A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s6.t4.63

v2.c19.s6.t4.63

In the longer Sukhāvatī-Vyūha, Śākyamuni appears in Rājagṛha on the Gṛdhrakūṭa hill, surrounded by thousands of monks, disciples and Bodhisattvas. In conversation with Ānanda, he enumerates 81 Buddhas of the past. The last of these, named Lokeśvararāja, instructs the monk Dharmākara regarding the perfections of the Buddha-lands. It is this Dharmākara who, by prayers (praṇidhāna) in a former life, and by faithfully practising the virtues of a Bodhisattva through countless aeons, was re-born in the Sukhāvatī world in the West as Buddha Amitābha. There he radiates immeasurable light (hence his name Amitābha) and his span of life is immeasurable (hence his other name Amitāyus). In his "Buddha-land," the Sukhāvatī paradise, there is neither hell nor animal birth, nor Pretas, nor Asuras. This blessed land is filled with infinitely sweet scent. Jewel trees in many hundreds of thousands of colours grow there, also wonderful lotus blossoms. There are no hills there, the country is as flat as an open hand. Delightful rivers yield pleasant, sweet water, and the rippling of the water is the most glorious music. The beings who are born in Sukhāvatī are all endowed with the most beautiful qualities, physical and mental, and enjoy all imaginable pleasures. There is no difference between men and gods. There is no question of day and night. There is no darkness. Here Amitābha is continually praised. And whoever thinks of this Buddha with awe, whoever pays heed to the increase of his good deeds, whoever directs his thoughts to enlightenment, whoever prays reverently to be re-born in that world, to him Amitābha appears in the hour of his death, and he is born again in the blessed land. Indeed, even those who only think of Amitābha with one thought, are "born" there. The beings in Sukhāvatī are not, however, born of woman: they appear seated on lotus blossoms if they have firmly believed in Amitābha, or resting in the cups of lotus blossoms if their faith had not been quite firm. The beings in that blessed world live in happiness and calm, in perfect wisdom and sinlessness.