some other traditions, Pure Land has for centuries been open to lay practitioners—making it particularly relevant today when lay practice is increasingly the norm. With this work, Jones demonstrates that not only is he one of the preeminent scholars of Pure Land Buddhism in the world today, but that he has the ability to make the Pure Land tradition accessible for practitioners in our present world." —Richard K. Payne, Yehan Numata Professor of Japanese Buddhist Studies
"A compass to orient people to the Pure Land tradition, Pure Land: History, Tradition, and Practice is a solid, clear, and contextualized account that fills a lacunae in the field. Its accessibility makes it an inevitable choice as a classroom resource or for anyone seeking a clear path to understanding. It offers insight into the dynamics that led to the Pure Land tradition becoming pervasive in the East Asian Buddhist landscape." —Paula Arai, PhD, author of Women Living Zen and Painting Enlightenment
"Charles Jones has written an eminently readable description of the Pure Land form of Buddhism as it evolved—from an outline of its core religious perspectives and the myths and teachings described in its authoritative scriptures to a series of descriptions of the many fascinating individuals who contributed to shaping the tradition. This book will serve as a reliable source both for students of Buddhism and followers eager to learn more about its history and practices. From the ancient times to the present, this is the first work that presents this tradition of Buddhism in such a broad manner yet with such a detailed look at the issues discussed within the tradition itself." —Mark L. Blum, Professor of Buddhist Studies and Japanese Studies, University of California, Berkeley
Selected Reader Reviews