Life is a ripple in an ocean

Life is a ripple in an ocean

ĐỜI LÀ SÓNG LĂN TĂN TRONG BIỂN
But it's an integral part of the ocean

NHƯNG SÓNG CŨNG LÀ ĐẠI DƯƠNG THÔI
From which it comes and to which it returns.

TỪ BIỂN CÓ SÓNG VÀ LẶN SÓNG
This is the best image I can offer

ĐÂY LÀ HÌNH ẢNH TỐT MÀ TÔI TRAO
True imagery will determine the course of your journey

HÌNH ẢNH THẬT SẼ XÁC ĐỊNH HÀNH TRÌNH CỦA BẠN
There is a fatal misconception in our part

NẾU CÓ SỰ HIỂU LẦM TRONG CHÚNG TA
Continuity is not in the nature of things

TIẾP TỤC THÌ KHÔNG LÀ VIỆC ĐƯƠNG NHIÊN
It's only our clinging ness,

NGƯỜI TA DUY NHẤT CHỈ BÁM VÀO
Our wishful thinking.

SUY NGHĨ ƯỚC MUỐN CỦA CHÍNH MÌNH
Cultivate love and humility

THỰC HÀNH TÌNH YÊU VÀ NHÂN ĐẠO
With all our heart.

VỚI TẤT CẢ TẤM LÒNG
Learn to love your own karma

THỰC HÀNH YÊU THƯƠNG TRONG SỰ NGHIỆP
And that of your fellow men

ĐÓ LÀ ĐẤNG MÀY RÂU
With your eyes of solitude

VỚI ÁNH MẮT CÔ ĐƠN
Raise the flames of our existence.

BÙNG LÊN NGỌN LỬA CỦA SỰ SỐNG

CO^ NGI`N

GLOSSARY PURE LAND BUDDHISM

GLOSSARY


[A]
*Abhaya: Fearlessness

*Absolute reality of Suchness; true Suchness [Skt, Tathatā]:
Suchness (sometime rendered Thusness) means the ultimate nature of all phenomena; Reality; True existence; Ultimate truth.
The Mahāyāna philosophers have a theory by which they solve the question of immanence and transcendence or which solves the relationship between Karma and Akarma [Absence of Karma]. This theory, as systematically expounded in Aśvaghoṣa‘s Awakening of Faith, starts with the idea of Suchness (Tathatā in Sanskrit). Suchness is the limit of thought, and human consciousness cannot go any further than that; expressed in another way, without the conception of Suchness there is no bridge or background whereby the two contradictory ideas, Karma and Akarma, can be linked. In Suchness or Thusness, affirmation, negation, and all forms of opposites find their place of reconciliation or interpenetration; for affirmation is negation and negation is affirmation, and this interpenetration is only possible in Suchness. Suchness may thus be said to be standing on two legs-birth and death which is the realm of Karma, and No-birth and death which is the realm of Akarma beyond the reach of Causality.

*Ajātaśatru [Skt, Ajātaśatru]:
Son of King Bimbisāra and Queen Vaidehī of Magadha. Abetted by the rebellious Devadatta, he usurped the throne, imprisoned his parents, and starved them to death. After he had conquered and annexed neighboring states, laying the foundation for the unification of India. He became afflicted with a skin disease. Remorseful, he went to the Buddha to repent his sin and take refuge in Him. After the Buddha‘s parinirvāṇa. King Ajātaśatru sponsored the five hundred Arhats to collect the Buddha‘s teaching. Indian Buddhism is greatly indebted to the converted King Ajātaśatru for its prevalence and prosperity.

*All Beings [Skt, Sattva, Bahujana, Jantu]:
Sattva means [possessed of consciousness.] Though it generally refers to all beings in the world of illusion, in a broad sense, it sometimes includes Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. In the 18th, 19th, and 20th of Amitābha‘s Vows, the words [If, upon my attaining Buddha-hood, all beings in the ten quarters ..] are spoken. Shinran gives them special emphasis as the working of Amitābha‘s great compassion that opens the hearts of all beings and directs them toward Enlightenment.


*Amitābha [Skt, Amida, Amita, Amitāyus] Buddha:
The Buddha of infinite Light and Life now presided in the Western Paradise of Bliss, with Avalokiteśvara on his left and Mahāsthāmaprāpta on his right.
*Amitābha Sūtra:
Three Pure Land Sūtra are including as followings:
a) The Smaller Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra
b) The Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra
c) Amitāyur Dhyāna Sūtra [The Meditation Sūtra].

*Ānanda:
A cousin, and long-time attendant, Śākyamuni Buddha. Ānanda was noted for his great learning and was present at most of the Buddha‘s preachings. He was said to remember all the Sūtras, and to have recited them at the time of their compilation.

*Anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti [Skt] Insight into the Unborn Dharma, VN: Vô Sanh Pháp Nhẫn.
Kṣānti means to perceive correctly the nature of all things and gain perfect peace of mind. It is to be free of all illusions coming from transmigratory births and deaths and to have a thorough insight into the Unborn [anutpāda,] which is the absolute Dharma of true Suchness. To attain anutpattika-dharma-Kṣāti therefore means to have a clear grasp of the Dharma-nature, the ultimate Reality. A Bodhisattva who gains this stage is assured of rebirth in the Pure Land.

*Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi [Skt] Supreme Enlightenment; the perfect Supreme Enlightenment:
Buddha‘s Enlightenment, which is supreme, impartial, and perfect. It is supreme, and most profound experience a Buddhist is capable of having. Buddhist teachings of Precepts, Merit, Dharma, and all other expediencies, Ethical, Philosophical, and Religious are solely meant to bring about this Enlightenment. The attainment of the experience of Supreme Enlightenment may be called the fulfillment of the Ultimate Objective Buddhism.

*Arhat:
A Saint who has fully realized the truth of no self and eradicated all passions and desires. One who has reached the highest stage of Enlightenment in Hīnayāna Buddhism.

*Asura [Skt, Asura]:
Fighting demons. Asura was originally an Indian God who possessed a miraculous power to make music flow forth from his harp though no one was seen playing on it. Later it came to mean a malevolent deity that struggles against Śakra devānām Indra, the benevolent guardian deity of Buddhism. Thus Asura signifies an existence characterized by constant strife.

*Attachment:
In the Four Noble Truths, Buddha Śākyamuni taught that attachment to self is the root cause of suffering.

*Awakening vs. Enlightenment:
A clear distinction should be made between awakening to the way [Great Awakening (VN)Đại Ngộ] and attaining the Way[attaining Enlightenment].[Note: there are many degrees of Awakening and Enlightenment. Attaining the Enlightenment of the Arhats, Pratyeka Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, etc.. is different from attaining Supreme Enlightenment, i.e., [Buddha-hood].

*Awakened to the Enlightenment mind (Bodhicitta) [VN: Phát Bồ Đề Tâm]:
That is, to awaken the desire to become a Buddha; the mind resolved to attain Enlightenment (Bodhi).

[B]

*Bardo [Skt, Antarābhāva (VN) Thân trung ấm]:
The intermediate stage between death and rebirth.

*Beyond my understanding [Skt, Acintya]:
The working of the Buddha-mind and everything in the Dharma-world is beyond the power of man‘s thinking or describing. To bridge the impassable chasm between the realm of relativity and the absolute, man thus has no other way than to give himself up to the Power of Amitābha ‘s Prayer, because the Power of Amitābha ‘s Prayer is unthinkable, which is beyond the limits of man ‘s intellectual reflections.

*Bhikṣu:
An ordained priest who renounces the world to practice the way of the Buddha, taking on himself the discipline of precepts (Śīla).

*Birth, Old age, Disease, and Death, [Skt, Jāti, Jarā, Vyādhi, Maraṇa]:
The four basic sufferings [Duḥkha] to which human life are subject. The four sufferings, which were observed by the Buddha during his wanderings as a prince, are the reason Śākyamuni left home and enter a religious life. According to the Nikāya, when the Buddha later reflected on the particulars which led up to his own search for truth, he cautioned others against [the pride of youth] yobbana-mada; [the pride of good health] ārogya-mada; and [the pride of being alive] Jīvita-mada.

*Bodhi [Skt]:
Bodhi means Enlightenment.

*Bodhiruci [Skt, Bodhiruci], VN: Bồ Đề Lưu Chi.
An Indian Buddhist Monk from central India who in 508 arrived in Loyang. There at Yung-ning-ssu monastery [Vĩnh Ninh Tự] he translated Sūtras and commentaries into Chinese, numbering 39 works in 127 volumes, among them Vasubandhu‘s Treatise on the Pure Land.

*Bodhisattva, Bodhisattvaship; Bodhisattva Mahāsattva [Skt, Bodhisattva]:
A Bodhisattva who has reached the advanced stages of Enlightenment, One who aspires to the attainment of Buddha-hood and devotes himself to altruistic deeds, especially deeds that cause others to attain Enlightenment.

*Bodhisattva Maitreya [Skt, Maitreya]:
The Bodhisattva Maitreya is the future Buddha, who will attain Buddha-hood in this world after Śākyamuni Buddha. He has gained the highest stage of Bodhisattvaship and is only a step away from Buddha-hood. At present, he is preaching the Dharma for the Devas in his Pure Land, the Tuṣita Heaven, but according to Śākyamuni‘s prophecy he will come and be reborn in this world 5,670,000,000 years in the future, attain Enlightenment and become Buddha. Because of this assurance, he is on occasion referred to as the Buddha Maitreya.

*Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī:
A Bodhisattva who is the symbol of wisdom and is placed on the Buddha‘s left with Samantabhadra on the right.

*Bodhisattva Samantabhadra:
A Bodhisattva, symbol of the fundamental Law, dhyāna and practice of all Buddhas. He is the right-hand assistant of the Buddha and Mañjuśrī is His left-hand assistant. Mount O-Mei in Szechuan, China, is his bodhimaṇḍala, and devotees go there to see myriad Buddha lamps in the sky at night

*Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara:
A Bodhisattva who will come to the aid of anyone who invokes His name. This Bodhisattva is the embodiment of the compassion of all Buddhas. He appears in many Sūtra and Tantras, and plays an important role in most Mahāyāna activities. Avalokiteśvara is worshipped in either a male or a female form in the various Buddhist countries.

*Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprapta [Shih Chih, Seishi]:
A Bodhisattva representing the Buddha-wisdom of Amitābha. He is on Amitābha‘s right with Avalokiteśvara on the left. They are called the Three Holy Ones of the Western Paradise of Bliss.

*Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa:
A Brahmin converted to Buddhism, who became the First Patriarch of the Pure Land School; author of The Awakening of Faith.

*Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna:
Born in Southern India in the second century A.D., he expounded Madhyamika philosophy based upon the principle of Śūnyatā. He is regarded as founder by eight of the main Schools of Buddhism. He is said to have embraced Pure Land faith in his later years. Among his known works are: Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā-Śāstra, [Shih-chu pi-p’o-sha lun, 17 vols], and Mahāprajñāpāramitā-Śāstra, [Ta-chih-tu lun, 100 vols.] etc..

*Bodhisattva Vasubandhu:
Lived between the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. Born in Puruṣapura in the country of Gandhāra, he went to Kaśmira where he took up the study of Hīnayāna Buddhism and wrote the Abhidharmakośabhāsya. He criticized the Mahāyāna, but under the influence of his elder brother, Asaṅga was later converted to it. He left many writings and commentaries, laying the foundations for the Yogācāra School [The Mind Only or Consciousness Only] doctrines thatare the core of the Yogācāra. Vimśatikāvijñaptimātratāsiddhi, 1 vol.; Triṃśikāvijñaptimātratāsiddhi, 1 vol.; Sukhāvatīvyuh-Opadeśa.; 1 vol.

*Brāhmaṇas [Skt, Brāmaṇa]:
The highest of the four traditional social classes of Indian society, composed of Brāhmaṇa priests and scholars. The other three are the kṣatriya, the ruling caste; the Vaiśya, the caste of peasants, artisans, and merchants; and the Śūdra, the slave caste.
*Brahma Net Sūtra [Brahmajāla Sūtra] Sixty-two heretical Schools:

*Buddha:
Buddha is a person who attained Enlightenment.

*Buddha Dharma:
The doctrines or teachings of the Buddha.

*Buddha Nature; Buddha-hood [Buddhatā or Dharmatā]:
Buddhatā is the essence of Buddha-hood, without which this is never attained on the world. When the Buddha is conceived impersonally or objectively, it is Dharma, law, truth, or reality; and Dharmatā are what constitute the Dharma. Dharmatā and Buddhatā are interchangeable, but the experience of the Mahāyānists is described more in terms of Buddhatā.
The Nirvāṇa Sūtra states that All beings are inherent the Buddha-nature.


*Buddha Recitation, Buddha–Remembrance, Pronounce the Name [Skt, Buddhānusmṛiti, Ch. Nien-Fo, VN: Niệm Phật]:
General term for a number of practices, such as i) Oral recitation of Amitābha Buddha ‘s name and ii) Visualization/Contemplation of His Auspicious Marks and those Pure Land realms. In reciting the Buddha-name, you use your own mind to be mindful of your own true self: how could this be considered seeking outside yourself? Reciting the Buddha-Name proceeds from the mind. The mind remembers Buddha and do not forget. That is why it is called Buddha Recitation, or reciting the Buddha-name mindfully.
The Name of Amitābha Buddha has had the original in Sanskrit phrase [Namo Amitābhabuddhāya,] in Chinese [Namo A-mi-t ‘uo Fo] in Japanese [Namu-Amida-Butsu] in Vietnamese [Nam Mô A Di Đà Phật]. meaning [Adoration of the Buddha of Infinite Light.] However, with followers of the Pure Land teaching, the phrase is far more than mere adoration for by this they express their absolute faith in Amitābha as one who makes it possible for them to be born in his Land of Purity and Bliss. The phrase often serves as a metaphysical formula symbolizing the identity of subject and object, of the devotee and Amitābha, of the [sin-laden] individual and the all saving and all merciful of all beings [Sarvasattva] and Buddha, of human yearnings and the Supreme Enlightenment.

[C]

*Conditioned [compounded]:
Describes all the various phenomena in the world – made up of separate, discrete elements, [with outflows,] with no intrinsic nature of their own. Conditions merits and virtues lead to rebirth within Saṃsāra, whereas unconditioned merits and virtues are the causes of liberation from birth and death.
[D]

*Dāna:
Charity, almsgiving, i.e., of money, goods or doctrine.

*Demons:
Evil influences, which hinder cultivation. These can take an infinite number of forms, including evil beings or hallucinations. Disease and death, as well as the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion are also equated to demons, as they disturb the mind.
*Devas [Skt, Deva, Ch. T’ien] Deities, Gods:
At the time of Śākyamuni in India, the Heavens inhabited by Devas were commonly held to be the highest of all realms, attainable by the performance of good deeds. With the introduction of Buddhism and its doctrine of Nirvāṇa, heavens and Devas came to be considered abodes still within the realm of illusion. With time, various classifications, divisions and subdivisions were applied to the Devas and their Heavens.

*Dharma:
The truth, Law or Doctrine; a thing, all things, anything great or small, visible or invisible, real or unreal, concrete thing or abstract idea. It connotes Buddhism as the perfect religion and has the second place in the Triratna, or Triple Gem.

*Dharma-Ending Age, Decay of the Dharma [Saddharmavipralopa, Chinese: Mo-Fa, VN: Mạt Pháp, Japanese: Mappō]
The time following Buddha Śākyamuni‘s demise is divided into three period.
1. Dharma-Perfect Age: Lasting 500 years, when the Buddha‘s teaching [usually meditation] was correctly practiced and Enlightenment often attained.
2. Dharma-Semblance Age: Lasting about 1,000 years, when a form of the teaching was practiced but Enlightenment seldom attained.
3. Dharma-Ending Age: Lasting some 2,000 years, when a diluted form of the teaching exists and Enlightenment is rarely attained.

*Dharma Gate: School, Method, Tradition.

*Dharma Nature:
The intrinsic nature of all things. Used interchangeably with [Emptiness,] [Reality.]

*Dhyāni-Buddha:
There are five Dhyāni-Buddha as followings: 1/ Vairocana Buddha in the Centre, 2/ Akṣobhya in the East, 3/ Ratnasaṃbhava in the South, 4/ Amitābha in the West and 5/ Amoghasiddhi in the North.

*Difficult Path of Practice [Path of the Sages, Self-Power Path]:
According to Pure Land teaching, all conventional Buddhist ways of practice and cultivation [Zen, Theravada, the Vinaya School…], which emphasize self-power and self-reliance. This is contrasted to the Easy Path of Practice, that is , the Pure Land method, which relies on both self-power and other-power [the power and assistance of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

*Đề Hồ (VN) [Skt, Sarpimaṇḍa]:
One of the five flavors of milk. According to The Nirvāṇa Sūtra, these are: 1/ Fresh milk [Sữa] 2/ Coagulated milk [Cream, Lạc], 3/ Curdled milk [Sanh Tô], 4/ Butter [Thục Tô], 5/ Clarified Butter [ghee Đề Hồ]. The last is the rarest of all the flavors, and is used as a metaphor for Nirvāṇa, Buddha –Nature, True-Teaching, etc…
Thích Thiện Mỹ found the five flavors of milk, date 21-04-2005
*Dusts [Worldly Dusts], VN: Bụi Trần.
A metaphor for all the mundane things that can cloud our bright Self-Nature. These include Form, Sound, Scent, Taste, Touch, Dharmas [external opinions and views]. These dusts correspond to the five senses and the discriminating, everyday mind [the sixth sense, in Buddhism].
:

[E]
*Easy Path of Practice:
Refers to Pure Land practice. The Easy Path involves reliance on the power of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in particular Buddha Amitābha [Other-power].

*Eight kinds of Calamities [Bát Nạn]:
The eight kinds of calamities of those who are unable to see the Buddha and listen to His teaching are:
1/ to be born in hell;
2/ to be born in the animal world;
3/ to be born in the world of hungry ghosts.
The above three paths of existence are called [the three evil paths.]In them, one cannot hear the Dharma because of the pain and suffering one must undergo.
4/ to be born in the Heaven of Longevity;
5/ to be born in the Uttara-kuru
These last two are realms where one can enjoy much pleasure and longevity, but where, because of these sensual pleasures, one has no chance to hear the Dharma.
6/ to be born blind, deaf, and dumb;
7/ to be born secularly wise;
8/ to be born before the birth or after the death of Śākyamuni Buddha.

*Emancipation [Skt, Vimokṣa], VN: Giải Thoát:
This usually means to be free from the bondage of birth and death, and delivered from ignorance and passions [Kleśa] into Enlightenment. The devotees are no longer bound to dualism or to Non-dualism, and see all things in their Suchness in a state. Hence, it may indicate Nirvāṇa or the Pure Land.

*Emptiness [Skt, Śūnyatā]:
Voidness, Emptiness, Non-existence, immateriality, unreality, the illusory nature of all existence, the seeming that is unreal.

*Evil Paths, VN: Tam Ác Đạo.
The paths of Hells, Hungry ghosts, Animalist. These paths can be taken as states of mind; i.e., when someone has a vicious thought of maiming or killing another, he is effectively reborn, for that moment, in the Hells.

[F]

*Faith, believe [Skt, Śraddhā]:
Generally speaking, the Sanskrit Śraddhā (faith) means in Buddhism to purify the mind of the defilements or the evil passions. When the mind is absolutely pure, the practitioner is able to truly enjoy himself and others in all situations, with no inclination to fear or evade personal suffering and to seek pleasure or self-benefit.

*Five Aggregates [Skt, Pañca-Skandha]:
1/ form, 2/ feeling, 3/ ideation, 4/ reaction, (VN: Hành uẩn) 5/ consciousness.

*Five Defilements, Turbidities, Corruptions, Depravities, Filths, Impurities [Skt, Pañca-kaṣāya], VN: Ngũ Trược Ác Thế.
Degeneration-mental, spiritual, and physical defilements are believed to increase with the passage of time from the Buddha‘s demise:
(1) Kalpa-kaṣāya; defilements relating with the time [such as natural calamity, hunger, pestilence];
(2) Dṛiṣṭi-kaṣāya; defilements relating to philosophical insight [such as the growth of complex systems of philosophy and the confrontation of ideologies];
(3) Kleśa-kaṣāya; defilements relating to morality [destructive anger, ignorance, superiority or complexes, insincerity, etc..];
(4) Sattva-kaṣāya; defilements relating to physical and spiritual existence [such as decline in physical and mental ability, tendency toward egotism, neglect of others];
(5) Āyu-kaṣāya; defilements relating to man‘s increased dissatisfaction with life; the vain wasting of human existence

*Five kinds of eyes:
1/ The physical eye; 2/ The Deva-eye of celestial beings, which can be developed by humans through meditation and which can see even in darkness, at great distances, and through obstacles; 3/ The wisdom-eye, which sees the emptiness of all things, is possessed by all Enlightenment beings, including Śrāvakas and PratyekaBuddha; 4/ The Dharma-eye of Bodhisattvas, which sees the truth of the Buddha ‘s teaching and all Dharma-doors; and 5/ The Buddha-eye, which nondualistically sees everything in its real nature, and which is possessed only by Buddhas.

*Five Pasions, Five Desires, Five Sensual Pleasures [Ngũ Dục Lạc]:
Those arising from attachment to the objects of the five senses [Pañca-viṣaya]: things seen (Rūpa), things heard (Śabda), things smelt (Gandha), things tasted (Rasa), things touched (Spraṣtavya). Also, the desires for Wealth, Sex, Fame, Food and Sleep.

*Five Precepts:
The precepts taken by Lay Buddhists, prohibiting i) Killing, ii) Stealing, iii) Sexual misconduct, iv) Lying, v) ingesting intoxicants.

*Five Sufferings [Skt, pañca Duḥkhāni]:
(1) Life, (2) old age, (3) illness, (4) death, (5) parting with loved ones.
Another enumeration gives:
(1) Life, old-age, illness, and death;
(2) Parting with loved ones;
(3) Meeting those one dislikes;
(4) Failure to acquire what one wants;
(5) Attachment to the five elemental aggregates that constitute one‘s body and mind.

*Four Āgamas:
The Āgamas are the scriptures of early Buddhism. Northern Buddhism separates them into four divisions:
(1) Dīrgha-āgama, 22 vols
(2) Madhyama-āgama, 60 vols
(3) Ekottarika-āgama, 51 vols
(4) Samyukta-āgama, 50 vols
From its original meaning of [coming, and returning (to the source)] and [anything handed down and fixed by tradition,] Āgama has come to mean the teachings of the Buddha and the scriptural writings of Buddhism.

*Four Classes of Beings, VN: Tứ Chúng.
The four classes of lay ordained men and women that make up the Buddhist community:
(1) Bhikṣu, A Priest who must keep precepts prescribed by his order.
(2) Bhikṣuṇī, A Nun who must keep the precepts of her order.
(3) Upāsaka, A layman who entrusts himself to the Triple Treasure and keeps the precepts prescribed for laymen.
(4) Upāsikā, A laywoman who entrusts herself to the Triple Treasure and keeps the precepts prescribed for laywomen.

*Four Devilish Foes [Skt, Māra]: There are four kinds of Māra, they are…
1/ evil passions (Kleśa) that distress one‘s body and mind; [Phiềṅ Nảo Ma.]
2/ death;
3/ the five aggregates that make up the body and mind;
4/ Devas


*Four Elements [Skt, Mahā-Bhūta]:
The Four substances that constitute all matter:
(1) Earth [Pṛithivī-bhūta], possessed of hardness and able to support things;
(2) Water [Ab-bhūta], possessed of moisture and able to contain things;
(3) Wind or air [Vāyu-bhūta], possessed of the quality of motion and able to bring things to maturity;
(4) Fire [Tejo-bhūta], possessed of the quality of heat and able to perfect things.

*Four immeasurable:
1/ Kindness [Maitrī]; 2/ compassion [karuṇā]; 3/ Joy [Muditā]; 4/ Equanimity, amnesty [upekṣā].

*Four Mindfulnesses:
1/ Mindfulness of the body as impure; 2/ Mindfulness of feeling as suffering; 3/ Mindfulness of the mind as impermanent; 4/ Mindfulness of Dharmas as dependent, without self-entity. We think of [mindfulness of] Amitābha Buddha in the Pure Land method.

*Furnished in refinement; Adornment [Skt,Vyūha, Alaṃkāra]:
Refinement, Adornment, Embellishment, actualization are renderings of the term Chinese Chuang-yen. The term has its origin in two Sanskrit words, Alaṃkāra and Vyūha, the former meaning [making sufficient,] [decoration,] [Ornament,] and the latter, [placing apart,] [arrangement,] and [disposition.]

[G]

*Good Spiritual Advisor, Good Friend [Skt, Kalyāṇamitra]:
The friend or teacher who guides other correctly in the Buddha way. In a brother-hood bound I Buddhist spirit, one invariably perceives in his friends the working of something that leads him to the way of the Buddha. Much more than fond, intimate acquaintances, they are his exemplars through whom he gains living proof of the Dharma. Chih-I‘s Treatise on Śamatha and Vipaśyanā enumerates three kinds of [good friends]: (1) those who help by looking over one from without; (2) those who act together with one; and (3) those who teach and guide one.

*Great unconditional compassion; Absolute compassion [Skt, Mahākaruṇā, Ch. Wu-Kai-Ta-Pei, VN. Vô Ngại Đại Bi]:
The great compassion embodied by Amitābha as expressed in his Vows of universal salvation. It is also called Wu-kai-ta-pei, literally meaning [Uncovered,] is rendered here as [Unconditional] and [Absolute.] The term thus means compassion, which is boundless, Absolute and Unconditional.

[H]

*House of the Dharma [Skt, Dharma-kośa; Dharmākara]:
Originally, the storehouse where all the Sacred Buddhist Text were kept, hence where the Dharma in all its aspects was expounded. It later came to refer to all the Merits or Virtues gained from practicing the teachings of the Dharma. Thus in this context it means to recite Amitābha Buddha‘s Name in which are contained all the Merits and Virtues of the Dharma.
[I]

*Icchantika [Skt]:
Originally, this meant [One who follows his cravings and desires.] In Buddhism it generally refers to someone with no inclination to seek Enlightenment, who is without belief in the Dharma and has no desire to become Buddha; hence he who has cut off all his stock of Merit.

*Ignorance, Delusion or Unenlightenment [Skt, Avidyā]:
In Buddhism, ignorance is the basic of all evil passions [Kleśa, fan-nao] and is the greatest hindrance to the attainment of Supreme Enlightenment. Evil passions refer generally to troubled, confused mental activity caused by a deluded mind and body. The ultimate goal of Buddhists is to cut off the root of all evil passions by attaining the transcendental wisdom of Enlightenment.

