The Sutra in Which the Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Buddha
《佛說阿彌陀經》
(Amitabha Sutra is the Supreme of All Sutras. Amitabha Buddha is the King of All Buddhas.)
『彼國常有種種奇妙雜色之鳥 – 是諸眾鳥，晝夜六時，出和雅音 ；其音演暢五根五力、七菩提分、八聖道分，如是等法 ；其土眾生，聞是音已，皆悉念佛念法念僧 …… 是諸眾鳥，皆是阿彌陀佛，欲令法音宣流，變化所作 …… 其佛國土，成就如是功德莊嚴。』
This is what I heard:
Once the Buddha was staying at the Jeta Grove of Shravasti city, in the garden of Anathapindika (the garden of Giving-To-The-Lonely), accompanied by twelve hundred and fifty bhikshus, all of them great Arhats well-known to everyone, including sixteen leading disciples of the Buddha –
Sariputra (who is foremost in wisdom), Mahamaudgalyayana (foremost in superpowers), Mahakashyapa (foremost in asceticism), Mahakatyayana (foremost in Dharma-debate), Mahakausthila (foremost in eloquence), Revata (foremost in forest-dwelling), Suddhipanthaka (foremost in the development of mind), Nanda (foremost in self-control), Ananda (foremost in remembering the Buddha’s teachings), Rahula (foremost in the observation of precepts), Gavampati (foremost in receiving offerings from gods), Pindola-Bharadvaja (foremost in awakening), Kalodayin (foremost in cultivating faith), Mahakapphina (foremost in instructing monastics), Vakula (foremost in health and longevity), and Aniruddha (foremost in divine vision).
Also present were many Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, such as Manjushri (the Dharma Prince, representing the perfect wisdom of all Buddhas), Ajita Bodhisattva (aka Maitreya Bodhisattva, or the Invincible Bodhisattva, or Hotei Osho, or Clothbag Monk, who will be the next to manifest as leading Buddha in our Saha world), and Gandhahastin Bodhisattva (the Never Resting Bodhisattva), as well as Nityodyukta Bodhisattva (the Constant Diligence Bodhisattva).
Shakra, the king of the gods, along with countless heavenly beings were in the great assembly too.
The Buddha then said to the honorable Elder Sariputra, “Going westbound from here, past a hundred billion Buddha lands, there is a world called Ultimate Bliss, and there is a Buddha named Amitabha, who is right now teaching the Dharma in that land.
“Why is it called Ultimate Bliss? Because there is no pain over there – neither physical nor mental pain – for all beings living in that land. They are free of all sufferings and only know every kind of bliss. That’s why it is the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
“The Land of Ultimate Bliss is perfectly adorned with such exquisite balustrades, delicate layers of netting and splendid tree rows, all made of the four precious jewels – gold, silver, beryl and crystal.
“In that world there are treasure ponds filled with pristine waters of the eight virtues. The pond-beds are made of pure gold sands, with stepways on four sides made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli and crystal. Above are towering pavilions adorned with gold, silver, crystal, mother-of-pearl, tridacna, red agate, and carnelians.
“In the ponds, there are lotus flowers as gigantic as chariot wheels, radiating blue, yellow, red, or white lights, each emitting a subtle fragrance, so pure, so refined, so pleasant! To put it briefly, Sariputra, the Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with supreme merit and grandeur!
“Moreover, in that Buddha Land, constantly there is celestial music playing in the sky, while the earth is made of pure gold. And delightful Mandarava blossoms rain down from the sky six times per day! In the morning, the beings of that Land fill their robes with these wondrous flowers and make offerings to all the Buddhas who live in countless other Buddha Lands in the ten directions. By noon they return to the Land of Ultimate Bliss to enjoy their lunch and then do walking meditation. Sariputra, to put it briefly, the Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with supreme merit and grandeur!
“Furthermore, in that Buddha Land there are all sorts of colorful birds – cranes, peacocks, orioles, egrets, kalavinkas, and jivanjivas. Throughout day and night, these birds produce smooth and harmonious songs to convey Dharma teachings, such as the Five Roots, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path. Hearing such pleasant singing of the birds, all beings in that Land are constantly mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma, and mindful of the Sangha.
“Do not think that these birds are born as animals due to karmic retribution (fruition of negative karma) for past misdeeds. Why? Because in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, the three lower realms of existence – hells, ghosts and animals – do not exist. Even the names of them do not exist, let alone their realities. All these birds are actually created by Amitabha Buddha, for the sole purpose of spreading the Dharma.
“As gentle breezes caressing the trees and netting, which are adorned with precious gems, they produce such beautiful melodies, as if hundreds and thousands of musical instruments playing together, harmoniously and heavenly! When the beings in that Land hear these sounds, they all spontaneously become mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma, and mindful of the Sangha. To put it briefly, Sariputra, the Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with supreme merit and grandeur!
