the mahayana sutra concerning the noble arya amitayus, limitless life and wisdom

The Mahayana Sutra ConcerningThe Noble Arya Amitayus, Limitless Life and Wisdom

ENGLISH TRANSLATION BYmike dickman

Buddha Amitayus

I

the root text

In Sanskrit this is called the ARYA APARIMITA AYUGYANA NAMA MAHAYANA SUTRA,

which, in Tibetan, is The Mahayana Sutra Concerning the Noble Arya, Amitayus, Limitless Life and Wisdom

To all buddhas and bodhisattvas I bow down.

This is what I heard on one occasion.

The Bhagavan was staying in Anathapindada's pleasuregarden in the Jetavana Grove at Shravasti along with a company of one hundred and fifty monks and thirteen Mahasangha monks, as well as a vast number of bodhisattvamahasattvas.

The Bhagavan then spoke to Majushrikumarabhuta:Majushri, upwards of here there is a worldly realm called Limitless Qualities. There, The Onee Who Courses in Thusness, Subduer of the Enemy, Utterly Pure and Perfected Buddha, Limitless Life and Wisdom, King of the Radiant Splendour of Perfect Certainty. Supporting of life, proclaiming transcendence of the limits of life, he is teaching the Dharma to all sentient beings.

Listen, Majushrikumarabhuta! The human beings of (our universe) Jambudvipa have a short life of a mere hundred years, and, it is taught, most of them die even before their due time.Majushri, any sentient being who will write down or cause to be written this Dharma elucidation called The Total Exposition and Praise of the Qualities of the Tathagata Limitless Life and Wisdom, who will listen to so much as a single syllable of it, read it and write it down in a volume, causing it to be kept in their house and making offerings of flowers, incense, garlands, unguents and powdered incense, except where their lifeforce is completely exhausted, such a one will be able to reach a lifespan of a hundred years.

Majushri, the lifespan of any sentient being who hears the onehundredandeight fold name of the Tathagata, Limitless Life and Wisdom, King of the Radiant Splendour of Perfect Certainty, will be radically increased.

The lifespan of any sentient being who, at the total extinction of his or her life, shall take up this name, shall be radically increased.

This being so, Majushri, all sons and daughters of good family who wish for long life should give ear to the hundredandeightfold name of the Tathagata Limitless Life and Wisdom, write it down, cause it to be written and recite it and they too shall have such qualities and auspiciousness.

OM NAMO BHAGAWATE APARIMITA AYURGYANA SUBINISHTA TEDZO RADZAYA TATHAGATAYA ARAHATE SAMYAK SAMBUDDHAYA T'EYATA OM PUNYE PUNYE MAHAPUNYE APARIMITA PUNYE APARIMITA PUNYA GYANA SAMBHARO PATSITE OM SARWA SAMSKARA PARISHUDDHA DHARMATE GAGANA SAMUDGATE SOBHAWA BISHUDDHE MAHANAYA PARIWARE SOHA

Majushri, whosoever writes down this hundredandeightfold name of the Tathagata, causes it to be written, writes it into a volume and keeps it in his or her house and recites it, at the exhaustion of their life will obtain a lifespan of a hundred years, and, when dying at the end of this, will be transported to Limitless Qualities, the Buddhafield of the Tathagata, Limitless Life, and there take birth.

OM NAMO BHAGAWATE APARIMITA AYURGYANA SUBINISHTA TEDZO RADZAYA TATHAGATAYA ARAHATE SAMYAK SAMBUDDHAYA T'EYATA OM PUNYE PUNYE MAHAPUNYE APARIMITA PUNYE APARIMITA PUNYA GYANA SAMBHARO PATSITE OM SARWA SAMSKARA PARISHUDDHA DHARMATE GAGANA SAMUDGATE SOBHAWA BISHUDDHE MAHANAYA PARIWARE SOHA.

And, at that time, this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom was recited with one mind and single voice by nine hundred and ninety million Buddhas.


Also at that time, this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom was recited with one mind and single voice by eight hundred and forty million Buddhas.