[J]
*Jewel Net of Indra:
This is a net said to hang in the Palace of Indra, the King of the Gods. At each interstice of the net is a reflecting jewel, which mirrors not only the adjacent jewels but also the multiple images reflected in them. This famous image is meant to describe the unimpeded interpenetration of all and everything.

[K]

*Karma [Skt, Karma; Karman]:
The Buddhist conception of Karma, briefly stated, is this: Any act, good or evil, once committed and conceived, never vanishes like a bubble I water, but lives, potentially or actively as the case may be, in the world of minds and deeds. This mysterious moral energy, so to speak, is embodied in and emanates from every act and thought, for it does not matter whether it is actually performed, or merely conceived in the mind. When time comes, it is sure to germinate and grow with all its vitality. Says the Buddha:
“Karma even after the lapse of a hundred kalpas,
Will not be lost nor destroyed;
As soon as the necessary conditions are ready,
Its fruit is sure to ripe.”

*Karmic result of faith in the Buddha:
Faith in the Buddha is the result of a happy combination of one‘s favorable past karmic conditions and Amitābha‘s Vow working to bring about salvation.

*kleśa:
Worry, anxiety, trouble, distress and whatever causes them.

*Koṭis [Skt, Koṭi], VN: Câu Chi.
A Unit used for counting. One version says a Koṭi consists of 10,000,000, while another gives 100,000,000. One hundred Koṭi is said to make 3000 Chiliocosms.

*Kṣaṇa [Skt, Kṣaṇa, Sát Na]:
The shortest possible unit of time. According to the Abhidharmakośabhāsya, Vol. 12:
120 Kṣaṇa=tat-kṣaṇa, 60 Tat-Kṣaṇa=lava, one finger-snap
90 Kṣaṇa= a thouhgt
4,500 Kṣaṇa= a minute
30 Muhūrta=24 hours
According to the above formulas, one Kṣaṇa corresponds to 1/75 second. There are various other explanations about this.


[L]

*Lesser Vehicle [Skt, Hīnayāna]:
[Lesser vehicle.] An appellation critically applied by the later Mahāyānists to the more conservative Buddhism that is based primarily on the Pāli Canon and the teaching of the two vehicles. The claim of the Mahāyānists is that the early Buddhists did not envisage in Buddha‘s Enlightenment the fullest extent beyond a personal salvation, the state of Arhatship. Hīnayānists is also called the Southern or the Theravāda School of Buddhism.

*Living, Practice [Skt, Paṭipatti, Ch. Xīu-Xíng, VN: Tu Hành]:
Usually understood as [practice,] [discipline,] [act.] Generally, Xīu Xíng refers to practices of all forms, which lead to Enlightenment.

*Lotus World [Skt, Kusuma-tala-garbha-Vyūhālaṃkāra-lokadhātu-samudra], Liên Hoa Tạng Thế Giới.
The reference here is to Amitābha‘s Pure Land. In Buddhism, the Buddha-Dharma, Buddha-Land, Enlightenment and so on, are often compared to the Lotus, which grows with its roots in the mud yet produces a Pure and Noble-Flower. The Buddha goes about in this world of birth and death working to deliver suffering beings and yet his Enlightenment remains untainted by evil passions. The term Lotus-world appears originally in the Avataṃsaka-Sūtra where it means the world in which the Vairocana Buddha reigns and teaches.

[M]

*Mahāyāna [Skt, Mahāyāna]:
Mahā means [great] and Yāna, [vehicle.] Buddhism is historically divided into two fundamental Schools, Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna, [small vehicle] and [great vehicle.] the Mahāyāna is a later development and prevails Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet, Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, while the Hīnayāna is strong in Ceylon, Burma and Thailand.

*Marks, [Skt, Lakṣana]:
The Marks visible on the body of every Buddha.

*Merit [skt, Guṇa, Ch, Kung-Te]:
The word kung-te encompasses not merely the idea of Merit but also all potentiality contained in a good deed. [True] Merit is derived from good deeds such as the six Pāramitās and other acts in accordance with the Buddha‘s teaching. [False] Merits are those derived from deeds of a worldly nature no matter how good they may seem.

*Merit and Virtue:
These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there is a crucial difference: merits are the blessings [wealth, intelligence, etc.] of the human and celestial realms; therefore, they are temporary and subject to Birth and Death. Virtues, on the other hand, transcend Birth and Death and lead to Buddha-hood. Four virtues are mentioned in Pure Land Buddhism: eternity; happiness; True-Self; purity. An identical action [e.g., charity] can lead to either merit or virtue, depending on the mind of the practitioner, that is, on whether he is seeking mundane rewards [merit] or transcendence [virtue]. Thus, the Pure Land cultivator should not seek merits for by doing so, he would, in effect, be choosing to remain within Saṃsāra. This would be counter to his very wish to escape Birth and Death.

*Mind [Skt, Citta]:
Key concept in all Buddhist teaching. Frequent term in Ch’an, used in two senses: (1) the mind-ground, the one Mind... the Buddha-mind, the mind of thusness... (2) false mind [VN: Vọng Tâm] the ordinary mind dominated by conditioning, desire, aversion, ignorance, and false sense of self, the mind of delusion.



[N]

*Nine grades of Beings, Lotus Grades, VN: Cửu Phẩm Liên Hoa:
In The Sūtra of Meditation aspirant for birth in Amitābha‘s Pure Land are described under three ranks and nine grades.
I. Highest rank:
(1) The highest grate of the highest rank
(2) The middle grate of the highest rank
(3) The lowest grate of the highest rank
Devotees who belong to this rank follow the Mahāyāna teaching.
II. Middle rank:
(4) The highest grate of the middle rank
(5) The middle grate of the middle rank
Devotees who belong to these two grates follow the Hīnayāna teaching.
(6) The lowest grate of the middle rank
Those who belong to this grate practice good deeds only in the worldly sense.
III. Lowest rank:
(1) The highest grate of the lowest rank
(2) The middle grate of the lowest rank
(3) The lowest grate of the lowest rank
Those who belong to this rank can perform only evil deeds. Those who belong to the ninth grate are the vilest of all.
Pure Land Schools place great importance on the deep love of the Buddha, which never forsakes even the vilest of Creatures.

*Nirvāṇa [Skt, Nirvāṇa]:
The Sanskrit Nirvāṇa means [blown out,] [extinguished,] [calmed,] [tamed,] [deceased,] [disappeared.] The Buddhists came to employ this word to express Buddha‘s Enlightenment, a state reached by extinguishing the fire of evil passions rooted in ignorance. Nirvāṇa means nothing else in its essence than Enlightenment. Nirvāṇa, according to Buddhists, does not signify an annihilation of consciousness or a temporal or permanent suppression of mentation, as imagined by some; but it is the annihilation of the notion of ego-substance and of all the desires that arise from this erroneous conception. But this represents the negative side of the doctrine, and its positive side consists in universal love or sympathy [Karuṇā] for all beings.

*Non-Birth, No-Birth, VN: Vô Sanh, Bất Sanh.
A term used to describe the nature of Niṛvāṇa. In Mahāyāna Buddhism generally, No-Birth signifies the ‘extinction’ of the discursive thinking by which we conceive of things as arising and perishing, forming attachments to them.

*Non-Buddhist Schools:
This refers to all Indian non-Buddhist teachings, and is generally used pejoratively to include all false teachings as well. In particular, there are six ascetic-teachers representative of six Schools of non-Buddhist philosophy, but there are also enumerations of 16, 20, 62, and 95 non-Buddhist Schools.

*Non-doing; Doing-nothing-ness [Skt, Asaṃskṛita], VN: Vô Vi
Non-doing is a way of characterizing Enlightenment or Nirvāṇa, the Ultimate nature of Amitābha‘s Pure Land. The Sanskrit Asaṃskṛita, usually rendered [uncreated,] means [that which is not subject to the law of causation.] All things that are born from or produced by conditions of causation are by necessity impermanent, but the realm of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is eternal, unchanging, empty [Śūnya,] unborn, nondual, without self-substance, and non-doing.

[O]

*Ocean-wide Lotus Assembly, VN: Thanh Tịnh Đại Hải Chúng.
The Lotus Assembly represents the gathering of Buddha Amitābha, the Bodhisattvas, the Sages and Saints and other superior beings in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. This Assembly is [Ocean-Wide] as the participants are infinite in number – spreading as far and wide as the ocean. The term Ocean-wide Assembly is generally associated with the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, a Text particularly prized by the Pure Land and Ch’an Schools alive.

*One Mind, Ch. I-hsin, VN: Nhất Tâm
Here, [one] signifies absoluteness, a purity that is beyond all relative categories. One mind refers to Amitābha‘s true mind that appears and operates freely and unrestrictedly amid the world of birth and death. Since it remains unsullied even while dwelling in the world of defilement it is called the Pure Mind; since it remains immovable and undisturbed within the world‘s confusion, it is called the Vajra Mind. When Vasubandhu states at the beginning of The Treatise on the Pure Land [I, with one mind,] he is speaking of the spiritual realm in which he has awakened to the Original Vow and placed his trust in Amitābha, clarifying that this [one mind] is Amitābha ‘s Pure Mind.

*[Others-benefiting] and [Benefited by the Other]:
Generally Bodhisattva Vows are said to have the two aspects of self-benefiting [i.e., for one‘s own Enlightenment, and other-benefiting [i.e., for the Enlightenment of others,] Bodhisattvas gain Enlightenment as the result of long and arduous practice, and by means of the merit thus gained lead others to Enlightenment. According to Pure Land teaching, if Bodhisattvas trust in their own power instead of Amitābha‘s, they can not consummate both these aspects. It is not Bodhisattvas that save sentient beings, but the great compassion of Amitābha‘s other-power. To express this, Doran uses the phrase benefited by the other. Sentient beings as seen by Amitābha are called others and Amitābha seen by sentient beings is called the other.

*Other-Power:
Other-power denotes the power of Amitābha‘s Vows. Although [other-power] is the apparent antithesis of [self-power,] essentially, as a working force, [other] is beyond any such dualistic notions. If we say that other-power issues from a personality named Amitābha, we somehow feel It to be something possessed of the nature of human conduct. But the working of Amitābha‘s great Compassion is free from all human agency, severed from discriminations and arguing; it is natural and not calculated. Therefore, this power of the Original Vow is like Asura‘s harp, from which it is said the music comes out naturally without anyone playing on it. Here is the transcendental aspect of Pure Land teaching.

*One Thought; One moment of thought [Skt, Eka-kṣaṇa], VN: Nhất Niệm, Một Sát Na.
[One thought] is a momentous term in the philosophy of Pure Land Buddhism. Its Sanskrit original is Eka-Kṣaṇa meaning [one instant] or [One moment.] As we say in English [Quick as thought] or [Quick as a flash,] [One thought] represents in term of time the shortest possible duration, which is to say, one instant. The on instant of faith-establishment is the moment when Amitābha‘s Eternal Light flashes into the darkening succession of love and hate which is experienced by our relative consciousness. At one moment of thought, if one recited the Name of Amitābha Buddha to come to singlemindedly, he would reborn in the Pure Land instantly at the moment of death.

[P]

*Paramitā:
Crossing over from this shore of birth and death to the other shore [Nirvāṇa.]

*Prajñā [Skt, Prajñā]: Wisdom, Transcendental Wisdom.

*Pratyeka Buddha [Skt, pratyeka Buddha [solitary Buddha], VN: Bích Chi Phật.
One who obtains Enlightenment without recourse to the Buddha‘s teaching. A Saint who preferring a life of quiet peacefulness, does not preach the Dharma, and does not lead others to salvation. The Solitary Buddha-vehicle and Hearer-vehicle make up the [two vehicles,] or the Hīnayāna. When the Bodhisattva-vehicle is added, they are called the [three vehicles].


*Pratyutpanna-Samādhi [Skt] contemplation on the presence of Buddha:
One comes into the presence of all Buddhas in this Samādhi. To gain this state, a certain length of time [from 7 to 90 days] is set aside, during which the practitioners circumambulate a statue of Amitābha while reciting the Nien-fo. This practice is called [Walking Only] Samādhi. Not allow to sitting or lying or take a rest.

*Prayer [Original Prayer]: Skt, Pūrva-Praṇdhāna.
Praṇidhāna is generally translated as [Vow] or [Fervent Wish] or [Prayer,] or simply [the will], but these English terms do not convey the full meaning of the Sanskrit as it is used in the Mahāyāna. The original Prayer is the expression of Amitābha ‘s Vows or Karuṇā (Love or compassion) which he cherishes over all beings. Karuṇā constitutes with Prajñā the personality of every Buddha. Amitābha Buddha used Original Prayer to save all beings in the ten directions.

*Precepts [Skt, Śīla]:
The word Śīla originally possesses meanings such as deed, custom, character, morality, devotion; but generally, it is used to mean the Buddhist rules of moral conduct. These were promulgated to warn against the practices of non-Buddhist Schools, applying to laymen as well as priests.

*Pure Land [Skt, Sukhāvatī]:
The term Pure Land generally refers to the abode of all Buddhas. I the Pure Land teaching it refers to a place created out of Amitābha‘s boundless love to save all beings from ignorance and suffering. [In this Land of Bliss, Sukhāvatī,] inequalities of all kinds are wiped out and those who enter are allowed equally to attain perfect Enlightenment.

*Purity of the objective world (or Environment) [Skt] Bhājanalokavyavadhāna; Bhājanapariśodhana:
The purity of the Pure Land is twofold: the purity of the Land itself, and the purity of those abiding therein. The former is technically referred to as the purity of the objective world or environment [literally, vessel-world], while the latter is known as the purity of personality. Vasubandhu devotes 17 lines to describe the purity or [embellishment] of the Land.

*Purity of Personally [Skt, Sattvalokavyavadāna; Sattvapariśodhana]:
Personality refers to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas who inhabit the Pure Land of Amitābha. Vasubandhu devotes 8 lines of his Gāthā to the ways in which the Buddha Amitābha was actualized and to his purities [adornments], and 4 lines to the purities of the Pure Land Bodhisattvas.




[R]


*Recompense [Ch: pao; VN: Quả Báo]:
Generally, in Buddhism Pao means that which is acquired as a result of a certain deed. In the Pure Land School recompense refers in particular ti that accruing from result‘s Vows and long practice to bring about perfection. Accordingly, Amitābha is called [the Body of Recompense,] and his Pure Land, [the Land of Recompense.]

[S]

*Sahā World [Skt, Sahālokadhātu]: VN: Ta Bà Thế Giới.
The Sanskrit Sahā means [the Earth,] to Indian Buddhism, the world inhabited by men. It was translated into Chinese as [Patience] or [Endurance] in addition to its strictly phonetic rendering of Sha-p’o. It refers to this present world whose dwellers must endure the results of deeds produced by their evil passions; the world of transmigration into which Śākyamuni Buddha appeared to reveal his teaching. It is usually contrasted to the Pure Land; [dialectically speaking, the absolute contradiction between the Pure Land and the defiled Land of ours is synthesized only by going through the medium ship of Amitābha‘s infinite Light.

*Samādhi:
Internal state of imperturbability, exempt from all external sensation; this state precedes the attainment of Buddhahood.

*Samādhi of meditation on Buddha, [Ch. Nien-Fo-San-Mei]:
It is the Samādhi that is realized by constant recitation of [Namo Amitābhāya Buddhāya]. We can state that the Samādhi, and the establishment of faith in the Buddha, and the assurance of rebirth in his Land of Purity, describe one and the same psychological fact, which constitutes the foundation of the Pure Land doctrine.

*Sambhoga-kāya:
Reward body of a Buddha, that of Bliss or enjoyment of fruits of His past saving labors. It is perceptible to Bodhisattvas only.

*Samādhi of meditation on Buddha:

*Saṃsāra:
Saṃsāra means the cycle of births and deaths. Birth and death is a technical term in Buddhism and may better be hyphenated. The Sanskrit original Saṃsāra means [becoming] or [passing through a succession of changes,] for which the Chinese Buddhist Scholars have Sheng-Ssu, i.e., [birth and death.] It stands contrasted to Nirvāṇa, which is [changelessness,] [eternity,] [absoluteness.] To transcend birth and death is to be released from the bondage of Karma, to attain Emancipation, Enlightenment, and Eternal Bliss, which is Buddha-hood.

*Śamatha and Vipaśyana [Skt] The Treatise on Śamatha and Vipaśyana
Śamatha means to stop all thoughts and concentrate on a single object to quiet the mind. Vipaśyana means to observe clearly an object with right wisdom. This twofold practice, in which the two aspects are inseparable, is said to be the basic method of consummating the Buddhist teaching.

*Śāriputra:
A disciple of the Buddha, noted for His Wisdom

*Śāstra: commentaries

*Skt, Mahāyāna-Śraddhotpāda Śāstra [The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna]:
It was translated into Chinese in 550 by Paramārtha-Bhikṣu who had come from India to China during the Liang Dynasty (502-557). The Treatise sets forth the fundamental doctrines of Mahāyāna Buddhism and attempts to awaken people to faith in it. In particular, it takes up the concept of Tathatā, meaning Thusness or Suchness, the true aspect of reality. It was widely studies by Mahāyānists in India, and there are several Chinese commentaries.

*Skt, Mahāprajñāpāramitā-Śāstra, Ch. Ta chih-tu Lun, VN: Đại Trí Độ Luận.
100 vols. Reputed to be by Nāgārjuna. Translated into Chinese in 405 by Kumārajīva [344-413], this Śāstra is a section-by-section interpretation of the Pañcaviṃśātisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā, which expounds the doctrine of Śūnyatā, and belongs to the early stages of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Although the original Sanskrit Text no longer exists, it is supposed to have run to 100,000Verses, and as many as 1000 Volumes, which Kumārajīva digested into 100 volumes. Its wealth of thought, theory, legend, history, topography, etc.., on the various philosophical systems prevailing at the time in India makes it a repository of encyclopedic proportion, and an indispensable Text for understanding Mahāyāna Buddhism.

*Skt, Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā-Śāstra:
15 vols. Written by Nāgārjuna, and translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva. This is a commentary on the [Chapter on Ten Stages of Bodhisattva-hood] of the [Avataṃsaka Sūtra,] and is specifically concerned with the first two stages. Made up of 35 chapters with expositions on themes such as Bodhicitta, Easy practice, Other-power, Virtue, Form of Devotion, Nien-fo, Deligence, Prajñā, and Six Pāramitā.

*Skt, Sukhāvatīvyūh-Opadeśa: The Treatise on the Pure Land
A one-volume work by vasubandhu, translated into Chinese during the Northern Wei Dynasty by the Northern Indian Monk Budhiruci. Based mainly on The Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra, the work praise Amitābha‘s Pure Land and exhorts readers to gain rebirth in it. It is in the form of Verse followed by prose commentary.

*Self-Power:
Opposed to [other-power]. Shinran states that [self-power is when a man counts upon his body, his mind, his power, or any of his various good roots,] and says that [to attain the true faith you must be free from the limitations of your discrimination intellect, and the roots of the self-power‘s working must be overthrown.] The essence of self-power is discrimination, self-will, analyzing, viewing things objectively, always moving from here to there, from there to here.

*Seven Treasures:
Gold, Silver, Lapis Lazuli, Crystal, Agate, Red-Pearl and Carnelian. They represent the seven powers of faith, perseverance, and sense of shame, avoidance of wrongdoing, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom.

*Six Forms of Existence, Six Paths [Skt, Ṣaḍ-gati]:
The [six paths] (also referred to as [the triple world,]) belong to the world of ignorance and suffering. They are the six form of existence to which sentient beings bind themselves because of their past deeds:
(1) Hell [Naraka];
(2) Hungry ghosts [Preta];
(3) Animals [Tiryagyoni];
(4) The world of fighting demons [Asura; Ashura]; malevolent deities who fight with Śakra devānām indra, the guardian deity of Buddhism. Hence, also, a contentious manner of existence;
(5) The Human [world];
(6) Devas [Deva];
The first three of these are called [the three evil form of existence] or [the three evil paths] 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, comprise [the five evil forms of existence.

*Six Organs of Sense [Skt, Ṣaḍ-Indriya, Lục Căn]:
The six organs by which man perceives the external world: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind.



*Six Forms of Consciousness [Skt, Ṣaḍ-Vijñāna Lục Thức]:
The six form of Consciousness by which man, through the six organs of sense, perceives the external world: Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste, Touch and Intellection.

*Six objects of Sense [Skt, Ṣaḍ-Āyatana, Lục Trần]:
The six objects of sense perceived by man’s consciousness by means of the organs of sense. The from(rūpa) seen by the eye; things heard by the ear; smells smelt by the nose; tastes tasted by the tongue; things felt as they contact the body; and dharmas understood by the mind.

*Six Pāramitā [Skt, Ṣaṭpāramitā]:
The six virtues are: (1) Charity [Dāna]; (2) Morality [Śīla]; (3) Huminity [Kṣānti]; (4) Striving [Vīrya]; (5) Meditation [Dyāna]; (6) Transcendental Wisdom [Prajñā].


*Six Miraculous Powers, Spiritual Power; [Skt, Ṣaḍ-Abhijñā]:
The free and unrestricted superhuman activity that is acquired through the practice of Dhyāna meditation or through other practices:
(1) The power of free activity [ṛiddhividhijñāna; Thầṅ Túc Thông]
a. ability to go about freely to any desired place;
b. ability to freely transform oneself;
c. ability possessed by a Buddha alone to overcome external conditions as he wills;
(2) The power to perceive everything, far and near, including suffering and pleasure [Divyacakṣus; Thiên Nhãn Thông]
(3) The power to hear all the voices of the world [Divyaśrotra; Thiên Nhỉ Thông]
(4) The power to know all that is in other‘s minds, both good and evil [Paracittajñānas; Tha Tâm Thông]
(5) The power to know the past conditions of oneself and other [Pūrvanivāsānusmṛitijnāna; Túc Mạng Thông]
(6) The power to extinguish all defilement in order to prevent oneself from relapsing into the world of illusion [Āsravakṣayajñāna; Lậu Tận Thông] Nos. 2, 5, and 6, which are the powers possessed by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, are regarded as especially superior, and together are called the three insights [Tisro vidyāḥ; Tam Minh].

*Sixty-two heretical Schools, VN: Sáu Mươi Hai Tà Kiếṅ Ngoại Đạo.
The 62 views advocated by non-Buddhist Schōls prevalent in India during the Buddha‘s time.
According to the Brahma-jāla-sutta [Kinh Phạm Võng], some examples of these heretical views are: holding that the self and the world are changeless everlasting, holding that the self and the world arise without cause, holding that thought can remain after one ‘s death, holding that no thought remains after one ‘s death. In all, 18 kinds of views with regard to the future are enumerated. These and other variations of such views Shinran classified as “false”

*Śramaṇas [Skt, Śramaṇa]:
The appellation Śramaṇa was used in both Buddhist and non-Buddhist Schools to refer to a religious who shaved his head, refrain from evil, set his body and mind in harmony, and endeavored to do good. In China and Việt Nam, it usually refers to Buddhist monks.

*Śrāvaka [Skt, Śrāvaka, Hearer]:
Literally, [He who listens to the voice]; one who hears the Buddha‘s teaching and is Enlightened. Originally, Śrāvakas meant all those disciples who sat at the Buddha‘s feet. Hence, it is also rendered [disciple.] when counted as one of the two vehicles or the three vehicles; it refers to a Saint who has left the world to engage in religious practice for his own salvation alone.

*Sudhana [Good Wealth]:
The main protagonist in the next-to-last and longest chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. Seeking Enlightenment, he visited and studied with fifty-three spiritual advisors and became the equal of the Buddhas in one lifetime. Both his first advisor and his last advisor and his last advisor [Samantabhara] taught him the Pure Land path.

*Supreme Enlightenment; The perfect Supreme Enlightenment [Skt, anuttara-samyak-sambodhi]:
Unexcelled complete Enlightenment, an attribute of every Buddha. Translated into Chinese: The highest, correct and complete or universal knowledge or awareness, the perfect wisdom of a Buddha. Omniscience.

*Sūtra: The Buddha‘s Sermons; one of the twelve divisions of the Mahāyāna Canon.

*Avataṃsaka [Flower Ornament] Sūtra:
The basic Śākyamuni of the Avataṃsaka School, it is one of the longest Sūtra in the Buddhist Canon and records the highest teaching of Buddha Śākyamuni, immediately after Enlightenment. It is traditionally believed that the Sūtra was taught to the Bodhisattvas and other highest spiritual beings while the Buddha was in Samādhi.

*Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra:
Literally, “The Great Jewelled Pinnacle Sūtra,” or “Jewelled Heap Sūtra,” indicates that this Sūtra is like a jeweled summit or a treasury of jewels.



*Karuṇā-Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, VN: Kinh Bi Hoa.
This Sūtra was translated by Dharmakṣema [Đàm Vô Thức [385-433] in 6 Chapters, 10 fascicles. It tells of Amitābha and Śākyamuni attaining the fruit of Buddha-hood after endless kalpas of Bodhisattva practice. The third Chapter, on [Great Giving,] tells of the awakening of faith of the King Araṇemin, and his one thousand Princes. Chapter four deals with Tathāgata Ratnagarbha [Bảo Tạng Như Lai], who prophesied that the King and princes would attain Enlightenment, that Araṇemin would take 52 Vows, and become Amitābha Buddha in the Land of Happiness in the future.

*Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra[Skt]:
28 Chapters in 8 vols. Translated by Kumārajīva [350-409] in 406. This important Mahāyāna Sūtra praises the Buddha as eternal life itself, making use of poetry, allegory, parable, and symbolism. Regarded as the paramount literary work in the history of Mahāyāna Buddhist thought, six Chinese translations are believed to have existed, but extant at present, besides Kumārajīva ‘s, are the following two:
(1) Cheng fa-hua Ching, 10 vols., translated in 286 by Dharmarakṣa [Chu-fa-huo, Trúc Pháp Hộ].
(2) Miao-fa lien-hua Ching, 8 vols., jointly translated in 601 by Jñānagupta and Dharmagupta.
Of the three, Kumārajīva‘s is the most widely used.

*Śūraṅgama Sūtra:
Translated by the Central Asian Monk Paramiti [Bát Thích Mật Đế], in 10 vols. It preaches the essentials of meditative practice.

*Pratyutpanna-samādhi Sūtra:
Translated by Lokakṣema [Chi Lâu Ca Thức (147-186)] in 3 vols. During the later Han Dynasty. It explains the method of viewing Amitābha by practicing the Pratyutpanna-samādhi. It is significant among Pure Land writings as being one of the earliest Sūtras in which there is mention of Amitābha. There exists another translation in one volume.

*Mahāpariniṛvāṇa Sūtra, The Nirvāṇa Sūtra:
The Mahāyāna Nirvāṇa Sūtra preaches the eternal natural of the Buddha-body, declaring that all beings possess the Buddha-nature and the possibility of attaining Buddha-hood, even the Icchāntika. In China and Japan, this version has been much more popular and widely read than any other.

