佛說大乘無量壽莊嚴經

Ānanda! In lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the east, within each such land there are immeasurable and innumerable bodhisattvas and great bodhisattvas, together with immeasurable and innumerable assemblies of śrāvakas, who bring incense, flowers, banners, and jeweled parasols as offerings to Amitāyus Buddha in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

In lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the south, within each such land there are immeasurable and innumerable bodhisattvas and great bodhisattvas, together with immeasurable and innumerable assemblies of śrāvakas, who bring incense, flowers, banners, and jeweled parasols as offerings to Amitāyus Buddha in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

In worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the west, within each such land there are immeasurable and innumerable bodhisattvas and great bodhisattvas, together with immeasurable and innumerable assemblies of śrāvakas, who bring incense, flowers, banners, and jeweled parasols as offerings to Amitāyus Buddha in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

In lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the north, within each such land there are immeasurable and innumerable bodhisattvas and great bodhisattvas, together with immeasurable and innumerable assemblies of śrāvakas, who bring incense, flowers, banners, and jeweled parasols as offerings to Amitāyus Buddha in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The four intermediate directions, the zenith, and the nadir are likewise. Those from every direction bow at the Buddha’s feet and praise the meritorious adornments of the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

At that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

– In worlds as numerous as the Ganges’ sands in the east,

Within each land, beyond all reckoning,

Bodhisattvas and śrāvakas arouse the great resolve,

Bringing incense, flowers, and precious parasols...

They reach that most magnificently adorned land

And make offerings to Amitāyus Tathāgata,

Reverently bowing and uttering praises with utmost sincerity

To the supreme, rare, and great field of merit.

So too in the west and in the north,

And throughout Ganges-sand lands in the four intermediate directions, above, and below,

Numberless śrāvakas and bodhisattvas

All bring flowers and incense as offerings.

They bow, circumambulate, and look up in reverence,

Praising the Tathāgata’s profound vows,

Which amassed abundant merit and universally adorned

The immeasurable, boundless Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Though the worlds of the Buddhas are beautiful,

None equals this Tathāgata’s world.

They also offer heavenly flowers to the Buddha;

The flowers spread through space and form precious parasols,

Vast and boundless, hundreds of yojanas across,

Their magnificent forms beyond compare,

Covering the jeweled land of the virtuous Tathāgata;

Everyone rejoices together in delight.

Throughout hundreds of thousands of past kalpas,

They accumulated immeasurable roots of goodness,

Cast off bodies revolving through the three realms,

And were brought to the pure land of liberation.

At that time, Amitāyus Buddha,

Teaching bodhisattvas in other regions,

Concealed his spiritual powers and emitted radiant light;

The brilliance issued from the Buddha’s mouth to myriad lands.

Thirty-six koṭis of nayutas,

It illuminated thousands of koṭis of Buddha lands.

Having thus shone upon humans and devas,

It entered the crown of the Tathāgata’s head.

All beings at that moment

Reverently praised the unprecedented light.

Each aroused the mind of bodhi,

Vowing to leave suffering and reach the shore of awakening.

After the Blessed One had spoken these verses, Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara rose from his seat in the assembly, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said:

“Blessed One! For what reason did Amitāyus Buddha’s mouth emit immeasurable rays of light illuminating the Buddha lands? I respectfully entreat the Blessed One to explain this through skillful means, so that beings and bodhisattvas in other regions may hear your words, develop a sense of wonder toward the fruit of awakening, and joyfully aspire to attain the stage of non-retrogression.”

The Blessed One then told Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara:

“Listen attentively, and I shall explain it clearly to you. In the past, immeasurable, boundless, and incalculable kalpas ago, when that Buddha-Tathāgata was still a bodhisattva, he made this great vow: ‘In the future, after I attain perfect awakening, if any among the immeasurable beings throughout the worlds of the ten directions hear my name, bow to me, recollect me, praise me, take refuge in me, or make offerings of incense, flowers, and so forth, those beings shall swiftly be born in my land and, upon seeing this light, shall immediately attain liberation.

If bodhisattvas see this light, they shall immediately receive a prediction of attaining the stage of non-retrogression. Holding flowers, incense, and other offerings in their hands, they shall travel to boundless pure lands throughout the ten directions, make offerings to the Buddhas, perform Buddha-work, and increase their merit. After only a short time, they shall return to their own land and enjoy abundant peace and bliss.’ Therefore, the radiant light entered the crown of the Buddha’s head.

