Human Personality and Destiny - Mahayana Buddhism

• Mahayana Buddhism: Also known as popular Buddhism, it includes different types of Buddhism such as Pure Land Buddhism, Zen Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism.
• Sunyata: Emptiness; the concept that nothing has a separate independent self or soul.
• Anatta 


  No self/ no soul - humans.
• Buddha Nature: The idea that everyone has the essence of a Buddha inside them. This is hidden by desires, attachments, ignorance and negative thoughts. One can experience their inner-Buddha nature when they fully understand the Buddha's teachings.
• Amitabha Buddha: Buddha of the Western Paradise, he is believed to have created a paradise (pure land) when he became enlightened.
• Sukhavati: The paradise where Amitabha Buddha lives, and where Pure Land Buddhists aim to be reborn.
• The Pure Land: Perfect conditions for enlightenment, far west beyond the boundaries of our own world, a perfect paradise, contains no barriers to enlightenment (eg. suffering), all beings born here are certain to reach enlightenment, people can be taught by Amitabha himself.
• The Larger Sukhavativyuha Sutra - The Pure Land: "rich in a great variety of flowers and fruits, adorned with jewel trees... frequented by flocks of birds with sweet voices,"
• T'an-luan

  Founder of Pure Land Buddhism in China
• Five Practices to reach the Pure Land: (1) Reciting scriptures

  (2) Meditating on Amitbha and his paradise

  (3) Worshipping Amitbha

  (4) Chanting Amitbha's name