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53-511: According to the Larger Sūtra of Immeasurable Life , Amitābha was, in very ancient times and possibly in another system of worlds, a monk named Dharmākara. In some versions of the sūtra , Dharmākara is described as a former king who, having come into contact with Buddhist teachings through the buddha Lokeśvararāja , renounced his throne. He then resolved to become a Buddha and to create a buddhakṣetra (literally "buddha-field", often called

106-536: A country, endowed with many and various mighty and divine endowments, I should gladly go to hell, suffering pain, and not be a King of treasures.” [verse 2] "The lord of vast light, incomparable and infinite, has illuminated all Buddha countries in all the quarters, he has quieted passions, all sins and errors, he has quieted the fire in the walk of hell." [verse 5] The Chinese translation: 神力演大光 普照無際土 消除三垢冥 明濟眾厄難　 East Asian Buddhism East Asian Buddhism or East Asian Mahayana

159-700: A sutra is the Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra , translated into Chinese by Lokakṣema in 179 CE, with the discovery of a Gandhari language fragment of that sutra announced in 2018. Jeff Wilson writes that over a fifth of the sutras in the Taishō Tripiṭaka reference Amitābha, but three sutras in particular have become seen as canonical in East Asian Buddhism: Amitābha is understood as the Buddha of comprehensive love. Amitābha's pure land

212-418: A "Pureland" or "Buddha Land": a realm existing in the primordial universe outside of ordinary reality, 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 Pureland Dharmākara 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

265-598: A compound of amita ("infinite") and āyus ("life"), and so means "he whose life is boundless". In Chinese, 阿彌陀佛 , pronounced "Ēmítuófó", is the Chinese pronunciation for the Sanskrit name of the Amitābha Buddha (Amida Buddha). The "e mi tuo" is the transliteration of the Sanskrit word "amita" which means "boundless" ( 無量 , "wuliang"). "Fo" is the Chinese word for "Buddha". In Vietnamese , Korean , and Japanese,

318-555: A detailed account of the various levels and beings in the Mahāyāna Buddhist cosmology. The sutra also contains the forty-eight vows of Amitābha to save all sentient beings. The eighteenth vow is among the most important as it forms a basic tenet of Pure Land Buddhism . This vow states that if a sentient being makes even ten recitations of the Amitābha's name ( nianfo ) they will attain certain rebirth into Amitābha's pure land. Lastly

371-647: A pure land called Sukhāvatī ( Sanskrit : "possessing happiness"). Sukhāvatī is situated in the uttermost west, beyond the bounds of our own world. By the power of his vows, Amitābha has made it possible for all who call upon him to be reborn into this land, there to undergo instruction by him in the dharma and ultimately become bodhisattvas and buddhas in their turn (the ultimate goal of Mahāyāna Buddhism). From there, these same bodhisattvas and buddhas return to our world to help yet more people while still residing in his land of Sukhāvatī , whose many virtues and joys are described. The earliest known reference to Amitābha in

424-523: A thousand years with the first woodblock printed edition being published in 983. A major modern edition of this canon is the Taishō Tripiṭaka , produced in Japan between 1924 and 1932. Besides sharing a canon of scripture, the various forms of East Asian Buddhism have also adapted East Asian values and practices which were not prominent in Indian Buddhism , such as Chinese ancestor veneration and

477-624: Is a collective term for the schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism that developed across East Asia and which rely on the Chinese Buddhist canon . These include the various forms of Chinese , Japanese , Korean , and Vietnamese Buddhism in East Asia . East Asian Buddhists constitute the numerically largest body of Buddhist traditions in the world, numbering over half of the world's Buddhists. East Asian forms of Buddhism all derive from sinicized Buddhist schools that developed during

