Metaphysical and Soteriological Dimensions of the Amitābha Sūtra: Toward a Philosophy of Pure Consciousness

The Amitābha Sūtra presents the Pure Land (Sukhāvatī) not as a distant transcendent realm but as a symbolic manifestation of pure consciousness where being and awakening coincide. Through Buddhist ontology and phenomenology, the paper explores the dialectical relationship between emptiness (śūnyatā) and luminous awareness (prakṛti-prabhāsvara). Faith, vow, and practice (śraddhā, praṇidhāna, caryā) are examined as modes of transformation from conditioned existence to realization of the unconditioned. The study argues that this vision of pure consciousness contributes to a universal philosophy of transcendence and liberation, bridging textual exegesis and philosophical reasoning.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The Amitābha Sūtra, one of the central scriptures of Mahāyāna Buddhism, presents a profound vision of reality grounded in both metaphysical and soteriological insight. From a philosophical perspective, the Pure Land (Sukhāvatī) is not merely a transcendent realm but a symbolic manifestation of pure consciousness, where being and awakening coincide. This paper explores the metaphysical structure of the Amitābha Sūtra through the lenses of Buddhist ontology and phenomenology, emphasizing the dialectical relationship between emptiness (śūnyatā) and luminous awareness (prakṛti-prabhāsvara). It further examines the soteriological implications of faith, vow, and practice (śraddhā, praṇidhāna, caryā) as modes of transformation leading from conditioned existence to the realization of the unconditioned. By situating the Amitābha Sūtra within a comparative philosophical framework, this study argues that its vision of “pure consciousness” contributes not only to Buddhist metaphysics but also to a universal philosophy of transcendence and liberation. The inquiry thereby bridges textual exegesis and philosophical reasoning, revealing the enduring relevance of Pure Land thought to contemporary reflections on being, mind, and salvation.