Welcome to our website

Pure Land Buddhism, also known as Amida Buddhism or Amidism, is a popular branch of Mahayana Buddhism centred on the worship of Amida Buddha (Sanskrit: Amitābha). The Community of Amida Buddhists is an ecumenical and non-sectarian Pure Land Buddhist community, and our primary practice is chanting / reciting the name of Amida Buddha (also known as Nembutsu or Nianfo).

We are an international community of people who have a karmic affinity with Amida Buddha and the ‘Pure Land’ Buddhist teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, found principally in the Three ‘Pure Land’ Sutras. We draw our faith and practice primarily from the schools of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, established by Honen, Shinran and Ippen, and from Chinese Pure Land Buddhism where Shandao is the key figure and widely regarded as its founder. As we are a Lay Community, without formal links to any particular Pure Land School, we prefer to use the generic term of Amida Buddhists or Amida Buddhism to describe ourselves, so as to avoid any confusion with the already established Pure Land schools in China and Japan.

The 18th Vow of Amida Buddha

If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and call my Name, even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.