Furthermore at that time, this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom was recited with one mind and single voice by seven hundred and seventy million Buddhas.


Again, at that time, this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom was recited, with one mind and single voice, by six hundred and fifty million Buddhas.


Again, at that time, this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom was recited, with one mind and single voice, by five hundred and fifty million Buddhas.


Again, at that time, this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom was recited, with one mind and single voice, by four hundred and fifty million Buddhas.


Again, at that time, this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom was recited, with one mind and single voice, by three hundred and sixty million Buddhas.


Also, at that time, this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom was recited, with one mind and single voice, by two hundred and fifty million Buddhas.


Again, at that time, this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom was recited, with one mind and single voice, by as many Buddhas as there are sands in one hundred million River Ganges.


Whosoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom at the end of their life will attain a lifespan of one hundred years. Their lifespan will be radically extended.


Whoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom will never be reborn in the hell realms, the realm of the beasts or in the realms of Yama, the Lord of Death, or, never again taking rebirth in a state lacking freedom, he or she will recall all (previous) births, wherever and whatever they may have been.


Whosoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom is one who has entered into and examined the eightyfour thousand collections of Dharma.


Whoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom will be one who has entered into the eightyfour thousand assemblies of the Dharma and perfectly abides in them.


Whosoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom even if he or she has committed the five inexpiable sins of immediate retribution, will be thoroughly cleansed and purified.


Even if he or she has committed a heap of sins as great as Mount Sumeru, whoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom will be thoroughly cleansed and purified.


Even if Mara and the divine armies of Mara, yakshas and rakshasas are seeking an opportunity to harm him or her, whoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom will not fall into their clutches.


Whosoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom will receive prophecy (of their forthcoming enlightenment) in the presence of nine hundred and thirty million buddhas at the time of his or her death, and a hundred thousand buddhas will lay hands on them. They shall go from buddhafield to buddhafield and regarding this you should have neither hesitation, distrust nor doubt.


Whosoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom is closely followed by the four great kings (of the cardinal directions) and will be protected, sheltered and concealed.


Whoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom will be reborn in BlissEndowed, the buddha field of the Tathagata Limitless Light.


Wherever this rare and precious Sutra is written down will be transformed into a support of veneration (stupa).If it is spoken into the ear of one who has been born a bird or animal in the estate of the beasts, that being will reach perfection in peerlessly purified and total enlightenment.


Whosoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom will never be reborn in the body of a woman.


Whoever gives an oblation of one single karshapanicoin for the sake of this Dharma treatise on Limitless Life and Wisdom has made an offering of the entire threefold great chiliocosm, completely filled with the seven precious substances.


Anyone who makes offering to this Dharma treatise has made an offering to the entire Holy Dharma.


Thus, for example, the amount of merit arising from making offerings of the seven precious things to the Tathagatas Vipashvin the Clear Observer, CrownCrested Vijaya, AllProtecting Vishvantara, Shraddhavipanaviskkambhin, He Who Dispels Erroneous Faith, The Golden Hero Kanakumuni, Kashyapa, Keeper of the Light, Shakyamuni, Hero of the Shakyas, and so on, may be estimated but the merit contained within this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom is incommensurable.


This being so, if you were to pile up a heap of jewels the size of the Perfect King of Mountains, for example, the mass of merit in such an oblation could (still) be measured but the amount of merit contained in this Sutra of Limitless Light and Wisdom can not be counted.


Thus, for example, the drops filling the four great oceans might each be counted but the amount of merit contained within this Sutra of Limitless Light and Wisdom is incommensurable.


Whoever writes down or causes to be written down this Sutra of Limitless Life and Wisdom, honouring it, bowing to it respectfully and making offerings, that person will have made prostration and offerings to all Tathagatas in each of the buddhalands throughout the ten directions.


