The Pristine Sound of Pureland :Bodhiruci on Larger Amitabha

bohiruci SG

The Tang translation by Bodhiruci is one of the famous translation of the Larger Amitabha Sutra a classics of Pureland Buddhism

it is in <<大宝积经卷十七无量寿如来会第五>>

大宝积经卷第十七无量寿如来会第五

大宝积经卷第十七

　　　　大唐三藏菩提流志奉　诏译

　　　　无量寿如来会第五之一

如是我闻。一时佛住王舍城耆阇崛山中。与大比丘众万二千人俱。皆是诸大声闻众所知识。

Thus have I heard ..Why is that Thus have I heard ? Buddha Sakyamuni at his Parinirvana requested Ananda to put the opening phrase "thus have I heard"

It is because at that time after Ananda attained arahantship .When he expounded the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha , many monks observed he suddenly have the 32 Marks of Buddha ,and was confused.Thus have I heard is to reduce the confusion of the masses of the 500 disciples .Ananda have not attained Buddhahood but does endowed with the Radiant look of Sakyamuni Buddha .So the need to use "thus have I heard"

All Worldly Religion text have the beginning title "invocation to God and so on...

Thus have I heard ,stands on a Humanistic point of View .

bohiruci SG

Next Sutra is like a meeting and it spells out the assembly which are the Bodhisattva present and the Arhats presents and all the royal family, this is to increase the confidence that when Human read it ..they will be closer to their heart as the teaching is on a humanistic approach instead of something abstract like in the heavens or only one talker and one listener ..

Buddhist sutra first few verse established the time , the confidence and the people and Protectors present and their presence is of educational value.Some of them will spread the teachings to faraway in this period after the Buddha Parinirvana. some in the near future ,and some in the distant future ....

bohiruci SG

皆是诸大声闻众所知 Thus quite are renowned..why is the arhat mentioned in the sutra first... becos standing on the human realm .Arahat are humans attained the fruits of enlighternment

In all sutra , the Sangha is place in importance,wherever there is sangha , Buddhism prosper,wherever no Sangha , Buddhism did not flourish or never existed in that place

Some like to use academic circle to study sutra ,the authenticity of Sutra have been explored in all possible ways ..but in Academic circle ,the issue remains ,not many Mahayana sutra have been found ,does this mean Mahayana teaching is not true ?

One tends to undermine the wisdom of Buddha to a mere self-salvation Enlightened beings

bohiruci SG

如来无量无边光　　举世无光可能喻
　　一切日月摩尼宝　　佛之光威皆映蔽
　　世尊能演一音声　　有情各各随类解
　　又能现一妙色身　　普使众生随类见
　　戒定慧进及多闻　　一切有情无与等
　　心流觉慧如大海　　善能了知甚深法
　　惑尽过亡应受供　　如是圣德惟世尊
　　佛有殊胜大威光　　普照十方无量刹
　　我今称赞诸功德　　冀希福慧等如来
　　能救一切诸世间　　生老病死众苦恼
　　愿当安住三摩地　　演说施戒诸法门
　　忍辱精勤及定慧　　庶当成佛济群生
　　为求无上大菩提　　供养十方诸妙觉
　　百千俱胝那由他　　极彼恒沙之数量
　　又愿当获大神光　　倍照恒沙亿佛刹
　　及以无边胜进力　　感得殊胜广净居
　　如是无等佛刹中　　安处群生当利益
　　十方最胜之大士　　彼皆当往生喜心
　　唯佛圣智能证知　　我今希求坚固力
　　纵沈无间诸地狱　　如是愿心终不退
　　一切世间无碍智　　应当了知如是心

This is the Gatha when Dharmakara bhikkhu Met the King of the -World-at-Ease-Tathagatha

Try to recite it for 20 times a day for 2months. you will see good luck coming your way

