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Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Dharani

February 18, 2023

The Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Dhāraṇī, sometimes called the Pure Land Rebirth Mantra is considered an important mantra or dhāraṇī in Pure Land Buddhism and other schools of Buddhism, mainly following the Mahayana tradition. The full name of this mantra is the Dhāraṇī for pulling out the fundamental cause of karmic obstacles and obtaining rebirth in the Pure Lands (Chinese: 拔一切業障根本得生淨土陀羅尼). It is also known as Pure Land Rebirth Dhāraṇī (Chinese: 往生淨土神咒; Wang Sheng Jing Tu Shen Zhou), or Rebirth Mantra (Chinese: 往生咒; Wang Sheng Zhou) for short.

Reciting this mantra is believed to grant the reciter a peaceful and joyful life in this life, and allow them to be reborn into the Buddha Amitabha's buddha-field of Ultimate Bliss. It can also be recited to help the spirits of the animals that a person has killed in the past, including poultry, game, aquatic creatures, insects, etc. to ascend to a higher spiritual realm.[1]

Background

The mantra was translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Guṇabhadra (Sanskrit; Chinese: 求那跋陀羅, 394-468) from central India. It is usually recited 21, 27 or 49 times per day.[2] In one type of group practice, participants usually recite this mantra three times after reciting the Heart Sutra or the Amitabha Sutra.

The word "rebirth" tends to make people think that this mantra is only about "being reborn", and that it can only serve the particular purpose of going to the Pure Land. However, another positive and important function and meaning of this mantra is the "pulling out the fundamental cause of karmic obstacles". It brings about benefits for the reciter in this present life.[3]

Popular text

Short Version

Sanskrit:[4][5]

namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya
tadyathā
amṛtadbhave
amṛtasaṃbhave
amṛtavikrānte
amṛtavikrānta
gāmine gagana kīrtakare svāhā

English:

Homage to Amitābha ("Infinite Light") Tathagata ("He who has gone to Thusness").

Thus:

O producer of immortality (amrita),

O he whose state of existence is immortality,

O he who transcends immortality,

O he who transcends immortality,

O sky goer, O fame maker (or "O he who moves in the glory of the sky"), Hail!

Some versions have amṛtasiddhaṃbhave ("O he whose state of existence has accomplished deathlessness") instead of amṛtasaṃbhave.

Alternative Sanskrit versions:

Oskar Von Hinuber cites other versions from Central Asia such as:[5]

namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya tadyathā amṛ[te am]ṛto-bhate amṛtasaṃbhave amitagaganakīrtakare svāhā

and

namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya tadyathā maṛte phu amṛte phu amṛtaviśodhane phu svāhā

Chinese with Back-transcription

From CBETA's Gunabhadra edition (Taisho 0368): [6]

南無 阿彌多婆夜 哆他伽哆夜
namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya
哆地夜他
tadyathā
阿彌利都婆毘
amṛtodbhave
阿彌利哆悉眈 婆毘
amṛtasiddhaṃ bhave　
阿彌利哆毘迦蘭諦
amṛtavikrānte
阿彌利哆毘迦蘭哆
amṛtavikrānta　
伽彌膩　伽伽那 枳多迦隷
gāmine gagana kīrtakare
莎婆訶
svāhā

Long Version

The Sanskrit titles of this long version is Sarvatathāgatāyurvajrahṛdaya-dhāraṇī.[7]

Sanskrit:[7]

Namo ratnatrayāya

Nama āryāmitābhāya

tathāgatāyārhate saṃyaksaṃbuddhāya

Tadyathā:

oṃ amṛte amṛtodbhave amṛtasaṃbhave amṛtagarbhe

amṛtasiddhe amṛtateje amṛtavikrānte

amṛtavikrāntagāmini amṛtagaganakīrtikari

amṛtadun-dubhisvare sarvārthasādhani

sarvakarmakleśakṣayaṃkari svāhā

English:

Homage to the Three Jewels,

Homage to the noble Amitabha (Infinite Light),

to the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the completely and perfectly awakened one (samyaksambuddha).

