往生禮讚偈

An exhortation to all sentient beings to aspire to birth in the land of Amitabha Buddha in the Western World of Ultimate Bliss.

The Verses of Praise and Worship for the six periods respectfully follow the Mahāvairocana-sūtra, together with the Verses of Praise and Worship for Rebirth composed by Nāgārjuna, Vasubandhu, and the Śramaṇas of this land (China). These have been gathered in one place and divided into six periods, solely so that practitioners may continuously bind the mind, thereby assisting in accomplishing the benefit of birth in the Pure Land. It is also hoped that they may swiftly awaken to what they have not yet heard, and that this teaching may long permeate future generations, so that they may hear it with their own ears.

1_ Respectfully following the Mahāvairocana-sūtra: the twelve names of light praised by Śākyamuni Buddha and the Buddhas of the ten directions… Practitioners are exhorted to invoke the name, worship, and recollect the Buddha, thereby assuredly attaining birth in that land. Perform 19 prostrations at sunset.

2_ Respectfully following the Mahāvairocana-sūtra, essential passages have been selected and assembled as verses of praise and worship. Perform 24 prostrations at the beginning of the night.

3_ Respectfully following the Verses of Praise and Worship for the Aspiration to Rebirth by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna. Perform 16 prostrations at midnight.

4_ Respectfully following the Verses of Praise and Worship for the Aspiration to Rebirth by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu. Perform 20 prostrations during the latter part of the night.

5_ Respectfully following the Verses of Praise and Worship for the Aspiration to Rebirth by Dharma Master Yanzong. Perform 21 prostrations at early dawn.

6_ The Verses of Praise and Worship for the Aspiration to Rebirth by the Śramaṇa Shandao. Respectfully composed according to the Sixteen Contemplations; perform 20 prostrations at noon.

_ Question: “We now wish to exhort people to attain rebirth. Yet we do not know: if they have not established their minds, initiated practices, and cultivated karma, can they assuredly be born in that land?”

Answer: “Those who resolutely wish to be born in that land must, as stated in the Contemplation Sutra, possess the Three Minds; then they will certainly attain rebirth. What are the three?

1_ The sincere mind: through bodily karma, one worships that Buddha; through verbal karma, one praises and extols that Buddha; through mental karma, one single-mindedly recollects and contemplates that Buddha. Whenever these three kinds of karma are initiated, they should all be cultivated with truthfulness. Therefore, this is called the sincere mind.

2_ The profound mind: this is the mind of genuine faith. One believes and knows that one is an ordinary being fully burdened with afflictions and possessing only meager and deficient roots of goodness. One now believes and knows that, through Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Universal Vow and the invocation of his name—even as few as ten utterances, a single utterance…—one will assuredly attain rebirth. Even for a single thought, there is no doubting mind. Therefore, this is called the profound mind.

3_ The mind that dedicates merit and makes vows. All roots of goodness one has cultivated are entirely dedicated toward the aspiration for rebirth. Therefore, this is called the mind that dedicates merit and makes vows.

Those who possess these Three Minds will certainly attain rebirth. If even one mind is lacking, they will not attain birth, as fully explained in the Contemplation Sutra. This should be understood accordingly.

_ Furthermore, Vasubandhu’s Treatise on the Pure Land states: “If people aspire to be born in that land, they are exhorted to cultivate the Five Gates of Recollection. If they fulfill all five gates, they will assuredly attain rebirth. What are the five?

1_ The Gate of Worship through Bodily Karma. This means single-mindedly and wholeheartedly joining one’s palms in reverence, presenting incense and flowers as offerings, and worshiping Amitabha Buddha. To worship means exclusively to worship that Buddha until the end of one’s life, without mixing this with other forms of worship. Therefore, it is called the Gate of Worship.

2_ The Gate of Praise through Verbal Karma. This means single-mindedly praising the light of that Buddha’s physical marks, the light of the physical marks of the entire assembly of sages, and the resplendent light of all precious adornments. Therefore, it is called the Gate of Praise.

3_ The Gate of Recollection and Contemplation through Mental Karma. This means single-mindedly recollecting and contemplating that Buddha, the light of the physical marks of the entire assembly of sages, and the adornments of that land… As stated in the Contemplation Sutra, except while sleeping, one should constantly remember, constantly recollect, constantly visualize, and constantly contemplate these matters. Therefore, it is called the Gate of Contemplation.

4_ The Gate of Making Vows. This means focusing the mind, whether by day or night, at all times and in all places… With regard to the merit cultivated through the three kinds of karma and the four modes of deportment, whether at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end, one should always sincerely give rise within the mind to the vow to be born in that land. Therefore, it is called the Gate of Making Vows.

5_ The Gate of Dedication. This means focusing the mind and profoundly rejoicing in one’s own roots of goodness, as well as in the roots of goodness cultivated by every assembly of sages and ordinary beings throughout the Three Vehicles and the five paths… Just as the Buddhas and bodhisattvas cultivate rejoicing in others’ merit, so do I rejoice. Taking these roots of goodness arising from rejoicing, together with all the roots of goodness one has cultivated, one shares them with all sentient beings and dedicates them toward that land. Therefore, it is called the Gate of Dedication.

Furthermore, after arriving in that land and attaining the Six Supernormal Powers, one returns and enters birth and death to teach and transform sentient beings. Until reaching the ultimate limit, the mind never becomes weary or disheartened, continuing until Buddhahood is attained. This too is called the Gate of Dedication.

When these Five Gates are fulfilled, one will assuredly attain rebirth. Each gate accords with the Three Minds described above. Whatever karma and practices one undertakes, regardless of their quantity, are all called Genuine Karma. This should be understood accordingly.

_ Practitioners are further exhorted to cultivate the Four Dharmas of Practice, thereby impelling the practices of the Three Minds and the Five Recollections… so that they may swiftly attain rebirth. What are the four?

1_ Reverential Practice. This means reverently worshiping that Buddha and the entire assembly of sages. Therefore, it is called Reverential Practice. To continue until the end of one’s life, vowing never to stop midway, is Long-Enduring Practice (practicing throughout three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas without weariness).

2_ Practice Without Remainder. This means exclusively invoking that Buddha’s name; exclusively recollecting, visualizing, and praising that Buddha and the entire assembly of sages, without mixing this with other karma. Therefore, it is called Practice Without Remainder. To continue until the end of one’s life, vowing never to stop midway, is Long-Enduring Practice.

3_ Uninterrupted Practice. This means continuously and reverently worshiping, invoking the name and offering praise, remembering, contemplating, dedicating merit, and making vows, with each thought following the next and allowing no other karma to intrude. Therefore, it is called Uninterrupted Practice.

Furthermore, one does not allow greed, anger, or afflictions to intrude. Whenever a transgression occurs, one repents accordingly, never allowing an interruption in recollection, an interruption in time, or an interruption of days… One constantly maintains purity. This too is called Uninterrupted Practice. One continues until the end of one’s life, vowing never to stop midway.

(This version lacks the fourth method of practice, so the translator has supplemented it:

4_ Practice of Esteem. This is also called Reverential Practice, Practice of Profound Appreciation, or Practice of Respectful Conduct. It means revering what one has learned, withholding nothing out of attachment, and being free from arrogance.)

Furthermore, bodhisattvas who have already been liberated from birth and death use the wholesome Dharma they have cultivated to seek the fruit of Buddhahood; this is benefiting themselves. Teaching and transforming sentient beings throughout the bounds of the future is benefiting others. Yet sentient beings today are all bound by afflictions and have not escaped the suffering of birth and death in the lower realms. Therefore, in accordance with conditions, they should initiate practices and swiftly dedicate all their roots of goodness toward the aspiration to be born in Amitabha Buddha’s land. After arriving in that land, they will immediately be free from all fear.

