Origins of the Amithaba sutra

[Ensapa]

I thought I'd share with everyone here on the origins of the pureland school of Chinese Buddhism as well as the origins of the Amithaba Sutra, or why the Buddha taught that teaching. It is quite a sad story tho. If you do not know yet, King ajjatasu murdered his own father, king bimbisara by skinning his feet and making him walk on hot coals until he died, due to the complex play of karma. The story of where the Buddha taught about the purelands starts from here:

During the time of the Buddha, there was a king called King Bimbisara who was incarcerated by his son, Prince Ajatasatru. Even the king's wife, Queen Vaidehi, was prohibited from seeing her king. Prince Ajatasatru was a cruel

man and an unfilial son. In order to seize the throne, he locked up his father and deprived him of food. Under these trying circumstances, King Bimbisara was sad and despondent. He was dismayed at being in this saha world of the five impurities—a place full of unbearable anguish and teemed with hungry ghosts and suffering animals. Faced with this world where sufferings abound, he thought to himself, "Oh, Lord Buddha! Why do you not come to my aid during this difficult time of my life? Can you show me a sanctuary where I can rest my weary self?"

In the meantime, Queen Vaidehi, who had repeatedly asked to see her king, was finally allowed to visit the king. Prince Ajatasatru, however, forbade her to bring the starving King any food. In desperation, the Queen painted her body with a layer of flour paste in the hope that the paste might provide the king with some relief. At such a time of anguish and despair, the two of them prayed to the Buddha for his compassion and guidance. To their amazement, the Buddha manifested his supernatural power and appeared before them. The Buddha told the King and Queen, "To the west of this saha world, beyond a hundred thousand million Buddha Lands, there is a world called ‘Ultimate Bliss.' The teacher of the land, Amitabha Buddha, is currently there teaching the Dharma. In the land of Amitabha Buddha, there is no suffering, only happiness. It is the most serene, secure, and happy place. If you recite the name of Amitabha with single mindedness, Amitabha Buddha will use the strength of his great vow to receive you to be reborn in the Pure Land."

After listening to the guidance of the Buddha, King Bimbisara and Queen Vaidehi started to recite the name of Amitabha Buddha. In the course of their praying, a radiant pure land did indeed appear before their eyes. This is the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha and is what is now called "The World of Ultimate Bliss." This marks the beginning of the Pure Land School of Buddhism.

[Big Uncle]

Well Ensapa, apparently Prince Ajatashatru repented and turned over a new leaf thanks to the blessings of Manjushri. Here's the great story of the turn around. This reminds us of the wonderful ability of Dorje Shugden to lift us from sufferings. Here's the story:-

Although Manjushri showed the aspect of being a disciple of Buddha, he had great power to help sentient beings. Sometimes people would come to Buddha for help and advice but Buddha would refer them to Manjushri because they had a stronger karmic link with him. Some had such a strong connection with Manjushri that through his blessings and skill they were able to develop very powerful realizations with almost no effort on their part.
 
One such person was King Ajatashatru, who had committed two particularly negative actions, killing his father and raping a fully-ordained nun who was also a Superior being. The consequences of such actions are horrendous. In the Vinaya Sutras such actions are called ..actions of immediate retribution' because whoever commits them will definitely take rebirth in a hell realm immediately after his or her death. According to the Vinaya Sutras it is impossible to prevent such a rebirth, although it may be possible to shorten its duration. According to the Mahayana Sutras, however, these heavy negative actions can be purified if the correct opponents are applied purely.
 
King Ajatashatru developed strong remorse for his negative actions and requested Buddha to give him a special method for purifying them. Buddha taught the Sutra for Eliminating Ajatashatru's Regret and then suggested that the king seek the help of Bodhisattva Manjushri. Immediately upon hearing this advice, Ajatashatru developed strong faith in Manjushri. He invited Manjushri to his house for a banquet and after the meal he rose to offer Manjushri a very expensive cloak, but just as he was presenting the garment Manjushri disappeared. The king was left wondering, ..Who is Manjushri? Where is Manjushri?' By thinking in this way he realized that he could not find a real, truly existent Manjushri, and he came very close to understanding emptiness. Since Manjushri had disappeared, the king decided to try the cloak on himself, but as he put it round his shoulders he started asking the same questions about himself, ..Who am I? Where am I? Who is the king? Where is the king?' Being completely unable to find a real, truly existent self or truly existent king, he achieved an understanding of emptiness. He then entered into meditation and quickly attained a direct realization of emptiness, becoming a Superior being on the path of seeing.
 