*Stūpa [Skt, Stūpa]:
A mound or an elevated structure made of earth, stone, or wood to enshrine Śarīra [relics of the Buddha or Saints]. Its origin dates from the time of Śākyamuni Buddha; its shape varies according to time and place. In China, Vietnam, Japan, a Stūpa is often in the form of a Pagoda [Tháp], or a memorial tablet. Sometimes a distinction was made between a Stūpa, which contains Śarīra, and a Caitya, which does not. However, later on both were used interchangeably, and invariably called Stūpa.


[T]
*Tathāgatas [Skt, Tathāgata]:
Meant does not come from anywhere and will not go anywhere.
[One who has come from Suchness.] One of the ten epithets of the Śākyamuni Buddha, and synonym for Buddha and Buddhas in general. In the present translation the usage of [Tathāgata] usually refers to Śākyamuni Buddha, [Tathāgata] to Amitābha Buddha, and [Tathāgatas] to Buddhas in general.

*Ten Evil Acts, Ten Evil Deeds, Ten Sins, VN: Thập Ác.
These consist of the ten evils committed with one’s body, words, and mind: (1) destroying life, (2) theft, (3) adultery, (4) lying, (5) talking nonsense, (6) speaking evil of others, (7) being double-tongued, (8) greed, (9) anger, and (10) irrationality. The first four of these are especially grave, so they are called the [four specific evils] or Pārājika [Tội Nặng Ba La Di], the [four heinous evil deeds].

*Ten Precepts [Ten virtues, Ten Good Deeds]:
Abstaining from each of the ten evil deeds.

*Ten Quarters, Ten Directions:
The Eight points of the compass [East, North, West, South, North-East, South-East, North-West, South-West], plus the Zenith and Nadir. “in the ten directions” is a figurative term meaning “in all space.”

*The law of Cause and Effect [Skt, Hetu-Phala]:
Cause is what gives rise to result; effect is what produced from the cause.
Temporally speaking, cause comes first and effect afterward, cause and effect occurring at different times. Since the cause and effect of one’s deeds [Karma] occur at different times, a good cause is certain to have good result, and a bad deed a bad result. Therefore, right practice will lead one to the result of Enlightenment.

*The First Fruit [Skt, Prathama-phala]:
The [fruit] or the result of attaining the first stage of Hīnayāna Sainthood. In the Hīnayāna teaching, there are four stages of practice from which four fruits are gained:
(1) Srota-āpanna, in which one joins the [stream] of Saint-hood;
(2) Sakṛidāgāmin, in which one is still endeavoring to rid himself of his remaining evil passions;
(3) Anāgāmin, in which one severs himself from all remaining evil passions, never to return to the world of illusion;
(4) Arhat, in which one enter Nirvāṇa, attaining Enlightenment.

*The Ignorant [Skt, Pṛithagjana] Ch: Fan-fu, VN: Phàm Phu.
The Ignorant means the unenlightened man and is distinguished from the Buddha.

*The mind awakened to Enlightenment; the mind of Enlightenment; the Enlightenment mind; Bodhicitta, the mind of Supreme Enlightenment; the great mind of Enlightenment ; Skt, Bodhi-citta, Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi-Citta.

Thirty-seven Limbs of Enlightenment, VN: 37 Phẩm Trợ Đạo.
These are: (a) the four mindful-nesses; (b) the four right efforts; (c) the four bases of miraculous powers; (d) the five roots; (e) the five powers; (f) the seven factors of Enlightenment; (g) the eightfold noble path.

*Three Evil forms of Existence [Skt, Trayo Durgatayaḥ]:
Sentient beings are destined, because of their own wrong actions, to dwell within the following three realms:
1/ Hell. The most painful of the worlds of illusion, placed deep beneath the earth. The deepest and the worst hell being Avīci, reserved for the vilest of men.
2/ The world of hungry ghosts is where suffering comes as the result of evil deeds by those with covetous natures, consisting of perpetually unappeased hunger; even when food is obtained, one finds it aflame when he desires to eat it. Those unable to eat anything at all are called [property-less pretas]; those who eat others ‘leavings, and blood and pus, are called [propertied pretas].
3/ The world of beasts, including fowls and insects is the destination of those who know no shame, who receive undeserved offerings and rewards. Constantly beaten and driven into labor, there is no respite from the fear of savage mutual devouring.

*Three Forms of Merit [VN: Tam Phước]:
The three forms of Merit are 1/ Observing secular morality; 2/ Observing the Buddha‘s Precepts 3/Following the Mahāyāna teaching, awakening the mind of Enlightenment, aspiring for Buddha-hood, and helping to lead one ‘s fellow beings to the Buddha-Land.

*Three Minds:
The concept of the Three minds derives from The Sūtra of Meditation, and includes:
(1) The mind that is true and Sincere [Chí Thành Tâm].
(2) The Deep mind [Thâm Tâm].
(3) The mind desiring to be born in the Pure Land by means of the transfer of Amitābha‘s Meritorious practice.

*Three Treasures [Triple Jewel, Triple Gem]:
The Buddha, the Dharma and the Saṃgha [community of Monks].

*Three Vehicles [Skt, Tri-yāna; Yāna-traya]:
These form was the three divisions of the Buddha‘s teachings.
1/ Hearer-vehicle [Śrāvaka-yāna]
2/ Solitary Buddha-vehicle [Pratyeka-Buddha-yāna]
3/ Bodhisattva-vehicle [Bodhisattva-yāna]


*Transference of Merit [Skt, Pariṇāma]:
Pariṇāma literally, means [transfer merit.]
Mahāyāna Buddhism holds that Merit created anywhere by any being may be transfer to any other being desired or towards the enhancement and prevalence of Enlightenment in the whole world. A Bodhisattva practices asceticism not only for the perfection of his own moral and spiritual qualities but also for the increase of such qualities among his fellow-beings. Or he suffers pains in order to save others from them and at the time to make them aspire for Enlightenment.

*Transmigrating; Transmigration [Skt, Pravṛitti]:
The transmigratory cycle through the six paths or triple world that unenlightened beings are destined endlessly to repeat. This cycle of birth and death is formed by the perpetuation of man‘s ignorance.

*Tolerance of Non-Birth, VN: Ngộ Vô Sanh.
Tolerance [insight] that comes from the knowledge that all phenomena are unborn. Sometimes translated as [insight into the non-origination of all existence or non-origination of the Dharmas. A Mahāyāna Buddhist term for insight into emptiness, the non-origination or birthlessness of things or beings realized by Bodhisattvas who have attained the eight Stage [Ground] of the path to Buddha-hood. When a Bodhisattva realizes this insight, he has attained the stage of non-retrogression.

*Triple Basket, [Skt, Tripiṭaka]:
Piṭaka means [basket]; the whole Buddhist scripture is called the [triple basket.]
(1) Sūtra-piṭaka, the collection of Sūtras preached by the Buddha;
(2) Vinaya-piṭaka, the collection of Disciplinary codes and regulations of the Buddhist community lay down by the Buddha.
(3) Abhidharma-piṭāka, the collection of systematic exposition and interpretation of the Buddha‘s teachings.
Mahāyāna Buddhists compiled their own Tripiṭaka, finding the earlier ones insufficient. In China, Hīnayāna Buddhism was sometimes disparagingly referred to as the [Tripiṭaka teaching.]

*Triple Body [Skt, Tri-kāya]:
The Mahāyānists came to conceive the universal, eternal nature of the historical Buddha and explained its essence in three aspects; Dharmakāya [Dharma-body,] Sambhogakāya [Body of Recompense,] and Nirmāṇakāya [Body of Response and Transformation].
The dogma of Trikāya may be summarily interpreted in the following manner:
(1) The Dharmakāya is the essence being of all the Buddhas and of all beings. What makes at all possible the existence of anything is the Dharmakāya, without which the world itself is inconceivable. But, specifically, the Dharmakāya is the essence-body of all beings which forever is. In the sense, it is Dharmatā or Buddhatā, that is, the Buddha-nature within all beings.
(2) The Sambhogakāya is the spiritual body of the Bodhisattvas, which is enjoyed by them as the fruit of their self-discipline in all the virtues of perfection. This they acquire for themselves according to the Law of Moral causation, and in this they are delivered at last from all the defects and defilements inherent in the realm of the five Skandhas.
(3) The Nirmāṇakāya is born of the great loving heart [Mahākaruṇā] of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. By reason of this love they have for all beings, they never remain in the self-enjoyment of the fruits of their moral deeds. Their intense desire is to share those fruits with their fellow-beings. If the ignorant [Phàm Phu] could be saved by the Bodhisattva by his vicariously suffering for them, he would do so. If the ignorant could be enlightened by the Bodhisattva by transfer his stock of Merit over to them, he would so do. This transfer of Merit and this vicarious suffering are accomplished by the Bodhisattva by means of his Nirmāṇakāya, transformation-body. In this from, therefore, the Bodhisattva, spatially speaking, divides himself into hundreds of thousands of Koṭis of bodies. He can then be recognized in the form of a creeping caterpillar, in a sky-scraping mountain, in the Saintly figure of Francis of Assisi, and even in the shape of a world-devouring Evil One, if he thinks it necessary to take this form in order to save a world that has passed into the hands of ignorance, evil passions, and all kinds of defilements and corruptions.

*Triple World, three Realms, three Worlds [Skt, Trai-Dhātuka, Trayo Dhātavaḥ]:
The world of illusion, inhabited by unenlightened beings. Three levels or realms of the phenomenal world: (1) The world of desire [Kāma-Dhātu]; (2) The world of Form [Rūpa-Dhātu]; (3) The world of Formlessness [Arūpya-Dhātu].

*Tri-sahasra-Mahā-sahasra-Loka-Dhātu, VN: Tam Thiên Đại Thiên Thế Giới.
A great chiliocosm. Mount Sumeru and its seven surrounding continents, eight seas and ring of iron mountains form one small world; 1,000 of these form a small chiliocosm; 1,000 of these small chiliocosms form a medium chiliocosm; 1,000 of these form a great chiliocosms, which consists of 1,000,000,000 small worlds.

[U]

*Unborn; Not born [Skt, Anutpanna or Anutpāda] VN: Vô Sanh, Vô Tử, Bất Sanh, Bất Diệt.
This is one of the most fundamental ideas of Mahāyāna Buddhism, closely associated and almost interchangeable with such terms as Nirvāṇa, Pure Land, Emptiness [Śūnyatā,] No-self-substance [Asvabhāva], Non-duality [Advaita], Suchness [Tathatā,].
The term Unborn or Not Born is the shortened form of the expression [No-birth, No-death]. There is no generation or extinction in Nirvāṇa, which is a state of Suchness beyond all dualistic categories constructed by the mind. Since it is not subject to the karmic Law of Causation, Nirvāṇa (The Pure Land) is said to be a realm of No-birth and No-death.

*Upāya [Skt] means Expedient, Skillful means, Skill-in-means:
When Upāya is used in its technical sense in Buddhism, it is the expression of the Buddha‘s or Bodhisattva‘s love for all beings. When the Buddha sees all the sufferings that are going on in the world owing to ignorance and egotism, he desires to deliver it and contrives every means to carry out this desire. This is his Upāya. But as his desire has nothing to do with egotism or the clinging to the individualistic conception of reality, his Upāya is said to be born of his transcendental knowledge, the chain linked with Prajñā, Karuṇā, and Upāya goes through all the system of Mahāyāna Buddhism. This linking is the most characteristic feature of it.

[V]
*Vajra: Diamond, The thunderbolt.

*Vinaya [Skt, Vinaya]: Precepts
These are the disciplinary codes and regulations of the Buddhist community, those laid down by the Buddha as well as those created in the course of later monastic life. While originally distinct from Śīla, the term Vinaya later came to be used interchangeably with it.

*Virtue of the Buddha‘s Original Prayer [Skt, Pūrva-praṇidhāna-bala, VN: Bổn Nguyện Lực]:
The literal rendering is the power of the Original Prayer, from which the term Other-power derives. The power that constitutes Buddha-hood emanates, as it were, from its body and is transferred on to all sentient beings, and the latter are help thereby to quit their life of ignorance and passion. In Pure Land Buddhism this is called the [Power of Amitābha‘s Original Vows] and made the very foundation of its elaborate, though at first sight simple, system.
*Visualization:

[W]
*Way [Skt, Mārga], Chinese [Tao]:
Road, way, path, doctrine, truth, reality, self-nature, the absolute.

*Wisdom-life: The life of a Buddha Boddhisattva, which is sustained by wisdom, just as the life of an ordinary being is sustained by food.

*World-honored One [skt, Bhagavat]:
One who is honored by the people of the world? One of the ten epithets of a Buddha, usually referring to Śākyamuni Buddha.

[Y]
*Yogācāra School: Another name for the mind-only school, founded in the four century by the brothers Asaṇga and Vasubandhu.

[Z]
*Zen or Ch’an [Skt, Dhyāna]:
Meditation, abstract contemplation; meditative study of the `mean’ which is inclusive of both unchanged noumenon and changing phenomena.

BỒ ĐỀ QUYẾN THUỘC

Yên lặng

Silence

Yên lặng

Each night we cultivate silence

Mỗi đêm chúng tôi tu dưỡng (Trí Tuệ) yên lặng

When a few dogs and a few moonbeams

Dưới ánh trăng, vài con chó

Follow a human sound

Dỏi theo tiếng một người

That resounds through our midnight darkness,

Âm thanh vang vọng trong đêm trường yên lặng

Silence pricks its myriad ears.

Như châm chọc lổ tai muôn người

When we are fast asleep and deaf to the world,

Khi mà chúng ta mơ ngũ và không nghe thế giới yên lặng

Silence lets us hear someone's muffled weeping;

Hãy lắng nghe những tiếng khóc nghẹn ngào

With a voice inaudible to man's ears

với âm thanh không được nghe tới tai người

Silence nurtures our sorrow.

Đôi khi yên lặng dung dưỡng đau buồn

Sometimes silence appears as an endless silver streak

Nỗi đau thầm lặng xuất hiện như vầng trăng bạc bất tận

Moving slowly along the horizon

Chậm chạp chuyển di đến cuối trời

With a crescent moon above.

Với Ánh Trăng liềm mát ở trên

Ngin

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XIN TRÂN TRỌNG KÍNH MỜI HỢP TÁC

XIN TRÂN TRỌNG KÍNH MỜI HỢP TÁC

XIN KÍNH LỜI CÙNG TẤT CẢ QUÝ CHƯ TĂNG, QUÝ CHƯ NI, CÙNG TẤT CẢ QUÝ PHẬT TỬ KHẮP NƠI TRÊN THẾ GIỚI THÂN MẾN.

TÁC GIẢ LẬP NÊN CÁC TRANG WEB NÀY CŨNG KHÔNG NGOÀI NHỮNG ƯỚC MONG LÀ NHỮNG LỜI DẠY CỦA ĐỨC PHẬT ĐƯỢC PHỔ BIẾN KHẮP NƠI TRÊN THẾ GIỚI, ĐỂ TẤT CẢ NHỮNG AI CÓ DUYÊN GẶP GỞ ĐƯỢC TRANG WEB NÀY CÓ THỂ HOÀI NIỆM VỀ THỜI THƠ ẤU CỦA MÌNH ĐẢ TỪNG TỤNG KINH NƠI MỘT CHÙA Ở THÔN QUÊ HAY THÀNH PHỐ NÀO ĐÓ, HAY ĐẢ TỪNG THEO CHA MẸ ĐẾN CHÙA TỤNG KINH, HAY HOẶC NGỘ ĐƯỢC MỘT CÂU, MỘT BÀI KỆ TRONG NHỮNG LỜI PHẬT DẠY, DÙ TRẢI QUA TRĂM NGÀN MUÔN ỨC KIẾP CŨNG KHÔNG THỂ NÀO QUÊN ĐƯỢC. NHỮNG HÌNH ẢNH CAO QUÝ ĐÓ SẼ KHÔNG BAO GIỜ PHAI MỜ TRONG TÂM TRÍ ĐƯỢC, NHƯ CA DAO, TỤC NGỮ VIỆT NAM CÓ CÂU:

MÁI CHÙA CHE CHỞ HỒN DÂN TỘC

GẮN BÓ BAO ĐỜI VỚI TỔ TÔNG

VẢ LẠI, TẤT CẢ NHỮNG LỜI DẠY NHIỆM MẦU CỦA PHẬT, CÓ THỂ KHIẾN CHO TẤT CẢ MỌI NGƯỜI ĐỀU ĐƯỢC GIẢI THOÁT GIÁC NGỘ, VĨNH VIỄN THOÁT KHỎI SANH TỬ LUÂN HỒI VÔ TẬN, CHÍNH VÌ SỰ CAO QUÝ ĐÓ CHO NÊN TẤT CẢ NHỮNG NGƯỜI CON PHẬT ĐỀU CÓ MONG ƯỚC PHỔ BIẾN TẤT CẢ NHỮNG LỜI PHẬT DẠY ĐI CÙNG KHẮP NƠI TRÊN THẾ GIỚI, ĐỂ TẤT CẢ NHỮNG AI CÓ DUYÊN VỚI PHẬT PHÁP, CÓ THỂ THẤY, NGHE, ĐỌC TỤNG, THỌ TRÌ ĐỂ ĐƯỢC GIẢI THOÁT MÃI MÃI. NHƯ HOÀNG ĐẾ VÕ TẮC THIÊN ĐÃ TÁN THÁN PHẬT PHÁP NHƯ SAU:

PHẬT PHÁP CAO SÂU RẤT NHIỆM MẦU

TRĂM NGÀN MUÔN KIẾP KHÓ TẦM CẦU

NAY CON NGHE ĐẶNG CHUYÊN TRÌ TỤNG

NGUYỆN HIỂU NHƯ LAI NGHĨA THẨM SÂU

CHO NÊN TRÊN TINH THẦN HOẰNG TRUYỀN PHẬT PHÁP, CHÚNG TÔI XIN TRÂN TRỌNG KÍNH MỜI TẤT CẢ QUÝ CHƯ TĂNG, QUÝ CHƯ NI, TẤT CẢ QUÝ PHẬT TỬ KHẮP NƠI TRÊN THẾ GIỚI HỮU DUYÊN THẤY, NGHE ĐƯỢC NHỮNG TRANG ƯEB NÀY, XIN GÓP MỘT BÀN TAY, ĐÓNG GÓP CHO TRANG WEB, NGÀY CÀNG THÊM TƯƠI ĐẸP, SỐNG ĐỘNG, TẤT CẢ MỌI NGƯỜI ĐỀU ĐƯỢC CHIÊM NGƯỠNG.

TẤT CẢ MỌI ĐÓNG GÓP, KINH SÁCH, BÀI VIẾT, THƠ CA, NHẠC PHẬT GIÁO, XIN GỞI VỀ CHO. [ thichthienmy2005@yahoo.com ] THIEN MY SẼ ĐƯA LÊN TRANG NHÀ NGAY LẬP TỨC.

XIN CHÂN THÀNH CẢM NIỆM CÔNG ĐỨC CỦA TẤT CẢ QUÝ VỊ

TRAN TRONG GIOI THIEU NHUNG TRANG WEB MOI

1/http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com

2/ http://nammoadidaphat.blogspot.com

3/ http://namoamitabhabuddhatheky21.blogspot.com

4/ http://internationalpurelandbuddhism.blogspot.com/

5/ http://phapmonniemphat.blogspot.com/

6/ http://geocities.com/thichthienmy2005/blog.html

7/ http://server.blogghost.net/chuaphuochung/ [ dia chi trang web moi] nhung trang na`y khong len tieng sanskrit.

8/ http://www.writely.com/View.aspx?docid=df2hvb4n_14fk6sg8

Ông Tây viết blog tiếng Việt 'hay kinh điển'

Ông Tây viết blog tiếng Việt 'hay kinh điển' - 23/8/2006 5h:34

"Mình tên là Joe - phát âm giống Mai Văn Dâu - và năm nay mình 27 tuổi, tính theo tuổi Tây chứ nếu tính kiểu "ta" thì mình 28 rồi. Mình chưa có vợ, chưa có người yêu, vẫn đang tìm (phải quảng cáo tí chứ)", Joe tự giới thiệu trên blog Yahoo 360 của anh.

Giọng văn hài hước cùng khả năng sử dụng tiếng lóng thuần thục và chuẩn xác, gần như ai vô tình ghé thăm blog của Joe đều phải bật cười và muốn bắt chuyện làm quen. Joe khoe anh có hai quyển vở, một quyển chuyên ghi từ "xịn" (từ chuyên môn học trong trường) còn quyển kia tập hợp những gì anh lượm lặt được từ bạn bè, phục vụ, xe ôm như "gần mực thì bia, gần đèn thì thuốc", "banana", "dân chơi sành điệu"... để còn "buôn dưa lê thoải con gà mái" với mọi người.

Nguồn: Joe.blog

Chàng trai đến từ Vancouver, Canada, và đã sống ở Việt Nam hơn 3 năm này tự nhận tiếng Việt của anh còn rất "củ chuối" và anh là con trai nên "lười kinh điển". Tuy nhiên, khi thấy bạn bè người Việt viết blog bằng tiếng Anh "hay như điên", anh quyết phấn đấu trở thành "tay viết lụa".

Các bài viết trong blog của Joe chủ yếu bàn về những điều lạ mà anh chứng kiến ở Việt Nam như hiện tượng đảo từ (tha thứ - thứ tha, suy nghĩ - nghĩ suy), trào lưu karaoke... Ngay cả khi chán chường, cách viết của anh vẫn hết sức sinh động và rất... Việt Nam: "Lại một lần nữa đội tuyển Anh thua penalty. Lại một lần nữa ông trời cứ định kiến, chả nghe lời của mình gì cả. Một kẻ móc túi có thể lấy trộm ví của mình, mình sẽ không buồn như vậy. Bọn du đãng có thể đánh mình, ném xe máy vào hồ Hale, mình sẽ không buồn như vậy. Hai đầu gấu điên loạn có thể đẩy ngã mình vào bồn tắm đầy mắm tôm rồi bắt mình phải hát Happy Birthday 117 lần bằng tiếng Indonesia, mình sẽ không buồn như vậy".

"Lúc mở blog này, mình thật sự không ngờ sẽ có nhiều người vào xem và cái 'friends network' của mình sẽ lớn lên như thổi (mình mới học chuyện Thánh Gióng ở trường). Rất tiếc mình không có nhiều thời gian 'chăm sóc' blog", Joe kể. "Mình vẫn đọc và viết tiếng Việt cực kỳ chậm như là lao động chân tay, và mình cũng phải dành thời gian để đi học và đi làm, chứ không phải vì nhà mình ở số 1 Yết Kiêu đâu. Thanh-kiu Vinamiu".

http://www.khoahoc.com.vn/view.asp?Cat_ID=2&Cat_Sub_ID=7&news_id=8027

Chú Giải Phật Thuyết Ðại Thừa Vô Lượng Thọ Trang Nghiêm Thanh Tịnh Bình Ðẳng Giác Kinh

Chú Giải Phật Thuyết Ðại Thừa Vô Lượng Thọ Trang Nghiêm Thanh Tịnh Bình Ðẳng Giác Kinh

Hội tập: cư sĩ Hạ Liên Cư

Chú giải: cư sĩ Hoàng Niệm Tổ

Ðôi lời bày tỏ

Lời Giới Thiệu của Hòa Thượng Thích Tịnh Không

Chú giải Phật thuyết Ðại Thừa Vô Lượng Thọ Trang Nghiêm Thanh Tịnh Bình Ðẳng Giác kinh

(dịch theo bản in lần thứ nhất của Hoa Tạng Phật Giáo Ðồ Thư Quán, Ðài Bắc, tháng 2, năm Dân Quốc 81(1992))

Bồ tát giới đệ tử Vận Thành Hạ Liên Cư hội tập và kính chia thành chương mục

Chú giải: Kim Cang thừa tam muội da giới đệ tử Hoàng Niệm Tổ

Quyển thứ nhất

Quyển thứ hai

Quyển thứ ba

Quyển thứ tư

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11. Quốc giới nghiêm tịnh

Chánh kinh: Phật bảo A Nan: ‘Cõi Cực Lạc thế giới công đức vô lượng, trang nghiêm đầy đủ, vĩnh viễn không có các tên gọi các khổ, các nạn, đường ác, ma làm não loạn; cũng không có bốn mùa, nóng, lạnh, mưa, tối tăm sai khác. Lại cũng chẳng có sông, biển lớn nhỏ, gò, đống, hầm, hố, gai góc, cát sỏi, Thiết Vy, Tu Di, các hòn núi đá hay núi đất, chỉ tự nhiên là bảy báu, vàng ròng làm đất; bằng phẳng, rộng rãi bao la chẳng thể hạn lượng, vi diệu, lạ lùng, đẹp đẽ, thanh tịnh trang nghiêm, vượt trỗi hết thảy các thế giới trong mười phương.

Giải: Ðoạn này miêu tả y báo trang nghiêm của cõi Cực Lạc. Y báo trang nghiêm là do nguyện thứ nhất ‘cõi nước không có ác đạo’ và nguyện thứ băm chín ‘trang nghiêm vô tận’ cảm thành.

‘Công đức vô lượng, trang nghiêm đầy đủ’: Sách Vãng Sanh Luận bảo có ba thứ công đức trang nghiêm: một là cõi nước Phật, hai là A Di Ðà Phật, ba là các vị Bồ Tát (mỗi thứ này đều có đủ vô lượng công đức trang nghiêm). Do có đủ cả ba thứ trang nghiêm như thế nên kinh nói: ‘Công đức vô lượng, trang nghiêm đầy đủ’. Luận còn chép: ‘Cõi nước Phật ấy công đức trang nghiêm nên thành tựu sức chẳng thể nghĩ bàn vậy, giống như tánh của báu ma ni Như Ý [có thể dùng làm] pháp tương tự, tương đối vậy’. Ý nói: Mỗi thứ trong Cực Lạc thế giới đều tùy theo cơ nghi của mỗi người trong nước mà hiển hiện; chẳng hạn như nước công đức trong các suối ao có thể ‘vừa ý của mỗi chúng sanh’ khác nào báu Ma Ni (còn gọi là báu Như Ý) có thể tùy thuận ý thích của mỗi người mà hóa hiện các thứ. Sách Luận Chú (tức Vãng Sanh Luận Chú của ngài Ðàm Loan) giảng câu ‘như tánh của báu Ma Ni Như Ý kia’ như sau: ‘Mượn tánh chất của báu Ma Ni Như Ý để hiển thị tánh chẳng thể nghĩ bàn của cõi An Lạc. Lúc chư Phật nhập Niết Bàn liền dùng sức phương tiện khiến thân nát thành xá lợi để tạo phước cho chúng sanh. Khi chúng sanh hết phước, các viên xá lợi ấy biến thành ma ni như ý bảo châu. Những châu này phần nhiều ở trong biển cả, đại long vương dùng để trang hoàng trên đầu. Nếu Chuyển Luân thánh vương ra đời thì do từ bi phương tiện, ông ta sẽ có được viên bảo châu ấy để gây lợi ích lớn lao cho cõi Diêm Phù Ðề. Nếu cần y phục, thức ăn, đèn soi, nhạc cụ, các thứ vật dụng tùy lòng mong muốn thì vua trai giới thanh khiết, đặt châu trên đầu sào cao, phát nguyện rằng: ‘Nếu tôi đúng là Chuyển Luân thánh vương thì nguyện bảo châu này sẽ mưa xuống các vật như thế suốt cả một dặm, hoặc là mười dặm, hoặc là trăm dặm đúng như tâm nguyện của tôi’. Ngay khi ấy, trong không trung lập tức mưa xuống các thứ vật ứng theo lòng mong, thỏa mãn nguyện vọng của hết thảy mọi người trong cả một thiên hạ. Ðấy là tánh lực của bảo châu ấy. Cõi nước An Lạc kia cũng giống như thế: dùng tánh an lạc để thành tựu các thứ’.