Through the four methods of practice described above, one naturally and spontaneously benefits oneself and others, and nothing will remain unfulfilled. This should be understood accordingly.

Furthermore, the Mañjuśrī Prajñāpāramitā Sutra elucidates the Samadhi of the One Practice. It exhorts one to dwell alone in a secluded place (Araṇya), relinquish all distracted thoughts, and bind the mind to a single Buddha. Without contemplating the Buddha’s physical characteristics, one exclusively invokes his name. Then, within one’s recollection, one will behold Amitabha Buddha and all Buddhas.

_ Question: “Why does it not teach contemplation, but instead directly exhort one exclusively to invoke the name? What is the meaning of this?”

The answer is: “Because sentient beings have heavy obstructions, the objects of contemplation are subtle, their minds are coarse, their consciousness is turbulent, and their spirits soar aloft, contemplation is difficult to accomplish. Therefore, out of the Great Sage’s compassion, he directly exhorted them to single-mindedly recite the Name. Precisely because reciting the Name is easy, when it is continued without interruption, they immediately attain birth.”

_ The question is: “Since one is instructed to recite the name of a single Buddha exclusively, why do many objects appear? Would this not mean that the deviant and the correct alternate with one another, and that the one and the many appear in confusion?”

The answer is: “All Buddhas realize the same attainment, and their forms are without difference. Even if one contemplates one Buddha and sees many, what great principle would this contradict?!...

Furthermore, as the Contemplation Sutra states: “The Buddha exhorted those who sit in contemplation, bow in worship, recite the Name, and so forth always to face west, for this is supreme. It is like a tree: before it falls, it will certainly fall in the direction toward which it bends. Therefore, if some obstruction prevents one from facing west, it is also acceptable merely to form the perception of facing west.”

_ The question is: “All Buddhas equally realize the three bodies (Trayaḥ kāyāḥ), and the perfect fruit of compassion and wisdom should likewise be nondual. If one bows and recites while facing any direction, or exclusively invokes a single Buddha, one should also attain birth. Why, then, is the West particularly praised, and why are people exhorted to bow and recite exclusively? What is the meaning of this?”

The answer is: “The realization attained by all Buddhas is equally one. Yet when their vows and practices are considered in relation to how they gather in beings, it is not that there are no distinct causes and conditions. Amitabha, the World-Honored One, originally made profound and weighty vows, using the light of his Name to embrace and transform beings throughout the ten directions.

He requires only that they give rise to a mind of faith, aspiration, and recollection—from a whole lifetime at the highest level down to ten utterances or even one utterance at the lowest—and, through the power of the Buddha’s vows, they easily attain birth. For precisely this reason, Shakyamuni and all the Buddhas exhorted beings particularly to turn toward the West. This is its distinctive difference; it does not mean that invoking other Buddhas cannot remove obstructions and extinguish offenses.

This should be understood.

If one is able, as described above, to continue thought after thought without interruption and to take one’s entire life as the appointed term, then ten out of ten people will attain birth, and one hundred out of one hundred will attain birth. Why is this? Because there are no external miscellaneous conditions, one maintains Right Mindfulness, accords with the Buddha’s Fundamental Vow, does not contradict the Teaching, and follows the Buddha’s instruction.

If one abandons this and cultivates miscellaneous practices, then among one hundred people only one or two may hope to attain birth, and among one thousand only three or five may hope to attain birth. Why is this? Because cultivating amid miscellaneous conditions causes agitation and confusion, resulting in the loss of Right Mindfulness. Thus one does not accord with the Buddha’s Fundamental Vow, contradicts the characteristics of the Teaching, and fails to follow the Buddha’s instruction. One’s gathered mindfulness does not continue without interruption; recollection is broken off; the dedication of one’s vows is neither earnest nor genuine; and greed, anger, wrong views, and afflictions arise and interrupt one’s practice, while one lacks a mind of shame and repentance.

Repentance has three grades: essential, abbreviated, and extensive…as fully explained below. Any of these may be used according to one’s intention.

Moreover, because one does not continually recollect and repay the Buddha’s kindness, arrogance arises in the mind. Although one performs karmic practices, they are constantly associated with fame and profit; notions of self and others obscure one from within; and because one does not remain close to and accompany a good spiritual friend, one falls into shallow miscellaneous conditions, obstructing oneself and also obstructing others in the Right Practice for attaining birth. Why is this? Because exclusive and miscellaneous practice differ. If people practice with exclusive intent, ten out of ten will attain birth; but among a thousand who cultivate miscellaneous practices without utmost sincerity, not even one will attain birth.

The gains and losses of these two practices have been discussed above. I reverently pray that all who aspire to birth there will carefully make the proper arrangements for themselves.

Those who are able to dedicate this body and aspire to birth in that land should, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, diligently discipline themselves and subdue their minds. They should never abandon the practice by day or night, but take their entire lives as the appointed term. Although in this present lifetime they may seem to undergo a little suffering, when the thought immediately before death is followed by the thought after death, they will at once be born in that land, where they will forever experience the limitless bliss of the unconditioned Dharma. Until they attain Buddhahood, they will no longer fear birth and death. Is this not delightful?! This should be understood.

I. First: Reverently following the Mahavairocana Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha (Śākya-muṇi) exhorts us to bow in praise of the twelve names of Amitabha Buddha’s light and pray for birth in his land. Perform nineteen prostrations at sunset. The Middle or Lower Repentance may also be selected.

Namo to all Three Jewels of Shakyamuni Buddha’s lineage.

I now bow my head in worship and dedicate the merit, aspiring to birth in the Land of Infinite Life.

(This means: This Buddha is presently the teacher of both monastics and laypeople. The Three Jewels are a field of immeasurable merit. If one can perform a single prostration, one thereby recollects and repays the Teacher’s kindness. Having established it as one’s own practice, one dedicates this single practice toward birth.)

_ Namo to all Three Jewels throughout the lands as numerous as minute dust particles, filling empty space and pervading the Dharma Realm, throughout the three times and the ten directions.

I now bow my head in worship and dedicate the merit, aspiring to birth in the Land of Infinite Life.

(Thus, throughout the boundless empty space of the ten directions, the Three Jewels are inexhaustible. If one performs a single prostration, it becomes an immeasurable field of merit and produces boundless merit and virtue. If one can bow once with utmost sincerity, then from each Buddha above, each Dharma above, each bodhisattva and noble member of the Sangha above, and each relic above, one receives the roots of virtue belonging to the liberating portion of bodily, verbal, and mental karma. These confer benefit upon the practitioner and become the practitioner’s own karma. One dedicates this single practice toward birth.)

_ Namo Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

May all sentient beings and I entrust our lives to him.

I bow my head in worship, aspiring to birth in that land.

(The question is: “Why is he called Amitabha?”

The answer is: “The Amitabha Sutra and the Contemplation Sutra state: “That Buddha possesses immeasurable light, illuminating the lands of the ten directions without obstruction. Because he contemplates and embraces sentient beings who are mindful of the Buddha and never abandons them, he is called Amitabha (Amitābha: Infinite Light).

The lifespan of that Buddha and of the people of his land extends for immeasurable asamkhyeya kalpas; therefore, he is called Amitabha (Amitāyus: Infinite Life).

Furthermore, Shakyamuni Buddha and the Buddhas of the ten directions praise Amitabha’s light by twelve kinds of names and universally exhort sentient beings continuously to invoke his Name and bow in worship without interruption. In this life, they obtain immeasurable merit and virtue; after death, they will certainly attain birth.