According to the Hinayana teachings, a person who has committed one of the five actions of immediate retribution cannot become a Superior being in that same life, but the Mahayana viewpoint is different. As a result of Manjushri's blessings, King Ajatashatru was able to purify his heavy negative karma and achieve the path of seeing. Manjushri performed many other special actions such as this.

[yontenjamyang]

Below is the remnant of the jail that King Bimsara was imprisoned by his son King Ajatashatru. I thought that I should share this with everyone.


Remains of what has been identified as Bimbisara's Jail, at Rajgir, Bihar, India. This is suspected of being the place where Prince Ajatasatru jailed his father King Bimbisara, and starved him to death. Devadatta told him to do so and he acted on it. Some jail equipment was found at the site, and the Grijjakuta hill (Vulture Peak) can be seen from the site.

I had the fortune to visit this site and also Vultures Peak some time ago.

[Ensapa]

Here's a Theravarda account of the event:

(Part Two) 13. The Tragedy of King Bimbisara

King Bimbisara had a son, Prince Ajatasattu, who was a good friend of the Buddha's enemy, Devadatta. The two spent much time together and soon Devadatta had convinced the young prince to kill his father.

One silent and dark night, Prince Ajatasattu crept into the king's room with a knife tied to his thigh. He was creeping toward his sleeping father when the palace guards caught him and the king discovered the plan. Kind King Bimbisara thought to himself, "Ah, I have remained king for too long. It is time for me to step down and make Ajatasattu king so that he can rule in peace, and I can retire into a religious life." Instead of punishing Ajatasattu for his evil intentions, King Bimbisara made him king.

After Ajatasattu was made the new king he surprised everyone, including his father. Swift like a viper caught by its tail, he sprang round against his father and had him thrown into the darkest, coldest dungeon in the palace.
"Let him have no visitors other than my mother," ordered Ajatasattu. "And give him no food so that he will starve to death."

But King Bimbisara did not die. His loyal wife secretly brought him food hidden in her clothes. When Ajatasattu found out and stopped this, she carried food in her hair knot. Again Ajatasattu found out. Finally, the queen had to bathe her body and cover it with a mixture of honey, butter, ghee and sugar. By licking this food off her body, the good king survived. At last Ajatasattu found out his mother's plan and banned her from visiting his father at all. Now the king had no food at all to sustain him and would surely die.

Days passed and still the king did not die. Ajatasattu lost his patience and shouted out in rage, all through the palace, "Call the barber."

When the barber came, the king spoke to him in a fury, "I command you to go to Bimbisara's cell, cut open the soles of his feet with your razor, tear the skin away and put salt and oil on the raw flesh. Then I command you to force him to walk on burning charcoal until he dies."

When King Bimbisara saw the palace barber approaching, tears of joy watered his cheeks as he thought, "At last my son has realised his folly. Now he sends a barber to trim my beard and cut my hair before releasing me from prison." Instead, with the help of two soldiers, the barber carried out the orders of the new king Ajatasattu and the good king died in great pain.

On that very day, Ajatasattu received news that his wife had given birth to a son. Great was his joy at being a father and a thought came to his mind. He hurried to his mother and asked, "Tell me mother, did my father love me as much as I love my son?"

His mother turned around, stared at him in silence with her sorrowful eyes and then murmured in disbelief, "What did you say, Ajatasattu? You asked if your father loved you?"

"Ajatasattu, when you were in my womb, I wanted to drink blood from your father's hand. When he found this out, happily he cut his wrist for me to drink his blood for you. When the fortune-tellers predicted that you would be your father's enemy, I tried to have a miscarriage but he prevented me. Again I tried to kill you when you were born; he stopped me even though he knew that one day you would kill him. Is that not love?

