English (machine translation)

Translation of 阿彌陀經疏

Language: English
Extent: 31 passages, 4,570 words
Text: complete digital text
Source: pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-21) of in.bauddha.taisho.1759 · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…

1 — 31 parts

Text

1.1

Composed by the Śramaṇa Wonhyo of Silla in Haedong under the Tang.

1.2

In explaining this sūtra, there are three sections: first, explaining the general meaning; second, explaining the main theme of the sūtra; and third, interpreting the text directly.

First, as for explaining the general meaning: now, the mind of sentient beings, as mind, is free from characteristics and free from nature, like the ocean and like space. Because it is like space, there are no characteristics that are not interfused; how could there be places of east and west? Because it is like the ocean, there is no fixed nature to be maintained; how could there not be times of motion and stillness? Thus, depending on defiled karma, they flow perpetually along with the five defilements; or, relying on pure conditions, they sever the four currents and are permanently tranquil. Such motion and stillness are all a great dream; viewing them from awakening, there is neither flowing nor tranquility. The defiled land and the pure realm are originally one mind; birth-and-death and nirvāṇa ultimately have no two boundaries. Yet this awakening of non-duality is exceedingly difficult to attain, and this dream of delusion regarding the One is not easy to dispel. Therefore, the traces manifested by the Great Sage are both far and near, and the teachings he expounded either praise or disparage. Thus, Śākyamuni the Sugata appeared in this defiled land, admonishing against the five defilements and urging [beings] to go [to the Pure Land]; Amitābha Tathāgata directs that pure realm, leading the three grades and guiding them to be born there. Now, this sūtra is the great intent behind the appearance in the world of both Honoured Ones, the essential gate for the four categories [of disciples] to enter the Way, revealing the Pure Land as worthy of aspiration and praising the wonderful virtue as worthy of taking refuge in. As for the wonderful virtue being worthy of taking refuge in: when one's ears hear the name of the sūtra, one enters the One Vehicle without turning back; when one's mouth recites the name of the Buddha, one leaves the three realms and does not return—how much more so for those who prostrate, single-mindedly recollect, praise, and contemplate! As for the Pure Land being worthy of aspiration: bathing in the marvelous golden lotus ponds, one leaves behind the defiled cause of existence and rebirth; roving among the jade trees and sandalwood groves, one proceeds toward the holy fruit of deathlessness. Furthermore, seeing the Buddha's light, one enters the formless; hearing the brahma sounds, one awakens to the unproduced. Thereafter, issuing forth from the fifth gate, one turns one's chariot toward the garden of birth-and-death and rests in the forest of afflictions. Without taking a single step, one roams everywhere through the worlds of the ten directions; without extending a single thought, one universally manifests through the boundless three times. How could such joy be completely described? How could the name "Ultimate Bliss" be in vain!

1.4

"Spoken by the Buddha" means that it emerged from the golden mouth, a teaching that remains unfalsified for a thousand generations. "Amitābha" is established by comprehending true virtue, a name inexhaustible for ten thousand kalpas. The speaker and what is spoken are mentioned together to mark the title; hence it says "The Amitābha Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha".