As the Sutra of Infinite Life states: “If sentient beings encounter this light, their three defilements—greed, anger, and delusion—are extinguished. Their bodies and minds become gentle and pliant; they rejoice with delight, and wholesome thoughts arise, bringing peace and security. If those suffering in the three evil realms—hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals—behold this light, they will no longer suffer affliction and, after death, will all attain liberation. The light of the Buddha of Infinite Life shines majestically throughout the ten directions. There is no Buddha-land where it is not heard of. It is not only I who now praise that light; all Buddhas, shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and assemblies of bodhisattvas praise it together.

Likewise, if sentient beings hear of the merit, virtue, awe-inspiring power, and spiritual efficacy of that light and invoke and proclaim it day and night with utmost sincerity and without interruption, they will, according to their aspirations, attain birth in that land. They will always be praised by the assemblies of bodhisattvas and shravakas, who proclaim the merit and virtue of those persons.”

The Buddha said: “If I were to speak day and night for an entire kalpa about the majestic spiritual power and the lofty, vast, wondrous excellence of the light of the Buddha of Infinite Life, I still could not exhaust it.”

Practitioners! You should know that even if Shakyamuni Tathagata were to speak for an entire kalpa about the light of Amitabha Buddha’s bodily marks, he could not exhaust it.

As the Contemplation Sutra states: “Each ray of light shines throughout the worlds of the ten directions, embracing and never abandoning sentient beings who are mindful of the Buddha.”

It is not only in the Contemplation Sutra that there is such an inconceivable empowering condition that receives and embraces practitioners. Why, then, do you not continuously recite and contemplate, make obeisance and remain mindful, aspiring to attain rebirth there?! This should be understood.)

_ Namo Buddha of Infinite Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives

I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Boundless Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives

I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Unobstructed Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives

I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Incomparable Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives

I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land _ Namo Buddha, King of Blazing Light, in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Pure Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Joyful Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Wisdom Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Unceasing Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Inconceivable Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Ineffable Light in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Buddha of Light Surpassing the Sun and Moon in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Amitabha Buddha in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss Compassionately shelter and aid me Cause the sprout of Dharma to flourish In this life and lives to come May the Buddha always embrace and receive me May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

_ Namo Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives

I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

(When any sentient being is about to die, these two bodhisattvas come together, holding a lotus pedestal and presenting it to the practitioner. Amitabha Buddha emits a great light that illuminates the practitioner’s body and, together with innumerable transformation Buddhas, bodhisattvas, shravakas, and the great assembly, extends his hand to receive the practitioner. In the time of a finger snap, the practitioner immediately attains rebirth there. Therefore, to repay their kindness, bow once with utmost sincerity.)

_ Namo Great Ocean-Pure Assembly of Bodhisattvas in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss

May all sentient beings and I take refuge and entrust our lives

I bow in homage, aspiring to be born in that land

(The bodhisattvas of this assembly also accompany the Buddha when he comes to welcome the practitioner. Therefore, to repay their kindness, bow once with utmost sincerity.)

_ Universally on behalf of our monastic teachers, parents, spiritual friends, and all sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm, may the three obstructions be eradicated and may all alike attain rebirth in the land of Amitabha Buddha. Taking refuge and entrusting our lives, we repent

With utmost sincerity, we repent

“Namo, I repent before the Buddhas of the ten directions

May all roots of transgression be extinguished

I now dedicate all good cultivated, whether near or far

Ever aspiring that, at the moment of death

Supreme conditions and supreme scenes will appear before my eyes

May I behold Amitabha, Lord of Great Compassion

Avalokiteshvara, Mahasthamaprapta, and the Honored Ones of the ten directions

I reverently pray that their spiritual light will extend a hand to receive me

Relying upon the Buddha’s Fundamental Vow, may I be born in that land”

Having completed repentance and dedication of merit, with utmost sincerity take refuge in and entrust your life to Amitabha Buddha

_ Next, chant in the Brahma voice. When finished, recite the Verse for Arousing the Vow

“All the merits of homage and repentance

May they, at the very moment of death

Enable us to behold the Buddha of Infinite Life

Whose body possesses boundless merits

When I and other faithful people

Have beheld that Buddha

May we attain the stainless eye

And be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

There accomplishing unsurpassed bodhi”

When the rite of homage and repentance is complete, all should be reverent

_ Taking refuge in the Buddha, may we attain bodhi

And never retreat from the mind of the Path

May all sentient beings and I dedicate our aspiration toward rebirth in the land of the Buddha of Infinite Life Taking refuge in the Dharma, may we attain Sarva-jñā (Omniscience) And attain the Great Dharani Gateway May all sentient beings and I dedicate our aspiration toward rebirth in the land of the Buddha of Infinite Life Taking refuge in the Sangha, may disputes cease And may all enter together the ocean of harmony May all sentient beings and I dedicate our aspiration toward rebirth in the land of the Buddha of Infinite Life _ May all sentient beings Purify the three karmas Uphold the Buddha’s teachings And perform Vandana (Homage) to all sages and noble ones May all sentient beings and I dedicate our aspiration toward rebirth in the land of the Buddha of Infinite Life

_ At sunset, all assemblies hear the Verse on Impermanence proclaimed: “People in this world hurriedly attend to every affair Unaware that years, life, days, and nights are passing Like a lamp in the wind, its duration cannot be assured The six destinies are vast and boundless, with no fixed direction Not yet liberated or free from the sea of suffering How can one remain at ease and unafraid? All of you, while healthy and strong, take heed Urge yourselves on and strive to seek the eternal abiding” After reciting this verse, immediately give rise to this vow in mind and speech: “May we, your disciples, when approaching death, have minds that are not inverted, minds

that are not confused or disordered, and minds that do not lose mindfulness. May body and mind be free of every pain and suffering, and may body and mind be blissful, as though entering meditative concentration. May the noble assembly appear before us, and, relying upon the Buddha’s Fundamental Vow, may we attain rebirth in the highest grade in the land of Amitabha Buddha. Having reached that land, may we attain the six superknowledges, enter the realms of the ten directions, and rescue and embrace suffering sentient beings. Until empty space and the Dharma Realm are exhausted, so too shall my vow remain.”

Having aroused this vow, with utmost sincerity take refuge in and entrust your life to Amitabha Buddha.

_ The verse for the beginning of the night is: “Afflictions are deep and bottomless The sea of birth and death is boundless The boat that rescues from suffering has not yet been launched How can you delight in deluded sleep? Be courageous and diligently strive Embrace the mind and constantly abide in meditation”

_ The verse for midnight is: “Do not lie there embracing a corpse All manner of impurities are provisionally called a person As though gravely ill, with an arrow piercing the body

When every suffering comes, how can you sleep in peace?!...”

_ The verse for the latter part of the night is:

“Time is ever flowing onward

Suddenly the fifth watch begins

Impermanence arrives thought after thought

We dwell always beside the King of Death (Mṛta-rāja: God of Death)

I exhort all who practice the Path

Diligently cultivate until attaining the Unconditioned Remainderless Nirvana”

_ The verse for early morning is:

“Those who seek the bliss of tranquil cessation

Should study the Dharma of the shramana

Clothing and food merely sustain bodily life

Whether fine or coarse, accept what the assembly receives”

Nowadays, in the early morning, all assemblies recite the six recollections.

_ The verse for midday is:

“People of the world do not strive diligently

They are like trees without roots

Flowers picked and kept throughout the day

How long can they remain fresh?

