Obaku Zen may be understood as a deliberate synthesis in which classical Zen foundations are preserved while Pure Land elements are woven into the fabric of practice. At its heart lies the familiar Zen emphasis on direct realization of one’s inherent Buddha-nature through zazen, koan work, and the cultivation of no-mind and non-attachment. Enlightenment is regarded as a sudden recognition of this ever-present mind-ground, transmitted directly rather than merely inferred from texts. This school maintains the traditional Zen confidence that all beings already possess Buddha-nature, and that awakening consists in seeing this fact clearly and living from it.

Within that framework, Obaku gives a distinctive place to Pure Land devotion, especially the recitation of Amitābha’s name, or nembutsu. This practice is not treated as a separate “easy path,” but as a complementary method that purifies and focuses the mind, functioning much like a dhāraṇī or mantra. Recitation and visualization of Amitābha are understood as skillful means that can lead to the same enlightened mind-ground as seated meditation. In this way, devotional faith and meditative insight are seen as mutually reinforcing rather than opposed.

A characteristic doctrinal thread in Obaku is the insistence that self-power and other-power are not ultimately two. Effort in meditation, ethical discipline, and mindfulness in daily life is honored, yet the compassionate vow of Amitābha is also affirmed as a real support. From the standpoint of the “one mind,” the activity of the practitioner and the grace of the Buddha are regarded as different expressions of a single, universal Buddha-mind. Thus, Zen and Pure Land are interpreted as converging paths that point to the same non-dual reality, rather than rival systems.

In practical terms, Obaku Zen is marked by strict monastic discipline and a rich liturgical life, alongside its contemplative practices. Strong adherence to Vinaya and communal rules provides a stable container for meditation, koan inquiry, and devotional chanting. Chanting sutras, reciting nembutsu, and engaging in ritual are treated as embodied mindfulness, not mere formalism, and are said to support both spiritual realization and harmonious worldly relations. The school’s flexible methodology accommodates differing temperaments, allowing practitioners to cultivate meditation and devotion together as convergent avenues toward awakening.