1.5

Second, as for discerning the main theme of the sūtra: this sūtra takes the two kinds of purity transcending the three realms directly as its theme, and takes causing sentient beings to attain non-retrogression on the unsurpassed Way as its purpose. What are called the two kinds of purity? As the treatise says: "This purity is of two kinds: first, the purity of the vessel world; second, the purity of the world of sentient beings," and so forth extensively. However, there are four gates for entering this purity: first, the Gate of Completion, into which only the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, are able to enter, as spoken in the Benye jing; second, the Gate of Exclusive Direction, into which bodhisattvas of the eighth stage and above are able to enter, as spoken in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha; third, the Gate of Pure Purity, into which only bodhisattvas of the third stage, the Extremely Joyful Stage, and above are able to enter, as spoken in the Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra; fourth, the Gate of the Assembly of the Truly Settled, into which only non-retrogressing beings are able to enter, there being no assembly of the wrongly settled nor assembly of the undetermined, as spoken in the two-fascicle sūtra. In general terms, the World of Ultimate Bliss possesses these four gates. Now, the two kinds of purity of this sūtra's theme directly indicate the fourth, the Gate of the Assembly of the Truly Settled, because undetermined śrāvakas and ordinary beings are also said to be able to be born there. The treatise says that the lineage of the two vehicles is not born there because those with determined lineage cannot be born there. The Shengwang jing says: "In the World of Peace and Bliss, Amitābha Buddha has parents; they are manifested women, not women of actual retribution." The treatise says that women are not born there because there are no actual women; one should know that it is also like this with the manifested birds. Furthermore, although he has parents, he is not born from a womb, but is truly born by transformation, taking them fictitiously as parents. As that sūtra states: "If the four assemblies can properly uphold the name of that Buddha, by this merit, at the time of death, Amitābha Buddha together with the great assembly will go to this person's place and allow them to see him. Having seen him, they will immediately give rise to celebration and joy, and their merit will be doubled. Due to these causes and conditions, the place where they are born will be forever free from the form of defiled desire and womb-birth; they will be born purely and naturally transformed within marvelous precious lotus flowers, endowed with great supernormal powers and radiant brilliance." One should know that the parents are merely provisionally relied upon.

1.6

Furthermore, that sūtra says: "Amitābha Buddha is together with śrāvakas; the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha's realm is named Pure and Tranquil, where the holy king dwells, and his city is ten thousand yojanas in length and breadth." However, the Guan jing says: "That Buddha's body is sixty trillion nayutas of Ganges sands of yojanas in height." If the city is small and the body is large, and they do not correspond, one should know that that Buddha has numerous cities: following the size of the assembly, the city is also large or small. In a large city, he manifests a large body; in a small city, he manifests a small body. The ten thousand yojanas of the Shengwang jing is the city where he dwells together with śrāvakas; one should know that the Buddha's body corresponds to it in dwelling there. The great height of the body spoken in the Guan jing—one should know that the city is also correspondingly vast, because it is the place where he dwells together with the great assemblies. Just as in the two-fascicle sūtra and this sūtra, the lotus flowers in the ponds are vastly different in size, so that depending on whether the pond is large or small, its flowers are also large or small, one should know that the city and the body's size are also like this; other discrepancies should be resolved according to this. Some say that what is spoken in the Shengwang jing about having parents indicates the defiled land where that Buddha dwells. This interpretation is not correct. Why is that? Since that sūtra says that they are naturally born by transformation within precious lotus flowers, endowed with great supernormal powers and radiant brilliance, and the lower text also says there are two bodhisattvas—first named Avalokiteśvara, second named Mahāsthāmaprāpta—and these two bodhisattvas attend him standing on the left and right, these are all characteristics of a pure land, not different from what is spoken in the Guan jing. One should know that what that sūtra says regarding Devadatta, the Demon King, and so forth, are all created by transformation in the pure land; it is not that on account of these it is not a pure land, just as transformed animals do not make it a defiled land. Let us set aside subsidiary discussions and return to explaining the root text.

1.7

From here down is the third [part], entering the text to interpret it. The text has three divisions: preface, main body, and propagation. Within the preface division, there are six clauses. Among them, the first two are the indicative clauses, and the subsequent four matters substantiate the first two. "Thus" generally cites the Dharma that was heard, indicating a mind of faith and compliance. "I have heard" specifically mentions the person capable of hearing, indicating an intention of non-contention. The four below then cite two pairs to substantiate, clarifying the recollection of the time and place of hearing, to establish that the one capable of hearing was not mistaken. Since there are the Great Master and the great assembly, this confirms that what was spoken is trustworthy. The details therein may be known as usual.

