The Buddha Speaks the Infinite Life Sutra (佛說無量壽經)

The Sutra of Immeasurable Life, Scroll Two

Translated by the Indian Tripitaka Master Saṅghavarman during the Cao Wei Dynasty.

The Buddha said to Ananda, "All beings who attain birth in that land (the Pure Land of Amitabha) are firmly established in the state of right determination. Why is that? Because in the land of that Buddha, there are no states of wrong determination or undetermined states. Countless Buddhas from throughout the universe, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, all praise the inconceivable majestic power and virtues of Amitayus (the Buddha of Infinite Life). Any being who hears this name with a mind of faith and joy, even for a single thought, and sincerely dedicates their merits, wishing to be reborn in that land, will immediately attain birth there and never regress. The only exceptions are those who commit the five heinous offenses or slander the true Dharma."

The Buddha told Ananda, "Throughout the worlds in the ten directions, all beings who sincerely wish to be reborn in that land fall into three levels. For those at the highest level, they leave home and family, renounce desires, and become monastics. They arouse the mind of supreme enlightenment, single-mindedly focus on reciting the name of Amitayus Buddha, cultivate various virtuous practices, and vow to be reborn in that land. When such beings approach the end of their lives, Amitayus Buddha appears before them along with a great assembly. They then follow that Buddha to be reborn in his land, spontaneously born from a seven-jeweled lotus flower. They dwell in the stage of non-retrogression, with sharp wisdom and mastery of spiritual powers. Therefore, Ananda, if any beings wish to see Amitayus Buddha in this lifetime, they should arouse the supreme mind of enlightenment, cultivate virtuous practices, and vow to be reborn in that land."

The Buddha said to Ananda, "As for those of the middle level, among the gods and people of the ten directions who sincerely wish to be reborn in that land, even if they cannot leave home to become monastics or cultivate great merit, they should awaken the supreme aspiration for enlightenment and single-mindedly, without distraction, recite the name of Amitayus Buddha. They should cultivate good deeds according to their means, observe precepts and fasts, erect stupas and images, offer food to monastics, hang banners and light lamps, scatter flowers and burn incense, and dedicate all these merits toward rebirth in that land.

When such a person approaches death, Amitayus Buddha will appear before them in a transformation body—shining with light, possessing excellent marks and features, exactly like the true Buddha—and accompanied by a great assembly. Then the person will follow this transformation Buddha to be reborn in that land, abide in the stage of non-retrogression, and attain merit and wisdom secondary only to those of the higher level."

The Buddha said to Ananda: "As for the lowest level devotees, there are celestial beings and people throughout the ten directions who sincerely wish to be reborn in that land. Even if they cannot perform many meritorious deeds, they should awaken the mind of supreme enlightenment, focus their intention wholeheartedly—even if just for ten moments of mindfulness—and contemplate Amitayus (the Buddha of Infinite Life), wishing to be reborn in his land. If they hear the profound Dharma, rejoice in it with faith and delight, harbor no doubts, and single-mindedly think of that Buddha even for just one moment, with a sincere heart desiring rebirth in his land, then at the moment of death, such a person will dream of that Buddha and also attain rebirth. Their merit, virtue, and wisdom will be one step below that of the middle-level devotees."

The Buddha said to Ananda, "The majestic power of Amitayus is boundless. In the ten directions, there are countless and inconceivable numbers of enlightened beings from all the Buddha-lands. Without exception, they all praise and celebrate him. In the eastern regions, where there are as many Buddha-lands as the sands of the Ganges River, countless multitudes of bodhisattvas travel to the presence of Amitayus. There, they pay reverence, offer gifts, and join with the assembly of bodhisattvas, disciples, and teachers to listen to the teachings, study the sutras, and learn the way of liberation. They then spread these teachings far and wide. The exact same thing happens in the south, west, and north, as well as in the four intermediate directions, above, and below."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

The Buddha told Ananda, "All bodhisattvas in that land will ultimately reach the state of being one lifetime away from Buddhahood—except for those who, driven by their original vows to benefit beings, adorn themselves with the virtues of great vows, wishing universally to liberate all sentient beings. Ananda, in the land of that Buddha, the light of the monastic disciples' bodies reaches one fathom, while the light of the bodhisattvas illuminates a hundred yojanas. There are two supremely honored bodhisattvas, foremost among all, whose majestic spiritual radiance shines throughout the entire great trichiliocosm."

