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Pure Land Buddhist Studies
Chinese Pure Land Buddhism
Chinese Pure Land Buddhism: Understanding a Tradition of Practice is the first book in any western language to provide a comprehensive overview of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism. Even though Pure Land Buddhism was born in China and currently constitutes the dominant form of Buddhist practice there, it has previously received very little attention from western scholars. In this book, Charles B. Jones examines the reasons for the lack of scholarly attention and why the few past treatments of the topic missed many of its distinctive features. He argues that the Chinese Pure Land tradition, with its characteristic promise of rebirth in the Pure Land to even non-elite or undeserving practitioners, should not be viewed from the perspective of the Japanese Pure Land tradition, which differs greatly. More accurately contextualizing Chinese Pure Land Buddhism within the landscape of Chinese Buddhism and the broader global Buddhist tradition, this work celebrates Chinese Pure Land, not as a school or sect, but as a unique and inherently valuable “tradition of practice.”
This volume is organized thematically, clearly presenting topics such as the nature of the Pure Land, the relationship between “self-power” and “other-power,” the practice of nianfo (buddha-recollection), and the formation of the line of “patriarchs” that keep the tradition grounded. It guides us in understanding the vigorous debates that Chinese Pure Land Buddhism evoked and delves into the rich apologetic literature that it produced in its own defense. Drawing upon a wealth of previously unexamined primary source materials, as well as modern texts by contemporary Chinese Pure Land masters, the author provides lucid translations of resources previously unavailable in English. He also shares his lifetime of experience in this field, enlivening the narrative with personal anecdotes of his visits to sites of Pure Land practice in China and Taiwan.
The straightforward and nontechnical prose makes this book a standby resource for anyone interested in pursuing research in this lively, sophisticated, and still-evolving religious tradition. Scholars―including undergraduates―specializing in East Asian Buddhism, as well as those interested in Buddhism or Chinese religion and history in general, will find this book invaluable.
This volume is organized thematically, clearly presenting topics such as the nature of the Pure Land, the relationship between “self-power” and “other-power,” the practice of nianfo (buddha-recollection), and the formation of the line of “patriarchs” that keep the tradition grounded. It guides us in understanding the vigorous debates that Chinese Pure Land Buddhism evoked and delves into the rich apologetic literature that it produced in its own defense. Drawing upon a wealth of previously unexamined primary source materials, as well as modern texts by contemporary Chinese Pure Land masters, the author provides lucid translations of resources previously unavailable in English. He also shares his lifetime of experience in this field, enlivening the narrative with personal anecdotes of his visits to sites of Pure Land practice in China and Taiwan.
The straightforward and nontechnical prose makes this book a standby resource for anyone interested in pursuing research in this lively, sophisticated, and still-evolving religious tradition. Scholars―including undergraduates―specializing in East Asian Buddhism, as well as those interested in Buddhism or Chinese religion and history in general, will find this book invaluable.
222 pages, Paperback
Published September 30, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 28, 2021
This is an extremely well documented research into the origins, conditions and realities of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism. Having recently conducted study on the Seven Patriarchs of Japanese Shin Buddhism, I found this book particularly helpful in understanding the role of Huiyuan and Shandao.
I enjoyed Jones' (no relation, by the way) style of academic rigor while keeping the prose as earthbound as possible so that those of us lacking PhD-level knowledge in Pure Land Buddhism could still understand the history and the logic of the positions.
This book will remain in my reference library as I continue my studies.
I enjoyed Jones' (no relation, by the way) style of academic rigor while keeping the prose as earthbound as possible so that those of us lacking PhD-level knowledge in Pure Land Buddhism could still understand the history and the logic of the positions.
This book will remain in my reference library as I continue my studies.
July 21, 2021
this book is going to open up a new field, chinese pure land is now a thing, a coherent tradition of practice that evolved & that can be studied.
January 22, 2026
An excellent book. My second time reading it (1/22/2025) with much more background.
It is interesting that many of the concepts he brings up that are emphasized in Chinese PL Buddhism are similarly packaged in lesser-known Japanese PL Buddhist thinker’s writings that I am researching myself. Such individuals are those like Shoku (1177-1247) and Bencho (1162-1238). The discourse of PL Buddhism is so extremely Shinran / Jodo Shinshu heavy that we need a major recourse to investigate 1. PL Philosophy and its fundamental couching in Tiantai / Tendai thought, 2. The mechanism of Nianfo / Nenbutsu, and 3. The nature of the relationship between Amitabha and the practitioner. Doing so will, as Jones says, give us a better image as to how these seemingly simple philosophical and religious thoughts and practices are much more complex than meets the eye. (Note: this is not intended to be disparaging towards Shinshu, just a simple note that basically all of PL Buddhist studies has to acknowledge Shinshu hegemony in the scholarship and, to an extent, remain in dialogue with it while proving itself as something different. Shinshu is a part of PL, but it is not the entirety of PL).
It is interesting that many of the concepts he brings up that are emphasized in Chinese PL Buddhism are similarly packaged in lesser-known Japanese PL Buddhist thinker’s writings that I am researching myself. Such individuals are those like Shoku (1177-1247) and Bencho (1162-1238). The discourse of PL Buddhism is so extremely Shinran / Jodo Shinshu heavy that we need a major recourse to investigate 1. PL Philosophy and its fundamental couching in Tiantai / Tendai thought, 2. The mechanism of Nianfo / Nenbutsu, and 3. The nature of the relationship between Amitabha and the practitioner. Doing so will, as Jones says, give us a better image as to how these seemingly simple philosophical and religious thoughts and practices are much more complex than meets the eye. (Note: this is not intended to be disparaging towards Shinshu, just a simple note that basically all of PL Buddhist studies has to acknowledge Shinshu hegemony in the scholarship and, to an extent, remain in dialogue with it while proving itself as something different. Shinshu is a part of PL, but it is not the entirety of PL).
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews