phapmonniemphat

Monday, February 12, 2007

ĐỊA CHỈ NHỮNG TRANG WEB THAM KHẢO

ĐỊA CHỈ NHỮNG TRANG WEB THAM KHẢO

1/ http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com

2/ http://kinhluatluanphatgiaovietnam.blogspot.com/

3/ http://nguoivietkhapnoitrenthegioi.blogspot.com/

4/ http://tintucphatgiaothegioi.blogspot.com/

5/ http://vothuongsanhlaobenhtu.blogspot.com/

6/ http://thuvienphatgiaothegioi.blogspot.com/

7/ / http://thuvienchuaphuochung.blogspot.com/

8/ http://nammoadidaphat.blogspot.com

9/ http://namoamitabhabuddhatheky21.blogspot.com

10/ http://internationalpurelandbuddhism.blogspot.com

11/ http://phapmonniemphat.blogspot.com/ [ TRANG KINH DIEN DAI THUA BANG ANH NGU ]

12/ http://phatgiaothegioi.blogspot.com/

13/ http://kinhnhattungenglishviet.blogspot.com/

14/ http://www.aihuuvanhanh.net/

15/ www.buddhistlogic.com [ dia chi webSITE CUA THAY HUE SANH ]

16/ http://www.phuochau.com/index.asp [ SU CO GIOI HUONG]

17/ http://www.thuvienhoasen.org/phathanhkinhsach-vietnam.htm



1/ http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~lewi/institute.html

2/ http://www.patriarch-chan.com/

3/ www.lotuslantern.net/

4/ http://www.buddhismtoday.com/chung/index-vn.htm
5/ welcome@patriarch-chan.com
6/ http://www.chuaphuoclong.net/

7/ http://www.yousendit.com
8/ http://www.24tvonline.com
9/ http://www.chuaphatto.com/

10/ http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com/
11/ http://www.vinabri.org
12/ http://www.vietnamquehuongtoi.org/
13/ http://www.saigonbao.com/
14/ http://www.lotuspro.net/index.htm
15/ http://groups.msn.com/bilooepr
16/ http://www.khoahoc.net/index.htm
17/ http://www.ymba.org/
18/ http://www4.bayarea.net/%7Emtlee/
19/ http://www.e-sangha.com/alphone/0157.html ; KARUNA PUNDARIKA SUTRA
20/ http://www.purelandbuddhism.com/
21/ http://www.google.com/u/uhpro?domains=hawaii.edu&sitesearch=hawaii.edu&q=pure%20land&sa_x=28&sa_y=8&sa=Search
22/ http://www.pitaka.ch/vlpl.htm
23/ http://web.mit.edu/stclair/www/amida.html
24/ http://www.cloudwater.org/pureland.html
25/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_Land
26/ http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/pureland/inropl.html
27/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/subdivisions/pure_land1.shtml
28/ http://www.buddhistinformation.com/pureland/
29/ http://www.amidabuddha.org/
30/ http://mcel.pacificu.edu/as/students/vb/PURELAN.HTM
31/ http://www.jodo.org/about_plb/what_plb.html
32/ http://www.berkeleysangha.org/index.html?button=Home
33/ http://www.dharmanet.org/infowebp.html
34/ http://villa.lakes.com/cdpatton/Dharma/Jing-tu/index.html
35/ http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/oso/public/content/religion/019512524X/toc.html
36/ http://www.amidatrust.com/
37/ http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showforum=37
38/ http://www.calnaturalhistory.com/books/pages/8076.html
39/ http://www.portlandbuddhisthub.org/index.shtml
40/ http://www.amitabha-gallery.org/dharma_talk1.htm
41/ http://www.google.com/Top/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Buddhism/Lineages/Pure_Land_and_Shin/
42/ http://www.buddhanet.net/l_maha.htm
43/ http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/Ryuei/mahayana.html
44/ http://www12.canvas.ne.jp/horai/pureland.htm
45/ http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0840551.html
46/ http://www.answers.com/topic/pure-land-buddhism
47/ http://www.urbandharma.org/ibmc/ibmc1/pure.html
48/ http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/pureland/pureland.html
49/ http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/pureland_sangha/
50/ http://www.google.com/alpha/Top/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Buddhism/Lineages/Pure_Land_and_Shin/
51/ http://www.buddhahome.net/noiket.htm
52/ http://vietnamese.vietnam.usembassy.gov/about_embassy.html
53/ http://www.myfuturefinancial.com/index.html
54/ http://dl.google.com/blogger/BloggerForWordSetup.exe
55/ http://www.hophap.com/default.asp
56/ http://www.buddhistdoor.com/resources/sutras/sutra_index.htm
57/ http://www.pitaka.ch/vlpl.htm
58/ http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/glossary_ae.htm
59/ http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/pureland.pdf
60/ http://www.buddhanet.net/ebooks_ms.htm
61/ http://www.buddhanet.net/l_maha.htm
62/ http://www.thuvienhoasen.org/
63/ http://www4.bayarea.net/%7Emtlee/ [ KINH DAI THUA BANG ANH NGU]
64/ http://re-xs.ucsm.ac.uk/gcsere/glossaries/budglos.html
65/ http://www.shinranworks.com/readingtools/index.htm [ GLOSSARY OF SHIN BUDDHIST TERMS]
66/ http://www.buddhistdoor.com/passissue/9511/sources/glossary.htm [ GLOSSARY]
67/ http://www.udumbarafoundation.org/Glossary.html [ GLOSSARY]
68/ http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/enfield/index.html
69/ http://www.jsri.jp/English/Main.html
70/ http://www.shindharmanet.com/course/chapter4.htm
71/ http://www.dharmasite.net/
72/ http://www.thuvienvietnam.com/ftopicp-32743.html
73/ http://www.khoahoc.net/baivo/nguyenphuthu/270706-kinhhieuchame.htm
74/ http://www.littlesaigontv.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=624
75/ http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com
http://nammoadidaphat.blogspot.com/ [ dia chi trang blog moi ]
http://www.phattuvn.org/

TRA TỪ ĐIỂN TRỰC TIẾP TRÊN INTERNET

1/ http://vdict.com/gateway.php?word=&dictionary=1&Submit=Submit

2/ http://www.m-w.com/

3/ http://nomfoundation.org/nomdb/lookup.php

4/ http://buddhanet.net/budsas/ebud/bud-dict/dic3_a.htm

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KINH A DI ĐÀ TIẾNG SANSKRIT

KINH A DI ĐÀ TIẾNG SANSKRIT

UNIVERSITY OF DELHI
http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com


KINH A DI ĐÀ TIẾNG SANSKRIT





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NGHI THỨC TỤNG KINH

NGHI THỨC TỤNG KINH

UNIVERSITY OF DELHI


NGHI THỨC TỤNG KINH

NGHI THỨC TỤNG KINH TRÊN INTERNET.
1/ NGUYỆN HƯƠNG
2/ TÁN PHẬT
3/ LỄ PHẬT ( 3 LỄ )
4/ TỤNG ĐẠI BI THẦN CHÚ
5/ KHAI KINH KỆ
6/ TỤNG KINH DI ĐÀ OR KINH PHỔ MÔN
7/ TỤNG BÁT NHÃ TÂM KINH
8/ TỊNH ĐỘ VÃNG SANH THẦN CHÚ
9/ XƯỚNG BÀI " ÁI HÀ THIÊN XÍCH LÃNG " NIỆM PHẬT
10/ SÁM BÀI THẬP ĐẠI NGUYỆN VƯƠNG
11/ PHỤC NGUYỆN
12/ TAM TỰ QUY Y ( LỄ PHẬT HẾT )
( MUỐN TỤNG PHẦN NÀO THÌ CLICK VÀO PHẦN ĐÓ RỒI TỤNG)

NGUYỆN HƯƠNG



NGUYỆN ĐEM LÒNG THÀNH KÍNH
Wishing to bring forth my utmost sincerity,
GỞI THEO ĐÁM MÂY HƯƠNG
Along with this cloud of incense
PHƯỞNG PHẤT KHẮP MƯỜI PHƯƠNG
To appear in the ten directions,
CÚNG DƯỜNG NGÔI TAM BẢO
As an offering to the Triple Jewels,
THỀ TRỌN ĐỜI GIỬ ĐẠO
Vowing to maintain my faith,
THEO TỰ TÁNH LÀM LÀNH
Following thy true nature to live morally,
CÙNG PHÁP GIỚI CHÚNG SANH
Including sentient beings of the Dharma realms,
CẦU PHẬT TỪ GIA HỘ
Praying the compassionate Buddha for protection,
TÂM BỒ ĐỀ KIÊN CỐ
Firmly maintaining the Bodhi Mind,
XA BỂ KHỔ NGUỒN MÊ
Abandoning the shoreline of suffering and ignorance,
CHÓNG QUAY VỀ BỜ GIÁC
to quickly attain the Ultimate Enlightenment.
NAM MÔ HƯƠNG CÚNG DƯỜNG BỒ TÁT MA HA TÁT

BÀI XƯNG TÁN CÔNG ĐỨC PHẬT



ĐẤNG PHÁP VƯƠNG VÔ THƯỢNG
The Unsurpassed Dharma King.
BA CÕI CHẲNG AI BẰNG
Unequaled in the three world,
THẦY DẠY CỦA TRỜI NGƯỜI
The Master of Gods and Men,
CHA LÀNH CHUNG BỐN LOẠI
The kind Father of four kinds of living beings,
CON MỘT NIỆM QUY Y
If singleđmindedly taking refuge with three,
DIỆT SẠCH NGHIỆP BA ĐỜI
The Karma of three periods will be eliminated,
XƯNG DƯƠNG CÙNG TÁN THÁN
Praising and glorifying Thee,
ỨC KIẾP KHÔNG CÙNG TẬN
The Merits and Virtues obtained are unending.

ĐẢNH LỄ TAM BẢO




NHỨT TÂM ĐẢNH LỄ: NAM MÔ TẬN HƯ KHÔNG, BIẾN PHÁP GIỚI, QUÁ, HIỆN, VỊ LAI
With one mind I now prostrate: Namo to the end of space of all the infinite Dharma realms of the three lifespans of all the ten directions of Buddhas,
THẬP PHƯƠNG CHƯ PHẬT, TÔN PHÁP, HIỀN THÁNH TĂNG, THƯỜNG TRỤ TAM BẢO.
Dharmas and virtuous Sangha of the Unchanging Triple Jewels.
( LẠY 1 LẠY )
NHỨT TÂM ĐẢNH LỄ: NAM MÔ TA BÀ GIÁO CHỦ ĐIỀU NGỰ BỔN SƯ THÍCH CA MÂU NI
With one mind I now prostrate: Namo the ruler of the Saha World, the 'Sakyamuni Buddha,
PHẬT, LONG HOA GIÁO CHỦ ĐƯƠNG LAI HẠ SANH DI LẠC TÔN PHẬT, ĐẠI TRÍ VĂN
future-born Maiteya Buddha, Great Wisdom Manjusri Maha-Bodhisattva,
THÙ SƯ LỢI BỒ TÁT, ĐẠI HẠNH PHỔ HIỀN BỒ TÁT, HỘ PHÁP CHƯ TÔN BỒ TÁT, LINH
Great Conduct Samantabhadra Maha-Bodhisattva, Dharma Protectors Maha-Bodhisattvas,
SƠN HỘI THƯỢNG PHẬT BỒ TẠ'T.
( LẠY 1 LẠY)
Mount Gradhakuta Assemmbly of Buddha and Maha-Bodhisattva.
NHỨT TÂM ĐẢNH LỄ: NAM MÔ TÂY PHƯƠNG CỰC LẠC THẾ GIỚI ĐẠI TỪ ĐẠI BI A DI
With one mind I now prostrate: Namo Western Ultimate Bliss World, the greatly compassionate Amitabha Buddha,
ĐÀ PHẬT, ĐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT, ĐẠI THẾ CHÍ BỒ TÁT, ĐẠI NGUYỆN ĐỊA TẠNG
Greatly compassionate Avalokite'svara Maha-Bodhisattva, Great Strength Mahasthamaprapta Maha-Bodhisattva, Great Vow Ksitigarbha King of Maha-Bodhisattva,
VƯƠNG BỒ TÁT, THANH TỊNH ĐẠI HẢI CHÚNG BỒ TÁT.
and the Ocean Assembly of Peaceful Bodhisattvas.
( LẠY 1 LẠY)

ĐẠI BI THẦN CHÚ



NAMO THE GREAT COMPASSIONATE BUDDHAS AND BODHISATTVAS ASSEMBLY ( 3 times)
The Great compassionate Mantra ( Mahakaruna Dharani)
Namo ratnatrayaya. Namo arya Avalokite'svaraya Bodhisattva Mahasattvaya Mahakarunikaya.
Om! A valoka Lokate Kalati Ishiri Mahabodhisattva. Sabho Sabho Mara Mara Mashi mashi ridhayu Guru guru ghamain. Dhuru dhuru bhashiyati Maha bhashiyati. Dhara dhara Dhirini Shvaraya Jala jala Mahabhamara. Mudhill E hy ehi Shina shina Alashinbalashari. Basha bhasnin Bharashaya. Hulu hulu pra. Hulu hulu shri. Sara sara Siri siri Suru suru Buddhaya buddhaya Bodhaya bodhaya Maitriye Nilakanthi Trissa rana. Bhaya mane Svaha. Sitaya Svaha. Maha Sitaya Svaha. Sitayaye Shvaraya Svaha. Nilakanthi Svaha. Pranila Svaha. Shrisimhamukhaya Svaha. Sarvamahasastaya Svaha. Chakra astaya. Svaha. Padmakesshaya Svaha. Nilakanthepantalaya Svaha. Mopholishankaraya Svaha. Namo ratnatrayaya.
Namo arya Avalokite'svaraya 'svaha.
Om! Siddhyyantu Mantra Pataya 'Svaha.



KHAI KINH KE^.

Vo^ thu*o*.ng tha^. m tha^m vi die^.u pha'p. ; The Dharma incomparable profound and exquisite is rarely met with.
Ba' thie^n va.n kie^'p nan tao ngo^. ; Even in hundreds of thousands of millions eons;
Nga~ kim kie^'n va*n da*'c tho. tri` ; I am now able to see, listen, accept and hold it;
Nguye^.n gia?i Nhu* Lai cho*n tha^.t nghi~a. ; I vow to understand the true meaning of the Tathagatas' wonderful teachings.
NAMO 'SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA

PHẬT PHÁP CAO SÂU RẤT NHIỆM MẦU
TRĂM NGÀN MUÔN KIẾP KHÓ TÌM CẦU
NAY CON NGHE ĐẶNG CHUYÊN TRÌ TỤNG
NGUYỆN HIỂU NHƯ LAI NGHĨA THẬT SÂU

TIỂU BỔN KINH DI ĐÀ


Tiểu Bổn Kinh A Di Đà

Hán dịch: nhà Dao Tần, Ngài Tam Tạng Pháp Sư Cưu Ma La Thập dịch
Việt dịch:
Hòa Thượng Thích Trí Tịnh, Saigon, Việt Nam

1. Kỳ Viên đại hội.

Ta nghe như vầy: Một thuở nọ Đức Phật ở nơi vườn Kỳ Thọ, cấp Cô Độc nước Xá-Vệ, cùng với một nghìn hai trăm năm mươi vị đại Tỳ kheo câu hội: đều là bậc A La Hán mọi người đều quen biết, như là: Trưởng lão Xá-Lợi-Phất, Đại Mục-Kiền-Liên, Đại Ca-Diếp, Ma-Ha Ca-Chiên-Diên, Ma-Ha Câu-Hy-La, Ly-Bà-Đa, Châu-Lợi-Bàn-Đà-Già, Nan-Đà, A-Nan-Đà, La-Hầu-La, Kiều-Phạm-Ba-Đề, Tân Đầu-Lư-Phả-La-Đọa, Ca-Lưu-Đà-Di, Ma-Ha Kiếp Tân Na, Bạc-Câu-La, A-Nâu-Lầu-Đà, những vị đại đệ tử như thế. Và hàng Đại Bồ Tát, Văn-Thù-Sư-Lợi: Pháp-Vương-Tử, A-Dật-Đa Bồ Tát, Càn-Đà-Ha-Đề Bồ Tát, Thường-Tinh-Tấn Bồ tát... cùng với các vị Đại Bồ tát như thế và với vô lượng chư Thiên như ông Thích-Đề-Hoàn-Nhơn..v..v.. đại chúng cùng đến dự hội.

2. Y báo, Chánh báo.

Bấy giờ đức Phật bảo ngài Trưởng lão Xá-Lợi-Phất rằng: "Từ đây qua phương Tây quá mười muôn ức cõi Phật, có thế giới tên là Cực Lạc, trong thế giới đó có đức Phật hiệu là A Di Đà hiện nay đương nói pháp.

3. Y báo trang nghiêm

Xá Lợi Phất! Cõi đó vì sao tên là Cực lạc? Vì chúng sanh trong cõi đó không có bị những sự khổ, chỉ hưởng những điều vui, nên nước đó tên là Cực Lạc.

Xá Lợi Phất! Lại trong cõi Cực Lạc có bảy từng bao lơn, bảy từng mành lưới, bảy từng hàng cây, đều bằng bốn chất báu bao bọc giáp vòng, vì thế nên nước đó tên là Cực Lạc.