“Ānanda! Amitāyus Buddha, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, has a bodhi tree 1,600 yojanas high. Its branches and leaves extend 800 yojanas in every direction, and its roots penetrate 500 yojanas into the ground. Its luxuriant flowers and fruits are formed of immeasurable hundreds of thousands of variously colored jewels. Upon the bodhi tree are also Moonlight maṇi jewels, Śakra maṇi jewels, wish-fulfilling maṇi jewels, Ocean-Sustaining maṇi jewels, Great Green jewels, svastika jewels, garlands of bell-shaped jewels, garlands of Great Green jewels, garlands of red pearls, garlands of blue pearls, as well as gold, silver, vajra, and many other adornments.

“Ānanda! Every morning, a fragrant breeze spontaneously blows through this jeweled tree, causing the rows of trees to touch one another and produce wondrous sounds. Those sounds resound throughout immeasurable worlds.

Any being who hears them is freed from ailments of the ears, continuing thus until the attainment of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Any being who sees this tree will not suffer from ailments of the eyes throughout the entire period until attaining Buddhahood. Any being who smells the fragrance of this tree will not suffer from ailments of the nose throughout the entire period until attaining Buddhahood.

Any being who eats the fruit of this tree will be entirely free from ailments of the tongue throughout the entire period until attaining Buddhahood. Any being illuminated by the tree’s light will be free from bodily illness throughout the entire period until attaining Buddhahood. Any being who contemplates this tree will have a purified mind throughout the entire period until attaining Buddhahood and will forever leave behind the ailments of affliction, greed, and so forth.”

The Buddha told Ānanda:

“Thus, the flowers, fruits, trees, and plants of that Buddha land, and the Buddha-work they perform for beings, are all encompassed within that Buddha’s great vows made in the past.

“Ānanda! All bodhisattvas and great bodhisattvas presently living or yet to live in Amitāyus Buddha’s land are enabled by that Buddha to attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment in a single lifetime, except those bodhisattvas who, because of vows made in previous lives, enter the realm of birth and death, roar the majestic lion’s roar, and benefit sentient beings. The Buddha allows them to perform Buddha-work as they wish.

“Ānanda! All bodhisattvas and śrāvakas in Amitāyus Buddha’s land possess beautiful bodily marks. Their bodies are surrounded by brilliant light that illuminates hundreds of thousands of yojanas. The bodily light of two bodhisattvas illuminates as far as a great trichiliocosm.”

Venerable Ānanda asked the Buddha:

“What are the names of those two bodhisattvas whose bodies are filled with light?”

The Buddha told Ānanda:

“The first bodhisattva is named Avalokiteśvara, and the second is named Mahāsthāmaprāpta. Both are presently bringing extensive benefit to beings in this land. After death, they will be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

“Ānanda! All bodhisattvas in the Land of Ultimate Bliss are endowed with excellent marks and gentle countenances. Their meditative concentration and wisdom penetrate all things without obstruction, and their spiritual powers, majestic virtue, and merit are complete.

They deeply enter the Dharma gateway, attain acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, and thoroughly understand the secret treasury of the Buddhas’ Dharma. Their bodies and minds are pliant; their faculties are disciplined; and they abide in the quiescent nirvana of the Mahāyāna. Without being conditioned by external circumstances, they deeply enter true wisdom.

They practice in accordance with the Buddha’s seven factors of awakening and Noble Eightfold Path. Their five kinds of eyes shine brilliantly: they discern ultimate truth and thoroughly understand conventional truth. Their eloquence, dhāraṇī, freedom, and mastery are unobstructed.

They understand the boundless skillful means of the world and speak only truthful words imbued with meaning. They expound the true Dharma to deliver sentient beings. They are free from discriminations and regard the three realms as equal, signless, and unconditioned—without cause or effect, grasping or rejection, bondage or release.

Free from delusion, they are as steadfast and unmoving as Mount Sumeru.

“Their wisdom is brilliant like the light of the sun and moon, and vast like the ocean, from which emerge the precious virtues of merit. They are powerful like a blazing fire that consumes the firewood of affliction. Their patience is like the earth, equally supporting all.

They are pure like water, washing away defiling dust. They are like boundless space, unobstructed in all things. They are like lotus flowers rising above the water, separate from every stain of mud.

They are like the reverberation of thunder, issuing the sound of Dharma. They are like clouds filled with mist, raining down the Dharma. They are like wind moving through trees, bringing forth the seeds of bodhi.