530-532: Is a work of Kushan art , made during the Kushan Empire (30–375 CE), and was dedicated to "Amitābha Buddha" by a family of merchants. Gregory Schopen translates the inscription as follows: The 26th year of the Great King Huveṣka, the 2nd month, the 26th day. On this day by Nāgarakṣita, the (father) of the trader (Sax-caka), the grandson of the merchant Balakatta, the (son of Buddhapila), an image of

583-512: Is also called Amida Nyorai ( Japanese : 阿弥陀如来 , "the Tathāgata Amitābha") . In Tibetan, Amitābha is called འོད་དཔག་མེད་ Wylie : ' od dpag med , THL : Öpakmé and in its reflex form as Amitāyus, ཚེ་དཔག་མེད་ Wylie : tshe dpag med , THL : Tsépakmé . They are iconographically distinct. When in the descending standing position, Amitābha is often shown with left arm bare and extended downward with thumb and forefinger touching, with

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636-454: Is believed to have been translated into Chinese twelve times from the original Sanskrit from 147 to 713 CE. Only five translations are extant in the Chinese Buddhist canon . The five Chinese translations are (in order of translation date): Furthermore, there is a Tibetan translation, which is similar to the last two later recensions in Chinese. This is the ’Phags pa ’od dpag med kyi bkod pa (*Āryāmitābhavyūha; D 49/P 760) translated in

689-588: Is considered one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas known also as the Five Tathagatas together with Akshobhya , Amoghasiddhi , Ratnasambhava , and Vairocana . Amitābha is associated with the western direction and the skandha of saṃjñā , the aggregate of perception, or distinguishing, and the deep awareness of individuality. His co-equal is the female Buddha Pāṇḍaravāsinī . His two main disciples (the same number as Gautama Buddha ) are

742-600: Is described as being in the West, and he works for the enlightenment of all beings (represented iconographically as a blessing Buddha). The Amitayurdhyana Sutra recommends and describes at length the practice of visualising Amitābha and the Pure Land. The other two sutras do not detail visualisation practices, and have been interpreted in different ways, such as the nianfo practice of repeatedly saying Amitābha's name. Other practices developed from these sutras include practices at

795-546: Is focused around Amitābha Buddha. In East Asian Pure Land traditions, the main religious practice is the recitation or chanting of the phrase 南無阿彌陀佛 ( Mandarin : Nāmó Ēmítuófó, Japanese: Namu Amida Butsu) which means "Homage to Amitābha Buddha". Amitābha is also known in Tibet , Mongolia , Nepal , India and other regions where Tibetan Buddhism is practiced. In the Highest Yogatantra of Tibetan Buddhism, Amitābha

848-459: Is infinite". The name Amitāyus (nominative form Amitāyuḥ ) is also used for the Sambhogakāya aspect of Amitābha, particularly associated with longevity. He is mostly depicted sitting and holding in his hands a vessel containing the nectar of immortality. In Tibetan Buddhism, Amitāyus is also one of the three deities of long life (Amitāyus, White Tara and Uṣṇīṣavijayā ). Amitāyus being

901-773: Is often translated in English as either the Sutra [on the Buddha] of Immeasurable Life , or simply the Immeasurable Life Sutra . Some scholars believe that the Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra was compiled in the age of the Kushan Empire in the first and second centuries by an order of Mahīśāsaka monastics who flourished in the Gandhāra region. It is likely that the longer Sukhāvatīvyūha owed greatly to

954-464: Is the easiest way to distinguish them. Amitāyus is an emanation of Amitābha. Amitābha is the head of the Lotus family. In Vajrayana, Amitābha is the most ancient of the Five Tathagatas . He is of red color originating from the red seed syllable hrīḥ . He represents the cosmic element of "Sanjana" (name). His vehicle is the peacock. He exhibits Samadhi Mudra his two palms folded face up, one on top of

1007-521: The Ajitasena Sutra , Samādhirāja Sūtra and Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra . The appearance of such literature and sculptural remains at the end of the second century suggests that the teachings on Amitābha we becoming popular in the first and second centuries CE. Furthermore, there are sculptures of Amitabha in dhyani mudras as well as bronzes of Amitābha in abhaya mudra from the Gandhara era of

