佛说阿弥陀经
Buddha Expounding Amitabha Sutra
姚秦 三藏法师 鸠摩罗什 译
from the Chinese translation by Kumarajiva
translated into English by Yutang Lin

如是我闻一时佛在舍卫国．祇树给孤独园与大比丘僧．千二百五十人俱皆是大阿罗汉．众所知识长老舍利弗．摩诃目犍连．摩诃迦叶．摩诃迦旃延．摩诃俱絺罗．离婆多．周利槃陀伽．难陀．阿难陀．罗睺罗．憍梵波提．宾头卢颇罗堕．迦留陀夷．摩诃劫宾那．薄拘罗．阿【少／兔】楼驮．如是等诸大弟子并诸菩萨摩诃萨．文殊师利法王子．阿逸多菩萨．乾陀诃提菩萨．常精进菩萨．与如是等诸大菩萨及释提桓因等．无量诸天大众俱
Thus have I heard. Once Buddha was in the garden of the alms giving elder Anathapindaka that contains Jeta's grove, located in the country of Sravasti. With Him there were one thousand two hundred fifty great monks; all well known great Arhats. They were the great disciples such as the elder Sariputra, the great Maudgalyayana, the great Kasyapa, the great Katyayana, the great Kausthila, Revata, Suddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ananda, Rahula, Gavampati, Pindola-bharadvaja, Kalodayin, the great Kapphina, Vakkula and Aniruddha. There were also the great Bodhisattvas such as the Dharma prince Manjusri, the Bodhisattva Ajita, the Bodhisattva Gandhahastin and the Bodhisattva Constant-diligence. Also present were Sakra, the King of sky gods, and countless other beings of the various heavens.

尔时 佛告长老舍利弗
Then Buddha told the Elder Sariputra:

从是西方．过十万亿佛土．有世界名曰极乐其土有佛．号阿弥陀．今现在说法舍利弗．彼土何故名为极乐其国众生．无有众苦．但受诸乐．故名极乐又舍利弗．极乐国土．七重栏楯．七重罗网．七重行树．皆是四宝周匝围绕．是故彼国名为极乐
To the West ten thousand billion Buddha-lands from here, there is a world named Utmost Joy. There is a Buddha, called Amitabha, in that land. He is preaching right now. Sariputra, why is that land named Utmost Joy? The sentient beings of that land are free from all kinds of suffering, yet enjoy variegated pleasures, thus it is named Utmost Joy. Furthermore, Sariputra, the Utmost Joy Land is enclosed by seven rows of railings, seven layers of nets and seven rows of trees, all made of four kinds of jewels, hence, that land is named Utmost Joy.

