Sutra on the Cause and Condition of the Great Matter of the Benefits of the Name of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life

Posted by Shen Shi'an on Mar 17, 2009 in Mix | 9 comments

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The Three Saints of Western Paradise (L-R):
Mahastamaprapta Bodhisattva, Amitabha Buddha, Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva

A Purelander friend brought to my attention this less popular but nevertheless important Pureland Sutra. It’s so important that I decided to spend one and a half off-days to translate it. I hope it inspires you as much, if not more than it inspired me.

If you can’t see the Chinese text, please click > View > Encoding > Chinese Simplified

佛说无量寿佛名号利益大事因缘经
The Buddha Speaks the Sutra on the Cause and Condition of the Great Matter of the Benefits of the Name of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life

曹魏天竺三藏康僧铠译
Translated from Sanskrit to Chinese during the Cao-Wei Dynasty
by the Tripitaka Master Samghavaram from India

我闻如是, 一时佛在王舍城耆阇崛山中, 与大比丘众, 千二百五十人俱。诸漏已尽, 神通明达。诸众圣其名曰：尊者阿难、尊者目犍连、尊者舍利弗、尊者大牛王、尊者摩诃迦叶、尊者摩诃伽耶迦叶、尊者大周那、尊者名闻迦叶、尊者大净心志等，皆如斯等以为上首。又普贤菩萨、文殊师利菩萨、信净慧菩萨、善解脱菩萨等诸大正士满足无量愿行，安住不可思议功德之法，智慧圣明。如是等诸菩萨众，不可称计，即时来会。

Thus have I heard, the Buddha was once at Rajagriha City’s Gridhrakuta Peak [Vulture Peak], with great Bhikksus, numbering a thousand two hundred and fifty in all. All were already free from leaks [of passions], with mastery of supernormal powers. The names of all Aryans present are Arya Ananda, Arya Maudgalyayana, Arya Shariputra, Arya Maha Bull King, Arya Maha Kasyapa, Arya Maha Gaya Kasyapa, Arya Maha Cunda, Arya Renowned Kasyapa, Arya Maha Pure Mind Aspiration, all such and more being the foremost. Also present were Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Manjushri Bodhisattva, Faithful Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva, Good Liberation Bodhisattva and more, all great upright ones who have fulfilled immeasurable aspirations and practices, who abide in the Dharma of inconceivable merits, the sacred illumination of wisdom. Such and many other Bodhisattvas, who are impossible to name and count, have gathered there.

尔时世尊告阿难曰：乃往过去久远无量无央数劫有一大比丘，名曰法藏。值遇无数百千佛，满足无量大愿，超过诸佛所行之法。彼法藏比丘，今已成正觉，现在西方清净安乐刹，号曰不可思议光无量寿如来。其佛本愿力故，以不可思议威神力，遍满十方世界，以大音声宣布名号功德。

Then, the World-honoured One said to Ananda: A distant immeasurable and boundless number of kalpas ago in the past was a great Bhikkshu, whose name was Dharmakara. Having encountered countless hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, he fulfilled immeasurable great vows, and transcended the practices of all Buddhas. That Dharmakara Bhikkshu, who has now already attained right awakening, now resides in the Western Land of Purity, Peace and Bliss [Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land], and is called the Tathagata of Inconceivable Light and Immeasurable Life. Due to the power of this Buddha’s original vows, with inconceivable and mighty supernormal powers, he fully pervades the worlds of the ten directions, using a great voice to declare the merits of his name.

