The Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra (2)

The Buddha, while at the Jetavana monastery in Śrāvastī, tells Mañjuśrī of a buddha realm far above the world, in which lives the Buddha Aparimitāyurjñāna. He states that those who recite, write, hear, and so on, the praise of this buddha, or make offerings to this text, will have numerous benefits, including a long life and a good rebirth. As vast numbers of buddhas recite it, the mantra, or dhāraṇī, of this buddha is repeated numerous times. This is the lesser known of the two versions of this sūtra in the Kangyur, but possibly represents the earlier translation.

The Translation

[F.216.a] [F.216.b]

1.1

Homage to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas.

1.2

Thus did I hear at one time. The Bhagavān was staying in Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s park in Śrāvastī, with a great saṅgha of bhikṣus comprised of 1,250 bhikṣus, and with a great number of bodhisattva mahāsattvas.

1.3

Then the Bhagavān said to Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, in the upward direction there is a universe named Aparimitaguṇasaṃcaya.41 There, the tathāgata, arhat, perfectly awakened buddha Aparimitāyurjñānasuviniścitatejorāja 42 resides, and with the wish to sustain life and extend life to its very limit,43 teaches the Dharma to beings.

1.4

“Listen, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta, the lives of humans in this Jambudvīpa are short; their lifespan is no more than a hundred years, and most of them are seen to have44 premature deaths. Mañjuśrī, those beings who will write out or cause to be written out this Dharma discourse called ‘Uttering the Praise of the Qualities45 of the Tathāgata Aparimitāyurjñāna,’46 and even those who hear or recite its title only, up to those who write a copy, keep it at home,47 and offer flowers, perfume, incense, and garlands to it,48 will, when their lifespan is ending, still be able to live to a hundred years.

1.5

“Mañjuśrī, the lifespan of beings who hear49 the one hundred and eight names50 of the tathāgata Aparimitāyurjñānasuviniścitatejorāja will be lengthened. Those beings whose lifespan is coming to an end, who keep51 those names, will also [F.217.a] have their lifespan lengthened.

1.6

“Therefore, Mañjuśrī, the noble sons or noble daughters who wish to have long lives, and who hear, write, or cause to be written52 the one hundred and eight names of the tathāgata Aparimitāyurjñāna,53 will obtain these qualities and benefits.54

1.7

oṁ55 namo bhagavate aparimitāyurjñāna-suviniścita-tejorājāya tathāgatāya arhate samyaksaṃbuddhāya | tadyathā | oṁ sarva-saṃskāra-pariśuddha-dharmate gagana-samudgate svabhāva-viśuddhe mahānaya-parivāre svāhā |56

1.8

“Mañjuśrī, those who write or cause to be written these one hundred and eight names of the tathāgata,57 who make a text of them, keep it at home, and recite it, when their lifespan is coming to an end they will still be able to live to a hundred years. When they pass away from this world, they will be reborn in the tathāgata Aparimitāyurjñāna’s58 blissful59 buddha realm named Aparimitaguṇasaṃcaya.”60

1.9

oṁ namo bhagavate aparimitāyurjñāna-suviniścita-tejorājāya tathāgatāya arhate samyaksaṃbuddhāya | tadyathā | oṁ sarva-saṃskāra-pariśuddha-dharmate gagana-samudgate svabhāva-viśuddhe mahānaya-parivāre svāhā |

1.10

Then at that time nine hundred ninety million buddhas, with a single intention and a single voice, uttered this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra.61

1.11

1.12

Then at that time eight hundred forty million buddhas, with a single intention and a single voice, uttered this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra.

1.13

oṁ namo bhagavate aparimitāyurjñāna-suviniścita-tejorājāya tathāgatāya [F.217.b] arhate samyaksaṃbuddhāya | tadyathā | oṁ sarva-saṃskāra-pariśuddha-dharmate gagana-samudgate svabhāva-viśuddhe mahānaya-parivāre svāhā |

1.14

Then at that time seven hundred seventy million buddhas, with a single intention and a single voice, uttered this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra.

1.15

1.16

Then at that time six hundred fifty million buddhas, with a single intention and a single voice, uttered this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra.

1.17

1.18

Then at that time five hundred fifty million buddhas, with a single intention and a single voice, uttered this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra.

1.19

1.20

Then at that time four hundred fifty million buddhas, with a single intention and a single voice, uttered this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra.

1.21

1.22

Then at that time three hundred fifty million62 buddhas, with a single intention and a single voice, uttered this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra.

1.23

oṁ namo bhagavate aparimitāyurjñāna-suviniścita-tejorājāya tathāgatāya [F.218.a] arhate samyaksaṃbuddhāya | tadyathā | oṁ sarva-saṃskāra-pariśuddha-dharmate gagana-samudgate svabhāva-viśuddhe mahānaya-parivāre svāhā |

1.24

Then at that time two hundred fifty million buddhas, with a single intention and a single voice, uttered this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra.

