shares these profound teachings to illuminate the path for all beings. When Namo Amituofo was in the process of his initial practice, he made a solemn vow to establish a Buddha-land of unparalleled dignity and inconceivable merit. He declared that if he were to attain supreme and achieve perfect enlightenment, his Buddha-land would be entirely free from the suffering of the lower realms. Specifically, he vowed that there would be no existence of the following states within his domain:
The Hells: Realms of intense suffering and retribution.
Hungry Ghosts: Beings consumed by insatiable craving and deprivation.
Animals: Beings trapped in the cycle of ignorance and instinct.
All manner of creeping, flying, or crawling creatures: Any form of life bound by the lower vibrations of existence.
This is the essence of the first great vow: the Vow of a Land Without Evil Realms. It is a promise that the environment of the of Ultimate Bliss is one of absolute purity, designed specifically to nurture the of all who arrive there.
The Promise of Eternal Liberation
The second great vow is the Vow of No Falling Back into Evil Realms. Namo Amituofo vowed that all beings, including those from the realm of Yama and the Three Evil Realms, who come to his land will receive his teachings and be transformed. They will all attain supreme, perfect enlightenment and will never again fall back into the cycle of suffering in the lower realms. This is the guarantee of eternal liberation for every soul that reaches the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
When Namo Amituofo was cultivating his practice, he visited two hundred and ten billion Buddha-lands. He observed that in these worlds, goodness and evil were deeply intertwined. He saw beings trapped in the six realms of rebirth, suffering immensely. He realised that these beings, even those in the Three Evil Realms, possess the same original Buddha-nature as all enlightened beings. However, their true self and inherent goodness had become obscured by the accumulation of negative .
The Root of Suffering and the Path to Awakening
Why do beings fall into the Three Evil Realms? It is because they have allowed their negative actions to overwhelm their inherent goodness. When the —greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt—take hold, the Buddha-nature is covered, and the nature of evil manifests. This leads to the creation of further negative causes. The suffering in these realms is extreme and prolonged; it is not a temporary state, but a profound and painful experience.
This suffering is often triggered by the alignment of one's thoughts and actions with the vibrations of the lower realms. When a spirit resonates with these states, it is drawn into the cycle of rebirth within them. Recognising this, Namo Amituofo made his primary vows to ensure that his land would be a sanctuary where no being would ever have to endure such agony again.
The Power of the Holy Name
Even if a being has spent lifetimes in the Three Evil Realms, there is a way out. If they can sincerely call upon the name of Namo Amituofo, they can enter the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Once they arrive, they are bathed in the light of his teachings and are guided toward the path of Buddhahood. Because the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss is entirely free from the Three Evil Realms, those who reach it are forever protected from falling back into those states of misery.
These first two vows represent the very first of the inconceivable wonders of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. They are the foundation upon which all other vows rest, ensuring that every being who seeks refuge in Namo Amituofo is given the ultimate opportunity to realise their true self and attain the highest state of enlightenment. May you cherish this truth and hold fast to the practice of chanting Namo Amituofo, knowing that you are walking the path toward eternal peace.