They are like a king of oxen, distinguished from all other oxen. They are like a majestic king of elephants, difficult to fathom. They are like well-trained horses, traversing the land without error.

They are like seated lions, utterly fearless. They are like nyagrodha trees with vast shade. They are like Mount Sumeru, unmoved by the eight winds.

They are like vajra pestles that shatter mountains of falsehood. They are like the body of Brahmā, giving rise to the Brahmā assembly. They are like golden-winged garuḍas devouring poisonous dragons.

They are like birds in the open sky, resting nowhere. Their eyes of compassion gaze equally throughout the Dharma realm.

“Such bodhisattvas fill that land. They blow the conch of Dharma, raise the banner of Dharma, beat the drum of Dharma, and kindle the lamp of Dharma. Free from faults and pure, they are neither confused nor mistaken.

From their hands arise flower garlands, jeweled necklaces, powdered incense, fragrant ointments, and every kind of offering. They carry these to hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of lands as offerings to the Buddhas. In particular, precious flowers arise from their hands; when scattered into space, they transform into jeweled parasols ten or twenty yojanas across, or even hundreds of thousands of yojanas across, covering all those lands.

In a moment they return to their own land, free from sensual desire and attachment, neither grasping nor rejecting, their bodies and minds quiescent.”

The Buddha told Ānanda:

“Such bodhisattvas do not exist in my land of the five turbidities. Therefore, even if I were to speak for hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kalpas, I could not describe them all.”

The Buddha told Ānanda:

“The bodhisattvas and great bodhisattvas presently dwelling in my land have planted roots of virtue and made offerings to immeasurable Buddhas. After death, they will all be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Ānanda, rise, join your palms toward the west, and bow.”

Venerable Ānanda then rose from his seat, joined his palms toward the west, and bowed. Suddenly, he saw the Land of Ultimate Bliss and Amitāyus Buddha, whose vast countenance and magnificent form were like a mountain of pure gold. He also heard the Buddha-Tathāgatas throughout the worlds of the ten directions proclaiming and praising the immeasurable virtues of Amitāyus Buddha.

Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:

“Amitāyus Buddha’s land possesses unprecedented purity. I too vow to be born in that land.”

The Blessed One said:

“Any bodhisattva or great bodhisattva born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss has previously planted roots of virtue and drawn near to immeasurable Buddhas. If you wish to be born in that land, you should single-mindedly take refuge in and contemplate the Buddha.”

As the Blessed One spoke these words, Amitāyus Buddha emitted immeasurable rays of light from the palms of his hands, illuminating hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of lands to the east. In this world there are Black Mountains, Snow Mountains, Golden Mountains, Jeweled Mountains, Mount Mucilinda, Great Mount Mucilinda, Mount Sumeru, the Cakravāḍa Mountains, the Great Cakravāḍa Mountains, oceans, rivers, mountains, forests, plants, palaces, devas, and humans. That light illuminated all these realms, and everyone beheld them, just as the rising sun illuminates the entire world.

At that time, the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others in the assembly all beheld the myriad adornments of the Land of Ultimate Bliss. They saw Amitāyus Tathāgata surrounded reverently by śrāvakas and bodhisattvas, like Mount Sumeru, king of mountains, rising from the great ocean.

Although the Land of Ultimate Bliss lies far to the west, hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nayutas of lands away, through the Buddha’s majestic power it appeared directly before them. They saw that land as clean, level, and orderly, like the surface of the sea, without mounds, rugged mountains, vegetation, or defilements. It was adorned solely with various jewels and inhabited together by sages and noble ones.

“Ānanda! Amitāyus Buddha in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, together with the bhikṣus and assembly of śrāvakas, also saw my body and the bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, devas, and humans in this Sahā world.”

The Blessed One said to Bodhisattva Maitreya:

“Do you see the meritorious adornments of the Land of Ultimate Bliss—its palaces, towers, gardens, forests, halls, flowing springs, ponds, and lakes? Maitreya, do you see the devas of the Desire Realm, extending up to the devas of the Akaniṣṭha Heaven, raining down fragrant flowers that fill and adorn the Buddha land? Do you see bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, and practitioners of pure conduct making the Buddha’s voice and expounding the wondrous Dharma, so that the sound is heard throughout the land and brings abundant benefit? Do you see hundreds of thousands of koṭis of beings dwelling in space, each accompanied by a palace?”

Bodhisattva Maitreya replied:

“Blessed One, I see all that the Buddha has described. Blessed One, why are all the beings of this land of only one kind? Although they also cultivate goodness, why do they not seek rebirth there?”