1.25

1.26

Then at that time tens of millions of buddhas, as many as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges Rivers, with a single intention and a single voice, uttered this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra.

1.27

1.28

Whoever writes or causes to be written63 this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra, when their lifespan is coming to an end, will still be able to live to a hundred years and their lifespan will be lengthened.

1.29

1.30

Whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will never be born among hell beings, in the womb of an animal, or in Yama’s realm. They will never have an unfortunate rebirth. Wherever they are reborn, in each rebirth they will remember their previous lifetimes.

1.31

1.32

Whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will cause the whole collection of eighty-four thousand Dharma teachings to be written.

1.33

1.34

Whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will cause the practice and the continuation of the whole collection of eighty-four thousand Dharma teachings.64

1.35

1.36

Whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will be purified of the five karmas that have immediate result at death.65

1.37

1.38

Whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will be purified of their accumulation of bad karma, even if it is the size of Mount Sumeru.66

1.39

1.40

Whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will be invulnerable to any harm that Māra, Māra’s gods, yakṣas, or rākṣasas may seek67 to inflict.

1.41

oṁ namo bhagavate aparimitāyurjñāna-suviniścita-tejorājāya tathāgatāya [F.219.a] arhate samyaksaṃbuddhāya | tadyathā | oṁ sarva-saṃskāra-pariśuddha-dharmate gagana-samudgate svabhāva-viśuddhe mahānaya-parivāre svāhā |

1.42

When whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra dies, six hundred ninety million68 buddhas will give them prophecies directly,69 and a thousand buddhas will extend their hands to them. They will go from buddha realm to buddha realm. Have no doubt, hesitation, or uncertainty about this.70

1.43

oṁ namo bhagavate aparimitāyurjñāna-suviniścita-tejorājāya tathāgatāya arhate samyaksaṃbuddhāya | tadyathā | oṁ puṇye puṇye mahāpuṇye aparimitāyurpuṇya-jñāna saṃbhāropacite | oṁ sarva-saṃskāra-pariśuddha-dharmate gagana-samudgate svabhāva-viśuddhe mahānaya-parivāre svāhā |

1.44

Whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will be followed by the four Mahārājas, who will guard, protect, and hide them.

1.45

1.46

Whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will be reborn in the world of Sukhāvatī, the buddha realm of the tathāgata Amitābha.

1.47

1.48

Wherever this sūtra 71 is written or caused to be written,72 that place will be a stūpa 73 and worthy of veneration. Those birds and animals born in the animal realm who happen to hear this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will all become perfectly awakened in the highest, most complete awakening. [F.219.b]

1.49

1.50

Whoever writes or causes to be written this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will never be reborn in a female state.

1.51

1.52

Whoever makes a gift of even a single kārṣāpaṇa coin74 with regard to this Dharma discourse, the Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra, will have made a gift of the whole trichiliocosm filled with the seven jewels.

1.53

1.54

Whoever makes an offering to this Dharma discourse 75 will comprehend the entirety of the good Dharma.76

1.55

1.56

As a comparison,77 it is possible to calculate the extent of the accumulation of merit that comes from making offerings of the seven jewels to the tathāgatas Vipaśyin, Śikhin, Viśvabhu, Krakucchanda, Kakutsunda78 Kanakamuni, Kāśyapa, Śākyamuni, and so on, but it is impossible to calculate the extent of the accumulation of merit for Aparimitāyurjñāna.79

1.57

oṁ namo bhagavate aparimitāyurjñāna-suviniścita-tejorājāya tathāgatāya arhate samyaksaṃbuddhāya | [F.220.a] tadyathā | oṁ sarva-saṃskāra-pariśuddha-dharmate gagana-samudgate svabhāva-viśuddhe mahānaya-parivāre svāhā |

1.58

As a comparison, it is possible to calculate the extent of the accumulation of merit that comes from making a gift of a heap of jewels the same as Sumeru, the king of mountains,80 but it is impossible to calculate the extent of the accumulation of merit for Aparimitāyurjñāna.81

1.59

1.60

As a comparison, it is possible to count each drop that makes up all the water in the four great oceans, but it is impossible to calculate the extent of the accumulation of merit for Aparimitāyurjñāna.82

1.61

1.62

Whoever writes or causes to be written, honors,83 and makes offerings to this Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra will have paid homage and made offerings to all tathāgatas in all the buddha realms in the ten directions.

1.63

1.64

84The Buddha has risen high through the power of generosity,

The lion among men has realized the power of generosity,

And upon the compassionate one’s entry into his city85

The resounding86 of the power of generosity is heard.

1.65

The Buddha has risen high through the power of good conduct,

The lion among men has realized the power of good conduct,