Ananda asked the Buddha, "What are the names of those two bodhisattvas?"

The Buddha said: "One is called Guanyin, the other is called Dashizhi. These two Bodhisattvas cultivate the Bodhisattva path in this world, and after their lives end, they will be reborn in that Buddha's land. Ananda! Those who are born in that land all possess the thirty-two marks of a great being, and they are fully endowed with wisdom. They deeply understand all teachings, grasp the essential meaning, and have unimpeded supernatural powers, with clear and sharp faculties. Those with duller faculties achieve two kinds of acceptance, while those with sharp faculties attain countless forms of acceptance that all phenomena are unborn. Moreover, those Bodhisattvas, from then until they become Buddhas, never again fall into lower realms of existence. They possess supernatural powers and always remember their past lives, except when they are born in other worlds of the five impurities, where they appear in forms similar to those beings, just as they do in this world of ours."

The Buddha said to Ananda, "The bodhisattvas in that land, by relying on the Buddha's majestic power, are able in the time it takes to eat one meal to visit countless worlds in the ten directions. With profound respect, they make offerings to all the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones. Whatever they wish for—flowers, incense, music, silk canopies, banners, and flags—countless and limitless offerings, spontaneously appear. These appear the moment they are imagined, exquisite and extraordinary, unlike anything in this world. They then offer and scatter these things to the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and the great assembly of listeners [shravakas]. Floating in the sky, these offerings transform into a canopy of flowers, radiating brilliant light and filling the air with a pervasive fragrance. Each flower canopy encircles an area four hundred miles wide, and these canopies multiply in size, eventually covering a universe of a thousand million worlds. One after another, they appear and then dissolve in sequence. All these bodhisattvas, filled with joy, play celestial music together in the sky, sing the virtues of the Buddhas with sublime melodies, and listen to the teachings of the Dharma with boundless delight. Having made these offerings to the Buddhas, and before the meal time is over, they levitate lightly and return to their own land."

The Buddha said to Ananda, "When the Buddha of Infinite Life expounds the Dharma for the assembly of Hearers and Bodhisattvas, they all gather in the hall of seven treasures. He broadly proclaims the sacred teachings and elucidates the wondrous Dharma, and every one of them rejoices, gaining understanding in their hearts and attaining the path. At that time, a natural wind arises from the four directions, blowing through the jewel trees and producing five melodious sounds. Countless marvelous flowers rain down, carried by the wind in all directions, creating a continuous, natural offering. All the devas bring hundreds and thousands of celestial flowers and incense, along with myriads of musical instruments, to make offerings to the Buddha, the Bodhisattvas, and the assembly of Hearers. They scatter flowers and incense, play all kinds of music, and come and go in an orderly fashion, making way for one another. At such a time, the joy and serenity are beyond description."

The Buddha told Ananda, "The bodhisattvas born in that Buddha's land always teach the true Dharma, following wisdom without error or loss. Toward all things in that land, they have no sense of ownership or attachment. Their coming and going, their movements, are free and unbound—at ease without preference, without self or other, without contention or dispute. Toward all beings, they possess great kindness, compassion, and a mind of benefit; a gentle and tamed mind without anger; a mind clear of hindrances, pure, and without weariness; an equal mind, a superior mind, a profound mind, a settled mind; a mind that loves Dharma, delights in Dharma, and rejoices in Dharma; a mind that extinguishes all afflictions and leaves behind evil states. They thoroughly fulfill all bodhisattva practices, fully achieve limitless virtues, attain deep meditative concentration and various spiritual penetrations and luminous insights. They roam in the seven factors of enlightenment and cultivate the mind toward Buddhahood. Their physical eye is clear and sharp, discerning all without confusion; their divine eye penetrates without limit or boundary; their Dharma eye observes and thoroughly understands all paths; their wisdom eye sees the truth and can cross to the other shore; their Buddha eye is complete and awakens to the nature of reality. With unobstructed wisdom, they teach others, seeing equally that the three realms are empty and without inherent existence. They seek the Buddha's Dharma with full eloquence, extinguishing the afflictions and sufferings of beings. Born from the Tathagata, they understand the suchness of all things, skillfully know the cessation of habitual tendencies, and master the skillful means of sound and speech. They take no pleasure in worldly talk but delight in true discourse, cultivating all roots of goodness and dedicating themselves to the Buddha's path. They know all dharmas are utterly quiescent and still, and both the remnants of physical existence and afflictions are completely exhausted. Hearing profound Dharma, their minds have no doubt or fear; they constantly practice with great compassion. Their depth and subtlety embrace and support all things. They complete the one vehicle and reach the other shore. Cutting through the net of doubt, wisdom emerges from the mind, encompassing the Buddha's teachings without exception. Their wisdom is like a vast ocean, their meditative concentration like a king of mountains; their wisdom light is pure and bright, surpassing the sun and moon. The pure white dharmas are fully and perfectly realized.

