Illustrated

Amida Sutra
(12-14)

Illustrations from the Amida Sutra Mandala

Why this sutra is called 'Praise of the Inconceivable Virtue ...'

[12] "Shariputra, why do you think this teaching is called 'the Sutra of Protection by All Buddhas'? Shariputra, all good men and women who hear the Name of Amida Buddha expounded by all the Buddhas and the name of this sutra1) are protected by all the Buddhas and dwell in the Stage of Non-retrogression for realizing the highest, perfect Enlightenment. This is why, Shariputra, you should accept my words and the teachings of all the Buddhas.
"Shariputra, those who have already aspired, now aspire or in the future will aspire to be born in Amida Buddha's land, all dwell in the Stage of Non-retrogression for realizing the highest, perfect Enlightenment. They have already been born, are now being born, or will be born in that land. Hence, Shariputra, good men and women of faith should aspire to birth there.

[Note 1] The Taisho Tripitaka edition reads: all good men and women who hear this sutra and hold fast to it and also those who hear the names of those Buddhas.


Meritorious acts encouraged to attain birth in the Pure Land.


Praise of Shakyamuni's virtue by all the Buddhas

[13] "Shariputra, just as I now praise the inconceivable virtue of other Buddhas, they also praise my inconceivable virtue, saying, 'Shakyamuni Buddha, you have accomplished an extremely difficult and unprecedented task. In this Saha world, during the evil period of the five defilements -- those of time, views, passions, sentient beings, and life-span -- you have attained the highest, perfect Enlightenment and, for the sake of sentient beings, have delivered this teaching, which is the most difficult in the world to accept in faith.'
"Shariputra, you must realize that I have accomplished this difficult task during the period of the five defilements. That is to say, having attained the highest, perfect Enlightenment, I have, for the sake of all the world, delivered this teaching, which is so hard for them to accept. This is indeed an extremely difficult task."

Epilogue

[14] When the Buddha delivered this sutra, Shariputra and all the monks, together with beings of the whole world, including devas, humans and asuras, rejoiced at what they had heard and reverently accepted it. Having worshiped him, they departed.


End of the sutra; Shakyamuni attended by Manjushri,
Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas and others


The End of
The Sutra on Amida Buddha
delivered by Shakyamuni Buddha


Return to Sukhavati-Index; General Index