Xá Lợi Phất! Lại trong cõi Cực Lạc có ao bằng bảy chất báu, trong ao đầy dẫy nước đủ tám công đức, đáy ao thuần dùng cát vàng trải làm đất. Vàng bạc, lưu ly, pha lê hiệp thành những thềm, đường ở bốn bên ao; trên thềm đường có lầu gác cũng đều nghiêm sức bằng vàng, bạc, lưu ly, pha lê, xa cừ, xích châu, mã não.

Trong ao có hoa sen lớn như bánh xe: hoa sắc xanh thời ánh sáng xanh, sắc vàng thời ánh sáng vàng, sắc đỏ thời ánh sáng đỏ, sắc trắng thời ánh sánh trắng, mầu nhiệm thơm tho trong sạch.

Xá Lợi Phất! Cõi nước Cực Lạc thành tựu công đức trang nghiêm dường ấy.

Xá Lợi Phất! Lại trong cõi nước của đức Phật đó, thường trổi nhạc trời, đất bằng vàng ròng, ngày đêm sáu thời rưới hoa trời mạn đà la. Chúng sanh trong cõi đó thường vào lúc sáng sớm, đều lấy đãy hoa đựng những hoa tốt đem cúng dường mười muôn ức đức Phật ở phương khác, đến giờ ăn liền trở về bổn quốc ăn cơm xong đi kinh hành.

Xá Lợi Phất! Cõi nước Cực Lạc thành tựu công đức trang nghiêm dường ấy. Lại nữa, Xá-Lợi-Phất! Cõi đó thường có những giống chim mầu sắc xinh đẹp lạ thường, nào chim Bạch hạc, Khổng-tước, Anh-võ, Xá-lợi, Ca-lăng-tần-già, Cọng-mạng; những giống chim đó ngày đêm sáu thời kêu tiếng hòa nhã.

Tiếng chim đó diễn nói những pháp như ngũ căn, ngũ lực, thất bồ đề phần, bát thánh đạo phần..v..v.. Chúng sanh trong cõi đó nghe tiếng chim xong thảy đều niệm Phật, niệm Pháp, niệm Tăng!

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Ông chớ cho rằng những giống chim đó thiệt là do tội báo sanh ra. Vì sao? Vì cõi của đức Phật đó không có ba đường dữ.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Cõi của đức Phật đó tên đường dữ còn không có huống gì lại có sự thật. Những giống chim đó là do đức Phật A Di Đà muốn làm cho tiếng pháp được tuyên lưu mà biến hóa làm ra đấy thôi.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Trong cõi nước của đức Phật đó, gió nhẹ thổi động các hàng cây báu và động mành lưới báu, làm vang ra tiếng vi diệu, thí như trăm nghìn thứ nhạc đồng một lúc hòa chung. Người nào nghe tiếng đó tự nhiên đều sanh lòng niệm Phật, niệm Pháp, niệm Tăng.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Cõi nước của đức Phật đó thành tựu công đức trang nghiêm dường ấy.

4. Chánh báo vô lượng thù thắng.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Nơi ý ông nghĩ sao? Đức Phật đó vì sao hiệu là A Di Đà?

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Đức Phật đó, hào quang sáng chói vô lượng, soi suốt các cõi nước trong mười phương không bị chướng ngại vì thế nên hiệu là A Di Đà.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Đức Phật đó và nhân dân của Ngài sống lâu vô lượng vô biên a tăng kỳ kiếp, nên hiệu là A Di Đà.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Đức Phật A Di Đà thành Phật nhẫn nại đến nay, đã được mười kiếp.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Lại đức Phật đó có vô lượng vô biên Thanh Văn đệ tử đều là bực A La Hán, chẳng phải tính đếm mà có thể biết được, hàng Bồ tát chúng cũng đông như thế.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Cõi nước của đức Phật đó thành tựu công đức trang nghiêm dường ấy.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Lại trong cõi cực lạc, những chúng sanh vãng sanh vào đó đều là bực bất thối chuyển.

Trong đó có rất nhiều vị bực nhất sanh bổ xứ, số đó rất đông, chẳng phải tính đếm mà biết được, chỉ có thể dùng số vô lượng vô biên a-tăng-kỳ để nói thôi!

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Chúng sanh nào nghe những điều trên đây, nên phải phát nguyện cầu sanh về nước đó. Vì sao? Vì đặng cùng với các bậc Thượng thiện nhơn như thế câu hội một chỗ.

5. Nhơn sanh vãng lai

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Chẳng có thể dùng chút ít thiện căn phước đức nhơn duyên mà được sanh về cõi đó.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Nếu có thiện nam tử, thiện nữ nhân nào nghe nói đức Phật A Di Đà, rồi chấp trì danh hiệu của đức Phật đó, hoặc trong một ngày, hoặc hai ngày, hoặc ba ngày, hoặc bốn ngày, hoặc năm ngày, hoặc sáu ngày, hoặc bẩy ngày, một lòng không tạp loạn. Thời người đó đến lúc lâm chung đức Phật A Di Đà cùng hàng Thánh Chúng hiện thân ở trước người đó. Người đó lúc chết tâm thần không điên đảo, liền được vãng sanh về cõi nước Cực Lạc của đức Phật A Di Đà.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Ta thấy có sự lợi ích ấy nên nói những lời như thế.

Nếu có chúng sinh nào, nghe những lời trên đó, nên phải phát nguyện sanh về cõi nước Cực Lạc.

6. Sáu phương Phật đồng khuyên tin

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Như Ta hôm nay ngợi khen công đức lợi ích chẳng thể nghĩ bàn của đức Phật A Di Đà, phương Đông cũng có đức A-Súc-Bệ-Phật, Tu-Di-Tướng Phật, Đại-Tu-Di Phật, Tu-Di-Quang Phật, Diệu-Âm Phật; Hằng hà sa số những đức Phật như thế đều ở tại nước mình, hiện ra tướng lưỡi rộng dài trùm khắp cõi Tam thiên Đại thiên mà nói lời thành thật rằng: "Chúng sanh các ngươi phải nên tin kinh: Xưng Tán Bất Khả Tư Nghị Công Đức Nhất Thiết Chư Phật Sở Hộ Niệm Này".

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Thế giới phương Nam, có đức Nhật- Nguyệt-Đăng Phật, Danh-Văn-Quang Phật, Đại-Diệm-Kiên Phật, Tu Di-Đăng Phật, Vô-Lượng-Tinh-Tấn Phật... Hằng hà sa số những đức Phật như thế, đều tại nước mình, hiện ra tướng lưỡi rộng dài trùm khắp cõi tam thiên đại thiên mà nói lời thành thật rằng: "Chúng sanh các ngươi phải nên tin kinh: Xưng Tán Bất Khả Tư Nghị Công Đức Nhất Thiết Chư Phật Sở Hộ Niệm Này".

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Thế giới phương Tây, có đức Vô Lượng-Thọ Phật, Vô-Lượng-Tướng Phật, Vô-Lượng-Tràng Phật, Đại Quang Phật, Đại-Minh Phật, Bửu-Tướng Phật, Tịnh-Quang Phật... Hằng hà sa số những đức Phật như thế, đều tại nước mình, hiện ra tướng lưỡi rộng dài trùm khắp cõi tam thiên đại thiên mà nói lời thành thật rằng: "Chúng sanh các ngươi phải nên tin kinh: Xưng Tán Bất Khả Tư Nghị Công Đức Nhất Thiết Chư Phật Sở Hộ Niệm Này".

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Thế giới phương Bắc, có đức Diệm-Kiên-Phật, Tối-Thắng-Âm Phật, Nan-Trở Phật, Nhựt-Sanh Phật, Võng-Minh Phật... Hằng hà sa số những đức Phật như thế, đều tại nước mình, hiện ra tướng lưỡi rộng dài trùm khắp cõi tam thiên đại thiên mà nói lời thành thật rằng: "Chúng sanh các ngươi phải nên tin kinh: Xưng Tán Bất Khả Tư Nghị Công Đức Nhất Thiết Chư Phật Sở Hộ Niệm Này".

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Thế giới phương dưới, có đức Sư-Tử Phật, Danh-Văn Phật, Danh-Quang Phật, Đạt-Mạ Phật, Pháp-Tràng Phật, Trì-Pháp Phật... Hằng hà sa số những đức Phật như thế, đều tại nước mình, hiện ra tướng lưỡi rộng dài trùm khắp cõi tam thiên đại thiên mà nói lời thành thật rằng: "Chúng sanh các ngươi phải nên tin Kinh: Xưng Tán Bất Khả Tư Nghị Công Đức Nhất Thiết Chư Phật Sở Hộ Niệm Này".

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Thế giới phương trên, có đức Phạm-Âm Phật, Tú-Vương Phật, Hương-Thượng Phật, Hương-Quang Phật, Đại-Diệm-Kiên Phật, Tạp-Sắc Bửu-Hoa-Nghiêm-Thân Phật, Ta La-Thọ-Vương Phật, Bửu-Hoa Đức Phật, Kiến-Nhất-Thiết-Nghĩa Phật, Như-Tu-Di-Sơn Phật... Hằng hà sa số những đức Phật như thế, đều tại nước mình, hiện ra tướng lưỡi rộng dài trùm khắp cõi tam thiên đại thiên mà nói lời thành thật rằng: "Chúng sanh các ngươi phải nên tin Kinh: Xưng Tán Bất Khả Tư Nghị Công Đức Nhất Thiết Chư Phật Sở Hộ Niệm Này".

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Nơi ý của ông nghĩ thế nào, vì sao tên là Kinh: Nhứt-Thiết Chư Phật Sở Hộ Niệm?

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Vì nếu có thiện nam tử, thiện nữ nhân nào nghe kinh này mà thọ trì đó, và nghe danh hiệu của đức Phật, thời những thiện nam tử cùng thiện nữ nhân ấy đều được tất cả các đức Phật hộ niệm, đều được không thối chuyển nơi đạo Vô thượng chánh đẳng chánh giác.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Cho nên các ông đều phải tin nhận lời của Ta và của các đức Phật nói.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Nếu có người đã phát nguyện, hiện nay phát nguyện, sẽ phát nguyện muốn sanh về cõi nước của đức Phật A Di Đà, thời những người ấy đều đặng không thối chuyển nơi đạo Vô Thượng Chánh Đẳng Chánh Giác; nơi cõi nước kia, hoặc đã sanh về rồi, hoặc hiện nay sanh về, hoặc sẽ sanh về.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Cho nên các thiện nam tử thiện nữ nhân nếu người nào có lòng tin thời phải nên phát nguyện sanh về cõi nước kia.

7. Thuyết kinh rất khó

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Như ta hôm nay ngợi khen công đức chẳng thể nghĩ bàn của các đức Phật, các đức Phật đó cũng ngợi khen công đức chẳng thể nghĩ bàn của Ta mà nói lời nầy: "Đức Thích Ca Mâu Ni Phật hay làm được việc rất khó khăn hi hữu, có thể ở trong cõi Ta Bà đời ác năm món trược: kiếp trược, kiến trược, phiền não trược, chúng sanh trược, mạng trược trung, mà Ngài chứng được ngôi Vô Thượng Chánh Đẳng Chánh Giác, Ngài vì các chúng sanh nói kinh pháp mà tất cả thế gian khó tin này". Xá-Lợi-Phất! Phải biết rằng Ta ở trong đời ác ngũ trược thật hành việc khó này: đặng thành bậc Vô Thượng Chánh Giác và vì tất cả thế gian nói kinh pháp khó tin này, đó là rất khó! Đức Phật nói kinh này rồi, ngài Xá-Lợi-Phất cùng các vị Tỳ kheo, tất cả trong đời: Trời, Người, A-Tu-La, v..v.. nghe lời của đức Phật dạy, đều vui mừng tin nhận đảnh lễ mà lui ra. Phật nói kinh A Di Đà.

---o0o---

Thích Nghĩa:

1. Trong kinh này, đức Phật Thích Ca Mâu Ni thuật nói chánh báo và y báo thù thắng trang nghiêm của đức Phật a Di Đà Phật.

2. Triều Tấn (Tàu), Diệu Hưng chiếm một phần đất xưng Vương, quốc hiệu là Tần nên gọi là Diệu Tần. Bậc thông hiểu tam tạng kinh, luật và luận, có thể giảng nói để dạy mọi người nên gọi là Tam Tạng Pháp Sư. Ngài Cưu Ma La Thập người xứ Thiên Trúc, qua Tàu làm một nhà dịch kinh chữ Phạn ra chữ Tàu có danh tiếng nhất.

3. Ông Cấp Cô Độc Trưởng Giả mua khu vườn của ông Kỳ Đà Thái Tử, con vua Ba-Tư-Nặc, nước Xá Vệ. Thái tử cúng luôn rừng cây trong đó, rồi hai người chung sức nhau dựng Tịnh Xá dể thỉnh Phật cùng chúng hội về ở. Do đó nên hiệp cả hai tên của hai người để đặt tên chốn ấy mà gọi là Kỳ Thọ Cấp Cô Độc Viên vậy. Đệ tử của đức Phật rất đông, không phải chỉ có 1.250 người, nhưng vì 1.250 vị Đại A-La-Hán nầy là những vị được Phật độ trước và theo hầu cận bên Phật luôn, nên trong kinh thường ước lược nói số đó.

4. A-Dật-Đa là tên của đức Di-Lặc Bồ Tát. - Càn-Đà Ha-Đề Bồ Tát là ngài Bất-Hưu-Tức Bồ Tát - Thích-Đề-Hoàn-Nhân là tên của Đế Thích, vua cõi trời Đao Lợi.

5. Y báo là chỗ nương ở, nhà cửa, ao rừng v..v.. gọi chung là cõi nước, trong đây y báo là nước cưc lạc. - Chánh báo là quả báo chánh thể, tức là loài người, trời, chim thú..v..v.. trong đây chánh báo là đức Phật A Di Đà cùng Bồ tát, Thanh Văn ..v..v..

[6]. Cõi nước ta đương ở đây gọi là Ta Bà có không biết bao nhiêu điều khổ lụy, nào tam khổ, bát khổ. Trái lại, bên cõi Cực lạc chỉ thuần có những điều vui sướng, nào tam lạc, bát lạc.

6.1 Khổ ở cõi Ta Bà

Tam Khổ:

1. Khổ khổ: mang thân sắc người nặng nề, nhơ uế, sống nay chết mai nầy đã khổ lắm rồi, mà trên cái khổ đó lại còn chồng thêm không biết bao nhiêu là sự khổ khác nữa, như già, bệnh, đói khát, nóng rét..v..v..

2. Hoại khổ: vô thường biến đổi, thân mạng như chỉ mành, tang thương xây chuyển, như sương đầu cỏ.

3. Hành khổ: trong mỗi niệm, tâm tưởng, biến chuyển luôn không ngừng.

Bát Khổ:

1. Sanh khổ: ở thai bào tối tăm nhơ uế, lọt lòng khổ trăm bề.

2. Lão khổ: lụm cụm già nua, mắt mờ tai điếc, trí lãng, lưng mỏi, gối dùn, mặt nhăn đầu bạc.

3. Bệnh khổ: đau rên bứt rứt, nhức nhối xót xa, ngồi nằm không yên, đi đứng không được.

4. Tử khổ: ngộp mệt, lộn tròng, méo miệng, chuyển xương, gân rút.

5. Cầu bất đắc khổ: lợi danh không toại, muốn phước trở mang họa, cầu thọ mà yểu vong.

6. Ái biệt ly khổ: cốt nhục phân tán, sanh biệt tử ly.

7. Oán tắng tội khổ: oan gia, đối đầu, cừu thù gặp gỡ.

8. Ngũ ấm xí thạnh khổ: thân tâm dời đổi biến diệt, phút phút chẳng dừng, như ngọn lửa phừng phừng không khác.

6.2 Vui ở Cực Lạc

Tam Lạc:

1. Lạc trung lạc: thân cùng độ đều thù thắng, thân nhẹ, cõi xinh, ấm no, khương kiện...

2. Bất biến hoại lạc: thân mạng trường tồn, cõi nước không thiêu diệt...

3. Bất động trí lạc: định huệ dung thông, chánh tri bất động...

Bát lạc:

1. Sanh Lạc: thác chất liên hoa, thanh tịnh hóa sanh..

2. Vô lão lạc: mãi mãi trẻ trung, không già không yếu...

3. Vô bịnh lạc: hằng hằng khương kiện, không bệnh, không đau yếu...

4. Vô tử lạc: thọ mạng vô cùng, trường sanh bất diệt...

5. Toại nguyện lạc: tùy ý quả toại, y thưc tự nhiên...

6. Vô ái biệt ly lạc: bạn lành hải chúng, thân cận không rời..

7. Vô oán tắng hội lạc: thuần là Thượng-Thiện-Nhân, đồng tâm xứng ý..

8. Vô ngũ ấm thạnh lạc: thân tâm thanh tịnh, thường trụ không dời..

Không đâu khổ bằng Ta Bà, không đâu vui bằng Cực Lạc, vì thế mọi người nên nhàm lìa chốn Ta bà mà nguyện về chốn Cực Lạc.

7. Bốn báu: vàng, bạc, lưu ly, pha lê. Trong đây nói bốn báu mà chính là gồm bảy báu: vàng ,bạc, lưu ly, pha lê, xà cừ, xích châu, và mã não. Trong Quán Kinh nói: hoặc có thứ cây thuần bằng vàng, hoặc có thứ cây thuần bằng bạc..v..v.. hoặc có thứ cây thân vàng lá bạc, nhánh lưu ly..v..v.. - Dầu bằng chất thất bửu chớ vẫn là cây sống, cũng như cây bên này bằng chất gỗ.