Human life is likewise

Impermanent, lasting but an instant

I exhort all assemblies practicing the Path

Diligently cultivate until attaining Ultimate Truth”

II_ Second: Śramaṇa Shandao reverently followed the Mahāvairocana Sutra, gathering and selecting its essential passages to compose verses of worship and praise. Perform twenty-four prostrations at the beginning of the night. The repentance is the same as before and after.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

The ocean of Amitabha’s wisdom and vows

Is profound, vast, and without shore or bottom.

Those who hear his name and wish to attain rebirth

Will all reach that land.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Within this world,

Sixty nayutas and seven hundred million

Non-retrogressing bodhisattvas

Will all be born in that land.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Bodhisattvas of lesser practice

And people who have cultivated but little merit—

Their number cannot be counted;

They will all be born in that land.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Throughout the Buddha lands of the ten directions,

The assemblies of bodhisattvas and bhikshus

Could not be counted even to the end of a kalpa;

They will all be born in that land.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

All the bodhisattvas

Bring heavenly incense and flowers,

Precious fragrances, and priceless robes,

To make offerings to Amitabha Buddha.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Together they perform heavenly music

And raise harmonious, elegant voices,

Praising the Supremely Honored One

And making offerings to Amitabha Buddha.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

The Sun of Wisdom shines upon the world,

Dispersing the clouds of birth and death.

Reverently circling him three times,

They bow before the Honored Amitabha.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Beholding that pure, magnificent land,

Subtle, wondrous, and inconceivable,

They thereupon awaken the unsurpassed aspiration:

“May my land also be thus.”

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

At that moment, the Honored Infinite One

Turns his countenance and smiles joyfully;

From his mouth stream myriad rays of light,

Illuminating all lands throughout the ten directions.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

The light returns and circles his body,

Then enters through the crown after three circumambulations.

All the assemblies of devas and humans

Are delighted and filled with joy.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

His Brahma voice resounds like thunder;

Its eight tones proclaim a wondrous resonance:

“Great beings from the ten directions who have come here,

I know all your vows.”

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Upon reaching that pure, magnificent land,

They swiftly attain supernormal powers.

Before the Honored Infinite One, they all

Receive predictions of attaining perfect enlightenment.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Serving hundreds of millions of Tathagatas,

They fly throughout all lands and manifest transformations.

Having gone forth reverently and joyfully,

They return to the Land of Peaceful Sustenance, the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Those who lack roots of goodness

Cannot hear the Buddha’s name.

The arrogant, evil, and indolent

Find it difficult to believe this Dharma.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Those who beheld the Buddhas in former lives

Are thus able to believe this matter.

Humbly and reverently, they hear and practice it,

Delighted and filled with great joy.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

There are those who, having heard

The name of Amitabha Buddha,

Rejoice for even a single thought-moment

And attain rebirth in that land.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Even if fire were to fill the great trichiliocosm,

Go straight through it to hear the Buddha’s name.

Those who hear the name and joyfully praise it

Will attain rebirth in that land.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Ten thousand years hence, when the Three Jewels have perished,

This sutra will remain for one hundred years.

Those who then hear it for even a single thought-moment

Will attain rebirth in that land.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

A Buddha’s appearance in the world is difficult to encounter;

People endowed with faith and wisdom are difficult to find.

To encounter and hear this rare Dharma—

This indeed is exceedingly difficult.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Believe it oneself and teach others to believe;

Amid difficulties, transform others’ difficulties.

Transmit great compassion and teach it universally;

Thus sincerely repay the Buddha’s kindness.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Compassionately protect and assist me,

Causing the sprouts of Dharma to flourish.

In this life and in lives to come,

May the Buddha always embrace and receive me.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Avalokiteshvara

Bodhisattva of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. May we, together with all sentient beings, be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Mahasthamaprapta Bodhi-

sattva of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. May we, together with all sentient beings, be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before all the bodhisattvas,

The great pure ocean-wide assembly of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss. May we, together with all sentient beings, be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Universally on behalf of the Sangha of teachers, our parents, spiritual friends, and all sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm, may the three obstructions be eradicated and may all alike attain rebirth in the land of Amitabha Buddha. We take refuge and repent.

III_ Third: Reverently following Bodhisattva Nagarjuna’s Verses of the Vow for Rebirth, Worship, and Praise. Perform sixteen prostrations at midnight. (The repentance is the same as before and after.)

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

I bow before the one revered by devas and humans,

Amitabha, the Sage, the Two-Footed Honored One.

In that subtle and wondrous Land of Peace and Bliss,

He is surrounded by immeasurable multitudes of Buddha’s children.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

His golden body, pure and undefiled, resembles the King of Mountains;

His practice of shamatha is like the majestic tread of an elephant.

His two eyes are clear and pure like blue lotuses;

Therefore, I bow my head before the Honored Amitabha.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

His benevolent face is round and clear like the full moon;

His majestic radiance resembles a thousand suns and moons.

His voice is like the heavenly drum and the kalavinka bird;

Therefore, I bow my head before the Honored Amitabha.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

He abides upon the crown worn by Avalokiteshvara,

Adorned with every kind of excellent mark and precious ornament.

He subdues non-Buddhist teachers, maras, and the arrogant;

Therefore, I bow my head before the Honored Amitabha.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Peerless, stainless, vast, and pure,

His radiant virtues are like empty space.

In accomplishing benefit, he has attained complete mastery;

Therefore, I bow my head before the Honored Amitabha.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and prostrate myself before Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

The assemblies of bodhisattvas proclaim his name throughout the ten directions;

Immeasurable hosts of maras continually praise him.

For the sake of all sentient beings, he abides through the power of his vows;

Therefore, I bow my head before the Honored Amitabha.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land
The golden-bottomed pools are adorned with jewels, from which flowers arise
Roots of virtue already perfected form beautiful lotus thrones
Seated upon them, one is like the King of Mountains
Therefore, I bow at the crown of my head to the Honored Amitabha
May all sentient beings together
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land
The Buddha-sons (Buddha-putra) come from the ten directions
Manifesting spiritual powers, they reach the Land of Peace and Bliss
They behold the Honored Countenance and remain ever reverent
Therefore, I bow at the crown of my head to the Honored Amitabha
May all sentient beings together
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land
All conditioned existence is impermanent and without self
Like the moon in water, lightning, a shadow, or dew
For the assembly, he expounds the Dharma beyond names and words
Therefore, I bow at the crown of my head to the Honored Amitabha
May all sentient beings together
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land
That Honored Buddha’s land has not even the name of evil
There are neither women nor evil destinies
Everyone wholeheartedly reveres that Honored One
Therefore, I bow at the crown of my head to the Honored Amitabha
May all sentient beings together
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land
Infinite are the Honored One’s realms of skillful means
There are no evil paths or evil spiritual guides
Those born there never regress and attain bodhi
Therefore, I bow at the crown of my head to the Honored Amitabha
May all sentient beings together
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land
I proclaim the merit and virtue of that Honored One
All his boundless virtues are like the waters of the sea
Whatever pure roots of virtue have been attained
I dedicate and bestow upon sentient beings, that they may be born in that land
May all sentient beings together
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Avalokitesvara

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Mahasthamaprapta Bodhi-

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to all bodhisattvas

_ Universally on behalf of the monastic teachers, our parents, spiritual benefactors, and all sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm, may the three obstructions be eliminated and may all alike be born in the land of Amitabha Buddha. We take refuge and repent.

With utmost sincerity, we repent. “Since beginningless time, throughout all my embodied lives,
I have constantly committed the ten evils against sentient beings,
Been unfilial toward my parents, disparaged the Three Jewels,
And committed the five heinous and other unwholesome deeds.
Because of the causes and conditions of all these offenses,
Deluded thoughts and inversions have arisen and bound me;
Thus I have endured immeasurable suffering in birth and death.
I bow at the crown of my head and repent, praying that they be eradicated.”
The repentance is complete. With utmost sincerity, I take refuge in Amitabha Buddha.

