懷感=Consciousness; 群疑論=Hermaneutics; 彌陀淨土=Amitabha Pure Land; 彌勒淨土=Futeristic Timing for Leaving for Amitabha Pure Land; 別時意; 三階教=The Teaching of three Levels; 念佛三昧=Absorption of Mindfulness of the Buddha
The Pure Land doctrine is the rudiment for leaving for Elysium, including Pure land of Aksobhya, Pure Land of Amitabha, & Pure Land of Maitreya, each with its own rudiment which is also called Pure Land Approach for leaving for the rebirth in western heaven. The doctrine of Maitreya Pure Land was first initiated by the promotion of monk Hui-Yuan followed by Yuan-Roan, and Dao-Cho. After the belief in Amitabha was established substantially, the monk Shan-Dao founded complete Pure Land theory and principles as the basis for embodying the Pure land sect to be a well-recognized religious ideology. As this sect’s advocating reciting Buddhism idiom was easy and simply to be imitated, this sect developed dominant pure land doctrine rapidly. A proverb 「every family devotes to Amitabha, every household believes in the Goddess of Mercy」can prove how significantly this sect’s advocating prevailed among the social public. Therefore, the pure land sect of the Elysium was nearly synonymous to the approach for rebirth in the western heaven.
While Chinese Buddhist thought developed in its maturity in Tang Dynasty, Buddhist preaching was in highly diversification and prosperity. High doubts were cast on the Pure Land Sect’s emphasis on simplifying Buddhism practice by sticking to recitation of Buddhism idioms. All Buddhist sects focused on contending whether any person without professional and dedicative Buddhism practice can achieve rebirth in the Elysium? Such other disputes as violation to Buddhist theories retarded significantly the promotion for prevalence of Pure Land Sect. Due to the aforesaid factors, Shan-Dao’s disciple Huai-Gan devoted to writing Explanations on the doubts of Pure Land （《釋淨土群疑論》） directly discussing and answering all related problems for eliminating all sects’ puzzles on the Buddhism approaches and rudiments. His precise academic and theoretical analysis stimulated scholars and researchers of all sects to provide corroboration for Pure Land Doctrine and expatiated clearly Pure Land Buddhist’s definite religious doctrine and thinking structure and embodies his writing an important status.
Analysis on the approach for pursuing rebirth in the Elysium is conducted in this research for helping understanding many of Huai-Gan’s assertions, such as Amitabha moral and conduct and living, rebirth prerequisites, expected futuristic timing for rebirth in western heaven, the path to pure land, absorption of mindfulness of the Buddha, the differences and similarities between Pure Land Sect and The Teaching Of Three Levels, the comparisons between Western Heaven Pure Land and Maitreya Pure Land and reciting Buddhism idioms upon death, and Integrity Pure Land Sect’s and other sects’ assertions and further expatiation on this book.
The meaning of pure land is contributed by ancient sages’ efforts and devotion. It would be a ridicule regarding the Pure Land Sect if it is believed that reciting 「Namo Amitabha」is the constitution of Pure Land Buddhist practice rudiments. It is hoped in this research that the profound meaning of Pure Land Sect can be expatiated by the research on the book Explanations on the doubts of Pure Land （《釋淨土群疑論》）so that the current researchers and scholars can re-eval
