Pure LandBuddhist Scriptures
This
Buddhist Faith Fellowship and the Shin Buddhist Fellowship of West
Hartford's web sites provide the basic Shin
Buddhist scriptures, and
other important sacred texts for beginning to the advanced seekers.
The Larger and Smaller Sutra & the Contemplation Sutra
were written over 2000
years ago. For the 21st
century Western reader, they may appear at first to be written in a
fantastic language that makes
the entire Pure Land
teaching diffiicult and incredible to believe. However, these text were
written in a literary style that
the people of the
Sub-Indian continent could understand as appreciate. In other words, the
language and symbols are of
another culture and time.
Therefore, these Three Sutras are NOT TO BE READ LITERALLY but are to
be read in a metaphoric or symbolic way.
Remember that all
Buddhist texts begin with "Thus have I heard" which means that the texts
are just a skilful means that
point to the truth and are
not the truth themselves. Do not get distracted by the fantastic scenes
but concentrate
on the meaning behind the
circumstances.
The other text is
a 13th century Japanese commentary that was written in a more direct and
simple way.
It is classic text and a
must to read. We hope you enjoy these sutras and text and may they
deepen your faith and practice.
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