With utmost sincerity, we entreat. “All Buddhas, supremely honored in their great compassion,
Always illuminate the three realms with the wisdom of emptiness (‘Sūnya-mati).
Blind and benighted, sentient beings do not understand
And sink into the sea of suffering of birth and death.
To save all beings and free them from every suffering,
We entreat you always to abide and turn the Dharma Wheel (Dharma-cakra: wheel of Dharma).”
The entreaty is complete. With utmost sincerity, I take refuge in Amitabha Buddha.

With utmost sincerity, we rejoice. “Throughout myriad past kalpas, I have harbored jealousy;
Pride and heedlessness arose from delusion (moha).
I constantly employed the harmful fire and the poison of anger

To burn away wisdom and the roots of compassionate virtue.

Today, reflecting upon this, I have at last awakened;

I arouse the resolve of great diligence and rejoice accordingly.”

The rejoicing is complete. With utmost sincerity, I take refuge in Amitabha Buddha.

With utmost sincerity, we dedicate the merit.

“Drifting through birth and death,

Delusion and craving lead into the womb-prison;

Once born, one proceeds to aging and death,

Submerged in the sea of suffering.

Now, the merit I cultivate

I dedicate toward birth in the Land of Peace and Bliss.”

The dedication is complete. With utmost sincerity, I take refuge in Amitabha Buddha.

the preceding rite.)

IV_ Fourth: Reverently following the Verses of Aspiration for Rebirth composed by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu, perform twenty bows immediately after nightfall. (The repentance is the same as before and after.)

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land

World-Honored One! Single-mindedly,

I take refuge in the Tathagata

Of Unhindered Light throughout the ten directions,

Aspiring to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land

Contemplating the characteristics of that world,

It surpasses the paths of the three realms;

Ultimately, it is like empty space,

Vast and without bounds.

May all sentient beings together

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land

The Right Path and Great Compassion

Are supramundane and give rise to roots of virtue;

Pure radiance is perfectly complete,

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land
The Brahma voice (Buddha-ghoṣa) is profound and comprehensible,
Subtle and wondrous, resounding throughout the ten directions.
Amitabha, the Perfectly Awakened One,
The Dharma King (Dharma-rāja), abides and sustains it well.
May all sentient beings together
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land
Women and those with deficient faculties,
And the seeds of the Two Vehicles, are not born there.
Whatever sentient beings aspire to and delight in,
All is fulfilled.
May all sentient beings together
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Homage! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land
The unmoving assembly (Acala-saṃgha) of devas and humans
Is born from the ocean of pure wisdom.
Like Sumeru, the King of Mountains,
They are supremely wondrous, with none surpassing them.
May all sentient beings together
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Devas, humans, and the assembly of noble beings (Puruṣa-saṃgha) respectfully circumambulate and behold. Celestial music, flowers, robes, and wondrous fragrances rain down as offerings. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

The Land of Peace and Bliss is pure, constantly turning the Stainless Wheel. In every thought and at every moment, it benefits all living beings. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Praising all the Buddha's merits without a discriminating mind enables one swiftly to fulfill the great precious ocean of merit. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Compassionately protect and assist me, causing the sprouts of Dharma to flourish. In this life and in lives to come, may the Buddha always embrace and receive me. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Avalokitesvara

Bodhisattva of the Western Land, the World of Ultimate Bliss. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Mahasthamaprapta Bodhi-

sattva of the Western Land, the World of Ultimate Bliss. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to all the bodhisattvas

and the Pure Great Oceanic Assembly of the Western Land, the World of Ultimate Bliss. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Universally on behalf of the monastic Sangha and teachers, parents, spiritual friends, and all beings throughout the Dharma Realm, may the three obstructions be eradicated and may all be born together in the land of Amitabha Buddha. I take refuge and repent.

V_ Fifth: Reverently following Dharma Master Yanzong's Verses of Praise and Aspiration for Rebirth.

Make twenty-one bows at daybreak. (The repentance is the same as before and after.) _ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. The cause (Hetu) of Dharmakara lies far in the past;

the fruition of Ultimate Bliss (Sukhā-vatī-phala) is yet more profound. Wondrous jewels form the ground; myriad treasures intermingle to form groves. Blossoms open in rare colors; rippling waves voice the sound of True Suchness. When shall our hands be joined in welcome?!... Then shall the mind aspiring for rebirth be fulfilled. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. It is difficult to turn back within this defiled world; vow to journey deeply into the Pure Realm. Golden cords stretch along the paths of precepts; overhanging groves are encircled by jeweled nets. Whatever forms (Rūpa: shape and color) are seen are all True Form (Satya-rūpa: true shape and

color); whatever sounds (Ghoṣa) are heard are all sounds of Dharma (Dharma-ghoṣa). Do not say that the West is far away; simply cultivate the mind of ten recollections. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Having attained the ultimate principle realized by sages (sages who have attained the ultimate principle of things), True Existence pervades Emptiness, majestic and dignified as space. When manifested in the West, it appears small, only provisionally according with beings' capacities. Leaves and jewels shine upon one another; sand and water are truly clear and still. Those who wish to attain the fruit of non-arising (Anutpattika-phala) should all rely upon that realm. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. The white urna, vast as five mountains (the white hair curling between the brows, as immense as five mountains), alone

shines brilliantly. Earth and water alike serve as mirrors; incense and flowers together form clouds. With profound karma, it becomes easy to go there; with shallow causes (Hetu), it is truly difficult even to hear of it.

I pray that doubts and delusions be dispelled. Transcendent, peerless, standing alone beyond all company. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss. _ Namo!

With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. His mind is filled with true loving-kindness; his radiance perfectly encompasses the Dharma Realm. Unconditioned compassion can embrace all beings; manifesting forms is no difficult matter.

Flowers transform in accordance with the original mind; palaces (Pura: palace) move, and the body is naturally at ease. Rarely does one hear of this supramundane realm (Lokottara-visaya); therefore, enter together into meditative contemplation. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Dedication of merit gradually accomplishes the work; the road to the West becomes slightly open. Jeweled trees rise from the great earth; celestial fragrance enters the far-reaching wind. Blossoms open and spread across the waters; nets canopy and divide the sky. What more could the resolve for rebirth require?... This indeed is inexhaustible joy. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. If one wishes to choose a place of birth, one most certainly should return to the West. Trees intermingle and display towers and pavilions; fresh robes are arrayed along every road. Fragrant food arrives according to one's thought; jeweled halls fly along with one's body. All who possess the affinity may enter, yet those who come of themselves are truly rare. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Ten kalpas ago, he first attained the Way; the majestic precepts guide the blind multitude.

Golden sands and clear waters shine; jeweled leaves gleam upon every branch. Birds originally emerge from jewels; people are born only upon lotus blossoms. With gratitude, invite the sages of the West; sooner or later, they will come together to welcome us.

May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss. _ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. The Buddha lands of the ten directions are all homes of the Dharma King.

Earnestly seek the land with which one has affinity, hoping to arrive soon without deviation. The water possesses the eight qualities of merit; seven-jeweled flowers arise naturally. Wherever that mind can be bound, all will arrive, for it is not far away.

