Sutra of Immeasurable Pure Equanimity and Enlightenment (佛說無量清淨平等覺經)

The Buddha Speaks the Sutra of Immeasurable Pure Impartial Enlightenment, Volume 4

Translated by the Tripitaka Master Lokakṣema of the Yuezhi country during the Later Han dynasty.

The Buddha said to the bodhisattva Ajita and the others: "If you, in this world, can control your own minds and correct your intentions, and refrain from doing evil in body and mind, this is great virtue and goodness, beyond compare in all the eight directions and above and below. Why is this so? In the countless Buddha lands throughout the eight directions and above and below, the celestial beings and people all naturally do good, do not greatly commit evil, and are easy to teach and transform. Now I have become a Buddha in this world, and among the five evils, five pains, and five burnings I have become a Buddha under the harshest of conditions. I teach and instruct people to cut off the five evils, to remove the five pains, and to remove the five burnings; I tame and transform their minds, leading them to uphold the five good practices, to attain their merits and blessings, and to reach the Path to Cessation, long life, and nirvana."

The Buddha said: "What are the five evils? What are the five pains? What are the five burnings? How does one dissolve and transform the five evils and cause one to uphold the five virtues? How does upholding the five virtues lead one to attain the path of merit and virtue, long life, transcendence of the world, and nirvana?"

The Buddha said: "The first evil is that devas, humans, and even birds and beasts, and all flying and crawling creatures, wish to commit various evils.

"The strong overpower the weak, and they plunder and harm one another in turn. They kill and wound each other, and feed upon one another. They do not know to do good. With evil and defiance they turn against the Way, and so they receive their punishment. This is the natural way of things — it will inevitably carry them along. The spirits record and remember; those who transgress will not be pardoned. Their deeds pass on and continue from one to the next. That is why there are poor people, lowly people, beggars, and the lonely. There are the deaf, the blind, the mute, the foolish, the wicked, and those feeble and deranged, unable to measure up to others. Those who are noble and honored, wealthy and powerful, highly talented and discerning, wise and brave — all of this comes from their past lives, from having done good, been kind and filial, given generously and shown virtue. That is why there are lawsuits, royal laws, and prisons: people refuse to be cautious and do evil, falling under the law, and receive their penalties and heavy punishments, brought to extreme suffering. They seek release, but find it hard to escape. In this present life such things are visible before our eyes, and at the end of life it becomes even worse. They enter the darkness, receive a body, and are reborn — just like the cruelest punishments of royal law. That is why there naturally exist hells, animals, hungry ghosts, and the swarming, crawling creatures — trading one bodily form for another, changing from evil to a different path. Their lifespans are short or long, and their spirits and vital souls naturally enter their destinations. Receiving a body and lodging in a womb, each must go alone to its own fate, yet they follow one another and are born together. They repay one another in turn and must give back what they owe. Evil deeds, punishments, and penalties — until all these matters are exhausted, they can never break free. They pass back and forth through these states, life after life, kalpa after kalpa, with no way out, finding release hard to attain, and the pain is beyond words. Between heaven and earth, this is naturally so. Even though it does not strike suddenly in the moment, in time it invariably follows the natural way. Good and evil alike all return to this. This is one great evil, one agony, one burning."

"Working hard and suffering like this, plagued by sorrow and lamentation—it is like a fierce fire rising up and burning a person's body. If a person can, amid all this, single-mindedly discipline their mind, keep their body upright and conduct themselves properly, do good deeds alone, and refrain from all evil, then that person alone will be liberated, attain merit and virtue, and can obtain long life, transcend the world, and reach the path to heavenly Nirvana. This is the first great good."

The Buddha said: "The second evil is this: among the world's kings, officials, common people, fathers and sons, brothers, household members, and husbands and wives, there is hardly any sense of what is right; they do not follow governmental orders. They give themselves over to lust, extravagance, and arrogance, each seeking only their own pleasure, indulging their minds and doing as they please, deceiving and mocking one another, utterly without fear of death. Their minds and mouths are at odds, their words and thoughts are untrue; they are flattering and sycophantic, disloyal, given to fawning and clever, deceptive speech. Their conduct is improper; they come to envy and hate one another, slandering and speaking ill of each other in turn, plunging one another into wrongdoing and injustice. Those above are not clear-sighted, their minds do not observe or illuminate, and when they appoint subordinates, those subordinates remain in place. Shallow and calculating, they manage to get by, understanding the situation and the balance of power; holding office without integrity, they are manipulated by others. They recklessly discard the loyal and good, acting contrary to the heavenly mind and greatly violating what is right: ministers deceive their rulers, children deceive their parents, younger brothers deceive their elder brothers, and wives deceive their husbands. Within the household and among relatives and acquaintances near and far, connected one after another, each harbors greed and lust, while in their hearts there is only anger and resentment, and they are enveloped in deafness, foolishness, and delusion, their desires ever increasing. Though there are the noble and the lowly, the high and the low, no distinction is made between men and women, or between great and small; their minds are all alike in wanting to enrich themselves. They ruin their families and destroy themselves, giving no thought to what comes before or after, and their household members and close relatives, because of them, are brought to the destruction of their clan.

