NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA
Namo to the Lotus Pool Assembly of Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas as Vast as the Sea. (3x)
THE BUDDHA SPEAKS
ABOUT AMITABHA SUTRA
Translated from Sanskrit to Chinese by
the Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva at Yao Ch'in
Thus I have heard, at one time time Buddha dwelt
at Sravasti in the Jeta grove in the garden of the
Bene-factor of Orphans and the Solitary together
with a gathering of great Bhiksus, 1250 in all, all
great Ar-hats whom the assembly knew and recognized:
Elders Sari-putra, Mahamaudgalyayana,
Mahakasyapa, Mahakatyayana, Mahakausthila, Revata, Suddhipanthaka,
Nanda, Ananda, Rahula,
Gavampati, Pindola-bharadvaja, Kalodayin, Mahakaphina,
Vakkula, Aniruddha, and others such as
these, all great disciples; together with all the Bodhisattvas,
Mahasattvas: Dharma Prince Manjusri,
Ajita Bodhisattva, Gandhastin Bodhisattva, Nityodyukta
Bodhisattva, and others such as these, all
great Bodhisattvas; and to-gether with Sakra, chief
among gods, and the numberless great multitudes
from all the heavens.
At that time the Buddha told the Elder Sariputra,
"Passing from here through hundreds of thousands
of millions of Buddhalands to the West, there is a
world called Ultimate Bliss. In this land a Buddha
called Amitabha right now teaches the Dharma. Sariputra,
for what reason is this land called Ultimate
Bliss? All living beings of this country endure
none of the suf-ferings, but enjoy every bliss.
Therefore, it is called 'Ultimate Bliss'.
Moreover, Sariputra, this Land of Ultimate Bliss
is everywhere surrounded by seven tiers of railings,
seven layers of netting, and seven rows of trees,
all formed from the four treasures and for this
reason named 'Ultimate Bliss'.
Moreover, Sariputra, the Land of Ultimate Bliss has
pools of the seven jewels, filled with the eight
waters of merit and virtue. The bottom of
each pool is pure, spread over with golden sand. On the
four sides are stairs of gold, silver, lapis lazuli,
and crystal; above are raised pavilions adorned with
gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-or-pearl,
red pearls, and carnelian.
In the pools are lotuses as large as carriage wheels:
green colored of green light; yellow colored of
yellow light; red colored of red light; white colored
of white light; subtly, wonderfully, fragrant and
pure.
Sariputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.
Moreover Sariputra, in that Buddhaland there is always
heavenly music, and the ground is yellow
gold. In the six periods of the day and night a heavenly
rain of mandarava flowers falls, and
throughout the clear morning each living being of this
Land, with sacks full of the myriads of
wonderful flowers, makes offerings to the hundreds of
thousands of millions of Buddhas of the other
directions. At mealtime they return to their own country,
and having eaten, they stroll around,
Sariputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.
Moreover Sariputra, in this country there are al-ways
rare and wonderful varicolored birds: white
cranes; peacocks, parrots and egrets ;
kalavinkas and two-headed birds . In the six periods of the
day and night the flocks of birds sing forth harmonious
and elegant sounds. Their clear and joyful
sounds proclaim the five roots, the five powers the
seven Bodhi shares, the eight sage-ly way
shares,and dharmas such as these. When living beings
of this land hear these sounds, they are
alto-gether mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma,
and mindful of the Sangha.
Sariputra, do not say that these birds are born as
retribution for their karmic offenses. For what
reason? In this Buddhaland there are no three evil
ways of re-birth. Sariputra, in this Buddhaland
not even the names of the three evil ways exist, how
much the less their actuality! Desiring that the
Dharma sound be widely proclaimed, Amitabha Buddha by
transformation made this multitude of
birds.
Sariputra, in that Buddhaland, when the soft wind
blows, the rows of jewelled trees and jewelled
nets give forth subtle and wonderful sounds, like one
hundred thousand kinds of music played at the
same time. All those who hear this sound naturally bring
forth in their hearts mindfulness of the
Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of
the Sangha.
Sariputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.
