30 Apr 2011 (Sat)
6.30pm
– 8.30pm (Last session)
This
session discussed about the sutra. I can’t find the sutra in both
Chinese and English. I shall start with English. Googled
from http://www.quantumbuddhism.org/files/AMITABHA%20SUTRA.pdf
The
highlighted text was learnt during the session. Please feel free to
discuss if you may have other kinds of
understanding.
THE BUDDHA SPEAKS ABOUT AMITABHA
SUTRA
Translated from Sanskrit to Chinese
by
the Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva at
Yao Ch'in
Thus I have heard, (Thus I have heard refers to Ananda, foremost in
listening to sutras) at one time time Buddha dwelt at
Sravasti in the Jeta grove in the
garden of the Bene-factor of
Orphans and the Solitary together with a gathering of
great
Bhiksus, 1250 in all, all great
Ar-hats whom the assembly knew and recognized: Elders
Sari-putra, Mahamaudgalyayana,
Mahakasyapa, Mahakatyayana, Mahakausthila, Revata,
Suddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ananda,
Rahula, Gavampati, Pindola-bharadvaja, Kalodayin,
Mahakaphina, Vakkula, Aniruddha,
and others such as these, all great disciples; together
with all the Bodhisattvas,
Mahasattvas: Dharma Prince Manjusri, Ajita Bodhisattva,
Gandhastin Bodhisattva, Nityodyukta
Bodhisattva, and others such as these, all great
Bodhisattvas; and to-gether with
Sakra, chief among gods, and the numberless great
multitudes from all the heavens.
(This paragraph also means the even
great Bodhisattvas like Manjusri (wisdom) and arhats need to learn
something about Pure Land)
At that time the Buddha told the
Elder Sariputra, "Passing from here through hundreds of
thousands of millions of
Buddhalands to the West, there is a world called Ultimate
Bliss.
In this land a Buddha called
Amitabha right now teaches the Dharma. Sariputra, for
what
reason is this land called Ultimate
Bliss? All living beings of this country endure none of
the suf-ferings, but enjoy every
bliss. Therefore, it is called 'Ultimate Bliss'.
Moreover, Sariputra, this Land of
Ultimate Bliss is everywhere surrounded by seven tiers
of railings, seven layers of
netting, and seven rows of trees, all formed from the
four
treasures and for this reason named
'Ultimate Bliss'. (The 7 layers of
railings refers to precepts (戒)
prohibiting evil and error, 7 layers of netting refers to
concentration（定）and
lastly the 7 trees represents (慧)
wisdom. This 7 categories of paths are to Buddhahood – 37 Limbs
(Wings) of Enlightenment or 37 菩提分. Like
the 4 foundations of mindfulness, noble eightfold path, 4
diligence, etc etc)
Moreover, Sariputra, the Land of
Ultimate Bliss has pools of the seven jewels, filled
with the eight waters of merit and
virtue. The bottom of each pool is pure, spread over
with golden sand. On the four sides
are stairs of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal;
above are raised pavilions adorned
with gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal,
mother-or-pearl,
red pearls, and
carnelian.
In the pools are lotuses as large
as carriage wheels: green colored of green light; yellow
colored of yellow light; red
colored of red light; white colored of white light;
subtly,
wonderfully, fragrant and pure.
(just joke abit… here may sound a bit of
marketing strategy… to entice people to go pureland lol. But in a
deeper sense, it means that forms are necessary to teach dharma,
it’s just that the forms there are finer quality, way much better
than the forms of other realms.)
Sariputra, the realization of the
Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.
Moreover Sariputra, in that
Buddhaland there is always heavenly music, and the
ground
is yellow gold. In the six periods
of the day and night a heavenly rain of mandarava
flowers falls, and throughout the
clear morning each living being of this Land, with sacks
full of the myriads of wonderful
flowers, makes offerings to the hundreds of thousands of
millions of Buddhas of the other
directions. At mealtime they return to their own
country,
and having eaten, they stroll
around, Sariputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is
thus meritoriously adorned. (Here offers
a glimpse of how Purelanders there do during a day, like learning
Dharma, make offerings to other Buddhas at other Purelands. One
important point to note is, at Amitabha Buddha’s Pureland, you can
travel freely to other Purelands…! Amitabha Buddha’s Pureland
becomes “HQ” or focal point to travel to other Purelands to learn
Dharma too. Not only that, great merits are accumulated when the
Purelanders offering flowers. The offerings are offered to real
Buddhas themselves but not statues that we are offering while we
were at Samsara.)