1.8

The sixth introduces the great assembly, which has three parts: first the assembly of śrāvakas, next the assembly of bodhisattvas, and finally the miscellaneous assembly. Among the assembly of śrāvakas: Śāriputra, translated here as "Son of the Body"; Maudgalyāyana, translated here as "Praise-Recitation"; Kāśyapa, translated here as "Light-Drinker"; Kātyāyana, translated here as "Fan-Rope"; Mahākausthila, translated here as "Large Knee"; Revata, translated here as "False Assembly"; Cūḍapanthaka, translated here as "Snake Slave", or "Small Path"; Nanda, translated here as "Celebration and Joy"; Ānanda, translated here as "Joy"; Rāhula, translated here as "Veiling Obstacle", or "Palace-Born"; Gavāmpati, translated here as "Cow Cud"; Piṇḍola, translated here as "Elderly"; Bhāradvāja, translated here as "Sharp Faculty"; Kālodayin, translated here as "Black Superior", who was Siddhārtha's teacher before he left home; Kapphiṇa, translated here as "Room Constellation"; Vakkula, translated here as "Good Countenance"; Aniruddha, translated here as "Without Poverty", or "According to Wish".

1.9

Among the assembly of bodhisattvas: "Ajita", translated here as "Unconquerable"; Gandhaprabhāsa, [translated here as] "Red Colour"; the rest may be known.

1.10

From "At that time, the Buddha addressed..." onward is the second part, the main teaching division. Within this there are three [sections]: first, directly showing the two kinds of pure fruit; second, encouraging the cultivation of the two kinds of correct causes; and third, citing examples to verify and establish [them]. The first contains two parts: brief indication and extensive explanation. The middle two sentences first indicate the circumstantial fruit and then indicate the direct retribution. In the explanation there are also two: first explaining the circumstantial fruit, and then explaining the direct retribution.

1.11

Within the purity of the circumstantial fruit, there are two doctrinal gates and six textual sections. The specific and general merits comprise fifteen. There are two doctrinal gates: first, the gate of explaining names; second, the gate of discerning characteristics. As for the six, it is because the gate of names opens into two, and the gate of characteristics divides into four. As for the fifteen specific and general, it is because the specific are fourteen and the general constitutes one. As for the fourteen specific: within the six passages there are four patterns: the first [two] each have one, the last two each have two, the third passage opens into three, and the fourth passage divides into five; therefore, altogether there are fourteen merits.

1.12

The first passage says, "They have no sufferings, but experience all joys": this is the perfection of the merit of being free from all distresses, as the verse of the treatise says: "Forever free from physical and mental vexation, / Experiencing joy constantly without interruption."

1.13

The second passage mentions the seven tiers of railings, netting, and rows of trees: this is the perfection of the merit of adorning the earth, as the verse of the treatise says: "Various flowers with diverse radiant colours, / Surrounded all around by precious railings."

1.14

In the third passage there are three merits. The pond water and golden sands are the perfection of the merit of adorning the water, as the verse of the treatise says: "The ponds are lined with the seven treasures, / Their clear waters contain the eight virtues; / Below is accumulated yellow gold sand, / Above shines the colour of blue lotuses." The steps, paths, and pavilions possessing gold, silver, and so forth are the perfection of the merit of diverse things, as the verse of the treatise says: "Endowed with the nature of all precious jewels, / Complete with wondrous adornments." The lotuses as large as chariot wheels, blue-coloured with blue light, and so forth, are the merit of the perfection of adorning wonderful colours, as the verse of the treatise says: "Spotless light blazes brilliantly, / Bright and pure, illuminating the world."

