Amitabha's forty-eight vows - Wikisource

— Excerpted from Amitabha on Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Amitabha's forty-eight vows were made by the primary Buddha of the Pure Land school of Buddhism as recorded in the Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life. They are as follows:

Vow 1 

Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine thereshould be either hell, or the animal state of existence, or the realm ofhungry ghost, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 2 

Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings whoare born there should fall away (die) into the three evil realms, thenmay I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 3 

Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings whoare born there should not all be of the colour of genuine gold, thenmay I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 4 

Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine thebeings who are born there should not all be of one appearance withoutthe difference of noble looking or ugly lineaments, then may I notattain the enlightenment.

Vow 5 

Provided I become a Buddha, if in that Buddha-country of mine thebeings who are born there should not be possessed of the supernormalknowledge of recollecting the previous lives of themselves(Purvanivasana i.e. knowledge of all reincarnations), and knowing theevents of evolution of hundred thousand nayuta years of kalpas, then mayI not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 6 

Provided I become a Buddha, if in that country of mine the beings whoare born there should not be possessed of the Divine-eye(Divyatchakchus) which can see a hundred thousand nayuta ofBuddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 7 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mineshould not be possessed of the Divine-ear (Divyassrotra) which to beable to hear the preachings of a hundred thousand kotis of nayuta ofBuddhas, and to a faithful observance, then may I not attain theenlightenment.

Vow 8 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mineshould not all possessed the Intuitive-mind (Paratchittadjna) knowingthe thoughts of all beings of a hundred thousand kotis of nayuta ofBuddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 9 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mineshould not all possessed of the Heavenly-step (Riddisakchatkriya) whichcan in the shortest moment of one thought travelling over a hundredthousand kotis of nayuta of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain theenlightenment.

Vow 10 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mineshould have arise in their minds the idea of selfishness and covetousthoughts, even with regard to their own bodies, then may I not attainthe enlightenment.

Vow 11 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mineshould not all be firmly abiding in a concentrated state of meditationand equanimity (Samadhi) till they have reached Nirvana, then may I notattain the enlightenment.

Vow 12 

Provided I become a Buddha, if my light should be limited inmeasurement so that it could not illuminate a hundred thousand nayuta ofkotis of Buddha-countries, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 13 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the measure of my life should belimited, even by counting a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Kalpas,then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 14 

Provided I become a Buddha, if any being should be able to countinnumerable pupils belonging to me in that country of mine, even if allthe beings of those three million worlds and the whole triplechiliocosm, who after having become Pratyeka-Buddhas, count and continueto do so for a period of a hundred thousand nayuta of kotis of Kalpas,could know the balance, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 15 

Provided I become a Buddha, the life of the beings in that country ofmine should be eternal, excepting by their own free will whenever theychoose to pass away from life, otherwise may I not attain theenlightenment.

Vow 16 

Provided I become a Buddha, there should be no evil or sinfulexistence in that country of mine, even its very name is unknown.Otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 17 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the innumerable Buddhas of the worldsof ten quarters do not glorify my name, then may I not attain theenlightenment.

Vow 18 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of the ten quarters whoafter having heard my name, and thus awakened their highest faith andaspiration of re-birth in that country of mine, even they haverecollected such a thought for ten times only, they are destinated to beborn there, with the exception of those who have committed the fivedeadly sins (Anantarya), and who have blasphemed the orthodox Law(Dharma), otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 19 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of ten quarters who havedirected their thoughts towards the Bodhi and cultivated their stock ofvarious merits with a fervent craving for re-birth in that country ofmine, if at the moment of death, should I not appear with an assembly ofretinue before them, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 20 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of ten quarters, afterhaving heard my name always longing for that country of mine andcultivating various essential merits for the purpose of realizing theirearnest wish to be born in my country, should their fulfillment befailed, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 21 

Provided I become a Buddha, if the beings of that country of mineshould not all be endowed with the glorious body perfected with thethirty-two attributes (Laksanani) of a great being, then may I notattain the enlightenment.

Vow 22 

Provided I become a Buddha, the Bodhisattvas who come to be born inthat country of mine are to be bound to that one birth only, then tobecome Buddha-elect (Ekajatipratibuddhas), with the exception of thosewho by their own free will remain in the stage of Bodhisattva-hood forthe sake of delivering various beings, wearing the armour of vows totravel to all worlds, performing their Boddhisattva-duties andaccumulating their stock of merit, who wish to serve the Buddhas of tenquarters, and convert the various beings in number like grains of sandof the River Ganges to the highest perfect knowledge, whose activitieshave surpassed the stage of ordinary beings, and who practise theuniversal virtue of Samantabhadra, otherwise may I not attain theenlightenment.

Vow 23 

Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattvas in that country ofmine, through the Grace of the Buddha should not be able to serve allthe Buddhas throughout the countless nayuta of Buddha-worlds within amoment as short as a length of time of refreshment, then may I notattain the enlightenment.

Vow 24 

Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattva in that country ofmine who wish their stock of merit to produce any appliance to be usedbefore the Buddhas, should such things not appear for them to theirsatisfaction, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 25 

Provided I become a Buddha, if those Bodhisattvas in that country ofmine should not be able to preach the law of wisdom in completion, thenmay I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 26 

Provided I become a Buddha, those Bodhisattva of that country of mineshould not all be in possession of a golden body as strong as thediamond of Narayana, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 27 

Provided I become a Buddha, the heavenly beings and the variousproperties produced in that country of mine should all be of supremebeauty and in boundless quantity, and in the infinity of various forms.If any being therein who even possessed the divine-eye is able toperceive the appellations and quantity of such beauties, then may I notattain the enlightenment.

