QUESTION: What does Pureland Buddhism say about God, if anything? Are there just Buddhas who are enlightened but no need / place for God? Are they the same thing?
SHORT ANSWER: Nothing about God with a capital G. Some gods might be Buddhas.
LONGER ANSWER: The idea of God that exists in the monotheistic (Abrahamic) religions does not really figure in Eastern thought. There is more a sense of the existence of any number of celestial or supernatural beings who sometimes have special or extraordinary powers, but they are, as it were, all within the system of samsara, not external judges or creators of it - they are in the same boat as the rest of us. This is the general eastern background. Pureland does not particularly add to nor demolish this general background idea.
Buddhas are enlightened beings. Generally speaking they are human, but they could be gods if that is what it took to help others. Of course, Buddhism also has the idea of rebirth which involves passing from one realm to another, so we might also be gods at various stages in our wanderings through samsara. Perhaps we might think of gods of this kind as a bit more like angels.
When, in interfaith discussions, I have been asked, "Is Buddha a god?" I generally have said that it does not matter whether Buddha is a god or not, but it does matter if your God is a Buddha. If the one you worship is wise, compassionate, patient, accepting, inclusive, gentle and so on, then that one is probably a Buddha and you will benefit greatly, but if the one you worship is punitive, narrow, cruel, intolerant, dogmatic etc., then I am fairly sure that they are not a Buddha, so watch out.
Of course, some characteristics of Buddhas do have something in common with the idea of an all loving god - God with the judgement taken out, as you might say. So some people's sense of God is very close to that of Buddha - an always available, benign, enlightened being who blesses us and invites us to a better life.
The general Buddhist sense is of great multiplicity including many Buddhas, each with particular characteristics, existing in many worlds and times, each offerings particular spiritual pathways, all ultimately in accord with each other but manifesting in ways that help different beings. There is no direct equivalence between the oriental and the middle eastern religions, but if you were to think of a universe in which there is no creator god but many angels you would be somewhere near to the eastern sense of it.
Replies