1.15

In the fourth passage there are five merits: first, the merit of music, because heavenly music constantly abides; second, the merit of the precious ground, because yellow gold serves as the ground; third, the merit of raining flowers, because flowers rain during the six periods, as the verse of the treatise says: "Upon the golden ground celestial music plays, / And raining flowers scatter among it; / In joy and pleasure without fatigue, / Day and night they never sleep"; fourth, the merit of sovereignty, because they roam and travel by means of supernormal powers; fifth, the merit of enjoyment, because they take their meal and engage in walking meditation, as the verse of the treatise says: "Making offerings to the Buddhas of the ten directions, / With supernormal powers gained through retribution as their wings; / Cherishing the flavour of the Buddha Dharma, / Taking dhyāna and samādhi as food." However, the food of that land is of two kinds: first, internal food, as expounded in this treatise; second, external food, as expounded in other sūtras. As the two-fascicle sūtra says, when they wish to eat, seven-jeweled bowls naturally appear before them, filled naturally with food of a hundred flavours; although there is this food, there is no one who eats it—they merely see its colour and smell its fragrance, and consider themselves satisfied. Now, when this sūtra says "having taken their meal, they engage in walking meditation," the textual phrasing matches the enjoyment of external food.

1.16

In the fifth passage there are two merits. First, the merit of manifestation, because of manifesting various birds that expound the wonderful Dharma, as the verse of the treatise says: "Birds of diverse and variegated colours / Each emit elegant sounds; / Those who hear them recollect the Three Jewels, / Relinquish conceptions, and enter the single mind." Second, the merit of great meaning, because the names and entities of the evil destinies and so forth do not exist, as the verse of the treatise says: "The realm of the Mahāyāna good roots / Is universally without despised names; / Women and those with defective faculties, / And the lineage of the two vehicles, are not born there." In examination: the sūtra speaks of having no despise of the evil destinies, while the treatise reveals having no despise of the human destiny; they merely mention them complementarily, and their meaning is as has been expounded.

1.17

In the sixth passage there are two virtues. As the treatise says, regarding the fulfillment of the virtue of adorning space, the verse states: / 'Immeasurable gems are interwoven, / Forming nets across empty space; / Various bells ring out sound, / Proclaiming the subtle sounds of Dharma.' / Second is the virtue of adorning nature. As the treatise says, regarding the fulfillment of the virtue of adorning nature, the verse states: / 'The correct path and great compassion / Give birth to the roots of goodness.' / Now, speaking of the mind that naturally engenders mindfulness of the Three Jewels, this is precisely the nature-mind; for relying on seeds of supramundane good roots, it arises naturally without awaiting deliberate effort. Mindfully recollecting the Three Jewels abandons the heterodox and returns to the correct, binding the myriad practices of the path; hence it is called the 'correct path'. Mindfully recollecting the supremely wondrous virtues of these Three Jewels and dedicating them to all beings is called 'great compassion'.

1.18

Altogether above there are fourteen virtues, none of which fails to transcend the three realms and six destinies; therefore, it is collectively called a 'pure world'. As the treatise says, regarding the fulfillment of the virtue of adorning purity, the verse states: / 'Contemplating the characteristics of that world, / It excels the ways of the three realms.' / Alternatively, some treatises speak of eighteen perfections. Now in this sūtra, fifteen of them are spoken of based on the purity of the dependent reward; if one adds the four clauses on the direct reward spoken of later, then there are nineteen pure virtues. However, the sūtra and treatise have agreements and differences, which may be understood by careful comparison.

1.19

"'Śāriputra, what do you think?'" Below this is the second [section], the purity of the direct reward, in which four kinds of virtues are shown: first, the virtue of the host; second, the virtue of the companions; third, the virtue of the great assembly; fourth, the virtue of the foremost leaders.

1.20

Within the virtue of the host, two kinds are briefly brought forth: first, immeasurable light; second, immeasurable lifespan. Based on this sūtra text, explaining 'Amitābha', when translated into this land it should be called 'Immeasurable'. Furthermore, saying 'since he attained Buddhahood it has been ten kalpas up to the present' is to dispel doubts. Some people doubt and say: 'Although his lifespan is immeasurable, it must have a beginning and an end; is the present known to be the beginning or the end?' It is now explained: Since what has passed at present is only ten kalpas, one should know that from now on he will abide for immeasurable kalpas.