是故十方世界一切有情，闻信其名号功德，即时入正定位，生清净安乐佛国。是故有情之类，纵令在人中以宿报故，或聋盲喑哑，愚痴狂恶，以其佛光明名号因缘，皆得解脱。或在三途勤苦之中受苦无间，以其佛光明名号因缘，皆蒙解脱。闻其光明名号，若信受，若称名，即时除无量无数劫生死之罪。

This is so as if all sentient beings of the worlds of the ten directions are to hear the merits of this name, they will immediately enter the stage of non-retrogression, and be born in this Buddha’s Land of Purity, Peace and Bliss [Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land]. This is so as sentient beings, though born as humans as a result of past karma, be they deaf, blind, mute, deluded or wildly evil, due to the cause and condition of [being mindful of] this Buddha’s name of brightness, will all attain liberation. And those born in the three lower realms of hardship with uninterrupted suffering, due to the cause and condition of [being mindful of] this Buddha’s name of brightness, will all receive liberation. Hearing this name of brightness, if one faithfully receives, if one calls [recites] it [mindfully], one will instantly eradicate negative karma of immeasurable and countless kalpas.

是故阿难，称彼佛号，若一声，若十声，乃至百千声於念念中，在无数化无量寿佛，常护其人。又有二菩萨，一名观世音，一名大势至。是二菩萨，自为上首, 俱诸大菩萨众常来护。其人寿终之后，生彼无量寿清净安乐国。

This is so, Ananda, as when calling that Buddha’s name, if once, if ten times, even if up to hundreds of thousands of times and from thought to thought, the countless manifestations of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life will always protect this person. Also, there are two Bodhisattvas, one called Avalokiteshvara, one called Mahastamaprapta. These two Bodhisattvas who aspire to be the foremost, together with all great Bodhisattvas, will come forth to protect one. After this person’s lifespan ends, one will be born in that Land of Immeasurable Life, Purity, Peace and Bliss [Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land].

是故阿难，设有猛火充满三千大千世界，必当过至。闻信彼佛名号，是人号火中生白莲华。是名不可思议名号利益一大事因缘。其佛本愿力故，十方诸佛皆俱赞誉彼佛名号功德，又称赞念佛有情之类，是故汝等皆当信受彼佛名号。

This is so, Ananda, as if there is ferocious fire filling the three thousand great thousand world system, that one has to cross, when one hears the name of that Buddha, this person will call forth the birth of a white lotus within the fire. This is named the inconceivable name, which benefits the cause and conditions of the one great matter. Due to the power of this Buddha’s original vows, all Buddhas of the ten directions together praise the merits of that Buddha’s name, also praising the kinds of sentient beings who are mindful of that Buddha, which is why you and all should believe and accept that Buddha’s name.

世尊告阿难曰：如来所以兴出於世间，说彼佛不可思议真实功德光明名号利益大事因缘。是故，我说难值、难见、难得、难闻。若有众生，有闻此法者，皆应信顺，如法修行。

The World-honoured One said to Ananda: The Tathagata arose within this world, so as to speak of the inconceivable true meritorious virtues of the name of brightness, that benefits the cause and conditions of the one great matter. Thus, I say this is difficult to encounter, difficult to see, difficult to attain, difficult to hear of. If there are beings, who hear this Dharma, they should all believe and follow it, to cultivate accordingly.

世尊告阿难曰：彼法藏比丘，为度十方世界一切有情，虽起超世愿修无量大行，是本久远实成本有法身常住。无量寿佛以不可思议威神力故，遍满十方世界，为教化安立无数有情，住於无上真实之道。或为刹利国王、转轮王，或为长者居家、尊姓豪贵，或为六欲梵天王等，或为地狱饿鬼畜生修罗身。常以四威仪化作一切。阿难，彼久远实成法身常住无量寿佛者，岂异人耶！今日世尊我身是也， 愍念汝等一切有情无明大夜暗故，从彼安养无为界，示现此恶时恶世界中，迦耶王舍等，说彼佛名号不可思议功德因缘。是谓难值、难见、难得、难闻。是故若有有情，闻此经者，皆应信受，如法修行。

