Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine there should be either hell, or the animal state of existence, or the realm of hungry ghost, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings who are born there should fall away (die) into the three evil realms, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings who are born there should not all be of the colour of genuine gold, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine the beings who are born there should not all be of one appearance without the difference of noble looking or ugly lineaments, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine the beings who are born there should not be possessed of the supernormal knowledge of recollecting the previous lives of themselves (Purvanivasana i.e. knowledge of all reincarnations), and knowing the events of evolution of hundred thousand nayuta years of kalpas, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings who are born there should not be possessed of the Divine-eye (Divyatchakchus) which can see a hundred thousand nayuta of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not be possessed of the Divine-ear (Divyassrotra) which to be able to hear the preachings of a hundred thousand kotis of nayuta of Buddhas, and to a faithful observance, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all possessed the Intuitive-mind (Paratchittadjna) knowing the thoughts of all beings of a hundred thousand kotis of nayuta of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all possessed of the Heavenly-step (Riddisakchatkriya) which can in the shortest moment of one thought travelling over a hundred thousand kotis of nayuta of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should have arise in their minds the idea of selfishness and covetous thoughts, even with regard to their own bodies, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all be firmly abiding in a concentrated state of meditation and equanimity (Samadhi) till they have reached Nirvana, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if my light should be limited in measurement so that it could not illuminate a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the measure of my life should be limited, even by counting a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Kalpas, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if any being should be able to count innumerable pupils belonging to me in that country of mine, even if all the beings of those three million worlds and the whole triple chiliocosm, who after having become Pratyeka-Buddhas, count and continue to do so for a period of a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Kalpas, could know the balance, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, the life of the beings in that country of mine should be eternal, excepting by their own free will whenever they choose to pass away from life, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, there should be no evil or sinful existence in that country of mine, even its very name is unknown. Otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the innumerable Buddhas of the worlds of ten quarters do not glorify my name, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of the ten quarters who after having heard my name, and thus awakened their highest faith and aspiration of re-birth in that country of mine, even they have recollected such a thought for ten times only, they are destinated to be born there, with the exception of those who have committed the five deadly sins (Anantarya), and who have blasphemed the orthodox Law (Dharma), otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of ten quarters who have directed their thoughts towards the Bodhi and cultivated their stock of various merits with a fervent craving for re-birth in that country of mine, if at the moment of death, should I not appear with an assembly of retinue before them, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of ten quarters, after having heard my name always longing for that country of mine and cultivating various essential merits for the purpose of realizing their earnest wish to be born in my country, should their fulfillment be failed, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all be endowed with the glorious body perfected with the thirty-two attributes (Laksanani) of a great being, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, the Bodhisattvas who come to be born in that country of mine are to be bound to that one birth only, then to become Buddha-elect (Ekajatipratibuddhas), with the exception of those who by their own free will remain in the stage of Bodhisattva-hood for the sake of delivering various beings, wearing the armour of vows to travel to all worlds, performing their Boddhisattva-duties and accumulating their stock of merit, who wish to serve the Buddhas of ten quarters, and convert the various beings in number like grains of sand of the River Ganges to the highest perfect knowledge, whose activities have surpassed the stage of ordinary beings, and who practise the universal virtue of Samantabhadra, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattvas in that country of mine, through the Grace of the Buddha should not be able to serve all the Buddhas throughout the countless nayuta of Buddha-worlds within a moment as short as a length of time of refreshment, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattva in that country of mine who wish their stock of merit to produce any appliance to be used before the Buddhas, should such things not appear for them to their satisfaction, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattvas in that country of mine should not be able to preach the law of wisdom in completion, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, those Bodhisattva of that country of mine should not all be in possession of a golden body as strong as the diamond of Narayana, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, the heavenly beings and the various properties produced in that country of mine should all be of supreme beauty and in boundless quantity, and in the infinity of various forms. If any being therein who even possessed the divine-eye is able to perceive the appellations and quantity of such beauties, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattva of that country of mine who possesses even the least stock of merit, should not perceive the boundless shining beauty of the Bodhi-trees of my sanctuary, their height being at least four millions of miles, then may I not attain enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattva of that country of mine should not all possess the wisdom of eloquent oration after having read, recited, and observed the Dharma of the sutras, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattvas of that country of mine, have their wisdom of oration limited, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if that country of mine should not be limpid and brilliant as to reflect the miniatures of the innumerable, inconceivable and boundless Buddha-worlds of ten quarters as one's face is seen in a bright mirror, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
If after I have obtained the Buddhahood, in that country of mine, there should be magnificent palaces towering up from the ground to the void, also the lakes, winding streams, blossoming trees, and all other properties which are compounded of various jewels and thousands of kinds of perfumes, minutely embellished in the most wondrous state surpassing all heavenly and human worlds. The scent of the perfumes should thoroughly pervade the worlds of ten quarters, whereof the Bodhisattvas, having smelt them thereby directed their minds to Bodhi; otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I obtain the Buddhahood, any being of the boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters whose body if be touched by the rays of my splendour should not make his body and mind gentle and peaceful, in such a state that he is far more sublime than the gods and men, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I obtain the Buddhahood, if the beings of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds should not attain the "Endurance of Nirvanic Life" (Ajatah sarvadharmah) of Bodhisattva, and the deep knowledge of "Adharanamudro" (or Dharani?) after having heard my name, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I obtain the Buddhahood, women of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters after having heard my name thereby awakened in faith and joyful aspiration, and turning their minds towards Bodhi, therefore dislike their own female lives, when they be born again, in their next life should not be incarnated into a masculine body, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters after having heard my name, after their death (in their next life) will still continue their Bodhisattva-duty till they have obtained the Buddhahood, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the heavenly beings of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters, having heard my name, should not worship me with prostrate reverence, and joyfully and faithfully perform their Bodhisattva-duty, and be honoured by gods and men, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the heavenly beings of that country of mine, should they desire a garment will be able to perceive themselves, as quick as thought, covered by apparitionally produced costumes, excellent to their satisfaction, worthy to be praised by the Buddha, without the work of sewing, washing, dying, etc. Otherwise may I not attain enlightenment.