1.21

Second, the virtue of the companions: because the śrāvaka disciples are all arhats. The treatise says, regarding the fulfillment of the virtue of adorning the retinue, the verse states: / 'The Tathāgata's pure flower assembly / Is born from the flower of perfect awakening.' / The commentary states: Saying 'pure flower assembly' here refers to the assembly that has attained the seven kinds of pure flowers. What are the seven? First, purity of discipline; second, purity of mind; third, purity of view; fourth, purity of overcoming doubt; fifth, purity of knowledge and vision regarding path and non-path; sixth, purity of knowledge and vision regarding practice; seventh, purity of knowledge and vision regarding practice and cessation. These are explained at length in the *Yogācārabhūmi*. Such an assembly of seven kinds of floating flowers is born through transformation from the flower of the Buddha's perfect awakening.

1.22

Third, the virtue of the great assembly: because the sentient beings who are born there are all non-retrogressive (avaivartika), and those who are born in that land through even the virtue of ten recitations enter the stage of certainty and never regress. The treatise asks: What is the fulfillment of the virtue of adorning the great assembly? The verse states: / 'The immovable assembly of humans and devas / Is born from the ocean of pure wisdom.' / The commentary states: All rely on being nurtured by the Tathāgata's ocean of wisdom, entering the stage of certainty without wavering or turning back.

1.23

Fourth, the virtue of the foremost leaders: because among them there are many who are bound to one more birth, up to being spoken of as asaṃkhyeya. It is asked: What is the fulfillment of the virtue of adorning the foremost leaders? The verse states: / 'Like Mount Sumeru, king [of mountains], / Supremely wondrous, none surpasses them.' / The commentary states: Bodhisattvas of one remaining birth are supreme among the ten stages, just like the wondrous king of mountains. While the treatise fully reveals eight kinds of adornments, this sūtra briefly indicates four kinds of virtues. The two passages above combine to form the first [major part], completing the revelation of the two kinds of pure results.

1.24

"'Sentient beings who hear this should make the aspiration'"—from here down is the second [major division], encouraging the cultivation of the two kinds of pure causes. Within this there are four: first, encouraging the making of the aspiration; second, clarifying the cultivation of the cause; third, showing the reception of the fruit; fourth, concluding encouragement. In the second passage, two kinds of causes are clarified: first, the primary cause; second, the auxiliary cause. Within the primary cause, saying that 'one cannot attain birth in that land with few good roots and merits as cause and condition' reveals that only when the great aspiration for bodhi embraces many good roots as causes and conditions can one attain birth, as in the text of the 'Chapter on Generating the Aspiration' in the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*. Furthermore, the initial aspiration generated by all bodhisattvas can embrace all factors conducive to awakening, with the surpassing good roots as foremost; hence it can oppose the three kinds of evil actions toward all sentient beings, corresponding with virtue. The commentary states: When a bodhisattva initially generates the aspiration for bodhi, he can embrace all surpassing good roots and cut off evil karma, corresponding with virtue; therefore it is said that one cannot attain birth in that land through few good roots and merits as cause and condition. How is it known that this is the cause? In the *Two-Fascicle Sūtra*, the causes of the nine grades are gathered into three categories, and all three contain the generation of the aspiration for bodhi. The treatise solely reveals the meaning of this passage, saying that men of Mahāyāna good roots are equally free from defamatory names; this meaning precisely states that although there are nine grades among those born in that land, they are equal in taking the good roots of the Mahāyāna aspiration as their cause, which is why they are equally free from defamatory names. Someone objects: 'If one must generate the great mind in order to be born in the Pure Land, one should not attain the lesser fruit upon being born there, because that land lacks conditions for regression; if one were to regress from the Mahāyāna and realize the lesser fruit, this is impossible.' Furthermore, in the Eighteenth Vow of the *Two-Fascicle Sūtra*, it says: 'If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings of the ten directions with sincere faith and joy desire to be born in my land, even down to ten thoughts, should they not be born, may I not attain perfect awakening—excepting only those who commit the five heinous acts and slander the True Dharma.' If those who have not generated the great mind cannot be born, it should also exclude those who have not generated the mind; yet because it does not exclude them, it is clear this is not necessarily so. [The reply is:] 'Insincere' is excluded by the phrase 'sincere'; hence there was no need to exclude them separately. Although there is this refutation, none of it is reasonable. Why is this? Since generating the aspiration for bodhi is the primary cause, those who have not generated the mind simply lack the cause, but do not possess an obstruction; why would there be a need to exclude them? The five heinous acts and slandering the Dharma are true obstructions, not merely lacking the cause; hence they had to be excluded. Therefore, this objection is untenable. Furthermore, it is not that they regress from the aspiration for bodhi after being born there; rather, they first generated the great mind here, perfuming it into seeds, and later their mind regressed and the lower stages became active. It is entirely because the seeds of having previously generated the great mind are not lost that it can serve as the cause for birth in that land; yet because their active Mahāyāna mind has regressed, they realize the lesser fruit upon being born in that land. Therefore, that objection only reveals one's own deficiency.