May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. The Pure Land neither declines nor changes; it has been established from the distant past until now. Radiant terraces are formed of a thousand treasures; music is proclaimed by the eight winds. Many birds by the ponds speak the Dharma; celestial flowers fill the sky. Once born there, one need not fear regression; lotus blossoms open as one wishes. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Those seated upon the flowers are not of a single appearance; even the assembled sages are difficult to fathom. When a flower opens, each person dwells separately; as waves arise, the Dharma naturally resounds. Because of purity, there is no calamity; non-retrogression is one's virtuous companion. Ask those who were born there before: how many kalpas have they already been here? May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. His radiance saved Vaishya; from above, he guided Vaidehi. Devas come bearing fragrant canopies; departing people are presented with precious robes. During the six periods, one hears the chorus of birds; stepping upon flowers, one sinks four inches. All behold what is ever upright and true—how could delusion and error arise again?!... May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss. Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Universally exhort all to propagate the three kinds of merit,

Causing all to extinguish the Five Burnings (the five evil deeds: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech, and drinking intoxicants).

Having aroused the resolve and completed the merit, they arrive;

By firmly binding mindfulness, their offenses are at once dissolved.

Birds, flowers, and gleaming jewels turn;

The wind carries delightful sounds.

Rejoice only that practicing the Way is easy;

Why grieve that the holy fruit is far away?!...

May all beings together

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. The hue of jewels still forms the water; golden radiance forms the terraces. When the time comes, flowers naturally dissolve; according to one's wish, flowers bloom again. Gazing into the pond, forms appear and then vanish; flying through the sky, one comes and goes. With an upright mind directed toward that land, one should dedicate every wholesome deed. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. The water of amrita washes the mind; the measure of one's lifespan is difficult to discern. Amid abundant joy, one does not abandon the Way; resounding voices may be heard without obstruction. Why crave the five defilements? In serenity, the fires burn themselves away. May all beings together be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Upon the dais, celestial and human attendants appear within the light. Four jeweled towers rise in the sky; seven tiers of railings rest upon many pillars. Those of scant merit remain long in the Border Land and are still subject to adversity. Better not to discuss other vows; once the mind is settled upon the West, may we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. The six faculties are always united with the Way; the names of the three evil paths are heard no more. In the space of a thought, one travels throughout all directions; upon returning, one attains Kṣānti. The level ground is vast and boundless; the wind always brings purity and coolness. I send these words to all who possess a mind: together, let us leave the city of suffering. May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Compassionately protect and assist me, causing the sprouts of Dharma to flourish. In this life and in lives to come, may the Buddha always gather me into his care. May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva of the Western Land, the World of Ultimate Bliss.

The thousand-spoked wheels beneath his feet shine brightly.

The five paths appear within his light.

Compassion (Kāruṇa) guides beings ceaselessly;

Yet those returning have still not been exhausted.

His mouth proclaims teachings arising from samādhi;

When the mind is pure, one immediately gains unobstructed flight.

All who hear his name vow to arrive there;

How many blossoms of dust are brought forth each day?

May we vow together with all sentient beings

To be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva of the Western Land, the World of Ultimate Bliss.

The power of wisdom is proclaimed unsurpassed;

The light of his body naturally responds to conditions.

It shakes all the jeweled lands;

He bears a throne formed of a single golden lotus.

The birds are not truly birds;

How could the devas be ordinary devas? They are true celestial beings.

Know, therefore, that those seeking wondrous bliss

Will assemble entirely within the fragrant realm.

May we vow together with all sentient beings

To be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to the Bodhisattvas of the Great Pure Ocean Assembly in the Western Land, the World of Ultimate Bliss.

May we vow together with all sentient beings

To be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Universally on behalf of our masters and Sangha, our parents and spiritual benefactors, and all sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm, may the three obstructions be eliminated and may all alike be born in the land of Amitabha Buddha. Taking refuge, we repent.

VI_The Sixth: The Verses of Aspiration for Rebirth, Homage, and Praise, composed by the śramaṇa Shandao in reverent accordance with the Sixteen Contemplations. Perform twenty prostrations precisely at midday. (The repentance is the same as in the preceding and following observances.)

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Contemplate that Land of Amitabha, Ultimate Bliss:

Vast and level, it is fashioned from jewels.

The Forty-Eight Vows established its magnificent adornments,

Surpassing all Buddha lands in exquisite subtlety.

The great ocean-like assemblies from this and other lands,

Though counted for an entire kalpa, could not all be named.

I universally exhort all to return West and join that assembly;

Samādhis numerous as the sands of the Ganges will naturally be attained.

May we vow together with all sentient beings

To be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Beneath the ground are magnificent seven-jeweled banners,

Measureless, boundless, and beyond all reckoning.

In the eight directions and on eight faces, they are formed of a hundred jewels;

Seeing that realm of non-arising, one naturally awakens.

The jeweled land of non-arising remains eternally constant;

Each jewel pours forth myriad rays of light.

Practitioners who devote their minds always behold it before them;

Their spirits soar upward and enter the Western Land.

May we vow together with all sentient beings

To be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land.

Upon the ground, magnificent adornments extend without limit;

Golden cords and the boundaries of the paths are not the work of craftsmen.

Jeweled ground, jeweled colors, and jeweled light—

Each ray of light forms innumerable terraces.

Within the terraces are countless billions of towers and pavilions;

Around them stand tens of billions of jeweled banners.

May we vow together with all sentient beings

To be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss. _ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Above each terrace, throughout the open sky, jeweled music magnificently resounds without end. Eight pure, cooling winds seek out the light; according to the occasion, they play music whose tones accord with each being’s capacity. Those sounds lead beings into right concentration, though this is somewhat difficult. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, gather the mind in contemplation. Except while sleeping, constantly remain mindful; the unconditioned samādhi is itself nirvana. May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Jeweled waters, jeweled groves, and jeweled trees; jeweled flowers, jeweled leaves, and jeweled roots. Some groves are distinguished from others by a thousand kinds of jewels; some are arranged in rows of a hundred kinds of jewels. Each row corresponds in the form of its leaves; their colors differ, and their radiance likewise. Equal in measure, they rise three hundred thousand units high; when their branches touch, they proclaim non-arising. May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. The jeweled land, jeweled groves, and jeweled trees; jeweled flowers, jeweled leaves, and jeweled roots. Some groves are distinguished from others by a thousand kinds of jewels; some are arranged in rows of a hundred kinds of jewels. Each row corresponds in the form of its leaves; their colors and radiance are not alike. Equal in measure, they rise three hundred thousand units high; when their branches touch, they proclaim non-arising. May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Jeweled ponds, jeweled banks, and jeweled golden sand; jeweled channels, jeweled leaves, and jeweled lotus flowers.

Twenty yojanas in extent, all are perfectly straight; jeweled nets and jeweled railings encircle them everywhere. Waters of merit flow in search of the jeweled trees; hearing their waves, beings rejoice and attain the calming of fear. These words have been spoken for fellow practitioners with affinity: strive to transcend delusion and return to your original home.

May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss. _ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Above every golden cord and path boundary are jeweled music and countless billions of jeweled towers.

Celestial youths scatter incense and flowers; bodhisattvas from other directions arrive like clouds. Measureless and boundless, they cannot be counted; bowing before Amitabha, they stand reverently. The sounds of wind bells among the trees fill the entire land, endlessly praising the Three Honored Ones.

