Translation guide
A Buddhist term for a celestial realm or paradise of a buddha or bodhisattva, most commonly referring to Amitābha's Western Pure Land (Sukhāvatī).
The general concept of a pure land in Mahayana Buddhism, a realm purified by a buddha's vows.
The standard term for 'pure land' in Japanese Buddhism. Refers to any buddha's purified realm.
浄土とは、仏の清らかな国土のことです。
A pure land is a purified realm of a buddha.
The specific pure land of Amitābha Buddha, the most famous pure land in East Asian Buddhism, often simply called 'the Pure Land'.
The Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, the most common name for Amitābha's Western Paradise.
多くの人は死後、極楽浄土に往生したいと願う。
Many people wish to be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss after death.
Short for 極楽浄土, often used in everyday language to mean 'paradise' or 'heaven'.
The school of Buddhism focused on rebirth in Amitābha's Pure Land through faith and recitation of his name.
The Pure Land school founded by Hōnen, emphasizing the nembutsu (recitation of Amitābha's name).
浄土宗では念仏を唱えることが重要です。
In the Pure Land school, reciting the nembutsu is important.
While 極楽 is a Buddhist term, it is commonly used in modern Japanese to describe a blissful state or paradise-like place, similar to 'heaven' in English.
温泉に入って極楽気分だ。
Soaking in the hot spring feels like heaven.
ここはまるで極楽のようだ。
This place is like paradise.
The Western Pure Land, a more formal or descriptive term emphasizing its direction.
阿弥陀仏は西方浄土に住まわれる。
Amitābha Buddha dwells in the Western Pure Land.
The True Pure Land school founded by Shinran, a major branch of Pure Land Buddhism.
浄土真宗は他力本願を教えとしています。
Jōdo Shinshū teaches salvation through other-power.