In the Pure Land tradition of Mahayana Buddhism, Sukhavati, the Land of Bliss, is described as a celestial realm created through the vows and boundless compassion of Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. It is a place of radiant beauty, free from suffering, where awakening unfolds effortlessly in the presence of divine beings and luminous landscapes.

But what if this realm is not distant, not separate from us, and not something to be reached only after death? What if the Pure Land is a vision field that opens within our own consciousness?

Through the practice of inner light meditation and the study of phosphenes—those subtle flickers and shapes that appear behind closed eyes—we may begin to understand the Pure Land as something very real, and very near. It may be the natural culmination of purified inner vision, a domain that opens within the ultrasubjective space of our own mind when clarity, stillness, and luminosity converge.

A New Understanding: From Cosmology to Lived Experience

Traditional texts describe the Pure Land as a place of jewel trees and crystalline waters, where lotus blossoms glow with radiant light and the sound of the Dharma is carried on celestial winds. Amitabha himself is described as having a golden form that illuminates all directions without obstacle.

These descriptions, when approached as direct experiences rather than distant beliefs, reveal something remarkable. They match the accounts of advanced meditators across cultures—those who describe visions of radiant light, structured forms, and archetypal presences appearing in states of deep inner absorption.

Sukhavati is not located in some other dimension. It arises when perception is purified. It appears when the field of inner light becomes stable, coherent, and free from the projections of ego. What remains is a world made of awareness itself—a space of meaning, clarity, and grace.

Phosphenes as the Doorway

The practice of phosphene meditation gives us the tools to explore this space with precision and trust. As the inner light field becomes more familiar, its phases reveal themselves:

Flickers evolve into swirling forms
Light stabilizes into discs and tunnels
Colors intensify, and the visual field begins to open inward
Eventually, space itself becomes luminous and multidimensional

It is in this stage that archetypal presences may emerge: forms of radiant intelligence that seem to look back at us

At this point, the Pure Land is not a myth or symbol. It is a structure of consciousness, real and unfolding. It is not the destination of faith, but the flowering of deep attention and stillness.

Practice: Opening the Pure Land Within

You may approach this field gently, with reverence and openness. A possible practice might look like this:

Sit in stillness with closed eyes
Begin reciting the sacred phrase Namu Amida Butsu with the breath
Let the sound soften the edges of thought
Observe the inner visual field as light begins to shimmer and take form
Let the vision unfold without control or interpretation
If a form appears, simply remain with it in silent awareness
Rest in the field itself as long as it feels alive and present

In this practice, the mantra opens the heart, and the phosphene opens the eye. Together, they form a path of real vision, a lighted doorway to the sacred inner world.

Final Reflection

The Pure Land is not elsewhere. It is within. It is the luminous silence that appears when all striving ceases. When the inner light no longer flickers, but expands and softens into clarity, the Pure Land reveals itself as the very nature of awakened perception.

Amitabha does not arrive from outside. He is the form that pure light takes when consciousness recognizes itself.

This is not a metaphor. It is not a belief. It is a return to the deepest layer of contemplative knowing. The Pure Land is what we see when we see clearly. And the light that opens that vision has always been with us.