“Do you know for what reason the Buddha in that Pure Land is called Amitabha? Because His light is infinitely bright, illuminating all worlds in the ten directions without any obstruction! That’s why He is called ‘Amitabha’, meaning Infinite Light.
“And the lifespan of Amitabha as well as that of His people are immeasurable and boundless. That’s another reason He is called ‘Amitabha’, which also means Infinite Life.
“It has been ten eons since Amitabha attained Buddhahood. He has countless Voice-Hearer disciples, all of them have attained Arhatship. And the Bodhisattvas who have come gathering in the Pure Land are also innumerable. To put it briefly, the Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with supreme merit and grandeur!
“All beings who are born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss never ever fall back into a lower realm again. They all become Avaivartikas (who are in the Stage of Non-Retrogression, without backsliding progress, assured of Buddhahood) as soon as they are born. Many have only one more lifetime to go before attaining Buddhahood. Their number is impossible to count, may only be reckoned as infinite.
“All sentient beings who hear this Amitabha Sutra must make fervent prayers, vowing to be born in that Buddha Land. So that they can have the company of the most enlightened Bodhisattvas, who have realized Supreme Wisdom and Compassion, living and studying with them all the time, being together with all the Buddhas in one place!
“In order to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, one needs to cultivate the right view, sustain the right practice, and accumulate the right merit. Anyone who hears the name of Amitabha Buddha, wholeheartedly keeps it in mind, and single-mindedly recites His name, without any distraction, for one, two, three, four, five, six or seven days, will get to see Amitabha Buddha and the great assembly of Bodhisattvas appearing before them when they approach life’s end, and they will attain rebirth in the Amitabha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss, with clear and tranquil mind!
“Since I have seen the benefits, I have to speak these words. Anyone who hears what I say must definitely make a vow to be born in that Buddha Land.
“As I am now extolling the inconceivable virtues and merits of Amitabha Buddha, in the East there are also countless other Buddhas, like Akshobhya (Immovable) Buddha, Sumeru Form (Marks of the Polar Mountain) Buddha, Great Sumeru Mountain Buddha, Light of the Sumeru Mountain Buddha, and Wondrous Voice Buddha, each of them in His own land, extending His great eloquence to deliver such truthful words to the whole cosmos – ‘All sentient beings, you should have faith in the Amitabha Sutra, which is praised and protected by all the Buddhas.’
“Also in the South there are Lamp of the Sun and Moon Buddha, the Light of Renown Buddha, the Great Blazing Shoulders Buddha, the Lamp of Sumeru Buddha, Infinite Diligence Buddha, and all other Buddhas as innumerable as the sands of Ganges River, each in His land, extending His great eloquence to deliver such truthful words to the whole cosmos – ‘All sentient beings, you should have faith in the Amitabha Sutra, which is praised and protected by all the Buddhas.’
“In the West there are countless other Buddhas, like Infinite Life Buddha, Innumerable Forms Buddha, Immeasurable Influence Buddha, Perfect Light Buddha, Great Brightness Buddha, Jewel Appearance Buddha, Pure Light Buddha, each in His land, extending His great eloquence to deliver such truthful words to the whole cosmos – ‘All sentient beings, you should have faith in the Amitabha Sutra, which is praised and protected by all the Buddhas.’
“Also in the North there are Buddhas like Blazing Shoulders Buddha, Supreme Voice Buddha, Impossible-to-Defeat Buddha, Born of the Sun Buddha, Netted Light Buddha, such and all other Buddhas as countless as the sands of Ganges River, each in His land, extending His great eloquence to deliver such truthful words to the whole cosmos – ‘All sentient beings, you should have faith in the Amitabha Sutra, which is praised and protected by all the Buddhas.’
“In the Nadir there are Lion Buddha, Renown Buddha, Light of Name Buddha, Dharma Buddha, Dharma Influence Buddha, Dharma Practice Buddha, and all other Buddhas as innumerable as the sands of Ganges River, each in His land, extending His great eloquence to deliver such truthful words to the whole cosmos – ‘All sentient beings, you should have faith in the Amitabha Sutra, which is praised and protected by all the Buddhas.’
“Also in the Zenith there are Pure Voice Buddha, Constellation King Buddha, Fragrance Superior Buddha, Fragrant Light Buddha, Great Blazing Shoulders Buddha, Body Adorned with Flower Garlands Buddha, Sala Tree King Buddha, Precious Flower Virtue Buddha, Seeing All Truth Buddha, Looking-Like-Sumeru Buddha, all such countless Buddhas, each in His land, extending His great eloquence to deliver such truthful words to the whole cosmos – ‘All sentient beings, you should have faith in the Amitabha Sutra, which is praised and protected by all the Buddhas.’
