It is one of the three principle Pure Land sutras along with the Longer Amitabha Sutra and the Shorter Amitabha Sutra. Amitāyus is another name for the Buddha Amitābha, the preeminent figure in Pure Land Buddhism, and this sūtra focuses mainly on meditations involving complex visualizations. This is reflected in the name of the sūtra, which translates to the "Amitāyus Meditation Sūtra." It is believed to have first been composed in Chinese in the 5th century.[1]
The name of the sūtra translates to the "Amitāyus Meditation Sūtra."[citation needed] According to Paul Williams, a more accurate Sanskrit title for this text would be Amitāyurbuddhānusmṛti Sūtra, meaning "Amitāyus Buddha-mindfulness Sūtra."[2]
HistoryEdit
According to tradition, it was translated into Chinese by a monk named Kalayashas between 424 and 442 AD. However, it is generally considered by modern scholarship to be apocryphal, a composition originally written in Chinese.[3][4][5][1]
No Sanskrit original has been discovered and the Sanskrit name and Sanskrit versions would thus be reverse translations.[6]: 10 The text also shows Chinese influences, including references to earlier translations of Chinese Pure Land texts. Modern scholars generally accept that the text describes a meditation which was practiced in Central Asia, but with Chinese additions.[1]
Basic Outline of the SutraEdit
Preliminary mattersEdit
The text begins with a story where a prince named Ajātasattu was enticed by the villain Devadatta to murder his father, King Bimbisara, in order to ascend the throne. Ajātasattu kills his father, and nearly kills his mother, Queen Vaidehi, but after advice from his other ministers, he relented and threw his mother in prison.
Lamenting her fate, Queen Vaidehi prays to Gautama Buddha for help, and he is able to visit her. Vaidehi expresses her wish to be born in Amitābha's pure land. Shakyamuni smiles, emitting light from his mouth, and goes on to tell Vaidehi how to be reborn in the Pure Land. The Buddha tells her that although she is in prison, she could still obtain liberation through the practices of Amitābha. The Buddha goes on to describe Amitābha and how one could obtain rebirth in his land of Sukhavati.[7]
This tale references historical incidents of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha, India, and the religious tension between Gautama Buddha and his brother-in-law, Devadatta.
Attaining birth in the Pure LandEdit
Shakyamuni explains the importance of performing certain meritorious acts in order to be reborn in the Pure Land. He then goes on to teach Vaidehi how to visualize the Pure Land, to further her efforts in attaining rebirth there. Shakyamuni describes thirteen "contemplations," or mental visualization exercises, that are to be followed in order. By deeply contemplating various aspects of the Pure Land and attempting to visualize them in detail, the aspirant draws closer to the Pure Land.
The thirteen contemplations are described in order as follows:[8]
Contemplation of Amitābha and the two bodhisattvas
Nine levels of birthEdit
A fragment of a copy of the Amitayurdhyana Sutra at Wenzhou Museum.
In the final part of the sutra, Gautama Buddha discusses the nine levels into which those born into the Pure Land are categorized. The levels are ranked from highest to lowest as follows:[9]
The highest level of the highest grade
The middle level of the highest grade
The lowest level of the highest grade
The highest level of the middle grade
The middle level of the middle grade
The lowest level of the middle grade
The highest level of the lowest grade
The middle level of the lowest grade
The lowest level of the lowest grade
According to the Buddha, all nine grades of human beings can achieve rebirth into the Pure Land if they contemplate Amitābha or at least call on his name. This is similar to the 48 vows made by Amitābha, according to the Infinite Life Sutra, which includes the Primal Vow.
ConclusionEdit
The sutra ends with a short section describing the benefits gained by those who listened to these words of the Buddha. Vaidehi experienced "great awakening with clarity of mind and reached the insight into the non-arising of all dharmas," while her five hundred female attendants and "innumerable devas" also awakened aspiration for the highest enlightenment. Shakyamuni names the sutra, mentions benefits connected with the name of Amitabha Buddha, and exhorts all to hold the words of the sutra in their minds. Shakyamuni then returns through the air to Vulture Peak.
