By
Dr. John Adams
c 2003
Used by Permission
In this article I will look at some common themes between two different religions, Christianity and the sect of Buddhism known as Pure Land. The main idea I want to look at is the concept of the Kingdom of God in Christianity and the Western Paradise in Pure Land Buddhism. As we examine these two beliefs about the afterlife we will see some similarities as well as differences between the two tradition.
I. RE-VISIONING THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Among many Christians there is a popular understanding of the Kingdom of God. It is seen as a place the good or saved people go in the afterlife, where they will spend eternity with God. The Kingdom of God is usually seen as the same as heaven or the Kingdom of Heaven.
I propose a different understanding of the Kingdom of God. To view the Kingdom of God as a place or location in which the saved will spend eternity is too limited. It does not do justice to the complex metaphor of the Kingdom of God in the New Testament.
A proper understanding of the Kingdom of God provides a useful starting point in discussions with other religions while preserving the unique beliefs of Christianity.
I begin with an alternative translation of the English phrase "Kingdom of God" from the New Testament Greek. Several writers have suggested that the English phrase "Kingdom of God" describes a quality of God's power rather than a place or location. (Harrisville, 1993: 147; Metzger, 1965: 148-149; Richardson, 1958: 84) Some alternative translations are "God's Imperial Rule,"God's Ruling Power" or "the Reign of God." I would offer the paraphrase "the ruling presence of God" or more simply "God's Ruling Presence."
Why do I settle upon God's Ruling Presence? This would seem to be a good fit for the complexities of the metaphor in the New Testament. God's Ruling presence is something that is present now and begins in this world (Matt 12:28 "But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you?") Yet it is also described as still coming and will be completed in the life or world after this one. (Luke 22:28-30 "?I assign to you, as my Father to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.")
What exactly is God's Ruling Presence? How do people enter into something that is here and also to come, starting in this life yet incomplete until the life to come? I would suggest that God's Ruling Presence is the same as the Holy Spirit. Those who enter into God?\'s Ruling presence do so by giving their assent to the lifelong spiritual transformation that is presided over by the Holy Spirit. Paul's letters seem to echo this understanding.
"Rom 14:17 'For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit'...this statement about the Kingdom of God (is) remarkably similar to Paul's statement of what comment about 'the fruit of the Spirit' is (Gal 5:22-23). Apparently the activity of the Spirit is another way of talking about the active presence of God's rule. To live under God's rule now, in advance of the coming Kingdom, is to 'live by the Spirit' (Gal 5:16, 25)" Bauckham, 1996:15)
Paul also echoes the belief that God's Ruling Presence is also coming. Those who live by the Spirit will also inherit the kingdom (Gal 5:21) or God's Ruling Presence. Understanding God's Ruling Presence as the Holy Spirit, and entering into God's Ruling presence as individuals or communities who give their assent to the lifelong spiritual transformation governed by the Holy Spirit, preserves two of the unique insights of Christianity. First, that humans are seriously flawed morally and spiritually, sinful or sinners in the traditional language. Second, these deep moral and spiritual flaws cannot be overcome on our own. These flaws can only be transformed with divine help through the Holy Spirit, or the process of sanctification in the traditional language. These two insights set Christianity apart from other traditions and should be preserved in dialogue with other religions. This leaves room for different interpretations of the Incarnation, Crucifixion and Resurrection while preserving the unique person and role of Christ. Yet it also leaves open the possibility of God's Ruling Presence, or the Holy Spirit, working beyond the borders of particular historical expressions of Christianity.
II. JODO & JODO SHINSHU PURE LAND BUDDHISM
Jodo and Jodo Shinshu are Japanese sects of Pure Land Buddhism, both of which are in the larger Mahayana tradition. Jodo means 'pure land' in Japanese, and Jodo Shinshu means 'the true teaching of the Pure Land' in Japanese. Jodo was founded by Honen (1133-1212), and Jodo Shinshu was founded by one of his students, Shinran (1173-1263). I will explain the difference between the two groups later in the paper.
Both Jodo and Jodo Shinshu share common beliefs with other sects of Buddhism. One is the belief in samsara or reincarnation. Humans are trapped in the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The cause of samsara is karma, which means deeds or actions. Good actions in past lives will lead to future lives in pleasant circumstances. Bad actions in past lives will lead to pain and suffering in future lives. What perpetuates the law of karma and samara is the false belief tat such things as gender, souls, personality are real. As long as we believe we are each separate beings with a soul, gender and personality, we will continue to be trapped in karma and samsara. The goal of Buddhism is Enlightenment, the realization of several truths that free people from samsara and karma.