Moreover Sariputra, in this country
there are always rare and wonderful varicolored
birds: white cranes; peacocks,
parrots and egrets ; kalavinkas and two-headed birds .
In
the six periods of the day and
night the flocks of birds sing forth harmonious and
elegant
sounds. Their clear and joyful
sounds proclaim the five roots, the five powers the
seven
Bodhi shares, the eight sagely way
shares, and dharmas such as these. When living
beings of this land hear these
sounds, they are altogether mindful of the Buddha,
mindful of the Dharma, and mindful
of the Sangha. (during the session, the
birds are like Amitabha Buddha’s PA system lol it was just
metaphor)
Sariputra, do not say that these
birds are born as retribution for their karmic offenses.
For
what reason? In this Buddhaland
there are no three evil ways of re-birth. Sariputra, in
this Buddhaland not even the names
of the three evil ways exist, how much the less their
actuality! Desiring that the Dharma
sound be widely proclaimed, Amitabha Buddha by
transformation made this multitude
of birds.
Sariputra, in that Buddhaland, when
the soft wind blows, the rows of jewelled trees and
jewelled nets give forth subtle and
wonderful sounds, like one hundred thousand kinds of
music played at the same time. All
those who hear this sound naturally bring forth in their
hearts mindfulness of the Buddha,
mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the
Sangha.
Sariputra, the realization of the
Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.
Sariputra, what do you think? Why
is this Buddha called Amitabha? Sariputra, the
brilliance of that Buddha's light
is measureless, illumining the lands of the ten
directions
everywhere without obstruction; for
this reason he is called Amitabha. (Meaning that Amita = infinite, immeasurable, Bha =
Light)
Moreover Sariputra, the life of
that Buddha and that of his people extends for
measureless limitless asankhyeya
kalpas; for this reason he is called Amitayus. (Meaning that Amita = infinite, immeasurable, Yus=
Life)
And Sariputra, since Amitabha
realized Buddhahood, ten kalpas have passed.
Moreover Sariputra, that Buddha has
measureless limitless "sound-hearer" disciples,
all Arhats, their number
incalculable; thus also is the assembly of
Bodhi-sattvas.
Sariputra, the realization of the
Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.
Moreover Sariputra, those living
beings born in the Land of Ultimate Bliss are all
avaivartika. Among them are many
who in this very life will dwell in Buddhahood.
Their number is extremely many, it
is incalculable and only in measureless, limitless
asankhyeya kalpas could it be
spoken.
Sariputra, those living beings who
hear should vow, 'I wish to be born in that country.'
And why? Those who thus attain are
all superior and good people, all coming together in
one place. Sariputra, one cannot
have few good roots, blessings, virtues, and causal
connections to attain birth in that
Land.
Sariputra, if there is a good man
or good woman who hears spoken 'Amitabha Buddha'
and holds the name, whether for one
day, two days, three, four, five days, six days, as
long as seven days, with one heart
unconfused, when this person approaches the end of
life, before him will appear
Amitabha Buddha and all the assembly of Holy Ones.
When the end comes, his heart is
without inversion; in Amitabha Buddha's Land of
Ultimate Bliss he will attain
rebirth. Sariputra, because I see this benefit, I speak
these
words: If living beings hear this
spoken they should make the vow, 'I will be born in that
land.'
Sariputra, as I now praise the
inconceivable benefit from the merit and virtue of
Amitabha
Buddha, thus in the East are
also Aksothya Buddha, Sumeru Appearance
Buddha, Great Sumeru Buddha, Sumeru
Light Buddha, Wonderful Sound
Buddha, all Buddhas such as these,
number-less as Ganges' sands. In his own country
each brings forth the appearance of
a vast and long tongue, every-where covering the
three thousand great thousand
worlds, and speaks the sincere and actual words, 'All
you living beings should believe,
praise, and hold in reverence the inconceivable merit
and virtue of this Sutra of the Mindful One of Whom All Buddhas Are
Protective. (Sinweiy has
posted earlier. This is the original name of this sutra. But was
changed by Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva to Amitabha
Sutra)
Sariputra, in the Southern world are Sun Moon Lamp Buddha, Well-Known
Light
Buddha, Great Blazing Shoulders
Buddha, Sumeru Lamp Buddha, Measureless
Vigor Buddha, all Buddhas such as
these, numberless as Ganges sands. In his own
country each brings forth the
appearance of a vast and long tongue, everywhere
covering
the three thousand great thousand
worlds, and speaks the sincere and actual words, 'All
you living beings should believe,
praise, and hold in reverence the inconceivable merit
and virtue of this Sutra of the
Mindful One of Whom All Buddhas Are Protective.'