8. Trong đây nói đất là chỉ thuận theo tiếng nầy mà gọi thế, chớ chính thật cõi Cực Lạc thuần bằng chất vàng.. Tuyệt không có thứ đất bùn cát sỏi. - Tám công đức của nước trong ao bên Cực Lạc: trong sạch, nhẹ nhàng, mát mẻ, ngon ngọt, đượm thuần, êm đềm hòa huỡn, uống vào hết đói khát, và bổ khỏe thân tâm.

9. Người nước Cực Lạc đều có thần túc thông, trong nháy mắt có thể đi trải qua vô lượng thế giới. Đi kinh hành là đi vòng quanh chậm rãi, vừa đi vừa suy gẫm tưởng niệm những pháp lành. Phật, Pháp và Tăng... Đi kinh hành có hai điều lợi ích: (1) Thâu nhiếp tâm tưởng vào chánh niệm, phục trừ tà niệm loạn tưởng cùng biếng lười ngủ nghỉ, và (2) điều hoà thân thể, huyết khí lưu thông, tiêu hóa dễ dàng.

10. Tinh, tấn, niệm, định, huệ: người tu hành có năm đức nầy thời vững chắc trên đường đạo như cây có rễ nên gọi là ngũ căn (cội rễ). Nếu tất cả cảnh duyên không thể khuấy rối làm lay động được, thời năm đức trên gọi là ngũ lực (sức mạnh). Thất Bồ Đề Phần cũng gọi là Thất giác chi (7 đức giác ngộ) là Trạch pháp, Niệm, Tinh tấn, Hỉ, Khinh an, Định, và Xả. Bát Thánh Đạo Phần là Chánh kiến, Chánh tư duy, Chánh ngữ, Chánh nghiệp, Chánh mạng, Chánh tinh tấn, Chánh niệm, và Chánh định. — trong cõi Ta bà nầy, những loài chim nhiếp thuộc vào súc sanh đạo, một ác đạo trong lục đạo, do ác nghiệp tội khiên mà chiêu cảm ra khổ báo ấy. Chim bên Cực Lạc thời khác hẳn, không phải là giống vật do tội báo cảm vời sanh ra, mà do thần lực của đức A Di Đà biến hóa ra để làm cho pháp âm được lưu chuyển khắp trong nước.

11. Đoạn nầy là đức Phật tự định danh nghĩa của ba đức A di Đà, vì có hai điều vô lượng: (1) Vô lượng quang, (2) Vô lượng thọ, nên đức Phật bên nước Cực Lạc hiệu là a Di Đà.

12. A-bệ-bạt-trí (Phạn âm) Hán dịch là bất thối chuyển, vào bực này thời một mực đi trên đường Thánh thẳng đến thành Phật, không còn bị thối sụt xuống phàm phu hay Tiểu thừa nữa. Tất cả mọi người được sanh về cõi Cưc Lạc đều vào bực bất thối cả, trong hàng bất thối lại có vô số bậc nhứt sanh bổ xứ Bồ Tát (vì Bồ tát chỉ còn là Bồ tát trong một đời hiện tại, mãn đời hiện tại thời thành Phật, như hiện nay đức Di Lặc Bồ tát ở cung trời Đâu Suất nội viện là bậc Nhứt sanh bổ xứ Bồ tát vậy). Các bậc Thượng thiện nhân là chỉ các bậc Nhứt sanh bổ xứ Bồ tát.

13. Cõi Cực Lạc thù thắng trang nghiêm, phải có nhiều căn lành phước đức mới được sanh về đó. Niệm Phật được nhất tâm bất loạn thời là thành tựu căn lành phước đức rất lớn, đến khi lâm chung đức Phật A Di Đà cùng Quán Thế Âm Bồ tát, Đại Thế Chí Bồ tát ..phóng quang đến rước, quyết định đặng sanh cõi Cưc Lạc. - Niệm Phật không còn móng tưởng gì khác, không có mảy may thinh sắc gì khác xen vào, vững vàng không xao động gọi là nhứt tâm bất loạn.

14. Người tu Tịnh Độ phải có đủ ba điều: Tín (tin thật), Hạnh (chuyên tâm niệm Phật) và Nguyện (thiết tha muốn được sanh về cõi Cưc Lạc) Trong ba điều nầy, lòng tin đứng trước cả mà cũng là nền tảng của tất cả căn lành vì thế nên chư Phật ở sáu phương đồng khuyên bảo, cho mọi người sanh lòng tin chắc chắn quyết định.

Hằng hà sa số: là số cát sông Hằng. Sông Hằng là con sống lớn bên Thiên Trúc, nguồn từ dãy núi Hi Mã, chảy ngang xứ Thiên Trúc, đổ vào Ấn Độ Dương. Lòng sông và hai bên bãi có cát rất nhiều và rất mịn. Đương thời đức Phật thường nói pháp gần bên sông, nên phàm khi muốn chỉ một số lớn quá nhiều thời mượn số cát trong sông Hằng mà nói.

Tướng lưỡi rộng dài biểu tượng của sự thành thật. Trong kinh nói người nào chót lưỡi liếm đến đầu mũi, thời người ấy trong ba đời đã qua không hề có một lời nói dối. Lưỡi dài liếm đến đầu mũi còn như thế, huống nữa là rộng dài trùm khắp cả thế giới?

Một thái dương hệ là một tiểu thế giới. Một nghìn tiểu thế giới là một tiểu thiên thế giới. Một nghìn tiểu thiên thế giới là một trung thiên thế giới. Một nghìn trung thiên thế giới là một thế giới trải qua ba lần nhân cho số nghìn, nên gọi là Tam thiên đại thiên thế giới [1 tiểu thế giới x 1.000 x 1.000 x 1.000 = Đại thiên thế giới].

Đại thiên thế giới của ta ở đây tên là Ta Bà dịch là Kham khổ ngụ ý rằng trong cõi nầy có vô lượng sự thống khổ, mà chúng sanh trong đó vẫn kham chịu được.

15. Ngũ Trược: (1) Kiếp trược: kiếp là chỉ cho thời đại, thời gian. Trong thời đại nào mà có các món trược dưới đây thời là thời đại đục nhơ. (2) Kiến trược: Những điêu mê chấp, tà kiến, điên đảo... (3) Phiền não trược: Các tâm niệm bất thiện như tham, sân, si, mạn bất tín... (4) Chúng sanh trược: Năm ấm (sắc, thọ,) hiệp hội sanh diệt chẳng dừng. (5) Mạng trược: Số thọ rất ngắn, sống nay chết mai, mạng sống trong hơi thở. Bốn món trên đây tánh cách nhiễu não, sai lầm, biến đổi vô thường nên gọi là trược (nhơ đục).


THE SMALLER

SUKHĀVATĪVYŪHA SŪTRA

or

The Sūtra on the

Buddha Amitāyus

Translated from the Chinese Version of Kumarajiva

by Nishu Utsuki

The Educational Department of the West Hongwanji

Kyoto, Japan: 1924

Public Domain.

This electronic version may be copied and distributed free and without permission provided that it is not altered in any way.


1. Thus have I heard: Once the Buddha was dwelling in the Anathapindada Garden of Jetavana in the country of Shravasti together with a large company of Bhikshus of twelve hundred and fifty members. They were all great Arhats, well known among people, (to wit): Shariputra the elder, Mahamaudgalyayana, Mahakashyapa, Mahakatyayana, Mahakaushthila, Revata, Shuddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ananda, Rahula, Gavampati, Pindola-Bharadvaja, Kalodayin, Mahakapphina, Vakkula, Aniruddha, etc., all great Shravakas [lit. disciples]; and with many Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, (such as), Manjushri, Prince of the Lord of Truth, Bodhisattva Ajita, Bodhisattva Gandhahastin, Bodhisattva Nityodyukta, etc., all great Bodhisattvas; and also with a large company of innumerable devas, (such as) Shakrodevanam-Indra, etc.

2. Then the Buddha addressed Shariputra, the elder, and said, 'Beyond a hundred thousand kotis of Buddha-lands westwards from here, there is a world named Sukhavati. In that world there is a Buddha, Amita(-ayus) by name, now dwelling and preaching the law. Shariputra, why is that country named Sukhavati? The living beings in that country have no pains, but receive pleasures only. Therefore, it is called Sukhavati.

3. 'Again, Shariputra, in the land Sukhavati (there are) seven rows of balustrades, seven rows of fine nets, and seven rows of arrayed trees; they are all of four gems and surround and enclose (the land). For this reason the land is called Sukhavati.

4, 'Again, Shariputra, in the land Sukhavati there are lakes of the seven gems, in which is filled water with the eight meritorious qualities. The lake-bases are strewn with golden sand, and the stairs of the four sides are made of gold, silver, beryl, and crystal. On land there are stories and galleries adorned with gold, silver, beryl, crystal, white coral, red pearl and diamond [lit. agate]. The lotus-flowers in the lakes, large as chariot wheels, are blue-colored with blue splendor, yellow-colored with yellow splendor, red-colored with red splendor, white-colored with white splendor, and (they are all) the most exquisite and purely fragrant. Shariputra, the land Sukhavati is arrayed with such good qualities and adornments.

5. 'Again, Shariputra, in that Buddha-land there are heavenly musical instruments always played on; gold is spread on the ground; and six times every day and night it showers Mandarava blossoms. Usually in the serene morning lit. dawn] all of those who live in that land fill their plates with those wonderful blossoms, and (go to) make offering to a hundred thousand kotis of Buddhas of other regions; and at the time of the meal they come back to their own country, and take their meal and have a walk. Shariputra, the Sukhavati land is arrayed with such good qualities and adornments.

6. 'And again, Shariputra, in that country there are always various wonderful birds of different colors, -- swan, peacock, parrot, Chari, Kalavinka and the bird of double-heads [lit. double-lives]. Six times every day and night all those birds sing in melodious tune, and that tune proclaims the Five Virtues [lit. organs], the Five powers, the Seven Bodhi-paths, the Eight Noble Truths, and other laws of the kind. The living beings in that land, having heard that singing, all invoke the Buddha, invoke the Dharma, and invoke the Sangha. Shariputra, you should not think that these birds are in fact born as punishment for sin. What is the reason? (Because), in that Buddha-land there exist not the Three Evil Realms. Shariputra, in that Buddha-land there are not (to be heard) even the names of the Three Evil Realms. How could there be the realms themselves! All those birds are what Buddha Amitayus miraculously created with the desire to let them spread the voice of the Law. Shariputra, (when) in that Buddha-land a gentle breeze happens to blow, the precious trees in rows and the begemmed nets emit a delicate enrapturing tune, and it is just as if a hundred thousand musical instruments played at the same time. Everybody who hears that music naturally conceives the thought to invoke the Buddha, to invoke the Dharma, and to invoke the Sangha. Shariputra, that Buddha-land is arrayed with such good qualities and adornments.

7. 'Shariputra, what do you think in your mind, for what reason that Buddha is called Amita(-abha)? Shariputra, the light of that Buddha is boundless and shining without impediments all over the countries of the ten quarters. Therefore he is called Amita(-abha). Again, Shariputra, the life of that Buddha and of his people is endless and boundless in Asamkhya-kalpas, so he is named Amita(-ayus). Shariputra, since Buddha Amitayus attained Buddhahood, (it has passed) now ten Kalpas. Again, Shariputra, that Buddha has numerous Shravakas or disciples, who are all Arhats and whose number cannot be known by (ordinary) calculation. (The number of) Bodhisattvas (cannot be known) also. Shariputra, that Buddha-land is arrayed with such good qualities and adornments.

8. 'Again, Shariputra, the beings born in the land Sukhavati are all Avinivartaniya. Among them is a multitude of beings bound to one birth only; and their number, being extremely large, cannot be expressed by (ordinary) calculation. Only can it be mentioned in boundless Asamkhya-kalpas. Shariputra, the sentient beings who hear (this account) ought to put up their prayer that they may be born into that country; for they will be able to be in the same place together with those noble personages. Shariputra, by means of small good works [lit. roots] or virtues no one can be born in that country.

9. 'Shariputra, if there be a good man or a good woman, who, on hearing of Buddha Amitayus, keeps his name (in mind) with thoughts undisturbed for one day, two days, three days, four days, five days, six days, or seven days, that person, when about to die, (will see) Amitayus Buddha accompanied by his holy host appear before him; and immediately after his death, he with his mind undisturbed can be born into the Sukhavati land of Buddha Amitayus. Shariputra, as I witness this benefit, I say these words; Every being who listens to this preaching ought to offer up prayer with the desire to be born into that country.

10. 'Shariputra, as I now glorify the inconceivable excellences of Amitayus Buddha, there are also in the Eastern quarters Buddha Akshobhya, Buddha Merudhvaja, Buddha Mahameru, Buddha Meruprabhasa, Buddha Manjughosha, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words; All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).

11. 'Shariputra, in the Southern worlds there are Buddha Candrasuryapradipa, Buddha Yacahprabha, Buddha Maharciskandha, Buddha Merupradipa, Buddha Anantavirya, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).

12. 'Shariputra, in the Western worlds there are Buddha Amitayus, Buddha Amitalakshana, Buddha Amitadhvaja, Buddha Mahaprabha, Buddha Mahanirbhasa, Buddha Ratnala kshana, Buddha Shuddharashmiprabha, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).

13. 'Shariputra, in the Northern worlds there are Buddha Arciskandha, Buddha Vaishvanaranirghosha, Buddha Dushpradharsha, Buddha Adityasambhava, Buddha Jaliniprabha, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).

14. 'Shariputra, in the Nadir worlds there are Buddha Simha, Buddha Yacas, Buddha Yashaprabhava, Buddha Dharma, Buddha Dharmadhvaja, Buddha Dharmadhara, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganga, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).

15. 'Shariputra, in the Zenith words there are Buddha Brahmaghosha, Buddha Nakshatraraja, Buddha Gandhottama, Buddha Gandhaprabhasa, Buddha Maharciskandha, Buddha Ratnakusumasampushpitagatra, Buddha Salendraraja, Buddha Ratnotpalashri, Buddha Sarvarthadarsha, Buddha Sumerukalpa, and Buddhas as many as the sands of the River Ganges^1, each of whom, in his own country stretching out his long broad tongue that covers three thousand greater worlds completely, proclaims these truthful words: All you sentient beings believe in this Sutra, which is approved and protected by all the Buddhas, and in which are glorified the inconceivable excellences (of Buddha Amitayus).

16. 'Shariputra, what do you think in your mind, why it is called the Sutra approved and protected by all the Buddhas? Shariputra, if there be a good man or a good woman who listens to those Buddhas' invocation of the name (of Buddha Amitayus) and the name of this Sutra, that good man or woman will be protected by all the Buddhas and never fail to attain Anuttara-samyaksambodhi. For this reason, Shariputra, all of you should believe in my words and in what all the Buddhas proclaim. Shariputra, if there are men who have already made, are now making, or shall make, prayer with the desire to be born in the land of Buddha Amitayus, they never fail to attain Anuttara-samyaksambodhi, and have been born, are now being born, or shall be born in that country. Therefore, Shariputra, a good man or good woman who has the faith ought to offer up prayers to be born in that land.

17. 'Shariputra, as I am now praising the inconceivable excellences of those Buddhas, so all those Buddhas are magnifying the inconceivable excellences of myself, saying these words: Shakyamuni, the Buddha, has successfully achieved a rare thing of extreme difficulty; he has attained Anuttara-samyaksambodhi in the Saha world in the evil period of five corruptions -- Corruption of Kalpa, Corruption of Belief, Corruption of Passions, Corruption of Living Beings, and Corruption of Life; and for the sake of all the sentient beings he is preaching the Law which is not easy to accept. Shariputra, you must see that in the midst of this evil world of five corruptions I have achieved this difficult thing of attaining Anuttara-samyaksambodhi, and for the benefit of all the beings I am preaching the Law which is difficult to be accepted. This is how it is esteemed as (a thing of) extreme difficulty.'

The Buddha having preached this Sutra, Shariputra and Bhikshus, and Devas, men, Asuras, etc., of all the worlds, who have listened to the Buddha's preaching, believed and accepted with joy, made worship, and went away.

