Dharma in Africa

Excerpt of a talk on Amitabha and the Pureland of Dewachen (Sukhavati)
by
H.H.the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche
(look it up)

Q: "Is there any way in which one can be in the Pureland, aside from literally at the end of existence? On the other hand, is this something that can be reached in this present existence? Can the Pureland be accessed in this life?"

Rinpoche: "Yes, when the last breath has been exhaled, before the next breath is inhaled. At that moment, there is a death and a rebirth. You can experience the Pureland there in the interval between breaths."

Q: "Rinpoche, you say that you can experience the Pureland in that interval, in that case, what is the Pureland?"

Rinpoche: "What is the Pureland really? The Pureland is one's own stainless primordial awareness. If, from moment to moment, you regain and retain your own primordial enlightened nature: that is the Pureland. Everything comes from your own mind. Understand that, remain there: that is the Pureland."


It is very interesting to read about Tantric Pureland practice.
It would be interesting to get your ideas about the above excerpt with the 'nembutsu'/'nienfo' practice in mind.

Can I risk the statement that there are possibly two 'nembutsu'/'nienfo' resultants:
Similar to Shakyamuni Buddha's Nirvana and Parinirvana, there is 'this-moment-Pureland' and there is 'death-moment-Pureland'.
Both are really the same except the relinquishig of the mortal body.
Everytime we recite 'Namo Amitabha/Namo Amitofo/Namu Amida Bu' we are not just present in our own enlightened nature (illuminated by Amitabha) but our Amitabha-enlightend-minds are also and more so being illuminted from no specific designation but simply from sheer 'Namo Amitabha/Namo Amitofo/Namu Amida Bu'.

It is further interesting to see that the importance of breath-retention in yogic practices is the key to actualising the yogic goal - manifesting light body or moksha.
If you try become mindful of the breath and at the moment of breath retention (all while reciting 'nienfo'/'nembutsu' of course ~:)) you notice that you are between birth and death, or being between living and not living, or being neither between living nor not living at all, where are you then?

Mmm...where else but 'Namo Amitabha/Namo Amitofo/Namu Amida Bu'.

Any comments?
~:)