又舍利弗．极乐国土．有七宝池 八功德水．充满其中 池底纯以金沙布地 四边阶道．金 银 瑠璃 玻瓈 合成 上有楼阁．亦以金银瑠璃玻瓈砗磲赤珠玛瑙而严饰之池中莲华．大如车轮．青色青光．黄色黄光．赤色赤光．白色白光．微妙香洁舍利弗．极乐国土．成就如是功德庄严又舍利弗．彼佛国土．常作天乐．黄金为地昼夜六时．雨天曼陀罗华其土众生．常以清旦．各以衣眩⒅诿罨┭绞蛞诜鸺匆允呈保沟奖竟故尘猩崂ィ止粒删腿缡枪Φ伦细创紊崂ィ斯Ｓ兄种制婷钤由瘢缀卓兹鹦鹉 舍利 迦陵频伽共命之鸟是诸众鸟．昼夜六时．出和雅音 其音演畅五根 五力七菩提分八圣道分．如是等法其土众生．闻是音已．皆悉念佛念法念僧舍利弗．汝勿谓此鸟．实是罪报所生所以者何．彼佛国土．无三恶道舍利弗．其佛国土．尚无恶道之名．何况有实是诸众鸟．皆是阿弥陀佛．欲令法音宣流．变化所作舍利弗．彼佛国土．微风吹动诸宝行树．及宝罗网．出微妙音譬如百千种乐．同时俱作闻是音者．自然皆生念佛念法 念僧之心舍利弗．其佛国土．成就如是功德庄严
Furthermore, Sariputra, in the Utmost Joy Land there are ponds made of seven kinds of jewels and fully filled with water with eight kinds of merits, and their bottoms are covered with gold sand. The stairways on the four sides are made of gold, silver, beryl and crystal, and lead to towers adorned with gold, silver, beryl, crystal, diamonds, red pearls, and coral. The lotus flowers in these ponds are as large as the wheel of a chariot. They are blue and emitting blue light; yellow, emitting yellow light; red, emitting red light; or white, emitting white light. They are sublime, wonderful, fragrant and pure. Sariputra, the Utmost Joy Land is complete in such meritorious grandeur. Again, Sariputra, the land of that Buddha is constantly filled with heavenly music and the ground is made of gold. Three times daily and three times nightly there falls from the sky a rain of heavenly Mandarava flowers. Regularly, in the early morning, the sentient beings of that land carry all sorts of wondrous flowers in their skirts to make offerings to the ten thousand billion Buddhas of other places. By breakfast time they have returned to their own land to have a meal followed by a meditative walk. Sariputra, the Utmost Joy Land is complete in such meritorious grandeur. Furthermore, Sariputra, in that land there are all sorts of wonderful birds of variegated colors: white cranes, peacocks, parrots, saris, Kalavinkas and shared-fate birds. All these birds sing harmonious and sublime melodies three times daily and three times nightly. These melodies propagate the teachings on the Five Roots, the Five Forces, the Seven Bodhi branches and the Eightfold Right Path. Beings of that land, upon hearing such melodies, all turn their thoughts toward the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Sariputra, you should not say that these birds are born as a result of their sinful karma. Why is it so? There are no three bad realms in the land of that Buddha. Sariputra, in the land of that Buddha there is not even the name of a bad realm, not to mention the reality of such. All these birds are miraculously produced by Amitabha Buddha in order to propagate the Dharma sounds. Sariputra, in the land of that Buddha breezes wave the rows of jeweled trees and the jeweled nets, thereby, producing sublime and wondrous sounds. This is analogous to hundreds and thousands of harmonious kinds of music playing simultaneously. Whoever hears such sounds naturally develops a mind that fixes upon the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. Sariputra, the land of that Buddha is complete in such meritorious grandeur.

舍利弗．于汝意云何．彼佛何故号阿弥陀舍利弗．彼佛光明无量．照十方国．无所障碍．是故号为阿弥陀又舍利弗．彼佛寿命．及其人民．无量无边阿僧祇劫．故名阿弥陀舍利弗．阿弥陀佛成佛已来．于今十劫又舍利弗．彼佛有无量无边声闻弟子．皆阿罗汉．非是算数之所能知诸菩萨众．亦复如是舍利弗．彼佛国土．成就如是功德庄严又舍利弗．极乐国土．众生生者．皆是阿鞞跋致其中多有一生补处．其数甚多．非是算数所能知之．但可以无量无边阿僧祇说
Sariputra, what do you think, why is that Buddha called Amitabha? Sariputra, the brightness of that Buddha's light is immeasurable, it shines upon lands in the ten Directions without any hindrance, hence, He is called Amitabha—infinite light. Further, Sariputra, the life span of that Buddha or anyone of His subjects is countlessly and boundlessly innumerable kalpas, thus, He is named Amitabha—infinite life. Sariputra, ever since Amitabha Buddha awoke to Full Enlightenment it has been ten kalpas. Furthermore, Sariputra, that Buddha has innumerable boundless sravaka disciples, all of whom are Arhats, and their number is beyond the knowledge of arithmetic. The number of Bodhisattvas in that land is likewise innumerable. Sariputra, the land of that Buddha is complete in such meritorious grandeur. Further, Sariputra, sentient beings who are born in the Utmost Joy Land will not regress on the path toward Enlightenment. Many among them are candidates for Buddhahood and will be born as humans just once more in order to achieve Buddhahood. Their number is so great that it is beyond the knowledge of arithmetic and can only be described as countlessly and boundlessly innumerable.