Buddhabhashita-Amitayuh-Sutra

MA HA BÁT NHÃ BA LA MẬT ĐA TÂM KINH


MA HA BÁT NHÃ BA LA MẬT ĐA TÂM KINH. QUÁN TỰ TẠI BỒ TÁT HÀNH THÂM BÁT
Maha Prajnaparamita hrdaya Sutra. The Bodhisattva Avolokite'svara, while engaged in the practice of profound Prajnaparamita.
NHÃ BA LA MẬT ĐẠ. THỜI CHIẾU KIẾN NGŨ UẨN GIAI KHÔNG ĐỘ NHỨT THIẾT KHỔ
Perceived that the five aggregates are empty of " Self-existence". Thus he overcame all suffering and troubles.
A'CH.
XÁ LỢI TỬ, SẮC BẤT DỊ KHÔNG, KHÔNG BẤT DỊ SẮC, SẮC TỨC THỊ KHÔNG, KHÔNG
" O 'Sariputra, Form is not different from Emptiness, and Emptiness is not different from Form. Form is Emptiness and Emptiness is Form,
TỨC THỊ SẮC, THỌ, TƯỞNG, HÀNH, THỨC DIỆC PHỤC NHƯ THI.
the same can be said of feelings, conceptions, actions, and conciousnesses.
XÁ LỢI TỬ, THỊ CHƯ PHÁP KHÔNG TƯỚNG, BẤT SANH, BẤT DIỆT, BẤT CẤU, BẤT TỊNH,
O 'Sariputra, the characteristics of the emptiness of all Dharmas are that it is not arising, not ceasing, not defiled, not immaculate,
BẤT TĂNG, BẤT GIẢM, THỊ CỐ KHÔNG TRUNG VÔ SẮC, VÔ THỌ, TƯỞNG, HÀNH, THỨC,
not increasing, not decreasing. For these reasons, in emptiness there are no Form, no feelings, no conceptions, no actions, no conciousnesses;
VÔ NHÃN, NHĨ, TỸ, THIỆT, THÂN Ý, VÔ SẮC, THINH, HƯƠNG, VỊ, SÚC, PHÁP, VÔ NHÃN
no eyes, ear, tongue, body, or mind; no form, sound, odour, taste, touch or mind-object;
GIỚI, NẢI CHÍ VÔ Ý THƯ'C GIỚI, VÔ VÔ MINH DIỆT, VÔ VÔ MINH TẬN, NÃI CHI' VÔ
no eye-elements until we come to no elements of conciousnesses; no ignorance and no extinction of ignorance;
LÃO TỬ, DIỆT VÔ LÃO TỬ TẬN, VÔ KHỔ, TẬP, DIỆT, ĐẠO. VÔ TRÍ, DIỆC VÔ ĐẮC.
no old age and death, and no extinction of old age and death, no truth of suffering, no truth of the cause of suffering, of the cessation of sufferings or of the path. There is no knowledge and no attainment whatsoever.
DĨ VÔ HỮU ĐẮC CỐ, BỒ ĐỀ TÁT ĐỎA Y BÁT NHÃ BA LA MẬT ĐA CỐ TÂM VÔ QUÁI
By reason of non-attainment, the Bodhisattva dwelling in Prajnaparamita has no obstacles in his mind. Because there is no obstacles in his mind,
NGẠI; VÔ QUÁI NGẠI CỐ, VÔ HỮU KHỦNG BỐ, VIỄN LY ĐIÊN ĐẢO MỘNG TƯỞNG CỨU
he has no fear, and going far beyond all perverted vews, all confusions and imaginations, reaches the Ultimate Nirvana.
CÁNH NIẾT BA`N.
TAM THẾ CHƯ PHẬT Y BÁT NHÃ BA LA MẬT ĐA, CỐ ĐẮC A NẬU ĐA LA TAM MIỆU
All the Buddhas of the past, present and future, by relying on the Prajnaparamita, attain the Supreme Enlightenment.
TAM BỒ ĐỆ`.
CỐ TRI BÁT NHÃ BA LA MẬT ĐA, THỊ ĐẠI THẦN CHÚ, THỊ ĐẠI MINH CHÚ, THỊ VÔ THƯỢNG, THỊ VÔ ĐẲNG ĐẲNG CHÚ, NĂNG TRỪ NHỨT THIẾT KHỔ, CHƠN THIỆT BẤT HƯ.
Therefore, one should know that the Prajnaparamita is the great incantation, the incantation of great wisdom, the excelled incantation, the equal of the unequaled incantation. that is capable of allaying all sufferings, true because devoid of falsehood.
CỐ THUYẾT BÁT NHÃ BA LA MẬT ĐA CHÚ, TỨC THUYẾT, CHÚ VIẾT:
This is the incantation proclaimed in the Prajnaparamita; the incantation which is proclaimed as follows:
YẾT ĐẾ, YẾT ĐẾ, BA LA YẾT ĐẾ, BA LA TĂNG YẾT ĐẾ, BỒ ĐỀ TA'T BÀ HA.
" GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE, BODHI 'SVAHA."

VÃNG SANH TỊNH ĐỘ THẦN CHÚ
NAM MÔ A DI ĐA BÀ GIẠ, ĐA THA GIÀ ĐA DẠ, ĐA ĐIỆT GIẠ THA, A DI RỊ ĐÔ BÀ TỲ, A DI RỊ ĐA TẤT ĐAM BÀ TỲ, A DI RỊ ĐA TỲ CA LAN ĐẾ, A DI RỊ ĐA TỲ CA LAN ĐA, GIÀ DI NỊ, GIÀ GIÀ NA CHỈ ĐA CA LỆ TA BÀ HA.
( TỤNG BÀI NÀY 3 LẦN )

ÁI HÀ THIÊN XÍCH LÃNG




ÁI HÀ THIÊN XÍCH LÃNG
Love is full of worry and suffering
KHỔ HẢI VẠN TRÙNG BA
Pain and suffering will become the sea
DỤC THOÁT LUÂN HỒI KHỔ
To get rid of the cycle of birth and death.
TẢO CẤP NIỆM DI ĐÀ
To quickly recite the name of Amitabha Buddha.
NAM MÔ TÂY PHƯƠNG CỰC LẠC THẾ GIỚI ĐẠI TỪ ĐẠI BI A DI ĐÀ PHẬT
NAMO AMITABHAYA BUDDHAYA
( phải rán niệm Phật cho nhiều )

SÁM BÀI THẬP ĐẠI NGUYỆN VƯƠNG CỦA NGÀI PHỔ HIỀN BỒ TÁT MA HA TÁT



NHỨT GIẢ LỄ KÍNH CHƯ PHẬT
First, Pay homage and respect to all Buddhas.
NHỊ GIẢ XƯNG TÁN NHƯ LAI
Second, Praise the Thus Come Ones.
TAM GIẢ QUẢNG TU CÚNG DƯỜNG
Third, Make abundant offerings.
TỨ GIẢ SÁM HỐI NGHIỆP CHƯỚNG
Fourth, Repent misdeeds and evil karma.
NGŨ GIẢ TÙY HỶ CÔNG ĐỨC
Fifth, Rejoice at others' merit and virtues.
LỤC GIẢ THỈNH CHUYỂN PHÁP LUÂN
Sixth, Request the Buddhas to turn the Dharma wheel.
THẤT GIẢ THỈNH PHẬT TRỤ THẾ
Seventh, Request the Buddhas to remain in the world.
BÁT GIẢ THƯỜNG TÙY PHẬT HỌC
Eight, Follow the teachings of the Buddhas at all times.
CỬU GIẢ HẰNG THUẬN CHÚNG SANH
Ninth, Accommodate and benefit all living beings.
THẬP GIẢ PHỔ GIAI HỒI HƯỚNG
Tenth, Transfer all merits and virtues universally.

THP ĐI NGUYN VƯƠNG CHỮ HỚN

者禮敬諸佛。二者稱讚如來。三者廣修供養。四者懺悔業障。五者隨喜功德。六者請轉法輪。七者請佛住世。八者常隨佛學。九者恒順眾生。十者普皆迴向


PHỤC NGUYỆN

TAM BẢO CHỨNG MINH, OAI THẦN HỘ NIỆM, BỒ TÁT, THINH VĂN, PHẠM VƯƠNG, ĐẾ THÍCH, TỨ THIÊN VƯƠNG, CHÚNG THIÊN LONG, BÁT BỘ HỘ PHÁP THẦN VƯƠNG, NHỨT THIẾT THIỆN THẦN, QUANG GIÁNG ĐẠO TRÀNG CHỨNG MINH CÔNG ĐỨC.
PHỤC NGUYỆN, PHONG ĐIỀU VŨ THUẬN, QUỐC THỚI DÂN AN, THIÊN HẠ THÁI BI`NH, CHƯ TAI TIÊU DIÊT.
PHỔ NGUYỆN, HIỆN TIỀN TỨ CHÚNG, PHƯỚC HUỆ SONG TU, MỘT HẬU VÃNG SANH LẠC QUỘ'C.
PHỔ NGUYỆN, ÂM SIÊU DƯƠNG THỚI, HÃI YẾN HÀ THANH, PHÁP GIỚI CHÚNG SANH, TÌNH DỮ VÔ TÌNH TỀ THÀNH PHẬT ĐAO.
NAM MÔ A DI ĐÀ PHẬT

TAM TỰ QUY Y



TỰ QUY Y PHẬT
To the Buddha I myself take refuge,
ĐƯƠNG NGUYỆN CHÚNG SANH
Wishing for all sentient beings,
THỂ GIẢI ĐẠI ĐẠO
to have a complete understanding of the way,
PHÁT VÔ THƯỢNG TÂM.
Bringing for the state of Ultimate Enlightenment. ( prostrate once, lạy 1 lạy)
TỰ QUY Y PHÁP
To the Dharma I myself take refuge,
ĐƯƠNG NGUYỆN CHÚNG SANH
Wishing for all sentient beings,
THÂM NHẬP KINH TẠNG
to penetrate deeply the Buddhist Canons,
TRÍ HUỆ NHƯ HẢI
the obtained wisdom is great as the ocean. ( prostrate once, lạy 1 lạy)
TỰ QUY Y TĂNG
To the Sangha I myself take refuge,
ĐƯƠNG NGUYỆN CHÚNG SANH
Wishing for all sentient beings,
THỐNG LÝ ĐẠI CHÚNG
to attain complete spiritual powers and virtues,
NHỨT THIẾT VÔ NGẠI
Without any any force impeding this progress. ( prostrate once, lạy 1 lạy)
( NHƯ VẬY LÀ ĐÃ XONG PHẦN NGHI THỨC TỤNG KINH. TẠI SAO CHÚNG TÔI LẠI POST PHẦN NGHI THỨC TỤNG NIỆM KINH NẠ`Y. BỞI VÌ CHÚNG TÔI HY VỌNG RẰNG, PHẦN NGHI THỨC TRÌ TỤNG KINH NÀY SẼ GIÚP QUÝ PHẬT TỬ LẬP GIA ĐÌNH NƠI XỨ LẠ QUÊ NGƯỜI, ĐỂ CÓ THỂ NHỚ LẠI KỶ NIỆM THỜI THƠ ẤU ĐÃ TỪNG TỤNG KINH NƠI MỘT NGÔI CHÙA QUÊ HAY NƠI THÀNH THỊ , ĐÃ TỪNG SỐNG TRONG MÁI ẤM GIA ĐÌNH VÀ ĐÀN EM THƠ DẠI, VÀ CÙNG ĐỂ GỢI NHỚ LẠI TÌNH YÊU QUÊ HƯƠNG, YÊU DÂN TỘC VIỆT NAM HIỀN HÒA NHÂN HẬU)

Tứ Hoằng Thệ Nguyện

Chúng sanh vô biên thệ nguyện độ
Sentient beings are numberless, I Vow to save them all.
Phiền não vô tận thệ nguyện đoạn
Afflictions are inexhaustible, I Vow to end them all.
Pháp môn vô lượng thệ nguyện học
Dharma doors are boundless, I Vow to master them all.
Phật đạo vô thượng thệ nguyện thành
Buddhahood is unsurpassable, I Vow to attain it.

Nga`y nay lại đã qua rồi

Universal worthy Bodhisattva' s Verse of Exhortation

Ngày nay lại đã qua rồi
This day is already done.
Mạng căn huyết mạch lần hồi khô khao
Our lives are that much less,
Đời người như cá ở ao
We are like fish in a shrinking pond,
khổ thêm thời có chứ nào vui đâu?
What joy is there in this ?
Great assembly!
Cần tu tợ lửa đốt đầu
We should be diligent and vigorous.
Đừng cho sái buổi như chầu Đê' vương
As if our own heads were at stake.
Tấm thân mỏng mảnh vô thường
Only be mindful of impermanence.
Sớm còn tối mất lo phương cứu mình.
And be careful not to be lax.
http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com
http://nammoadidaphat.blogspot.com/ [ dia chi trang blog moi ]

NAM MÔ A DI ĐÀ PHẬT

NAM MÔ A DI ĐÀ PHẬT



NAM MÔ A DI ĐÀ PHẬT

Nam Mô A Di Đà Phật

ueh vferkHkk; cq~¼k;

Nam Mô A Di Đà Phật

ueh vferkHkk; cq~¼k;

Nam Mô A Di Đà Phật

ueh vferkHkk; cq~¼k;

VÌ SỰ SANH TỬ

VÌ SỰ SANH TỬ
Because of birth and death,
PHÁT BỒ ĐỀ TÂM
Develop the Bodhi Mind;
LẬP TÍN NGUYỆN SÂU
With deep Faith and Vows,
TRÌ DANH HIỆU PHẬT
Recite the Buddha 's name
http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com

BỒ ĐỀ QUYẾN THUỘC 4




NHỨT CÚ DI ĐÀ VẠN PHÁP VƯƠNG


NHỨT CÚ DI ĐÀ VẠN PHÁP VƯƠNG
The King of all Dharma is the one word " Amitabha".
HÀ SA THẾ GIỚI HIỆN KHÔN LƯỜNG
The five periods and the eight teachings are all contained within it,
NAY CON NGHE ĐẶNG CHUYÊN TRÌ NIỆM
One who singlemindedly remembers and recites His Name.
NGUYỆN TỎ NHƯ LAI BẤT ĐỘNG THƯỜNG
Will enter into the still and bright and unmoving field.

NHỨT CÚ DI ĐÀ VÔ BIỆT NIỆM
(NIỆM ĐỒNG VÔ NIỆM, SANH TỨC VÔ SANH)
To recite is the same as not to recite, no-birth is precisely birth.
BẤT LAO ĐÀN CHỈ ĐÁO TÂY PHƯƠNG
Not bothering to move even half a step, the body has reached the city of Great Enlightenment.
NHỨT CÚ DI ĐÀ VÔ BIỆT NIỆM
This one word Amitabha, without any other, is sufficient in the snapping of a finger to rebirth to the Western Paradise.
BẤT LAO ĐÀN CHỈ ĐÁO TÂY PHƯƠNG
http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com
http://nammoadidaphat.blogspot.com/ [ dia chi trang blog moi ]

NHẤT TÂM BẤT LOẠN



VÔ THƯỜNG

HÔM QUA RUỖI NGỰA CHẠY RONG
He rode on the road, yesterday
HÔM NAY ANH ĐÃ NẰM TRONG QUAN TÀI
He lies in the coffin, today


NHẤT TÂM BẤT LOẠN

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Nếu có thiện nam tử, thiện nữ nhân nào nghe nói đức Phật A Di Đà, rồi chấp trì danh hiệu của đức Phật đó, hoặc trong một ngày, hoặc hai ngày, hoặc ba ngày, hoặc bốn ngày, hoặc năm ngày, hoặc sáu ngày, hoặc bẩy ngày, một lòng không tạp loạn. Thời người đó đến lúc lâm chung đức Phật A Di Đà cùng hàng Thánh Chúng hiện thân ở trước người đó. Người đó lúc chết tâm thần không điên đảo, liền được vãng sanh về cõi nước Cực Lạc của đức Phật A Di Đà.

Xá-Lợi-Phất! Ta thấy có sự lợi ích ấy nên nói những lời như thế.

Nếu có chúng sinh nào, nghe những lời trên đó, nên phải phát nguyện sanh về cõi nước Cực Lạc.

Tatra khalu punḥÜ 'Sāriputra buddhaksÜetre sattvaḥÜ praṇÜidānamÜ kartavyamÜ | tat kasmād dhetohÜ? Yatta hi nāma tathārūpaḥÜ satpuruṣaihÜ saha samavadhānamÜ bhavati | nāvaramāttakena Ÿ'Sāriputta ku'salamulena amitāyṣÜas tathāgatasya buddhaksÜetre sattvā upapadyante | yaḥ ka's cic chāriputra kulaputro vā kuladuhitā tasya bhagavato ‘mitā-yṣÜas tathāgatasya nāmadheyamÜ 'SroṣÜyati, 'Srutvā ca manasikarṣÜyati, ekarātraṃ dvirātraṃÜ trirātraṃ caturātraṃÜ pañcarātraṃÜÜaḍrÜātraṃÜ saptarātramÜ vikṣÜiptacitto manasikariṣyati yadā sa kulaputro vā kuladuhitālaṃÜ kariṣyati tasya kālaṃ kurvataḥÜ so ‘mitāyuṣ tathāgataḥÜ 'Srāvaka saṃÜghaparivṛÜto bodhisattvagaṇÜapuraskṛÜtaḥÜ purataḥÜ
sthā
syati | so ‘viparyastacittaḥlamÜ kariṣÜyati ca | sa kālaṃÜ kṛÜtvā tasyaivāmitāyaṣÜas tathāgatasya buddhaksÜetre sukhāvatyāmÜ lokadhātāv upapatsyate ! tasmāt tarhi 'sāriputra idam arthava'saṃÜ saṃpa'syamāṇa eva vadāmi satkṛÜtya kulaputrenÜa vā kuladuhitā tatra buddhakṣÜetre cittapranÜidhānam kartavyaṃÜ || 10 ||[1]

r=k [kyq iqu% 'kkfjiq=k cq¼{ks=ks lÙoS% izf.k/kua drZO;e~ A rRdLek¼srks%\ ;=k fg uke rFkk:iS% lg leo/kua Hkofr A ukojek=kds.k 'kkfjiq=k dq'kyewysu vferk;q"kLrFkkxrL; cq¼{ks=ks lÙok mii|Urs A ;% df ÜÓPNkfjiq=k dqyiq=kks ok dqynqfgrk o rL; Hkxorks ¿ ferk;q"kLrFkk&xrL; uke/s;a Jks";fr] JqRok p eufldfj";fr] ,djk=ka ok f}jk=ka ok f=kjk=ka ok prwjk=ka ok i ÜÓjk=ka ok "kM~k=ka ok lIrjk=ka okfof{kIrfpÙkks] eufldfj";fr] ;nk l dqyiq=kksa ok dqynqfgrk ok dkya dfj";fr] rL; dkya dqoZr% lks¿ferk;qLrFkkxr% Jkodla/ifjo`rks cksf/lÙox.kiqjLÑr% ijr% LFkkL;fr A lks¿foi;ZLrfpÙk% dkya fdj";fr p A l dkya ÑRok rL;Sokferk;q"kLrFkkxrL; cq¼{ks=ks lq[kkoR;ka yksd?kkrk oqiiRL;rs A rLekÙkfgZ 'kkfjiq=k bneFkZo'ka lai';eku ,o onfe lRÑR; dqyiq=ks.k ok dqynqfg=kk ok r=k cq¼{ks=ks fpÙkizf.k/kua drZO;e~ AA 10 AA(2)]

"Then again all beings, O 'Sāriputra, ought to make fervent prayer for that Buddha country. And why? Because they come together there with such excellent men. Beings are not born in that Buddha country of the Tathāgata Amitāyus as a reward and result of good works perform in this present life.

