Comments on: Imagery of the Pure Land sutras http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2008/03/03/imagery-of-the-pure-land-sutras/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Sat, 11 Jun 2011 01:53:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Gerald Ford http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2008/03/03/imagery-of-the-pure-land-sutras/#comment-88 Gerald Ford Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:36:13 +0000 http://level8.wordpress.com/?p=50#comment-88 Ho, ho! Very interesting comment Kyoushin. :) I never thought of the nimittas as relating to Pure Land imagery, but that's an idea worth exploring. The exhaustion of the imagination is a likely scenario too, as this is clearly being used in the Lotus Sutra, and the two are certainly related in my opinion. Ho, ho! Very interesting comment Kyoushin. :) I never thought of the nimittas as relating to Pure Land imagery, but that’s an idea worth exploring. The exhaustion of the imagination is a likely scenario too, as this is clearly being used in the Lotus Sutra, and the two are certainly related in my opinion.

]]> By: Kyōshin http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2008/03/03/imagery-of-the-pure-land-sutras/#comment-89 Kyōshin Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:04:43 +0000 http://level8.wordpress.com/?p=50#comment-89 My former university tutor Peter Harvey, who is also a teacher of samatha meditation, suggested to me that much of the imagery of the PLS is reminiscent of the nimittas that arise during some types of meditation: e.g. as described here ... http://www.greatwesternvehicle.org/jhananimitta.htm Even if that isn't true though it is clear that the imagery is so excessive as to be designed to exhaust human imagination and lead one towards the truth that nirvana is beyond conception. My former university tutor Peter Harvey, who is also a teacher of samatha meditation, suggested to me that much of the imagery of the PLS is reminiscent of the nimittas that arise during some types of meditation: e.g. as described here … http://www.greatwesternvehicle.org/jhananimitta.htm

Even if that isn’t true though it is clear that the imagery is so excessive as to be designed to exhaust human imagination and lead one towards the truth that nirvana is beyond conception.

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