FAQ: Why not go to other Pure Lands, such as the Medicine Buddha’s Pure Land, Maitreya Buddha’s Pure Land in the Tusita Heaven, and Akshobya Pure Land? Why Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land?
There are indeed infinite Pure Lands and infinite Buddhas in the ten directions. Having said that, Buddha’s Pure Lands are generally not easily accessible to ordinary unenlightened beings.
For instance, The Pure Land of Akshobhya is only accessible by highly enlightened bodhisattvas (the 8th level of grounds and above). This is extremely (almost impossible) to realise for most beings on Earth. It is also not easy for most people to attain rebirth in Maitreya Buddha’s Pure Land because one has to cultivate the upper grade of the ten good deeds and also obtain a certain level of meditative concentration in order to attain rebirth in Maitreya Buddha’s Pure Land. It is also not so easy to attain rebirth in Medicine Buddha’s Pure Land. (the Medicine Buddha told us he will send eight great bodhisattvas to accompany us to go to Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land in the Medicine Buddha Sutra)
Out of all the Pure Lands, Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land is the easiet for all beings to go to without the need of first realising enlightenment in this lifetime. With nine grades of rebirth Amitabha Buddha delivers beings of all capacities who wish to go there.
The reason why we can go to Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land as ordinary unenlightened beings is because Amitabha Buddha vowed to do so. It is entirely due to Amitabha Buddha’s great vow (particularly the 18th vow) that we can easily attain rebirth in His Pure Land with faith, vow and Nianfo. No other Buddhas made such an easy vow to receive sentient beings like Amitabha Buddha did. This is why Shakyamuni Buddha, in many Mahayana sutras, exhorts us to go to Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land. Also, all the Buddhas in the ten directions praise the merit of Amitabha Buddha and His Pure Land (as seen in the vows of Amitabha Buddha and the Amitabha Sutra), exhorting us to go there.
You can watch Jiawen’s videos here about “Why Not Seek Rebirth to Other Pure Lands?”
Namo Amituofo