1060-605: The Buddhabhadra / Saṅghavarman translation which became the standard in Chinese Buddhism. The Dilun scholar Jingying Huiyuan (淨影慧遠, J. Jōyō Eon) wrote the earliest extant Chinese commentary to the Sutra of Immeasurable Life. Jizang (549-623) of the Sanlun school, also wrote an early commentary on this sutra . In Japan, the 12th-century Pure Land scholar Hōnen wrote four separate commentaries on

1113-684: The Han dynasty and the Song dynasty , and therefore are influenced by Chinese culture and philosophy . The spread of Buddhism to East Asia was aided by the trade networks of the Silk Road and the missionary work of generations of Indian and Asian Buddhists. Some of the most influential East Asian traditions include Chan (Zen) , Nichiren Buddhism , Pure Land , Huayan , Tiantai , and Chinese Esoteric Buddhism . These schools developed new, uniquely East Asian interpretations of Buddhist texts and focused on

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1166-552: The Japanese invasion of Korea in the 16th century, leading to a slow period of recovery that lasted into the 20th century. The Seon school, derived from Chinese Chan Buddhism , was introduced in the 7th century and grew to become the most widespread form of modern Korean Buddhism, with the Jogye Order and Taego Order as its two main branches. Bordering southern China, Buddhism may have first come to Vietnam as early as

1219-738: The Lokottaravāda sect as well for its compilation, and in this sūtra there are many elements in common with the Mahāvastu . The earliest of the Chinese translations show traces of having been translated from the Gāndhārī language , a prakrit used in the Northwest. It is also known that manuscripts in the Kharoṣṭhī script existed in China during this period. Traditionally the Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra

1272-566: The Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra, is one of the two Indian Mahayana sutras which describe the pure land of Amitābha (also known as Amitāyus, "Measureless Life"). Together with the Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra , this text is highly influential in East Asian Buddhism. It is one of the three central scriptures of East Asian Pure Land Buddhism , and is widely revered and chanted by Pure Land Buddhists throughout Asia. The title

1325-639: The Shamarpas are considered to be emanations of Amitābha. In Shingon Buddhism , Amitābha is seen as one of the thirteen Buddhas to whom practitioners can pay homage. Shingon, like Tibetan Buddhism, also uses special devotional mantras for Amitābha, though the mantras used differ. Amitābha is also one of the Buddhas featured in the Womb Realm Mandala used in Shingon practices , and sits to

1378-591: The bodhisattvas Vajrapani and Avalokiteśvara , the former to his left and the latter to his right. In Tibetan Buddhism , there exist a number of famous prayers for taking rebirth in Sukhāvatī ( Dewachen ). One of these was written by Je Tsongkhapa , on the request of Manjushri . Amitābha is primarily invoked in Tibet during the phowa practices, or invoked as Amitāyus – especially in practices relating to longevity and preventing an untimely death. The Panchen Lamas and

1431-614: The 8th century, the Chan school began to emerge, eventually becoming the most influential Buddhist school in East Asia and spreading throughout the region. Buddhism was officially introduced to Japan from China and Korea during the 5th and 6th centuries AD. In addition to developing their own versions of Chinese and Korean traditions (such as Zen , a Japanese form of Chan and Shingon , a form of Chinese Esoteric Buddhism), Japan developed their own indigenous traditions like Tendai , based on

1484-694: The 9th century by Jinamitra , Dānaśīla, and Ye shes sde . In addition to the translations, the Sūtra is also extant in Sanskrit , surviving in a late Nepalese manuscript. The Sanskrit has been directly translated into English by F. Max Mueller . It is a "late recension" type similar to the Tibetan edition. There are also several fragments of another version in Sanskrit, along with fragments of Uighur, Khotanese, and Xixia translations. According to Luis O. Gomez, there are some significant differences between