Vow 28 

Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattva of that country ofmine who possesses even the least stock of merit, should not perceivethe boundless shining beauty of the Bodhi-trees of my sanctuary, theirheight being at least four millions of miles, then may I not attainenlightenment.

Vow 29 

Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattva of that country ofmine should not all possess the wisdom of eloquent oration after havingread, recited, and observed the Dharma of the sutras, then may I notattain the enlightenment.

Vow 30 

Provided I become a Buddha, if any Bodhisattvas of that country ofmine, have their wisdom of oration limited, then may I not attain theenlightenment.

Vow 31 

When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if that country of mine shouldnot be limpid and brilliant as to reflect the miniatures of theinnumerable, inconceivable and boundless Buddha-worlds of ten quartersas one's face is seen in a bright mirror, then may I not attain theenlightenment.

Vow 32 

If after I have obtained the Buddhahood, in that country of mine,there should be magnificent palaces towering up from the ground to thevoid, also the lakes, winding streams, blossoming trees, and all otherproperties which are compounded of various jewels and thousands of kindsof perfumes, minutely embellished in the most wondrous state surpassingall heavenly and human worlds. The scent of the perfumes shouldthoroughly pervade the worlds of ten quarters, whereof the Bodhisattvas,having smelt them thereby directed their minds to Bodhi; otherwise may Inot attain the enlightenment.

Vow 33 

When I obtain the Buddhahood, any being of the boundless andinconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters whose body if be touchedby the rays of my splendour should not make his body and mind gentleand peaceful, in such a state that he is far more sublime than the godsand men, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 34 

When I obtain the Buddhahood, if the beings of boundless andinconceivable Buddha-worlds should not attain the "Endurance of NirvanicLife" (Ajatah sarvadharmah) of Bodhisattva, and the deep knowledge of"Adharanamudro" (or Dharani?) after having heard my name, then may I notattain the enlightenment.

Vow 35 

When I obtain the Buddhahood, women of boundless and inconceivableBuddha-worlds of the ten quarters after having heard my name therebyawakened in faith and joyful aspiration, and turning their minds towardsBodhi, therefore dislike their own female lives, when they be bornagain, in their next life should not be incarnated into a masculinebody, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 36 

When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of boundless andinconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters after having heard myname, after their death (in their next life) will still continue theirBodhisattva-duty till they have obtained the Buddhahood, otherwise may Inot attain the enlightenment.

Vow 37 

When I obtain the Buddhahood, the heavenly beings of boundless andinconceivable Buddha-worlds of the ten quarters, having heard my name,should not worship me with prostrate reverence, and joyfully andfaithfully perform their Bodhisattva-duty, and be honoured by gods andmen, then may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 38 

When I obtain the Buddhahood, the heavenly beings of that country ofmine, should they desire a garment will be able to perceive themselves,as quick as thought, covered by apparitionally produced costumes,excellent to their satisfaction, worthy to be praised by the Buddha,without the work of sewing, washing, dying, etc. Otherwise may I notattain enlightenment.

Vow 39 

When I attain the Buddhahood, if the heavenly beings of that countryof mine should not be enjoying happiness as great as that that of theholy bhikkhus,(Asravakchava the finality of the stream of passions) thenmay I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 40 

When I attain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of that country ofmine wish to see the boundless, holy, pure Buddha-worlds of the tenquarters, they will at once behold them from the jewel-trees as thoughone's face were being reflected in a highly burnished, brilliant mirror,otherwise may I not attain the enlightenment.

Vow 41 

When I attain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of other worldsafter having heard my name, should suffer from any diminution in thefunctional powers and not be endowed with all sense-organs in completionbefore reaching the Buddhahood, then may I not attain theenlightenment.

Vow 42 

When I obtain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas hearing my namefrom other Buddha-countries, should not all attain the pure Samadhi ofemancipation (Suvibhaktavati) from which they could serve innumerableand inconceivable number of Buddhas, Tathagatas, by a moment of thought;and if that Samadhi of theirs should come to an end meanwhile, then mayI not attain enlightenment.

Vow 43 

If after I have obtained the Buddhahood, that any Bodhisattva ofother countries having heard my name, will be incarnated as a member of anoble family (if he so desires) when he dies, otherwise may I notattain enlightenment.

Vow 44 

When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of other countrieshaving heard my name will all obtain a combination of full virtues andjoyfully perform their Bodhisattva-duty, otherwise may I not attainenlightenment.

Vow 45 

When I have obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of othercountries having heard my name, all will attain the "Samantanugata"(thethoroughly and equal Samadhi in a fixed state of meditation) throughthat Samadhi they will see innumerable and inconceivable Buddhasconstantly till they have obtained the Buddhahood, otherwise may Ifor-bear from obtaining enlightenment.

Vow 46 

When I obtain the Buddhahood, the Bodhisattvas of that country ofmine should be able to hear the preachings of the Dharma whenever theydesire (the voices of teaching will present themselves naturally totheir ears), otherwise may I refrain from attaining enlightenment.

Vow 47 

When I have obtain the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of othercountries after having heard my name should not immediately reach thestate of Avaivartika (i.e. not turning back from Bodhi), then I wouldrefrain from attaining enlightenment.

Vow 48 

When I have obtained the Buddhahood, if the Bodhisattvas of othercountries having heard my name should not reach the first, second andthird degrees of Dharma-endurance immediately or should turn back fromthe Law of Buddhas, then I would refrain from attaining enlightenment.