"Do you see that scar on your thumb? That was a boil you had when you were small. You were crying from so much pain that nobody could put you to sleep. When your father heard this, he stopped from his royal duty and came running to see you. Gently he took you in his lap and sucked the boil until it burst open in his mouth. Oh my son, your father swallowed it out of love for you — that pus and blood. In what way did he not love you, Ajatasattu? Tell me, Ajatasattu, would you do for your son what your father did for you? This man who loved you, this man who you have killed."

When he heard this, Ajatasattu was choked with tears. He ordered his guards, "Run, run and release my father before he dies." But none of them moved. "Go, I command you. Release my father before he dies," Ajatasattu shouted.

Then his adviser stepped forward and said slowly, "Great king, your father died this morning." Ajatasattu fell to his knees and cried until his body jerked violently, uttering over and over, "Forgive me, father. Please forgive me."

Ajatasattu realised the love of a father only when he became a father himself. As for King Bimbisara, he was reborn as a deva in the Catummaharajika Heaven.

[WisdomBeing]

Thank you for sharing the stories above, especially the link to Manjushri. I do recall reading somewhere that we cannot purify the 5 heinous sins except via Yamantaka's practice. It is so kind of the Buddhas to give us opportunities to clear our hugely negative karmas when we operate from the three delusions of anger, ignorance and craving.

Regarding Amitabha's practice, i have heard that all we need to do is to recite Amitabha's name and we can go to the Western Paradise where we will be at peace. Is it really that easy? Or is it a false teaching? I have been told that in the Vajrayana tradition, there is huge clearing of negative karma which we have to suffer but according to the Mahayana tradition, it seems a doddle to go to Amitabha's heaven?

I could really do with some hope for a peaceful future today!

[Jessie Fong]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amit%C4%81bha

According to the Larger S?tra of Immeasurable Life (Mah?y?na Amit?yus S?tra) Amit?bha was, in very ancient times and possibly in another system of worlds, a monk named Dharmak?ra. In some versions of the s?tra, Dharmak?ra is described as a former king who, having come into contact with the Buddhist teachings through the buddha Lokesvararaja, renounced his throne. He then resolved to become a buddha and so to come into possession of a buddhak?etra ("buddha-field", a realm existing in the primordial universe outside of ordinary space time, produced by a buddha's merit) possessed of many perfections. These resolutions were expressed in his forty-eight vows, which set out the type of buddha-field Dharmak?ra aspired to create, the conditions under which beings might be born into that world, and what kind of beings they would be when reborn there.

In the versions of the sutra widely known in China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, Dharmak?ra's eighteenth vow was that any being in any universe desiring to be born into Amit?bha's Pure Land and calling upon his name even as few as ten times will be guaranteed rebirth there. His nineteenth vow promises that he, together with his bodhisattvas and other blessed Buddhists, will appear before those who call upon him at the moment of death. This openness and acceptance of all kinds of people has made the Pure Land belief one of the major influences in Mah?y?na Buddhism. Pure Land Buddhism seems to have first become popular in northwest India/Pakistan and Afghanistan, from where it spread to Central Asia and China.
The sutra goes on to explain that Amit?bha, after accumulating great merit over countless lives, finally achieved buddhahood and is still residing in his land of Sukh?vat?, whose many virtues and joys are described.



Buddha Amitabha in Tibetan Buddhism, traditional Thangka painting.



Portrait of Buddha Amitabha attached in Annotation to the Infinite Life Sutra (Ch. ??)

[WisdomBeing]

I just can't wrap my head around the fact that you can just call Amitabha's name at least 10 times will guarantee that you get to go to Sukhavati. I know some Pure land adherents who do believe that if they chant Amitabha's mantra 108 times a day, they will reach Sukhavati.

In Lama Tsongkhapa's King of Prayers http://www.kopanmonastery.com/downloads/King_Of_Prayers.pdf, it says:

But to read or hear The King of Prayers
With eyes looking to supreme illumination
And faith stirring in ones heart for even an instant
Gives birth to a far more superior merit.

Should anyone recite this aspiration of sublime ways
They will pass beyond all states of sorrow
Will rise above all inferior beings and gain
A vision of Amitabha, Buddha of Boundless Light.

