1. A Canopy of Infinite Worlds
The talk begins with a luminous scene from the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa: the Buddha seated in Amrapali’s garden, surrounded by an immense and varied assembly—monks, bodhisattvas, gods, mythic beings. Into this arrives Ratnakara with 500 youths, each bearing a precious parasol.
Their offering is received, and the Buddha, by his magical power, fuses the 500 parasols into a single canopy so vast it reflects all worlds, all beings, and all Buddhas.
Sangharakshita invites us to see this not as literal myth or allegory, but as a spiritual image—a vision of what happens when individual aspirations are united in a shared purpose. The parasols become a symbol of bodhicitta, and their transformation expresses the emergence of a shared field of meaning, vast enough to hold all life.
2. The Buddha Land as Spiritual Environment
He then turns to the key question: what is a Buddha Land?
It is not a heavenly realm, nor a fixed place—it is a field of influence radiating from the mind and actions of an awakened being. It reflects the maturity of compassion and insight within the Bodhisattva.
The “purity” or “impurity” of such a realm reflects the state of those who inhabit it. Even our own world—called impure—is not impure in itself, but appears so to minds not yet ripe.
In short, the world we experience is shaped by the state of our being. The Buddha Land is not imposed from outside; it arises from transformation within.
3. Who Builds It, and Why?
The Bodhisattva builds the Buddha Land—not alone, but in fellowship with others committed to the path. Even an advanced Bodhisattva cannot sustain a pure realm if those within it are not ready. Like the fish-seller who sleeps best with her basket nearby, beings return to what is familiar, even if it smells.
Thus, the Buddha Land must be co-created by those whose aspirations are aligned. It is not imposed—it emerges from the shared commitment to awakening.
Why build such a realm? Because once the heart opens and aspiration arises, one cannot help but wish to create the best possible conditions for all beings. To work for one’s own liberation is to work for others—and vice versa. The spiritual life cannot be lived in isolation.
Sangharakshita points out that there is no real divide between helping oneself and helping others. These are two aspects of one movement: the movement towards awakening.
4. With What Is It Built?
The Buddha Land is built not from bricks or gold, but from qualities of the heart and mind. It is built from:
- Generosity
- Ethical integrity
- Patience
- Energy
- Meditation
- Wisdom
It is also built from the Four Immeasurables: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.
These are not abstractions; they are the very materials of spiritual life. The Buddha Land is not elsewhere—it is woven moment by moment from our practice, from our conduct, our attitude, our responsiveness.
5. A Question of Creativity
Sangharakshita closes by reflecting on the creative nature of human life. Often, people say “I’m not very creative.” But we are all creating all the time—not just paintings or poems, but realms of being, inner and outer.
We are always creating—whether we realise it or not. We create a world of frustration, or peace. A world of jealousy, or generosity. A world of complaint, or possibility. And we create it not only for ourselves, but for those around us.
“There is no question of whether we should be creative,” he says, “only what we create.”
If we see ourselves as co-creators of the field in which awakening unfolds, then every thought, every act, every shared moment becomes a brushstroke in the building of the Buddha Land.
✦ Final Thought
The Buddha Land is not far away. It is not waiting for us at the end of time. It is built here and now, through shared aspiration, ethical vision, and inner purification. To build the Buddha Land is to commit oneself fully—not to escape—but to the transformation of life itself.
Even now, as we listen, speak, and act—we are building it.