The Amitabha Sutra

The Amitabha Sutra is one of the Three Sutras of Pure Land. It describes the pure adornment of Amitabha Buddha Western Pure Land, Buddhas’ sincere praises on sentient beings that are reborn in the Pure Land, the endorsement of all Buddhas in six directions, Buddha remembrance by holding his name, rebirth and non-retreating, etc.

The Sutra can be summarized as follows:

1.    The ideal world of Amitabha Buddha – Sukhavati
  Amongst all Pure Lands, the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, called the    

Sukhavati is an extremely wonderful Pure Land.

There are four points to be illustrated:

A. The world with boundless space and time – Literally, Amitabha Buddha means infinite life and infinite light. Infinite life implies infinite time, and infinite light implies infinite space. When we are born in Sukhavati, our life will not come to the end, like Amitabha Buddha, because of the infinite lifespan. Regarding our wisdom life in the world of Amitabha Buddha, it is all prevailing like light because of the infinite light.

B. The world of free and relaxed living – How is the living in Sukhavati? In Sukhavati, everything is made of seven gems, and the ground is covered with gold. The architecture of all buildings is artistically beautiful. The landscape is naturally beautiful and splendid.

C. The world of social harmony – In Sukhavati, there is no material shortage. There is no social conflict and human discrimination because all people are passionate. No one quarrels because of material and fame, as all beings in Sukhavati are transformed by birth in lotus blossom. They all wish to get close to Amitabha Buddha, Sukhavati is a very peaceful and harmonious world.

D. A world of one family – In Saha world, whether we are rich or poor, wise or stupid, once we admire Sukhavati and wish to be reborn there, we can get there by reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha. One can be reborn in Sukhavati even with evil Karma. Sukhavati is really a world of one family.

2. The essentials for the rebirth in Sukhavati
To be reborn in Sukhavati, one must satisfy the conditions, which is known as the Three Sambhara or the Three Essentials. Lacking of these three, it is almost impossible to get there. They are:

    a. Faith – belief in Amitabha Buddha and Sukhavati,

    b. Vow – wishing to be reborn in the Pure Land,

    c. Practice – developing the kind roots, the virtuous causes and conditions and the Bodhi mind as the Primary Practice, and holding the recitation of the Buddha’s name for one to seven days so that one’s mind is undisturbed as the Secondary Practice.

The Three Essentials are interrelated. Because of faith, one makes vows. Because of vows, one practices. If there has no faith, vow and practice do not exist.

3. The endorsement and recommendation of all Buddhas in six directions, and their protection against retreating – In the Sutra, all Buddhas in the six directions, namely, in the east, south, west, north, nadir and zenith, each in their world, manifesting the vast, long tongue form covering trillions of worlds, these words are true. All beings should believe in the inconceivable virtues and merits of the Sutra, it is mindful and protected by all Buddhas. For example,
East - Buddha Akshobhya, Buddha Merudhvaja, Buddha Mahameru, Buddha Meruprabhasa, Buddha Sughosa.
South - Buddha Candrasuryapradipa, Buddha Yasahprabha, Buddha Maharciskamdha, Buddha Merupradipa, Buddha Anantavirya.
West - Buddha Amitayus, Buddha Amitaskamdha, Buddha Amitadhavajs, Buddha Mahaprabha, Buddha Maharasmiprabha, Buddha Maharatnaketu, Buddha Shuddharasmi.
North – Buddha Mahaciskamdha, Buddha Dumdubhisvaranirghosa, Buddha Dupradharsa, Buddha Asityasambhava, Buddha Jalemiprabha.
Nadir - Buddha Simha, Buddha Yasas, Buddha Yashaprabha, Buddha Dharma, Buddha Dharmadhvaja.
Zenith - Buddha Brahmaghosha, Buddha Nakshatraraja, Buddha Gamdhottama, Buddha Gamdhaprabhasa, Buddha Maharciskandha, Buddha Ratnakusumasampushpitagatra, Buddha Salendraraja, Buddha Ratnotpalashri, Buddha Sarvarthadarsha, Buddha Sumerukalpa
It proves that the teaching of rebirth by reciting the Buddha’s name is true and real. It also reveals the benefits of reciting the Buddha’s name in the present life by the practitioners under the protection of all Buddhas.

4. The praise of the Buddha and his Supreme Dharma – When Sakyamuni Buddha praises the Buddhas in ten directions, the Buddhas in ten directions also praise the Buddha, who attained the fruit of Buddha in the Saha world of Five Turbidities. Moreover, the Buddha preaches this Dharma that is difficult for the sentient beings to believe, so it is a rare and worthy assembly. In praising the merits and virtues of the Buddha, the other Buddhas also express the merits and virtues of this Dharma.