No, whatever son or daughter of a good family shall hear the name of blessed Amitāyus. The Tathāgata and having heard it, shall keep it in mind, and with thoughts undisturbed shall keep it in mind for one, two, three, four, five, six or seven nights, when that son or daughter of a family comes to die, then that Amitāyus, the Tathāgata, surrounded by an assembly of disciples and followed by a host of Bodhisattvas, will stand before them at their hour of death, and they will depart this life with tranquil minds. After their death they will been born in the world Sukhāvatī, in the Buddha country of the same Amitāyus, the Tathāgata. Therefore, then, O 'Sāriputra, having perceived this cause and effect, I with reverence say thus. Every son and every daughter of a good family ought with their whole mind to make fervent prayer for that Buddha country.׀׀ 10 ׀׀[1]



[1] F. Max Muller, SBE, Vol. 49, p. 98,99.



[1] Lê Mạnh Thát, Ngữ pháp tiếng Phạn, p. 209.

[2] The Smaller Sukhāvatī-vyūha-Sūtra, Buddhist Sanskrit Texts, Vol. 1 7, ed. by Dr P.L. Vaidya, p. 256.

1/http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com
2/ http://nammoadidaphat.blogspot.com
3/ http://namoamitabhabuddhatheky21.blogspot.com

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Sunday, February 11, 2007

XIN TRAN TRONG GIOI THIEU NHUNG TRANG BLOG MOI

XIN TRAN TRONG GIOI THIEU NHUNG TRANG BLOG MOI

1/ http://niemphatthanhphat.blogspot.com

2/ http://kinhluatluanphatgiaovietnam.blogspot.com/

3/ http://nguoivietkhapnoitrenthegioi.blogspot.com/

4/ http://tintucphatgiaothegioi.blogspot.com/

5/ http://vothuongsanhlaobenhtu.blogspot.com/

6/ http://thuvienphatgiaothegioi.blogspot.com/

7/ / http://thuvienchuaphuochung.blogspot.com/

8/ http://nammoadidaphat.blogspot.com

9/ http://namoamitabhabuddhatheky21.blogspot.com

10/ http://internationalpurelandbuddhism.blogspot.com

11/ http://phapmonniemphat.blogspot.com/ [ TRANG KINH DIEN DAI THUA BANG ANH NGU ]

12/ http://phatgiaothegioi.blogspot.com/

13/ http://kinhnhattungenglishviet.blogspot.com/

14/ http://www.aihuuvanhanh.net/

15/ www.buddhistlogic.com [ dia chi webSITE CUA THAY HUE SANH ]

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Wednesday, August 30, 2006

GLOSSARY PURE LAND BUDDHISM

GLOSSARY


[A]
*Abhaya: Fearlessness

*Absolute reality of Suchness; true Suchness [Skt, Tathatā]:
Suchness (sometime rendered Thusness) means the ultimate nature of all phenomena; Reality; True existence; Ultimate truth.
The Mahāyāna philosophers have a theory by which they solve the question of immanence and transcendence or which solves the relationship between Karma and Akarma [Absence of Karma]. This theory, as systematically expounded in Aśvaghoṣa‘s Awakening of Faith, starts with the idea of Suchness (Tathatā in Sanskrit). Suchness is the limit of thought, and human consciousness cannot go any further than that; expressed in another way, without the conception of Suchness there is no bridge or background whereby the two contradictory ideas, Karma and Akarma, can be linked. In Suchness or Thusness, affirmation, negation, and all forms of opposites find their place of reconciliation or interpenetration; for affirmation is negation and negation is affirmation, and this interpenetration is only possible in Suchness. Suchness may thus be said to be standing on two legs-birth and death which is the realm of Karma, and No-birth and death which is the realm of Akarma beyond the reach of Causality.

*Ajātaśatru [Skt, Ajātaśatru]:
Son of King Bimbisāra and Queen Vaidehī of Magadha. Abetted by the rebellious Devadatta, he usurped the throne, imprisoned his parents, and starved them to death. After he had conquered and annexed neighboring states, laying the foundation for the unification of India. He became afflicted with a skin disease. Remorseful, he went to the Buddha to repent his sin and take refuge in Him. After the Buddha‘s parinirvāṇa. King Ajātaśatru sponsored the five hundred Arhats to collect the Buddha‘s teaching. Indian Buddhism is greatly indebted to the converted King Ajātaśatru for its prevalence and prosperity.

*All Beings [Skt, Sattva, Bahujana, Jantu]:
Sattva means [possessed of consciousness.] Though it generally refers to all beings in the world of illusion, in a broad sense, it sometimes includes Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. In the 18th, 19th, and 20th of Amitābha‘s Vows, the words [If, upon my attaining Buddha-hood, all beings in the ten quarters ..] are spoken. Shinran gives them special emphasis as the working of Amitābha‘s great compassion that opens the hearts of all beings and directs them toward Enlightenment.


*Amitābha [Skt, Amida, Amita, Amitāyus] Buddha:
The Buddha of infinite Light and Life now presided in the Western Paradise of Bliss, with Avalokiteśvara on his left and Mahāsthāmaprāpta on his right.
*Amitābha Sūtra:
Three Pure Land Sūtra are including as followings:
a) The Smaller Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra
b) The Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra
c) Amitāyur Dhyāna Sūtra [The Meditation Sūtra].

*Ānanda:
A cousin, and long-time attendant, Śākyamuni Buddha. Ānanda was noted for his great learning and was present at most of the Buddha‘s preachings. He was said to remember all the Sūtras, and to have recited them at the time of their compilation.

*Anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti [Skt] Insight into the Unborn Dharma, VN: Vô Sanh Pháp Nhẫn.
Kṣānti means to perceive correctly the nature of all things and gain perfect peace of mind. It is to be free of all illusions coming from transmigratory births and deaths and to have a thorough insight into the Unborn [anutpāda,] which is the absolute Dharma of true Suchness. To attain anutpattika-dharma-Kṣāti therefore means to have a clear grasp of the Dharma-nature, the ultimate Reality. A Bodhisattva who gains this stage is assured of rebirth in the Pure Land.

*Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi [Skt] Supreme Enlightenment; the perfect Supreme Enlightenment:
Buddha‘s Enlightenment, which is supreme, impartial, and perfect. It is supreme, and most profound experience a Buddhist is capable of having. Buddhist teachings of Precepts, Merit, Dharma, and all other expediencies, Ethical, Philosophical, and Religious are solely meant to bring about this Enlightenment. The attainment of the experience of Supreme Enlightenment may be called the fulfillment of the Ultimate Objective Buddhism.

*Arhat:
A Saint who has fully realized the truth of no self and eradicated all passions and desires. One who has reached the highest stage of Enlightenment in Hīnayāna Buddhism.

*Asura [Skt, Asura]:
Fighting demons. Asura was originally an Indian God who possessed a miraculous power to make music flow forth from his harp though no one was seen playing on it. Later it came to mean a malevolent deity that struggles against Śakra devānām Indra, the benevolent guardian deity of Buddhism. Thus Asura signifies an existence characterized by constant strife.

*Attachment:
In the Four Noble Truths, Buddha Śākyamuni taught that attachment to self is the root cause of suffering.

*Awakening vs. Enlightenment:
A clear distinction should be made between awakening to the way [Great Awakening (VN)Đại Ngộ] and attaining the Way[attaining Enlightenment].[Note: there are many degrees of Awakening and Enlightenment. Attaining the Enlightenment of the Arhats, Pratyeka Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, etc.. is different from attaining Supreme Enlightenment, i.e., [Buddha-hood].

*Awakened to the Enlightenment mind (Bodhicitta) [VN: Phát Bồ Đề Tâm]:
That is, to awaken the desire to become a Buddha; the mind resolved to attain Enlightenment (Bodhi).

[B]

*Bardo [Skt, Antarābhāva (VN) Thân trung ấm]:
The intermediate stage between death and rebirth.

*Beyond my understanding [Skt, Acintya]:
The working of the Buddha-mind and everything in the Dharma-world is beyond the power of man‘s thinking or describing. To bridge the impassable chasm between the realm of relativity and the absolute, man thus has no other way than to give himself up to the Power of Amitābha ‘s Prayer, because the Power of Amitābha ‘s Prayer is unthinkable, which is beyond the limits of man ‘s intellectual reflections.

*Bhikṣu:
An ordained priest who renounces the world to practice the way of the Buddha, taking on himself the discipline of precepts (Śīla).

*Birth, Old age, Disease, and Death, [Skt, Jāti, Jarā, Vyādhi, Maraṇa]:
The four basic sufferings [Duḥkha] to which human life are subject. The four sufferings, which were observed by the Buddha during his wanderings as a prince, are the reason Śākyamuni left home and enter a religious life. According to the Nikāya, when the Buddha later reflected on the particulars which led up to his own search for truth, he cautioned others against [the pride of youth] yobbana-mada; [the pride of good health] ārogya-mada; and [the pride of being alive] Jīvita-mada.

*Bodhi [Skt]:
Bodhi means Enlightenment.

*Bodhiruci [Skt, Bodhiruci], VN: Bồ Đề Lưu Chi.
An Indian Buddhist Monk from central India who in 508 arrived in Loyang. There at Yung-ning-ssu monastery [Vĩnh Ninh Tự] he translated Sūtras and commentaries into Chinese, numbering 39 works in 127 volumes, among them Vasubandhu‘s Treatise on the Pure Land.

*Bodhisattva, Bodhisattvaship; Bodhisattva Mahāsattva [Skt, Bodhisattva]:
A Bodhisattva who has reached the advanced stages of Enlightenment, One who aspires to the attainment of Buddha-hood and devotes himself to altruistic deeds, especially deeds that cause others to attain Enlightenment.

*Bodhisattva Maitreya [Skt, Maitreya]:
The Bodhisattva Maitreya is the future Buddha, who will attain Buddha-hood in this world after Śākyamuni Buddha. He has gained the highest stage of Bodhisattvaship and is only a step away from Buddha-hood. At present, he is preaching the Dharma for the Devas in his Pure Land, the Tuṣita Heaven, but according to Śākyamuni‘s prophecy he will come and be reborn in this world 5,670,000,000 years in the future, attain Enlightenment and become Buddha. Because of this assurance, he is on occasion referred to as the Buddha Maitreya.

*Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī:
A Bodhisattva who is the symbol of wisdom and is placed on the Buddha‘s left with Samantabhadra on the right.

*Bodhisattva Samantabhadra:
A Bodhisattva, symbol of the fundamental Law, dhyāna and practice of all Buddhas. He is the right-hand assistant of the Buddha and Mañjuśrī is His left-hand assistant. Mount O-Mei in Szechuan, China, is his bodhimaṇḍala, and devotees go there to see myriad Buddha lamps in the sky at night

*Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara:
A Bodhisattva who will come to the aid of anyone who invokes His name. This Bodhisattva is the embodiment of the compassion of all Buddhas. He appears in many Sūtra and Tantras, and plays an important role in most Mahāyāna activities. Avalokiteśvara is worshipped in either a male or a female form in the various Buddhist countries.

*Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprapta [Shih Chih, Seishi]:
A Bodhisattva representing the Buddha-wisdom of Amitābha. He is on Amitābha‘s right with Avalokiteśvara on the left. They are called the Three Holy Ones of the Western Paradise of Bliss.

*Bodhisattva Aśvaghoṣa:
A Brahmin converted to Buddhism, who became the First Patriarch of the Pure Land School; author of The Awakening of Faith.

*Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna:
Born in Southern India in the second century A.D., he expounded Madhyamika philosophy based upon the principle of Śūnyatā. He is regarded as founder by eight of the main Schools of Buddhism. He is said to have embraced Pure Land faith in his later years. Among his known works are: Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā-Śāstra, [Shih-chu pi-p’o-sha lun, 17 vols], and Mahāprajñāpāramitā-Śāstra, [Ta-chih-tu lun, 100 vols.] etc..

*Bodhisattva Vasubandhu:
Lived between the 4th and 5th centuries A.D. Born in Puruṣapura in the country of Gandhāra, he went to Kaśmira where he took up the study of Hīnayāna Buddhism and wrote the Abhidharmakośabhāsya. He criticized the Mahāyāna, but under the influence of his elder brother, Asaṅga was later converted to it. He left many writings and commentaries, laying the foundations for the Yogācāra School [The Mind Only or Consciousness Only] doctrines thatare the core of the Yogācāra. Vimśatikāvijñaptimātratāsiddhi, 1 vol.; Triṃśikāvijñaptimātratāsiddhi, 1 vol.; Sukhāvatīvyuh-Opadeśa.; 1 vol.

*Brāhmaṇas [Skt, Brāmaṇa]:
The highest of the four traditional social classes of Indian society, composed of Brāhmaṇa priests and scholars. The other three are the kṣatriya, the ruling caste; the Vaiśya, the caste of peasants, artisans, and merchants; and the Śūdra, the slave caste.
*Brahma Net Sūtra [Brahmajāla Sūtra] Sixty-two heretical Schools:

*Buddha:
Buddha is a person who attained Enlightenment.

*Buddha Dharma:
The doctrines or teachings of the Buddha.

*Buddha Nature; Buddha-hood [Buddhatā or Dharmatā]:
Buddhatā is the essence of Buddha-hood, without which this is never attained on the world. When the Buddha is conceived impersonally or objectively, it is Dharma, law, truth, or reality; and Dharmatā are what constitute the Dharma. Dharmatā and Buddhatā are interchangeable, but the experience of the Mahāyānists is described more in terms of Buddhatā.
The Nirvāṇa Sūtra states that All beings are inherent the Buddha-nature.


*Buddha Recitation, Buddha–Remembrance, Pronounce the Name [Skt, Buddhānusmṛiti, Ch. Nien-Fo, VN: Niệm Phật]:
General term for a number of practices, such as i) Oral recitation of Amitābha Buddha ‘s name and ii) Visualization/Contemplation of His Auspicious Marks and those Pure Land realms. In reciting the Buddha-name, you use your own mind to be mindful of your own true self: how could this be considered seeking outside yourself? Reciting the Buddha-Name proceeds from the mind. The mind remembers Buddha and do not forget. That is why it is called Buddha Recitation, or reciting the Buddha-name mindfully.
The Name of Amitābha Buddha has had the original in Sanskrit phrase [Namo Amitābhabuddhāya,] in Chinese [Namo A-mi-t ‘uo Fo] in Japanese [Namu-Amida-Butsu] in Vietnamese [Nam Mô A Di Đà Phật]. meaning [Adoration of the Buddha of Infinite Light.] However, with followers of the Pure Land teaching, the phrase is far more than mere adoration for by this they express their absolute faith in Amitābha as one who makes it possible for them to be born in his Land of Purity and Bliss. The phrase often serves as a metaphysical formula symbolizing the identity of subject and object, of the devotee and Amitābha, of the [sin-laden] individual and the all saving and all merciful of all beings [Sarvasattva] and Buddha, of human yearnings and the Supreme Enlightenment.

[C]

*Conditioned [compounded]:
Describes all the various phenomena in the world – made up of separate, discrete elements, [with outflows,] with no intrinsic nature of their own. Conditions merits and virtues lead to rebirth within Saṃsāra, whereas unconditioned merits and virtues are the causes of liberation from birth and death.
[D]

*Dāna:
Charity, almsgiving, i.e., of money, goods or doctrine.

*Demons:
Evil influences, which hinder cultivation. These can take an infinite number of forms, including evil beings or hallucinations. Disease and death, as well as the three poisons of greed, anger and delusion are also equated to demons, as they disturb the mind.
*Devas [Skt, Deva, Ch. T’ien] Deities, Gods:
At the time of Śākyamuni in India, the Heavens inhabited by Devas were commonly held to be the highest of all realms, attainable by the performance of good deeds. With the introduction of Buddhism and its doctrine of Nirvāṇa, heavens and Devas came to be considered abodes still within the realm of illusion. With time, various classifications, divisions and subdivisions were applied to the Devas and their Heavens.

