The Nature of Space in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss

The Assembly of the Holy Ones

Words of Namo Amituofo. Recorded and transcribed by Namo Amituofo’s disciple, Venerable HaiZe. On the twenty-seventh of September, 2025, during the noon offering, these teachings were bestowed.

As recorded in the Infinite Life Sutra (The Buddha Speaks the Mahayana, Infinite Life, Adornment, Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment Sutra), when Shakyamuni Buddha first began to expound the Dharma, his presence was radiant and magnificent, manifesting a great, brilliant light. At that time, an assembly of twelve thousand great Bhikshus gathered. These great holy ones had already attained profound spiritual powers. Among them were the foremost leaders, including Venerable Kaundinya, Venerable Shariputra, Venerable Maudgalyayana, Venerable Kasyapa, and Venerable Ananda.

Furthermore, the assembly was graced by the presence of great Bodhisattvas such as Samantabhadra, Manjusri, and Maitreya, along with all the Bodhisattvas of the Worthy Kalpa. The sutra also mentions the sixteen noble ones, including Bhadrapala. These venerable ones, Bodhisattvas, and noble beings arrived simultaneously from their respective realms to participate in this grand gathering. They converged within the space of the Vulture Peak in Rajgir, India, where Shakyamuni Buddha was delivering the teachings.

Converging from Different Realms

This gathering illustrates a profound truth: the physical presence of Shakyamuni Buddha and the great Bhikshus existed alongside the presence of Buddha or Bodhisattva from the spiritual realms, who were invisible to the physical eyes of ordinary beings. Because Venerable Ananda and Bodhisattva Maitreya were the primary recipients of this sutra, we understand that this teaching is specifically designed to lead those with the potential for the Great Vehicle path.

The space within the lands where Buddha or Bodhisattva reside is vast and boundless. Consider the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss established by Namo Amituofo; it is filled with infinite light and possesses dimensions that are infinitely layered. This is not a space as we understand it in our limited, three-dimensional world, but a magnificent, interconnected reality.

The Infinite Layers of the Pure Land

To understand the nature of this space, one might consider the lotus flowers of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Each lotus flower exists within its own unique space, and because there are countless lotus flowers, there are countless spaces. Furthermore, the four lands, the three grades, and the nine levels of rebirth each belong to their own distinct dimensions. Within the entire Dharma Realm, there are countless Buddha-lands, and consequently, countless spaces.

The extent to which a practitioner can perceive these realms depends entirely on the depth of their Awakening. As one’s practice deepens and the Six Roots are purified, the range of what one can see expands, and the clarity and distance of that vision increase accordingly.

Space Within Space

The space where Namo Amituofo resides, and indeed the entire Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, is a place of profound wonder. Amidst the countless precious trees, one can perceive the dignity of the Buddha-lands of the ten directions and the spaces occupied by the Bodhisattvas. It is a reality of space within space. Within the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, one can look out and see the spaces of other Buddha-lands.

When a being of the Western Land witnesses the conditions of these other Buddha-lands, they come to truly understand the magnificent dignity of the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. This vision serves to settle the heart, allowing the practitioner to remain firmly focused on Namo Amituofo and the Pure Land. Through this unwavering focus, one’s practice reaches fruition, leading to Awakening and the ultimate goal: to realise one's true nature and attain Buddhahood.

Namo Amituofo.