Like the Snow Mountain, it illuminates all virtues with equal purity. Like the Earth, it has no differing mind toward pure or impure, good or evil. Like clear water, it washes away the dust and defilements of affliction. Like a great fire, it burns away all the fuel of vexations. Like a mighty wind, it travels through all worlds without obstruction. Like space, it is unattached to any existence. Like a lotus flower, it remains unstained by the worldly realm. Like a great vehicle, it carries living beings across birth and death. Like a dense cloud, it thunders the great Dharma rain to awaken the unawakened. Like a heavy rain, it showers the nectar of Dharma to moisten all beings. Like Diamond Mountain, it cannot be shaken by demons or heretics. Like Brahma, it is foremost among all wholesome qualities. Like the nyagrodha tree, it shelters all universally. Like the udumbara flower, it is rare and difficult to encounter. Like the garuda bird, it awesomely subdues heretics. Like a flock of birds, it stores up nothing. Like a bull king, it is unsurpassable. Like an elephant king, it is well-tamed. Like a lion king, it is utterly fearless.

With a heart as vast as empty space, they embody great compassion for all. They have destroyed jealousy and the desire to surpass others. They delight solely in seeking the Dharma, their minds never satisfied; they constantly wish to teach it widely, their resolve never weary. They beat the drum of Dharma, raise the banner of Dharma, shine the sun of wisdom, and dispel the darkness of ignorance. They cultivate the six points of harmony and respect, always practice the giving of Dharma, and advance with courageous energy, their minds never retreating or weakening. They serve as a lamp for the world and a field of supreme blessings, always acting as a teacher and guide with equal regard for all, free from likes and dislikes. They delight only in the true path, without any other joys or sorrows, pulling out the thorns of desire to bring peace to all beings. Their meritorious qualities are so extraordinary that none fail to respect them. They have extinguished the three obscuring contaminants and roam freely through all spiritual powers. They are fully endowed with all such powers: the power of causes, of conditions, of intention, of aspiration, of skillful means, of constancy, of goodness, of concentration, of wisdom, of extensive learning; the power of giving, moral discipline, patience, diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom; the power of right mindfulness, calm-abiding and insight, and of penetrating illuminations; and the power to tame all beings in accordance with the Dharma. Their physical features and marks, their virtues and eloquence are fully adorned and matchless. They have reverently made offerings to countless Buddhas and are always praised by them. They have perfectly fulfilled all the Bodhisattva perfections, cultivated the three liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and entered the gateways of samadhi that are neither arising nor ceasing. They have turned far away from the stages of the voice-hearers and solitary realizers.

"Ananda! The countless virtues achieved by those bodhisattvas—I have only briefly described them to you. If I were to speak of them in full, even hundreds of thousands of kalpas would not be enough to exhaust the telling."

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Maitreya, the gods, and the human assembly: “The voice-hearers and bodhisattvas in the Land of Immeasurable Life have wisdom and virtues beyond description. Moreover, that land is so subtle, peaceful, and pure. So why not strive to do good, follow the natural path of the Way, dwell in what has no high or low, and penetrate effortlessly to the boundless? Each of you should diligently and earnestly seek this for yourselves. You will surely transcend and be reborn in the Land of Peace and Nourishment. You will cut off the five evil paths; those paths will naturally close. You will ascend the path without end. It is easy to reach, but few go there. That land does not reject anyone—you are naturally drawn to it. So why not abandon worldly affairs and diligently seek the Way and virtue? Then you will attain the utmost longevity, with joy and life everlasting.”

Yet worldly people, with their shallow customs, compete over trivial matters. Amid this intense suffering and pain, they exhaust themselves striving to sustain their lives. Regardless of status—high or low, rich or poor, young or old, male or female—all share the same worry over money and possessions, whether they have them or not. Their anxieties are equal.

They bustle about in distress and hardship, piling up thoughts and accumulating worries, running errands for their desires, never finding a moment's peace. Those with land worry about their land; those with a house worry about their house. They worry over cattle, horses, livestock, servants, money, clothing, food, and various belongings. Over and over, they ponder with heavy sighs, consumed by anxiety and fear.

