The reason for the western location of the Pure Land – commentary on section 2 of the Smaller Amida Sutra

This is a fragment from my 

Commentary on the Smaller Amida Sutra (Amidakyo) 

- work in progress and under constant revision - 

“The Buddha then said to Elder Shariputra: “If you travel westward from here, passing a hundred thousand koṭis of Buddha lands, you will come to the land called Utmost Bliss, where there is a Buddha named Amitayus (Amida). He is living there now, teaching the Dharma.”[1]
 
In order to show that Amida’s Pure Land is not a metaphor, but a real enlightened place in which people can actually aspire to be born after death, the land is given a direction and is described in great details in the three sutras.
 
Some say that the direction “west” and the marvellous descriptions of the Pure Land are a proof for its non-existence or for its existence  as a symbol or metaphor only. But the truth is that by making the effort to describe in many words the wonders of the Pure Land and by pointing to a direction – “if you travel westward from here, passing a hundred thousand koṭis of Buddha lands, you will come to the land called Utmost Bliss” or where to face the Pure Land when worshipping Amida, like in the Larger Sutra[2], Shakyamuni Buddha wanted to emphasize its actual existence as a place where sentient beings should aspire to be born without worry and doubt. It is as though I speak to you about a beautiful park that I would like you to visit. If I tell you, “it’s there, in the west of the town” and I start describing it to you, then you will have no doubt about its existence and you will wish to see it. It’s the same with the expression “Pure Land of the West” that appears in many texts.

to be continued

---

[1] The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Centre for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.91
[2] Read chapter, “The testimony of Ananda and the audience gathered on Vulture Peak to the existence of Amida Buddha and His Pure Land – commentary on sections 41 and 42” from my Commentary on the Sutra on the Buddha of Infinite Life. In those sections Ananda is asked by Shakyamuni to rearrange his robes, put his palms together and worship Amida. Then, “Ananda stood up, rearranged his robes, assumed the correct posture, faced westward, and, demonstrating his sincere reverence, joined his palms together, prostrated himself on the ground, and worshiped Amitayus.”
The Three Pure Land Sutras - A Study and Translation from Chinese by Hisao Inagaki in collaboration with Harold Stewart, Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, Kyoto, 2003, p.65