Craving or selfish desire is what creates the false belief that we are separate beings of distinct gender, personality and soul. The appearance of these things is actually the random mixing or coalescing of five basic elements: mental imagery, feelings, bodily form, consciousness and sense perception. These five elements, called skhandas, meaning heaps or bundles, might be pictured as five different rivers that merge into one, or five strands of twine that are woven into a larger rope. The struggle to achieve enlightenment involves understanding how all sentient beings, including humans, animals and even plants are really part of the flowing together of these five skhandas. This understanding is not simply an intellectual agreement with these ideas. Enlightenment involves a deep intuitive grasp of these truths that analytical thinking cannot comprehend
If enlightenment is achieved, the result is Nirvana, which simply means the extinction or blowing out of desire. Nirvana means the extinguishing of all the illusions and sufferings that come with craving desire. No longer will the enlightened person be trapped in samsara.
Two ways of attaining Nirvana have evolved in Buddhism. One is the Path of Knowledge which involves the difficult life of a monk and years of training in meditation and study. The second way is the Path of Faith, represented by Jodo and Jodo Shinshu Pure Land Buddhism.
Pure Land focuses on the Bodhisattva Amida. A Bodhisattva is a divine being, sort of like a super-saint, but not to be equated with God. Bodhisattvas have lived countless lives and accumulated a great deal of good karma or merit. A Bodhisattva has gained knowledge of how all sentient beings are actually one, caught in the flowing and ebbing of the five skhandas and being trapped in samsara. Once a Bodhisattva has gained enlightenment, instead of going onto Nirvana, he or she has great compassion on all living beings and returns to the phenomenal world to help all of us reach Nirvana.
This help can be provided, for example, to people who pray to the Bodhisattva, asking for some of his or her extra merit to be transferred to them to cancel out their bad karma. Because of his great power, Amida has created and presides over the Western Paradise or Pure Land. The Pure Land is not the same as heaven in Christianity, but it is one of many worlds to which Buddhists may go in future rebirths. Those who dwell within Amida's Pure Land are better able to achieve Nirvana. Being born into the Pure Land in the next life is the goal and reward of those who believe in and rely on Amida. Depending on the Buddhist commentary one is consulting, the Pure Land can be the same as Nirvana, or the Pure Land may be a symbol or an incentive to Buddhists who are in the early stages of their spiritual journey.
Amida was once a human on earth. Before he became a Bodhisattva, and while he was still human, he made series of vows about what he would do upon becoming a Bodhisattva. He made 48 vows in all, of which the 18th, 19th and 20th are most important to Pure Land. 1 Briefly, those vows are: 18th) all who call on Amida?s (chant) name in faith, except those who commit certain serious crimes, shall be born into the Pure Land; 19th) To those who desire to be born in the Pure Land, Amida will appear at the moment of death and guide them to the Pure Land; 20th) all who hear Amida?s, sincerely desire to be in the Pure Land and practice virtue, will attain the Pure Land. These three vows are the theological basis for the various Pure Land sects. The remaining vows make it clear that Amida will not leave his Pure Land nor move onto Nirvana until all beings have reached his Pure Land. Thus Amida is committed to universal salvation, or escape from samsara, for all living beings.
In the Jodo sect, the primary way of reaching Pure Land is to chant "NAMU AMIDA BUTSU," which means "all praise to Amida Buddha." The chant is called the nembutsu.
Chanting has several consequences. First, it is a demonstration of faith in Amida by individuals who do the chant. Second, it helps purify the thoughts of the chanter by focusing their thoughts on Amida. Third, in an unspecified way, chanting transfers merit from Amida to the chanters and cancels out their negative karma. Fourth, when chanted by a group, as well as individuals, the nembutsu helps build up positive merit for all beings and contributes to their salvation, which means their being born into the Pure Land after their death.
It is a matter of great debate as to whether it is faith, chanting or Other power that brings about salvation. Other power is the name given to the power of Amida to bring one into the Pure Land at the moment of death. Other power seems to be available to believers in this life, in the way of Amida giving moral strength, purity of thought and so on to believers. The great founder of Jodo, Honen, seemed to place the greatest emphasis on chanting as the way to reach the Pure Land. Honen was known to chant the nembutsu several thousand times a day, the more chanting one did the better. It is also a matter of debate about how strict of a moral life a believer had to live to reach the Pure Land. This reflects the question about whether it is faith or chanting that brings about salvation.
Shinran, a student of Honen, emphasized faith more than chanting, and thus formed the Jodo Shinshu sect of Pure Land in Japan. Shinran believed that if a person chants the nembutsu only a few times a day but has sincere faith in Amida, this would be enough to achieve salvation and reach the Pure Land.