The World-honoured One said to Ananda: That Dharmakara Bhikkshu, for the sake of saving all sentient beings of the ten directions, though having given rise to transcendental aspirations and cultivation of immeasurable great practices, is originally, in the distant past the true and ever-present Dharmakaya. By the inconceivable supernormal powers of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life, he fully pervades the worlds of the ten directions, to teach, transform and safely establish countless sentient beings, to abide on the unsurpassable path to truth. This he does in the form of Ksatriya kings, Wheel-turning kings, householder elders, of a noble family, or kings of the heavens of six desires, Brahma kings and so forth, or hell-beings, hungry ghosts, animals or asuras, always doing everything with the four respect-inspiring forms of conduct. Ananda, that distant Buddha of Immeasurable Life who is truly the ever-present Dharmakaya, is but no different person! Today, the World-Honoured One, with this body of mine is such [a manifestation]. Being compassionately mindful of you and all sentient beings in the great dark night of delusion, from that unconditioned World of Peaceful Nurturing [Amitabha Buddha's Pure Land], I manifest within these evil times’ evil worlds, in Gaya, Rajagriha and so forth, to speak of the inconceivable cause and condition of the merits of that Buddha’s name. This is thus difficult to encounter, difficult to see, difficult to attain, difficult to hear of. Therefore, if there are any sentient beings who hear of this Dharma, they should all believe and accept it, and cultivate themselves accordingly.

世尊告阿难曰：纵令一切有情，烦恼恶业，深障重报，彼佛光明名号，神力无所障碍。是故彼佛号无碍无对清净智慧欢喜等。智慧无碍故，威神力亦无碍；神力无碍故，大慈悲亦无碍。是故浊恶世一切有情，若以有碍小智，有疑於佛无碍智、不可思议智、不可称量智、大乘胜智、无等伦最上智， 疑惑不信，以疑惑故，无数多劫中，堕曾婆罗狱，或入频陀罗狱，受苦无穷，无有出期。是故若有有情，正信佛智者，即时入正定位，不退转阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。是名不可思议功德名号利益大事因缘。

The World-honoured One said to Ananda: Even though all sentient beings, have afflictions and evil karma, deep obstacles with heavy retribution, that Buddha’s name of brightness, has supernormal powers that cannot be obstructed. This is so as that Buddha’s name has unobstructed and unparalleled purity, wisdom, rejoice and so forth. As the wisdom is unobstructed, the mighty supernormal powers are unobstructed; as the supernormal powers are unobstructed, the great loving-kindness and compassion is unobstructed. This is so as all sentient beings in the evil world of turbidities, if they have little wisdom, which obstructs, have doubt of the Buddha’s unobstructed wisdom, inconceivable wisdom, incalculable wisdom, victorious Mahayana wisdom, incomparable supreme wisdom, are doubtful without faith, and due to doubt, for many countless kalpas, fall into Samvara hell or enter Pindala hell, experiencing boundless suffering, with no [definite] date of exit. This is so as if there are sentient beings, who have right faith in the wisdom of the Buddha, they can immediately enter the state certain of attaining enlightenment, that is the non-retrogressible Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi. This is named the inconceivable meritorious virtues of the name, which benefits the cause and conditions of the great matter.

佛说此经，应时普大地六种震动，天雨妙花，自然空中有微妙大音声，赞叹彼不可思议光无量寿清净佛号，及今日世尊说大事利益因缘。世尊说此经时，无量有情发无上正真道意。诸天人民得阿那含果，诸大菩萨以四弘誓庄严功德，於将来世应成正觉。佛说此经已，诸大菩萨众，阿难等诸大声闻弟子众，闻佛所说，欢喜礼佛而去。

When the Buddha has thus spoken this Sutra, the great Earth at once shook in six ways, and the sky rained wondrous flowers. Naturally in the air was a great wondrous voice, praising that Buddha’s name of inconceivable light, immeasurable life and purity, and the World-honoured One’s speaking today, of the cause and conditions of the great matter’s benefits. When the World-honoured One was speaking this Sutra, immeasurable sentient beings aspired towards the unsurpassable true path. All devas and humans realised the fruit of Anagamihood, all great Bodhisattvas used the Four Great Vows to adorn their merits, becoming bound for right awakening in future lives. When the Buddha has thus spoken this Sutra, all great Bodhisattvas, Ananda and all great Sravaka disciples, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced and venerated the Buddha before departure.

(Respectfully translated from Chinese to English by Shen Shi’an. Amituofo)