''Where is the Western Pure Land?

It lies far beyond ten trillion Buddha realms—

and also within the heart of those who recite the Buddha’s name.''

--- Extracted from Toward the Western Pure Land

(A piece by Namo Amituofo, message received by Venerable Hai Yuan)

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In this section, we will explore our great teacher—Namo Amituofo (Amitabha Buddha)—and the Western Pure Land, the realm of ultimate peace and joy brought forth through his boundless compassion and vows.

The section below is extracted from the book 'A New Heart, A New Hope' -- a letter from Namo Amituofo to the people of Australia.

Lokeśvararāja Tathāgata and the Awakening of King Shirao

Before we start, let us look at the different names of Amitabha Buddha (Amituofo) at various stages of his embarkment:

1.   King Shirao: Since Amituofo was once a human being like us, he was once a king named ‘King Shirao’ in his kingdom.

2.   Bhikshu Dharmakara: Bhikshu carries the meaning of 'a Buddhist monk,’ while Dharmakara is the name of King Shirao as a monk, who, after renouncing his throne as a king, decided to embark on a journey of spiritual cultivation.

3.   Amitabha Buddha (Amituofo): Amitabha means Infinite Light and Infinite Life. Amituofo is the word used in the Chinese language for Amitabha. We use the word ‘Namo’ in front (e.g., Namo Amitabha Buddha or Namo Amituofo), which carries the meaning of ‘pay homage to ’ or ‘pay respect to’. Thus, we chant the name of ‘Namo Amituofo’ in our daily practice.

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A long time ago in the Human realm, a Buddha named Lokeśvararāja Tathāgata was born. Over the course of forty-two kalpas (an incredibly long period of time), he taught Buddhist education. There was a great king named King Shirao who came forward to listen to his teachings.

After listening to the teachings of Lokeśvararāja Tathāgata, King Shirao had a great realisation—while the human body has a limited lifespan, the spirit does not perish. Suppose one continues to live an ordinary life. In that case, when the body’s time is up, the spirit will naturally depart, wandering without a destination—just like the countless wandering spirits now scattered across the earth.

He also understood that the human body is in fact, the most advanced technology of all. Through spiritual cultivation, the body’s cells can remain youthful and free from illness—just as Practitioner  Su, who, despite being 81 years old, appears ageless and free from illness.

Recognising that one should utilise this limited physical body in a lifetime to elevate one’s spirit, King Shirao renounced his throne and became a monk, -- Bhikshu Dharmakara.

---- Kindly proceed to Part 5.2 for more understanding on the Spiritual Cultivation of Bhikshu Dharmakara!