Sách Vãng Sanh Luận Chú lại giảng câu ‘tương tự, tương đối’ như sau: ‘Báu đó chỉ có thể thỏa các nguyện cơm, áo v.v…của chúng sanh, chẳng thể ban cho họ cái nguyện vô thượng đạo. Hơn nữa, báu ấy chỉ có thể thỏa nguyện một đời cho chúng sanh, chẳng thể thỏa nguyện chúng sanh trong vô lượng thân. Có vô lượng điều sai biệt đến thế nên bảo là tương tự’. Ý nói: Cõi nước Cực Lạc thành tựu sức chẳng thể nghĩ bàn vượt xa hết thảy, không có cách nào so sánh nổi; ở đây chỉ tạm mượn báu Ma Ni để làm thí dụ, chứ thật sự báu Ma Ni còn kém xa muôn vàn nên mới bảo là ‘tương tự’; chỉ là miễn cưỡng so sánh thôi nên mới bảo là ‘tương đối’. ‘Ðối’ có nghĩa là đem so sánh vậy.

Trong sách Luận Chú, Ðàm Loan đại sư còn giảng câu ‘công đức vô lượng, trang nghiêm đầy đủ’ như sau:‘Từ nghiệp trí huệ thanh tịnh của Bồ Tát phát khởi trang nghiêm Phật sự, nương pháp tánh nhập tướng thanh tịnh. Pháp ấy chẳng điên đảo, chẳng hư ngụy nên gọi là công đức chơn thật’. Ðàm Loan đại sư quả đã phơi bày trọn vẹn tạng bí mật của Như Lai: Bồ Tát nương vào thật tế của pháp tánh để nhập vào trí huệ chơn thật (tức là ‘chơn thật huệ’ nói trong kinh này) nên xa lìa điên đảo, hư ngụy. Ðấy là công đức chơn thật. Công đức chơn thật chính là ‘công đức vô lượng’. Thế giới Cực Lạc trang nghiêm bằng công đức chơn thật như thế nên ‘trang nghiêm đầy đủ’. Do vậy, cõi ấy ‘thành tựu được sức chẳng thể nghĩ bàn’.

Vãng Sanh Luận Chú còn bảo: ‘Chữ “sức chẳng thể nghĩ bàn” chỉ chung mười bảy sức công đức trang nghiêm chẳng thể nghĩ bàn trong cõi Phật ấy… Trong những sức ấy, sức cõi Phật chẳng thể nghĩ bàn lại gồm hai điều:

a. Một là nghiệp lực, nghĩa là do nghiệp lực của đại nguyện thiện căn xuất thế của Bồ Tát Pháp Tạng cảm thành.

b. Hai là do sức khéo trụ trì của đấng Chánh Giác A Di Ðà pháp vương nhiếp thọ’.

Trong mười bảy sức vừa nói, sức thứ nhất là Trang Nghiêm Thanh Tịnh Công Ðức Thành Tựu. Sách Luận Chú viết: ‘Thanh tịnh là tổng tướng. Sở dĩ Phật khởi ra công đức trang nghiêm thanh tịnh này là do ngài thấy tam giới là tướng hư ngụy, là tướng luân chuyển, là tướng vô cùng (ám chỉ sanh tử) như con cuốn chiếu cuộn tròn, như tằm kéo kén tự nhốt mình. Thương ôi chúng sanh điên đảo bất tịnh! Muốn đặt chúng sanh nơi chẳng hư ngụy, nơi chẳng luân chuyển, nơi chẳng có [sanh tử] vô cùng, được hưởng chốn thanh tịnh đại an lạc rốt ráo nên Phật khởi lên công đức thanh tịnh trang nghiêm này’. Ở đây, những điều như kinh dạy: ‘Vĩnh viễn chẳng có danh từ các khổ, các nạn, đường ác, ma não loạn’ cũng chính là do sức công đức thành tựu ấy chiêu cảm vậy.

‘Các khổ’: Khổ có nghĩa là bức bách não loạn. Sự khổ rất nhiều, trong các kinh luận thường nói ba khổ, tám khổ v.v… Ba khổ là:

a. Khổ khổ: Thân này đã là quả của cái khổ, lại còn thêm bị các nỗi khổ bức bách thân tâm nên khổ càng thêm khổ; vì vậy gọi là ‘khổ khổ’.

b. Hoại khổ: Thế gian này nào có niềm vui chơn thật, nào có sự vui lâu dài, ngay lúc niềm vui tan biến đã không ngăn nổi ưu não nên bảo là ‘hoại khổ’.

c. Hành khổ: chẳng khổ, chẳng vui nhưng do niệm niệm lưu chuyển nên bảo là ‘hành’. Rốt cục cũng biến diệt nên bảo là ‘hành khổ’.

Cực Lạc vĩnh viễn chẳng có ba thứ khổ trên đây như sách Sớ Sao bảo: ‘Cõi ấy ly dục thanh tịnh nên không có khổ khổ. Y báo, chánh báo luôn tồn tại bất biến nên không có hoại khổ. Vượt thoát tam giới nên không có hành khổ’.

Tám khổ chính là những nỗi khổ của thế nhân như: sanh, lão, bịnh, tử, yêu thương mà bị chia lìa, thù ghét cứ phải gặp mặt, cầu không được toại ý và năm ấm lừng lẫy:

a. Sanh trong thai ngục (trong thai chật hẹp như trong ngục nên gọi là thai ngục) là ‘sanh khổ’.

b. Già sợ chết chóc là ‘lão khổ’.

c. Bị bịnh đau đớn là ‘bịnh khổ’.

d. Khi chết đau buồn nỗi khổ phân tán (tứ đại nơi thân mình chia lìa, chia ly cùng quyến thuộc hiện đời), đó là ‘tử khổ’.

e. Yêu thương luôn muốn hòa hợp, ghét chia ly, nhưng luôn thường mâu thuẫn, chia cách với người thân, chẳng được ở chung với nhau. Ðấy là ‘ái biệt ly khổ’.

f. Oán ghét thì muốn trốn đi, sợ phải chạm mặt nhau, nhưng luôn đụng phải kẻ oán cừu, căm ghét. Muốn mong xa lánh lại cứ phải chung đụng. Ðấy gọi là ‘oán tắng hội khổ’.

g. Cầu mong thì chỉ muốn đạt được, sợ mất mát, nhưng hết thảy sự vật trong thế gian hễ tâm yêu thích thì chẳng cầu được. Ðấy là ‘cầu bất đắc khổ’.

h. Ngũ ấm xí thạnh khổ (khổ vì năm ấm lẫy lừng) được sách Viên Trung Sao giảng như sau: ‘Ngũ ấm là sắc, thọ, tưởng, hành, thức. Ấm có nghĩa là ngăn che, tức là chúng ngăn che chẳng cho chơn tánh phát hiện. Thạnh có nghĩa là to lớn, lừng lẫy. Do các nỗi khổ: sanh, già, bịnh, chết… vừa nói ở trên tụ tập lại nên bảo là ngũ ấm xí thạnh khổ’.

Tám thứ khổ này cùng nung đốt thế nhân, nhưng cõi Cực Lạc vĩnh viễn chẳng có các nỗi khổ đó. Sách Sớ Sao bảo: ‘Cõi kia liên hoa hóa sanh nên không có sanh khổ. Chẳng có nóng lạnh đắp đổi, thân chẳng bị phần đoạn (phần đoạn sanh tử) nên không có bịnh khổ. Thọ mạng vô lượng nên không có tử khổ. Không có cha mẹ, vợ con nên không có ái biệt ly khổ. Các thượng thiện nhân cùng ở chung một nơi nên không có oán tắng hội khổ. Muốn gì liền tự nhiên có ngay nên không có cầu bất đắc khổ. Quán chiếu không tịch nên không có ngũ ấm thạnh khổ’.

Chữ ‘các nạn’ chỉ tám nạn, tức là những điều gây chướng ngại cho việc gặp Phật, nghe pháp. Tám nạn còn gọi là ‘bát vô hạ’, nghĩa là tám điều khiến ta không được nhàn hạ để tu đạo nghiệp. Sách Viên Trung Sao bảo tám nạn là:

‘a. Một là địa ngục nạn: Trong địa ngục đêm dài tăm tối, chịu khổ không ngớt, ngăn lấp việc gặp Phật nghe pháp nên gọi là nạn.

b. Hai là súc sanh nạn: Trong đường súc sanh chịu khổ vô cùng, ngăn lấp việc gặp Phật nghe pháp nên gọi là nạn.

c. Ba là ngạ quỷ nạn: trong đường ngạ quỷ chịu khổ vô lượng, ngăn trở việc gặp Phật nghe pháp nên gọi là nạn.

d. Bốn là Trường Thọ Thiên nạn, nghĩa là sống trong cõi trời ấy thọ đến năm trăm kiếp; đó chính là cõi trời Vô Tưởng thuộc tầng trời Ðệ Tứ Thiền của Sắc Giới. Cõi ấy mang tên Vô Tưởng vì tâm thức chẳng khởi lên, giống như cá nằm trong băng, như sâu nằm trong kén. Ngoại đạo tu hành đa phần sanh lên cõi trời này. Do chướng ngăn gặp Phật nghe pháp nên gọi là nạn.

e. Năm là Bắc Uất Ðan Việt nạn: Uất Ðan Việt là tiếng Phạn, Tàu dịch là Thắng Xứ, nghĩa là cõi ấy cảm báo thù thắng hơn cả ba châu Ðông, Tây, Nam . Người cõi ấy thọ một ngàn năm, không hề chết yểu. Do ham vui nên chẳng nhận lãnh nổi sự giáo hóa. Vì thế, thánh nhân chẳng giáng sanh trong cõi ấy nên chẳng được gặp Phật, nghe pháp; bởi vậy gọi là nạn.

f. Sáu là manh lung ám á nạn, nghĩa là những kẻ ấy sanh tuy sanh chính giữa đất nước nhưng do nghiệp chướng sâu nặng nên mù, điếc, câm ngọng, các căn chẳng đủ, dẫu Phật xuất thế vẫn chẳng thấy nổi Phật. Dù [có người] giảng đại pháp vẫn chẳng nghe nổi nên gọi là nạn.

g. Bảy là thế trí biện thông nạn, nghĩa là người trong thế gian tà trí sắc sảo, miệt mài ham mê tập tành kinh sách ngoại đạo, chẳng tin chánh pháp xuất thế. Vì vậy, gọi là nạn.

h. Tám là sanh Phật tiền Phật hậu nạn, nghĩa là: Khi Phật xuất hiện trong đời làm bậc đại đạo sư khiến cho chúng sanh thoát ly cái khổ sanh tử, hưởng vui Niết Bàn; ai có duyên thì được gặp gỡ, còn những kẻ sanh ra trước hay sau thời Phật xuất thế thì do nghiệp nặng duyên mỏng nên đã chẳng được thấy Phật, lại còn chẳng được nghe pháp. Do vậy, gọi việc sanh ra trước Phật hay sau Phật là nạn’.

Sách nói thêm: ‘Tám điều nạn ấy tuy là cảm lấy quả báo khổ, vui sai khác nhưng đều do chẳng được thấy Phật, chẳng nghe chánh pháp nên gọi chung là nạn’. Thế giới Cực Lạc ‘vĩnh viễn không có các nạn’ như sách Viên Trung Sao nói: ‘Do không có nhân của ba độc, chẳng tạo nghiệp ác nghịch nên chẳng có khổ quả tam đồ, không có chướng nạn tam đạo (địa ngục, ngạ quỷ, súc sanh). Nghe pháp nhập định, chẳng đọa vào Vô Tưởng nên chẳng có Trường Thọ Thiên nạn. Tuy thọ sự vui tột bậc nhưng thường được hưởng sự giáo hóa nên chẳng có Bắc Câu Lô Châu nạn (tức là Uất Ðan Việt nạn). Sáu căn thanh tịnh, sắc bén, thông tuệ nên không có nạn đui điếc câm ngọng. Chúng sanh sanh về cõi ấy đều nhập Chánh Ðịnh Tụ nên không có nạn thế trí biện thông. Nay đức A Di Ðà Phật hiện đang thuyết pháp đến vô lượng kiếp, Quán Âm sẽ tiếp nối ngài làm Phật, hiệu là Phổ Quang Công Ðức Sơn Vương Phật nên chẳng có nạn sanh trước hay sau Phật’.

‘Ác thú’ (đường ác): Chữ ‘thú’ có nghĩa là chỗ chúng sanh hướng đến. Có nhân ắt có quả, từ nhân hướng đến quả nên gọi là ‘thú’. Luận Câu Xá, quyển 8 chép: ‘Thú nghĩa là đi đến’. Sách Pháp Hoa Văn Cú Ký cũng giảng: ‘Từ một chỗ này đến một chỗ khác nên gọi là thú’. ‘Ác thú’ chính là ‘ác đạo’, tức là địa ngục, ngạ quỷ, súc sanh; đó là ba ác đạo. Kinh A Di Ðà dạy: ‘Cõi nước Phật ấy không có ba ác đạo. Này Xá Lợi Phất! Cõi nước Phật ấy còn không có danh từ ác đạo huống là thật có’. Ðây chính là do nguyện thứ nhất ‘nước không có ác đạo’ thành tựu.

‘Ma não loạn’: Ma là cách gọi tắt chữ Phạn ‘Ma La’, dịch nghĩa là Năng Ðoạt Mạng, Chướng Ngại, Nhiễu Loạn, Phá Hoại v.v… Sách Nghĩa Lâm Chương, quyển sáu bảo: ‘Ma nói đủ là Ma La, Tàu dịch là Nhiễu Loạn, Chướng Ngại, Phá Hoại. Do chúng nhiễu loạn thân tâm, chướng ngại thiện pháp, phá hoại sự tốt đẹp bậc nhất nên gọi là Ma La. Tàu gọi tắt là Ma’. Sách Huệ Lâm Âm Nghĩa, quyển 12 cũng giảng: ‘Ma La, Tàu dịch là Lực, tức là tên khác của ma vương Ba Tuần trong cõi Tha Hóa Tự Tại. Loài quỷ thần này có đại thần lực có thể gây chướng nạn cho những người tu pháp xuất thế nên gọi là Ma La’. Sách Trí Ðộ Luận lại bảo có bốn loại ma:

a. Một là phiền não ma: các phiền não như tham, sân, si… não hại thân tâm nên gọi là Ma.

b. Hai là ấm ma, tức ngũ ấm: sắc, thọ… sanh ra các thứ khổ não nên gọi là Ma.

c. Ba là tử ma: cái chết đoạt mất mạng căn của con người nên gọi là Ma.

d. Tha Hóa Tự Tại Thiên Tử ma, ma vương này hay hại sự lành của người khác nên gọi là Ma.

Trong bốn loại này, loại thứ tư mới chính là ma thật sự, còn ba loại ma kia do gây chướng tương tự như ma nên cũng gọi là Ma. ‘Ma làm não loạn’ tức là ma khiến cho thân tâm bị não hại. Hơn nữa, phiền não cũng là ma. Thế giới Cực Lạc vĩnh viễn chẳng có ma làm não loạn là do bởi toàn thể cõi Cực Lạc là một thanh tịnh cú, lại được trang nghiêm bởi ‘trụ chơn thật huệ’, khai thị bởi chơn thật tế nên có thể ban cho ‘cái lợi chơn thật’. Trong cái chơn thật một pháp thanh tịnh ấy còn chẳng có cả danh từ ‘ma não loạn’ huống hồ là thật có như kinh Pháp Hoa đã dạy: ‘Phật bảo: Nếu có kẻ nữ nghe kinh điển này mà tu hành đúng như lời dạy thì kẻ ấy mạng chung liền được vãng sanh An Lạc thế giới, A Di Ðà Phật và đại Bồ Tát chúng vây quanh trụ xứ, sanh trong hoa sen, ngồi trên tòa báu, chẳng còn bị tham dục não loạn, cũng chẳng còn bị nóng giận, ngu si não loạn, cũng chẳng bị kiêu căng, ghen ghét não loạn, đắc thần thông Vô Sanh Pháp Nhẫn của Bồ Tát’. Ðoạn kinh trên đã chỉ rõ thế giới Cực Lạc không có các điều chướng não.

Vả lại, trong uế độ, chúng sanh do niệm Phật còn trừ được ma sự huống hồ là khi đã sanh về cõi kia. Kinh Thập Vãng Sanh chép: ‘Phật nói: Nếu có chúng sanh niệm A Di Ðà Phật nguyện vãng sanh thì đức Phật ấy liền sai hăm lăm vị Bồ Tát ủng hộ hành giả dù đi hay ngồi, dù đứng hay nằm, dẫu ngày hay đêm, trong hết thảy thời, hết thảy chỗ chẳng để cho ác quỷ, ác thần có cơ hội làm hại’. Hơn nữa, tu hành trong cõi này nếu lỡ bị ma khuấy vẫn có thể dùng niệm Phật để đối trị được (xem phần 2 cuốn 9 sách Ma Ha Chỉ Quán). Sách Tịnh Ðộ Tu Chứng Nghi cũng nói: ‘Pháp lý quán của mười thừa có thể khiến cho chín cảnh ma sự phát khởi vì hành giả dùng pháp sanh tử mê ám của ngũ ấm làm quán cảnh vậy. Còn pháp sự quán của Tịnh Ðộ dùng ngay cái quả thanh tịnh công đức của Phật Di Ðà làm cảnh nên vĩnh viễn không có ma sự. Lúc tâm không tà niệm thì thánh cảnh hiện tiền, quang minh chiếu sáng’. Di Ðà quả đức vô lượng thanh tịnh nên trong cõi ngài vĩnh viễn chẳng có ma sự.

‘Cũng không có bốn mùa, nóng lạnh, mưa tối tăm sai khác’: Bốn mùa là Xuân, Hạ, Thu, Ðông. ‘Nóng lạnh’ chỉ tiết trời cực nóng, cực lạnh, ‘mưa tối tăm’ chỉ mưa gió đen nghịt. So với mười bảy thứ công đức trang nghiêm thành tựu của cõi Cực Lạc, câu này thể hiện công đức thứ ba: Trang Nghiêm Tánh Công Ðức Thành Tựu. Sách Luận Chú giảng: ‘Tánh có nghĩa là gốc. Cõi Tịnh Ðộ đó tùy thuận pháp tánh, chẳng trái nghịch gốc pháp. Tánh còn có nghĩa là tất nhiên, chẳng biến đổi như tánh của biển là một vị: các dòng nước chảy vào biển đều trở thành một vị. Tánh của biển chẳng bị biến đổi theo các dòng nước kia vậy’. Nay cõi Cực Lạc, xét về trời, chẳng có bốn mùa v.v… xét về đất, cũng chẳng có các tướng sông, biển, núi, hang, chỉ là một cõi đất mênh mông, bát ngát, phẳng phiu, thuần sắc vàng ròng. Người cõi ấy lại như sách Luận Chú bảo: ‘Những kẻ vãng sanh không ai chẳng được tịnh sắc, không ai chẳng được tịnh tâm, rốt ráo đều đắc thanh tịnh bình đẳng vô vi pháp thân’. Câu này chứa đựng mật ý: tánh bình đẳng như đất, biển pháp một vị. Ðó là tánh trang nghiêm công đức thành tựu vậy.

‘Lại chẳng có sông biển lớn nhỏ, gò đống, hầm hố, gai góc, cát, sỏi, Thiết Vy, Tu Di, các hòn núi đá, núi đất…chỉ tự nhiên là bảy báu, vàng ròng làm đất’: Không có biển, sông, Tu Di… là hiển thị tánh công đức thành tựu. ‘Tu Di’ dịch là núi Diệu Cao, là trung tâm của một tiểu thế giới. Núi ấy do bốn báu hợp thành, nằm giữa đại hải, cao khỏi mặt nước ba trăm ba mươi sáu vạn dặm. Mặt ngoài có chín ngọn núi, tám cái biển. Phía ngoại vi của núi Tu Di gọi là ‘Thiết Vy sơn’. Ngay chính giữa đảnh núi Tu Di là chỗ ở của Ðế Thích, ba mươi hai vị trời khác ở khắp bốn mặt núi. Trời Tứ Thiên Vương ở lưng chừng núi. Bốn đại châu như Nam Thiệm Bộ châu v.v… ở quanh bốn mặt biển (Mặt trời xoay quanh núi Tu Di. Trước đây có người cho rằng núi Tu Di nằm ngay trên địa cầu thì thật là lầm lẫn lớn. Xét ra, ít nhất, Tu Di cũng to bằng mặt trời. Nam Thiệm Bộ Châu chính là địa cầu. Kinh dùng chữ ‘thủy’ (nước) để chỉ những vật thể lưu chuyển, ‘hải’ tức là chỗ tích tụ các vật thể lưu chuyển ấy, chứ nào phải là ‘biển cả’ như thế gian thường hiểu).

Sách Hội Sớ giảng chữ ‘tự nhiên là bảy báu’ như sau: ‘Cõi uế Sa Bà do tạp nghiệp cảm thành nên dùng bùn, đất, sỏi, sạn làm chất đất, còn cõi kia chuyên do tịnh tâm vô lậu biến hiện nên dùng thất bảo làm thể. Cõi ấy do bố thí, trì giới cảm thành, tánh chẳng tạo tác nên gọi là tự nhiên’. Ý chỉ của câu ‘tánh chẳng tạo tác nên gọi là tự nhiên’ của đoạn văn trên thật tương đồng với lời nhận định của Luận Chú: ‘Tánh có nghĩa là tất nhiên’. Tánh đức tự nhiên do chẳng có cách nào tạo tác được, đấy là ý nghĩa chữ ‘tự nhiên’. Có công tu đức nên tánh đức tự hiển hiện một cách tự nhiên như vậy; đấy là ý nghĩa chữ ‘tự nhiên’ trong kinh.

Về chữ ‘bảy báu’, các bản dịch và các kinh, luận nói đôi chút khác biệt. Trong kinh này, chữ ‘bảy báu’ chỉ ‘vàng, bạc, lưu ly, thủy tinh, hổ phách, mỹ ngọc, mã não’ (chữ ‘mỹ ngọc’ lấy từ bản Ðường dịch, chữ ‘thủy tinh’ lấy từ hai bản dịch Hán và Ngô). Kinh A Di Ðà bảo bảy báu là ‘vàng, bạc, lưu ly, pha lê, xa cừ, xích châu, mã não’. Trí Ðộ Luận lại bảo là ‘vàng, bạc, tỳ lưu ly, pha lê, xa cừ, mã não, xích chơn châu’ (loại châu này cực quý, khác hẳn san hô). Kinh Bát Nhã lại gộp cả hổ phách vào trong bảy báu, bản Ngụy dịch cũng kể tên hổ phách. Nói tổng quát là các thứ báu trong cõi Cực Lạc đều vi diệu, đẹp đẽ lạ lùng, vượt xa các báu trong thế gian, chẳng qua là mượn tạm tên gọi các vật báu trong cõi trần này để dễ mô tả đó thôi.

Câu ‘tự nhiên là bảy báu, vàng ròng làm đất’ ý nói: bảy báu như: vàng ròng… tánh đức tự nhiên hợp thành mặt đất. Bản Ngụy dịch chép: ‘[Trong] cõi đức Phật ấy, tự nhiên bảy báu: vàng, bạc, lưu ly, san hô, hổ phách, xa cừ, mã não hợp thành đất’. Quán kinh cũng chép: ‘Trên đất lưu ly dùng dây vàng ròng kết lẫn với bảy báu để phân chia thành từng khu vực rành rẽ. Mỗi một thứ báu có năm trăm sắc quang. Quang minh ấy như đóa hoa, lại có quang minh tương tự như tinh tú, mặt trăng treo lơ lửng trên hư không’. Mặt đất cõi nước Cực Lạc chẳng có đất, đá, chỉ thuần trang nghiêm bằng các thứ báu mầu nhiệm tánh đức như Vãng Sanh Luận nói: ‘Ðầy đủ tánh trân bảo, đầy đủ trang nghiêm mầu nhiệm’. Chữ ‘tánh trân bảo’ chỉ những thứ quý báu sẵn có trong tự tánh. Ðấy chính là môn ‘các thứ sự trang nghiêm công đức thành tựu’ được nói trong Vãng Sanh Luận.

‘Bằng phẳng, rộng rãi bao la chẳng thể hạn lượng’: tâm tịnh cõi nước tịnh, tâm bình cõi nước bình. Do tâm địa bình đẳng nên đại địa bằng phẳng. Câu kệ sau đây trong Vãng Sanh Luận: ‘Rốt ráo như hư không, rộng lớn không ngằn mé’ đã diễn tả ý ‘rộng rãi bao la chẳng thể hạn lượng’ nói trong kinh này. Sách Luận Chú giảng: “Như hư không” là ý nói chúng sanh tuy đông, nhưng vẫn như không có, nghĩa là: thập phương chúng sanh vãng sanh, dù đã sanh, hoặc đang sanh, hay sẽ sanh tuy vô lượng vô biên nhưng rốt ráo luôn như hư không. “Rộng lớn không ngằn mé’ là trọn chẳng có lúc kết cuộc’. Ðấy chính là môn Trang Nghiêm Lượng Công Ðức Thành Tựu được nói trong Vãng Sanh Luận: số lượng các thứ trang nghiêm chẳng có chừng hạn vậy.