III. POINTS OF CONTACT BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND PURE LAND BUDDHISM
As one writer put it, we must understand the differences between Christianity and Buddhism before we can appreciate the similarities. Obvious differences are the disagreements over reincarnation and anatman or no soul. The personality of both humans and God is integral to Christian belief. Likewise, in Pure Land Buddhism there is no doctrine of creation that I am aware of, nor is there a definite beginning or end of the universe in time. The universe has been here forever. While Christianity has historically had a doctrine of Judgment or accountability of individuals at the end of history, Buddhism has no deity by which all people are judged. However, Buddhism has its own form of moral accountability in the accumulation of good or bad karma which is played out in one of several heavens or hells, respectively, in future lives. With these differences in mind, there are some interesting points of contact.
At the beginning of this paper I proposed that the Kingdom of God is more accurately translated as God's Ruling Presence. God' Ruling Presence consists of those who open themselves to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. Paul's letters seem to indicate that this process of transformation continues beyond this life and will not be completed until the next life. (I Cor 15:23-26, Rom 8) While Pure Land cannot simply be equated with the Christian heaven, believers in Amida do not simply achieve Nirvana upon being born into the Pure Land. They are promised that they will be no longer trapped in samsara, nor will they slide back into negative karma. They will be able to achieve Nirvana in the Pure Land. However, their actual place in the Pure Land and how long it will take to achieve Nirvana is greatly influenced by the quality of life lived while on earth. There is apparently a ranking of beings in the Pure Land based on the level of merit one has attained in earthly life.
Another point of contact is the Pure Land of Other power and the Christian belief in the Holy Spirit. Pure Land's beginning point is the belief that individuals simply cannot live up to the Eight-fold Path and Four Noble Truths on their own ability.2 Likewise, many Christians believe that they cannot achieve salvation or spiritual maturity on their own efforts. It is necessary to receive prompting and guidance from the Holy Spirit for faith and salvation to become real. While Pure Land has no equivalent doctrine of a Holy Spirit that dwells within believers, salvation is not possible without the assistance of Amida with his merit and power as a Bodhisattva.
This raises the question of what is the nature of salvation? Is salvation something to be possessed? Or is salvation more of an ongoing process in which people participate? For Pure Land, salvation seems to involve two steps. The immediate goal is to escape samsara, which takes place at death if one has faith in Amida and/or chants regularly. The achievement of Nirvana does not take place until one reaches Pure Land. As mentioned above, the kind of life one lives on earth will influence the place held in the Pure Land. This is also a continuing debate within Christianity. Is salvation something like a possession one has or does not have? Is faith in Christ sufficient for salvation, or must one's moral life also show changes in order for salvation to be real? The differences between Jodo and Jodo Shinshu on the role of faith echo the Christian debates about Arminianism and Calvinism, respectively.
Another point of contact is the role of Christ and Amida in faith and salvation. Again, there is no simple equivalence between Christ as the unique Son of God as many Christians believe, and the Bodhisattva Amida. Amida is one of many Bodhisattvas who reign in innumerable worlds, although he is one of the most powerful ones. There is some parallel between Christ as Suffering Servant and Amida's vows to save all beings from samsara. Amida has lived through countless lives and refrains from going to Nirvana until all beings are saved. Amida's compassion is thus boundless in its determination to help all beings reach Nirvana through the Pure Land. In Christian belief, the humanity of Christ makes God more accessible to us. In particular, there is some resonance between the Christ as Victor over death and sin interpretation of the Atonement (Aulen, 1969: 42-44) and Amida?s vows of compassion for all sentient beings. Christ was unjustly charged, punished and executed but turned defeat into victory through the resurrection. The power of that victory, through the Holy Spirit, is available to all who have faith. Likewise, Amida has endured countless rebirth and lives, building up great power and merit to share with sentient beings who struggle to escape samsara. Any one who has faith in Amida and his power will be rescued from samsara and born into the Pure Land.
IV. CONCLUSION
While there are some serious differences between Christianity and Pure land Buddhism, they do share some remarkably similar insights about faith and salvation. Humans cannot achieve salvation on their own. They need the intercession of a Suffering Servant or compassionate Bodhisattva who has gone before them. The Other power or Holy Spirit, which assists humans in reaching salvation, is available if one has faith in the Suffering Servant or compassionate Amida. A person's faith must be made visible in moral behavior while living in this world. The process of salvation begun in this life will continue in the next as we enter the Pure Land or God?s Ruling Presence.
ENDNOTES
1 The three major sutras or texts for Pure Land Buddhism are The Larger Sutra, the Contemplation Sutra and the Smaller Sutra. The Larger Sutra details the 48 vows of the Bodhisattva Amida.
2 The Four Nobel Truths are I) All Life is Suffering, I) All suffering is caused by craving desire, iii) Suffering can be brought to an end, iv) Suffering is stopped by following the Eight-fold Path. The Eight-fold Path is right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right efforts, right mindfulness and right meditation.
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Matsunaga, Daigan
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