Thus:

Oṃ O immortality (amrta), O maker of immortality! O born of immortality! O essence/embryo (garbha) of immortality!

O immortality perfecting one! O the brilliance (teja) of immortality! O he who goes beyond immortality!

O he who goes beyond immortality and whose glory is infinite as the sky (amṛtagaganakīrtikare)

O sound of the drum of immortality realizing (sadhane) benefit for all.

O he who destroys (ksayam) all karmic afflictions. Hail!

Other versions

 
Image of the engraving of the dhāraṇī discovered by Stein at the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, China.

An even longer expanded version was discovered in Dunhuang's Mogao Caves by Aurel Stein(1862–1943) which contains the core long version of the dhāraṇī (in the Siddham script) with further additions (such as the mantra of light) and dates to the Five Dynasties (926–975 CE) era.[7]

According to Gergely Hidas, the xylograph was likely "produced to serve as amulets". He further adds that "as for the sequence of the incantations, after the prime dhāraṇī dedicated to the depicted deity, further formulas are included most probably to enhance the efficacy of the amulet. The designers of these talismans are likely to have been monastic people with knowledge of Sanskrit and an understanding of the spells used. These objects were probably meant for a Chinese-speaking lay clientele in exchange for donations and must have been folded, wrapped and worn on the body."[7]

Sanskrit

Gergely Hidas' critical edition of the Sanskrit text is as follows:[7]

[1] namo ratnatrayāya | nama āryāmitābhāya tathāgatāyārhate saṃyaksaṃbuddhāya | tadyathā |

oṃ amṛte amṛtodbhave amṛtasaṃbhave amṛtagarbhe amṛtasiddhe amṛtateje amṛtavikrānte amṛtavikrāntagāmini amṛtagaganakīrtikari amṛtadun-dubhisvare sarvārthasādhani sarvakarmakleśakṣayaṃkari svāhā |

[2] oṃ amoghavairocanamahāmudrāmaṇipadmajvāla pravartaya hūṃ|

[3] oṃ bhara bhara saṃ bhara saṃbhara indriyaviśodhani hūṃ hūṃ ruru cale svāhā |

[4] namo bhagavatoṣ ṇīṣāya | oṃ ruru sphuru jvala tiṣ ṭha siddhalocane sarvārthasādhani svāhā |

[5] ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgato hy avadat teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃvādī mahāśramaṇaḥ |

[6] oṃ vajrakrodhana hūṃ jaḥ |

[7] oṃ vajrāyuṣe svāhā |

English

Hidas' English translation (with the titles of each dharani / mantra):[7]

1. Obeisance to the Three Jewels and Amitābha, The Sarvatathāgatāyurvajrahṛdayadhāraṇī

Veneration to the Three Jewels. Veneration to the noble Amitābha, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Awakened One. Namely, Oṃ O Immortality, O the One Arisen from Immortality, O Immortality-born, O Immortality-child, O Immortality-perfect, O Immortality-power, O Immortality-valour, O the One Acting by Immortality-valour, O Immortality-sky-fame-maker, O Immortality-kettledrum-sound, O the One who Accomplishes all Aims, O Destroyer of all Defilements originating from [bad] Actions svāhā.

2. The Prabhāsa-mantra (Mantra of Light, Chin. Guangming zhenyan, Jap. Komyo Shingon)

Oṃ O Light of the Jewel-lotus that is the Great Seal of the Unfailing Vairocana advance hūṃ.

3. The Mahāpratisarā-upahṛdayavidyā

Oṃ provide, provide, support, support, O Purifier of the Abilities, hūṃ hūṃ ruru cale svāhā.

4. Obeisance to Uṣṇīṣa. The Tathāgatalocanā-mahāvidyā

Veneration to the glorious Uṣṇīṣa. oṃ ruru sphuru shine, stand by, O the One with Accomplished Eyes, O the One who Accomplishes all Aims svāhā.

5. The Pratītyasamutpāda-gāthā

Those dharmas which arise from a cause, the Tathāgata has declared their cause, and that which is the cessation of them. Thus the great renunciant has taught.

