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Synopsis of the Aparimitayus Sutra
The Bhikkhu Dharmakara devoted his thoughts to the teachings of the then Buddha,
(Buddha Lokesvararadjna) for a period of five Kalpas, again he went to pay homage to
the Buddha Lokesvararadjna and made forty-eight vows for the realization of his
prospective country and said:
May the World Honored One thus listen to me as to what my vows are,
in regard to how, after I shall have attained the Buddha-hood, my own
Buddha-country shall thus be realized, as follows:
Vow 1 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine there should be either
hell, or the animal state of existence, or the realm of hungry ghost, then may I not attain
the enlightenment.
Vow 2 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings who are born there
should fall away (die) into the three evil realms, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 3 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings who are born there should
not all be of the colour of genuine gold, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 4 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine the beings who are born there
should not all be of one appearance without the difference of noble looking or ugly
lineaments, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 5 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine the beings who are born there
should not be possessed of the supernormal knowledge of recollecting the previous lives of
themselves (Purvanivasana i.e. knowledge of all reincarnations), and knowing the events of
evolution of hundred thousand nayuta years of kalpas, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 6 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings who are born there should not
be possessed of the Divine-eye (Divyatchakchus) which can see a hundred thousand nayuta of
Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 7 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not be possessed of the
Divine-ear (Divyassrotra) which to be able to hear the preachings of a hundred thousand
kotis of nayuta of Buddhas, and to a faithful observance, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 8 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all possessed the
Intuitive-mind (Paratchittadjna) knowing the thoughts of all beings of a hundred thousand kotis of
nayuta of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 9 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all
possessed of the Heavenly-step (Riddisakchatkriya) which can in the shortest moment of one
thought travelling over a hundred thousand kotis of nayuta of Buddha-countries, then may I
not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 10 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should have arise in their minds
the idea of selfishness and covetous thoughts, even with regard to their own bodies, then
may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 11 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all be
firmly abiding in a concentrated state of meditation and equanimity (Samadhi) till they have
reached Nirvana, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 12 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if my light should be limited in measurement so that it could not
illuminate a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 13 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the measure of my life should be limited, even by counting a hundred thousand
nayuta of kotis of Kalpas, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 14 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if any being should be able to count innumerable pupils belonging to me in that
country of mine, even if all the beings of those three million worlds and the whole triple
chiliocosm, who after having become Pratyeka-Buddhas, count and continue to do so for a
period of a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Kalpas, could know the balance, then may I
not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 15 :
Provided I become a Buddha, the life of the beings in that country of mine should be
eternal, excepting by their own free will whenever they choose to pass away from life,
otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 16 :
Provided I become a Buddha, there should be no evil or sinful existence in that country
of mine, even its very name is unknown. Otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 17 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the innumerable Buddhas of the worlds of ten quarters do
not glorify my name, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 18 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of the ten quarters who after having heard my name,
and thus awakened their highest faith and aspiration of re-birth in that country of mine,
even they have recollected such a thought for ten times only, they are destinated to be
born there, with the exception of those who have committed the five deadly sins (Anantarya),
and who have blasphemed the orthodox Law (Dharma), otherwise may I not attain the
enlightenment.
Vow 19 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of ten quarters who have directed their thoughts towards
the Bodhi and cultivated their stock of various merits with a fervent craving for re-birth
in that country of mine, if at the moment of death, should I not appear with an assembly of
retinue before them, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 20 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of ten quarters, after having heard my name always
longing for that country of mine and cultivating various essential merits for the purpose
of realizing their earnest wish to be born in my country, should their fulfillment be
failed, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 21 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mine should not all be
endowed with the glorious body perfected with the thirty-two attributes (Laksanani) of
a great being, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 22 :
Provided I become a Buddha, the Bodhisattvas who come to be born in that country of
mine are to be bound to that one birth only, then to become Buddha-elect
(Ekajatipratibuddhas), with the exception of those who by their own free will remain in the
stage of Bodhisattva-hood for the sake of delivering various beings, wearing the armour of
vows to travel to all worlds, performing their Boddhisattva-duties and accumulating their
stock of merit, who wish to serve the Buddhas of ten quarters, and convert the various
beings in number like grains of sand of the River Ganges to the highest perfect knowledge,
whose activities have surpassed the stage of ordinary beings, and who practise the universal
virtue of Samantabhadra, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 23 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattvas in that country of mine, through the
Grace of the Buddha should not be able to serve all the Buddhas throughout the countless
nayuta of Buddha-worlds within a moment as short as a length of time of refreshment, then
may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 24 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattva in that country of mine who wish their
stock of merit to produce any appliance to be used before the Buddhas, should such things
not appear for them to their satisfaction, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 25 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattvas in that country of mine should not be
able to preach the law of wisdom in completion, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 26 :
Provided I become a Buddha, those Bodhisattva of that country of mine should not all be in
possession of a golden body as strong as the diamond of Narayana, then may I not attain the
enlightenment.
Vow 27 :
Provided I become a Buddha, the heavenly beings and the various properties produced in
that country of mine should all be of supreme beauty and in boundless quantity, and in the
infinity of various forms. If any being therein who even possessed the divine-eye is able to
perceive the appellations and quantity of such beauties, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 28 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattva of that country of mine who possesses even the least
stock of merit, should not perceive the boundless shining beauty of the Bodhi-trees of my
sanctuary, their height being at least four millions of miles, then may I not attain enlightenment.
Vow 29 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattva of that country of mine should not all
possess the wisdom of eloquent oration after having read, recited, and observed the Dharma
of the sutras, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 30 :
Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattvas of that country of mine, have their
wisdom of oration limited, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 31 :
When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if that country of mine should not be limpid and
brilliant as to reflect the miniatures of the innumerable, inconceivable and boundless
Buddha-worlds of ten quarters as one's face is seen in a bright mirror, then may I not
attain the enlightenment.