1537-670: The Blessed One, the Buddha Amitābha was set up for the worship of all buddhas. Through this root of merit (may) all living things (obtain) the unexcelled knowledge of a buddha. Another early epigraphic mention of Amitabha (c. 610 CE) is found in Patan (Lalitpur) . It is a verse which states: I praise Amitabha, the best, dispeller of illusion by the light of great prajña . The light, victor who lives in Sukhavati with Lokesvara ,

1590-591: The Chinese Tiantai , Nichiren , and Jōdo Shinshū (a Pure Land school). Buddhism was introduced to Korea from China during the 4th century, where it began to be practiced alongside indigenous shamanism. Following strong state support in the Goryeo era, Buddhism was suppressed during the Joseon period in favor of Neo-Confucianism . Suppression was finally ended due to Buddhist participation in repelling

1643-982: The Confucian view of filial piety . East Asian Buddhist monastics generally follow the monastic rule known as the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya . One major exception is some schools of Japanese Buddhism where Buddhist clergy sometimes marry, without following the traditional monastic code or Vinaya . This developed during the Meiji Restoration , when a nationwide campaign against Buddhism forced certain Japanese Buddhist sects to change their practices. Buddhism in China has been characterized by complex interactions with China's indigenous religious traditions, Taoism and Confucianism , and varied between periods of institutional support and repression from governments and dynasties. Buddhism

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1696-661: The Great Buddha of Kamakura ( 鎌倉大仏 ) at Kōtoku-in or the exposition mudrā, while the earth-touching mudrā (right hand pointed downward over the right leg, palm inward) is reserved for a seated Gautama Buddha alone. He can also be seen holding a lotus in his hands while displaying the meditation mudrā. There is a difference between Amitāyus and Amitābha. Amitāyus—the Buddha of Infinite Life—and Amitābha—the Buddha of Infinite Light—are essentially identical, being reflective images of one another. Sutras in which Gautama Buddha expounds

1749-481: The Sanskrit and the Chinese edition of Buddhabhadra / Saṅghavarman . Gomez writes: the order of the narrative and the argument deviate, sometimes only on minor points, sometimes in major ways; differences in content occur throughout, and range from a regrouping and rearrangement of important themes (in the content and structure of the verse portions, for instance, and in the vows), to significant omissions and additions. The parallels, however, are more and stronger than

1802-626: The destroyer of the fear arising in the world, bearer of the lotus, and Mahasthamaprapta , the affectionate-hearted one. Regarding textual evidence, the earliest Buddhist sutra mentioning Amitābha is the translation into Chinese of the Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra (般舟三昧經; Bozhōu Sānmèi Jīng ) by the Kushan monk Lokakṣema around 180. This text has been dated to between the 1st century BCE and 2nd century CE by modern buddhologists. Other early Mahayana texts mentioning Amitabha include

1855-590: The divergences, so that our understanding of one version may still benefit from our reading of the other. Two long passages in Sanghavarman's version have no correspondence in the Sanskrit (or, for that matter, in the Tibetan) versions. These passages are probably "interpolations," but we have no way of knowing for certain today where and when they were added to the text. There are over twenty commentaries on this sutra written in China, Korea and Japan, all based on

1908-632: The first century, suggesting the popularity of Amitābha during that time. One of the last prayer busts of Amitābha can be found in the trademark black stone of the Pala Empire (c. 750–1161 CE), which was the last Buddhist empire of India. Infinite Life Sutra The Amitāyus Sutra ( Sanskrit ), simplified Chinese : 佛说无量壽經 ; traditional Chinese : 佛說無量壽經 ; pinyin : Fóshuōwúliàngshòujīng ; Sutra of Immeasurable Life Spoken by Buddha ; Vietnamese : Phật Thuyết Kinh Vô Lượng Thọ; Japanese: Taisho Tripitaka no. 360) also known as