Muller, A. Charles (1998). . Bulletin of Toyo Gakuen University. 6: 63–76. Archived from the original on 2013-03-17.
Silk, Jonathan A. (April 1997). "The Composition of the 'Guanwuliangshoufo-jing': Some Buddhist and Jaina Parallels to its Narrative Frame". Journal of Indian Philosophy. 25 (2): 181–256. doi:10.1023/A:1004291223455. JSTOR 23448579. S2CID 169187184.
NotesEdit
^ abcdBuswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014). The Princeton dictionary of Buddhism, p. 332. (Princeton University Press).
^Williams, Paul. Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations, 2nd edition. Routledge, 2009, p. 239
^Fujita, "The Textual Origins of the Kuan Wu-liang-shou ching: A Canonical Scripture of Pure Land Buddhism", in Buswell, Robert E.; ed. (1990). Chinese Buddhist Apocrypha, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, ISBN0-5853-4963-0
^Keown, Damien (2003). "Amitayurdhyana Sutra". A dictionary of Buddhism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 10–11. ISBN0-19-157917-3.
^Hisao Inagaki, Harold Stewart (transl.): The Three Pure Land Sutras, p. XVIII. Berkeley: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research 2003. ISBN1-886439-18-4
Hisao Inagaki, Harold Stewart (transl.): The Three Pure Land Sutras, Berkeley: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research 2003. ISBN1-886439-18-4 retrieved 2013/07/28
Pas, Julian F. (1974). Shan-tao's Interpretation of the Meditative Vision of Buddha Amitāyus, History of Religions 14 (2), 96-116 – via JSTOR(subscription required)
Takakusu, J. (trans.), Friedrich Max Müller, ed.: Amitayurdhyana Sutra. In: The Sacred Books of the East, Volume XLIX: Buddhist Mahāyāna Texts, Part II. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1894. Internet Archive
Tanaka, Kenneth K. 1990. The Dawn of Chinese Pure Land Buddhist Doctrine: Jìngyǐng Huìyuán's Commentary on the Visualization Sūtra. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Johnson, Peter, trans. (2020). The Land of Pure Bliss, On the Nature of Faith & Practice in Greater Vehicle (Mahāyāna) Buddhism, Including a Full Translation of Shàndǎo’s Commentary in Four Parts Explaining The Scripture About Meditation on the Buddha ‘Of Infinite Life’ (Amitāyur Buddha Dhyāna Sūtra, 觀無量壽佛經), An Lac Publications. ISBN978-1-7923-4208-0
The Scripture on the Buddha’s Teaching About Meditation On the Enlightened Being ‘Of Infinite Life’ , from The Land of Pure Bliss, On the Nature of Faith & Practice in Greater Vehicle (Mahāyāna) Buddhism. Translated by Peter Johnson. ISBN978-1-7923-4208-0
External linksEdit
The Contemplation Sutra, translated into English by J. Takakusu
English translation of the Contemplation Sutra 2021-01-22 at the Wayback Machine
Image of the Pure Land from a medieval Japanese scroll, based on the descriptions found in the Contemplation Sutra. This site offers explanations in English of the various motifs of the scroll.
