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Small Amitabha Sutra The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra Translated into Chinese by: Tripitaka Dharma Master Kumarajiva during the Yao Qin Dynasty Based on the English Translation by: Buddhist Text Translation Society A General Explanation by: Master YongHua Lu Mountain Temple 7509 Mooney Drive Rosemead, CA 91770 USA Tel: (626) 280-8801 1st edition, ISBN 978-0-9835279-1-6, © Copyright: Bodhi Light International, Inc. www.BLI2PL.org SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like express my profound gratitude for the count- less hours that my students and supporters put into the production of this Sutra. Much of the information about the Buddha's disciples in this commentary is copied from Master Hsuan Hua's commentary of the same name. His work is also used as a source book throughout. I encourage the reader to reference Master Xuan Hua’s books, published by the Buddhist Text Translation Socie- ty, for further information. In addition, I would like to thank the Buddhist Text Translation Society for this translation of the Amitabha Sutra. Master YongHua July, 2012 Amitabha Buddha Guan Yin Bodhisattva Great Strength Bodhisattva Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 Five Major Schools of Asian Buddhism .......................................................... 1 Translator ......................................................................................................... 6 Tian Tai 5-fold profound meanings: ............................................................... 14 Explaining the Title: ................................................................................... 14 Describing the substance ............................................................................ 24 Clarify the doctrine .................................................................................... 25 Discussing the function .............................................................................. 48 Determining the teaching (type) ................................................................ 51 SUTRA PREFACE ............................................................................................ 60 First Realization ............................................................................................. 63 Second Realization......................................................................................... 64 Third Realization ........................................................................................... 76 Fourth Realization .......................................................................................... 78 Fifth Realization............................................................................................. 78 Sixth Realization ............................................................................................ 81 Elders: ........................................................................................................ 91 Shariputra: .................................................................................................. 92 Mahamaudgalyayana ................................................................................. 95 Mahakashyapa ......................................................................................... 100 Mahakatyayana ........................................................................................ 107 Mahakausthila .......................................................................................... 109 Revata ...................................................................................................... 110 Suddhipanthaka .........................................................................................111 Nanda ....................................................................................................... 115 Sundarananda ........................................................................................... 116 Ananda ..................................................................................................... 118 Rahula ...................................................................................................... 119 Gavampati ................................................................................................ 121 Pindola Bharadvaja .................................................................................. 123 Kalodayin ................................................................................................. 124 Mahakaphina ............................................................................................ 125 Vakkula .................................................................................................... 125 Aniruddha ................................................................................................ 128 Bohisattvas: .............................................................................................. 130 Manjushri ................................................................................................. 132 Ajita ......................................................................................................... 135 Gandhastin/Nityodukta ............................................................................ 137 Nityodukta ............................................................................................... 138 Sakra ........................................................................................................ 140 THE PRINCIPLE PROPER ............................................................................ 144 Explaining Pureland's Proper and Dependent adornments to bring forth faith and joy ......................................................................................................... 144 Emphasing Pureland's superior advantages encouraging one to make the vow ..................................................................................................................... 241 Revealing recitation merits to show cultivation path ................................... 268 Citing Buddhas' praises to sever one's doubts .............................................. 298 Buddhas praised this rare merits to make one understand Buddha's kindness ..................................................................................................................... 340 TRANSMISSION ............................................................................................ 354 Small Amitabha Sutra INTRODUCTION Five Major Schools of Asian Buddhism The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Buddha Sutra is generally known as the (Small) Amitabha Sutra. It is one of the most important sutras of Pure Land Buddhism, which is one of the five major schools of Asian Buddhism: 1. The Vinaya School. 2. The Chan School. 3. The Secret School. 4. The Teachings School. 5. The Pure Land School. The Vinaya School emphasizes the study and practice of mo- rality. Buddhist lay disciples should take refuge with the Tri- ple Jewel and then they can receive the Five Precepts, the Eight Precepts or the Bodhisattva Precepts. The foundation of lay morality is based on the Five Precepts: 1. No Killing, including ants, let alone hunting for sport. 2. No Stealing, including buying pirated goods. 3. No Sexual Misconduct: This means no sex outside of marriage. 4. No False Speech, including words intended to cause discord. 5. No Taking of Intoxicants, including alcohol, cigarettes, drugs etc. 1 Explained by Master YongHua Left-home people can take the Ten Precepts of novice monks and nuns, Siksamana 式叉摩那尼 Precepts, Bhikshu Pre- cepts, Bhikshuni Precepts or Bodhisattva Precepts. Observing the precepts will bring forth samadhi, which is Sanskrit for concentration. Samadhi unfolds Wisdom and thus can help certify to the fruitions. This is the typical approach of the Small Vehicle, also known as Hinayana, that is very popular in countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Western Europe, etc. The Chan School emphasizes the development of samadhi. One can progress through from our normal state of scat- teredness to the Four Dhyanas of the Form Realm, the Four Samadhis of the Formless Realm, the Ninth Samadhi of the Arhat, etc… all the way to the Tathagata’s samadhi. Chan practitioners begin their cultivation training with the Five Stoppings of the Mind 五停心: 1. Contemplation of the Impure 不淨觀: Looking at how impure the body really is, thus reducing greed and desire and stopping the mad mind. 2. Contemplation of Kindness and Compassion 慈悲觀: This will counteract anger and rage and thus will stop the mad mind. 3. Contemplation of Causes and Conditions 因緣觀: Reflecting on the twelve conditioned links that explain how the world evolves, thus overcoming stupidity and stopping the mad mind. 2 Small Amitabha Sutra 4. Contemplation of the Breath 數息觀: Using the breath counting techniques to overcome scatteredness and thus stop the mad mind. 5. Mindfulness of the Buddha 念佛觀: Reciting the Buddha’s name, being mindful of the Buddha’s merit and virtue, thus eradicating obstructions and retribu- tions and stopping the mad mind. You can progress along to increasingly higher levels of sa- madhis until you attain the Tathagata’s Chan 如來禪. When inquired by his Master about his views, a Chan student re- plied, “Last year, I was so poor that my only possession was a ladle (made of bamboo to drink water from; you can see this type of utensil in Chinese and Japanese movies). This year, I am so poor that I don’t even have a ladle.” This means that last year, the pupil still was
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