‘Vi diệu đẹp đẽ, lạ lùng, thanh tịnh trang nghiêm’: ‘Diệu’ là đẹp đẽ một cách thù thắng khó nghĩ tưởng nổi. ‘Vi diệu’ nghĩa là đẹp đẽ nhất trong các thứ diệu, khó nghĩ tưởng nhất trong các thứ khó nghĩ tưởng nổi. ‘Ðẹp đẽ’ (lệ) là tuyệt đẹp, đẹp rực rỡ. ‘Lạ lùng’ (kỳ) là lạ, là chẳng tầm thường, đặc biệt, phi thường. Như vậy, ‘kỳ lệ’ nghĩa là đẹp đẽ, xinh khéo, rực rỡ một cách lạ lùng, đặc biệt, vượt trỗi, độc đáo. Chẳng hạn như, mặt đất cõi Cực Lạc do bảy báu hợp thành, trong mỗi thứ báu lại có năm trăm quang sắc. Quang minh ấy có hình như đóa hoa hoặc như vầng trăng nên bảo là ‘kỳ lệ’.

‘Thanh tịnh trang nghiêm’: ‘Thanh tịnh’ là vĩnh viễn thoát khỏi tạp nhiễm, ‘trang nghiêm’ là đầy đủ vạn đức. Sách Luận Chú nói: ‘Từ nghiệp trí huệ thanh tịnh của Bồ Tát phát khởi để trang nghiêm Phật sự, nương pháp tánh nhập tướng thanh tịnh’. Sách còn nói: ‘Tánh nghĩa là gốc. Cái năng sanh (tức là tánh) đã tịnh, thì cái sở sanh (tức là cõi nước) lại chẳng tịnh hay sao?’. Ðó là do cõi Cực Lạc được trang nghiêm thành tựu bằng bổn tánh thanh tịnh vậy.

Trong phẩm năm “Chí Tâm Tinh Tấn” của bản kinh này, Pháp Tạng tỳ kheo từng nguyện khi thành Phật thì trí huệ, quang minh, cõi nước, danh hiệu của ngài đều vang dội mười phương, ngài còn bảo: ‘Tôi lập nguyện này đều vượt trội vô số các cõi nước Phật’. Do Pháp Tạng Bồ Tát khi tu nhân đã phát nguyện vượt trội vô số các cõi Phật nên đến khi ngài thành Phật, bổn nguyện ấy liền tự được thành tựu như thế. Phẩm mười hai ‘Quang minh chiếu khắp mười phương’ có chép: ‘Vốn do trong đời trước cầu đạo, đã phát nguyện công đức có lớn nhỏ sai khác nên đến khi thành Phật, mỗi người tự đạt được [quả báo sai khác], tự tại thành tựu chẳng thể tính trước nổi’. Vì vậy, cõi nước Cực Lạc trang nghiêm đầy đủ ‘vượt trội hết thảy cõi nước trong mười phương’. (Do Phật Di Ðà lập nguyện được quả báo vượt trội mười phương nên công đức phát nguyện của ngài thù thắng hơn chư Phật khác. Do đó, ngài cảm được quả báo: thân và cõi nước đều thù thắng bậc nhất)

Chánh kinh: A Nan nghe xong, bạch Thế Tôn rằng: ‘Nếu cõi nước ấy không có núi Tu Di thì Tứ Thiên Vương thiên và Ðao Lợi thiên nương vào đâu mà trụ?’

Giải: ‘Ðao Lợi thiên’ dịch là Tam Thập Tam thiên, là tầng trời thứ hai trong sáu tầng trời Dục giới, ở ngay trên đảnh núi Tu Di. Chính giữa có một thiên thành là chỗ ngự của Ðế Thích. Bốn phía, mỗi phía có tám thiên thành, cộng chung thành ba mươi ba nơi nên có tên là Tam Thập Tam thiên. Chư thiên trong cõi trời Ðao Lợi và trời Tứ Thiên Vương đều nương theo núi Tu Di mà trụ nên A Nan nghe đức Phật nói cõi ấy không có núi Tu Di liền hỏi ngay các vị trời ấy sẽ nương vào đâu mà trụ?

Chánh kinh: Phật bảo A Nan: ‘Hết thảy chư thiên trời Dạ Ma, Ðâu Suất, cho đến Sắc, Vô Sắc giới nương vào đâu mà trụ?’ A Nan bạch rằng: ‘Do nghiệp lực chẳng thể nghĩ bàn nên đạt được như vậy’.

Giải: ‘Dạ Ma’ nói đủ là Tu Dạ Ma, là tầng trời thứ ba trong Dục Giới thiên. Tứ Thiên Vương thiên và Ðao Lợi thiên phải nương theo núi Tu Di để trụ nên gọi là Ðịa Cư thiên. Từ trời Dạ Ma trở lên đều ngự trên không trung nên gọi là Không Cư thiên.

Dạ Ma dịch là Thời Phận, Thiện Phận. Phật Ðịa Luận nói: ‘Nói về Dạ Ma thiên thì do cõi trời này tùy thời hưởng lạc nên gọi là Thời Phần’. Ðâu Suất dịch là Thượng Túc, Diệu Túc, Tri Túc, Hỷ Túc v.v… là tầng trời thứ tư trong Dục giới. Do chư thiên đối với những sự vui ngũ dục sanh tâm vui thích nhưng tri túc nên gọi là Hỷ Túc. Nội viện tầng trời ấy là cõi Tịnh Ðộ của Di Lặc đại sĩ, ngoại viện là chốn dục lạc của thiên chúng.

‘Sắc, Vô Sắc giới’: Sắc là chư thiên Sắc giới, chữ ‘Vô Sắc’ chỉ chư thiên trong Vô Sắc giới. Ðó là những cõi trời nằm phía trên các tầng trời Dục Giới, đều trụ trong hư không. Vì thế, Phật mới hỏi A Nan: Nếu vì không có núi Tu Di mà bảo là chư thiên không có chỗ để trụ thì các vị trời từ cõi Dạ Ma trở lên nương vào đâu để trụ? Ngay các vị trời cõi Dạ Ma trong thế giới Sa Bà này còn chẳng cần nương vào núi Tu Di để trụ trong hư không thì chư thiên trong cõi Cực Lạc cần chi núi Tu Di! A Nan đáp rằng: Do bởi có nghiệp lực chẳng thể nghĩ bàn nên chư thiên mới có thể nương hư không mà trụ.

Sách Câu Xá Quang Ký, quyển mười ba giảng chữ ‘nghiệp’ như sau: ‘Tạo tác là nghiệp’; ý nói: do thân, khẩu, ý tạo tác nên gọi là nghiệp. Làm ác là ác nghiệp, làm lành là thiện nghiệp. Thiện nghiệp có công năng sanh ra quả vui, ác nghiệp có tác dụng sanh ra quả ác; do vậy gọi là ‘nghiệp lực’. Sách Hữu Bộ Tỳ Nại Da (Luật tạng của phái Nhất Thiết Hữu Bộ), quyển bốn mươi sáu ghi: ‘Nghiệp lực chẳng thể nghĩ bàn! Dẫu xa xôi cách mấy vẫn lôi kéo được. Khi quả báo đã thành thục thì dẫu trốn tránh vẫn khó thoát được’.

Chánh kinh: Phật bảo A Nan: ‘Ông có biết chăng: nghiệp chẳng thể nghĩ bàn; thân ông quả báo chẳng thể nghĩ bàn, nghiệp báo của chúng sanh cũng chẳng thể nghĩ bàn, thiện căn của chúng sanh chẳng thể nghĩ bàn; thánh lực của chư Phật, thế giới của chư Phật cũng chẳng thể nghĩ bàn. Do công đức, thiện lực của chúng sanh cõi ấy, do trụ hạnh nghiệp địa và do thần lực của Phật nên mới được như thế đó.

Giải: Theo sách Tiên Chú, chữ‘quả báo’ chỉ những kết quả và báo ứng do những hành vi thiện ác trong quả khứ cảm thành nên gọi là quả báo. Quả và báo vốn cùng một thể. Nếu phân tích tỉ mỉ thì cảnh giới mà nay chúng ta gặp phải đều là kết quả của nghiệp nhân đã tạo trong quá khứ, đấy gọi là ‘quả’; còn hậu quả tương ứng với nghiệp duyên đã tạo thì gọi là ‘báo’. Cái gì có khả năng sanh ra sự vật thì gọi là ‘nhân’, còn những gì hỗ trợ cho nhân kết thành quả thì gọi là ‘duyên’. Ví dụ như hạt giống của lúa gạo hay lúa mạch là nhân; người nông phu cày bừa, mưa, sương thấm tưới là duyên. Thóc, lúa mạch thâu hoạch năm nay chính là từ hạt giống từ năm ngoái; nên nếu so với thóc, lúa mạch năm ngoái thì thóc và lúa mạch năm nay chính là quả. Nếu đem so với sức nông phu, mưa, sương v.v… thì thóc lúa năm nay chính là báo [của những duyên đó].

‘Chẳng thể nghĩ bàn’ là vượt khỏi sự hiểu biết, suy nghĩ, chẳng thể dùng tư duy, ngôn ngữ của chúng sanh để lãnh hội, diễn tả nổi. Trong câu ‘nghiệp báo của chúng sanh’, chữ nghiệp báo chỉ nghiệp nhân và quả báo. Do nghiệp nhân thiện hay ác nên gặp phải quả báo vui hay khổ. Kinh Bảo Tích quyển chín mươi sáu chép: ‘Vua Diêm La thường bảo bọn tội nhân đó: ‘Chẳng có chút tội nào do ta tự thêm vào cả, tội của chính các ngươi nay đến ngày báo ứng, nghiệp báo tự mình chiêu cảm lấy, không ai chịu thay cho được’. Phẩm Phổ Hiền Hạnh Nguyện cũng chép: ‘Bồ Tát tự nghĩ: ta trong vô thỉ kiếp quá khứ do tham, sân, si, từ thân, miệng ý tạo các nghiệp ác vô lượng vô biên. Nếu những ác nghiệp đó mà có thể tướng thì hết cả cõi hư không cũng chẳng chứa đựng hết nổi’. Do tạo nghiệp vô biên nên báo cũng vô biên. Câu Xá Luận, quyển 9 chép: ‘Ðến ngay cả đức Thế Tôn cũng không cách chi ngăn ngừa vì thế lực của nghiệp mạnh mẽ nhất’; bởi thế, kinh nói ‘nghiệp báo của chúng sanh chẳng thể nghĩ bàn’.

Kinh Ðại Tập dạy: ‘Hạnh của chúng sanh chẳng thể nghĩ bàn, cảnh giới của chúng sanh chẳng thể nghĩ bàn’. Tổ Lâm Tế cũng nói: ‘Ông muốn biết Phật, Tổ ư? Ông chỉ cần nghe pháp ắt sẽ biết’ và ‘Những việc hằng ngày có thiếu chi đâu? Thần quang của sáu đường chưa từng gián đoạn’. Như vậy, cảnh giới cùng việc làm thường nhật của chúng sanh đều là những thứ chẳng thể nghĩ bàn. Câu kinh Pháp Hoa: ‘Dẫu người tâm tán loạn, vào trong tháp miếu, niệm Nam Mô Phật một tiếng còn đều đã thành Phật đạo’ thật đã hiển thị sâu xa rằng thiện căn của chúng sanh chẳng thể nghĩ bàn, chẳng thể dùng suy lường, phân biệt để lãnh hội nổi.

‘Thánh lực của chư Phật, thế giới của chư Phật cũng chẳng thể nghĩ bàn’: Chữ ‘chư Phật’ chỉ khắp cả mười phương Như Lai. Trong chữ ‘thánh lực’, chữ ‘lực’ chỉ lực dụng. Theo sách Phạn Ngữ Danh Nghĩa Ðại Tập và quyển bốn mươi tám sách Tông Kính Lục thì có năm thứ lực: định lực, thông lực, tá thức lực, đại nguyện lực và Phật pháp oai đức lực. Năm thứ lực này chẳng thể nghĩ bàn nên kinh bảo ‘thánh lực chẳng thể nghĩ bàn’. Theo kinh này, trong vô lượng kiếp, Pháp Tạng Bồ Tát trụ vào chơn thật huệ để trang nghiêm cõi Phật, hạnh đức như Phổ Hiền, khai hóa, hiển thị chơn thật tế, muốn cho hết thảy chúng sanh đều hưởng cái lợi chơn thật. Do vô lượng công đức chơn thật của đại nguyện, đại hạnh đó nên thành tựu được thánh lực và cõi nước đều chẳng thể nghĩ bàn. Với mỗi thứ công đức trong mười bảy thứ công đức trang nghiêm thành tựu của cõi nước, Ðàm Loan pháp sư đều bảo là ‘há nghĩ bàn nổi’ như: ‘Quang minh thực hiện Phật sự há nghĩ bàn nổi’, ‘nước trong cõi ấy thực hiện Phật sự há nghĩ bàn nổi’, ‘hình ảnh ấy làm Phật sự há nghĩ bàn nổi’, ‘tiếng ấy làm Phật sự há thể nghĩ bàn nổi’. Ðiều thù thắng nhất là những người vãng sanh ‘chẳng đoạn phiền não lại được hưởng Niết Bàn há nghĩ bàn nổi’. Kinh Kim Cang Ðảnh cũng nói: ‘Chỉ mình cõi Phật ấy dùng trọn kim cang tự tánh thanh tịnh để tạo thành Mật Nghiêm Hoa Tạng’ (trong quyển 2, tôi đã chứng minh Mật Nghiêm Hoa Tạng chính là Cực Lạc thế giới). Cõi nước thắng diệu như vậy chẳng từ vi trần tạo thành nên chẳng phải là vật chất thế gian, chẳng cần đến sức hấp dẫn giữa vạn vật để kết tụ nên cần chi núi Tu Di! Do vì cõi nước ấy do kim cang tự tánh thanh tịnh tạo thành nên kinh bảo ‘thế giới chẳng thể nghĩ bàn’.

Trong câu ‘do thiện lực, công đức của chúng sanh cõi ấy’, chữ ‘cõi ấy’ chỉ thế giới Cực Lạc. Những người vãng sanh phát Bồ Ðề tâm, một dạ chuyên niệm, dùng các thứ chánh hạnh, trợ hạnh, định thiện, tán thiện để cầu sanh Tịnh Ðộ, trì danh hiệu viên mãn vạn đức, nhập biển đại nguyện Nhất Thừa. Công đức thù thắng vô lượng vô biên như thế nên lực dụng thật chẳng thể nghĩ bàn. Lực dụng đạt được do tu tập gọi là ‘thiện lực’. Tịnh Ảnh Sớ viết: ‘Nương vào pháp để tu hành đúng đắn thì gọi là thiện lực’. Công đức và thiện lực của chúng sanh cõi Cực Lạc đều chẳng thể nghĩ bàn.

Sách Hội Sớ giảng chữ ‘trụ hạnh nghiệp địa’ như sau: ‘Hạnh nghiệp địa chính là sự thành tựu đại nguyện, đại hạnh, đại nghiệp của Phật A Di Ðà’. Chúng sanh cõi Cực Lạc do thiện lực của vô lượng công đức nên có thể an trụ trong những thành tựu tạo bởi đại nguyện, đại hạnh, đại nghiệp của A Di Ðà Như Lai; vì thế bảo là ‘trụ hạnh nghiệp địa’. Trong quyển 2, khi giải thích nguyện thứ 47, tôi đã từng dẫn Vãng Sanh Luận Chú để chứng tỏ rằng thấy được thân tướng Phật Di Ðà thì được thân nghiệp bình đẳng, nghe danh hiệu ngài thì được khẩu nghiệp bình đẳng, gặp quang minh của ngài chiếu đến thì hiểu được pháp và được ý nghiệp bình đẳng. Những điều như vậy chính là ‘hạnh nghiệp địa’ của Phật Di Ðà. Do thiện lực công đức của chúng sanh cõi Cực Lạc, do sức an trụ vào hạnh nghiệp địa của Phật Di Ðà, và do oai thần vô thượng của đức Phật ấy nên cõi nước Cực Lạc chẳng cần phải nương vào núi Tu Di mà vẫn có thể an trụ một cách tự nhiên.

Chánh kinh: A Nan bạch rằng: ‘Nghiệp nhân quả báo chẳng thể nghĩ bàn. Ðối với pháp ấy con chẳng nghi hoặc, chỉ là để phá trừ lưới ngờ cho chúng sanh trong đời tương lai nên con mới hỏi như thế’.

Giải: Ðến đây, ngài A Nan mới nói rõ nguyên do thúc đẩy ngài nêu câu hỏi ấy: ngài thấy rõ chúng sanh trong đời tương lai tình chấp sâu nặng ắt sẽ nghi lầm điều đó (tức là nghi cõi Cực Lạc không có núi Tu Di thì sẽ nương vào đâu để an trụ) nên mới thay họ thưa hỏi. Trong cõi thế gian này, chúng sanh điên đảo chất chồng, chỉ khăng khăng chấp vào những hiện tượng và quy luật của thế giới này, dùng cái thấy biết hẹp hòi để suy xét cảnh giới của Phật. Thậm chí chấp vào cái thấy biết thiếu sót của mình rồi nghi ngờ lời Phật; nghe nói cõi Cực Lạc không có núi Tu Di liền nghi chư thiên cõi ấy biết nương vào đâu mà trụ? Ðể phá nỗi nghi ấy, Phật liền hỏi ngược lại: Vậy thì các tầng trời như trời Dạ Ma v.v… trong cõi này lại nương vào đâu mà trụ? Chẳng lẽ cứ căn cứ theo sự tướng của trời Ðao Lợi để rồi ngờ vực cõi Cực Lạc hay sao? Ngài A Nan đại quyền thị hiện vì chúng sanh mà thưa hỏi. Bởi thế, ngài chẳng nói ‘trụ vào không trung’ mà lại nói ‘chẳng thể nghĩ bàn’ để khơi gợi Thế Tôn dạy ra điều thù thắng, nêu lên yếu chỉ của toàn bộ kinh này: toàn bộ bản kinh này đều là ‘chẳng thể nghĩ bàn’ cả.

Ðiều chấp trước vừa được nói trên không những chỉ là chưa hiểu thấu Phật pháp mà còn mâu thuẫn với cả khoa học hiện đại. Do thế giới chúng ta đang sống là không gian ba chiều (tam duy không gian: 3-dimension space). Do vọng niệm chẳng ngừng nên những suy nghĩ, phân biệt của người đời chẳng thể vượt khỏi tánh chất hạn cuộc của thế giới này. Lẽ nào ta lại có thể dùng những quy luật của không gian ba chiều để suy lường không gian nhiều chiều trong thực tế một cách sai lạc hay sao? Hiện tại, lý thuyết không gian nhiều chiều (đa duy không gian: multi-dimension space) đã được giới khoa học thừa nhận. Số chiều trong cõi Thường Tịch Quang của Phật ắt cũng phải là vô lượng.

Thật ra, chúng sanh cõi Cực Lạc vượt xa cảnh giới trời, người nhưng vì thuận theo các phương khác nên mới gọi là trời, người. Nói trời Ðao Lợi, trời Tứ Thiên Vương v.v… cũng chỉ là thuận theo cách nói thông thường của những phương khác. Kinh bảo thánh chúng cõi ấy ‘có người ở trên mặt đất nghe nhận kinh điển’, có người ‘ở trên hư không giảng tụng, nghe nhận’. Thánh chúng cõi ấy lại còn ‘cung điện tùy thuộc vào thân’ cho nên cung điện trong cõi ấy hoặc là ở trên mặt đất hoặc ở trên hư không. Vì vậy, những tầng trời như Dạ Ma (không cư), Ðao Lợi (địa cư)… chỉ là thí dụ. Phẩm Siêu Thế Hy Hữu của kinh này cũng bảo: ‘Chỉ do thuận theo lề thói phương khác nên có danh từ trời, người’. Như vậy, trời, người và các tầng trời chỉ là cách nói thuận theo thế tục.

(1) Ý nói: lời cốt yếu nhất trong những lời cốt yếu, hồng tâm của hồng tâm chính là điểm chính giữa của cái gọi là hồng tâm trong tấm bia để bắn tên.

(2) Tâm sở: tác dụng của tâm, thường gồm 46 vị như: thọ, tưởng, tư, xúc…

(3) Ngôn thuyên: dùng ngôn ngữ văn tự để diễn đạt nghĩa lý.

(4) Tứ cú là bốn câu có, không, cũng có cũng không, chẳng phải có chẳng phải không.

(5) Phúng: đọc tụng với giọng ngân nga. Xưa thường phân biệt phúng là đọc dựa theo văn bản, còn tụng là đọc thuộc lòng.

(6) Tất đàn: nói đủ là tứ tất đàn (siddhānta), tức là bốn phương diện Phật dùng để hóa độ chúng sanh, gồm: thế giới tất đàn (tùy thuận pháp thế gian mà nói nghĩa nhân duyên hòa hợp để thuyết minh chơn lý duyên khởi); nhân tất đàn (tùy theo căn cơ và năng lực của từng chúng sanh mà nói pháp xuất thế khiến họ sanh khởi thiện căn); đối trị tất đàn (tùy bệnh cho pháp dược để đối trị phiền não); đệ nhất nghĩa tất đàn (trực tiếp dùng Ðệ Nhất Nghĩa để sáng tỏ lý Thật Tướng của các pháp). Trong đoạn này là bốn lợi ích tất đàn của pháp tu Tịnh Ðộ.

(7) Hiếp sĩ: Hiếp là cái hông, vì hai vị này thường theo hầu sát hai bên Phật nên gọi là hiếp sĩ.

(*) Thọ giả: cá thể có sanh mạng, thông thường người ta cho rằng thọ giả là linh hồn hoặc chủ thể của nhân cách; nhưng trong Phật giáo không chấp nhận quan điểm này. Ngài Cát Tạng viết trong Kim Cang Bát Nhã Sớ quyển 3 rằng: ‘Ngoại đạo chấp có thần ngã, chết đây sanh kia, trải qua sáu đường, nên gọi là thọ giả’. Trong Kim Cang Bát Nhã Kinh Tán Thuật, quyển thượng, ngài Khuy Cơ giảng: ‘Mạng căn đoạn diệt ở quá khứ, đời sau sanh trong sáu đường, gọi là thọ giả tướng’. Kinh Ðại Phẩm Bát Nhã quyển 2 cho rằng thọ giả là 1 trong 16 tên khác nhau của Ngã.

THE LARGER

SUKHAVATIVYUHA SUTRA

or

The Sutra on the

Buddha of Eternal Life

Translated from the Sanskrit by F. Max Mueller

edited by Richard St. Clair

This electronic version may be copied and distributed free and without permission provided that it is not altered in any way.

THE LARGER SUKHAVATI-VYUHA.

DESCRIPTION OF SUKHAVATI, THE LAND OF BLISS.

Om.

Adoration to the Three Treasures!

Om.

Adoration to all the glorious Buddhas and Bodhisattvas!

Adoration to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Aryas, Sravakas, and Pratyekabuddhas, past, present, and to come, who dwell in the unlimited and endless world systems of the ten quarters!

Adoration to Amitabha!

Adoration to him whose soul is endowed with incomprehensible virtues!

Adoration to Amitabha, to the Jina, to thee, O Sage!

I go to Sukhavati through thy compassion also;

To Sukhavati, with its groves, resplendent with gold,

The delightful, adorned with the sons of Sugata,--

I go to it, which is full of many jewels and treasures;

And the refuge of thee, the famous and wise.

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# 1. Thus it was heard by me. At one time the Bhagavat dwelt in Rajagriha, on the mountain Gridhrakuta, with a large assembly of Bhikkhus, with thirty-two thousands of Bhikkhus, all arhats, free from frailties and cares, who had performed their religious duties, whose thoughts had been thoroughly freed through perfect knowledge, with inquiring thoughts, who had broken the fetters of existence, who had obtained their desires, who had conquered, who had achieved the highest self restraint, whose thoughts and whose knowledge were unfettered, great heroes, possessed of the six kinds of knowledge, self-controlled, meditating on the eight kinds of salvation, possessed of the powers, wise in wisdom, elders, great disciples, that is, Ajnatakaundinya, Asvajit, Vashpa, Mahanaman, Bhadrajit, Yasodeva, Vimala, Subahu, Purna Maitrayaniputra, Uruvilva-kasyapa, Nadi-kasyapa, Gaya-kasyapa, Kumara-kasyapa, Maha-kasyapa, Shariputra, Mahamaudgalyayana, Mahakaushthilya, Mahakaphila, Mahakunda, Aniruddha, Nandika, Kampila, Subhuti, Revata, Khadiravanika, Vakula, Svagata, Amogharaja, Parayanika, Patka, Kullapatka, Nanda, Rahula, and the blessed Ananda--with these and with other elders, and great disciples, who were wise in wisdom, with the exception of one person who had still to be advanced on the path of the disciples, that is, the blessed Ananda--and with many noble-minded Bodhisattvas, led by Maitreya.

#2. Then the blessed Ananda, having risen from his seat, having put his cloak on one shoulder, and knelt on the earth with his right knee, making obeisance with folded hands in the direction of the Bhagavat, spoke thus to the Bhagavat: 'Thy organs of sense, O Bhagavat, are serene, the color of thy skin is clear, the color of thy face bright and yellowish. As an autumn cloud is pale, clear, bright and yellowish, thus the organs of sense of the Bhagavat are serene, the color of his face is clear, the color of his skin bright and yellowish. And as, O Bhagavat, a piece of gold coming from the Jambu river, having been thrown into a furnace by a clever smith or by his apprentice, and well fashioned, when thrown on a pale cloth, looks extremely clear, bright and yellowish, thus the organs of sense of the Bhagavat are serene, the color of his face is clear, and the color of his skin bright and yellowish. Moreover, I do not know, O Bhagavat, that I have ever seen the organs of sense of the Tathagata so serene, the color of his face so clear and the color of his skin so bright and yellowish before now. This thought occurs to me, O Bhagavat: probably, the Tathagata dwells to-day in the state of a Buddha, probably the Tathagata dwells to-day in the state of a Jina, in the state of omniscience, in the state of a Mahanaga; and he contemplates the holy and fully enlightened Tathagatas of the past, future, and present.'

After these words, the Bhagavat thus spoke to the blessed Ananda: 'Well said! well said! Ananda. Did the gods suggest this matter to you? or the blessed Buddhas? Or do you know this through the philosophical knowledge which you possess?'

After these words the blessed Ananda spoke thus to the Bhagavat: 'The gods, O Bhagavat, do not suggest this matter to me, nor the blessed Buddhas, but this thought occurs to me by my own philosophy alone, that is, that probably the Tathagata dwells to-day in the state of a Buddha, probably the Tathagata dwells to-day in the state of a Jina, in the state of omniscience, in the state of a Mahanaga; or he contemplates the venerable Buddhas of the past, future, and present.'

