The Amitabha Sutra
Translated into Chinese by Tripitaka
Translated from Chinese into English by J.C.
Cleary
Thus have I heard: Once Buddha was in the
At that time
[
Furthermore, this land is
called "Ultimate Bliss" because it is surrounded by seven rings of
railings, and seven layers of nets, and seven rows of trees, all made of the
four precious jewels.
Moreover, the
The
And there is more -- celestial music is
constantly playing in this Buddha-land, and the ground is made of tawny gold.
Flowers in the shape of heavenly orbs rain down at all hours of the day and
night. Every morning the sentient beings of this land decorate their garments
with multitudes of wondrous flowers and make offerings to hundreds of billions
of
The
And there is more still -- in this land there
are birds of all sorts of wondrous variegated colors: white cranes, peacocks,
orioles, myna birds, cuckoos. All these birds bring forth harmonious songs day
and night. Their songs communicate such Buddhist teachings as the five roots,
the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eightfold path, as
well as other teachings. When the sentient beings in this land hear the voices
of the birds, they are mindful of the
Do not think that these birds were born as birds due to karmic
retribution for past misdeeds. Why not? In this
Buddha-land, the three evil planes of existence (as animals, hungry ghosts, and
hell-beings) do not exist.
In this Buddha-land even the names of the evil
planes of existence do not exist, much less the realities. All these birds are
the creations of
In this Buddha-land, there is a slight breeze that stirs the rows of
jewel trees and jewel nets, so that they emit subtle wondrous sounds, like
hundreds and thousands of melodies playing all at once. All
those who hear these sounds spontaneously
develop the intention to be mindful of the
This Buddha-land is complete with all these merits and adornments.
What do you think: why is this
The light of this
Also, the life span of this
Moreover, this
The
None of the sentient beings who are born in the
When sentient beings hear [of the
One cannot be born in this land through minor good roots, blessings,
virtues and causal connections.
If there are good men or good women who hear of
Amitabha Buddha, and recite his name singlemindedly and
without confusion, for one day or two days or three days or four days or five
days or six days or seven days, then when these people are about to die,
Amitabha Buddha and all the sages who are with him will appear before
them. When these people die, their minds will not fall into
delusion, and they will attain rebirth in
I have seen this benefit, and so I speak these words. If sentient beings
hear what I say, they must make a vow to be born in that land.
Right now I am extolling the benefits of the
inconceivable merits of
In the worlds of the southern direction there are countless other
Buddhas, like the Buddha "Lamp of the Sun and Moon", and the Buddha
"Light of Renown", and the Buddha "Great
Flaming Shoulders", and the Buddha "Lamp of the Polar Mountain",
and the Buddha "Infinite Progress". Each of them preaches in his own land with the eloquence of a
In the worlds of the western direction there are countless other
Buddhas, like the Buddha "Infinite Life", and the Buddha
"Innumerable Characteristics", and the Buddha "Innumerable
Banners", and the Buddha "Great Light", and the Buddha
"Great Illumination", and the Buddha "Mark of Reality", and
the Buddha "Light of Purity". Each of them preaches in his own land
with the eloquence of a
In the worlds of the northern direction there are countless other
Buddhas, like the Buddha "Flaming Shoulders", and the Buddha
"Supreme Voice", and the Buddha "Unstoppable", and
the Buddha "Born of the Sun", and the Buddha "Netted
Light". Each of them preaches in his own land
with the eloquence of a
In the worlds of the nadir there are countless other Buddhas, like the
Buddha "Lion", and the Buddha "Repute", and the Buddha
"Light", and the Buddha "Dharma Banner", and the Buddha
"Upholding the Dharma". Each of them preaches in his
own land with the eloquence of a
In the worlds of the zenith there are countless other
Buddhas, like the Buddha "Pure Voice", and the Buddha "Sojourner
King", and the Buddha "Incense
Fragrance", and the Buddha "Fragrant Light", and the Buddha
"Great Blazing Shoulders", and the Buddha "Body of Multicolored
Jewel Flower Garlands", and the Buddha "Sala Tree King", and the
Buddha "Precious Flower Virtue", and the Buddha "Sees All
Truths", and the Buddha "Like the Polar Mountain". Each
of them preaches in his own land with the eloquence of
a
Why do you think this is called the sutra that
is protected and kept in mind by all the
If there are good men and good women who hear this
scripture, accept it, and uphold it, and they hear the names of all these
Buddhas, all these good men and good women will be protected and kept in mind
by all these Buddhas, and all of them will reach the level where they do not
turn back from complete, unexcelled, correct enlightenment. Therefore,
all of you should faithfully accept what I say and what all the
All those people who have vowed, or are vowing, or will vow to be born
in the land of Amitabha Buddha reach the level where they do not turn back from
complete, unexcelled enlightenment, whether in their past lives,
their present lives, or their future lives. Therefore;
all good men and good women, if they have faith, must make a vow to be born in
that land.
Just as I am now
extolling the inconceivable merits of all the
Know then that in the midst of this evil world of the Five Corruptions,
I am able to carry out this difficult task, attain complete, unexcelled
enlightenment, and expound the Truth which is so hard
to believe for beings in all worlds. This is indeed most difficult!
When Buddha had finished preaching this scripture, Shariputra and all
the monks and all the other gods and humans and asuras and the rest who had
been listening, having heard what the Buddha said, rejoiced and faithfully
accepted it. They all bowed in homage and departed.
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