THE SMALLER SUKHAVATIVYUHA SUTRA or The Sutra on the Buddha Amitayus Translated from the Chinese Version of Kumarajiva

by Nishu Utsuki The Educational Department of the West on!"anji Kyoto# $apan% &'() *ublic Domain+ http%,,"eb+mit+edu,stclair,""",smaller+html This electronic version may be copied and distributed free and "ithout permission provided that it is not altered in any "ay+ &+ Thus have - heard% .nce the /uddha "as d"ellin! in the 0nathapindada 1arden of $etavana in the country of 2hravasti to!ether "ith a lar!e company of /hikshus of t"elve hundred and fifty members+ They "ere all !reat 0rhats# "ell kno"n amon! people# 3to "it4% 2hariputra the elder# 5ahamaud!alyayana# 5ahakashyapa# 5ahakatyayana# 5ahakaushthila# 6evata# 2huddhipanthaka# Nanda# 0nanda# 6ahula# 1avampati# *indola7/haradvaja# Kalodayin# 5ahakapphina# Vakkula# 0niruddha# etc+# all !reat 2hravakas 8lit. disciples9: and "ith many /odhisattva75ahasattvas# 3such as4# 5anjushri# *rince of the ;ord of Truth# /odhisattva 0jita# /odhisattva 1andhahastin# /odhisattva Nityodyukta# etc+# all !reat /odhisattvas: and also "ith a lar!e company of innumerable devas# 3such as4 2hakrodevanam7-ndra# etc+ (+ Then the /uddha addressed 2hariputra# the elder# and said# </eyond a hundred thousand kotis of /uddha7lands "est"ards from here# there is a "orld named 2ukhavati+ -n that "orld there is a /uddha# 0mita37ayus4 by name# no" d"ellin! and preachin! the la"+ 2hariputra# "hy is that country named 2ukhavati= The livin! bein!s in that country have no pains# but receive pleasures only+ Therefore# it is called 2ukhavati+ >+ <0!ain# 2hariputra# in the land 2ukhavati 3there are4 seven ro"s of balustrades# seven ro"s of fine nets# and seven ro"s of arrayed trees: they are all of four !ems and surround and enclose 3the land4+ ?or this reason the land is called 2ukhavati+ )# <0!ain# 2hariputra# in the land 2ukhavati there are lakes of the seven !ems# in "hich is filled "ater "ith the ei!ht meritorious @ualities+ The lake7bases are stre"n "ith !olden sand# and the stairs of the four sides are made of !old# silver# beryl# and crystal+ .n land there are stories and !alleries adorned "ith !old# silver# beryl# crystal# "hite coral# red pearl and diamond 8lit. a!ate9+ The lotus7flo"ers in the lakes# lar!e as chariot "heels# are blue7colored "ith blue splendor# yello"7colored "ith yello" splendor# red7colored "ith red splendor# "hite7colored "ith "hite splendor# and 3they are all4 the most eA@uisite and purely fra!rant+ 2hariputra# the land 2ukhavati is arrayed "ith such !ood @ualities and adornments+ B+ <0!ain# 2hariputra# in that /uddha7land there are heavenly musical instruments al"ays played on: !old is spread on the !round: and siA times every day and ni!ht it sho"ers 5andarava blossoms+ Usually in the serene mornin! lit. da"n9 all of those "ho live in that land fill their plates "ith those "onderful blossoms# and 3!o to4 make offerin! to a hundred thousand kotis of /uddhas of other re!ions: and at the time of the meal they come back to their o"n country# and

take their meal and have a "alk+ 2hariputra# the 2ukhavati land is arrayed "ith such !ood @ualities and adornments+ C+ <0nd a!ain# 2hariputra# in that country there are al"ays various "onderful birds of different colors# 77 s"an# peacock# parrot# Chari# Kalavinka and the bird of double7heads 8lit. double7lives9+ 2iA times every day and ni!ht all those birds sin! in melodious tune# and that tune proclaims the ?ive Virtues 8lit. or!ans9# the ?ive po"ers# the 2even /odhi7paths# the Ei!ht Noble Truths# and other la"s of the kind+ The livin! bein!s in that land# havin! heard that sin!in!