《2015 Jan 7th is Amitabha Buddha's Birthday》
今天农历十一月十七日，是极乐世界大慈悲父阿弥陀佛圣诞。
慈父以四十八愿接引尽虚空遍法界一切诸苦难众生。
南无大慈大悲阿弥陀佛！
BUDDHA SPEAKS THE AMITABHA SUTRA
TRANSLATED BY J. C. CLEARY
Bell master: Buddha Speaks
Everyone: The Amitabha Sutra
Thus have I heard: Once Buddha was in the land of Shravasti, in the garden
of Jeta and Anathapindika. He was accompanied by twelve hundred and fifty great
bhikshus, all of them great Arhats, well known to everyone. Among them were his
leading disciples, such figures as the Elders Shariputra, Mahamaudgalyayana,
Mahakasyapa, Mahakatyayana,and Mahakausthila, Revata, Suddhipanthaka, Nanda,
Ananda, Rahula, Gavampati, Pindola-bharadvaja, Kalodayin, Mahakapphina, Vakula,
and Aniruddha…[and others such as these], all great disciples. Also present were
the Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas: Manjushri, Prince of the Dharma; the Bodhisattva
Ajita, the Invincible; the Bodhisattvas Gandhahastin and Nityodyukta, and other
such great Bodhisattvas. Also present was Shakra, the king of the gods, along
with countless numbers of heavenly beings, making up a great assembly. At that
time Buddha said to the Elder Shariputra: “West of here, past a hundred billion
Buddha-lands, there exists a world called Ultimate Bliss. In this land there is a Buddha called
Amitabha, who is teaching the Dharma right now.
[Shariputra,] why is this land called Ultimate Bliss? It is called
“Ultimate Bliss” because the sentient beings in this land are free from the
myriad sufferings common to mankind, and only know every kind of joy.
Furthermore [Shariputra], this land is called “Ultimate Bliss” because
it is surrounded by seven rings of railings, seven layers of netting, and seven
rows of trees, all made of the four precious jewels.
Moreover [Shariputra], the Land of Ultimate Bliss has ponds of seven jewels
filled with the waters of eight virtues. The bottom of each of the ponds is
pure golden sand, and the stepped walkways that lead up from all four sides of
each of the ponds are made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal. Above
the ponds there are towers which are adorned with silver and gold and lapis
lazuli and crystal and mother of pearl, red agate and carnelians. In the ponds
there are lotus flowers as big as cartwheels: blue ones shining with blue
light, yellow ones shining with yellow light,red ones shining with red light,
and white ones shining with white light, each emitting a subtle pure fragrance.
[Shariputra,] the Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with all these adornments
and virtues. And there is more
[Shariputra]—celestial music is constantly playing in this Buddha-land, and the
ground is made of pure gold. Heavenly flowers rain down at all hours of the day
and night. In the morning the sentient beings of this land fill their robes
with multitudes of wondrous flowers and make offerings to hundreds of billions
of Buddhas in other worlds. When it is mealtime, they return to their own land to
eat, and [to] circumambulate the teaching assembly.
[Shariputra,] the Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with all these adornments
and virtues. And there is more still [Shariputra]—in this land there are birds
of all sorts of wondrous variegated colors: white cranes, peacocks, orioles, egrets,
kalavinkas and jivanjivas. 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 sentient beings in this land hear the singing of the
birds, they become mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma, mindful of the
Sangha.
[Shariputra,] 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 [Paths]
of Existence do not exist.
[Shariputra,] in this Buddha-land even the names of the Evil [Paths] of Existence
do not exist, much less the realities. All these birds are the creations of
Amitabha Buddha, fashioned in order to sing the sounds of the Dharma.
[Shariputra,] in this Buddha-land there is a slight breeze that stirs
the rows of jewel trees and jewel netting, so that they emit subtle wondrous sounds,
like hundreds and thousands of melodies playing all at once. All those who hear
these sounds spontaneously become mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma,
and mindful of the Sangha.
[Shariputra,] the Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with all these adornments
and virtues.
What do you think [Shariputra]: why is this Buddha called Amitabha? [Shariputra,] the light of this Buddha is
infinite, and shines on all lands throughout the universe without obstruction.
Thus this Buddha is called Amitabha. Also [Shariputra], the life-span of this
Buddha and his people is an infinite number of immeasurable eons, and so he is
called Amitabha.
[Shariputra,] Amitabha Buddha attained enlightenment ten eons ago. Moreover
[Shariputra], this Buddha has innumerable disciples, all of whom are Arhats,
whose numbers are incalculable. Amitabha also has a following of innumerable
Bodhisattvas.
[Shariputra,] the Land of Ultimate Bliss is complete with all these adornments
and virtues.
[Moreover Shariputra,] none of the sentient beings who are born in the Land
of Ultimate Bliss ever fall back into a lower realm. Many among them have only
one more lifetime to go before Buddhahood. Their number is incalculable: they can
be spoken of as innumerable.
[Shariputra,] when sentient beings hear these teachings, they must take
a vow to be born in this land. Why so? So that they can be together with all
these Beings of Superior Goodness.