6. The Ucchuṣma-mantra

Oṃ O Vajrakrodhana hūṃ jaḥ

7. The Āyurvardhanī-vidyā (the formula which increases long life) of Vajrāyus

Oṃ svāhā to Vajrāyus.

The Chinese text printed on the side of the dhāraṇī states:[7]

This Great Vow [spell] of the Infinite Life [Buddha] is enormous and extensive.The Wish-fulfilling [spell] is [like] whatever your heart wishes, it will necessarily follow. The Buddha Eye Mother [spell] is extraordinarily auspicious. The Consecrated Light [spell] can destroy the bad paths [of rebirth]. The dragon-spirits [will] protect the place where the Ucchuṣma-mantra is put. As for the Verse of the Dharma-body, those who wear it at the waist will be equal to the Buddhas. The four assemblies are universally encouraged to keep and wear this [amulet] to create a karmic basis [for a good future] and it is also avowed that they [will] ascend together to the true and eternal wonderful fruit.

See also

References

  1. ^ The Daily Recitation Handbook: Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (English and Chinese ed.). Buddhist Text Translation Society. 2002. ISBN 978-0881398571.
  2. ^ Lu, Jun Hong (March 2012). Buddhism : your questions answered : frequently asked questions about practising Buddhism (First ed.). Sydney NSW. ISBN 978-0-9872230-5-0. OCLC 1047728511.
  3. ^ Lin, Guangming (fo jiao); 林光明 (佛教) (2000). Ren shi zhou yu. 林光明, 1949- (Chu ban ed.). Tai bei shi: Fa gu wen hua. ISBN 957-598-141-3. OCLC 816249927.
  4. ^ Lu K'uan Yu (Charles Luk). The Secrets of Chinese Meditation, p. 85. Samuel Weiser (1972).
  5. ^ a b Oskar Von Hinuber. Dharanis aus Zentralasien Von Hinüber, Oskar. 1987/88. “Dhāraṇ īs aus Zentralasien”, Indologica Taurinensia 14: 231–49.
  6. ^ "T0368 拔一切業障根本得生淨土神呪". CBETA Online (in Chinese). 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Gergely Hidas (2014). Two dhāranī prints in the Stein Collection at the British Museum. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 77, pp 105-117 doi:10.1017/ S0041977X13001341