# all invoke the /uddha# invoke the Dharma# and invoke the 2an!ha+ 2hariputra# you should not think that these birds are in fact born as punishment for sin+ What is the reason= 3/ecause4# in that /uddha7land there eAist not the Three Evil 6ealms+ 2hariputra# in that /uddha7land there are not 3to be heard4 even the names of the Three Evil 6ealms+ o" could there be the realms themselvesD 0ll those birds are "hat /uddha 0mitayus miraculously created "ith the desire to let them spread the voice of the ;a"+ 2hariputra# 3"hen4 in that /uddha7land a !entle breeEe happens to blo"# the precious trees in ro"s and the be!emmed nets emit a delicate enrapturin! tune# and it is just as if a hundred thousand musical instruments played at the same time+ Everybody "ho hears that music naturally conceives the thou!ht to invoke the /uddha# to invoke the Dharma# and to invoke the 2an!ha+ 2hariputra# that /uddha7land is arrayed "ith such !ood @ualities and adornments+ F+ <2hariputra# "hat do you think in your mind# for "hat reason that /uddha is called 0mita37 abha4= 2hariputra# the li!ht of that /uddha is boundless and shinin! "ithout impediments all over the countries of the ten @uarters+ Therefore he is called 0mita37abha4+ 0!ain# 2hariputra# the life of that /uddha and of his people is endless and boundless in 0samkhya7kalpas# so he is named 0mita37ayus4+ 2hariputra# since /uddha 0mitayus attained /uddhahood# 3it has passed4 no" ten Kalpas+ 0!ain# 2hariputra# that /uddha has numerous 2hravakas or disciples# "ho are all 0rhats and "hose number cannot be kno"n by 3ordinary4 calculation+ 3The number of4 /odhisattvas 3cannot be kno"n4 also+ 2hariputra# that /uddha7land is arrayed "ith such !ood @ualities and adornments+ G+ <0!ain# 2hariputra# the bein!s born in the land 2ukhavati are all 0vinivartaniya+ 0mon! them is a multitude of bein!s bound to one birth only: and their number# bein! eAtremely lar!e# cannot be eApressed by 3ordinary4 calculation+ .nly can it be mentioned in boundless 0samkhya7 kalpas+ 2hariputra# the sentient bein!s "ho hear 3this account4 ou!ht to put up their prayer that they may be born into that country: for they "ill be able to be in the same place to!ether "ith those noble persona!es+ 2hariputra# by means of small !ood "orks 8lit. roots9 or virtues no one can be born in that country+ '+ <2hariputra# if there be a !ood man or a !ood "oman# "ho# on hearin! of /uddha 0mitayus# keeps his name 3in mind4 "ith thou!hts undisturbed for one day# t"o days# three days# four days# five days# siA days# or seven days# that person# "hen about to die# 3"ill see4 0mitayus /uddha accompanied by his holy host appear before him: and immediately after his death# he "ith his mind undisturbed can be born into the 2ukhavati land of /uddha 0mitayus+ 2hariputra# as - "itness this benefit# - say these "ords: Every bein! "ho listens to this preachin! ou!ht to offer up prayer "ith the desire to be born into that country+ &H+ <2hariputra# as - no" !lorify the inconceivable eAcellences of 0mitayus /uddha# there are also in the Eastern @uarters /uddha 0kshobhya# /uddha 5erudhvaja# /uddha 5ahameru# /uddha 5eruprabhasa# /uddha 5anju!hosha# and /uddhas as many as the sands of the 6iver 1an!a# each of "hom# in his o"n country stretchin! out his lon! broad ton!ue that covers three

thousand !reater "orlds completely# proclaims these truthful "ords: 0ll you sentient bein!s believe in this 2utra# "hich is approved and protected by all the /uddhas# and in "hich are !lorified the inconceivable eAcellences 3of /uddha 0mitayus4+ &&+ <2hariputra# in the 2outhern "orlds there are /uddha Candrasuryapradipa# /uddha Iacahprabha# /uddha 5aharciskandha# /uddha 5erupradipa# /uddha 0nantavirya# and /uddhas as many as the sands of the 6iver 1an!a# each of "hom# in his o"n country stretchin! out his lon! broad ton!ue that covers three thousand !reater "orlds completely# proclaims these truthful "ords% 0ll you sentient bein!s believe in this 2utra# "hich is approved and protected by all the /uddhas# and in "hich are !lorified the inconceivable eAcellences 3of /uddha 0mitayus4+ &(+ <2hariputra# in the Western "orlds there are /uddha 0mitayus# /uddha 0mitalakshana# /uddha 0mitadhvaja# /uddha 5ahaprabha# /uddha 5ahanirbhasa# /uddha 6atnala kshana# /uddha 2huddharashmiprabha# and /uddhas as many as the sands of the 6iver 1an!a# each of "hom# in his o"n country stretchin! out his lon! broad ton!ue that covers