Suddenly, unforeseen disasters strike—floods, fires, thieves, enemies, or creditors—burning, washing away, or robbing everything until it all dissolves and vanishes. Their grief and fear never let up; their minds remain bound in anger and anguish without release. With hearts hardened and stubbornly attached, they cling relentlessly, only to be crushed by it all, losing their lives in the end. Then they must abandon everything, for nothing follows them.

Even the noble and wealthy suffer these afflictions. They are beset by countless worries and fears, enduring such hardships. They are bound to alternating states of hot and cold, along with pain. The poor and lowly, who lack everything, also suffer. If they have no field, they worry about getting a field. If they have no house, they worry about getting a house. If they have no cattle, horses, livestock, servants, money, clothing, food, or belongings, they worry about obtaining them. As soon as they acquire one thing, they lack another; having this, they miss that. They strive to have it all equally. Yet just when they manage to possess everything, it quickly falls apart and scatters. In this way, sorrow and hardship lead them to seek again. If they cannot obtain what they want in time, their futile thoughts bring no benefit. Both body and mind grow weary; they cannot sit or rest peacefully. Worries and concerns follow them constantly. They toil in such hardship, also bound to alternating states of hot and cold, along with pain. Sometimes, because of this, they meet an untimely death. Unwilling to do good, practice the Way, or cultivate virtue, when their life ends and they die, they must depart alone. To which good or evil path they will go, no one can know.

People in this world—parents and children, brothers, husbands and wives, extended family and kin—should treat one another with respect and kindness, not with hatred or jealousy. When some have plenty and others lack, they should share, without being stingy or attached. Their words and expressions should always be gentle, never harsh or contentious. But sometimes arguments arise and anger flares. A slight grudge in this life, a small resentment or jealousy, grows into a deep hatred in future lives. Why is this so? Because conflicts in this world bring mutual harm. Even if one does not immediately suffer the consequences, the poison, resentment, and anger accumulate in the mind. They inevitably take root and will not let go. So must they face each other again, taking turns to retaliate.

People, caught in the midst of love and desire, are born alone, die alone, go alone, and come alone. When they pass on, they head toward the realms of suffering or bliss, and only they themselves bear the consequences—no one can take their place. Good and evil follow different paths; blessings and calamities lead to separate destinations. The consequences wait in advance, and each person enters them alone. They travel far to a place where no one can see them. Good and evil naturally pursue them to whatever realm they are reborn.

There, in darkness and confusion, the separation lasts long, the roads diverge, and there is no date for meeting again. It is extremely difficult—so difficult—to encounter one another once more.

So why not set aside worldly affairs? While you are still strong and healthy, each should diligently cultivate goodness, strive earnestly to transcend this world, and attain the ultimate, everlasting life. Why not seek the Way? What are you waiting for? What pleasure do you hope for?

Thus, worldly people do not believe that doing good leads to good results, or that following the Path leads to spiritual attainment. They do not believe that after death a person is reborn, or that giving gifts brings blessings. All matters of good and evil they refuse to believe, saying these things are not true and have no basis. For this very reason, they will eventually see the consequences themselves. They watch one another and fall into the same patterns, one after another. They pass down these views from father to son, inheriting their ancestors' misguided teachings. The forefathers and elders never did good and never recognized the moral law; their bodies were foolish, their spirits dark, their hearts blocked, and their minds closed. The truths of life and death, the paths of good and evil—they could not see these themselves, and no one taught them. So they compete with one another in committing deeds that bring misfortune and disaster, yet not one of them finds this strange. The ordinary cycle of birth and death is passed down from generation to generation: sometimes a father weeps for his son, sometimes a son weeps for his father; brothers and husbands and wives weep for one another, turning the natural order upside down. None of this has a lasting foundation; all things must pass away and cannot be held forever. Though they are taught and guided, few believe. Therefore, the cycle of birth and death continues without end.

Such people are stubborn and reckless. They do not believe in the scriptures or the Dharma, have no long-term concerns, and only seek immediate gratification. They are deluded and confused by desire, fail to understand virtue, and sink into anger and resentment. They are as greedy for wealth and sensual pleasures as wolves. Because of this, they cannot attain the Path and must instead endure the sufferings of the lower realms, revolving through birth and death without end. How pitiful and lamentable!