Vow 32 :
If after I have obtained the Buddhahood, in that country of mine, there should be magnificent
palaces towering up from the ground to the void, also the lakes, winding streams, blossoming
trees, and all other properties which are compounded of various jewels and thousands of
kinds of perfumes, minutely embellished in the most wondrous state surpassing all heavenly
and human worlds. The scent of the perfumes should thoroughly pervade the worlds of ten
quarters, whereof the Bodhisattvas, having smelt them thereby directed their minds to Bodhi;
otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 33 :
When I obtain the Buddhahood, any being of the boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds
of the ten quarters whose body if be touched by the rays of my splendour should not make his
body and mind gentle and peaceful, in such a state that he is far more sublime than the
gods and men, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 34 :
When I obtain the Buddhahood, if the beings of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds
should not attain the "Endurance of Nirvanic Life" (Ajatah sarvadharmah) of Bodhisattva,
and the deep knowledge of "Adharanamudro" (or Dharani?) after having heard my name, then may
I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 35 :
When I obtain the Buddhahood, women of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten
quarters after having heard my name thereby awakened in faith and joyful aspiration, and
turning their minds towards Bodhi, therefore dislike their own female lives, when they be
born again, in their next life should not be incarnated into a masculine body, then may I
not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 36 :
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds
of the ten quarters after having heard my name, after their death (in their next life)
will still continue their Bodhisattva-duty till they have obtained the Buddhahood,
otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 37 :
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the heavenly beings of boundless and inconceivable Buddha-worlds
of the ten quarters, having heard my name, should not worship me with prostrate reverence,
and joyfully and faithfully perform their Bodhisattva-duty, and be honoured by gods and men,
then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 38 :
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the heavenly beings of that country of mine, should they
desire a garment will be able to perceive themselves, as quick as thought, covered by
apparitionally produced costumes, excellent to their satisfaction, worthy to be praised by
the Buddha, without the work of sewing, washing, dying, etc. Otherwise may I not attain enlightenment.
Vow 39 :
When I attain the Buddhahood, if the heavenly beings of that country of mine should
not be enjoying happiness as great as that that of the holy bhikkhus,(Asravakchava the
finality of the stream of passions) then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 40 :
When I attain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of that country of mine wish to see
the boundless, holy, pure Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters, they will at once behold them
from the jewel-trees as though one's face were being reflected in a highly burnished,
brilliant mirror, otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 41 :
When I attain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other worlds after having heard my name,
should suffer from any diminution in the functional powers and not be endowed with all
sense-organs in completion before reaching the Buddhahood, then may I not attain the enlightenment.
Vow 42 :
When I obtain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas hearing my name from other Buddha-countries,
should not all attain the pure Samadhi of emancipation (Suvibhaktavati) from which they
could serve innumerable and inconceivable number of Buddhas, Tathagatas, by a moment of
thought; and if that Samadhi of theirs should come to an end meanwhile, then may I not attain enlightenment.
Vow 43 :
If after I have obtained the Buddhahood, that any Bodhisattva of other countries having
heard my name, will be incarnated as a member of a noble family (if he so desires) when he
dies, otherwise may I not attain enlightenment.
Vow 44 :
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name will all
obtain a combination of full virtues and joyfully perform their Bodhisattva-duty, otherwise
may I not attain enlightenment.
Vow 45 :
When I have obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name,
all will attain the "Samantanugata"(the thoroughly and equal Samadhi in a fixed state of
meditation) through that Samadhi they will see innumerable and inconceivable Buddhas
constantly till they have obtained the Buddhahood, otherwise may I for-bear from obtaining
enlightenment.
Vow 46 :
When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of that country of mine should be able to hear
the preachings of the Dharma whenever they desire (the voices of teaching will present
themselves naturally to their ears), otherwise may I refrain from attaining enlightenment.
Vow 47 :
When I have obtain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other countries after having heard my name
should not immediately reach the state of Avaivartika (i.e. not turning back from Bodhi),
then I would refrain from attaining enlightenment.
Vow 48 :
When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other countries having heard my name should
not reach the first, second and third degrees of Dharma-endurance immediately or should
turn back from the Law of Buddhas, then I would refrain from attaining enlightenment.
And again, O Ananda (This was addressed to him by Buddha Sakayumuni) when that
Bhikkhu Dharmakara had spoken such prayers, he also apoke the following verses
(from the first to the eleventh verses are here omitted) "12th, O Bhagavat,
(this was addressed to the Tathagata Lokesvararadja) if these vows of mine can be
realized in the future, may this great chiliocosm of thousands of worlds tremble,
and may a shower of wondrous jewel-flowers descend from the gods in the cosmic void".
Then again, O Ananda, when that Bhikku Dharmakara had concluded his reciting of
such exalted prayers, at once the sphere wholly trembled in six manners, and wondrous
flowers gracefully rained down from the sky, also there was a heavenly music sounding
with praise: "Thou art sure to obtain the unsurpassed, highest, and perfect knowledge
of Thy fulfilment."
Then, the blessed Ananda asked the Buddha: Has that Bhikkhu Dharmakara now become a
Buddha or not yet? The Buddha (Sakyamuni) replied to Ananda: The Bodhisattva Dharmakara
has now already become a Buddha; and in the western part from here over a hundred
thousand kotis of Buddha-worlds, there his Buddha-country is situated, and it is named
"The World of Peace and Happiness."
(This translation is adopted from Miss P. C. Lee. The Two Buddhist Books in Mahayana).
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