May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Amitabha’s throne, the Lotus King of his Fundamental Vow, is fashioned from every kind of jewel. Upon the terrace are four banners, canopies, and jeweled garlands. Amitabha sits there alone, revealing his True Form. The light of his True Form pervades the Dharma Realm; those touched by that light never regress in mind. Throughout the six periods of day and night, concentrate upon contemplation and mindfulness; at the final moment, bliss will be like samādhi. May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Amitabha’s body and mind pervade the Dharma Realm. Relying upon the mind, contemplate the image that manifests his true countenance. The jeweled image, a staff in height, comes to the lotus throne; the mind opens and beholds the magnificence of that land. Jeweled trees, flowers, and the Three Honored Ones fill it everywhere; together one hears the sounds of wind bells and music. May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Amitabha’s golden-hued body is like a mountain; his excellent marks and radiance illuminate the ten directions. Only be mindful of the Buddha and seek to be gathered into his light; in accordance with his Fundamental Vow, its power is exceedingly mighty. Tathagatas throughout the six directions extend their tongues in testimony: single-mindedly recite his Name and reach the Western Land. Upon arrival, the lotus opens and one hears the wondrous Dharma; the practices and vows of the ten bhūmis naturally become clear. May we vow together with all sentient beings to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Namo! With utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow in homage to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, possessed of great loving-kindness and compassion,

Has attained the wholesome foundation yet relinquishes its realization.

Throughout all five paths—hell beings, hungry ghosts, animals, asuras, and humans—within the inner body,

He observes during the six periods, responding through the three spheres: the object known, the wisdom that knows, and the knower.

He manifests responsive bodies and violet-golden light;

His excellent marks and majestic bearing transform without end.

He constantly extends tens of billions of Light-King hands,

Gathering those with affinity back to his own land.

May we vow together with all sentient beings

To be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage with utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. The inconceivable majestic radiance of Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta shines everywhere without limit. Sentient beings with affinities who encounter this light increase in wisdom and transcend the three realms. The Dharma Realm sways like tumbleweed; transformation Buddhas gather like clouds, filling empty space. He exhorts those with affinities constantly to recollect, forever ending birth from the womb and realizing the six superknowledges. May we, together with all sentient beings, be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage with utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Sitting upright in the full lotus posture, enter samadhi; direct the contemplative mind in recollection toward the West and behold Amitabha’s Land of Ultimate Bliss. Upon the ground and throughout empty space are precious adornments. Amitabha’s bodily dimensions are truly boundless, yet sentient beings are also exhorted to contemplate a smaller body, manifested according to their capacities at a height of sixteen or eight feet. Within the circular halo, transformation Buddhas appear directly before them. May we, together with all sentient beings, be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage with utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Those of the highest group and highest practice, people of superior faculties, seek birth in the Pure Land and cut off greed and anger. When the practice is accomplished, distinctions divide them into three grades; the Five Gates follow one another, supporting the three causes (hetu). For one day or seven days, they practice with single-minded diligence. At life’s end, they rely upon the lotus dais and escape the six sense objects. How joyful! What is difficult to encounter has now been encountered. They realize the unconditioned and the Dharma-nature body. May we, together with all sentient beings, be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage with utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Those of the middle group and middle practice, people of middling faculties, observe the fasting precepts for one day and dwell within golden lotuses. They devotedly care for their parents and are taught to dedicate the merit. The causes of happiness throughout the four directions are proclaimed. The Buddha and the assembly of shravakas come to receive them, and they proceed directly to the lotus seat beside Amitabha. A hundred-jeweled flower covers them for seven days; the lotuses of the three grades open, and they realize subtle bodies. May we, together with all sentient beings, be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage with utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Those of the lowest group and lowest practice, people of inferior faculties, commit the ten evils and five heinous offenses through greed and anger, the four grave offenses, stealing from the Sangha, and slandering the True Dharma. Never having felt shame or repented of former offenses, they suddenly meet a virtuous spiritual friend at the time of death, who urgently exhorts them single-mindedly to recite that Buddha’s name.

Transformation Buddhas and bodhisattvas come in response to their voices. With one thought, they devote their minds and enter precious lotuses. The three kinds of flowers remain closed for many kalpas before opening; only then do they first produce the cause of bodhi.

May we, together with all sentient beings, be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage with utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Amitabha Buddha’s land responds wondrously; the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is inconceivable. Hearing prajna, one no longer feels thirst; contemplating non-arising, one is immediately free from hunger.

All its adornments proclaim the Dharma; without deliberate thought, one receives and naturally understands it. One enters the lotus pools of the seven factors of awakening at will; the eight assemblies concentrate their spirits and meet upon a single branch. Immeasurable bodhisattvas study together; exhausting the ocean of the nature, they take the Tathagata as their teacher.

The mind-water of Amitabha bathes their bodies; Avalokiteshvara anoints their crowns, and Mahasthamaprapta gives them robes to wear. They soar into empty space and journey throughout the Dharma Realm. In an instant, they receive a prediction of buddhahood and the epithet Unconditioned.

With such freedom in the realm beyond all limits, if I do not depart now, for what time shall I wait?!... May we, together with all sentient beings, be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage with utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Amitabha Buddha of the Western Land. Compassionately shelter and aid me,

Causing the sprout of Dharma to grow.

In this life and in lives to come,

May the Buddha always gather and accept me.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Homage with utmost sincerity, I take refuge and bow to Avalokiteshvara, Mahasthamaprapta, all the bodhisattvas, and the pure ocean-wide assembly of the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.

May we, together with all sentient beings,

Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

_ Universally on behalf of the teachers and Sangha, parents, virtuous spiritual friends, and sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm, may the three hindrances be eliminated and may all alike attain birth in the land of Amitabha Buddha. We take refuge and repent.

The repentance and vow-making sections for the two grades above are the same as before. To practice the most essential among essential matters is taken as the initial stage. To practice the most abbreviated among abbreviated forms is taken as the middle stage.

To practice the most extensive among extensive forms is taken as the lower stage. This extensive form is taught in accordance with those whose minds aspire to birth there. It may be performed before the fourfold assembly, before the Buddhas of the ten directions, before relics, sacred images, or the great assembly, or before a single person....

If one practices solely within one’s own group, one should further face the Three Jewels filling empty space throughout the ten directions and the entire realm of sentient beings... and fully declare one’s repentance before them.

Repentance has three grades: superior, middle, and lower.

Superior-Grade Repentance: When blood flows from the pores of the body and blood streams from the eyes, this is called superior-grade repentance.

Middle-Grade Repentance: When hot sweat pours from the pores throughout the entire body and blood streams from the eyes, this is called middle-grade repentance.

Lower-Grade Repentance: When heat pervades the entire body and streams of tears flow from the eyes, this is called lower-grade repentance.

Although these three grades differ, they are the nine kinds of liberation apportioned according to the faculties of those with roots of goodness, thereby causing them today to revere the Dharma, honor others, and spare neither body nor life, even regarding the slightest offense.... If they repent, they can see the Dharma thoroughly and penetrate to its marrow. Those capable of repenting in this manner, regardless of whether their offenses were committed long ago or recently, will swiftly extinguish all grave offenses.

If they do not practice in this way, then even if they hastily perform the practice incorrectly throughout the twelve periods of day and night, it will mostly be fruitless. If a person cannot do this, one should understand that although one cannot shed tears or blood... merely conforming to the true mind and penetrating directly to it makes one equal to those described above.

I respectfully address the Buddhas of the ten directions, the twelve divisions of scripture, the great bodhisattvas, all sages and holy ones, all beings of the eight classes of devas and nagas, sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm, and the great assembly now present.... Please bear witness as I declare my repentance.

“From beginningless time until this present body, we have killed beings belonging to the Three Jewels, our teachers, members of the Sangha, parents, six classes of relatives, family members, virtuous spiritual friends, and sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm... in numbers beyond reckoning.

We have stolen the possessions of the Three Jewels, our teachers, members of the Sangha, parents, six classes of relatives, family members, virtuous spiritual friends, and sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm... in numbers beyond reckoning.