*Dharma:
The truth, Law or Doctrine; a thing, all things, anything great or small, visible or invisible, real or unreal, concrete thing or abstract idea. It connotes Buddhism as the perfect religion and has the second place in the Triratna, or Triple Gem.

*Dharma-Ending Age, Decay of the Dharma [Saddharmavipralopa, Chinese: Mo-Fa, VN: Mạt Pháp, Japanese: Mappō]
The time following Buddha Śākyamuni‘s demise is divided into three period.
1. Dharma-Perfect Age: Lasting 500 years, when the Buddha‘s teaching [usually meditation] was correctly practiced and Enlightenment often attained.
2. Dharma-Semblance Age: Lasting about 1,000 years, when a form of the teaching was practiced but Enlightenment seldom attained.
3. Dharma-Ending Age: Lasting some 2,000 years, when a diluted form of the teaching exists and Enlightenment is rarely attained.

*Dharma Gate: School, Method, Tradition.

*Dharma Nature:
The intrinsic nature of all things. Used interchangeably with [Emptiness,] [Reality.]

*Dhyāni-Buddha:
There are five Dhyāni-Buddha as followings: 1/ Vairocana Buddha in the Centre, 2/ Akṣobhya in the East, 3/ Ratnasaṃbhava in the South, 4/ Amitābha in the West and 5/ Amoghasiddhi in the North.

*Difficult Path of Practice [Path of the Sages, Self-Power Path]:
According to Pure Land teaching, all conventional Buddhist ways of practice and cultivation [Zen, Theravada, the Vinaya School…], which emphasize self-power and self-reliance. This is contrasted to the Easy Path of Practice, that is , the Pure Land method, which relies on both self-power and other-power [the power and assistance of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

*Đề Hồ (VN) [Skt, Sarpimaṇḍa]:
One of the five flavors of milk. According to The Nirvāṇa Sūtra, these are: 1/ Fresh milk [Sữa] 2/ Coagulated milk [Cream, Lạc], 3/ Curdled milk [Sanh Tô], 4/ Butter [Thục Tô], 5/ Clarified Butter [ghee Đề Hồ]. The last is the rarest of all the flavors, and is used as a metaphor for Nirvāṇa, Buddha –Nature, True-Teaching, etc…
Thích Thiện Mỹ found the five flavors of milk, date 21-04-2005
*Dusts [Worldly Dusts], VN: Bụi Trần.
A metaphor for all the mundane things that can cloud our bright Self-Nature. These include Form, Sound, Scent, Taste, Touch, Dharmas [external opinions and views]. These dusts correspond to the five senses and the discriminating, everyday mind [the sixth sense, in Buddhism].
:

[E]
*Easy Path of Practice:
Refers to Pure Land practice. The Easy Path involves reliance on the power of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in particular Buddha Amitābha [Other-power].

*Eight kinds of Calamities [Bát Nạn]:
The eight kinds of calamities of those who are unable to see the Buddha and listen to His teaching are:
1/ to be born in hell;
2/ to be born in the animal world;
3/ to be born in the world of hungry ghosts.
The above three paths of existence are called [the three evil paths.]In them, one cannot hear the Dharma because of the pain and suffering one must undergo.
4/ to be born in the Heaven of Longevity;
5/ to be born in the Uttara-kuru
These last two are realms where one can enjoy much pleasure and longevity, but where, because of these sensual pleasures, one has no chance to hear the Dharma.
6/ to be born blind, deaf, and dumb;
7/ to be born secularly wise;
8/ to be born before the birth or after the death of Śākyamuni Buddha.

*Emancipation [Skt, Vimokṣa], VN: Giải Thoát:
This usually means to be free from the bondage of birth and death, and delivered from ignorance and passions [Kleśa] into Enlightenment. The devotees are no longer bound to dualism or to Non-dualism, and see all things in their Suchness in a state. Hence, it may indicate Nirvāṇa or the Pure Land.

*Emptiness [Skt, Śūnyatā]:
Voidness, Emptiness, Non-existence, immateriality, unreality, the illusory nature of all existence, the seeming that is unreal.

*Evil Paths, VN: Tam Ác Đạo.
The paths of Hells, Hungry ghosts, Animalist. These paths can be taken as states of mind; i.e., when someone has a vicious thought of maiming or killing another, he is effectively reborn, for that moment, in the Hells.

[F]

*Faith, believe [Skt, Śraddhā]:
Generally speaking, the Sanskrit Śraddhā (faith) means in Buddhism to purify the mind of the defilements or the evil passions. When the mind is absolutely pure, the practitioner is able to truly enjoy himself and others in all situations, with no inclination to fear or evade personal suffering and to seek pleasure or self-benefit.

*Five Aggregates [Skt, Pañca-Skandha]:
1/ form, 2/ feeling, 3/ ideation, 4/ reaction, (VN: Hành uẩn) 5/ consciousness.

*Five Defilements, Turbidities, Corruptions, Depravities, Filths, Impurities [Skt, Pañca-kaṣāya], VN: Ngũ Trược Ác Thế.
Degeneration-mental, spiritual, and physical defilements are believed to increase with the passage of time from the Buddha‘s demise:
(1) Kalpa-kaṣāya; defilements relating with the time [such as natural calamity, hunger, pestilence];
(2) Dṛiṣṭi-kaṣāya; defilements relating to philosophical insight [such as the growth of complex systems of philosophy and the confrontation of ideologies];
(3) Kleśa-kaṣāya; defilements relating to morality [destructive anger, ignorance, superiority or complexes, insincerity, etc..];
(4) Sattva-kaṣāya; defilements relating to physical and spiritual existence [such as decline in physical and mental ability, tendency toward egotism, neglect of others];
(5) Āyu-kaṣāya; defilements relating to man‘s increased dissatisfaction with life; the vain wasting of human existence

*Five kinds of eyes:
1/ The physical eye; 2/ The Deva-eye of celestial beings, which can be developed by humans through meditation and which can see even in darkness, at great distances, and through obstacles; 3/ The wisdom-eye, which sees the emptiness of all things, is possessed by all Enlightenment beings, including Śrāvakas and PratyekaBuddha; 4/ The Dharma-eye of Bodhisattvas, which sees the truth of the Buddha ‘s teaching and all Dharma-doors; and 5/ The Buddha-eye, which nondualistically sees everything in its real nature, and which is possessed only by Buddhas.

*Five Pasions, Five Desires, Five Sensual Pleasures [Ngũ Dục Lạc]:
Those arising from attachment to the objects of the five senses [Pañca-viṣaya]: things seen (Rūpa), things heard (Śabda), things smelt (Gandha), things tasted (Rasa), things touched (Spraṣtavya). Also, the desires for Wealth, Sex, Fame, Food and Sleep.

*Five Precepts:
The precepts taken by Lay Buddhists, prohibiting i) Killing, ii) Stealing, iii) Sexual misconduct, iv) Lying, v) ingesting intoxicants.

*Five Sufferings [Skt, pañca Duḥkhāni]:
(1) Life, (2) old age, (3) illness, (4) death, (5) parting with loved ones.
Another enumeration gives:
(1) Life, old-age, illness, and death;
(2) Parting with loved ones;
(3) Meeting those one dislikes;
(4) Failure to acquire what one wants;
(5) Attachment to the five elemental aggregates that constitute one‘s body and mind.

*Four Āgamas:
The Āgamas are the scriptures of early Buddhism. Northern Buddhism separates them into four divisions:
(1) Dīrgha-āgama, 22 vols
(2) Madhyama-āgama, 60 vols
(3) Ekottarika-āgama, 51 vols
(4) Samyukta-āgama, 50 vols
From its original meaning of [coming, and returning (to the source)] and [anything handed down and fixed by tradition,] Āgama has come to mean the teachings of the Buddha and the scriptural writings of Buddhism.

*Four Classes of Beings, VN: Tứ Chúng.
The four classes of lay ordained men and women that make up the Buddhist community:
(1) Bhikṣu, A Priest who must keep precepts prescribed by his order.
(2) Bhikṣuṇī, A Nun who must keep the precepts of her order.
(3) Upāsaka, A layman who entrusts himself to the Triple Treasure and keeps the precepts prescribed for laymen.
(4) Upāsikā, A laywoman who entrusts herself to the Triple Treasure and keeps the precepts prescribed for laywomen.

*Four Devilish Foes [Skt, Māra]: There are four kinds of Māra, they are…
1/ evil passions (Kleśa) that distress one‘s body and mind; [Phiềṅ Nảo Ma.]
2/ death;
3/ the five aggregates that make up the body and mind;
4/ Devas


*Four Elements [Skt, Mahā-Bhūta]:
The Four substances that constitute all matter:
(1) Earth [Pṛithivī-bhūta], possessed of hardness and able to support things;
(2) Water [Ab-bhūta], possessed of moisture and able to contain things;
(3) Wind or air [Vāyu-bhūta], possessed of the quality of motion and able to bring things to maturity;
(4) Fire [Tejo-bhūta], possessed of the quality of heat and able to perfect things.

*Four immeasurable:
1/ Kindness [Maitrī]; 2/ compassion [karuṇā]; 3/ Joy [Muditā]; 4/ Equanimity, amnesty [upekṣā].

*Four Mindfulnesses:
1/ Mindfulness of the body as impure; 2/ Mindfulness of feeling as suffering; 3/ Mindfulness of the mind as impermanent; 4/ Mindfulness of Dharmas as dependent, without self-entity. We think of [mindfulness of] Amitābha Buddha in the Pure Land method.

*Furnished in refinement; Adornment [Skt,Vyūha, Alaṃkāra]:
Refinement, Adornment, Embellishment, actualization are renderings of the term Chinese Chuang-yen. The term has its origin in two Sanskrit words, Alaṃkāra and Vyūha, the former meaning [making sufficient,] [decoration,] [Ornament,] and the latter, [placing apart,] [arrangement,] and [disposition.]

[G]

*Good Spiritual Advisor, Good Friend [Skt, Kalyāṇamitra]:
The friend or teacher who guides other correctly in the Buddha way. In a brother-hood bound I Buddhist spirit, one invariably perceives in his friends the working of something that leads him to the way of the Buddha. Much more than fond, intimate acquaintances, they are his exemplars through whom he gains living proof of the Dharma. Chih-I‘s Treatise on Śamatha and Vipaśyanā enumerates three kinds of [good friends]: (1) those who help by looking over one from without; (2) those who act together with one; and (3) those who teach and guide one.

*Great unconditional compassion; Absolute compassion [Skt, Mahākaruṇā, Ch. Wu-Kai-Ta-Pei, VN. Vô Ngại Đại Bi]:
The great compassion embodied by Amitābha as expressed in his Vows of universal salvation. It is also called Wu-kai-ta-pei, literally meaning [Uncovered,] is rendered here as [Unconditional] and [Absolute.] The term thus means compassion, which is boundless, Absolute and Unconditional.

[H]

*House of the Dharma [Skt, Dharma-kośa; Dharmākara]:
Originally, the storehouse where all the Sacred Buddhist Text were kept, hence where the Dharma in all its aspects was expounded. It later came to refer to all the Merits or Virtues gained from practicing the teachings of the Dharma. Thus in this context it means to recite Amitābha Buddha‘s Name in which are contained all the Merits and Virtues of the Dharma.
[I]

*Icchantika [Skt]:
Originally, this meant [One who follows his cravings and desires.] In Buddhism it generally refers to someone with no inclination to seek Enlightenment, who is without belief in the Dharma and has no desire to become Buddha; hence he who has cut off all his stock of Merit.

*Ignorance, Delusion or Unenlightenment [Skt, Avidyā]:
In Buddhism, ignorance is the basic of all evil passions [Kleśa, fan-nao] and is the greatest hindrance to the attainment of Supreme Enlightenment. Evil passions refer generally to troubled, confused mental activity caused by a deluded mind and body. The ultimate goal of Buddhists is to cut off the root of all evil passions by attaining the transcendental wisdom of Enlightenment.

[J]
*Jewel Net of Indra:
This is a net said to hang in the Palace of Indra, the King of the Gods. At each interstice of the net is a reflecting jewel, which mirrors not only the adjacent jewels but also the multiple images reflected in them. This famous image is meant to describe the unimpeded interpenetration of all and everything.

[K]

*Karma [Skt, Karma; Karman]:
The Buddhist conception of Karma, briefly stated, is this: Any act, good or evil, once committed and conceived, never vanishes like a bubble I water, but lives, potentially or actively as the case may be, in the world of minds and deeds. This mysterious moral energy, so to speak, is embodied in and emanates from every act and thought, for it does not matter whether it is actually performed, or merely conceived in the mind. When time comes, it is sure to germinate and grow with all its vitality. Says the Buddha:
“Karma even after the lapse of a hundred kalpas,
Will not be lost nor destroyed;
As soon as the necessary conditions are ready,
Its fruit is sure to ripe.”

*Karmic result of faith in the Buddha:
Faith in the Buddha is the result of a happy combination of one‘s favorable past karmic conditions and Amitābha‘s Vow working to bring about salvation.

*kleśa:
Worry, anxiety, trouble, distress and whatever causes them.

*Koṭis [Skt, Koṭi], VN: Câu Chi.
A Unit used for counting. One version says a Koṭi consists of 10,000,000, while another gives 100,000,000. One hundred Koṭi is said to make 3000 Chiliocosms.

*Kṣaṇa [Skt, Kṣaṇa, Sát Na]:
The shortest possible unit of time. According to the Abhidharmakośabhāsya, Vol. 12:
120 Kṣaṇa=tat-kṣaṇa, 60 Tat-Kṣaṇa=lava, one finger-snap
90 Kṣaṇa= a thouhgt
4,500 Kṣaṇa= a minute
30 Muhūrta=24 hours
According to the above formulas, one Kṣaṇa corresponds to 1/75 second. There are various other explanations about this.


[L]

*Lesser Vehicle [Skt, Hīnayāna]:
[Lesser vehicle.] An appellation critically applied by the later Mahāyānists to the more conservative Buddhism that is based primarily on the Pāli Canon and the teaching of the two vehicles. The claim of the Mahāyānists is that the early Buddhists did not envisage in Buddha‘s Enlightenment the fullest extent beyond a personal salvation, the state of Arhatship. Hīnayānists is also called the Southern or the Theravāda School of Buddhism.

*Living, Practice [Skt, Paṭipatti, Ch. Xīu-Xíng, VN: Tu Hành]:
Usually understood as [practice,] [discipline,] [act.] Generally, Xīu Xíng refers to practices of all forms, which lead to Enlightenment.

*Lotus World [Skt, Kusuma-tala-garbha-Vyūhālaṃkāra-lokadhātu-samudra], Liên Hoa Tạng Thế Giới.
The reference here is to Amitābha‘s Pure Land. In Buddhism, the Buddha-Dharma, Buddha-Land, Enlightenment and so on, are often compared to the Lotus, which grows with its roots in the mud yet produces a Pure and Noble-Flower. The Buddha goes about in this world of birth and death working to deliver suffering beings and yet his Enlightenment remains untainted by evil passions. The term Lotus-world appears originally in the Avataṃsaka-Sūtra where it means the world in which the Vairocana Buddha reigns and teaches.

[M]

*Mahāyāna [Skt, Mahāyāna]:
Mahā means [great] and Yāna, [vehicle.] Buddhism is historically divided into two fundamental Schools, Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna, [small vehicle] and [great vehicle.] the Mahāyāna is a later development and prevails Nepal, Sikkim, Tibet, Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan, while the Hīnayāna is strong in Ceylon, Burma and Thailand.

*Marks, [Skt, Lakṣana]:
The Marks visible on the body of every Buddha.

*Merit [skt, Guṇa, Ch, Kung-Te]:
The word kung-te encompasses not merely the idea of Merit but also all potentiality contained in a good deed. [True] Merit is derived from good deeds such as the six Pāramitās and other acts in accordance with the Buddha‘s teaching. [False] Merits are those derived from deeds of a worldly nature no matter how good they may seem.

*Merit and Virtue:
These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there is a crucial difference: merits are the blessings [wealth, intelligence, etc.] of the human and celestial realms; therefore, they are temporary and subject to Birth and Death. Virtues, on the other hand, transcend Birth and Death and lead to Buddha-hood. Four virtues are mentioned in Pure Land Buddhism: eternity; happiness; True-Self; purity. An identical action [e.g., charity] can lead to either merit or virtue, depending on the mind of the practitioner, that is, on whether he is seeking mundane rewards [merit] or transcendence [virtue]. Thus, the Pure Land cultivator should not seek merits for by doing so, he would, in effect, be choosing to remain within Saṃsāra. This would be counter to his very wish to escape Birth and Death.

*Mind [Skt, Citta]:
Key concept in all Buddhist teaching. Frequent term in Ch’an, used in two senses: (1) the mind-ground, the one Mind... the Buddha-mind, the mind of thusness... (2) false mind [VN: Vọng Tâm] the ordinary mind dominated by conditioning, desire, aversion, ignorance, and false sense of self, the mind of delusion.