three thousand !reater "orlds completely# proclaims these truthful "ords% 0ll you sentient bein!s believe in this 2utra# "hich is approved and protected by all the /uddhas# and in "hich are !lorified the inconceivable eAcellences 3of /uddha 0mitayus4+ &>+ <2hariputra# in the Northern "orlds there are /uddha 0rciskandha# /uddha Vaishvanaranir!hosha# /uddha Dushpradharsha# /uddha 0dityasambhava# /uddha $aliniprabha# and /uddhas as many as the sands of the 6iver 1an!a# each of "hom# in his o"n country stretchin! out his lon! broad ton!ue that covers three thousand !reater "orlds completely# proclaims these truthful "ords% 0ll you sentient bein!s believe in this 2utra# "hich is approved and protected by all the /uddhas# and in "hich are !lorified the inconceivable eAcellences 3of /uddha 0mitayus4+ &)+ <2hariputra# in the Nadir "orlds there are /uddha 2imha# /uddha Iacas# /uddha Iashaprabhava# /uddha Dharma# /uddha Dharmadhvaja# /uddha Dharmadhara# and /uddhas as many as the sands of the 6iver 1an!a# each of "hom# in his o"n country stretchin! out his lon! broad ton!ue that covers three thousand !reater "orlds completely# proclaims these truthful "ords% 0ll you sentient bein!s believe in this 2utra# "hich is approved and protected by all the /uddhas# and in "hich are !lorified the inconceivable eAcellences 3of /uddha 0mitayus4+ &B+ <2hariputra# in the Jenith "ords there are /uddha /rahma!hosha# /uddha Nakshatraraja# /uddha 1andhottama# /uddha 1andhaprabhasa# /uddha 5aharciskandha# /uddha 6atnakusumasampushpita!atra# /uddha 2alendraraja# /uddha 6atnotpalashri# /uddha 2arvarthadarsha# /uddha 2umerukalpa# and /uddhas as many as the sands of the 6iver 1an!esK&# each of "hom# in his o"n country stretchin! out his lon! broad ton!ue that covers three thousand !reater "orlds completely# proclaims these truthful "ords% 0ll you sentient bein!s believe in this 2utra# "hich is approved and protected by all the /uddhas# and in "hich are !lorified the inconceivable eAcellences 3of /uddha 0mitayus4+ &C+ <2hariputra# "hat do you think in your mind# "hy it is called the 2utra approved and protected by all the /uddhas= 2hariputra# if there be a !ood man or a !ood "oman "ho listens to those /uddhas< invocation of the name 3of /uddha 0mitayus4 and the name of this 2utra# that !ood man or "oman "ill be protected by all the /uddhas and never fail to attain 0nuttara7 samyaksambodhi+ ?or this reason# 2hariputra# all of you should believe in my "ords and in "hat all the /uddhas proclaim+ 2hariputra# if there are men "ho have already made# are no" makin!#

or shall make# prayer "ith the desire to be born in the land of /uddha 0mitayus# they never fail to attain 0nuttara7samyaksambodhi# and have been born# are no" bein! born# or shall be born in that country+ Therefore# 2hariputra# a !ood man or !ood "oman "ho has the faith ou!ht to offer up prayers to be born in that land+ &F+ <2hariputra# as - am no" praisin! the inconceivable eAcellences of those /uddhas# so all those /uddhas are ma!nifyin! the inconceivable eAcellences of myself# sayin! these "ords% 2hakyamuni# the /uddha# has successfully achieved a rare thin! of eAtreme difficulty: he has attained 0nuttara7samyaksambodhi in the 2aha "orld in the evil period of five corruptions 77 Corruption of Kalpa# Corruption of /elief# Corruption of *assions# Corruption of ;ivin! /ein!s# and Corruption of ;ife: and for the sake of all the sentient bein!s he is preachin! the ;a" "hich is not easy to accept+ 2hariputra# you must see that in the midst of this evil "orld of five corruptions - have achieved this difficult thin! of attainin! 0nuttara7samyaksambodhi# and for the benefit of all the bein!s - am preachin! the ;a" "hich is difficult to be accepted+ This is ho" it is esteemed as 3a thin! of4 eAtreme difficulty+< The /uddha havin! preached this 2utra# 2hariputra and /hikshus# and Devas# men# 0suras# etc+# of all the "orlds# "ho have listened to the /uddha<s preachin!# believed and accepted "ith joy# made "orship# and "ent a"ay+ /uddhabhashita70mitayuh72utra