Dharmakara is later Buddha Amitabha of Western Paradise

bohiruci SG

若我证得无上菩提。国中有地狱饿鬼畜生趣者。我终不取无上正觉
　　若我成佛。国中众生有堕三恶趣者。我终不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中有情若不皆同真金色者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中有情形貌差别有好丑者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中有情不得宿念。下至不知亿那由他百千劫事者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中有情若无天眼。乃至不见亿那由他百千佛国土者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中有情不获天耳。乃至不闻亿那由他百千逾缮那外佛说法者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中有情无他心智。乃至不知亿那由他百千佛国土中有情心行者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中有情不获神通自在波罗蜜多。于一念顷不能超过亿那由他百千佛刹者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中有情起于少分我我所想者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。国中有情若不决定成等正觉证大涅槃者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。光明有限。下至不照亿那由他百千及算数佛刹者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。寿量有限乃至俱胝那由他百千及算数劫者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。国中声闻无有知其数者。假使三千大千世界满中有情及诸缘觉。于百千岁尽其智算亦不能知。若有知者不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中有情寿量有限齐者。不取菩提。唯除愿力而受生者
　　若我成佛。国中众生若有不善名者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。彼无量刹中无数诸佛。不共咨嗟称叹我国者。不取正觉
　　若我证得无上觉时。余佛刹中诸有情类。闻我名已所有善根心心回向愿生我国。乃至十念若不生者。不取菩提。唯除造无间恶业诽谤正法及诸圣人
　　若我成佛。于他刹土。有诸众生发菩提心。及于我所起清净念。复以善根回向愿生极乐。彼人临命终时。我与诸比丘众。现其人前。若不尔者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。无量国中所有众生。闻说我名以己善根回向极乐。若不生者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。国中菩萨皆不成就三十二相者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。于彼国中。所有菩萨于大菩提。咸悉位阶一生补处。唯除大愿诸菩萨等。为诸众生被精进甲。勤行利益修大涅槃。遍诸佛国行菩萨行。供养一切诸佛如来。安立洹沙众生住无上觉。所修诸行复胜于前。行普贤道而得出离。若不尔者不取菩提
　　若我成佛。国中菩萨每于晨朝。供养他方乃至无量亿那由他百千诸佛。以佛威力即以食前还到本国。若不尔者不取菩提
　　若我成佛。于彼刹中诸菩萨众。所须种种供具。于诸佛所殖诸善根。如是色类不圆满者不取菩提
　　若我当成佛时。国中菩萨说诸法要。不善顺入一切智者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。彼国所生诸菩萨等。若无那罗延坚固力者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。周遍国中诸庄严具。无有众生能总演说。乃至有天眼者。不能了知所有杂类形色光相。若有能知及总宣说者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。国中具有无量色树高百千由旬。诸菩萨中有善根劣者若不能了知不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中众生读诵经典教授敷演。若不获得胜辩才者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。国中菩萨有不成就无边辩才者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。国土光净遍无与等。彻照无量无数不可思议诸佛世界。如明镜中现其面像。若不尔者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。国界之内地及虚空有无量种香。复有百千亿那由他数众宝香炉。香气普熏遍虚空界。其香殊胜超过人天珍。奉如来及菩萨众。若不尔者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。周遍十方。无量无数不可思议无等界众生之辈。蒙佛威光所照触者。身心安乐超过人天。若不尔者不取正觉
　　若我成佛。无量不可思议无等界诸佛刹中菩萨之辈闻我名已。若不证得离生获陀罗尼者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。周遍无数不可思议无有等量。诸佛国中所有女人。闻我名已得清净信。发菩提心厌患女身。若于来世不舍女人身者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。无量无数不可思议无等佛刹菩萨之众。闻我名已得离生法。若不修行殊胜梵行。乃至到于大菩提者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。周遍十方无有等量诸佛刹中所有菩萨。闻我名已五体投地。以清净心修菩萨行。若诸天人不礼敬者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中众生所须衣服随念即至。如佛命善来比丘法服自然在体。若不尔者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。诸众生类才生我国中。若不皆获资具心净安乐。如得漏尽诸比丘者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。国中群生。随心欲见诸佛净国殊胜庄严。于宝树间悉皆出现。犹如明镜见其面像若不尔者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。余佛刹中所有众生闻我名已。乃至菩提诸根有阙德用非广者。不取菩提
　　若我成佛。余佛刹中所有菩萨。闻我名已若不皆善分别胜三摩地名字语言。菩萨住彼三摩地中。于一刹那言说之顷。不能供养无量无数不可思议无等诸佛。又不现证六三摩地者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。余佛土中有诸菩萨。闻我名已。寿终之后。若不得生豪贵家者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。余佛刹中所有菩萨闻我名已。若不应时修菩萨行。清净欢喜得平等住具诸善根。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。他方菩萨闻我名已。皆得平等三摩地门。住是定中常供无量无等诸佛。乃至菩提终不退转。若不尔者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。国中菩萨随其志愿。所欲闻法自然得闻。若不尔者。不取正觉
　　若我证得无上菩提。余佛刹中所有菩萨闻我名已。于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提有退转者。不取正觉
　　若我成佛。余佛国中所有菩萨。若闻我名应时不获一二三忍。于诸佛法不能现证不退转者。不取菩提

bohiruci SG

我于一切世间。最为尊贵。释梵诸天咸来亲奉。又见习学书计历数声明伎巧医方养生符印。及余博戏擅美过人。身处王宫厌诸欲境。见老病死悟世非常。捐舍国位。逾城学道。解诸缨络及迦尸迦。被服袈裟六年苦行。能于五浊刹中作斯示见。顺世间故浴尼连河行趣道场。龙王迎赞。诸菩萨众右绕称扬。

This parts summarise Sakyamuni from childhood ,after learning all the skills of the Worldly knowledge feel weary and seeing the sights of old age,sickness and impermance, forsaking the Royal Life ,and go into practice..after 6 years of hardship practices ,awaken to the Truth of Universe in the River Nerajana ...