When I attain the Buddhahood, if the heavenly beings of that country of mine should not be enjoying happiness as great as that that of the holy bhikkhus,(Asravakchava the finality of the stream of passions) then may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I attain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of that country of mine wish to see the boundless, holy, pure Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters, they will at once behold them from the jewel-trees as though one's face were being reflected in a highly burnished, brilliant mirror, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I attain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other worlds after having heard my name, should suffer from any diminution in the functional powers and not be endowed with all sense-organs in completion before reaching the Buddhahood, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
When I obtain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas hearing my name from other Buddha-countries, should not all attain the pure Samadhi of emancipation (Suvibhaktavati) from which they could serve innumerable and inconceivable number of Buddhas, Tathagatas, by a moment of thought; and if that Samadhi of theirs should come to an end meanwhile, then may I not attain enlightenment.
If after I have obtained the Buddhahood, that any Bodhisattva of other countries having heard my name, will be incarnated as a member of a noble family (if he so desires) when he dies, otherwise may I not attain enlightenment.
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name will all obtain a combination of full virtues and joyfully perform their Bodhisattva-duty, otherwise may I not attain enlightenment.
When I have obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name, all will attain the "Samantanugata"(the thoroughly and equal Samadhi in a fixed state of meditation) through that Samadhi they will see innumerable and inconceivable Buddhas constantly till they have obtained the Buddhahood, otherwise may I for-bear from obtaining enlightenment.
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of that country of mine should be able to hear the preachings of the Dharma whenever they desire (the voices of teaching will present themselves naturally to their ears), otherwise may I refrain from attaining enlightenment.
When I have obtain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other countries after having heard my name should not immediately reach the state of Avaivartika (i.e. not turning back from Bodhi), then I would refrain from attaining enlightenment.
When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name should not reach the first, second and third degrees of Dharma-endurance immediately or should turn back from the Law of Buddhas, then I would refrain from attaining enlightenment.
Old Master Chin Kung did not believe in Pureland method for 20 over years. He studied a lot. Until he studied thoroughly the Avatamsaka Sutra, He was shock to find so many bodhisattva/mahasattvas all want to be born in western pureland of Amitabha. Even Shurangama Sutra, Lotus sutra relates to Amitabha pureland. Indeed Amitabha Sutra mentioned that this method is difficult to believe.
Note: Amitabha pureland is a very young pureland, considering it was only created 10 kaplas ago.
善导大师云:「如æ�¥æ‰€ä»¥å…´å‡ºä¸–,唯说弥陀本愿海。 ã€�释迦牟尼佛在æ¤äº”浊æ�¶ä¸–说法四å��ä¹�å¹´,最é‡�è¦�的便是教我们念「å�—æ— é˜¿å¼¥é™€ä½›ã€�,介ç»�给我们最最殊胜的净土法门,能够一生æˆ�å°±,了脱生æ»
Grand Shantao: "The primary most important reason why Buddha was here, was to expound the Primal Vow of Amitabha." it come to a point when u realise that the rest is just expedient dharma; Skill in means.
i think one factor which work for purelanders is the factor of modesty. one final main hinderance of Dharma practice is egoism. there's not a point where when one study a lot, they become proud of how much they know about Dharma. the ego mind tend to compete with other.