The Buddha told Maitreya:

“Because these beings possess shallow and narrow wisdom, they believe the western land to be inferior to the heavens. Therefore, they do not delight in or seek birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya said to the Buddha:

“These beings discriminate erroneously. If they do not seek birth in the Buddha land, how can they escape saṃsāra?”

The Buddha asked Maitreya:

“Is there birth from a womb in the Land of Ultimate Bliss?”

Bodhisattva Maitreya replied:

“No, Blessed One. Those born in that land are like devas of the Desire Realm, living freely in palaces five hundred yojanas across. How then could there be birth from a womb? Blessed One, for what reason are some beings in that land born as though from a womb?”

The Buddha told Maitreya:

“Although those beings plant roots of goodness, they cannot detach from appearances. They do not seek the Buddha’s wisdom but give rise to erroneous discrimination, becoming attached to worldly pleasures and the rewards of human merit. Therefore, they are born as though from a womb. Other beings employ signless wisdom, plant roots of virtue, purify body and mind, leave discrimination far behind, seek birth in the pure land, and aspire to the fruit of the Buddha’s awakening. When those people die, within a single instant they are already in the Buddha’s pure land, their bodily marks complete and seated upon precious lotus flowers. How then could there be birth from a womb?

“Maitreya! Do you see those foolish people who plant no roots of goodness but rely only upon worldly cleverness and eloquence? They give rise to erroneous discrimination and increasingly strengthen their wrong-mindedness. How can they escape the great calamity of birth and death? There are also beings who, although planting roots of goodness, making offerings to the Three Jewels, and cultivating great fields of merit, cling to appearances and discriminations and bind themselves with deep emotional attachment. If they seek to escape saṃsāra in this way, they can never succeed.

“Suppose a consecrated kṣatriya king built a great prison. Within that prison were palaces, houses, towers, railings, curtains, beds, cabinets, seats, and other furnishings, all adorned with jewels. It was fully supplied with every necessity, including clothing and food. The consecrated king then expelled the crown prince and imprisoned him there. The king gave him money, wealth, jewels, brocade, silk, and other things to use at will.”

The Buddha asked Maitreya:

“What do you think? Would that crown prince be happy?”

Bodhisattva Maitreya replied:

“No, Blessed One. Although the crown prince lived in palaces and towers and had abundant food, clothing, money, gold, silver, jewels, brocade, and silk to use at will, his body was confined in prison and his mind was not free. He would therefore desire only to escape that place.”

The Buddha asked Maitreya:

“If the consecrated king did not pardon the crown prince, could the king’s officials, elders, or subjects free the prince from prison?”

Bodhisattva Maitreya replied:

“If the king did not pardon him, how could he possibly escape?”

The Buddha said:

“So it is, so it is! Although those beings cultivate merit and make offerings to the Three Jewels, they discriminate erroneously and seek rewards among humans and devas. When they obtain such rewards, they dwell in towers and palaces and possess clothing, bedding, food, medicine, and every necessity without deficiency.

Yet they still cannot leave the prison of the three realms. They continually wander through saṃsāra and do not attain freedom. Even if their parents, spouses, children, or male and female relatives wished to rescue them, they could never free them from the karma of wrong views.

The king’s pardon means that if beings put an end to erroneous discrimination, plant roots of goodness, and cease clinging to appearances and attachments, they will be born in a Buddha land and attain everlasting liberation.”

Bodhisattva Maitreya asked the Buddha:

“Blessed One, how many bodhisattvas and great bodhisattvas presently in this Sahā world and other lands will be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss, meet Amitāyus Buddha, and attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment?”

The Buddha told Maitreya:

“In this Sahā world of mine, seventy-two koṭis of nayutas of bodhisattvas and great bodhisattvas, who have previously made offerings to immeasurable Buddhas and planted many roots of virtue, will be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. They will draw near to and make offerings to Amitāyus Buddha and attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

“Ānanda! From the Buddha land Difficult to Endure, eighteen koṭis of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. From the Buddha land Jeweled Treasury, ninety koṭis of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born there.

From the Buddha land Firelight, twenty-two koṭis of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born there. From the Buddha land Immeasurable Light, twenty-five koṭis of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born there. From the Buddha land Lamp of the World, sixty koṭis of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born there.

From the Buddha land Nāgārjuna, 1,400 great bodhisattvas will be born there. From the Buddha land Stainless Light, twenty-five koṭis of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born there. From the Buddha land Lion, 1,800 great bodhisattvas will be born there.