[N]

*Nine grades of Beings, Lotus Grades, VN: Cửu Phẩm Liên Hoa:
In The Sūtra of Meditation aspirant for birth in Amitābha‘s Pure Land are described under three ranks and nine grades.
I. Highest rank:
(1) The highest grate of the highest rank
(2) The middle grate of the highest rank
(3) The lowest grate of the highest rank
Devotees who belong to this rank follow the Mahāyāna teaching.
II. Middle rank:
(4) The highest grate of the middle rank
(5) The middle grate of the middle rank
Devotees who belong to these two grates follow the Hīnayāna teaching.
(6) The lowest grate of the middle rank
Those who belong to this grate practice good deeds only in the worldly sense.
III. Lowest rank:
(1) The highest grate of the lowest rank
(2) The middle grate of the lowest rank
(3) The lowest grate of the lowest rank
Those who belong to this rank can perform only evil deeds. Those who belong to the ninth grate are the vilest of all.
Pure Land Schools place great importance on the deep love of the Buddha, which never forsakes even the vilest of Creatures.

*Nirvāṇa [Skt, Nirvāṇa]:
The Sanskrit Nirvāṇa means [blown out,] [extinguished,] [calmed,] [tamed,] [deceased,] [disappeared.] The Buddhists came to employ this word to express Buddha‘s Enlightenment, a state reached by extinguishing the fire of evil passions rooted in ignorance. Nirvāṇa means nothing else in its essence than Enlightenment. Nirvāṇa, according to Buddhists, does not signify an annihilation of consciousness or a temporal or permanent suppression of mentation, as imagined by some; but it is the annihilation of the notion of ego-substance and of all the desires that arise from this erroneous conception. But this represents the negative side of the doctrine, and its positive side consists in universal love or sympathy [Karuṇā] for all beings.

*Non-Birth, No-Birth, VN: Vô Sanh, Bất Sanh.
A term used to describe the nature of Niṛvāṇa. In Mahāyāna Buddhism generally, No-Birth signifies the ‘extinction’ of the discursive thinking by which we conceive of things as arising and perishing, forming attachments to them.

*Non-Buddhist Schools:
This refers to all Indian non-Buddhist teachings, and is generally used pejoratively to include all false teachings as well. In particular, there are six ascetic-teachers representative of six Schools of non-Buddhist philosophy, but there are also enumerations of 16, 20, 62, and 95 non-Buddhist Schools.

*Non-doing; Doing-nothing-ness [Skt, Asaṃskṛita], VN: Vô Vi
Non-doing is a way of characterizing Enlightenment or Nirvāṇa, the Ultimate nature of Amitābha‘s Pure Land. The Sanskrit Asaṃskṛita, usually rendered [uncreated,] means [that which is not subject to the law of causation.] All things that are born from or produced by conditions of causation are by necessity impermanent, but the realm of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is eternal, unchanging, empty [Śūnya,] unborn, nondual, without self-substance, and non-doing.

[O]

*Ocean-wide Lotus Assembly, VN: Thanh Tịnh Đại Hải Chúng.
The Lotus Assembly represents the gathering of Buddha Amitābha, the Bodhisattvas, the Sages and Saints and other superior beings in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. This Assembly is [Ocean-Wide] as the participants are infinite in number – spreading as far and wide as the ocean. The term Ocean-wide Assembly is generally associated with the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, a Text particularly prized by the Pure Land and Ch’an Schools alive.

*One Mind, Ch. I-hsin, VN: Nhất Tâm
Here, [one] signifies absoluteness, a purity that is beyond all relative categories. One mind refers to Amitābha‘s true mind that appears and operates freely and unrestrictedly amid the world of birth and death. Since it remains unsullied even while dwelling in the world of defilement it is called the Pure Mind; since it remains immovable and undisturbed within the world‘s confusion, it is called the Vajra Mind. When Vasubandhu states at the beginning of The Treatise on the Pure Land [I, with one mind,] he is speaking of the spiritual realm in which he has awakened to the Original Vow and placed his trust in Amitābha, clarifying that this [one mind] is Amitābha ‘s Pure Mind.

*[Others-benefiting] and [Benefited by the Other]:
Generally Bodhisattva Vows are said to have the two aspects of self-benefiting [i.e., for one‘s own Enlightenment, and other-benefiting [i.e., for the Enlightenment of others,] Bodhisattvas gain Enlightenment as the result of long and arduous practice, and by means of the merit thus gained lead others to Enlightenment. According to Pure Land teaching, if Bodhisattvas trust in their own power instead of Amitābha‘s, they can not consummate both these aspects. It is not Bodhisattvas that save sentient beings, but the great compassion of Amitābha‘s other-power. To express this, Doran uses the phrase benefited by the other. Sentient beings as seen by Amitābha are called others and Amitābha seen by sentient beings is called the other.

*Other-Power:
Other-power denotes the power of Amitābha‘s Vows. Although [other-power] is the apparent antithesis of [self-power,] essentially, as a working force, [other] is beyond any such dualistic notions. If we say that other-power issues from a personality named Amitābha, we somehow feel It to be something possessed of the nature of human conduct. But the working of Amitābha‘s great Compassion is free from all human agency, severed from discriminations and arguing; it is natural and not calculated. Therefore, this power of the Original Vow is like Asura‘s harp, from which it is said the music comes out naturally without anyone playing on it. Here is the transcendental aspect of Pure Land teaching.

*One Thought; One moment of thought [Skt, Eka-kṣaṇa], VN: Nhất Niệm, Một Sát Na.
[One thought] is a momentous term in the philosophy of Pure Land Buddhism. Its Sanskrit original is Eka-Kṣaṇa meaning [one instant] or [One moment.] As we say in English [Quick as thought] or [Quick as a flash,] [One thought] represents in term of time the shortest possible duration, which is to say, one instant. The on instant of faith-establishment is the moment when Amitābha‘s Eternal Light flashes into the darkening succession of love and hate which is experienced by our relative consciousness. At one moment of thought, if one recited the Name of Amitābha Buddha to come to singlemindedly, he would reborn in the Pure Land instantly at the moment of death.

[P]

*Paramitā:
Crossing over from this shore of birth and death to the other shore [Nirvāṇa.]

*Prajñā [Skt, Prajñā]: Wisdom, Transcendental Wisdom.

*Pratyeka Buddha [Skt, pratyeka Buddha [solitary Buddha], VN: Bích Chi Phật.
One who obtains Enlightenment without recourse to the Buddha‘s teaching. A Saint who preferring a life of quiet peacefulness, does not preach the Dharma, and does not lead others to salvation. The Solitary Buddha-vehicle and Hearer-vehicle make up the [two vehicles,] or the Hīnayāna. When the Bodhisattva-vehicle is added, they are called the [three vehicles].


*Pratyutpanna-Samādhi [Skt] contemplation on the presence of Buddha:
One comes into the presence of all Buddhas in this Samādhi. To gain this state, a certain length of time [from 7 to 90 days] is set aside, during which the practitioners circumambulate a statue of Amitābha while reciting the Nien-fo. This practice is called [Walking Only] Samādhi. Not allow to sitting or lying or take a rest.

*Prayer [Original Prayer]: Skt, Pūrva-Praṇdhāna.
Praṇidhāna is generally translated as [Vow] or [Fervent Wish] or [Prayer,] or simply [the will], but these English terms do not convey the full meaning of the Sanskrit as it is used in the Mahāyāna. The original Prayer is the expression of Amitābha ‘s Vows or Karuṇā (Love or compassion) which he cherishes over all beings. Karuṇā constitutes with Prajñā the personality of every Buddha. Amitābha Buddha used Original Prayer to save all beings in the ten directions.

*Precepts [Skt, Śīla]:
The word Śīla originally possesses meanings such as deed, custom, character, morality, devotion; but generally, it is used to mean the Buddhist rules of moral conduct. These were promulgated to warn against the practices of non-Buddhist Schools, applying to laymen as well as priests.

*Pure Land [Skt, Sukhāvatī]:
The term Pure Land generally refers to the abode of all Buddhas. I the Pure Land teaching it refers to a place created out of Amitābha‘s boundless love to save all beings from ignorance and suffering. [In this Land of Bliss, Sukhāvatī,] inequalities of all kinds are wiped out and those who enter are allowed equally to attain perfect Enlightenment.

*Purity of the objective world (or Environment) [Skt] Bhājanalokavyavadhāna; Bhājanapariśodhana:
The purity of the Pure Land is twofold: the purity of the Land itself, and the purity of those abiding therein. The former is technically referred to as the purity of the objective world or environment [literally, vessel-world], while the latter is known as the purity of personality. Vasubandhu devotes 17 lines to describe the purity or [embellishment] of the Land.

*Purity of Personally [Skt, Sattvalokavyavadāna; Sattvapariśodhana]:
Personality refers to the Buddha and Bodhisattvas who inhabit the Pure Land of Amitābha. Vasubandhu devotes 8 lines of his Gāthā to the ways in which the Buddha Amitābha was actualized and to his purities [adornments], and 4 lines to the purities of the Pure Land Bodhisattvas.




[R]


*Recompense [Ch: pao; VN: Quả Báo]:
Generally, in Buddhism Pao means that which is acquired as a result of a certain deed. In the Pure Land School recompense refers in particular ti that accruing from result‘s Vows and long practice to bring about perfection. Accordingly, Amitābha is called [the Body of Recompense,] and his Pure Land, [the Land of Recompense.]

[S]

*Sahā World [Skt, Sahālokadhātu]: VN: Ta Bà Thế Giới.
The Sanskrit Sahā means [the Earth,] to Indian Buddhism, the world inhabited by men. It was translated into Chinese as [Patience] or [Endurance] in addition to its strictly phonetic rendering of Sha-p’o. It refers to this present world whose dwellers must endure the results of deeds produced by their evil passions; the world of transmigration into which Śākyamuni Buddha appeared to reveal his teaching. It is usually contrasted to the Pure Land; [dialectically speaking, the absolute contradiction between the Pure Land and the defiled Land of ours is synthesized only by going through the medium ship of Amitābha‘s infinite Light.

*Samādhi:
Internal state of imperturbability, exempt from all external sensation; this state precedes the attainment of Buddhahood.

*Samādhi of meditation on Buddha, [Ch. Nien-Fo-San-Mei]:
It is the Samādhi that is realized by constant recitation of [Namo Amitābhāya Buddhāya]. We can state that the Samādhi, and the establishment of faith in the Buddha, and the assurance of rebirth in his Land of Purity, describe one and the same psychological fact, which constitutes the foundation of the Pure Land doctrine.

*Sambhoga-kāya:
Reward body of a Buddha, that of Bliss or enjoyment of fruits of His past saving labors. It is perceptible to Bodhisattvas only.

*Samādhi of meditation on Buddha:

*Saṃsāra:
Saṃsāra means the cycle of births and deaths. Birth and death is a technical term in Buddhism and may better be hyphenated. The Sanskrit original Saṃsāra means [becoming] or [passing through a succession of changes,] for which the Chinese Buddhist Scholars have Sheng-Ssu, i.e., [birth and death.] It stands contrasted to Nirvāṇa, which is [changelessness,] [eternity,] [absoluteness.] To transcend birth and death is to be released from the bondage of Karma, to attain Emancipation, Enlightenment, and Eternal Bliss, which is Buddha-hood.

*Śamatha and Vipaśyana [Skt] The Treatise on Śamatha and Vipaśyana
Śamatha means to stop all thoughts and concentrate on a single object to quiet the mind. Vipaśyana means to observe clearly an object with right wisdom. This twofold practice, in which the two aspects are inseparable, is said to be the basic method of consummating the Buddhist teaching.

*Śāriputra:
A disciple of the Buddha, noted for His Wisdom

*Śāstra: commentaries

*Skt, Mahāyāna-Śraddhotpāda Śāstra [The Awakening of Faith in the Mahāyāna]:
It was translated into Chinese in 550 by Paramārtha-Bhikṣu who had come from India to China during the Liang Dynasty (502-557). The Treatise sets forth the fundamental doctrines of Mahāyāna Buddhism and attempts to awaken people to faith in it. In particular, it takes up the concept of Tathatā, meaning Thusness or Suchness, the true aspect of reality. It was widely studies by Mahāyānists in India, and there are several Chinese commentaries.

*Skt, Mahāprajñāpāramitā-Śāstra, Ch. Ta chih-tu Lun, VN: Đại Trí Độ Luận.
100 vols. Reputed to be by Nāgārjuna. Translated into Chinese in 405 by Kumārajīva [344-413], this Śāstra is a section-by-section interpretation of the Pañcaviṃśātisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā, which expounds the doctrine of Śūnyatā, and belongs to the early stages of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Although the original Sanskrit Text no longer exists, it is supposed to have run to 100,000Verses, and as many as 1000 Volumes, which Kumārajīva digested into 100 volumes. Its wealth of thought, theory, legend, history, topography, etc.., on the various philosophical systems prevailing at the time in India makes it a repository of encyclopedic proportion, and an indispensable Text for understanding Mahāyāna Buddhism.

*Skt, Daśabhūmika-vibhāṣā-Śāstra:
15 vols. Written by Nāgārjuna, and translated into Chinese by Kumārajīva. This is a commentary on the [Chapter on Ten Stages of Bodhisattva-hood] of the [Avataṃsaka Sūtra,] and is specifically concerned with the first two stages. Made up of 35 chapters with expositions on themes such as Bodhicitta, Easy practice, Other-power, Virtue, Form of Devotion, Nien-fo, Deligence, Prajñā, and Six Pāramitā.

*Skt, Sukhāvatīvyūh-Opadeśa: The Treatise on the Pure Land
A one-volume work by vasubandhu, translated into Chinese during the Northern Wei Dynasty by the Northern Indian Monk Budhiruci. Based mainly on The Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra, the work praise Amitābha‘s Pure Land and exhorts readers to gain rebirth in it. It is in the form of Verse followed by prose commentary.

*Self-Power:
Opposed to [other-power]. Shinran states that [self-power is when a man counts upon his body, his mind, his power, or any of his various good roots,] and says that [to attain the true faith you must be free from the limitations of your discrimination intellect, and the roots of the self-power‘s working must be overthrown.] The essence of self-power is discrimination, self-will, analyzing, viewing things objectively, always moving from here to there, from there to here.

*Seven Treasures:
Gold, Silver, Lapis Lazuli, Crystal, Agate, Red-Pearl and Carnelian. They represent the seven powers of faith, perseverance, and sense of shame, avoidance of wrongdoing, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom.

*Six Forms of Existence, Six Paths [Skt, Ṣaḍ-gati]:
The [six paths] (also referred to as [the triple world,]) belong to the world of ignorance and suffering. They are the six form of existence to which sentient beings bind themselves because of their past deeds:
(1) Hell [Naraka];
(2) Hungry ghosts [Preta];
(3) Animals [Tiryagyoni];
(4) The world of fighting demons [Asura; Ashura]; malevolent deities who fight with Śakra devānām indra, the guardian deity of Buddhism. Hence, also, a contentious manner of existence;
(5) The Human [world];
(6) Devas [Deva];
The first three of these are called [the three evil form of existence] or [the three evil paths] 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, comprise [the five evil forms of existence.

*Six Organs of Sense [Skt, Ṣaḍ-Indriya, Lục Căn]:
The six organs by which man perceives the external world: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind.



*Six Forms of Consciousness [Skt, Ṣaḍ-Vijñāna Lục Thức]:
The six form of Consciousness by which man, through the six organs of sense, perceives the external world: Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste, Touch and Intellection.

*Six objects of Sense [Skt, Ṣaḍ-Āyatana, Lục Trần]:
The six objects of sense perceived by man’s consciousness by means of the organs of sense. The from(rūpa) seen by the eye; things heard by the ear; smells smelt by the nose; tastes tasted by the tongue; things felt as they contact the body; and dharmas understood by the mind.

*Six Pāramitā [Skt, Ṣaṭpāramitā]:
The six virtues are: (1) Charity [Dāna]; (2) Morality [Śīla]; (3) Huminity [Kṣānti]; (4) Striving [Vīrya]; (5) Meditation [Dyāna]; (6) Transcendental Wisdom [Prajñā].


*Six Miraculous Powers, Spiritual Power; [Skt, Ṣaḍ-Abhijñā]:
The free and unrestricted superhuman activity that is acquired through the practice of Dhyāna meditation or through other practices:
(1) The power of free activity [ṛiddhividhijñāna; Thầṅ Túc Thông]
a. ability to go about freely to any desired place;
b. ability to freely transform oneself;
c. ability possessed by a Buddha alone to overcome external conditions as he wills;
(2) The power to perceive everything, far and near, including suffering and pleasure [Divyacakṣus; Thiên Nhãn Thông]
(3) The power to hear all the voices of the world [Divyaśrotra; Thiên Nhỉ Thông]
(4) The power to know all that is in other‘s minds, both good and evil [Paracittajñānas; Tha Tâm Thông]
(5) The power to know the past conditions of oneself and other [Pūrvanivāsānusmṛitijnāna; Túc Mạng Thông]
(6) The power to extinguish all defilement in order to prevent oneself from relapsing into the world of illusion [Āsravakṣayajñāna; Lậu Tận Thông] Nos. 2, 5, and 6, which are the powers possessed by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, are regarded as especially superior, and together are called the three insights [Tisro vidyāḥ; Tam Minh].

*Sixty-two heretical Schools, VN: Sáu Mươi Hai Tà Kiếṅ Ngoại Đạo.
The 62 views advocated by non-Buddhist Schōls prevalent in India during the Buddha‘s time.
According to the Brahma-jāla-sutta [Kinh Phạm Võng], some examples of these heretical views are: holding that the self and the world are changeless everlasting, holding that the self and the world arise without cause, holding that thought can remain after one ‘s death, holding that no thought remains after one ‘s death. In all, 18 kinds of views with regard to the future are enumerated. These and other variations of such views Shinran classified as “false”

*Śramaṇas [Skt, Śramaṇa]:
The appellation Śramaṇa was used in both Buddhist and non-Buddhist Schools to refer to a religious who shaved his head, refrain from evil, set his body and mind in harmony, and endeavored to do good. In China and Việt Nam, it usually refers to Buddhist monks.