After these words the Bhagavat spoke thus to the blessed Ananda: 'Well said! well said! Ananda; excellent indeed is your question, good your philosophy, and beautiful your understanding! You, O Ananda, have arrived for the benefit and happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the sake of the great body of men, for the benefit and happiness of gods and men, as you think it right to ask the Tathagata this matter: Thus, indeed, Ananda, might pile up intellectual knowledge under immeasurable and innumerable blessed, holy, and fully enlightened Tathagatas, and yet the knowledge of the Tathagata would not be exceeded thereby. And why? Because, O Ananda, one who possesses the knowledge of a Tathagata possesses an intellectual knowledge of causes that cannot be exceeded.

'If the Tathagata wished O Ananda, he could live for a whole kalpa on one alms-gift, or for a hundred kalpas, or for a thousand kalpas, or for a hundred thousand kalpas, to a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of kalpas, nay, he could live beyond, and yet the organs of nature of the Tathagata would not perish, the color of his face would not be altered, nor would the color of his skin be injured. And why? Because, O Ananda, the Tathagata has so fully obtained the perfections which arise from Samadhi.

'The appearance of fully enlightened Buddhas is very difficult to be obtained in this world, O Ananda. As the appearance of Audumbara-flowers is very difficult to be obtained in this world; thus, O Ananda, the appearance of Tathagatas who desire welfare, wish for what is beneficial, are compassionate, and have arrived at the highest compassion, is very difficult to be obtained. But, O Ananda, it is owing to the grace of the Tathagata himself that you think that the Tathagata should be asked this question, so that there may arise in this world beings who can be teachers of all the world, for the sake of noble-minded Bodhisattvas. Therefore, O Ananda, listen, and take it well and rightly to heart! I shall tell you.'

'Yes, O Bhagavat,' so did the blessed Ananda answer the Bhagavat.

# 3. The Bhagavat then spoke to Ananda: 'At the time, O Ananda, which was long ago in the past, in an innumerable and more than innumerable, enormous, immeasurable, and incomprehensible kalpa before now--at that time, and at that moment, there arose in the world a holy and fully enlightened Tathagata called Dipankara. Following after Dipankara, O Ananda, there was a Tathagata Pratapavat, and after him, Prabhakara, Kandanagandha, Sumerukalpa, Kandana, Vimalanana, Anupalipta, Vimalaprabha, Nagabhibhu, Suryodana, Giririjaghosha, Merukuta, Suvarnaprabha, Gyotishprabha, Vaiduryanirbhasa, Brahmaghosha, Kandabhibho, 19. Turyaghosha, Muktakusumapratimanditaprabha, Srikuta, Sagaravarabuddhivikriditabhijna, Varaprabha, Mahagandhajanirbhasa, Vyapagatakhilamalapratighosha, Surakuta, Rananjaha, Mahagunadharabuddhipraptibhijna, Chandrasuryajihmikarana, Uttaptavaiduryanirbhasa, Chittadharabuddhisankusumitabhyudgata, Pushpavativanarajasankusumitabhijna, Pushpakara, Udakakandra, Avidyandhakaravidhvamsanakara, Lokendra, Muktakkhatrapravatasadrisa, Tishya, Dharmamativinanditaraja, Simhasigarakutavinanditaraja, Sagaramerukandra, Brahmasvaranadabhinandita, Kusumasambhava, Praptasena, Kandrabhanu, Merukuta, Chandraprabha, Vimalanetra, Girirajaghoshesvara, Kusumaprabha, Kusumavrishtyabhiprakirna, Ratnakandra, Padmabimbyupasobhita, Chandanagandha, Ratnabhibhasa, Nimi, Mahivyuha, Vyapagatakhiladosha, Brahmaghosha, Saptaratnabhivrishta, Mahijunadhara, Mahatamalapatrakandanakardama, Kusumabhijna, Ajnavidhvamsana, Kesarin, Muktakkhatra, Suvarnagarbha, Vaiduryagarbha, Mahaketu, Dharmaketu, Ratnaketu, Ratnasri, Lokendra, Narendra, Karunika, Lokasundara, Brahmaketu, Dharmamati, Simha, and Simhamati.

'After Simhamati, a holy and fully enlightened Tathagata arose in the world, Lokesvararaja by name, perfect in knowledge and conduct, a Sugata, knowing the world, without a superior, charioteer of men whose passions have to be tamed, teacher of gods and men, a Buddha, a Bhagavat. And again during the time of the preaching of this holy and fully enlightened Tathagata Lokesvararaja, O Ananda, there was a Bhikkhu, Dharmakara by name, richly endowed with memory, with understanding, prudence, and wisdom, richly endowed with vigor, and of noble character.

# 4. 'Then, O Ananda, that Bhikkhu Dharmakara, having risen from his seat, having put his cloak on one shoulder, and knelt on the earth with his right knee, stretching forth his folded hands to where the Bhagavat Tathagata Lokesvararaja was, and, after worshipping the Bhagavat, he, at that very time, praised him in his presence with these Gathas:

"O thou of immeasurable light, whose knowledge is endless and incomparable; not any other light can shine here where thou art! The rays of the moon of Siva and of the jewel of the sun, were not bright here in the whole world, (1)

"The form also is infinite in the best of beings; thus also the voice of Buddha is of infinite sound; his virtue likewise, with meditation, knowledge, strength; like unto thee there is no one in this world. (2)

"The Dharma is deep, wide, and subtle; the best of Buddhas is incomprehensible, like the ocean; therefore there is no further exaltation of the teacher; having left all faults, he is gone to the other shore. (3)

"Then the best of Buddhas, of endless light, lights up all regions, he the king of kings; and I, having become Buddha, and a master of the Dharma, may I deliver mankind from old age and death! (4)

"And I, on the strength of generosity, equanimity, virtue, forbearance, power, meditation and absorption, undertake here the first and best duties, and shall become a Buddha, the savior of all beings. (5)

"And I, seeking for the knowledge of the best of the Blessed Ones, shall always worship many hundred thousands of kotis of Buddhas, endless like the sand of the Ganges, the incomparable lords. (6)

"Whatever worlds there are, similar in number to the sand of the Ganges, and the endless countries which exist besides, there everywhere I shall send out light, because I have attained such power. (7)

"My land is to be noble, the first and the best; the Bodhi-tree excellent in this world. There is incomparable happiness arising from Nirvana, and this also I shall explain as vain. (8)

"Beings come hither from the ten quarters; having arrived there they quickly show my happiness. May Buddha there teach me the truth, I form a desire full of true strength and vigor. (9)

"I, knowing the worlds of the ten quarters, possessed of absolute knowledge--they also always proclaim my thought! May I, gone to Avichi hell, always abide there, but I shall never cease to practise the power of prayer! " (10)

# 5. 'Then, O Ananda, that Bhikkhu Dharmakara, having praised the Bhagavat, the Tathagata Lokesvararaja, in his presence, with those Gathas, spoke thus: "O Bhagavat, I wish to know the highest perfect knowledge. Again and again I raise and incline my thoughts towards the highest perfect knowledge. May therefore the Bhagavat, as a teacher, thus teach me the Dharma, that I may quickly know the highest perfect knowledge. May I become in the world a Tathagata, equal to the unequalled. And may the Bhagavat proclaim those signs by which I may comprehend the perfection of all good qualities of a Buddha country."

'After this, O Ananda, the Bhagavat Lokesvararaja, the Tathagata, thus spoke to that Bhikkhu: "Do you by yourself, O Bhikkhu, know the perfection of all excellences and good qualities of a Buddha country ?

' He said: "O Bhagavat, I could not do this, but the Bhagavat alone. Explain the perfection of the excellences and all the good qualities of Buddha countries of the other Tathagatas, after hearing which we may fulfil every one of their signs."

'Then, O Ananda, the Tathagata Lokesvararaja, holy and fully enlightened, knowing the good disposition of that Bhikkhu, taught for a full koti of years the perfection of all the excellences and good qualities of Buddha countries belonging to eighty-one hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddhas, together with the signs, indication, and description, desiring welfare, wishing for benefits, compassionate, full of compassion, so that there might never be an end of Buddha countries, having conceived great pity for all beings. The measure of life of that Tathagata was full forty kalpas.

# 6. 'Then, O Ananda, that Bhikkhu Dharmakara, taking the perfections of all the excellences and good qualities of those Buddha countries, of those eighty-one hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddhas, and concentrating them all on one Buddha country, worshipped with his head the feet of the Bhagavat Lokesvararaja, the Tathagata, turned respectfully round him to the right, and walked away from the presence of this Bhagavat. And afterwards, for the space of five kalpas, he thus concentrated the perfection of all the excellences and good qualities of the Buddha countries, such as had never been known before in the ten quarters of the whole world, more excellent, and more perfect than any, and composed the most excellent prayer.

# 7. 'Thus, O Ananda, that Bhikkhu concentrated in his mind a perfection of a Buddha country eighty-one times more immeasurable, noble, and excellent than the perfection of the eighty-one hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddha countries that had been told him by the Bhagavat Lokesvararaja, the Tathagata. And then, proceeding to where the Tathagata was, he worshipped the feet of the Bhagavat with his head, and said: "O Bhagavat, the perfection of all the excellences and good qualities of the Buddha countries has been concentrated by me."

'After this, O Ananda, the Tathagata Lokesvararaja thus spoke to the Bhikkhu: "Preach then, O Bhikkhu; the Tathagata allows it. Now is the proper time, O Bhikshu. Delight the assembly, produce joy, let the lion's voice be heard, so that now and hereafter, noble-minded Bodhisattvas, hearing it, may comprehend the different subjects of the prayers for the perfection of the good qualities of a Buddha country."

'Then, O Ananda, that Bhikkhu Dharmakara thus spoke at that time to the Bhagavat: "May the Bhagavat thus listen to me, to what my own prayers are, and how, after I shall have obtained the highest perfect knowledge, my own Buddha country will then be endowed with all inconceivable excellences and good qualities.

# 8. 1. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine there should be either hell, animals, the realm of departed spirits, or the body of fighting spirits, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

2. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine the beings who are born there should die and fall into hell, the animal realm, the realm of departed spirits, or into the body of fighting spirits, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

3. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine the beings who are born there should not all be of one color, that is, a golden color, then may I not obtain the hignest perfect knowledge.

4. "O Bhagavat, If in that Buddha country of mine there should be perceived any difference between gods and men, except when people count and tell, saying: 'These are gods and men, but only in ordinary and imperfect parlance,' then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

5. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine the beings who are born there should not be possessed of the highest perfections of miraculous power and self-control, so that they could at least in the shortest moment of one thought step over a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddha countries, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

6. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine the beings who are born there should not all be possessed of the recollection of their former births, so as at least to remember a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of kalpas, then may I not the highest perfect knowledge.

7. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine the beings who are born there should not all acquire the divine eye, so as at least to be able to see a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of worlds, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

8. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine the beings who are born there should not all acquire the divine ear, so as at least to be able to hear at the same time the good Dharma from a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddha countries, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

9. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine the beings who are born there should not all be skilled in the knowledge of the thoughts of other people, so as at least to be able to know the deeds and thoughts of beings belonging to a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddha countries, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

10. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine the beings who are born there should form any idea of property, even with regard to their own body, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

11. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine the beings who are born there should not all be firmly established, that is, in absolute truth, till they have reached Mahaparinirvana, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

12. "O Bhagavat, if any being should be able to count the pupils belonging to me after I have obtained the highest perfect knowledge in that Buddha country of mine, even if all beings who are contained in those three millions of spheres of worlds, after having become Pratyekabuddhas, should be counting for a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of kalpas, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

13. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained the highest perfect knowledge, my light should be liable to be measured in this Buddha country of mine, even by the measure of a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddha countries, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

14 "O Bhagavat, if the measure of the life of the beings in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained the highest perfect knowledge, should be liable to be measured, excepting always by their own power of prayer, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

15. "O Bhagavat, if the measure of my life after I have obtained Bodhi should be limited, even by numbering a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of kalpas, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

16. "O Bhagavat, if, for the beings in this Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, even the name of sin should exist, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

17. "O Bhagavat, if immeasurable and innumerable blessed Buddhas in immeasurable Buddha countries do not glorify my name, after I have obtained Bodhi; if they do not preach my fame and proclaim my praise, and utter it together, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

18. "O Bhagavat, if those beings who have directed their thought towards the highest perfect knowledge in other worlds, and who, after having heard my name, when I have obtained Bodhi , have meditated on me with serene thoughts; if at the moment of their death, after having approached them, surrounded by an assembly of Bhikkhus, I should not stand before them, worshipped by them, that is, so that their thoughts should not be troubled, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

19. "O Bhagavat, if those beings who in immeasurable and innumerable Buddha countries, after they have heard my name, when I shall have obtained Bodhi, should direct their thought to be born in that Buddha country of mine, and should for that purpose bring their stock of merit to maturity, if these should not be born in that Buddha country, even those who have only ten times repeated the thought of that Buddha country, barring always those beings who have committed the five deadly sins, and who have caused an obstruction and abuse of the good Law, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

20. "O Bhagavat, if those beings who have been born in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should not all be bound to one birth only, before reaching the highest perfect knowledge, barring always the special prayers of those very noble-minded Bodhisattvas who have put on the whole armor (of the Dharma), who understand the welfare of all beings, who are devoted, to all beings, who work for the attainment of Nirvana of all beings, who wish to perform the duty of a Bodhisattva in all worlds, who wish to serve all Buddhas, and to bring beings, in number like grains of sand of the river Ganges, to the highest perfect knowledge, and who besides are turned towards the higher practice and perfect in the practice of Samantabhadra's discipline, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

21. "O Bhagavat, if the Bodhisattvas who are born in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should not all be able, after having gone to other Buddha countries, after their one morning-meal, to worship many hundreds of Buddhas, many thousands of Buddhas, many hundred thousands of Buddhas, many kotis of Buddhas, and so forth, till up to many hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddhas, with objects which give every kind of pleasure, and this through the grace of the Buddha, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

22. "O Bhagavat, if those Bodhisattvas in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should wish their stock of merit to grow in the following shapes, that is, either in gold, in silver, in jewels, in pearls, in beryls, in shells, in stones, in corals, in crystal, in amber, in red pearls, in diamond, and so forth, or in any one of the other jewels; or in all kinds of perfumes, in flowers, in garlands, anointment, in incense-powder, in cloaks, in umbrellas, in flags, in banners, or in lamps; or in all kinds of dancing, singing, and music; and if such gifts should not appear for them, from being produced as soon as thought of, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

23. "O Bhagavat, if those beings who are born in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should not all recite the story of the Dharma which is accompanied by omniscience, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

24. "O Bhagavat, if the Bodhisattvas in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should think thus: May we, remaining in this world, honor revere, esteem, and worship the blessed Buddhas in immeasurable and innumerable Buddha countries, that is, with cloaks, alms-bowls, beds, stools, refreshments, medicines, utensils, with flowers, incense, lamps, perfumes, garlands, ointment, powder, cloaks, umbrellas, flags, banners, with different kinds of dancing singing, and music, and with showers of jewels, and if the blessed Buddhas should not accept them, when they are produced as soon as thought of, that is, from compassion, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

25. "O Bhagavat, if the Bodhisattvas who are born in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should not all be in possession of strength of body as strong as the diamond of Narayana, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

26. "O Bhagavat, if any being in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should learn the limit of the beauty of its ornament, even if he be possessed of the divine eye, and should know its various beauty, saying: 'That Buddha country possesses so much beauty and so much magnificence,' then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

27. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, a Bodhisattva possessed even of a very small stock of merit, should not perceive the Bodhi-tree of noble beauty, at least a hundred yojanas in height, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

28. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, either teaching or learning should have to be made by any being, and they should not all be in possession of the perfect knowledge, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

29. "O Bhagavat, if that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should not be so brilliant, that in it could be seen on all sides immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, immense Buddha countries, as a round face is seen in a highly burnished round mirror, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

30. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, there should not be a hundred thousand of vases full of different sweet perfumes, made of all kinds of jewels, always smoking with incense, fit for the worship of Bodhisattvas and Tathagatas, rising into the sky beyond gods, men, and all things, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

31. "O Bhagavat, if in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, there should not be showers of sweet jewel-flowers, always pouring down, and if there should not be sweet-sounding music-clouds, always playing, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

32. "O Bhagavat, if the beings belonging to me, after I have obtained Bodhi, who are visible by their splendor, in immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable worlds, should not all be filled with pleasure, far beyond gods and men, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

33. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained Bodhi, the noble-minded Bodhisattvas in immeasurable, inconceivable, incomparable, immense Buddha countries on all sides, after having heard my name, should not be delivered from birth, through the merit arising from that hearing, and should not be strong in the knowledge of dharanis, until they have obtained the very throne of Bodhi, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

34. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained Bodhi, women in immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, immense Buddha countries on all sides, after having heard my name, should allow carelessness to arise, should not turn their thoughts towards Bodhi, should, when they are free from birth, not despise their female nature; and if they, being born again, should assume a second female nature, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

35. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained Bodhi, the Bodhisattvas who in immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, immense Buddha countries round about in the ten quarters having heard my name, and having fallen down, shall worship me with prostrate reverence, should not, when performing the duty of Bodhisattvas, be honored by the world and by the gods, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

36. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained Bodhi, the work of dyeing, sewing, drying, washing ot his cloaks should have to be performed by any Bodhisattva, and they should not perceive themselves, as quick as thought, covered by newly-produced excellent cloaks, granted to them by the Tathagata, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

37. "O Bhagavat, if the beings who are born at the same time in that Buddha country, after I have obtained Bodhi, should not obtain such happiness as that of the holy Bhikkhu who is free from pain and has obtained the third meditation, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

38. "O Bhagavat, if those Bodhisattvas who are born in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should not produce from different jewel-trees such a mass of excellent ornaments in that Buddha country, as they should wish for, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

39. "O Bhagavat, if the Bodhisattvas who are born in other Buddha countries, when they have heard my name, after I shall have obtained Bodhi, should suffer any diminution in the strength of their senses, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

40. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained Bodhi, the Bodhisattvas, from hearing my name in a place of a different Buddha country, should not obtain the Samadhi in which the Bodhisattvas will see immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, immense, blessed Buddhas one moment after another; and if that Samadhi of theirs should come to an end meanwhile, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

41. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained Bodhi, beings, having heard my name in Buddha countries different from this, should not, through the stock of merit which follows on that hearing, obtain birth in a noble family, till they arrive at Bodhi, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

42. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained Bodhi, the Bodhisattvas who live in other Buddha countries, after hearing my name, till they have reached Bodhi by the stock of merit which follows on that hearing, should not all obtain a combination of their stock of merit with the joy and gladness of their Bodhisattva life, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

43. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained Bodhi, the Bodhisattvas, as soon as they have heard my name, in other worlds, should not obtain the Samadhi called Samantanugata, in which Bodhisattvas honor one moment after another immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, immense, blessed Buddhas, and if that Samadhi of theirs should come to an end before they have reached the throne of Bodhi, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

44. "O Bhagavat, if the beings who are born in that Buddha country of mine, after I have obtained Bodhi, should not hear, as quick as thought, such a teaching of the Dharma as they wish to hear, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

45 "O Bhagavat, if, after I ave obtained Bodhi, the Bodhisattvas in this and other Buddha countries, as soon as they have heard my name, should ever turn back from the highest perfect knowledge, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

46. "O Bhagavat, if, after I have obtained Bodhi, and have become a Buddha-teacher, the Bodhisattvas who hear my name in Buddha countries, and obtain the first, the second, and the third degrees of endurance, as soon as they have heard my name, should turn away again from Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, then may I not obtain the highest perfect knowledge.

#9. 'And again, O Ananda, when he had spoken such prayers, that Bhikkhu Dharmakara, at that time, through the grace of Buddha spoke these verses:

1. "If, when I have obtained Bodhi, there should not be for me an excellent Pranidhana of such a character, then, O Prince, O Best of beings, may I not be endowed with the ten powers, incomparable, worthy of offerings.

2. "If there should not be for me such a country, endowed with many and various mighty and divine endowments, I should gladly go to hell, suffering pain, and not be a King of treasures.

3. "If, when I have approached the Bodhi throne, my name should not quickly reach the ten quarters, the broad and many endless Buddha countries, may I not be a lord of the world, endowed with power.

4. "If indeed I should delight in the enjoyments of love, being deprived of zeal, understanding and prudence, even after having reached the incomparable and blessed Bodhi, may I not be a teacher in the world, endowed with power.

5. "The lord of vast light, incomparable and infinite, has illuminated all Buddha countries in all the quarters, he has quieted passions, all sins and errors, he has quieted the fire in the walk of hell.

6. "After making his broad eye lustrous, after driving away the darkness from all men, after removing all untimely misfortunes, he led hither those who dwell in heaven and who shine with endless light.

7. "The splendor of sun and moon does not shine in heaven, nor the fiery splendor of the maze of jewels of the gods; the Lord overcomes all splendor, he, the bright one, who has performed his former discipline.

8. "He is the best of men, the treasure of all who suffer; there is no one like him in all the quarters. Having completed a hundred thousand good works, he, in his assembly, raised the lion-voice of Buddha.

9. "After having worshipped former self-existing Jinas, after having performed immeasurable kotis of vows and penances, he became in this, his best of spiritual existences, the best of beings, possessed of the full power of prayers.

10. "As the Bhagavat, the Lord, who is posessed of unlimited light of knowledge, knows the three kinds of knowledge in the world, may I also be worthy of equal offerings, the best of sages, the leader of men.

11. "If, O Lord, this my prayer succeeds, after I have obtained Bodhi, may this sphere of a thousand worlds tremble, and may a shower of flowers descend on the hosts of gods."

12. 'Then the earth trembled, flowers were showered down, hundreds of instruments resounded in the sky, powder of heavenly sweet sandal-wood was scattered, and there was a voice saying: "Thou wilt be a Buddha in the world."

#10. 'That Bhikkhu Dharmakara, the nobleminded Bodhisattva, O Ananda, was possessed of this perfection of prayers. And a few Bodhisattvas only, O Ananda, are possessed of such a perfection of prayers. There is on this earth an appearance of a few only of such prayers. Of a few, however, existence cannot be denied.

'Then again, O Ananda, this Bhikkhu Dharmakara having recited these prayers before the Bhagavat Lokesvararaja, the Tathagata, and before the world including gods, Mara, and Brahman, and before people consisting of Sramanas and Brahmanas with gods, men, and fighting spirits, was established in the attainment of the true promise. And proclaiming this purity of the Buddha country, this greatness and excellency of the Buddha country, and performing the duty of a Bodhisattva, he never conceived the remotest thoughts of lust, malevolence, and cruelty, during a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of years, immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, measureless, immense, inexpressible; and he never conceived the idea of lust, malevolence, and cruelty, nay, he never conceived the idea of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch. He was gentle, charming indeed, and compassionate; pleasant to live with, agreeable, amiable, content, of few wishes, satisfied, retired, not evil, not foolish, not suspicious, not crooked, not wicked, not deceitful, tender, kindly speaking, always zealous, docile in searching after the pure Dharma. And for the good of all beings, he recited the great prayer, showing respect to friends, teachers, masters, the Sangha, the Dharma, and Buddha, always girded for the performance of the duties of the Bodhisattva, righteous, gentle, not deceitful, not flattering, virtuous, a leader for the sake of rousing others to perform all good laws, producing by his activity the ideas of emptiness, causelessness, and purposelessness, and he was well guarded in his speech.

'Then, performing the duties of a Bodhisattva, after having given up all speaking which, when spoken, serves to injure one's self or others or both, he employed only such speech as served the pleasure and benefit of himself, others, or both. And he was so wise that, when entering into capitals, kingdoms, countries, towns, cities, and villages, he was always perfectly restrained with regard to all objects of sense. Performing himself the duties of the Bodhisattva without interruption, he walked himself in the highest perfection of liberality, and he also roused others to walk in the same. And himself walking in the highest perfections of knowledge, meditation, strength, patience, and virtue, he roused others also to walk in the same. And he has collected so large a stock of merit that, wherever he is born, there arise for him many hundreds of thousands of nayutas of kotis of treasures from out the earth.

'By him, while he was thus performing the duties of a Bodhisattva, immeasurable and innumerable hundreds of thousands of nayutas of kotis of beings were established in perfect enlightenment, of whom it is not easy to know the limit by means of speech. So many immeasurable and innumerable holy Buddhas were honored, revered, esteemed, and worshipped, and enabled to touch whatever causes pleasure, such as cloaks, alms-bowls, couches, seats, refreshments, medicines, and other furniture. It is not easy to know the limit by pointing it out in words, as to how many beings were established by him in the noble families of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, ministers, householders, and merchants. In the same manner they were established in the sovereignty of Jambudvipa, and they were established in the character of Chakravartins, Lokapalas, Sakras, Suyamas, Sutushitas, Sunirmitas,Vasavartins, Devaragas, and Mahabrahmans. So many immeasurable and innumerable Buddhas were honored, revered, esteemed, and worshipped and requested to turn the wheel of the Dharma, of whom it is not easy to know the limit by means of words.

'And he collected such virtue, that out of his mouth, while performing the duties of a Bodhisattva, during immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, immense, measureless, inexpressible kotis of kalpas, there breathed a sweet and more than heavenly smell of sandal-wood. From all the pores of his hair there arose the smell of lotus, and he was pleasing to everybody, gracious and beautiful, endowed with the fulness of the best bright color. As his body was adorned with all the good signs and marks, there arose from the pores and from the palms of his hands all sorts of precious ornaments in the shape of all kinds of cloaks and vestments, in the shape of all kinds of flowers, incense, scents, garlands, ointments, umbrellas, flags, and banners, and in the shape of all kinds of instrumental music. And there appeared also, streaming forth from the palms of his hands, all kinds of viands and drink, food, hard and soft, and sweetmeats, and all kinds of enjoyments and pleasures. Thus then that Bhikshu Dharmakara, O Ananda, had obtained the command of all necessaries, after performing the duties of a Bodhisattva.'

#11. After this, the blessed Ananda thus spoke to the Bhagavat: "O Bhagavat, has that Bhikkhu Dharmakara, the noble-minded Bodhisattva, after having obtained the highest perfect knowledge, passed away, having entered Nirvana, or has he not yet been enlightened, or is he now living and enlightened, and does he dwell now, remain, support himself, and teach the Dharma?'

The Bhagavat said: 'Not indeed, O Ananda, has that Tathagata passed away, nor has he not yet come, but the Tathagata, the holy, after having obtained the highest perfect knowledge, dwells now, remains, supports himself, and teaches the Dharma, in the western quarter, in the Buddha country, distant from this world by a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddha countries, in the world which is called Sukhavati, being called Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened. He is surrounded by innumerable Bodhisattvas, and worshipped by endless Sravakas, and in possession of the endless perfection of his Buddha country.