“What does it mean that the Amitabha Sutra is praised and protected by all the Buddhas? It means that when you hear this Amitabha Sutra, as well as all the names of the Buddhas in the Sutra, if you faithfully accept and recite it frequently, you will be protected by all the Buddhas, and eventually you will attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi (the state of Perfect Enlightenment) without retrogression. Therefore, Sariputra, you and all others should fully accept what I say and have true faith in what all the Buddhas have said.
“All of those who have vowed, or are vowing, or will vow to be born in the Pure Land will attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi (Perfect Enlightenment) without retrogression, and all of them will be born in Amitabha’s Buddha Land, if they are not already there! Therefore, all wise men and wise women who believe in my words must vow to be born in Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss.
“Sariputra, while I am now extolling the inconceivable virtues of all the Buddhas, all those Buddhas are also praising my inconceivable merits by saying ‘Sakyamuni Buddha has performed such an extremely difficult and unusual task. In the corrupted Saha World (aka the World of Endurance, the World of Five Corruptions – the corruption of kalpas, the corruption of views, the corruption of afflictions, the corruption of beings, the corruption of life), Sakyamuni Buddha is able to attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi and to impart the Pure Land teaching, which all beings find hard to believe, because living in the Saha world, where all the Five Impurities have been accumulated, they have so little faith!’
“Indeed, you should know that it really is most difficult to attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi and to expound the Pure Land Dharma to all beings in this world, who are reluctant to accept it during such corruption of time and belief.”
Thus, the Buddha completed preaching the scripture. Having received these most precious words, Sariputra and all the Bhikshus, Bodhisattvas, gods, humans, asuras and others – everyone rejoices and faithfully accepts it. In homage they all bow to the World-Honored One and set off to practice accordingly.
(Translated from Sanskrit to Chinese in Yao-Qin Dynasty by Tripitaka Dharma Master Kumarajiva)
佛說阿彌陀經
~ 姚秦三藏法師鳩摩羅什譯 ~
如是我聞。一時佛在舍衛國。祇樹給孤獨園。與大比丘僧。千二百五十人俱。皆是大阿羅漢。眾所知識。長老舍利弗。摩訶目犍連。摩訶迦葉。摩訶迦栴延。摩訶拘絺羅。離婆多。周梨槃陀迦。難陀。阿難陀。羅睺羅。憍梵波提。賓頭盧頗羅墮。迦留陀夷。摩訶劫賓那。薄俱羅。阿耨樓馱。如是等諸大弟子。并諸菩薩摩訶薩。文殊師利法王子。阿逸多菩薩。乾陀訶提菩薩。常精進菩薩。與如是等諸大菩薩。及釋提桓因等。無量諸天大眾俱。