At times, among family members—parents and children, brothers, husbands and wives—when one dies and another lives, they grieve for one another. Their bonds of love, longing, and worry are tightly bound. Their minds are pained, clinging deeply to each other in mutual attachment. Day after day, year after year, this continues without relief. If they are taught about virtue and the Path, their minds remain unclear. Their thoughts dwell only on affections and pleasures, unable to detach from emotional desires.

Blinded and obstructed, covered by ignorance and delusion, they cannot deeply contemplate or carefully plan. Their minds are not upright, they do not single-mindedly cultivate the Path, and they cannot decisively let go of worldly concerns. Then, when their life span finally ends, they still have not attained the Path. There is nothing to be done.

"Do you also see how the people in that land ride in palaces adorned with the seven precious substances, spanning hundreds of thousands of leagues, with no obstacles, freely traveling in all directions to make offerings to the Buddhas?"

"Do you also see that some people in his land are born from a womb?"

"I have seen it."

"For those born from wombs, their palaces range from one hundred to five hundred yojanas in size. Within their palaces they enjoy all kinds of happiness, just like the beings in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, and it all arises naturally."

At that time, the Bodhisattva Maitreya said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, for what reasons are the beings of that land born through wombs or born through transformation?"

The Buddha said to Maitreya: "If there are beings who, with a mind full of doubt, cultivate virtues and wish to be reborn in that land, but do not understand the wisdom of the Buddha—the inconceivable wisdom, the immeasurable wisdom, the wisdom of the Great Vehicle, and the supreme, unequaled, most excellent wisdom—and harbor doubt and disbelief toward these kinds of wisdom; yet they still believe in karma and merit, practice good deeds, and aspire to be reborn in that land, such beings will be reborn in palaces there and live for five hundred years. During that time, they will never see the Buddha, never hear the Dharma, and never see the holy assembly of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas. Therefore, in that land, this is called 'womb-born.'

If there are beings who clearly believe in the Buddha's wisdom—including all supreme wisdom—and perform virtuous acts with faith and dedication, such beings will be spontaneously reborn from seven-jeweled lotus flowers, sitting cross-legged. In an instant, their bodies will be radiant, and their wisdom and merit will fully mature, just like those of the bodhisattvas."

"Furthermore, Maitreya, when great bodhisattvas from other lands resolve to see the Buddha of Infinite Life, to make offerings and pay respects to him, along with his assembly of bodhisattvas and voice-hearers, these bodhisattvas, at the end of their lives, will be reborn in the Land of Infinite Life. There, they will spontaneously appear from within the seven-jewelled lotus flowers.

Maitreya, you should know that those who appear through spontaneous transformation do so because of their superior wisdom. Those who are born from a womb, however, lack wisdom. For five hundred years, they will not see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, or behold the bodhisattvas and voice-hearers. They will have no way to make offerings to the Buddha, no knowledge of the bodhisattva practices, and no means to cultivate merit. You should understand: this is because, in their past lives, they lacked wisdom and were troubled by doubt."

The Buddha said to Maitreya: "Imagine a Wheel-Turning King who has a special palace, decorated with the seven precious gems, where fine beds and curtains are set up and colorful banners are hung. If any of the king’s young princes commit an offense against him, he confines them in that palace, binds them with golden chains, but provides them with food, drink, clothing, beds, mats, flowers, incense, and music—nothing is lacking, just as the Wheel-Turning King himself would enjoy. What do you think? Would those princes find pleasure in that place?"

He replied, "No. However, I have tried various expedient methods, seeking powerful forces to help rescue myself."

The Buddha said to Maitreya: "These beings are exactly the same. Because they are uncertain of the Buddha's wisdom, they are reborn in those palaces. There are no punishments there, not even for a single evil thought. However, for five hundred years they cannot see the Three Treasures, nor can they make offerings or cultivate good roots. They find this distressing. Although they experience other pleasures, they do not enjoy being in that place. If these beings recognize their original fault and deeply repent, wanting to leave that place, they will then get what they wish. They will go to the place of Immeasurable Life Buddha to pay respects and make offerings, and they will also be able to visit countless other Tathāgatas to cultivate all kinds of merit. Maitreya, you should know: Any bodhisattva who has doubts will lose great benefits. Therefore, you should clearly believe in the unsurpassed wisdom of all Buddhas."

Maitreya Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, how many non-retrogressing Bodhisattvas in this world will be born in that Buddha-land?"