[Shariputra,] one cannot be born in this land through minor good roots [good
fortune] and causal connections. [Shariputra,] 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 his whole assembly will appear before them. When they are
about to die, their minds being unified and not chaotic they will attain
rebirth in Amitabha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss.
[Shariputra,] 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.
[Shariputra,] right now I am extolling the benefits of the inconceivable
virtues of Amitabha Buddha. ( /\ ) In the eastern direction there are also countless
other Buddhas, like Akshobhya Buddha, the Buddha Marks of the Polar Mountain,
the Buddha Great Polar Mountain, the Buddha Light of the Polar Mountain, and
the Buddha Wondrous Voice. Each of them [teaches in his own land with the
truthfulness of a Buddha] and covers a whole cosmos, speaking these sincere
words: “all of you sentient beings should believe this sutra extolling
inconceivable virtues, which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.”
[Shariputra,] in the worlds of the southern direction there are
countless other Buddhas, like the Buddha Lamp of the Sun and Moon, the Buddha Light
of Renown, the Buddha Great Blazing Shoulders, the Buddha Lamp of the Polar
Mountain, and the Buddha Infinite Vigor. Each of them [teaches in his own land
with the truthfulness of a Buddha] and covers a whole cosmos, speaking these
sincere words: “all of you sentient beings should believe this sutra extolling
inconceivable virtues, which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.”
[Shariputra,] in the worlds of the western direction there are countless
other Buddhas, like the Buddha Infinite Life, the Buddha Innumerable Characteristics,
the Buddha Innumerable Banners, the Buddha Great 5 Light, the Buddha Great
Illumination, the Buddha Jewel Appearance, and the Buddha Light of Purity. Each
of them teaches in his own land with the truthfulness of a Buddha and covers a
whole cosmos, speaking these sincere words: “all of you sentient beings should
believe this sutra extolling inconceivable virtues, which all Buddhas protect
and keep in mind.”
[Shariputra,] in the worlds of the northern direction there are
countless other Buddhas, like the Buddha Blazing Shoulders, the Buddha Supreme Voice,
the Buddha Hard to Injure, the Buddha Born of the Sun, and the Buddha Netted
Light. Each of them teaches in his own land with the truthfulness of a Buddha
and covers a whole cosmos, speaking these sincere words: “all of you sentient
beings should believe this sutra extolling inconceivable virtues, which all
Buddhas protect and keep in mind.”
[Shariputra,] in the worlds of the nadir there are countless other Buddhas,
like the Buddha Lion, the Buddha Repute, the Buddha Light, the Buddha Dharma
Banner, and the Buddha Upholding the Dharma. Each of them teaches in his own
land with the truthfulness of a Buddha and covers a whole cosmos, speaking
these sincere words: “all of you sentient beings should believe this sutra
extolling inconceivable virtues, which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.”
[Shariputra,] in the worlds of the zenith there are countless other Buddhas,
like the Buddha Pure Voice, the Buddha Sojourner King, the Buddha Incense
Fragrance, the Buddha Fragrant Light, the Buddha Great Blazing Shoulders, the
Buddha Body of Multicolored Jewel Flower Garlands, the Buddha Sala Tree King,
the Buddha Precious Flower Virtue, the Buddha Sees All Truths, and the Buddha
Like the Polar Mountain. Each of them teaches in his own land with the
truthfulness of a Buddha and covers a whole cosmos, speaking these sincere
words: “all of you sentient beings should believe this sutra extolling inconceivable
virtues, which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.”
[Shariputra,] why do you think this is called the sutra that is
protected and kept in mind by all the Buddhas?
[Shariputra,] if there are good men or women who hear this sutra, uphold
it and hear the names of all these Buddhas, these good men and women will be
protected and kept in mind by all the Buddhas, and will not retrogress along
the path of Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment.
Therefore [Shariputra,] all of you should faithfully accept what I say
and what all the Buddhas have said.
[Shariputra,] all those 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 retrogress
from Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment. They are already born, are now being born,
or will be born in that land. Therefore, [Shariputra,] all good men and women,
if they have faith, must make a vow to be born in that land.
[Shariputra,] just as I am now extolling the inconceivable virtues of
all the Buddhas, all those Buddhas are likewise extolling my inconceivable virtues,
with these words: ( /\ )“Sakyamuni Buddha is able to carry out a most difficult
and rare task. In the Saha World, the World of Endurance, in an evil world of
the Five Corruptions—the corruption of the age, the corruption of views, the
corruption of afflictions, the corruption of sentient beings, and the
corruption of life—he is able to achieve Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment, and to
expound the Pure Land teaching, which all beings in all worlds find hard to
believe.”
[Shariputra,] know then that in the midst of this evil world of the Five
Corruptions, I am able to carry out this difficult task, attain Supreme, Perfect
Enlightenment, and expound the Pure Land teaching, which is so hard for beings
in all worlds to believe. This is indeed most difficult!
When Buddha finished teaching this sutra, Shariputra and all the monks,
gods, humans, asuras and others 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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