Perfectly supreme is the power of the generosity of the Buddha. That the power of the generosity of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of generosity.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the moral discipline of the Buddha.That the power of the moral discipline of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of moral discipline.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the patience of the Buddha.That the power of the patience of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of patience.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the diligence of the Buddha.That the power of the diligence of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of diligence.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the meditative stability of the Buddha.That the power of the meditative stability of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of meditative contemplation.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the perfect insight of the Buddha. That the power of the perfect insight of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of perfect insight.


The Bhagavan having joyfully uttered these words, delighting in them, Majushrikumarabhuta and the entire retinue, gods, men, antigods, gandharvas and the whole animate and inanimate world were filled with joy and heartily approved the Bhagavan's speech.

The Mahayana Sutra Concerning the Noble Arya Amitayus, Limitless Light and Wisdom, is thus complete.

It was translated into Tibetan by the Indian pandita Punyasambhava and lotsawa Patsab Nyima Drag.

II

the mantras

The HeartEssence of the Nine KriyaTantra Gods of Limitless Life

OM NAMO DHRUM AYU GYANA HRIH AROLIKA HUNG HRIH

Their Quintessential Mantra

OM TEYAT'A APARIMITA AYUGYANA HRIH HUNG DHRUM SOHA

The Quintessence of Long Life from the Text of the Realisation Tantra of Ekavira, Solitary Hero

OM AMARANI DZIWNTIYE SOHA

The KriyaTantra LongLife Dharani, 'The Twofold OM

OM NAMO BHAGAWATE APARIMITA AYURGYANA SUBINISHTA TEDZO RADZAYA TATHAGATAYA ARAHATE SAMYAK SAMBUDDHAYA T'EYATA OM SARWA SAMSKARA PARISHUDDHA DHARMATE GAGANA SAMUDGATE SOBHAWA BISHUDDHE MAHANAYA PARIWARE SOHA

The Aspirational Mantra from the Queen of Realisation Sadhana

OM BENZRA AYUKE SA RA HE KA RA RE SHO RA RE HUNG

The Intrinsic Dharani of Deathlessness

NAMO BUDDHAYA NAMO DHARMAYA NAMAH SANGHAYA TEYAT'A ITTE BATTE NATTE KUNATE TRAKKE TR'AKKE TR'ARAKKE ARUMATI RURUMATI RURU HILLIMILLI SABBAJA DUPADAGGA NAMAH SABBA SAMMA SAMUDZHANI SIDZHANTUME MANTRA PADAH SOHA

The Quintessential Union of Amitayus and Hayagriva

OM AH HUNG HRIH HRIH BENZAR GURU PEMA SIDDHI PUNYE GYANA AYU SIDDHI DZAH

Thus it is said.

III

the colophon

May the Dharani of Infinite Life and Wisdom,beloved of the AllConquering and Realised Protectors,bhe merit of writing, reading and retaining which is so renowned,bipen in the minds of both myself and others!

This was thus written at the fervent request of the realised one of Namkar. The blocks for this text are in the Printing House of MiseryDispelling Sacred Texts at the Dharma Encampment of Rumtek.

SARWADA KALYANAM BHAWATU! May allpervading auspiciousness arise!

IV

A short sadhana from the Dd'jom Chchd

Lord Amitayus, guide of the world,glorious victor over all untimely death,protector of those who suffer a lack of ward or guardian to the Buddha Limitless Life, I bow down


Perfectly supreme is the power of the generosity of the Buddha. That the power of the generosity of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of generosity.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the moral discipline of the Buddha.That the power of the moral discipline of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of moral discipline.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the patience of the Buddha.That the power of the patience of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of patience.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the diligence of the Buddha.That the power of the diligence of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of diligence.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the meditative stability of the Buddha.That the power of the meditative stability of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of meditative contemplation.

Perfectly supreme is the power of the perfect insight of the Buddha. That the power of the perfect insight of the Lion Among Men be understoodand so that you may enter into the Fortress of Great Compassion,I proclaim this song of the power of perfect insight.

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the mahayana sutra concerning the noble arya amitayus, limitless life and wisdom

Documents

tathagata limitless

short life

long life

limits of life

limitless qualities

sentient beings

perfected buddha

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