1961-477: The glories of Sukhavati, the Pure Lands, speak of the presiding Buddha sometimes as Amitābha and sometimes as Amitāyus. When depicted as Amitāyus he is depicted in fine clothes and jewels and as Amitābha in simple monk's clothing. They are also simply known as Amida in the Chinese and Japanese tradition. The image of the gold colored statue in the article is of Amitāyus as he is wearing a five-pointed crown, which

2014-566: The moment of death, call upon him. This openness and acceptance of all kinds of people has made belief in pure lands one of the major influences in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Pure Land Buddhism seems to have first become popular in Gandhara , from where it spread to China infused with Taoists and Confucian philosophy before spreading to Central and East Asia . The sutra goes on to explain that Amitābha, after accumulating great merit over countless lives, finally achieved buddhahood and created

2067-479: The other, lying on his lap. The lotus is his sign. When represented on the stupa, he always faces toward west. He is worshiped thinking that one can have salvation. The first known epigraphic evidence for Amitābha is the bottom part of a statue found in Govindnagar, Pakistan and now located at Government Museum, Mathura . The statue is dated to "the 26th year of the reign of Huviṣka " i.e., 104 CE. It

2120-480: The primary religious texts for other countries in the region. Early Chinese Buddhism was influenced by translators from Central Asia who began the translation of large numbers of Tripitaka and commentarial texts from India and Central Asia into Chinese . Early efforts to organize and interpret the wide range of texts received gave rise to early Chinese Buddhist schools like the Huayan and Tiantai schools. In

2173-502: The rest of East Asia at large. Such religious transmissions were able to be afforded to enable the inexorable percolation of Buddhism into East Asia over a millennia due to the vibrant cultural exchanges that were able to be made at that time as a result of the Silk Road . Chinese Buddhism has strongly influenced the development of Buddhism in other East Asian countries, with the Chinese Buddhist Canon serving as

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2226-497: The right and Mahāsthāmaprāpta on the left. This iconography is known as an Amitabha triad , and is especially common in Chinese , Japanese , and Korean art . Amitābha is said to display 84,000 auspicious and distinguishing marks reflecting his many virtues. Amitābha can often be distinguished by his mudrā : Amitābha is often depicted, when shown seated, displaying the meditation mudrā (thumbs touching and fingers together as in

2279-425: The right hand facing outward also with thumb and forefinger touching. The meaning of this mudra is that wisdom (symbolized by the raised hand) is accessible to even the lowest beings, while the outstretched hand shows that Amitābha's compassion is directed at the lowest beings, who cannot save themselves. When not depicted alone, Amitābha is often portrayed with two assistant bodhisattvas, usually Avalokiteśvara on

2332-499: The same Chinese characters used for Amitābha are used to represent his name, though they are pronounced slightly differently: In addition to transliteration, the name Amitābha has also been translated into Chinese using characters which, taken together, convey the meaning "Infinite Light": 無量光 (Wúliàngguāng). In the same fashion, the name Amitāyus ("Infinite Life") has been translated as 無量壽 (Wúliàngshòu). These translated names are not, however, very commonly used. In Japanese, Amitābha

2385-474: The study of Mahayana sutras . According to Paul Williams, this emphasis on the study of the sutras contrasts with the Tibetan Buddhist attitude which sees the sutras as too difficult unless approached through the study of philosophical treatises ( shastras ). The texts of the Chinese Buddhist Canon began to be translated in the second century and the collection continued to evolve over a period of