Sariputra, in the Western world are Measureless Life Buddha, Measureless
Appearance
Buddha, Measureless Curtain Buddha,
Great Light Buddha, Great Brightness
Buddha, Jewelled Appearance Buddha,
Pure Light Buddha, all Buddhas such as
these, numberless as Ganges sands.
In his own country each brings forth the appearance
of a vast and long tongue,
everywhere covering the three thousand great thousand
worlds,
and speaks the sincere and actual
words, 'All you living beings should believe, praise,
and
hold in reverence the inconceivable
merit and virtue of this Sutra of the Mindful One of
Whom All Buddhas Are Protective.'
Sariputra, in the Northern world are Blazing Shoulders Buddha, Most
Victorious
Sound Buddha, Hard to Injure
Buddha, Sun Birth Buddha, Net Brightness
Buddha, all Buddhas such as these,
numberless as Ganges sands. In his own country
each brings forth the appearance of
a vast and long tongue, everywhere covering the three
thousand great thousand worlds, and
speaks the sincere and actual words, 'All you living
beings should believe, praise, and
hold in reverence the inconceivable merit and virtue of
this Sutra of the Mindful One of
Whom All Buddhas Are Protective.'
Sariputra, in the world below are Lion Buddha, Well-Known Buddha, Famous
Light
Buddha, Dharma Buddha, Dharma
Curtain Buddha, Dharma Maintaining
Buddha, all Buddhas such as these,
numberless as Ganges sands. In his own country
each brings forth the appearance of
a vast and long tongue, everywhere covering the three
thousand great thousand worlds, and
speaks the sincere and actual words, 'All you living
beings should believe, praise, and
hold in reverence the inconceivable merit and virtue of
this Sutra of the Mindful One of
Whom All Buddhas Are Protective.'
Sariputra, in the world above are Pure Sound Buddha, King of Past Lives
Buddha,
Superior Fragrance Buddha, Fragrant
Light Buddha, Great Blazing Shoulders
Buddha, Vari-colored Jewels and
Flower Adornment Body Buddha, Sala Tree King
Buddha, Jewelled Flower Virtue
Buddha, Vision of all Meaning Buddha, Such as
Mt. Sumeru Buddha, all Buddhas such
as these, numberless as Ganges sands. In his
own country each brings forth the
appearance of a vast and long tongue, everywhere
covering the three thousand great
thousand worlds, and speaks the sincere and actual
words, 'All you living beings
should believe, praise, and hold in reverence the
inconceivable merit and virtue of
this Sutra of the Mindful One of Whom All Buddhas
Are Protective. (This paragraph means that this sutra has been
testified and promoted by other Buddhas as well….North, South,
East, West, Above, Below,)
Sariputra, what do you think? Why
is it called Sutra of the Mindful One of Whom All
Buddhas Are Protective? Sariputra,
if a good man or good woman hears this Sutra and
holds to it, and hears the names of
all these Buddhas, this good man or woman will be the
Mind-ful One of whom all Buddhas
are protective, and will irreversibly attain to
anuttarasamyak-
sambodhi. There-fore, Sariputra,
all of you should believe and accept my words,
and those which all Buddhas
speak.
Sariputra, if there are people who
have already made the vow, who now make the vow, or
who are about to make the vow, 'I
desire to be born in Amitabha's Country', these people
whether born in the past, now being
born, or to be born in the future, all will irreversibly
attain to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
Therefore, Sariputra, all good men and good
women, if they are among those who
have faith, should make the vow, 'I will be born in
that country.'
Sariputra, just as I am now one who
praises the merit and virtue of all Buddhas, all those
Buddhas equally praise my
inconceivable merit and virtue saying these words,
'Sakyamuni Buddha can complete
extremely rare and difficult deeds. In the Saha Land, in
the evil time of the five
turbidities, in the midst of the kalpa turbidity, the
view
turbidity, the affliction
turbidity, the living beings turbidity, and the life turbidity, he
can
attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi and
for the sake of living beings, speak this Dharma
which in the whole world is hard to
believe.' (Because Pureland has too much
benefit to the extent that sentient beings find it too difficult to
believe.)
Sariputra, you should know that I,
in the evil time of the five turbidities, practice these
difficult deeds, attain
anuttara-samak-sambodhi and for all the world speak this
dharma,
difficult to believe, extremely
difficult!"