Toward the Three Jewels, our teachers, members of the Sangha, parents, six classes of relatives, family members, virtuous spiritual friends, and sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm, we have further given rise to deviant thoughts... in numbers beyond reckoning.

We have spoken falsely and deceived the Three Jewels, our teachers, members of the Sangha, parents, six classes of relatives, family members, virtuous spiritual friends, and sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm... in numbers beyond reckoning.

We have spoken embellished and flattering words to the Three Jewels, our teachers, members of the Sangha, parents, six classes of relatives, family members, virtuous spiritual friends, and sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm... in numbers beyond reckoning.

We have spoken harsh and evil words, insulting, disparaging, and harming the Three Jewels, our teachers, members of the Sangha, parents, six classes of relatives, family members, virtuous spiritual friends, and sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm... in numbers beyond reckoning.

We have engaged in divisive speech, sowing discord, provoking conflict, and disrupting the Three Jewels, our teachers, members of the Sangha, parents, six classes of relatives, family members, virtuous spiritual friends, and sentient beings throughout the Dharma Realm... in numbers beyond reckoning.

We may have broken the five precepts, the eight precepts, the ten precepts, the precepts of the ten wholesome actions, the 250 precepts, the 500 precepts, the bodhisattva’s threefold collection of precepts, the ten inexhaustible precepts, and even all precepts and every rule of dignified conduct.... We committed such deeds ourselves, instructed others to commit them, or rejoiced upon seeing them committed... in numbers beyond reckoning.

Offenses of all such kinds are as countless as the minute motes of dust throughout the boundless great earth of the ten directions. The offenses we have committed are likewise countless.

Empty space is boundless; the offenses we have committed are likewise boundless.

Skillful means are boundless; the offenses we have committed are likewise boundless.

The Dharma-nature is boundless; the offenses we have committed are likewise boundless.

The Dharma Realm is boundless; the offenses we have committed are likewise boundless.

Sentient beings are boundless. Our acts of plunder and killing are likewise boundless.”

The Three Jewels are boundless. Our transgressions against them—causing damage, plundering, and destroying—are likewise boundless.

The categories of precepts are boundless. Our violations and destruction of them are likewise boundless.

The offenses of this kind extend upward to the bodhisattvas and downward to realms beyond the knowledge of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas. Only Buddhas together with Buddhas know how many or how few our offenses are.

Now, before the Three Jewels and before all beings throughout the Dharma Realm, we openly confess and repent, not daring to conceal anything. We beseech the Three Jewels of the ten directions and all beings throughout the Dharma Realm to accept our repentance and be mindful of our purification.

Beginning today, we vow, together with all beings throughout the Dharma Realm, to abandon the false and return to the true, arouse the bodhicitta, direct our minds of loving-kindness toward the same goal, and behold one another with the eyes of a Buddha. As companions on the path to bodhi, may we become one another’s true good spiritual friends, be born together in the land of Amitabha Buddha, and continue until we attain Buddhahood. We shall completely sever the continuity of offenses of this kind and never dare commit them again.

The repentance is complete. With utmost sincerity, we take refuge in and entrust our lives to Amitabha Buddha. (The Extensive Repentance is complete.)

_ When entering contemplation or going into deep sleep, one should make this vow. Whether sitting or standing, single-mindedly join the palms, face directly west, and invoke ten times the names of Amitabha Buddha, Avalokiteshvara, Mahasthamaprapta, and the bodhisattvas of the Pure Great Ocean Assembly. Then say:

“I, the disciple (whose name is...), am presently an ordinary being subject to birth and death. My karmic offenses and obstructions are deep and grave. I revolve through the six realms, undergoing sufferings that cannot be fully described. Today I have encountered a good spiritual friend and have been able to hear of Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Vow and Name. I invoke and recollect him single-mindedly, praying to attain rebirth. I beseech the Buddha, in his compassion, not to forsake me but, in accordance with his Original Universal Vow, to gather me in and accept me.

I, the disciple, do not know the radiance or bodily marks of Amitabha Buddha. I beseech the Buddha, in his compassion, to manifest them so that I may behold his bodily marks, the forms of Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, the bodhisattvas, and the pure, majestic forms of light in that world.”

After clearly speaking these words, maintain single-minded right mindfulness, and then, as one wishes, enter contemplation or sleep. Sometimes, immediately upon correctly making the vow, one will behold them. At other times, one will behold them while deeply asleep, unless one lacks utmost sincerity. When this vow is properly fulfilled, there is abundant evidence of its efficacy.

_ It is asked: “What meritorious benefits are gained in this life by invoking, worshiping, and contemplating Amitabha Buddha?”

The answer is: “If one invokes Amitabha Buddha even once, one can thereby extinguish grave offenses accumulated throughout eight billion kalpas of birth and death. The same applies to worship and recollection, as explained below.

The Sutra of the Ten Rebirths states: “If sentient beings recollect Amitabha Buddha and vow to attain rebirth, that Buddha immediately sends twenty-five bodhisattvas to protect and support the practitioner. Whether walking, sitting, standing, or lying down, by day or by night, at all times and in all places, they do not allow evil ghosts or evil spirits any opportunity to cause harm.”

Furthermore, as the Contemplation Sutra states: “If a person invokes, worships, and recollects Amitabha Buddha and vows to be born in that land, that Buddha immediately sends innumerable transformation Buddhas and innumerable transformation forms of Avalokiteshvara, Mahasthamaprapta, and other bodhisattvas to protect and remain mindful of the practitioner. Together with the twenty-five bodhisattvas mentioned previously, they surround the practitioner in hundreds and thousands of layers. Whether the practitioner is walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, at all times and in all places, by day or by night, they never leave the practitioner.”

Now that this extraordinary benefit is established as reliable testimony, may all practitioners seek rebirth with utmost sincerity.

_ Furthermore, as the Infinite Life Sutra states: “If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the ten directions invoke my Name even as few as ten times, yet fail to attain rebirth, may I not attain perfect enlightenment.”

That Buddha has now already attained Buddhahood and abides in the present age. Therefore, know that his Original Vow and solemn aspiration are not false: all sentient beings who invoke and recollect him attain rebirth.

_ Furthermore, as the Amitabha Sutra states: “If sentient beings hear of Amitabha Buddha, they should immediately uphold his Name, whether for one day, two days, or up to seven days, invoking the Buddha single-mindedly and without distraction. When their lives are about to end, Amitabha Buddha and the assembly of sages will appear directly before them. At death, their minds will not become confused, and they will immediately be born in that land.

The Buddha told Shariputra: “I perceive this benefit and therefore speak these words. If sentient beings hear this teaching, they should make a vow, aspiring to be born in that land.”

_ Next, the passage below states: “In the eastern direction are Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River. In the southern, western, and northern directions, as well as above and below, each direction likewise contains Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Each, in his own land, manifests a tongue that completely covers the three-thousandfold great-thousand world and speaks these truthful words: ‘All of you sentient beings should have faith in this sutra, which all Buddhas protect and keep in mind.’”

What is meant by “protect and keep in mind”? If sentient beings invoke and recollect Amitabha Buddha for seven days or one day, or even as few as ten invocations, one invocation, or one thought, they all attain rebirth. Because this matter is confirmed and established, it is called the Sutra Protected and Kept in Mind.

_ The following passage next states: “Those who invoke the Buddha and attain rebirth are constantly protected and kept in mind by Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the six directions. Therefore, it is called the Sutra Protected and Kept in Mind.”

Now that this surpassing Vow is established as reliable testimony, why do disciples of the Buddha not urge their minds to journey there?...

VERSES OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP FOR REBIRTH The End