October 18, 2023
amitayurdhyana, sutra, amitāyurdhyāna, sūtra, sanskrit, traditional, chinese, 佛說觀無量壽佛經, guan, wuliangshou, jing, vietnamese, phật, thuyết, kinh, quán, lượng, thọ, phật, english, sutra, visualization, buddha, immeasurable, life, mahayana, sutra, pure, land, bud. The Amitayurdhyana Sutra Sanskrit traditional Chinese 佛說觀無量壽佛經 Guan wuliangshou jing Vietnamese Phật Thuyết Kinh Quan Vo Lượng Thọ Phật English Sutra on the Visualization of the Buddha Immeasurable Life is a Mahayana sutra in Pure Land Buddhism a branch of Mahayana Buddhism 1 Tibetan painting of Amitabha in his pure land of SukhavatiThis article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Amitayurdhyana Sutra news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message It is one of the three principle Pure Land sutras along with the Longer Amitabha Sutra and the Shorter Amitabha Sutra Amitayus is another name for the Buddha Amitabha the preeminent figure in Pure Land Buddhism and this sutra focuses mainly on meditations involving complex visualizations This is reflected in the name of the sutra which translates to the Amitayus Meditation Sutra It is believed to have first been composed in Chinese in the 5th century 1 Contents 1 Title 2 History 3 Basic Outline of the Sutra 3 1 Preliminary matters 3 2 Attaining birth in the Pure Land 3 3 Nine levels of birth 3 4 Conclusion 4 See also 5 Sources 5 1 Bibliography 5 2 Notes 6 Further reading 7 External linksTitle EditThe name of the sutra translates to the Amitayus Meditation Sutra citation needed According to Paul Williams a more accurate Sanskrit title for this text would be Amitayurbuddhanusmṛti Sutra meaning Amitayus Buddha mindfulness Sutra 2 History EditAccording to tradition it was translated into Chinese by a monk named Kalayashas between 424 and 442 AD However it is generally considered by modern scholarship to be apocryphal a composition originally written in Chinese 3 4 5 1 No Sanskrit original has been discovered and the Sanskrit name and Sanskrit versions would thus be reverse translations 6 10 The text also shows Chinese influences including references to earlier translations of Chinese Pure Land texts Modern scholars generally accept that the text describes a meditation which was practiced in Central Asia but with Chinese additions 1 Basic Outline of the Sutra EditPreliminary matters Edit The text begins with a story where a prince named Ajatasattu was enticed by the villain Devadatta to murder his father King Bimbisara in order to ascend the throne Ajatasattu kills his father and nearly kills his mother Queen Vaidehi but after advice from his other ministers he relented and threw his mother in prison Lamenting her fate Queen Vaidehi prays to Gautama Buddha for help and he is able to visit her Vaidehi expresses her wish to be born in Amitabha s pure land Shakyamuni smiles emitting light from his mouth and goes on to tell Vaidehi how to be reborn in the Pure Land The Buddha tells her that although she is in prison she could still obtain liberation through the practices of Amitabha The Buddha goes on to describe Amitabha and how one could obtain rebirth in his land of Sukhavati 7 This tale references historical incidents of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha India and the religious tension between Gautama Buddha and his brother in law Devadatta Attaining birth in the Pure Land Edit Shakyamuni explains the importance of performing certain meritorious acts in order to be reborn in the Pure Land He then goes on to teach Vaidehi how to visualize the Pure Land to further her efforts in attaining rebirth there Shakyamuni describes thirteen contemplations or mental visualization exercises that are to be followed in order By deeply contemplating various aspects of the Pure Land and attempting to visualize them in detail the aspirant draws closer to the Pure Land The thirteen contemplations are described in order as follows 8 Contemplation of the setting sun Contemplation of an expanse of water Contemplation of the ground in the pure land Contemplation of trees in the pure land Contemplation of ponds in the pure land Contemplation of various objects in the pure land Contemplation of the lotus throne of the Buddha Contemplation of the image of Amitabha Contemplation of Amitabha himself Contemplation of Avalokitesvara Contemplation of Mahasthamaprapta Contemplation of the aspirants to the pure land Contemplation of Amitabha and the two bodhisattvasNine levels of birth Edit nbsp A fragment of a copy of the Amitayurdhyana Sutra at Wenzhou Museum In the final part of the sutra Gautama