舍利弗．众生闻者．应当发愿．愿生彼国所以者何．得与如是诸上善人．俱会一处．舍利弗．不可以少善根福德因缘．得生彼国舍利弗．若有善男子．善女人．闻说阿弥陀佛．执持名号．若一日．若二日．若三日．若四日．若五日．若六日．若七日．一心不乱其人临命终时．阿弥陀佛．与诸圣众．现在其前是人终时．心不颠倒．即得往生阿弥陀佛极乐国土舍利弗．我见是利．故说此言若有众生．闻是说者．应当发愿．生彼国土
Sariputra, sentient beings who hear the above should vow to be born in that land. Why is it so? Because then one may enjoy the company of these aforementioned most benevolent people. Sariputra, it is impossible to be born in that land with only a few good dispositions, meritorious and moral causes and conditions. Sariputra, if there is a good man or woman who hears about Amitabha Buddha and keeps chanting His holy name for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days or seven days with one mind free from distractions, then such a person, upon the end of his life, will see Amitabha Buddha and His holy assembly appear before him. At the time of death this person's mind will not be perturbed and will take rebirth in the Utmost Joy Land of Amitabha Buddha. Sariputra, I see such advantage, hence I say such words. Whosoever hears this should develop the vow to be born in that Land.
舍利弗．如我今者．赞叹阿弥陀佛不可思议功德之利东方亦有阿閦鞞佛．须弥相佛．大须弥佛．须弥光佛．妙音佛．如是等恒河沙数诸佛各于其国．出广长舌相．徧覆三千大千世界．说诚实言汝等众生．当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经
Sariputra, just as now I am praising the advantage of the inconceivable merits of Amitabha Buddha, in the Eastern Universe there are Buddhas such as Immovability Buddha, Meru Form Buddha, Great Meru Buddha, Meru Light Buddha, Wondrous Voice Buddha, equal in number to the sands of the river Ganges. Each Buddha in his own land displays his superior power of speech and spreads the following honest words throughout his domain of one billion world systems: “You sentient beings should have faith in this sutra that praises the inconceivable merits and is favored by all Buddhas.”

舍利弗．南方世界．有日月灯佛．名闻光佛．大焰肩佛．须弥灯佛．无量精进佛．如是等恒河沙数诸佛各于其国．出广长舌相．徧覆三千大千世界．说诚实言汝等众生．当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经
Sariputra, in the Southern Universe there are Buddhas such as Sun Moon Lamp Buddha, Famous Light Buddha, Great Flaming Shoulders Buddha, Meru Lamp Buddha, Immeasurable Diligence Buddha, equal in number to the sands of the river Ganges. Each Buddha in his own land displays his superior power of speech and spreads the following honest words throughout his domain of one billion world systems: “You sentient beings should have faith in this sutra that praises the inconceivable merits and is favored by all Buddhas.”

舍利弗．西方世界．有无量寿佛．无量相佛．无量幢佛．大光佛．大明佛．宝相佛．净光佛．如是等恒河沙数诸佛各于其国．出广长舌相．徧覆三千大千世界．说诚实言汝等众生．当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经
Sariputra, in the Western Universe there are Buddhas such as Immeasurable Life Span Buddha, Immeasurable Form Buddha, Immeasurable Pennant Buddha, Great Light Buddha, Great Brightness Buddha, Precious Form Buddha, Pure Light Buddha, equal in number to the sands of the river Ganges. Each Buddha in his own land displays his superior power of speech and spreads the following honest words throughout his domain of one billion world systems: “You sentient beings should have faith in this sutra that praises the inconceivable merits and is favored by all Buddhas.”

舍利弗．北方世界．有焰肩佛．最胜音佛．难沮佛．日生佛．网明佛．如是等恒河沙数诸佛各于其国．出广长舌相．徧覆三千大千世界．说诚实言汝等众生．当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经
Sariputra, in the Northern Universe there are Buddhas such as Flaming Shoulders Buddha, Most Superior Voice Buddha, Impeccable Buddha, Rising Sun Buddha, Net of Brightness Buddha, equal in number to the sands of the river Ganges. Each Buddha in his own land displays his superior power of speech and spreads the following honest words throughout his domain of one billion world systems: “You sentient beings should have faith in this sutra that praises the inconceivable merits and is favored by all Buddhas.”