1.25

Second, clarifying the auxiliary cause: because of upholding the name single-mindedly without distraction, and because it is the name produced by the inconceivable virtues of Amitābha Tathāgata. Saying 'for one day ... up to seven days' is because superior people accomplish it quickly while inferior ones ripen slowly. The *Sūtra of the King of Voice* says that reciting the name for ten days is because inferior people accomplish it only in ten days. Alternatively, one or two days is the cause for the lowest grade, five, six, or seven days is the cause for the middle grade, and up to ten days accomplishes the cause for the highest grade.

1.26

From "that person" downward is the third [part], receiving and grasping. From "I see" downward is the fourth [part], concluding encouragement. The four passages above combine to complete the second [section], encouraging the cultivation of causes.

1.27

From "just as I now praise" downward is the third major division, citing examples to verify and confirm. Within this there are four: first, citing what other Buddhas have spoken to verify that it is trustworthy; second, explaining the title of this sūtra to establish that it has superior benefits; third, adducing that vows are not contradicted to re-encourage generating the aspiration; fourth, praising the rarity of the Dharma and concluding by encouraging faith and acceptance. In the first part, it first distinguishes his own praise, and then cites the Buddhas of the six directions praising in unison. From "What do you think?" downward is the second text, in which there are three questions followed sequentially by three exhortations to faith. From "If there are people who make vows" downward is the third text, first showing the power of vows, and then encouraging the making of vows. From "Just as I now" downward is the fourth text, in which there are three parts: first, oneself praising others; next, others praising oneself; and third, a concluding praise encouraging faith.

1.28

The three divisions of the main discourse above are completed.

1.29

From "The Buddha spoke" downward is the transmission section.

1.30

Commentary on the Buddha-Spoken Amitābha Sūtra (End)

1.31

The doctrine and contemplation of rebirth are truly the essential technique for gathering the mind and achieving the Way. Yet with the shorter *Amitābha [Sūtra]*, not only did people at that time uphold Kumārajīva's translation, but many who composed commentaries and established divisions took [the section] from the Buddhas of the six directions onward as the transmission section. Although in recent antiquity someone once refuted this, later scholars still followed and adopted it. Without meeting a guiding compass, how could one follow the correct track? In the early Tang, Master Wonhyo of the Eastern Sea not only took [the passage] from 'The Buddha spoke this sūtra' downward as the transmission section, but also took upholding the name as an auxiliary cause; this was especially preeminent and outstanding above all other commentaries. Having obtained this edition, I was overjoyed beyond measure. Waiting for a future day to carve it on wooden blocks and share it with the world, those who rashly segmented the sūtra or conjectured divisions of primary and auxiliary causes will surely face north, adjust their robes, bow down, and hold their shame. In the fourth year of Qingyuan, fifth month, the day after the full moon, colophon inscribed by the monk Zongxiang of Wuxu in Zhachuan.

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