#12. 'And his light is immeasurable, so that it is not easy to know the limit of its measure, saying, he stands illuminating so many hundreds of Buddha countries, so many thousands of Buddha countries, so many hundred thousands of Buddha countries, so many kotis of Buddha countries, so many hundred kotis of Buddha countries, so many thousand kotis of Buddha countries, so many hundred thousands of kotis of Buddha countries, so many hundred thousands of nayutas of kotis of Buddha countries. But indeed, O Ananda, to put it briefly, a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddha countries, equal to the sands of the river Ganges, are always lighted up, in the eastern quarter, by the light of that Bhagavat Amitabha. Thus on every side in the southern, western, northern quarter, in the zenith and nadir, in every one of these quarters, there are a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddha countries, like the sands of the river Ganges, always lighted up by the light of that Bhagavat Amitabha, excepting the Buddhas, the Bhagavats, who, through the practice of their former prayers, have lighted up the world by their own light, which is a fathom in length, or by their light which is one, two, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty yojanas in length, or a hundred or thousand or hundred thousand yojanas in length, until their brightness reaches many hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of yojanas in length. There is not, O Ananda, any case of likeness, by which the extent of the light of that Tathagata Amitabha could be understood. Hence, O Ananda, for that reason that Tathagata is called Amitabha, possessed of infinite light, possessed of infinite splendor,possessed of infinite brilliancy, whose light is never finished, whose light is not conditioned, whose light proceeds from flames of light, whose light is that of heavenly jewels, whose light has the color of unimpeded rays, possessed of beautiful light, possessed of lovely light, possessed of delightful light, possessed of attractive light, possessed of pleasant light, possessed of light that cannot be stopped, possessed of extremely powerful light, possessed of incomparable light, possessed of light greater than that of the lords of men, nay, the lords of the three worlds, possessed of light which bends the full moon and the sun, possessed of light which bends all the conquered gods, Mahesvara, the Suddhavasas, Brahman, Sakra, and the Lokapalas.

'This splendor of the Arya is pure, great, producing bodily pleasure, happiness of mind, producing happiness, delight, and joy for men and not-men, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, Garudas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Nagas, Asuras, and Devas; and producing the pleasure of beings of good disposition.

'And in this manner, O Ananda, the Tathagata might speak for a whole kalpa on the work of the Tathagata Amitabha, beginning with his light, and yet he would not be able to reach the end of the virtues of that light of that Tathagata, neither would there be any failure of the self-confidence in the Tathagata himself. And why? Because, O Ananda, both these things are immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, and endless, that is, first, the greatness of the excellence of the light of that Tathagata Amitabha, the Bhagavat, and secondly, the unsurpassed light of the knowledge possessed by myself.

#13. 'And, O Ananda, the assembly of the hearers of that Tathagata Amitabha is immeasurable, so that it is not easy to learn its measure, so as to be able to say, there are so many kotis of the hearers, so many hundreds, thousands, hundred-thousands, kankaras, vimbaras, nayutas, ayutas, akshobhyas, vivahas, srotas, ogas, so many periods, called immeasurable, innumerable, countless, incomparable, inconceivable. Now, for instance, O Ananda, the Bhikshu Maudgalyayana having obtained miraculous power, might, if he wished, count in one day and night, how many kinds of stars there are in the universal world. Then, let there be a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of such men, endowed with miraculous powers, and let them do nothing else but count the first company only of the hearers of the Tathagata Amitabha, during a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of years, and yet by them thus counting even the hundredth part would not be counted, even the thousandth, even the hundred thousandth nay, not even so far as the minutest part, or likeness, or approach towards it would have been counted.

'Thus for instance, O Ananda, a man might throw out from the great ocean, which is not to be measured across by less than eighty-four thousand yojanas, one single drop of water by the sharp end of hair, which is divided a hundred times. What do you think then, Ananda, which would be greater, one drop of water which has been thrown up by the sharp pointed hair divided a hundred times, or the mass of water left in the great ocean?'

Ananda said: 'Even a thousand yojanas, O Bhagavat, would be a small portion of the great ocean, how much more then one drop of water thrown out by the sharp pointed hair divided a hundred times!'

Bhagavat said : 'As that one drop of water, so small in proportion, was the first company of the hearers. And let there be reckoning made by those Bhikkhus, who are like Maudgalyayana, counting for a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of years, and yet, as to the mass of water left in the great ocean, it would even then have to be considered as not counted. How much more with regard to the second, third, and the rest of the companies of the hearers! Therefore the mass of hearers of the Bhagavat is endless and boundless, and receives the name of "immeasurable and innumerable."

#14. 'And, O Ananda, the length of the life of that Bhagavat Amitabha, the Tathagata, is immeasurable, so that it is not easy to know its length, so as to be able to say that it comprises so many hundreds of kalpas, so many thousands of kalpas, so many hundred thousands of kalpas, so many kotis of kalpas, so many hundreds of kotis of kalpas, so many thousands of kotis of kalpas, so many hundred thousands of kotis of kalpas, so many hundred thousands of nayutas of kotis of kalpas. Therefore, O Ananda, the limit of the measure of the life of that Bhagavat is immeasurable indeed. Therefore that Tathagata is called Amitayus.

'And as, O Ananda, the rule of making known the reckoning of kalpas exists here in this world, ten kalpas have passed now since Bhagavat Amitayus, the Tathagata, arose and awoke to the highest perfect knowledge.

#15. 'And, O Ananda, the world called Sukhavati belonging to that Bhagavat Amitabha is prosperous, rich, good to live in, fertile, lovely, and filled with many gods and men. Then, O Ananda, in that world there are neither hells, nor the animals nor the realm of departed spirits, nor bodies of fighting spirits, nor untimely births. And there do not appear in this world such gems as are known in the world Sukhavati.

#16. 'Now, O Ananda, that world Sukhavati is fragrant with several sweet-smelling scents, rich in manifold flowers and fruits. adorned with gem trees, and frequented by tribes of manifold sweet-voiced birds, which have been made by the Tathagata on purpose. And, O Ananda, those gem trees are of several colors, of many colors, and of many hundred thousand colors. There are gem trees there of golden-color, and made of gold. There are those of silver-color, and made of silver. There are those of beryl-color, and made of beryl. There are those of crystal-color, and made of crystal. There are those of coral-color, and made of coral. There are those of red pearl-color, and made of red pearls. There are those of diamond-color, and made of diamonds.

'There are some trees of two gems, that is, gold and silver. There are some of three gems, that is, gold, silver, and beryl. There are some of four gems, that is, gold, silver, beryl, and crystal. There are some of five gems, that is, gold, silver, beryl, crystal, and coral. There are some of six gems, that is, gold, silver, beryl, crystal, coral, and red pearls. There are some of seven gems, that is, gold, silver, beryl, crystal, coral, red pearls, and diamonds as the seventh.

'And there, O Ananda, of the trees made of gold, the flowers, leaves, small branches, branches, trunks, and roots are made of gold, and the fruits are made of silver. Of trees made of silver, the flowers, leaves, small branches, branches, trunks, and roots are made of silver only, and the fruits are made of beryl. Of trees made of beryl, the flowers, leaves, small branches, branches, trunks, and roots are made of beryl, and the fruits are made of crystal. Of trees made of crystal, the flowers, leaves, small branches, branches, trunks, and roots are made of crystal only, and the fruits are made of coral. Of trees made of coral, the flowers, leaves, small branches, branches, trunks, and roots are made of coral only, and the fruits are made of red pearls. Of trees made of red pearls, the flowers, leaves, small branches, branches, trunks, and roots are made of red pearls only, and the fruits are made of diamonds. Of trees made of diamonds, the flowers, leaves, small branches, branches, trunks, and roots are made of diamonds only, and the fruits are made of gold.

'Of some trees, O Ananda, the roots are made of gold, the trunks of silver, the branches of beryl, the small branches of crystal, the leaves of coral, the flowers of red pearls, and the fruits of diamonds. Of some trees, O Ananda, the roots are made of silver, the trunks of beryl, the branches of crystal, the small branches of coral, the leaves of red pearls, the flowers of diamonds, and the fruits of gold. Of some trees, O Ananda, the roots are made of beryl, the trunks of crystal, the branches of coral, the small branches of red pearls, the leaves of diamonds, the flowers of gold, and the fruits of silver. Of some trees, O Ananda, the roots are made of crystal, the trunks of coral, the branches of red pearls, the small branches of diamonds, the leaves of gold, the flowers of silver, and the fruits of beryl. Of some trees, O Ananda, the roots are made of coral, the trunks of red pearls, the branches of diamonds, the small branches of gold, the leaves of silver, the flowers of beryl, and the fruits of crystal. Of some trees, O Ananda, the roots are made of red pearls, the trunks of diamonds, the branches of gold, the small branches of silver, the leaves of beryl, the flowers of crystal, and the fruits of coral. Of some trees, O Ananda, the roots are made of diamonds, the trunks of gold, the branches of silver, the small branches of beryl, the leaves of crystal, the flowers of coral, and the fruits of red pearls. Of some trees, O Ananda, the roots are made of the seven gems, the trunks of the seven gems, the branches of the seven gems, the small branches of the seven gems, the leaves of the seven gems, the flowers of the seven gems, and the fruits of the seven gems. And, O Ananda, the roots, trunks, branches, small branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits of all those trees are pleasant to touch, and fragrant. And, when those trees are moved by the wind, a sweet and delightful sound proceeds from them, never tiring, and never disagreeable to hear. That Buddha country, O Ananda, is always on every side surrounded by such trees made of the seven gems, by masses of Kadali trees, and rows of palm-trees made of the seven gems, and entirely surrounded with golden nets, and wholly covered with lotus flowers, made of all kinds of gems.

'There are lotus flowers there, half a yojana in circumference. There are others, one yojana in circumference; and others, two, three, four, or five yojanas in circumference; nay, there are some, as much as ten yojanas in circumference. And from each gem-lotus there proceed thirty-six hundred thousand kotis of rays of light. And from each ray of light there proceed thirty-six hundred thousand kotis of Buddhas, with bodies of golden color, possessed of the thirty-two marks of great men, who go and teach the Dharma to beings in the immeasurable and innumerable worlds in the eastern quarter. Thus also in the southern, western, and northern quarters, above and below, in the cardinal and intermediate points, they go their way to the immeasurable and innumerable worlds and teach the Dharma to beings in the whole world.

#17. 'And again, O Ananda, there are no black mountains anywhere in that Buddha country, nor anywhere jewel mountains, nor anywhere Sumerus, kings of mountains, nor anywhere Chakravadas, great Chakravadas, kings of mountains. And that Buddha country is level on every side, lovely, like the palm of the hand, with districts full of jewels and treasures of every kind.'

After this, the blessed Ananda spoke thus to the Bhagavat: 'But in that case, O Bhagavat, where do the gods consisting of the companies of the four Maharajas who dwell on the side of the Sumeru, and where do the Triyastrimsa gods who dwell on the top of the Sumeru, find their place?'

Bhagavat said: 'What do you think, O Ananda, where do these other beings find their place, who in this world dwell above the king of mountains, Sumeru, namely, the Yamadevas, Tushitas, Nirmanaratis, Paranirmitavasavartins, Brahmakayikas, Brahmapurohitas, Mahabrahmans, as far as the Akanishthas?'

Ananda replied: 'O Bhagavat the result of works and the outcome of works are inconceivable.'

Bhagavat said: 'Here, you see, the result of works and the outcome of works are inconceivable. But to the blessed Buddhas the position of Buddhas is not inconceivable, while to thee the holy and miraculous power of virtuous beings, whose stock of merit has become ripened, seems inconceivable.'

Ananda said: 'I had no doubt on this, no difference of opinion, or hesitation; on the contrary, I ask only the Tathagata about this matter in order to destroy the doubts, the differences of opinion, and the hesitations of future beings.'

Bhagavat said: 'All right, Ananda, this is what you ought to do.

#18. ' In that world Sukhavati, O Ananda, there flow different kinds of rivers; there are great rivers there, one yojana in breadth; there are rivers up to twenty, thirty, forty, fifty yojanas in breadth, and up to twelve yojanas in depth. All these rivers are delightful, carrying water of different sweet odor, carrying bunches of flowers adorned with various gems, resounding with sweet voices. And, O Ananda, there proceeds from an instrument which consists of hundred thousand kotis of parts, which embodies heavenly music and is played by clever people, the same delightful sound which proceeds from those great rivers, the sound which is deep, unknown, incomprehensible, clear, pleasant to the ear, touching the heart, beloved, sweet, delightful, never tiring, never disagreeable, pleasant to hear, as if it always said, "Non-eternal, peaceful, unreal." Such a sound comes to be heard by these beings.

'And again, O Ananda, the borders of those great rivers on both sides are filled with jewel trees of various scents, from which bunches of flowers, leaves, and branches of all kinds hang down. And if the beings, who are on the borders of those rivers, wish to enjoy sport full of heavenly delights, the water rises to the ankle only after they have stepped into the rivers, if they wish it to be so; or if they wish it, the water rises to their knees, to their hips, to their sides, and to their ears. And heavenly pleasures arise. Again, if the beings then wish the water to be cold, it is cold; if they wish it to be hot, it is hot; if they wish it to be hot and cold, it is hot and cold, according to their pleasure.

'And those great rivers flow along, full of water scented with the best perfumes of the Uragasara sandal-wood, of Tagaras, dark, fragrant sandal-wood trees, Agarus, and heavenly Tamalapattras; covered with flowers of the white waterlilies, and heavenly Utpalas, Padmas, Kumudas, and Pundarikas; full of delightful sounds of peacocks, sparrows, kunalas, cuckoos, sarikas, parrots, ducks, geese, herons, cranes, swans and others; with small islands inhabited by flocks of birds, created by the Tathagata; adorned with fields, full of metals; with fords on which it is easy to drink, free from mud, and covered with gold dust. And when these beings there desire, thinking what kind of wishes should be fulfilled for them, then exactly such wishes are fulfilled for them according to the Dharma.

'And, O Ananda, the sound which rises from that water is delightful, and the whole Buddha country is aroused by it. And if beings, who stand on the borders of the river, wish that the sound should not come within their ear-shot, then it does not come within their ear-shot, even if they are possessed of the heavenly ear. And whatever sound a man wishes to hear, exactly that delightful sound he hears, as for instance, the sound "Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, the perfections, the stages, the powers, perfections, freedom from attachment, consciousness; emptiness, unconditioned, free from desire, not made, not born, without origin, not being, and cessation; peace; great love, great pity, great rejoicing, and great forgiveness; resignation to consequences which have not yet arisen, and attainment of the royal stage.

'And having heard these sounds, everybody feels the highest delight and pleasure accompanied by retirement, passionlessness, quiet, cessation, law, and a stock of merit leading to the perfect knowledge.

'And O Ananda, there is nowhere in that Sukhavati world any sound of sin, obstacle, misfortune, distress, and destruction; there is nowhere any sound of pain, even the sound of perceiving what is neither pain nor pleasure is not there, O Ananda, how much less the sound of pain. For that reason, O Ananda, that world is called Sukhavati, in brief, but not in full. For, O Ananda, the whole kalpa would come to an end, while the different causes of the pleasure of the world Sukhavati are being praised, and even then the end of those causes of happiness could not be reached.

#19. 'And again, O Ananda, the beings, who have been and will be born in that world Sukhavati, will be endowed with such color, strength, vigor, height and breadth, dominion, accumulation of virtue; with such enjoyments of dress, ornaments, gardens, palaces, and pavilions; and such enjoyments of touch, taste, smell, and sound; in fac, with all enjoyments and pleasures, exactly like the Paranirmitavasavartin gods.

'And again, O Ananda, in that world Sukhavati, beings do not take food consisting of gross materials of gravy or molasses; but whatever food they desire, such food they perceive, as if it were taken, and become delighted in body and mind. Yet they need not put it into their mouth.

'And if, after they are satisfied, they wish different kinds of perfumes, then with these very heavenly kinds of perfumes the whole Buddha country is scented. And whosoever wishes to perceive there such perfume, every perfume of every scent of the Gandharvaraja does always reach his nose.

'And in the same manner, if they desire musical instruments, banners, flags, umbrellas, cloaks, powders, ointments, garlands, and scents, then the whole Buddha country shines with such things. If they desire cloaks of different colors and many hundred thousand colors, then with these very best cloaks the whole Buddha country shines. And the people feel themselves covered with them.

'And if they desire such ornaments, as for instance, head-ornaments, ear-ornaments, neck-ornaments, hand and foot ornaments, namely, diadems, earrings, bracelets, armlets, necklaces, chains, earjewels, seals, gold strings, girdles, gold nets, pearl nets, jewel nets, nets of bells made of gold and jewels, then they see that Buddha country shining with such ornaments adorned with many hundred thousand jewels, that are fastened to ornament-trees. And they perceive themselves to be adorned with these ornaments.

'And if they desire a palace, with colors and emblems of such and such height and width, adorned with hundred thousand gates made with different jewels, covered with different heavenly flowers, full of couches strewn with beautiful cushions, then exactly such a palace appears before them. And in these delightful palaces they dwell, play, sport, walk about, being honored, and surrounded by seven times seven thousands of Apsarases.

#20. 'And in that world, there is no difference between gods and men, except when they are spoken of in ordinary and imperfect parlance as gods and men. And, O Ananda, as a low man and powerless man, before the face of the mighty king, is neither bright, nor warm, nor brilliant, nor is he self-confident and radiant, thus Sakra, king of the Devas, if before the face of the Paranirmitavasavartin gods, is neither bright, nor warm, nor brilliant, namely, with regard to his gardens, palaces, dresses, ornaments, his dominion, his perfection, his miraculous power, or his supremacy, his comprehension of the Dharma, and his full enjoyment of the Dharma. And, O Ananda, as the Paranirmitavasavartin gods are there, thus men must be considered in the world Sukhavati.

#21. 'And again, O Ananda, in that world Sukhavati, when the time of forenoon has come, the winds are greatly agitated and blowing everywhere in the four quarters. And they shake and drive many beautiful, graceful, and many-colored stalks of the gem trees, which are perfumed with sweet heavenly scents, so that many hundred beautiful flowers of delightful scent fall down on the great earth, which is all full of jewels. And with these flowers that Buddha country is adorned on every side seven fathoms deep. As a clever man might spread out a flower-bed on the earth and make it even with both his hands, beautiful and charming, even thus with those flowers of various scents and colors that Buddha country is shining on every side seven fathoms deep. And these many flowers are soft, pleasant to touch, if one may use a comparison, like Kakilindika. If one puts one's foot on them, they sink down four inches; if one raises one's foot, they rise again four inches. When the time of the forenoon has gone again, those flowers vanish without leaving anything behind. Then that Buddha country is again clean, pleasant, beautiful, and without fading flowers. The winds blow again everywhere in the four quarters, and scatter down fresh flowers as before. And as it is in the forenoon, so it is at noon, at twilight, in the first, middle, and last watch of the night. And the beings, if touched by those winds which blow perfume with various scents, are as full of happiness as a Bhikkhu who has obtained Nirvana.

#22. 'And in that Buddha country, O Ananda, no mention is ever made of the names of fire, sun, moon, planets, constellations, and stars, or of blinding darkness. There is no mention even of day and night, except in the conversation of the Tathagata. Nor is there any idea of predial property belonging to monasteries.

#23. 'And again, O Ananda, in that world Sukhavati at the proper time clouds full of heavenly perfumed water pour down heavenly flowers of all colors; heavenly seven jewels, heavenly sandalwood-powder, and heavenly umbrellas, flags, and banners are poured down. And in the sky, the heavenly flowers of all colors, and heavenly canopies are held, likewise heavenly excellent umbrellas and all kinds of ornaments, heavenly musical instruments are played, and heavenly Apsarases dance.

#24. 'And again, O Ananda, in that Buddha country whatever beings have been born, and are being born, and will be born, are always constant in absolute truth, till they have reached Nirvana. And why is that? Because there is no room or mention there of the other two divisions, such as beings not constant or constant in falsehood.

'On this wise, O Ananda, that world is briefly called Sukhavati, not at full length. Even a kalpa, O Ananda, would come to an end, while the causes of happiness which exist in that world Sukhavati are being praised, and yet it would be impossible to reach the end of them.'

25. Then the Bhagavat at that time spoke the following verses:

'Thus, O Ananda, the world Sukhavati is endowed with immeasurable good qualities and excellences.

#26. 'And again, O Ananda, in the ten quarters, and in each of them, in all the Buddha countries equal in number to the sand of the Ganges, the blessed Buddhas equal in number to the sand of the Ganges, glorify the name of the blessed Amitabha, the Tathagata, they preach his fame, they proclaim his glory, they extol his virtue. And why? Because all beings who hear the name of the blessed Amitabha, and having heard it, raise their thought with joyful longing, even for once only, will not turn away again from the highest perfect knowledge.

#27. 'And before the eyes of those beings, O Ananda, who again and again think of the Tathagata reverently and who make the great and unmeasured stock of good works grow, turning their thought towards Bodhi, and who pray to be born in that world, Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, when the time of their death has approached, will appear, surrounded by many companies of Bhikkhus and honored by them. And then these beings, having seen the Bhagavat, their thoughts filled with joy, will, when they have died, be born in that world of Sukhavati. And if, O Ananda, any son or daughter of a good family should wish, "How then may I see that Tathagata Amitabha visibly?" then he must raise his thought on to the highest perfect knowledge, he must direct his thought with perseverance and excessive desire towards that Buddha country, and direct the stock of his good works towards being born there.

# 28. ' But before the eyes of those who do not care much about the Tathagata Amitabha, and who do not vigorously increase the great and unmeasured stock of their good works, the Tathagata Amitabha, holy and fully enlightened, will appear, at the time of death, with the company of Bhikkhus, in breadth and height and form and beauty, very like the former, and very like the real Tathagata, but only created by thought. And they, through their meditation that dwells on perceiving the sight of the Tathagata, and with unfailing memory, will, when they have died, be born in the same Buddha country.

#29. 'And again, O Ananda, those beings who meditate on the Tathagata by giving him ten thoughts, and who will direct their desire towards that Buddha country, and who will feel satisfaction when the profound doctrines are being preached, and who will not fall off, nor despair, nor fail, but will meditate on that Tathagata, if it were by one thought only, and will direct their desire toward that Buddha country, they also will see the Tathagata Amitabha, while they are in a dream, they will be born in the world Sukhavati, and will never turn away from the highest perfect knowledge.

#30. 'And, O Ananda, after thus seeing the cause and effect, the Tathagatas of the ten quarters, in immeasurable and innumerable worlds, glorify the name of the Tathagata Amitabha, preach his fame, and proclaim his praise. And again, O Ananda, in that Buddha country, Bodhisattvas equal in number to the sand of the Ganges approach, from the ten quarters, and in each quarter towards that Tathagata Amitabha, in order to see him, to bow before him, to worship him, to consult him, and likewise in order to see that company of Bodhisattvas, and the different kinds of perfection in the multitude of ornaments and excellences belonging to that Buddha country.'

#31. Then at that time, the Bhagavat, in order to illustrate this matter in fuller measure, recited these verses:

1. 'As there are Buddha countries equal to the sand of the river Ganges in the eastern quarter, whence all the Bodhisattvas come to worship the Buddha, the lord Amitayu;

2. 'And they having taken many bunches of flowers of different colors, sweetly-scented and delightful, shower them down on the best leader of men, on Amitayu, worshipped by gods and men;

3. 'In the same manner there are as many Buddha countries in the southern, western, and northern quarters, whence they come with the Bodhisattvas to worship the Buddha, the lord Amitayus.

4. 'And they having taken many handfulls of scents of different colors, sweetly scented and delightful, shower them down on the best leader of men, on Amitayus, worshipped by gods and men.

5. 'These many Bodhisattvas having worshipped and revered the feet of Amitaprabha, and having walked round him respectfully, speak thus: "Oh, the country of Buddha shines wonderfully! "

6. 'And they cover him again with handfulls of flowers, with thoughts jubilant, with incomparable joy, and proclaim their wish before that lord: "May our country also be such as this."

7. 'And what was thrown there as handfuls of flowers arose in the form of an umbrella extending over a hundred yojanas, and the beautiful country shines and is well adorned, and flowers cover the whole body of Buddha.

8. 'These Bodhisattvas having thus honored him, how do they act? Delighted they pronounce this speech: "Gains by those people are well gained, by whom the name of the best man has been heard.

9. '"By us also all the gain has been well gained, because we have come to this Buddha country. See this dream-like country, how beautiful it is, which was made by the teacher during a hundred thousand kalpas.

10. '"Look, the Buddha possessed of a mass of the best virtues shines, surrounded by Bodhisattvas. Endless is his splendor, and endless the light, and endless the life, and endless the assembly."

11. 'And the lord Amitayus makes a smile of thirty-six nayutas of kotis of rays, which rays having issued from the circle of his mouth light up the thousand kotis of Buddha countries.

12. 'And all these rays having returned there again settle on the head of the lord; gods and men perceive the delight, because they have seen there this light of him.

13. 'There rises the Buddha-son, glorious, he indeed the mighty Avalokitesvara, and says: "What is the reason there, O Bhagavat, what is the cause, that thou smilest, O lord of the world ?

14. '"Explain this, for thou knowest the sense, and art full of kind compassion, the deliverer of many living beings. All beings will be filled with joyful thoughts, when they have thus heard this excellent and delightful speech.

15. '"And the Bodhisattvas who have come from many worlds to Sukhavati in order to see the Buddha, having heard it and having perceived the great joy, will quickly inspect this country.

16. '"And beings, come to this noble country, (quickly) obtain miraculous power, divine eye and divine ear, they remember their former births, and know the highest wisdom."

17. 'Then Buddha Amitayus preaches: "This prayer was mine formerly, so that beings having in any way whatever heard my name should for ever go to my country.

18. '"And this my excellent prayer has been fulfilled, and beings having quickly come here from many worlds into my presence, never return from here, not even for one birth."

19. 'If a Bodhisattva wishes here that his country should be such as this, and that he also should deliver many beings, through his name, through his preaching, and through his sight,

20. 'Let him quickly and with speed go to the world Sukhavati, and having gone near Amitaprabha, let him worship a thousand kotis of Buddhas.

21. 'Having worshipped many kotis of Buddhas, and having gone to many countries by means of their miraculous power, and having performed adoration in the presence of the Sugatas, they will go to Sukhavati with devotion.