After the Buddha spoke this Sutra,
Sariputra and all the Bhiksus, all the gods, men, and
asuras, and others from all the
worlds, hearing what the Buddha had said, joyously
welcomed, faithfully accepted,
bowed and withdrew. (To summarize, one
must have faith, aspiration (vows) and practice to go Pure Land.
For example, I believe exercising is good for my health. But I
never practice, e.g. jogging. So the benefits of exercising cannot
happen to me. Same thing apply here.)
Here’s
the handout from Mr. Shen
Three Acts of Merit (True
Causes for Pure Karma)
Three Acts of Merit (True Causes for Pure
Karma)
三福业（净业正因)
Introduction:
In the Contemplation Sutra (观无量寿佛经),
the Buddha stated that those who wish to be born in Amitabha
Buddha's Pure Land should cultivate the ‘Three Acts of Merit’
(净业三福) or ‘Three Pure
Conditions’, which are also the timeless causes of Buddhahood. They
are related to the teaching from the Amitabha Sutra
(阿弥陀经), that one cannot be born
in Pure Land through ‘minor good roots, blessings, merits and
causal connections’. (不可以少善根、福德、因缘，得生彼国.)
As such, the trio is needed for extending good roots, increasing
blessings and merits, and strengthening causal connections. Along
with these factors, the key method for successful birth in Pure
Land relies on sustained single-minded mindfulness of Amitabha
Buddha, based on having strong Faith in him, having strong
Aspiration to meet him and having strong corresponding Practice.
With these interconnected causes and conditions [Three Provisions:
Faith, Aspiration and Practice (三资粮: 信愿行) and the Three Acts of
Merit (which can also be seen as part of Practice)] in place,
reaching Pure Land is guaranteed.
观无量寿佛经:
欲生彼国者。
当修三福。
一者孝养父母
。奉事师长。慈心不杀。修十善业。
二者受持三归。具足众戒。不犯威仪。
三者发菩提心。深信因果。读诵大乘。劝进行者。
如此三事名为净业。
佛告韦提希。汝今知不。
此三种业乃是过去未来现在。三世诸佛净业正因。
Contemplation Sutra:
Whoever wishes to be born there [in Amituofo’s Pureland] should
practice three acts of merit:
(1) first,
(a) caring for one's parents,
(b) attending to one's teachers and elders,
(c) compassionately refraining from killing, and
(d) doing the ten good [wholesome] deeds;
[Abstention from:
(i) killing
(ii) stealing
(iii) sexual misconduct
(iv) divisive speech
(v) harsh speech
(vi) false speech
(vii) idle speech
(viii) greed
(ix) anger
(x) wrong views]
(2) second,
(a) taking the three refuges
(b) keeping the various precepts, and
(c) refraining from breaking the rules of conduct
[harmonious social customs that are not
against the precepts]; and
(3) third,
(a) awakening aspiration for Enlightenment [Bodhicitta],
(b) believing deeply in the law of causality [karma],
(c) [reading and] chanting the Mahayana Sutras and
(d) encouraging people to follow their teachings.
These three are called the pure karma."
The Buddha further said to Vaidehi,
"Do you know that these three acts are the pure karma
practiced by all the Buddhas
of the past, present and future as the right cause of
Enlightenment?"
Above Sutra
Sources:
佛说观无量寿佛经
The Sutra on Contemplation of Amitayus Delivered by Shakyamuni
Buddha
(Contemplation Sutra)
http://www.bfnn.org/book/books/0031.htm
刘宋西域三藏法师强良耶舍译
Translated into Chinese during the Liu-Sung dynasty
by the Tripitaka Master Kalayashas from Central Asia
(and translated from Chinese into English by Hisao Inagaki)
http://www12.canvas.ne.jp/horai/contemplation-sutra.htm
回向文
Verse for Sharing of
Merits
愿以此功德
Yuan Yi Ci Gong
De
May the merits thus accumulated
庄严佛净土
Zhuang Yan Fo Jing
Tu
Adorn the Buddha’s Pure Land,
上报四重恩
Shang Bao Si Chong
En
Repay our fourfold gratitude
下济三途苦
Xia Ji San Tu Ku
And alleviate the suffering of the three lower realms
若有见闻者
Ruo You Jian Wen
Zhe
If there are those who see or hear this
悉发菩提心
Xi Fa Pu Ti Xin
May they all give rise to Bodhicitta
尽此一报身
Jin Ci Yi Bao
Shen
And by the end of this retribution body
同生极乐国
Tong Sheng Ji Le
Guo
Be born in the land of bliss together
Last but not least; watch video
clip lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qh_acb5MdY&feature=related