2438-1205: The sutra shows the Buddha discoursing at length to the future buddha, Maitreya , describing the various forms of evil that Maitreya must avoid to achieve his goal of becoming a buddha as well as other admonitions and advice. A Peace Bell with an enclosure was constructed in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on September 20, 1964. Among its inscriptions is a Sanskrit quote from Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra: सचि मि उपगतस्य बोधिमण्डं, दश-दिशि प्रव्रजि नाम-धेयु क्षिप्रं. saci mi upagatasya bodhi-maṇḍaṃ, daśa-diśi pravraji nāma-dheyu kṣipraṃ. पृथु बहव अनन्त-बुद्ध-क्षेत्रां, म अहु सिया बल-प्राप्तु लोकनाथ. ṛthu bahava ananta-buddha-kṣetrāṃ, ma ahu siyā bala-prāptu lokanātha. [2] विपुल-प्रभ अतुल्य-नन्त नाथा, दिशि विदिशि स्फुरि सर्व-बुद्ध-क्षेत्रां, vipula-prabhā atulya-nanta nāthā, diśi vidiśi sphuri sarvabuddha-kṣetrāṃ, राग प्रशमि सर्व-दोष-मोहां, नरक-गतिस्मि प्रशामि धूम-केतुम्. rāga praśāmi [praśamiya] sarva-doṣa-mohāṃ, naraka-gatismi praśāmi dhūma-ketum. [5] The English translation (Müller, Max, trans. 1894, pp. 23–24, verses 2 and 5): "If there should not be for me such

2491-473: The sutra. In the Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra , the Buddha begins by describing to his attendant Ānanda a past life of the Buddha Amitābha . He states that in a past life, Amitābha was once a king who renounced his kingdom and became a bodhisattva monk named Dharmākara ("Dharma Storehouse"). Under the guidance of the buddha Lokeśvararāja ("World Sovereign King"), innumerable buddha-lands throughout

2544-485: The ten directions were revealed to him. After meditating for five eons as a bodhisattva, he then made a great series of vows to save all sentient beings , and through his great merit, created the realm of Sukhāvatī ("Ultimate Bliss"). This land of Sukhāvatī would later come to be known as a pure land (Ch. 淨土) in Chinese translation. The sutra describes in great detail Sukhāvatī and its inhabitants, and how they are able to attain rebirth there. The text also provides

2597-479: The time of death, such as visualising Amitābha in the heaven (sun) over their head (Western horizon), think his name as a mantra, and leaving the body as a soul through the acupuncture point Bai Hui (百會). East Asian Buddhist traditions commonly invoke Amitābha's name in a practice known as nianfo ( 念佛 ) in Chinese and nembutsu in Japanese. This is the central practice of East Asian Pure Land Buddhism which

2650-403: The underlying Indic form: oṃ amṛta-teje hara hūṃ . The proper form of Amitābha's name in Sanskrit is Amitābha , masculine, and the nominative singular is Amitābhaḥ . This is a compound of the Sanskrit words amita ("without bound, infinite") and ābhā ("light, splendor"). Consequently, the name is to be interpreted as "he who possesses light without bound, he whose splendor

2703-614: The versions of the sutra widely known in China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, Dharmākara's eighteenth vow was that any being in any universe desiring to be reborn into Amitābha's pure land ( Chinese : 淨土 ; pinyin : jìngtǔ ; Japanese pronunciation : jōdo ; Korean : 정토 ; romaja : jeongto ; Vietnamese : tịnh độ ) and calling upon his name with sincerity, 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, at

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2756-566: The west, which is where the Pure Land of Amitābha is said to dwell. Amitābha is the center of a number of mantras in Vajrayana practices. The Sanskrit form of the mantra of Amitābha is oṃ amitābha hrīḥ ). An alternative Tibetan mantra is Om ami dewa hri (Sanskrit: oṃ amideva hrīḥ ). Amitabha's main mantra in Shingon Buddhism is Om amirita teizei kara um (Japanese: オン・アミリタ・テイゼイ・カラ・ウン ), which represents

2809-547: Was first introduced to China during the Han dynasty , at a time when the Han empire expanded its nascent corresponding geopolitical influence into the reaches of Central Asia. Opportunities for vibrant cultural exchanges and trade contacts along the Silk Road and sea trade routes with the Indian subcontinent and maritime Southeast Asia made it inevitable that the percolation of Buddhism would penetrate into China and gradually into

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