The Buddha told Maitreya: "In this world, there are sixty-seven billion non-retreating bodhisattvas who will be reborn in that land. Every one of these bodhisattvas has already made offerings to countless Buddhas, following in the footsteps of those like you, Maitreya. As for lesser bodhisattvas and those who have cultivated only a small amount of merit, they are beyond counting—all of them will also be reborn there."

The Buddha told Maitreya: "It is not only the bodhisattvas from my land who will be reborn in that Pure Land. The same is true for those from other Buddha lands as well. The first Buddha, named Distant Light, has 18 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The second Buddha, named Treasure Store, has 9 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The third Buddha, named Infinite Voice, has 22 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The fourth Buddha, named Nectar Taste, has 25 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The fifth Buddha, named Dragon Victory, has 1.4 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The sixth Buddha, named Supreme Strength, has 14,000 bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The seventh Buddha, named Lion, has 50 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The eighth Buddha, named Freedom from Defilement Light, has 8 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The ninth Buddha, named Virtue Leader, has 6 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The tenth Buddha, named Wonderful Virtue Mountain, has 6 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The eleventh Buddha, named King of Beings, has 1 billion bodhisattvas who will all be reborn there. The twelfth Buddha, named Unsurpassed Flower, has countless, immeasurable bodhisattvas—all who have reached the stage of non-retrogression, with sharp wisdom and courage. They have already made offerings to countless Buddhas, and in just seven days can master the firm Dharma practiced by great beings over billions of eons. These bodhisattvas will all be reborn there. The thirteenth Buddha, named Fearless, has 79 billion great bodhisattvas, along with countless lesser bodhisattvas and monks, all of whom will be reborn there."

The Buddha said to Maitreya: “It is not only the bodhisattvas from these fourteen Buddha-lands who will be reborn there. Countless beings from the infinite Buddha-lands of all ten directions will also be reborn there—so many that it is beyond measure. Even if I spent a full day and night, for an entire kalpa, reciting just the names of the buddhas and the bodhisattvas and monks who will be reborn in that land, I could not finish. Now I will only give you a brief summary.”

The Buddha said to Maitreya: "Those who hear the name of that Buddha and leap with joy, even for a single thought, should know that such a person gains great benefit — they are endowed with unexcelled virtue. Therefore, Maitreya, even if a great fire filled the entire universe, you should pass through it to hear this teaching. With joyful faith, accept it, uphold it, recite it, and practice it as taught. Why? Because many bodhisattvas wish to hear this sutra but cannot. Anyone who hears this sutra will never turn back from the supreme path. Thus, you should single-mindedly accept it with faith, uphold it, recite it, and put it into practice.

Now I teach this Dharma for all beings so that they may see Amitayus Buddha, his land, and all that it contains. Whatever should be sought, you may seek. Do not let doubt arise after my passing. In the final age when the Dharma has perished, I will, out of loving-kindness and compassion, especially preserve this sutra for a hundred years. Those beings who encounter it then may attain liberation according to their wishes."

The Buddha said to Maitreya, "A Tathagata's appearance in the world is rare and difficult to encounter; the sutras and teachings of the Buddhas are rare and difficult to hear. It is also rare to hear the Bodhisattva's supreme path, the paramitas. Meeting a good spiritual teacher and being able to put the teachings into practice is also difficult. But to hear this sutra, believe it, joyfully accept it, and uphold it—there is no difficulty greater than this one. Therefore, my Dharma is thus enacted, thus spoken, and thus taught. You should faithfully accept it and practice accordingly."

At that moment, as the World-Honored One expounded this Dharma teaching, countless beings awakened the mind of supreme enlightenment. Twelve thousand nayutas of people gained the pure Dharma eye, twenty-two hundred million gods and humans attained the stage of Non-returner, eight hundred thousand monks completely extinguished all defilements and attained liberation, and forty billion bodhisattvas reached the stage of non-retrogression, adorning themselves with the merits of their great vows, destined to attain perfect enlightenment in a future life.

At that time, the entire trichiliocosm experienced six kinds of trembling. A great light shone universally upon all worlds in the ten directions. Hundreds and thousands of celestial melodies spontaneously arose, and countless wondrous blossoms gently rained down from the sky.

The Buddha having spoken this sutra, Maitreya Bodhisattva, the host of bodhisattvas who had come from the ten directions, the elder Ananda, the great shravakas, and the entire assembly—all who heard the Buddha’s teaching—were filled with joy.

Sutra of Immeasurable Life, Scroll 2