From the Buddha land Auspicious Wind, 2,100 koṭis of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born there. From the Buddha land King of Humans, 1,000 koṭis of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born there. From the Buddha land Flower Banner, one koṭi of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born there.

From the Buddha land King of Radiance, twelve koṭis of great bodhisattvas will be born there. From the Buddha land Attainment of Fearlessness, sixty-nine koṭis of nayutas of great bodhisattvas will be born there. They will all draw near to and make offerings to Amitāyus Buddha and, before long, attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.”

The Buddha told Maitreya:

“Such are the meritorious adornments of the Land of Ultimate Bliss; even if one spoke throughout immeasurable kalpas, they could not be exhausted. If good men or good women hear the name of Amitāyus Buddha, give rise to faith, take refuge in him with a single thought, contemplate him, and bow to him, know that these people are not followers of the Lesser Vehicle. Within my teaching they are called foremost disciples.

If bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, or others copy and make offerings to this scripture, uphold, read, recite, and explain it to others, or even for a single day and night contemplate the Land of Ultimate Bliss and the merits of the Buddha’s body, then after death they will immediately be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss and attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

“Maitreya! This scripture is extremely profound and wondrous and brings benefit to myriad beings. If any beings uphold, read, recite, copy, and make offerings to this true Dharma, then as they approach death, even if the great trichiliocosm is filled with a vast conflagration, they will be able to pass through it and be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. In the past, these people received from a Buddha the prediction of attaining bodhi, and all Tathāgatas praise them. They will freely attain unsurpassed wisdom.

“Maitreya! It is difficult indeed to encounter a Buddha in the world, and difficult indeed to hear the true Dharma. Practice what the Tathāgata has practiced. Protect and preserve this scripture. Always act for the benefit of sentient beings. Do not allow beings to fall into the five destinies and further adorn the realms of hell. Cause sentient beings to cultivate merit and goodness and seek birth in the pure land.”

The Blessed One then spoke these verses:

– If in the past one did not cultivate the path of merit and wisdom,

In this life the true Dharma is difficult to hear.

You have previously made offerings to the Buddhas;

Therefore, you now hear this meaning.

Having heard it, uphold and copy it,

Read, recite, praise, explain, and make offerings.

Thus single-mindedly seek the pure land,

And you will certainly pass into the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

Even if a great fire fills the three realms

And the adorned hells draw near,

You will escape all such calamities

Through the majestic power of the Tathāgata.

His meritorious benefits are immeasurable;

Only Buddhas together with Buddhas fully understand them.

How could the spiritual powers of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas

Throughout the world ever compare?

Even if the lifespans of sentient beings

Endured for innumerable koṭis of kalpas,

And throughout their lives they praised the merits of the Tathāgata’s body,

Their praise could never be exhausted.

The wondrous Dharma words of the Most Honored One

Benefit all living beings.

If anyone reverently upholds them,

The Buddha declares that person a true good friend.

When the Blessed One taught this Dharma, twelve koṭis of nayutas of people became free from dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma-eye. Eight hundred bhikṣus exhausted the outflows, understood the teaching, and attained liberation of mind. Among humans and devas, twenty-two koṭis of nayutas attained the fruit of non-returning, twenty-five koṭis attained non-retrogression in the Dharma, and forty koṭis of hundreds of thousands of nayutas aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, planted roots of goodness, and vowed to be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss to meet Amitāyus Buddha.

Furthermore, in lands throughout the ten directions, whether in the present or future, among those who encounter Amitāyus Buddha, eighty thousand koṭis of nayutas will receive from Dīpaṃkara Buddha the prediction that they will be called Wondrous Sound Tathāgata and will attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Through the causes and conditions of Amitāyus Buddha’s great vows in past kalpas, all those sentient beings will be born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

When the Buddha gave these teachings, the great trichiliocosm quaked in six ways, and fragrant heavenly flowers rained down until they reached the knees. Devas in the sky played exquisite music, producing sounds delightful to all. Even the devas of the Form Realm heard them and praised the event as unprecedented.

At that time, Venerable Ānanda, Bodhisattva Maitreya, the devas, nāgas, eight classes of beings, and the entire great assembly heard the Buddha’s teaching. They rejoiced greatly, faithfully accepted it, and reverently practiced it.

THE BUDDHA’S DISCOURSE ON THE MAHĀYĀNA SŪTRA OF THE ADORNMENT OF IMMEASURABLE LIFE

End of the Lower Fascicle