Jodoshinshu.
From Kyogyoshinsho, chapter
5:
If, when I attain Buddhahood, my
life-span should be limited, even to the extent of a hundred
thousand kotis of nayutas of kalpas, may I not attain perfect
Enlightenment.
(The 13th Vow - the Vow of Immeasurable Life)
The life of the Buddha of
Infinite Life is so long that it is impossible for anyone to
calculate it. To give an illustration, let us suppose that all the
innumerable sentient beings in the worlds of the ten quarters were
reborn in human form and that every one became a shravaka or
pratyekabuddha. Even if they assembled in one place, concentrated
their thoughts, and exercised the power of their wisdom to the
utmost to reckon the length of the Buddha's life, even after a
thousand million kalpas they still would not reach its
limit.
(Fulfillment of the 13th Vows - the Larger Sutra)
Since Amida attained Buddhahood,
ten kalpas have passed;
His life-span is indeed beyond measure.
(T'an-luan's Hymns in Praise of Amida Buddha)
From The 48
Vows of Amida Buddha, p. 13-14: (also
see here only the chapter)
This vow simply means that his
transcendent manifestation(Sambhogakaya body or Dharmakaya as
compassionate means) will last forever for the benefit of all
beings.
...
Amida Buddha as an Enlightened Person with his transcendent body,
will last eternally as the 13th Vow promises. Even “a hundred
thousand kotis of nayutas of kalpas” is still limited timewhen
measuring the life span of Amida, so thissymbolical number is
mentioned again to suggest the infinite andimpossible to calculate
life of this Buddha’s body.
Jodoshu.
From Honen's Commentary on the
Three Sutras of Pure Land Buddhism (Promise of Amida Buddha, p.
77):
Moreover, in order to provide
eternal deliverance for sentient beings through the essential vow,
Amida Buddha vowed that his lifespan will be immeasurable. This is
the thirteenth vow. To summarize, while the vow of immeasurable
light was designed to reach all sentient beings throughout space;
the vow of infinite life was designed to benefit all sentient
beings throughout time.
Chinese Pure
Land.
From Ouyi's
commentary to the Smaller Sutra:
infinite life extends through
time and reaches through past, present, and future ... Because
sentient beings and Buddhas are inherently equal, those who invoke
the name of Amitabha will be no different from him either in their
light or in their life span. ... Given the truth of infinite life,
the people in the Land of Ultimate Bliss are in the position that
they are certain of attaining complete enlightenment in a single
lifetime, and will not be reborn in different forms.
...
The life span of Amitabha Buddha is infinite, and here when the
sutra just speaks of ten eons, this is just a provisional way of
teaching. In fact Amitabha's time has been endless, and he has
urged, is urging, and will urge all the sentient beings of the
past, present, and future to quickly seek birth in the Pure Land,
share in the infinite life of the Buddhas, and accomplish this all
in one lifetime.
/\