Given in this very lifetime
All sublime joys will be theirs
The experiences of the always sublime Samantabahdra
Without obstruction will quickly be theirs.

Merely by giving voice to these aspirations
Of the sublime ways of a Bodhisattva
All evils, such as the five inexplicable deeds that out of ignorance were done
Will be completely and utterly washed away.

Here it also says that just by reciting this prayer, you will
"pass beyond all states of sorrow
Will rise above all inferior beings and gain
A vision of Amitabha, Buddha of Boundless Light."

So do we not need to purify our negative karma and accumulate merits???

[Big Uncle]

I just can't wrap my head around the fact that you can just call Amitabha's name at least 10 times will guarantee that you get to go to Sukhavati. I know some Pure land adherents who do believe that if they chant Amitabha's mantra 108 times a day, they will reach Sukhavati.

In Lama Tsongkhapa's King of Prayers http://www.kopanmonastery.com/downloads/King_Of_Prayers.pdf, it says:

But to read or hear The King of Prayers
With eyes looking to supreme illumination
And faith stirring in ones heart for even an instant
Gives birth to a far more superior merit.

Should anyone recite this aspiration of sublime ways
They will pass beyond all states of sorrow
Will rise above all inferior beings and gain
A vision of Amitabha, Buddha of Boundless Light.

Given in this very lifetime
All sublime joys will be theirs
The experiences of the always sublime Samantabahdra
Without obstruction will quickly be theirs.

Merely by giving voice to these aspirations
Of the sublime ways of a Bodhisattva
All evils, such as the five inexplicable deeds that out of ignorance were done
Will be completely and utterly washed away.

Here it also says that just by reciting this prayer, you will
"pass beyond all states of sorrow
Will rise above all inferior beings and gain
A vision of Amitabha, Buddha of Boundless Light."

So do we not need to purify our negative karma and accumulate merits???

Dear Wisdom Being,

Well, I am sure the recitation of Buddha Amitabha's name would create the 'cause' to take rebirth in Sukhavati. However, I think we need to accumulate a lot of merits to open the 'seeds' planted with the recitation at the hour of our death. Hence, accumulation of merits is just as important if not more important because at the moment of death, it would be a very scary and traumatic experience if we are not prepared for it. Therefore, the merits can be accumulated by the recitation, offerings, Dharma work, volunteer work and other spiritual practices. In Tantra and holding our vows and holding our Guru devotion are some of the ways we can accumulate merits for this.

[Dondrup Shugden]

What a beautiful article and the moral behind Amithaba sutra.  Glad to be able to revive this article for your reading pleasure.

[yontenjamyang]

Dondrup. Amitabha has strong affinity with beings of out degenerate age and especially beings/practioners of the Mahayana form of Buddhism. Today even simple Chinese peasants have some form of basis reliance to Amitabha. That is how kind Buddhas are. Further as Kuanyin, the Buddha of compassion, the "disciple' of Amitabha is the most popular "goddess" in the pantheon of Mahayana Buddhist or even to Taoist.

The basic premise of Amitabha practice is salvation, similar to Christianity in that His promise of salvation to Sukhavati or the Western Paradise if one can chant his name before one passes on is very attractive for simple believers. That is not to say His practice is for simpler practitioners but He offers salvation for all which is unique in Buddhism.

[MoMo]

Amithaba Buddha has always been the center of the  Chinese communities . The simplicity of the promise of chanting the name of Amithaba one are promised to ascend to his pure land when  one earthy existence ended . To me, this will make great appeal  to the mass who does not like heavy study  of dharma . Therefore, are considered Buddhism for the peasant!!  Of course there are many Chinese scholar monks from the pure land sect but to woo the general mass into connecting with Buddhism. What’s more skillful than this in luring them in through this simple practice.

[yontenjamyang]

Amithaba Buddha has always been the center of the  Chinese communities . The simplicity of the promise of chanting the name of Amithaba one are promised to ascend to his pure land when  one earthy existence ended . To me, this will make great appeal  to the mass who does not like heavy study  of dharma . Therefore, are considered Buddhism for the peasant!!  Of course there are many Chinese scholar monks from the pure land sect but to woo the general mass into connecting with Buddhism. What’s more skillful than this in luring them in through this simple practice.