Sariputra, what do you think? Why is this Buddha
called Amitabha? Sariputra, the brilliance of that
Buddha's light is measureless, illumining the lands
of the ten directions everywhere without
obstruction; for this reason he is called Amitabha.
Moreover Sariputra, the life of that Buddha and that
of his people extends for measureless limitless
asankhyeya kalpas; for this reason he is called Amitayus.
And Sariputra, since Amitabha realized
Buddhahood, ten kalpas have passed.
Moreover Sariputra, that Buddha has measureless limitless
"sound-hearer" disciples, all Arhats,
their number incalculable; thus also is the assembly
of Bodhi-sattvas.
Sariputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.
Moreover Sariputra, those living beings born in the
Land of Ultimate Bliss are all avaivartika.
Among them are many who in this very life will dwell
in Buddhahood. Their number is extremely
many, it is incalculable and only in measureless, limitless
asankhyeya37 kalpas could it be spoken.
Sariputra, those living beings who hear should vow,
'I wish to be born in that country.' And why?
Those who thus attain are all superior and good people,
all coming together in one place. Sariputra,
one cannot have few good roots, blessings, virtues,
and causal connections to attain birth in that
Land.
Sariputra, if there is a good man or good woman who
hears spoken 'Amitabha Buddha' and holds
the name, whether for one day, two days, three, four,
five days, six days, as long as seven days, with
one heart uncon-fused, when this person approaches the
end of life, be-fore him will appear
Amitabha Buddha and all the assem-bly of Holy Ones.
When the end comes, his heart is without
inversion; in Amitabha Buddha's Land of Ultimate Bliss
he will attain rebirth. Sariputra, because I see
this benefit, I speak these words: If living beings
hear this spoken they should make the vow, 'I will
be born in that land.'
Sariputra, as I now praise the inconceivable bene-fit
from the merit and virtue of Amitabha Buddha,
thus in the East are also Aksothya Buddha, Sumeru Appearance
Buddha, Great Sumeru
Buddha, Sumeru Light Buddha, Won-derful Sound Buddha,
all Buddhas such as these,
number-less as Ganges' sands. In his own country each
brings forth the appearance of a vast and
long tongue, every-where covering the three thousand
great thousand worlds, and speaks the
sincere and actual words, 'All you living beings should
believe, praise, and hold in reverence the
inconceivable merit and virtue of this Sutra of the
Mindful One of Whom All Buddhas Are
Protective.'
Sariputra, in the Southern world are Sun Moon Lamp
Buddha, Well-Known Light Buddha,
Great Blazing Shoulders Buddha, Sumeru Lamp Buddha,
Measureless Vigor Buddha, all
Buddhas such as these, numberless as Ganges sands. In
his own country each brings forth the
appearance of a vast and long tongue, everywhere covering
the three thousand great thousand
worlds, and speaks the sincere and actual words, 'All
you living beings should believe, praise, and
hold in reverence the inconceivable merit and virtue
of this Sutra of the Mindful One of Whom All
Buddhas Are Protective.'
Sariputra, in the Western world are Measureless Life
Buddha, Measureless Appearance
Buddha, Measureless Curtain Buddha, Great Light Buddha,
Great Brightness Buddha,
Jewelled Appearance Buddha, Pure Light Buddha, all
Buddhas such as these, numberless as
Ganges sands. In his own country each brings forth
the appearance of a vast and long tongue,
everywhere covering the three thousand great thousand
worlds, and speaks the sincere and actual
words, 'All you living beings should believe, praise,
and hold in reverence the inconceivable merit
and virtue of this Sutra of the Mindful One of Whom
All Buddhas Are Protective.'
Sariputra, in the Northern world are Blazing Shoulders
Buddha, Most Victorious Sound
Buddha, Hard to Injure Buddha, Sun Birth Buddha, Net
Brightness Buddha, all Buddhas
such as these, numberless as Ganges sands. In his own
country each brings forth the appearance of a
vast and long tongue, everywhere covering the three
thousand great thousand worlds, and speaks
the sincere and actual words, 'All you living beings
should believe, praise, and hold in reverence the
inconceivable merit and virtue of this Sutra of the
Mindful One of Whom All Buddhas Are
Protective.'
