Geukrakjeon

Geukrakjeon is a term used in Korean Buddhism to refer to a major Pure Land text associated with Amitabha Buddha. In English, it is generally translated as the Amitabha Sutra or the Sutra of the Pure Land. The Geukrakjeon presents the vows of Amitabha and describes his Western Pure Land, or Sukhāvatī, as a realm especially conducive to practice and eventual enlightenment. A central theme is rebirth in the Pure Land through faith in Amitabha, sincere recitation of his name, and confidence in his vows.

Historically, the Geukrakjeon circulated within East Asian Buddhist circles and was translated into Chinese and later disseminated in Korean, Japanese, and other traditions. It has been influential in shaping Pure Land devotion and practice, including the emphasis on nianfo or namu Amituo (recollection of Amitabha) as a primary devotional method.

In Korea, the term Geukrakjeon also functions as the name of temple spaces dedicated to Amitabha Buddha. Geukrakjeon halls typically enshrine images of Amitabha and are used for devotional rites, meditation, and Pure Land practices associated with Amitabha’s vows and the aspiration to be reborn in the Pure Land.

The Geukrakjeon thus occupies a dual role in Korean Buddhist culture: as a revered sutra that underpins Pure Land devotion and as a architectural and liturgical element within temples that fosters communal and individual practice focused on Amitabha Buddha.