February 18, 2023
amitabha, pure, land, rebirth, dharani, amitabha, pure, land, rebirth, dhāraṇī, sometimes, called, pure, land, rebirth, mantra, considered, important, mantra, dhāraṇī, pure, land, buddhism, other, schools, buddhism, mainly, following, mahayana, tradition, full. The Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Dharaṇi sometimes called the Pure Land Rebirth Mantra is considered an important mantra or dharaṇi in Pure Land Buddhism and other schools of Buddhism mainly following the Mahayana tradition The full name of this mantra is the Dharaṇi for pulling out the fundamental cause of karmic obstacles and obtaining rebirth in the Pure Lands Chinese 拔一切業障根本得生淨土陀羅尼 It is also known as Pure Land Rebirth Dharaṇi Chinese 往生淨土神咒 Wang Sheng Jing Tu Shen Zhou or Rebirth Mantra Chinese 往生咒 Wang Sheng Zhou for short Reciting this mantra is believed to grant the reciter a peaceful and joyful life in this life and allow them to be reborn into the Buddha Amitabha s buddha field of Ultimate Bliss It can also be recited to help the spirits of the animals that a person has killed in the past including poultry game aquatic creatures insects etc to ascend to a higher spiritual realm 1 Contents 1 Background 2 Popular text 2 1 Short Version 2 1 1 Alternative Sanskrit versions 2 1 2 Chinese with Back transcription 2 2 Long Version 3 Other versions 3 1 Sanskrit 3 2 English 4 See also 5 ReferencesBackground EditThe mantra was translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Guṇabhadra Sanskrit Chinese 求那跋陀羅 394 468 from central India It is usually recited 21 27 or 49 times per day 2 In one type of group practice participants usually recite this mantra three times after reciting the Heart Sutra or the Amitabha Sutra The word rebirth tends to make people think that this mantra is only about being reborn and that it can only serve the particular purpose of going to the Pure Land However another positive and important function and meaning of this mantra is the pulling out the fundamental cause of karmic obstacles It brings about benefits for the reciter in this present life 3 Popular text EditShort Version Edit Sanskrit 4 5 namo amitabhaya tathagataya tadyatha amṛtadbhave amṛtasaṃbhave amṛtavikrante amṛtavikranta gamine gagana kirtakare svahaEnglish Homage to Amitabha Infinite Light Tathagata He who has gone to Thusness Thus O producer of immortality amrita O he whose state of existence is immortality O he who transcends immortality O he who transcends immortality O sky goer O fame maker or O he who moves in the glory of the sky Hail Some versions have amṛtasiddhaṃbhave O he whose state of existence has accomplished deathlessness instead of amṛtasaṃbhave Alternative Sanskrit versions Edit Oskar Von Hinuber cites other versions from Central Asia such as 5 namo amitabhaya tathagataya tadyatha amṛ te am ṛto bhate amṛtasaṃbhave amitagaganakirtakare svahaandnamo amitabhaya tathagataya tadyatha maṛte phu amṛte phu amṛtavisodhane phu svaha Chinese with Back transcription Edit From CBETA s Gunabhadra edition Taisho 0368 6 南無 阿彌多婆夜 哆他伽哆夜 namo amitabhaya tathagataya 哆地夜他 tadyatha 阿彌利都婆毘 amṛtodbhave 阿彌利哆悉眈 婆毘 amṛtasiddhaṃ bhave 阿彌利哆毘迦蘭諦 amṛtavikrante 阿彌利哆毘迦蘭哆 amṛtavikranta 伽彌膩 伽伽那 枳多迦隷 gamine gagana kirtakare 莎婆訶 svahaLong Version Edit The Sanskrit titles of this long version is Sarvatathagatayurvajrahṛdaya dharaṇi 7 Sanskrit 7 Namo ratnatrayayaNama aryamitabhayatathagatayarhate saṃyaksaṃbuddhayaTadyatha oṃ amṛte amṛtodbhave amṛtasaṃbhave amṛtagarbheamṛtasiddhe amṛtateje amṛtavikranteamṛtavikrantagamini amṛtagaganakirtikariamṛtadun dubhisvare sarvarthasadhanisarvakarmaklesakṣayaṃkari svahaEnglish Homage to the Three Jewels Homage to the noble Amitabha Infinite Light to the Tathagata the Arhat the completely and perfectly awakened one samyaksambuddha Thus Oṃ O immortality amrta O maker of immortality O born of immortality O essence embryo garbha of immortality O immortality perfecting one O the brilliance teja of immortality O he who goes beyond immortality O he who goes beyond immortality and whose glory is infinite as the sky amṛtagaganakirtikare O sound of the drum of immortality realizing sadhane benefit for all O he who destroys ksayam all karmic afflictions Hail Other versions Edit Image of the engraving of the dharaṇi discovered by Stein at the Mogao Caves Dunhuang China An even longer expanded version was discovered in Dunhuang s Mogao Caves by Aurel Stein 1862 1943 which contains the core long version of the dharaṇi in the Siddham script with further additions such as the mantra of light and dates to the Five Dynasties 926 975 CE era 7 According to Gergely Hidas the