Sariputra, in the world below are Lion Buddha, Well-Known
Buddha, Famous Light
Buddha, Dharma Buddha, Dharma Curtain Buddha, Dharma
Maintaining Buddha, all
Buddhas such as these, numberless as Ganges sands. In
his own country each brings forth the
appearance of a vast and long tongue, everywhere covering
the three thousand great thousand
worlds, and speaks the sincere and actual words, 'All
you living beings should believe, praise, and
hold in reverence the inconceivable merit and virtue
of this Sutra of the Mindful One of Whom All
Buddhas Are Protective.'
Sariputra, in the world above are Pure Sound Buddha,
King of Past Lives Buddha, Superior
Fragrance Buddha, Fragrant Light Buddha, Great Blazing
Shoulders Buddha, Vari-colored
Jewels and Flower Adornment Body Buddha, Sala Tree
King Buddha, Jewelled Flower Virtue
Buddha, Vision of all Meaning Buddha, Such as Mt. Sumeru
Buddha, all Buddhas such as
these, numberless as Ganges sands. In his own country
each brings forth the appearance of a vast
and long tongue, everywhere covering the three thousand
great thousand worlds, and speaks the
sincere and actual words, 'All you living beings should
believe, praise, and hold in reverence the
inconceivable merit and virtue of this Sutra of the
Mindful One of Whom All Buddhas Are
Protective.
Sariputra, what do you think? Why is it called Sutra
of the Mindful One of Whom All Buddhas Are
Protective? Sariputra, if a good man or good woman
hears this Sutra and holds to it, and hears the
names of all these Buddhas, this good man or woman
will be the Mind-ful One of whom all Buddhas
are protective, and will irreversibly attain to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
There-fore, Sariputra, all of
you should believe and accept my words, and those which
all Buddhas speak.
Sariputra, if there are people who have already made
the vow, who now make the vow, or who are
about to make the vow, 'I desire to be born in Amitabha's
Country', these people whether born in
the past, now being born, or to be born in the future,
all will irreversibly attain to
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Therefore, Sariputra, all
good men and good women, if they are among
those who have faith, should make the vow, 'I will
be born in that country.'
Sariputra, just as I am now one who praises the merit
and virtue of all Buddhas, all those Buddhas
equally praise my inconceivable merit and virtue saying
these words, 'Sakyamuni Buddha can
complete extremely rare and difficult deeds. In the
Saha Land, in the evil time of the five
turbidities, in the midst of the kalpa turbidity, the
view turbidity, the affliction turbidity, the living
beings turbidity, and the life turbidity, he can attain
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and for the sake of
living beings, speak this Dharma which in the whole
world is hard to believe.'
Sariputra, you should know that I, in the evil time
of the five turbidities, practice these difficult deeds,
attain anuttara-samak-sambodhi and for all the world
speak this dharma, difficult to believe,
extremely difficult!"
After the Buddha spoke this Sutra, Sariputra and
all the Bhiksus, all the gods, men, and asuras, and
others from all the worlds, hearing what the Buddha
had said, joyously welcomed, faithfully
accepted, bowed and withdrew.
END OF THE BUDDHA SPEAKS OF AMITABHA SUTRA
The Buddha's Words on Kindness (Metta Sutta)
This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful,
Not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease.
Whatever they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen,
Those living near and far away,
Those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!
Let none deceive another,
Or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will
Wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings:
Radiating kindness over the entire world
Spreading upwards to the skies,
And downwards to the depths;
Outwards and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
Whether standing or walking, seated or lying down
Free from drowsiness,
One should sustain this recollection.
This is said to be the sublime abiding.
By not holding to fixed views,
The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision,
Being freed from all sense desires,
Is not born again into this world.
Corner Wisdom
The Transfer of Merits
adorned the Buddha's pureland.
Repaying the four kinds of kindness above,
and aiding those sufferings in the paths below.
May those who hear and see of this,
all bring forth resolve in Bodhi.
When this retribution body is over,
be born together in Ultimate Bliss.