Tan-Luan's concept of the Pureland is a synthesis of Nagarjuna's Madyamika and Vasubandhu's `Vijnanavada`. He develops Vasubandhu's idea of `dharmakaya`, and presents the theory "Two `Dharmakaya` "...... `dharmata-dharmakaya` and `upayadharmakaya`. According to this, He emphasizes that everything is dependent on the power of Amitayur's vows. Therefore, the unique thought of the power of Amita-Buddha is formed. Besides this, Tan-Launinterprets the Vasubandhu's idea of concentration by samatha and `vipasyna` written in "The Five Thinking Methods" into the conception of "Three kinds of faith"......the correspondence of Amita's name and its meaning. According to this, He emphasizes the true virtuousness of Amita's name.Therefore, he is also the pioneer in erecting the method of chanting Amita's name.
If we compare the concept of the Pureland that is found in the stone-monuments of Bei-Wei Dynasty to Tan-Luan's thought, we would find, their beliefs to the Pureland were not only mixing with Sakhyamuni, Maitreya, Avalokitesvara, etc., but also a secularism which were abundant of the wishes of longlife, sensitive happiness and pursuing the merit in future life. Those are very different from the conception of Tan-Luan. Because he prefers to use the term "Pureland" in substitude for the term of " `Sukhavati` ". But his declaration of "The Easily Way"that relies on the belief into Amita-Buddha, is just to resolve the anxiety of "non-Buddha" caused in the thought of expecting the coming of Maitreya.
Consequently, in Tan-Luan's thought of Pureland, the power of Amita-Buddha and the faith to Amita-Buddha is emphasized. By the cotinous endeavourness of his followers Dao-Chuo and Shan-Dao,finally the Chinese Pureland Schoolwas built and a new religious world was started.