That is why we say the Buddha gave 84000 teachings for people of different physical, mental capacities and propensities. That is why He turn the Wheel of Dharma 3 times. The Dharma He taught can apply to al types of people, even those not Buddhist as it also plant a seed of the Dharma to the simplest being and to practice the Dharma one actually need the 18 opportune conditions.
So the Amitibha Sutra is definitely given in this context and as in the sutra, the Buddha said, beings on Earth has strong affinity with Amitabha Buddha.

[Dondrup Shugden]

Reading the comments as to the compassion of Amithaba to enable the simplest form for a human being to depart from this worldly form and have the opportunity to enter pure land is extremely comforting to me.

It is not that some people do not want to study Buddhism but rather due to current circumstances or negative karma that make the Dharma seed unable to flourish completely. At least this practice of Amithaba sutra will enable a continuation of the spiritual journey through another life time.

The great compassion of the Buddhas and of course the 84,000 teachings of Shakyumi says it all about the level of our ability to continue on our spiritual path to final enlightenment.

[Midakpa]

The following is an excerpt from a publication entitled "Pure Land Buddhism: A Guide to Support for the Dying Both Before and After" by the Amitabha Buddhist Society of Philadelphia, on the origin of Pure Land Buddhism:

"Shakyamuni saw people in our time having more addictions, worries, and wandering thoughts. Our deep-seated bad habits having become even more entrenched over thousands of lifetimes would make liberating ourselves solely by our own efforts almost impossible. He knew that to end one's problems and attain lasting happiness many people would need the help of another Buddha: Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light and Infinite Life.

Almost all of the teachings by Shakyamuni were the result of his being asked a question. In a departure from the norm, and when the time was right, Shakyamuni initiated the teaching that introduced Amitabha and his pure land. This spontaneous teaching by Shakyamuni is what makes this teaching so special.

In this teaching, Shakyamuni recounted how the bodhisattva Dharmakara, after witnessing the suffering of sentient beings, spent five eons studying all the Buddha lands. Dharmakara then made 48 vows, the fulfillment of which would create the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. He declared that he would not attain Buddhahood unless his vows for a perfect pure land, where all beings would advance along the Buddhist path and never again fall back into suffering, were accomplished. Once these vows were accomplished, Dharmakara Bodhisattva became Amitabha Buddha. He is now speaking the Dharma in his pure land and helping all who are truly sincere in their vows to be reborn there.

With help from Amitabha, we do not have to rely solely on ourselves to attain enlightenment as we would with other methods. In Pure Land Buddhism, we rely on the compassionate Buddhas and bodhisattvas to help us. Thus, reliance on self and on another are combined as we request by way of our mindful chanting that Amitabha Buddha, through the strength of his vows, help us to be reborn in the Pure Land as we breathe our last breath in our present body."

From this brief account, it can be gathered that sincerity in one's practice, belief and vows as well as reliance on the Buddhas and bodhisattvas are essential to be successful in gaining the Pure land.

[Midakpa]

Buddhas have the power to create their pure lands. Amitabha's pure land has many benefits, due to his merits virtues and purity. Here is an excerpt from "Pure Land Buddhism" (A guide to support for the dying both before and after) which describes the pure land of Amitabha: "Through his vows, Amitabha helps all beings create the causes to plant the roots of goodness. With his deeds, he creates the conditions for beings to accumulate merits. With his purity, he has created a perfect land - one that is free from pollution, anger and intolerance. It is a land of peace and security. It is a world of equality, joy, and beauty."

Another passage says: "Amitabha also vowed that once we attain this rebirth, we will always progress in our practice and learning. We will be able to continue our practice in the Pure Land, or, when we choose, return to this and other worlds to help others, without being affected by unfavourable environments or our former bad habits. If we wish, we will be able to do this even before we attain supreme enlightenment."

This is in line with Mahayana Buddhism that Bodhisattvas can opt to return to Samsara to help sentient beings and thus delay their own attainment of  Buddhahood.