xylograph was likely produced to serve as amulets He further adds that as for the sequence of the incantations after the prime dharaṇi dedicated to the depicted deity further formulas are included most probably to enhance the efficacy of the amulet The designers of these talismans are likely to have been monastic people with knowledge of Sanskrit and an understanding of the spells used These objects were probably meant for a Chinese speaking lay clientele in exchange for donations and must have been folded wrapped and worn on the body 7 Sanskrit EditGergely Hidas critical edition of the Sanskrit text is as follows 7 1 namo ratnatrayaya nama aryamitabhaya tathagatayarhate saṃyaksaṃbuddhaya tadyatha oṃ amṛte amṛtodbhave amṛtasaṃbhave amṛtagarbhe amṛtasiddhe amṛtateje amṛtavikrante amṛtavikrantagamini amṛtagaganakirtikari amṛtadun dubhisvare sarvarthasadhani sarvakarmaklesakṣayaṃkari svaha 2 oṃ amoghavairocanamahamudramaṇipadmajvala pravartaya huṃ 3 oṃ bhara bhara saṃ bhara saṃbhara indriyavisodhani huṃ huṃ ruru cale svaha 4 namo bhagavatoṣ ṇiṣaya oṃ ruru sphuru jvala tiṣ ṭha siddhalocane sarvarthasadhani svaha 5 ye dharma hetuprabhava hetuṃ teṣaṃ tathagato hy avadat teṣaṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃvadi mahasramaṇaḥ 6 oṃ vajrakrodhana huṃ jaḥ 7 oṃ vajrayuṣe svaha English Edit Hidas English translation with the titles of each dharani mantra 7 1 Obeisance to the Three Jewels and Amitabha The SarvatathagatayurvajrahṛdayadharaṇiVeneration to the Three Jewels Veneration to the noble Amitabha the Tathagata the Arhat the Perfectly Awakened One Namely Oṃ O Immortality O the One Arisen from Immortality O Immortality born O Immortality child O Immortality perfect O Immortality power O Immortality valour O the One Acting by Immortality valour O Immortality sky fame maker O Immortality kettledrum sound O the One who Accomplishes all Aims O Destroyer of all Defilements originating from bad Actions svaha 2 The Prabhasa mantra Mantra of Light Chin Guangming zhenyan Jap Komyo Shingon Oṃ O Light of the Jewel lotus that is the Great Seal of the Unfailing Vairocana advance huṃ 3 The Mahapratisara upahṛdayavidyaOṃ provide provide support support O Purifier of the Abilities huṃ huṃ ruru cale svaha 4 Obeisance to Uṣṇiṣa The Tathagatalocana mahavidyaVeneration to the glorious Uṣṇiṣa oṃ ruru sphuru shine stand by O the One with Accomplished Eyes O the One who Accomplishes all Aims svaha 5 The Pratityasamutpada gathaThose dharmas which arise from a cause the Tathagata has declared their cause and that which is the cessation of them Thus the great renunciant has taught 6 The Ucchuṣma mantraOṃ O Vajrakrodhana huṃ jaḥ7 The Ayurvardhani vidya the formula which increases long life of VajrayusOṃ svaha to Vajrayus The Chinese text printed on the side of the dharaṇi states 7 This Great Vow spell of the Infinite Life Buddha is enormous and extensive The Wish fulfilling spell is like whatever your heart wishes it will necessarily follow The Buddha Eye Mother spell is extraordinarily auspicious The Consecrated Light spell can destroy the bad paths of rebirth The dragon spirits will protect the place where the Ucchuṣma mantra is put As for the Verse of the Dharma body those who wear it at the waist will be equal to the Buddhas The four assemblies are universally encouraged to keep and wear this amulet to create a karmic basis for a good future and it is also avowed that they will ascend together to the true and eternal wonderful fruit See also EditAmitabhaReferences Edit The Daily Recitation Handbook Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas English and Chinese ed Buddhist Text Translation Society 2002 ISBN 978 0881398571 Lu Jun Hong March 2012 Buddhism your questions answered frequently asked questions about practising Buddhism First ed Sydney NSW ISBN 978 0 9872230 5 0 OCLC 1047728511 Lin Guangming fo jiao 林光明 佛教 2000 Ren shi zhou yu 林光明 1949 Chu ban ed Tai bei shi Fa gu wen hua ISBN 957 598 141 3 OCLC 816249927 Lu K uan Yu Charles Luk The Secrets of Chinese Meditation p 85 Samuel Weiser 1972 a b Oskar Von Hinuber Dharanis aus Zentralasien Von Hinuber Oskar 1987 88 Dharaṇ is aus Zentralasien Indologica Taurinensia 14 231 49 T0368 拔一切業障根本得生淨土神呪 CBETA Online in Chinese 2020 Retrieved January 18 2023 a b c d e f g Gergely Hidas 2014 Two dharani prints in the Stein Collection at the British Museum Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 77 pp 105 117 doi 10 1017 S0041977X13001341 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Dharani amp oldid 1135983451, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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