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this is also amazing. Buddha-elect (Ekajatipratibuddhas)! i.e. State like Arya Avalokiteshvara Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Majushiri Bodhisattva. i.e. the last final stage of Bodhisattvahood! next time they will be Buddhahood. sort of like a "Non-returner", but in Mahayana way. :) /\- Vow 22
Provided I become a Buddha, the Bodhisattvas who come to be born in that country of mine are to be bound to that one birth only, then to become Buddha-elect (Ekajatipratibuddhas), with the exception of those who by their own free will remain in the stage of Bodhisattva-hood for the sake of delivering various beings, wearing the armour of vows to travel to all worlds, performing their Boddhisattva-duties and accumulating their stock of merit, who wish to serve the Buddhas of ten quarters, and convert the various beings in number like grains of sand of the River Ganges to the highest perfect knowledge, whose activities have surpassed the stage of ordinary beings, and who practise the universal virtue of Samantabhadra, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Originally posted by sinweiy:
Hi Sinwei
Regarding to your point on how Lotus Sutra(LS)related on Amitabha Pureland, I do agree to a certain degree. However, thus far in my LS study I can only see Amitabha Buddha being mentioned twice in the Lotus Sutra.
The first time was in Parable Of The Transformed City, Chpter 7 where it mentioned how Shayamuni together with 16 prince practice which include Amitayus and follow the LS. In the end, all of them become Buddha in their respective Pureland.
CHAPTER 7: “THE ANALOGY OF THE TRANSFORMED CITY”
The Buddha told the Bhikshus, "These sixteen Bodhisattvas always delight in speaking the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. Each Bodhisattva has transformed six hundred myriads of millions of Nayutas of Ganges sands of living beings who, life after life were born together with the Bodhisattvas and heard the Dharma from them, fully believing and understanding it. For this reason, they have met up with forty thousand millions of Buddhas, World Honored Ones and to this moment have not stopped doing so.
"Bhikshus, I will tell you, those disciples of the Buddha, the sixteen Shramaneras, have all now attained Anuttarasamyaksambodhi, and in the lands of the ten directions, are presently speaking the Dharma. They have as their retinues limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas and Sound Hearers. Two have become Buddhas in the East: One is named Akshobhya, in the Land of Happiness. The other is named Sumeru Peak. Two have become Buddhas in the Southeast: One is named Lion Sound. The other is named Lion Sign. Two have become Buddhas in the South: One is named Space Dweller. The other is named Eternal Extinction. Two have become Buddhas in the Southwest: One is named Royal Sign. The other is named Brahma Sign. Two have become Buddhas in the West: One is named Amitayus. The other is named Savior of all Worlds from Suffering and Anguish……… The other Buddha, the sixteenth, is myself, Shakyamuni Buddha, here in the Saha World, where I have realized Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
The second time was mentioned in Chpter 23, where it is mentioned that one can seek rebirth in Amitabha if we cultivate according to LS teaching and that made Amitbha vows 19 logical.
Chapter 23: "The Former Deeds of Medicine King Bodhisattva"
If, after the passing of the Thus Come One, in the last five hundred years, there is a woman who, hearing this Sutra, can cultivate according to its teachings, at the end of her present life she will go straight to the blissful world of the Buddha Amitayus, where he is surrounded by great Bodhisattvas.
Vow 19
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of ten quarters who have directed their thoughts towards the Bodhi and cultivated their stock of various merits with a fervent craving for re-birth in that country of mine, if at the moment of death, should I not appear with an assembly of retinue before them, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Hence, great are the vows of Shayamuni, Amitabha and Buddha of the ten directions which deserve our respect and attention. Great is their compassion!
As for me, I pray that at the end of my life. May a thousand Buddha extend their hands toward me so that I may goes to Mount Sacred Eagle to listen to Eternal Shayamuni Buddha preaching the Wonderful Lotus Sutra whom him delight in.
Chapter 16: Life Span
Throughout asamkhyeyas of eons, I remain always on Mount Sacred Eagle And also dwell in other places. When beings see the eon ending And ravaged by the great fire, My land is peaceful and secure, Always filled with gods and humans, Gardens and groves, halls and pavilions, And various precious adornments. There are jeweled trees with many flowers and fruits Where living beings roam in delight. The gods play celestial drums, Always making various kinds of music, And mandarava flowers Are scattered on the Buddha and the great assembly.
Gassho
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Gassho reborn76 阿弥陀佛! shan zhai shan zhai!
it's very wonderful to listen to Lotus Sutra. used to listen to most of the Lotus sutra's commentries.
http://www.budaedu.org/ghosa/C002/T0894/
i also went for talks by a Ven master in Singapore some years ago, but cannot recall his name.
btw i like the stanza.
If people with scattered minds,
Enter stupas or temples,
And say but once, "Namo Buddha."
They have realized the Buddha Way.
CHAPTER TWO
EXPEDIENT DEVICES
Good good. :)
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The unlimited life sutra also gt record a ppl saying NAMO buddha many lifetimes ago attaining arhatship during buddha's time.
His seed bloom into flower.
I think see a buddha image is enough to be future buddha.
Even see an arhat painting also can.