Buddha discusses the nine levels into which those born into the Pure Land are categorized The levels are ranked from highest to lowest as follows 9 The highest level of the highest grade The middle level of the highest grade The lowest level of the highest grade The highest level of the middle grade The middle level of the middle grade The lowest level of the middle grade The highest level of the lowest grade The middle level of the lowest grade The lowest level of the lowest gradeAccording to the Buddha all nine grades of human beings can achieve rebirth into the Pure Land if they contemplate Amitabha or at least call on his name This is similar to the 48 vows made by Amitabha according to the Infinite Life Sutra which includes the Primal Vow Conclusion Edit The sutra ends with a short section describing the benefits gained by those who listened to these words of the Buddha Vaidehi experienced great awakening with clarity of mind and reached the insight into the non arising of all dharmas while her five hundred female attendants and innumerable devas also awakened aspiration for the highest enlightenment Shakyamuni names the sutra mentions benefits connected with the name of Amitabha Buddha and exhorts all to hold the words of the sutra in their minds Shakyamuni then returns through the air to Vulture Peak See also EditLonger Sukhavativyuha Sutra Infinite Life Sutra Shorter Sukhavativyuha Sutra Amitabha Sutra Pure Land Buddhism Sukhavati Amitabha Jōdo shu Jōdo Shinshu Sutra Chinese BuddhismSources EditBibliography Edit Muller A Charles 1998 East Asian Apocryphal Scriptures Their Origin and Role in the Development of Sinitic Buddhism Bulletin of Toyo Gakuen University 6 63 76 Archived from the original on 2013 03 17 Silk Jonathan A April 1997 The Composition of the Guanwuliangshoufo jing Some Buddhist and Jaina Parallels to its Narrative Frame Journal of Indian Philosophy 25 2 181 256 doi 10 1023 A 1004291223455 JSTOR 23448579 S2CID 169187184 Notes Edit a b c d Buswell Robert E Lopez Donald S 2014 The Princeton dictionary of Buddhism p 332 Princeton University Press Williams Paul Mahayana Buddhism The Doctrinal Foundations 2nd edition Routledge 2009 p 239 Silk 1997 pp 181ff Muller 1998 p 68 Fujita The Textual Origins of the Kuan Wu liang shou ching A Canonical Scripture of Pure Land Buddhism in Buswell Robert E ed 1990 Chinese Buddhist Apocrypha Honolulu University of Hawaii Press ISBN 0 5853 4963 0 Keown Damien 2003 Amitayurdhyana Sutra A dictionary of Buddhism Oxford Oxford University Press pp 10 11 ISBN 0 19 157917 3 Hisao Inagaki Harold Stewart transl The Three Pure Land Sutras p XVIII Berkeley Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research 2003 ISBN 1 886439 18 4 The Three Pure Land Sutras p XIX The Three Pure Land Sutras pp XIX XXI Further reading EditHisao Inagaki Harold Stewart transl The Three Pure Land Sutras Berkeley Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research 2003 ISBN 1 886439 18 4 PDF retrieved 2013 07 28 Pas Julian F 1974 Shan tao s Interpretation of the Meditative Vision of Buddha Amitayus History of Religions 14 2 96 116 via JSTOR subscription required Takakusu J trans Friedrich Max Muller ed Amitayurdhyana Sutra In The Sacred Books of the East Volume XLIX Buddhist Mahayana Texts Part II Oxford Clarendon Press 1894 Internet Archive Tanaka Kenneth K 1990 The Dawn of Chinese Pure Land Buddhist Doctrine Jingyǐng Huiyuan s Commentary on the Visualization Sutra Albany State University of New York Press Johnson Peter trans 2020 The Land of Pure Bliss On the Nature of Faith amp Practice in Greater Vehicle Mahayana Buddhism Including a Full Translation of Shandǎo s Commentary in Four Parts Explaining The Scripture About Meditation on the Buddha Of Infinite Life Amitayur Buddha Dhyana Sutra 觀無量壽佛經 An Lac Publications ISBN 978 1 7923 4208 0 The Scripture on the Buddha s Teaching About Meditation On the Enlightened Being Of Infinite Life from The Land of Pure Bliss On the Nature of Faith amp Practice in Greater Vehicle Mahayana Buddhism Translated by Peter Johnson ISBN 978 1 7923 4208 0External links EditThe Contemplation Sutra translated into English by J Takakusu English translation of the Contemplation Sutra Archived 2021 01 22 at the Wayback Machine The Taima Mandala Image of the Pure Land from a medieval Japanese scroll based on the descriptions found in the Contemplation Sutra This site offers explanations in English of the various motifs of the scroll Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Amitayurdhyana Sutra amp oldid 1166109558, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