舍利弗．下方世界．有师子佛．名闻佛．名光佛．达摩佛．法幢佛．持法佛．如是等恒河沙数诸佛各于其国．出广长舌相．徧覆三千大千世界．说诚实言汝等众生．当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经
Sariputra, in the Nadiral Universe there are Buddhas such as Lion Buddha, Famous Buddha, Fame Light Buddha, Dharma Buddha, Dharma Pennant Buddha, Dharma Holding Buddha, equal in number to the sands of the river Ganges. Each Buddha in his own land displays his superior power of speech and spreads the following honest words throughout his domain of one billion world systems: “You sentient beings should have faith in this sutra that praises the inconceivable merits and is favored by all Buddhas.”

舍利弗．上方世界．有梵音佛．宿王佛．香上佛．香光佛．大焰肩佛．杂色宝华严身佛．娑罗树王佛．宝华德佛．见一切义佛．如须弥山佛．如是等恒河沙数诸佛各于其国．出广长舌相．徧覆三千大千世界．说诚实言汝等众生．当信是称赞不可思议功德一切诸佛所护念经
Sariputra, in the Zenithal Universe there are Buddhas such as Pure Voice Buddha, King of Constellations Buddha, Supreme Incense Buddha, Fragrance Light Buddha, Great Flaming Shoulders Buddha, Adorned with Variegated Jewel Ornaments Buddha, King Teak Tree Buddha, Jewel Flower Merits Buddha, Seeing All Truths Buddha, Like Meru Mountain Buddha, equal in number to the sands of the river Ganges. Each Buddha in his own land displays his superior power of speech and spreads the following honest words throughout his domain of one billion world systems: “You sentient beings should have faith in this sutra that praises the inconceivable merits and is favored by all Buddhas.”

舍利弗．于汝意云何．何故名为一切诸佛所护念经舍利弗．若有善男子．善女人．闻是经受持者．及闻诸佛名者．是诸善男子．善女人．皆为一切诸佛之所护念．皆得不退转于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提是故舍利弗．汝等皆当信受我语．及诸佛所说
Sariputra, what do you think? Why is this sutra named the Favor of All Buddhas Sutra? Sariputra, if there are good men or women who hear, accept and uphold this sutra and hear the names of these Buddhas, all these good men or women will be favored by all Buddhas and will never regress on the path toward the Unsurpassable Right and Full Enlightenment. Therefore, Sariputra, all of you should believe and accept these words of mine and those of the Buddhas.

舍利弗．若有人．已发愿．今发愿．当发愿．欲生阿弥陀佛国者是诸人等．皆得不退转于阿耨多罗三藐三菩提于彼国土．若已生．若今生．若当生是故舍利弗．诸善男子．善女人．若有信者．应当发愿．生彼国土
Sariputra, those people who have vowed, vow now, or will vow to be born in the land of Amitabha Buddha will never regress on the path toward the Unsurpassable Right and Full Enlightenment. They have been born, are born or will be born in that land. Hence, Sariputra, all good men or women, if they have faith, should vow to be born in that land.

舍利弗．如我今者．称赞诸佛不可思议功德彼诸佛等．亦称赞我不可思议功德．而作是言．释迦牟尼佛．能为甚难稀有之事能于娑婆国土．五浊恶世．劫浊．见浊．烦恼浊．众生浊．命浊中．得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提为诸众生．说是一切世间难信之法舍利弗．当知我于五浊恶世．行此难事．得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提为一切世间说此难信之法．是为甚难
Sariputra, just as I am now praising the inconceivable merits of those Buddhas, likewise they are praising my inconceivable merits by uttering the following: “Sakyamuni Buddha is capable of rare and most difficult accomplishments. He is able to achieve the Unsurpassable Right and Full Enlightenment in the land of Toleration during the corrupt age of Five Obscurities—those of the era, the views, the sorrows, the sentient beings and the lives, and to preach to the sentient beings such teachings that are difficult to believe by all worldlings.” Sariputra, you should realize that it is extremely difficult for me to accomplish the heavy task of achieving the Unsurpassable Right and Full Enlightenment in the corrupt age of Five Obscurities and to preach to all worldlings such unbelievable teachings.

佛说此经已．舍利弗．及诸比丘．一切世间 天 人 阿修罗等．闻佛所说．欢喜信受．作礼而去
Thus Buddha concluded the preaching of this sutra. Sariputra, the monks and the worldlings—heavenly beings, humans, asuras, etc., all rejoiced in hearing the teaching of Buddha, and they accepted the teaching with great faith. They all prostrated to Buddha and then departed.