#32. 'And again, O Ananda, there is a Bodhi-tree belonging to Amitayus, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened. That Bodhi-tree is ten hundred yojanas in height, having petals, leaves, and branches spread over eight hundred yojanas, having a circumference near the base of the root of five hundred yojanas, always in leaf, always in flower, always in fruit, of different colors, of many hundred thousand colors, of different leaves, of different flowers, of different fruits, adorned with many beautiful ornaments, shining with precious jewels, bright like the moon, beautified with precious jewels such as are fastened on Sakra's head, strewn with Kintamani jewels, well adorned with the best jewels of the sea, more than heavenly, hung with golden strings, adorned with hundreds of gold chains, jewel-garlands, necklaces, bracelets, strings of red pearls and blue pearls, Simhalata, girdles, bunches, strings of jewels, and all kinds of jewels, covered with nets of bells, nets of all kinds of jewels, nets of pearls, and nets of gold, adorned with the emblems of the dolphin, the Svastika, the Nandyavarta, and the moon, adorned with nets of jewels and of bells, and with ornaments of gold and of all kinds of jewels, in fact adorned according to the desires of beings whatever their wishes may be.

'And again, O Ananda, the sound and noise of that Bodhi-tree, when it is moved by the wind, reaches immeasurable worlds. And, O Ananda, for those beings whose hearing that Bodhi-tree reaches, no disease of the ear is to be feared until they reach Bodhi. And for those immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable, incomparable, measureless, immense, and inexpressible beings, whose sight that Bodhi-tree reaches, no disease of the eye is to be feared until they reach Bodhi. And again, O Ananda, for those beings who smell the scent of that Bodhi-tree, no disease of the nose is to be feared until they reach Bodhi. For those beings who taste the fruits of that Bodhi-tree, no disease of the tongue is to be feared until they reach Bodhi. For those beings who are lighted up by the light of that Bodhi-tree, no disease of the body is to be feared until they reach Bodhi. And again, O Ananda, for those beings who meditate on that Bodhi-tree according to the Dharma, henceforward until they reach the Bodhi, no perplexity of their thought is to be feared. And all those beings, through the seeing of that Bodhi-tree, never turn away, namely, from the highest perfect knowledge. And they obtain three kinds of resignation, namely, Ghoshanuga, resignation to natural consequences, and (resignation to consequences which have not yet arisen, through the power of the former prayers of that same Tathagata Amitayus, through the service rendered by them to the former Jinas, and through the performance of the former prayers, to be well accomplished, and to be well conceived, without failure or without flaw.

#33. 'And again, O Aranda, those Bodhisattvas who have been born, are being born, or will be born there, are all bound to one birth only, and will thence indeed obtain the highest perfect knowledge; barring always the power of prayers, as in the case of those Bodhisattvas who are preaching with the voice of lions, who are girded with the noble armor of the Dharma, and who are devoted to the work of helping all people to attain Paranirvana.

#34. 'And again, O Ananda, in that Buddha country, those who are Sravakas are possessed of the light of a fathom, and those who are Bodhisattvas are possessed of the light of a hundred thousand kotis of yojanas; barring always the two Bodhisattvas, by whose light that world is everywhere shining with eternal splendor.'

Then the blessed Ananda said this to the Bhagavat: 'What are the names, O Bhagavat, of those two noble-minded Bodhisattvas?

The Bhagavat said: 'One of them, O Ananda, is the noble-minded Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, and the second is Mahasthamaprapta by name. And, O Ananda, these two were born there, having left this Buddha country here'.

#35. 'And, O Ananda, those Bodhisattvas who have been born in that Buddha country are all endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great man, possessed of perfect members, skilled in meditation and wisdom, clever in all kinds of wisdom, having sharp organs, having well-restrained organs, having organs of sense capable of thorough knowledge, not mean, possessed of the five kinds of strength, of patience under censure, and of endless and boundless good qualities.

#36. 'And again, O Ananda, all those Bodhisattvas who have been born in that Buddha country are not deprived of the sight of Buddha, nor liable to fall down to the evil states, until they reach the Bodhi. Henceforward they all will never be forgetful of their former births; barring always those who are devoted to their former place, during the disturbances of the kalpas, and while the five kinds of corruption prevail, when there is the appearance of blessed Buddhas in the world, as for instance, that of me at present.

#37. 'And again, O Ananda, all the Bodhisattvas who have been bom in that Buddha country, having gone during one morning meal to the other world, worship many hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddhas, as many as they like, through the favor of Buddha. They consider in many ways that they should worship Buddhas with such and such flowers, incense, lamps, scents, garlands, ointments, powder, cloaks, umbrellas, flags, banners, ensigns, music, concerts, and musical instruments; and, as soon as they have considered this, there arise also on their hands exactly such materials for every kind of worship. And while performing worship for those blessed Buddhas with those materials, beginning with flowers and ending with musical instruments, they lay up for themselves much immeasurable and innumerable merit. Again, if they wish that such handfuls of flowers should be produced on their hands, then such handfuls of heavenly flowers, of different colors, of many colors, of different scents, are produced on their hands as soon as thought of. They shower again and again such handfulls of flowers upon those blessed Buddhas. And the very smallest handfull of flowers, being thrown on high, appears above in the sky as an umbrella of flowers ten yojanas in circumference. And when the second has been thrown after it, the first does not fall down on the earth. There are handfuls of flowers there, which having been thrown up, appear in the sky as umbrellas of flowers twenty yojanas in circumference.

'There appear in the sky some flower-umbrellas, thirty, forty, or fifty yojanas in circumference, as far as a hundred thousand yojanas in circumference. Those Bodhisattvas there who perceive the noble pleasure and joy, and obtain the noble strength of thought, having caused a great and immeasurable and innumerable stock of good works to ripen, and having worshipped many hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddhas, turn again to the world Sukhavati in one morning, through the favor of practising the former prayers of the same Tathagata Amitayus, owing to the hearing of the Dharma formerly given, owing to the stock of good works produced under former Jinas, owing to the perfect completion in the success of former prayers, owing to the well-ordered state of mind.

#38. 'And again, O Ananda, all those beings who have been born in that Buddha country recite the story of the Dharma, which is accompanied by omniscience. And for the beings in that Buddha country there exists no idea of property whatever. And all those going and walking through that Buddha country feel neither pleasure nor pain; stepping forward they have no desire, and with desire they do not step forward. They give no thought to any beings. And again, O Ananda, for those beings who have been born in that world Sukhavati, there is no idea of others, no idea of self, no idea of inequality, no strife, no dispute, no opposition. Full of equanimity, of benevolent thought, of tender thought, of affectionate thought, of useful thought, of serene thought, of firm thought, of unbiassed thought, of undisturbed thought, of unagitated thought, of thought fixed on the practice of discipline and transcendent wisdom, having entered on knowledge which is a firm support to all thoughts, equal to the ocean in wisdom, equal to the mountain Meru in knowledge, rich in many good qualities, delighting in the music of the Bodhyangas, devoted to the music of Buddha, they discard the eye of flesh, and assume the heavenly eye.

'And having approached the eye of wisdom, having reached the eye of the Dharma, producing the eye of Buddha, showing it, lighting it, and fully exhibiting it, they attain perfect wisdom. And being bent on the equilibrium of the three elements, having subdued and calmed their thoughts endowed with a perception of the causes of all things, clever in explanation of causes, endowed with the power of explaining the Dharma or things such as they really are, clever in taking and refusing, clever in leading and not leading, clever in resting, they, being regardless of worldly stories, derive true pleasures from stories transcending the world. They are clever in examining all things, familiar with the knowledge of the cessation of the working of all things, perceiving even what cannot be seen, caring for nothing, attached to nothing, without cares, without pain, free without clinging to anything, free from impurity, of blameless behavior, not clinging to anything, intent on the deep or profound laws, they do not sink, elevated to the entrance into the knowledge of Buddha difficult to comprehend, having obtained the path of one vehicles, free from doubt, beyond the reach of questionings, knowing the thoughts of others, free from self-confidence.

'Being elevated in knowledge, they are like Mount Sumeru; being imperturbable in thought, they are like the ocean; they surpass the light of the sun and moon, by the light of wisdom, and by the whiteness, brilliancy, purity, and beauty of their knowledge; by their light and splendor, they are like the color of molten gold; by their patiently bearing the good and evil deeds of all beings, they are like the earth; by their cleaning and carrying off the taint of all sins, they are like water; by their burning the evil of pride in anything, they are like the king of fire ; by not clinging to anything, they are like the wind; by pervading all things and yet not caring for anything, they are like the ether; by not being tainted by the whole world, they are like lotuses; by their shouting forth the Dharma, they are like the great cloud at the rainy season; by showering down the whole ocean of the Dharma, they are like the great rain; by overpowering great troops, they are like bulls; by the highest restraint of their thoughts, they are like great elephants; by being well trained, they are like noble horses; by their fearlessness, confidence, and heroism, they are like the lion, the king of beasts; by affording protection to all beings, they are like the fig-tree, the king of trees; by not being shaken by any calumniators, they are like the Sumeru, the king of mountains; by their feeling of unlimited love, they are like the sky; by their precedence, owing to their command of the Dharma, and their stock of all merit, they are like the great Brahman; by their not dwelling in what they have accumulated, they are like birds; by their scattering all calumniators, they are like Garuda, king of birds; by their not being averse to our obtaining difficult things, they are like the Udumbara flowers; calm like elephants, because their senses are neither crooked nor shaken; clever in decision, full of the sweet flavor of patience; without envy, because they do not hanker after the happiness of others; wise, because in their search after the Dharma, never tired of discussions on the Dharma; like the precious beryl, through their value; like jewel-mines, by their sacred knowledge; sweet-sounding by the noise of the great drum of the Dharma, striking the great kettledrum of the Dharma, blowing the great trumpet-shell of the Dharma, raising the great banner of the Dharma, lighting the torch of the Dharma, looking for wisdom, not foolish, faultless, passionless, pure, refined, not greedy, fond of distributing, generous, open-handed, fond of distributing gifts, not stingy in giving instruction and food, not attached, without fear, without desires, wise, patient, energetic, bashful, orderly, fearless, full of knowledge, happy, Pleasant to live with, obliging, enlightening the world, free from sorrow, free from taint, having left off the winking of the eye, possessing lightly acquired knowledge, strong in reasoning, strong in prayer, not crooked, not perverse; then, having accumulated a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of lakshas of virtue, delivered from the thorns of pride, free from illusion, hatred, and passion; pure, devoted to what is pure, famous by the Jina-power, learned in the world, elevated by their purified knowledge, sons of the Jina, endowed with the vigor of thought, heroes, firm, unselfish, free from faults, unequalled, free from anger, collected, noble, heroes, bashful, energetic, possessed of memory, understanding, and prudence; sending forth the weapons of knowledge, possessed of purity, shining, free from faults and taints, endowed with memory, resting on serene knowledge. And such, O Ananda, are the beings in that Buddha country, stated briefly. But if the Tathagatas should describe them fully, even in a length of life that should last for a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of kalpas, yet the end of the virtues of those good people would not be reached, and yet there would be no failure of the self-confidence of the Tathagata. And why? Because, O Ananda, both are indeed inconceivable and incomparable, that is, first, the virtues of those Bodhisattvas, and secondly, the unsurpassed light of knowledge of the Tathagata.

#39. 'And now, O Ananda, stand up, facing westward, and having taken a handful of flowers, fall down. This is the quarter where that Bhagavat Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, dwells, remains, supports himself, and teaches the Dharma, whose spotless and pure name, famed in every quarter of the whole world with its ten quarters, the blessed Buddhas, equal to the grains of the sand of the river Ganges, speaking and answering again and again without stopping, extol, praise, and eulogize.'

After this, the blessed Ananda said this to the Bhagavat : 'I wish, O Bhagavat, to see that Amitabha, Amitaprabha, Amitayus, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, and those noble-minded Bodhisattvas, who are possessed of a stock of merit amassed under many hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddhas.'

At that moment this speech was spoken by the blessed Ananda, and immediately that Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, let such a ray of light go out of the palm of his own hand, that even the most distant Buddha country was shining with the great splendor. And again at that time, whatever black mountains, or jewel-mountains, or Merus, great Merus, Mukilindas, great Mukilindas, Chakravadas, great Chakravadas, or erections, or pillars, trees, woods, gardens, palaces, belonging to the gods and men, exist everywhere in hundred thousand kotis of Buddha countries; all these were pervaded and overcome by the light of that Tathagata.

And as a man, followed by another at a distance of a fathom only, would see the other man, when the sun has risen, exactly in the same manner the Bhikkhus, Bhikkhunis, Upasakas, Upasikas, gods, Nagas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kinnaras, Mahoragas, men and not-men, in this Buddha country, saw at that time that Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, like the Sumeru, the king of mountains, elevated above all countries, surpassing all quarters, shining, warming, glittering, blazing; and they saw that great mass of Bodhisattvas, and that company of Bhikshus, that is, by the grace of Buddha, from the pureness of that light.

And as this great earth might be, when all covered with water, so that no trees, no mountains, no islands, no grasses, bushes, herbs, large trees, no rivers, chasms, water-falls, would be seen, but only the one great earth which had all become an ocean, in exactly the same manner there is neither mark nor sign whatever to be seen in that Buddha country, except Sravakas, spreading their light over a fathom, and those Bodhisattvas, spreading their light over a hundred thousand kotis of yojanas.

And that Bhagavat Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, overshadowing that mass of Sravakas and that mass of Bodhisattvas, is seen, illuminating all quarters. Again at that time all those Bodhisattvas, Srivakas, gods and men in that world Sukhavati, saw this world Saha and Shakyamuni, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, surrounded by a holy company of Bhikshus, teaching the Dharma.

#40. Then, the Bhagavat addressed the nobleminded Bodhisattva Ajita, and said: 'Do you see, O Ajita, the perfection of the array of ornaments and good qualities in that Buddha country; and above in the sky places with charming parks, charming gardens, charming rivers and lotus lakes, scattered with many precious Padmas, Utpalas, Kumudas, and Pundarikas; and below, from the earth to the abode of the Akanishthas, the surface of the sky, covered with flowers, ornamented with wreaths of flowers, shining on the rows of many precious columns, frequented by flocks of all kinds of birds created by the Tathagata?'

The Bodhisattva Ajita said: 'I see, O Bhagavat.'

The Bhagavat said: 'Do you see again, O Ajita, those flocks of immortal birds, making the whole Buddha country resound with the voice of Buddha, so that those Bodhisattvas are never without meditating on Buddha?'

Ajita said: 'I see, O Bhagavat.'

The Bhagavat said: 'Do you see again, O Ajita, those beings, who have ascended to the palaces which extend over a hundred thousand yojanas in the sky, walking about respectfully?'

Ajita said: 'I see, O Bhagavat.'

The Bhagavat said: 'What do you think, O Ajita, is there any difference between the gods called Paranirmitavasavartins, and men in the world Sukhavati?'

Ajita said: 'I do not, O Bhagavat, perceive even one difference, so far as the men in that world of Sukhavati are endowed with great supernatural powers.'

The Bhagavat said: 'Do you see again, O Ajita, those men dwelling within the calyx of excellent lotus-flowers in that world Sukhavati?'

He said: 'As gods called Trayastrimsas or Yamas, having entered into palaces of fifty or hundred or five hundred yojanas in extent, are playing, sporting, walking about, exactly in the same manner I see, O Bhagavat, these men dwelling within the calyx of excellent lotus-flowers in the world Sukhavati.

#41. 'Again there are, O Bhagavat, beings who, being born miraculously, appear sitting cross-legged in the lotus-flowers. What is there, O Bhagavat, the cause, what the reason, that some dwell within the calyx, while others, being born miraculously, appear sitting cross-legged in the lotus-flowers?'

The Bhagavat said: 'Those Bodhisattvas, O Ajita, who, living in other Buddha countries, entertain doubt about being born in the world Sukhavati, and with that thought amass a stock of merit, for them there is the dwelling within the calyx. Those, on the contrary, who are filled with faith, and being free from doubt, amass a stock of merit in order to be born in the world Sukhavati, and conceive, believe, and trust in the perfect knowledge of the blessed Buddhas, they, being born miraculously, appear sitting cross-legged in the flowers of the lotus. And those noble-minded Bodhisattvas, O Ajita, who, living in other Buddha countries, raise their thought in order to see Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, who never entertain a doubt, believe in the perfect knowledge of Buddha and in their own stock of merit, for them, being born miraculously, and appearing cross-legged, there is in one minute, such a body as that of other beings who have been born there long before. See, O Ajita, the excellent, immeasurable, unfailing, unlimited wisdom, that namely for their own benefit they are deprived during five hundred years of seeing Buddhas, seeing Bodhisattvas, hearing the Dharma, speaking about the Dharma with others, and thus collecting a stock of merit; they are indeed deprived of the successful attainment of every stock of merit, and that, through their forming ideas tainted with doubt.

'And, O Ajita, there might be a dungeon belonging to an anointed Kshatriya king, inlaid entirely with gold and beryl, in which cushions, garlands, wreaths and strings are fixed, having canopies of different colors and kind, covered with silk cushions, scattered over with various flowers and blossoms, scented with excellent scents, adorned with arches, courts, windows, pinnacles, fire-places, and terraces, covered with nets of bells of the seven kinds of gems, having four angles, four pillars, four doors, four stairs; and the son of that king having been thrown into the dungeon for some misdeed is there, bound with a chain made of the Jambunada gold. And suppose there is a couch prepared for him, covered with many woollen cloths, spread over with cotton and feather cushions, having Kalinga coverings, and carpets, together with coverlids, red on both sides, beautiful and charming. There he might be then either sitting or resting. And there might be brought to him much food and drink, of various kinds, pure and well prepared. What do you think, O Ajita, would the enjoyment be great for that prince?'

Ajita said: 'Yes, it would be great, O Bhagavat.'

The Bhagavat said: 'What do you think, O Ajita, would he even taste it there, and notice it, or would he feel any satisfaction from it?'

He said: 'Not indeed, O Bhagavat; but on the contrary, when he had been led away by the king and thrown into the dungeon, he would only wish for deliverance from there. He would seek for the nobles, princes, ministers, women, elders (rich merchants), householders, and lords of castles, who might deliver him from that dungeon. Moreover, O Bhagavat, there is no pleasure for that prince in that dungeon, nor is he liberated, until the king shows him favor.'

The Bhagavat said: 'Thus, O Ajita, it is with those Bodhisattvas who, having fallen into doubt, amass a stock of merit, but doubt the knowledge of Buddha. They are born in that world Sukhavati, through the hearing of Buddha's name, and through the serenity of thought only; they do not, however, appear sitting cross-legged in the flowers of the lotus, being born miraculously, but dwell only in the calyx of the lotus-flowers. Moreover for them there exist ideas of palaces and gardens. There is no discharge, there is no phlegm or mucus, there is nothing disagreeable to the mind. But they are deprived of seeing Buddhas, hearing the Dharma, seeing Bodhisattvas, speaking about and ascertaining the Dharma, gathering any new stock of merit, and practicing the Dharma, during five hundred years. Moreover they do not rejoice there or perceive satisfaction. But they wish to remove one another, and then they step out behind. And it is not known whether their exit takes place above, below, or across.

'See, O Ajita, there might be worshippings of many hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddhas during those five hundred years, and also many, immense, innumerable, immeasurable stocks of merit to be amassed. But all this they destroy by the fault of doubt. See, O Ajita, to how great an injury the doubt of the Bodhisattvas leads. Therefore now, O Ajita, after the Bodhisattvas without doubting have quickly raised their thoughts towards Bodhi, in order to obtain power of conferring happiness for the benefit of all creatures, their stock of merit should be turned towards their being born in the world Sukhavati, where the blessed Amitabha, the Tathagata, holy and fully enlightened, dwells.'

#42. After these words, the Bodhisattva Ajita thus spoke to the Bhagavat: 'O Bhagavat, will the Bodhisattvas, who have gone away from this Buddha country, or from the side of other blessed Buddhas, be born in the world Sukhavati?'

The Bhagavat said: 'Indeed, O Ajita, seventy-two nayutas of kotis of Bodhisattvas are gone away from this Buddha country, who will be born in the world Sukhavati; Bodhisattvas, who will never return, thanks to the stock of merit, which they have accumulated under many hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of Buddhas. What then shall be said of those with smaller stocks of merit?

1. Eighteen hundred nayutas of kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Dushprasaha.

2. There lives in the Eastern quarter the Tathagata named Ratnakara. From his place ninety kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati.

3. Twenty-two kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Jyotishprabha.

4. Twenty-five kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Amitaprabha.

5. Sixty kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Lokapradipa.

6. Sixty-four kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Nagabhibhu.

7. Twenty-five kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Virajaprabha.

8. Sixteen kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Simha.

9. Eighteen thousand Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Simha.

10. Eighty-one nayutas of kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Srikuta.

11. Ten nayutas of kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Narendraraja.

12. Twelve thousand Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Balabhijna.

13. Twenty-five kotis of Bodhisattvas, who have obtained strength, having gone to one place in one week of eight days, and having turned to the West during ninety hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of kalpas, will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Pushpadhvaga.

14. Twelve kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati from the place of the Tathagata Jvalanadhipati.

15. From the place of the Tathagata Vaisaradyaprapta, sixty-nine kotis of Bodhisattvas will be born in the world Sukhavati, in order to see the Tathagata Amitabha, to bow before him, to worship him, to ask questions of him, and to consult him.

'For this reason, O Ajita, I might proclaim during a full nayuta of kotis of kalpas the names of those Tathagatas, from whom the Bodhisattvas proceed in order to see that Tathagata Amitabha in the world Sukhavati, to bow before him, and to worship him, and yet the end could not be reached.

#43. 'See, O Ajita, what easy gains are gained by those beings who will hear the name of the Tathagata Amitabha, holy and fully enlightened. Nor will those beings be of little faith, who will obtain at least one joyful thought of that Tathagata and of this treatise of the Dharma. Therefore now, O Ajita, I invite you, and command you to proclaim this treatise of the Dharma, before the world together with the gods. Having plunged into the vast universe full of fire, no one ought to turn back, if he has but once conceived the thought of going across. And why? Because kotis of Bodhisattvas indeed, O Ajita, return from the highest perfect knowledge, on account of not hearing such treatises of the Dharma as this. Therefore, from a wish for this treatise of the Dharma, a great effort should be made to hear, learn, and remember it, and to study it for the sake of fully grasping it and widely making it known. A good copy of it should be kept, after it has been copied in a book, if only during one night and day, or even during the time necessary for milking a cow.

'The name of Master should be given to a teacher who desires to conduct quickly innumerable beings to the state of never returning from the highest perfect knowledge, namely, in order that they may see the Buddha country of that blessed Amitabha, the Tathagata, and to acquire the excellent perfection of the array of good qualities peculiar to his own Buddha country.

'And, O Ajita, such beings will have easily gained their gains who, having amassed a stock of merit, having performed service under former Jinas, and having been guided by Buddhas, shall hear in future, until the destruction of the good Dharma, such-like excellent treatises of the Dharma, treatises which are praised, eulogized, and approved of by all Buddhas, and convey quickly the great knowledge of omniscience. And those also who, when they have heard it, shall obtain excellent delight and pleasure, and will learn, retain, recite and grasp, and wisely preach it to others, and be delighted by its study, or, having copied it at least, will worship it, will certainly produce much good work, so that it is difficult to count it.

'Thus indeed, O Ajita, I have done what a Tathagata ought to do. It is now for you to devote yourself to it without any doubt. Do not doubt the perfect and unfailing knowledge of Buddha. Do not enter into the dungeon made of gems built up in every way. For indeed, the birth of a Buddha, O Ajita, is difficult to be met with, so is the instruction in the Dharma, and also a timely birth. O Ajita, the way to gain the perfection of all stocks of merit has been proclaimed by me. Do now exert yourselves and move forward. O Ajita, I grant indeed a great favor to this treatise of the Dharma. Be valiant so that the laws of Buddhas may not perish or disappear. Do not break the command of the Tathagata.'

#44. Then at that time, the Bhagavat spoke these verses :

1. 'Such hearings of me will not be for people who have not done good; but those who are heroes and perfect, they will hear this speech.

2. 'And those by whom the Lord of the world, the enlightened and the light-giver, has been seen, and the law been heard reverentially, will obtain the highest joy.

3. 'Low people of slothful minds cannot find any delight in the laws of Buddha; those who have worshipped in the Buddha countries learn the service of the Lords of the three worlds.

4. 'As a blind man in darkness does not know the way, and much less can show it, so also he who is only a Sravaka in the knowledge of Buddha; how then should beings who are ignorant!

5. 'The Buddha only knows the virtues of a Buddha; but not gods, Nagas, Asuras, Yakshas, and Sravakas; even for Anekabuddhas there is no such way, as when the knowledge of a Buddha is being manifested.

6. 'If all beings had attained bliss, knowing the highest meaning in pure wisdom, they would not in kotis of kalpas or even in a longer time tell all the virtues of one Buddha.

7. 'Thereupon they would attain Nirvana, preaching for many kotis of kalpas, and yet the measure of the knowledge of a Buddha would not be reached, for such is the wonderfulness of the knowledge of the Jinas.

8. 'Therefore a learned man of an intelligent race who believes my words, after having perceived all paths of the knowledge of the Jinas, should utter speech, saying, "Buddha is wise."

9. 'Now and then a man is found, now and then a Buddha appears, knowledge of the object of faith is acquired after a long time; therefore one should strive to acquire the knowledge of the object of faith.'

#45. And while this treatise of the Dharma was being delivered, twelve kotis of nayutas of beings obtained the pure and spotless eye of the Dharma with regard to Dharmas. Twenty-four hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of beings obtained the Anagamin reward. Eight hundred Bhikshus had their thoughts delivered from faults so as to cling no more to anything. Twenty-five kotis of Bodhisattvas obtained resignation to things to come. And by forty hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of the human and divine race, thoughts such as had never risen before were turned toward the highest perfect knowledge, and their stocks of merit were made to grow toward their being born in the world Sukhavati, from a desire to see the Tathagata, the blessed Amitabha. And all of them having been born there, will in proper order be born in other worlds, as Tathagatas, called Manjusvara (sweet-voiced). And eighty kotis of nayutas having acquired resignation under the Tathagata Dipankara, never turning back again from the highest perfect knowledge, rendered perfect by the Tathagata Amitayus, practising the duties of former Bodhisattvas, will carry out, after they are born in the world Sukhavati, the duties enjoined in the former prayers.

#46. At that time this universe, the three millions of worlds, trembled in six ways. And various miracles were seen. On earth everything was perfect, and human and divine instruments were played, and the shout of joy was heard as far as the world of the Akanishthas.

#47. Thus spoke the Bhagavat enraptured, and the noble-minded Bodhisattva Ajita, and the blessed Ananda, the whole Assembly, and the world, with gods, men, spirits, mighty birds, and fairies, applauded the speech of the Bhagavat. The praise of the beauty of the excellences of Sukhavati, the country of the blessed Amitabha, the Tathagata, the entry of the Bodhisattva on the stage of never returning, the story of Amitabha, the Mahayanasutra of the Description of Sukhavati is finished.

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