*Śrāvaka [Skt, Śrāvaka, Hearer]:
Literally, [He who listens to the voice]; one who hears the Buddha‘s teaching and is Enlightened. Originally, Śrāvakas meant all those disciples who sat at the Buddha‘s feet. Hence, it is also rendered [disciple.] when counted as one of the two vehicles or the three vehicles; it refers to a Saint who has left the world to engage in religious practice for his own salvation alone.

*Sudhana [Good Wealth]:
The main protagonist in the next-to-last and longest chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. Seeking Enlightenment, he visited and studied with fifty-three spiritual advisors and became the equal of the Buddhas in one lifetime. Both his first advisor and his last advisor and his last advisor [Samantabhara] taught him the Pure Land path.

*Supreme Enlightenment; The perfect Supreme Enlightenment [Skt, anuttara-samyak-sambodhi]:
Unexcelled complete Enlightenment, an attribute of every Buddha. Translated into Chinese: The highest, correct and complete or universal knowledge or awareness, the perfect wisdom of a Buddha. Omniscience.

*Sūtra: The Buddha‘s Sermons; one of the twelve divisions of the Mahāyāna Canon.

*Avataṃsaka [Flower Ornament] Sūtra:
The basic Śākyamuni of the Avataṃsaka School, it is one of the longest Sūtra in the Buddhist Canon and records the highest teaching of Buddha Śākyamuni, immediately after Enlightenment. It is traditionally believed that the Sūtra was taught to the Bodhisattvas and other highest spiritual beings while the Buddha was in Samādhi.

*Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra:
Literally, “The Great Jewelled Pinnacle Sūtra,” or “Jewelled Heap Sūtra,” indicates that this Sūtra is like a jeweled summit or a treasury of jewels.



*Karuṇā-Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, VN: Kinh Bi Hoa.
This Sūtra was translated by Dharmakṣema [Đàm Vô Thức [385-433] in 6 Chapters, 10 fascicles. It tells of Amitābha and Śākyamuni attaining the fruit of Buddha-hood after endless kalpas of Bodhisattva practice. The third Chapter, on [Great Giving,] tells of the awakening of faith of the King Araṇemin, and his one thousand Princes. Chapter four deals with Tathāgata Ratnagarbha [Bảo Tạng Như Lai], who prophesied that the King and princes would attain Enlightenment, that Araṇemin would take 52 Vows, and become Amitābha Buddha in the Land of Happiness in the future.

*Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra[Skt]:
28 Chapters in 8 vols. Translated by Kumārajīva [350-409] in 406. This important Mahāyāna Sūtra praises the Buddha as eternal life itself, making use of poetry, allegory, parable, and symbolism. Regarded as the paramount literary work in the history of Mahāyāna Buddhist thought, six Chinese translations are believed to have existed, but extant at present, besides Kumārajīva ‘s, are the following two:
(1) Cheng fa-hua Ching, 10 vols., translated in 286 by Dharmarakṣa [Chu-fa-huo, Trúc Pháp Hộ].
(2) Miao-fa lien-hua Ching, 8 vols., jointly translated in 601 by Jñānagupta and Dharmagupta.
Of the three, Kumārajīva‘s is the most widely used.

*Śūraṅgama Sūtra:
Translated by the Central Asian Monk Paramiti [Bát Thích Mật Đế], in 10 vols. It preaches the essentials of meditative practice.

*Pratyutpanna-samādhi Sūtra:
Translated by Lokakṣema [Chi Lâu Ca Thức (147-186)] in 3 vols. During the later Han Dynasty. It explains the method of viewing Amitābha by practicing the Pratyutpanna-samādhi. It is significant among Pure Land writings as being one of the earliest Sūtras in which there is mention of Amitābha. There exists another translation in one volume.

*Mahāpariniṛvāṇa Sūtra, The Nirvāṇa Sūtra:
The Mahāyāna Nirvāṇa Sūtra preaches the eternal natural of the Buddha-body, declaring that all beings possess the Buddha-nature and the possibility of attaining Buddha-hood, even the Icchāntika. In China and Japan, this version has been much more popular and widely read than any other.

*Stūpa [Skt, Stūpa]:
A mound or an elevated structure made of earth, stone, or wood to enshrine Śarīra [relics of the Buddha or Saints]. Its origin dates from the time of Śākyamuni Buddha; its shape varies according to time and place. In China, Vietnam, Japan, a Stūpa is often in the form of a Pagoda [Tháp], or a memorial tablet. Sometimes a distinction was made between a Stūpa, which contains Śarīra, and a Caitya, which does not. However, later on both were used interchangeably, and invariably called Stūpa.


[T]
*Tathāgatas [Skt, Tathāgata]:
Meant does not come from anywhere and will not go anywhere.
[One who has come from Suchness.] One of the ten epithets of the Śākyamuni Buddha, and synonym for Buddha and Buddhas in general. In the present translation the usage of [Tathāgata] usually refers to Śākyamuni Buddha, [Tathāgata] to Amitābha Buddha, and [Tathāgatas] to Buddhas in general.

*Ten Evil Acts, Ten Evil Deeds, Ten Sins, VN: Thập Ác.
These consist of the ten evils committed with one’s body, words, and mind: (1) destroying life, (2) theft, (3) adultery, (4) lying, (5) talking nonsense, (6) speaking evil of others, (7) being double-tongued, (8) greed, (9) anger, and (10) irrationality. The first four of these are especially grave, so they are called the [four specific evils] or Pārājika [Tội Nặng Ba La Di], the [four heinous evil deeds].

*Ten Precepts [Ten virtues, Ten Good Deeds]:
Abstaining from each of the ten evil deeds.

*Ten Quarters, Ten Directions:
The Eight points of the compass [East, North, West, South, North-East, South-East, North-West, South-West], plus the Zenith and Nadir. “in the ten directions” is a figurative term meaning “in all space.”

*The law of Cause and Effect [Skt, Hetu-Phala]:
Cause is what gives rise to result; effect is what produced from the cause.
Temporally speaking, cause comes first and effect afterward, cause and effect occurring at different times. Since the cause and effect of one’s deeds [Karma] occur at different times, a good cause is certain to have good result, and a bad deed a bad result. Therefore, right practice will lead one to the result of Enlightenment.

*The First Fruit [Skt, Prathama-phala]:
The [fruit] or the result of attaining the first stage of Hīnayāna Sainthood. In the Hīnayāna teaching, there are four stages of practice from which four fruits are gained:
(1) Srota-āpanna, in which one joins the [stream] of Saint-hood;
(2) Sakṛidāgāmin, in which one is still endeavoring to rid himself of his remaining evil passions;
(3) Anāgāmin, in which one severs himself from all remaining evil passions, never to return to the world of illusion;
(4) Arhat, in which one enter Nirvāṇa, attaining Enlightenment.

*The Ignorant [Skt, Pṛithagjana] Ch: Fan-fu, VN: Phàm Phu.
The Ignorant means the unenlightened man and is distinguished from the Buddha.

*The mind awakened to Enlightenment; the mind of Enlightenment; the Enlightenment mind; Bodhicitta, the mind of Supreme Enlightenment; the great mind of Enlightenment ; Skt, Bodhi-citta, Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi-Citta.

Thirty-seven Limbs of Enlightenment, VN: 37 Phẩm Trợ Đạo.
These are: (a) the four mindful-nesses; (b) the four right efforts; (c) the four bases of miraculous powers; (d) the five roots; (e) the five powers; (f) the seven factors of Enlightenment; (g) the eightfold noble path.

*Three Evil forms of Existence [Skt, Trayo Durgatayaḥ]:
Sentient beings are destined, because of their own wrong actions, to dwell within the following three realms:
1/ Hell. The most painful of the worlds of illusion, placed deep beneath the earth. The deepest and the worst hell being Avīci, reserved for the vilest of men.
2/ The world of hungry ghosts is where suffering comes as the result of evil deeds by those with covetous natures, consisting of perpetually unappeased hunger; even when food is obtained, one finds it aflame when he desires to eat it. Those unable to eat anything at all are called [property-less pretas]; those who eat others ‘leavings, and blood and pus, are called [propertied pretas].
3/ The world of beasts, including fowls and insects is the destination of those who know no shame, who receive undeserved offerings and rewards. Constantly beaten and driven into labor, there is no respite from the fear of savage mutual devouring.

*Three Forms of Merit [VN: Tam Phước]:
The three forms of Merit are 1/ Observing secular morality; 2/ Observing the Buddha‘s Precepts 3/Following the Mahāyāna teaching, awakening the mind of Enlightenment, aspiring for Buddha-hood, and helping to lead one ‘s fellow beings to the Buddha-Land.

*Three Minds:
The concept of the Three minds derives from The Sūtra of Meditation, and includes:
(1) The mind that is true and Sincere [Chí Thành Tâm].
(2) The Deep mind [Thâm Tâm].
(3) The mind desiring to be born in the Pure Land by means of the transfer of Amitābha‘s Meritorious practice.

*Three Treasures [Triple Jewel, Triple Gem]:
The Buddha, the Dharma and the Saṃgha [community of Monks].

*Three Vehicles [Skt, Tri-yāna; Yāna-traya]:
These form was the three divisions of the Buddha‘s teachings.
1/ Hearer-vehicle [Śrāvaka-yāna]
2/ Solitary Buddha-vehicle [Pratyeka-Buddha-yāna]
3/ Bodhisattva-vehicle [Bodhisattva-yāna]


*Transference of Merit [Skt, Pariṇāma]:
Pariṇāma literally, means [transfer merit.]
Mahāyāna Buddhism holds that Merit created anywhere by any being may be transfer to any other being desired or towards the enhancement and prevalence of Enlightenment in the whole world. A Bodhisattva practices asceticism not only for the perfection of his own moral and spiritual qualities but also for the increase of such qualities among his fellow-beings. Or he suffers pains in order to save others from them and at the time to make them aspire for Enlightenment.

*Transmigrating; Transmigration [Skt, Pravṛitti]:
The transmigratory cycle through the six paths or triple world that unenlightened beings are destined endlessly to repeat. This cycle of birth and death is formed by the perpetuation of man‘s ignorance.

*Tolerance of Non-Birth, VN: Ngộ Vô Sanh.
Tolerance [insight] that comes from the knowledge that all phenomena are unborn. Sometimes translated as [insight into the non-origination of all existence or non-origination of the Dharmas. A Mahāyāna Buddhist term for insight into emptiness, the non-origination or birthlessness of things or beings realized by Bodhisattvas who have attained the eight Stage [Ground] of the path to Buddha-hood. When a Bodhisattva realizes this insight, he has attained the stage of non-retrogression.

*Triple Basket, [Skt, Tripiṭaka]:
Piṭaka means [basket]; the whole Buddhist scripture is called the [triple basket.]
(1) Sūtra-piṭaka, the collection of Sūtras preached by the Buddha;
(2) Vinaya-piṭaka, the collection of Disciplinary codes and regulations of the Buddhist community lay down by the Buddha.
(3) Abhidharma-piṭāka, the collection of systematic exposition and interpretation of the Buddha‘s teachings.
Mahāyāna Buddhists compiled their own Tripiṭaka, finding the earlier ones insufficient. In China, Hīnayāna Buddhism was sometimes disparagingly referred to as the [Tripiṭaka teaching.]

*Triple Body [Skt, Tri-kāya]:
The Mahāyānists came to conceive the universal, eternal nature of the historical Buddha and explained its essence in three aspects; Dharmakāya [Dharma-body,] Sambhogakāya [Body of Recompense,] and Nirmāṇakāya [Body of Response and Transformation].
The dogma of Trikāya may be summarily interpreted in the following manner:
(1) The Dharmakāya is the essence being of all the Buddhas and of all beings. What makes at all possible the existence of anything is the Dharmakāya, without which the world itself is inconceivable. But, specifically, the Dharmakāya is the essence-body of all beings which forever is. In the sense, it is Dharmatā or Buddhatā, that is, the Buddha-nature within all beings.
(2) The Sambhogakāya is the spiritual body of the Bodhisattvas, which is enjoyed by them as the fruit of their self-discipline in all the virtues of perfection. This they acquire for themselves according to the Law of Moral causation, and in this they are delivered at last from all the defects and defilements inherent in the realm of the five Skandhas.
(3) The Nirmāṇakāya is born of the great loving heart [Mahākaruṇā] of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. By reason of this love they have for all beings, they never remain in the self-enjoyment of the fruits of their moral deeds. Their intense desire is to share those fruits with their fellow-beings. If the ignorant [Phàm Phu] could be saved by the Bodhisattva by his vicariously suffering for them, he would do so. If the ignorant could be enlightened by the Bodhisattva by transfer his stock of Merit over to them, he would so do. This transfer of Merit and this vicarious suffering are accomplished by the Bodhisattva by means of his Nirmāṇakāya, transformation-body. In this from, therefore, the Bodhisattva, spatially speaking, divides himself into hundreds of thousands of Koṭis of bodies. He can then be recognized in the form of a creeping caterpillar, in a sky-scraping mountain, in the Saintly figure of Francis of Assisi, and even in the shape of a world-devouring Evil One, if he thinks it necessary to take this form in order to save a world that has passed into the hands of ignorance, evil passions, and all kinds of defilements and corruptions.

*Triple World, three Realms, three Worlds [Skt, Trai-Dhātuka, Trayo Dhātavaḥ]:
The world of illusion, inhabited by unenlightened beings. Three levels or realms of the phenomenal world: (1) The world of desire [Kāma-Dhātu]; (2) The world of Form [Rūpa-Dhātu]; (3) The world of Formlessness [Arūpya-Dhātu].

*Tri-sahasra-Mahā-sahasra-Loka-Dhātu, VN: Tam Thiên Đại Thiên Thế Giới.
A great chiliocosm. Mount Sumeru and its seven surrounding continents, eight seas and ring of iron mountains form one small world; 1,000 of these form a small chiliocosm; 1,000 of these small chiliocosms form a medium chiliocosm; 1,000 of these form a great chiliocosms, which consists of 1,000,000,000 small worlds.

[U]

*Unborn; Not born [Skt, Anutpanna or Anutpāda] VN: Vô Sanh, Vô Tử, Bất Sanh, Bất Diệt.
This is one of the most fundamental ideas of Mahāyāna Buddhism, closely associated and almost interchangeable with such terms as Nirvāṇa, Pure Land, Emptiness [Śūnyatā,] No-self-substance [Asvabhāva], Non-duality [Advaita], Suchness [Tathatā,].
The term Unborn or Not Born is the shortened form of the expression [No-birth, No-death]. There is no generation or extinction in Nirvāṇa, which is a state of Suchness beyond all dualistic categories constructed by the mind. Since it is not subject to the karmic Law of Causation, Nirvāṇa (The Pure Land) is said to be a realm of No-birth and No-death.

*Upāya [Skt] means Expedient, Skillful means, Skill-in-means:
When Upāya is used in its technical sense in Buddhism, it is the expression of the Buddha‘s or Bodhisattva‘s love for all beings. When the Buddha sees all the sufferings that are going on in the world owing to ignorance and egotism, he desires to deliver it and contrives every means to carry out this desire. This is his Upāya. But as his desire has nothing to do with egotism or the clinging to the individualistic conception of reality, his Upāya is said to be born of his transcendental knowledge, the chain linked with Prajñā, Karuṇā, and Upāya goes through all the system of Mahāyāna Buddhism. This linking is the most characteristic feature of it.

[V]
*Vajra: Diamond, The thunderbolt.

*Vinaya [Skt, Vinaya]: Precepts
These are the disciplinary codes and regulations of the Buddhist community, those laid down by the Buddha as well as those created in the course of later monastic life. While originally distinct from Śīla, the term Vinaya later came to be used interchangeably with it.

*Virtue of the Buddha‘s Original Prayer [Skt, Pūrva-praṇidhāna-bala, VN: Bổn Nguyện Lực]:
The literal rendering is the power of the Original Prayer, from which the term Other-power derives. The power that constitutes Buddha-hood emanates, as it were, from its body and is transferred on to all sentient beings, and the latter are help thereby to quit their life of ignorance and passion. In Pure Land Buddhism this is called the [Power of Amitābha‘s Original Vows] and made the very foundation of its elaborate, though at first sight simple, system.
*Visualization:

[W]
*Way [Skt, Mārga], Chinese [Tao]:
Road, way, path, doctrine, truth, reality, self-nature, the absolute.

*Wisdom-life: The life of a Buddha Boddhisattva, which is sustained by wisdom, just as the life of an ordinary being is sustained by food.

*World-honored One [skt, Bhagavat]:
One who is honored by the people of the world? One of the ten epithets of a Buddha, usually referring to Śākyamuni Buddha.

[Y]
*Yogācāra School: Another name for the mind-only school, founded in the four century by the brothers Asaṇga and Vasubandhu.

[Z]
*Zen or Ch’an [Skt, Dhyāna]:
Meditation, abstract contemplation; meditative study of the `mean’ which is inclusive of both unchanged noumenon and changing phenomena.