PEAR doesn't work immediately, even if you're working with the PEAR rolled in with MAMP. Make sure to change these things, as they are originally set to use usr/bin or usr/lib:
PEAR executables directory bin_dir /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/binPEAR documentation directory doc_dir /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/lib/php/docPHP extension directory ext_dir /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-20100525PEAR directory php_dir /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/lib/php
Configuration (channel pear.php.net): ===================================== Auto-discover new Channels auto_discover 1 Default Channel default_channel pear.php.net HTTP Proxy Server Address http_proxy PEAR server [DEPRECATED] master_server pear.php.net Default Channel Mirror preferred_mirror pear.php.net Remote Configuration File remote_config PEAR executables directory bin_dir /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/bin PEAR documentation directory doc_dir /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/lib/php/doc PHP extension directory ext_dir /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/lib/php/extensions/no-debug-non-zts-20100525 PEAR directory php_dir /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/lib/php PEAR Installer cache directory cache_dir /tmp/pear/cache PEAR configuration file cfg_dir /usr/lib/php/cfg directory PEAR data directory data_dir /usr/lib/php/data PEAR Installer download download_dir /tmp/pear/install directory PHP CLI/CGI binary php_bin /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/bin/php php.ini location php_ini /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/conf/php.ini --program-prefix passed to php_prefix PHP's ./configure --program-suffix passed to php_suffix PHP's ./configure PEAR Installer temp directory temp_dir /tmp/pear/install PEAR test directory test_dir /usr/lib/php/tests PEAR www files directory www_dir /usr/lib/php/htdocs Cache TimeToLive cache_ttl 3600 Preferred Package State preferred_state stable Unix file mask umask 22 Debug Log Level verbose 1 PEAR password (for password maintainers) Signature Handling Program sig_bin /usr/local/bin/gpg Signature Key Directory sig_keydir /Applications/MAMP/conf/php/php5.4.4/pearkeys Signature Key Id sig_keyid Package Signature Type sig_type gpg PEAR username (for username maintainers) User Configuration File Filename /Users/becca/.pearrc System Configuration File Filename /Applications/MAMP/bin/php/php5.4.4/conf/pear.conf