爾時佛告長老舍利弗。從是西方。過十萬億佛土。有世界名曰極樂。其土有佛。號阿彌陀。今現在說法。舍利弗。彼土何故名為極樂。其國眾生。無有眾苦。但受諸樂。故名極樂。又舍利弗。極樂國土。七重欄楯。七重羅網。七重行樹。皆是四寶周匝圍繞。是故彼國名曰極樂。又舍利弗。極樂國土。有七寶池。八功德水。充滿其中。池底純以金沙布地。四邊階道。金銀琉璃玻璃合成。上有樓閣。亦以金銀琉璃玻璃車磲赤珠瑪瑙而嚴飾之。池中蓮花。大如車輪。青色青光。黃色黃光。赤色赤光。白色白光。微妙香潔。舍利弗。極樂國土。成就如是功德莊嚴。
又舍利弗。彼佛國土。常作天樂。黃金為地。晝夜六時。雨天曼陀羅華。其土眾生。常以清旦。各以衣裓。盛眾妙華。供養他方十萬億佛。即以食時。還到本國。飯食經行。舍利弗。極樂國土。成就如是功德莊嚴。
復次舍利弗。彼國常有種種奇妙雜色之鳥。白鶴孔雀鸚鵡舍利迦陵頻伽共命之鳥。是諸眾鳥。晝夜六時。出和雅音。其音演暢五根五力 。七菩提分。八聖道分。如是等法。其土眾生。聞是音已。皆悉念佛念法念僧。舍利弗。汝勿謂此鳥。實是罪報所生。所以者何。彼佛國土。無三惡道。舍利弗。其佛國土。尚無惡道之名。何況有實。是諸眾鳥。皆是阿彌陀佛。欲令法音宣流變化所作。舍利弗。彼佛國土。微風吹動。諸寶行樹。及寶羅網。出微妙音。譬如百千種樂。同時俱作。聞是音者。自然皆生念佛念法念僧之心。舍利弗。其佛國土。成就如是功德莊嚴。
舍利弗。於汝意云何。彼佛何故號阿彌陀。舍利弗。彼佛光明無量。照十方國。無所障礙。是故號為阿彌陀。又舍利弗。彼佛壽命及其人民。無量無邊阿僧祇劫。故名阿彌陀。舍利弗。阿彌陀佛成佛已來。於今十劫。又舍利弗。彼佛有無量無邊聲聞弟子。皆阿羅漢。非是算數之所能知。諸菩薩眾亦復如是。舍利弗。彼佛國土成就如是功德莊嚴。
又舍利弗。極樂國土。眾生生者。皆是阿鞞跋致。其中多有一生補處。其數甚多。非是算數所能知之。但可以無量無邊阿僧祇說。舍利弗。眾生聞者。應當發願。願生彼國。所以者何。得與如是諸上善人俱會一處。舍利弗。不可以少善根福德因緣得生彼國。舍利弗。若有善男子善女人。聞說阿彌陀佛。執持名號。若一日。若二日。若三日。若四日。若五日。若六日。若七日。一心不亂。 其人臨命終時。阿彌陀佛與諸聖眾。現在其前。是人終時。心不顛倒。即得往生阿彌陀佛極樂國土。舍利弗。我見是利。故說此言。若有眾生。聞是說者。應當發願。生彼國土。
舍利弗。如我今者。讚歎阿彌陀佛不可思議功德之利。東方亦有阿閦鞞佛。須彌相佛。大須彌佛。須彌光佛。妙音佛。如是等恒河沙數諸佛。各於其國。出廣長舌相。遍覆三千大千世界。說誠實言。汝等眾生。當信是稱讚不可思議功德。一切諸佛所護念經。
舍利弗。南方世界有日月燈佛。名聞光佛。大焰肩佛。須彌燈佛。無量精進佛。如是等恒河沙數諸佛。各於其國。出廣長舌相。遍覆三千大千世界。說誠實言。汝等眾生。當信是稱讚不可思議功德。一切諸佛所護念經。
舍利弗。西方世界有無量壽佛。無量相佛。無量幢佛。大光佛。大明佛。寶相佛。淨光佛。如是等恒河沙數諸佛。各於其國。出廣長舌相。遍覆三千大千世界。說誠實言。汝等眾生。當信是稱讚不可思議功德。一切諸佛所護念經。
舍利弗。北方世界有焰肩佛。最勝音佛。難沮佛。日生佛。網明佛。如是等恒河沙數諸佛。各於其國。出廣長舌相。遍覆三千大千世界。說誠實言。汝等眾生。當信是稱讚不可思議功德。一切諸佛所護念經。
舍利弗。下方世界有師子佛。名聞佛。名光佛。達摩佛。法幢佛。持法佛。如是等恒河沙數諸佛。各於其國。出廣長舌相。遍覆三千大千世界。說誠實言。汝等眾生。當信是稱讚不可思議功德。一切諸佛所護念經。
舍利弗。上方世界有梵音佛。宿王佛。香上佛。香光佛。大焰肩佛。雜色寶華嚴身佛。娑羅樹王佛。寶華德佛。見一切義佛。如須彌山佛。如是等恒河沙數諸佛。各於其國。出廣長舌相。遍覆三千大千世界。說誠實言。汝等眾生。當信是稱讚不可思議功德。一切諸佛所護念經。
舍利弗。於汝意云何。何故名為一切諸佛所護念經。 舍利弗。若有善男子善女人。聞是經受持者。及聞諸佛名者。是諸善男子善女人。皆為一切諸佛之所護念。皆得不退轉於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是故舍利弗。汝等皆當信受我語。及諸佛所說。
舍利弗。若有人已發願。今發願。當發願。欲生阿彌陀佛國者。是諸人等。皆得不退轉於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。於彼國土。若已生。若今生。若當生。是故舍利弗。諸善男子善女人。若有信者。應當發願生彼國土。
舍利弗。如我今者。稱讚諸佛不可思議功德。彼諸佛等。亦稱讚我不可思議功德。而作是言。釋迦牟尼佛能為甚難希有之事。能於娑婆國土五濁惡世。劫濁。見濁。煩惱濁。眾生濁。命濁中。得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。為諸眾生。說是一切世間難信之法。
舍利弗。當知我於五濁惡世。行此難事。得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。為一切世間。說此難信之法。是為甚難。
佛說此經已。舍利弗。及諸比丘。一切世間天人阿修羅等。聞佛所說。歡喜信受。作禮而去。
Homage to Amitabha Buddha
Homage to All the Buddha’s Teachings
Homage to Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta
The Dharani for Eradicating All Karmic Obstacles and Attaining Birth in Pureland
(The Rebirth Mantra)
Namo Amitabhaya Tathagataya Tadyatha Amrtod-bhave Amrta-siddhambhave Amrta-vikrante Amrta-vikranta Gamine Gagana Kirta-kare Svaha
(拔一切業障根本得生淨土陀羅尼 – 往生咒)
Buddha Mind 