Sometimes within the household, whether family or outsiders, acquaintances and friends, or the ignorant folk of the neighborhood and marketplace, people end up caught up together in the same pursuits, each profiting and harming the other in turn. They quarrel over money and wealth, fly into rage and become enemies. Their disputes shift to who wins and who loses; though rich, they are consumed with anxiety, unwilling to give anything away, guarding everything tightly. They love their treasures, gripped by greed, and sit brooding over them—mind toiled, body suffering. And so it goes to the very end, with nothing to rely on. Alone they come, alone they go, with no one following along. Good and evil, misfortune and blessing, blame and punishment—these pursue the one who lives on, whether that person is born in a place of pleasure or falls into bitter poison. Only then do they regret it. But what good can regret do by then?

Sometimes people in this world are foolish and have little wisdom; when they see goodness, they slander it and feel anger toward it, unwilling to admire or emulate it. They only wish to do evil and recklessly commit wrongdoing; they only wish to steal, constantly harboring poisonous intentions; they want to take others' wealth and possessions to supply themselves, and once they have squandered and exhausted it, they seek more again. With crooked and improper minds, they are constantly alone in fear, dreading the stern looks of others, giving no thought to the consequences in the moment, and only regretting when the matter has already come to pass. In this present life, they naturally head toward the long arm of the law and prison, and receive their punishment. Those in the world who are poor, begging, and alone—this is solely due to fate from previous lives, for they did not believe in morality and were unwilling to do good. Doing evil in this life, the celestial beings record it separately, and when their lives end they enter the evil paths. Thus there naturally arise hells, animals, hungry ghosts, and the swarming, wriggling kinds of beings. They pass through these from one to another, life after life, kalpa after kalpa, with no time of escape. Liberation is hard to attain, and the pain is beyond words. This is the second great evil, the second pain, the second burning.

"This hardship is like a fire breaking out and burning a person's body. If a person can, within it, single-mindedly restrain the mind, keep the body upright and conduct themselves properly, do good deeds alone, and commit no evil, then that person alone will be liberated, attain that merit, and can gain long life, pass beyond the world, and reach the path of heavenly Nirvana. This is the second great good."

The Buddha said: "The three evils are these. People in the world live parasitically upon one another, all dwelling together between heaven and earth. Their lifespans last no more than a few years. There are those who are wealthy and noble, wise and virtuous; below them are the poor and lowly, the weak and foolish; and among them are wicked people who harbor only poisonous malice, whose bodies and minds are corrupt, who constantly dwell on lust and lewdness, whose chests are filled with turmoil; entangled in desire, they cannot sit or stand at ease; greedy and stingy, they only wish to gain things for nothing; they leer at fine beauty with wicked thoughts of lust. They grow to hate their wives, sneaking in and out in secret, seizing the household's possessions, banding together to do wrong, gathering to eat and drink, joining with one another in evil. They raise troops and become bandits, attack cities and fight battles, rob and kill and cut people off, seize by force without principle, and take others' wealth and goods. They steal and snatch what they can get, unwilling to make an honest living; what they ought to pursue, they refuse to do; their minds set on evil outside, they cannot devote themselves to their work; wishing to strike it rich, they threaten and coerce through fear, then bring their gains home to support their families. Living off one another, they indulge their hearts and seek their pleasure, exhausting themselves in enjoyment, and violate other people's wives and daughters. Or with their own relatives, they show no respect for elder or younger, for their elders — all alike detest them, and within and beyond the household, people are afflicted and tormented by them. They also do not fear the government authorities, avoiding nothing of the laws and decrees. Such evils as these are recorded, and of themselves bring imprisonment; the sun and moon shine upon and know them, the spirits record them, and the gods take note of them all.

That is why there are naturally hells, animals, hungry ghosts, and the swarming, crawling, wriggling kinds of beings, revolving through them life after life, kalpa after kalpa, with no time of escape. It is hard to gain liberation; the pain is beyond words. These are the three great evils, the three pains, the three burnings — toil and suffering like this, like a fire rising up and burning a person's body. If a person can, amid all this, single-mindedly master the mind, keep the body upright and conduct correct behavior, do good on their own, and not commit evil, then that person alone will be liberated, attain the blessings and virtues, and may gain long life, pass through the world, and reach the path of the heavens and nirvana. These are the three great goods.

The Buddha said: "The fourth evil is this: evil people cannot do good. They ruin one another and teach one another, joining together in all kinds of evil. They act as messengers, wanting only to sow discord with two-tongued speech, harsh words, abuse, and lies, envying one another and stirring up conflict. They hate and envy good people, tear down the worthy and virtuous, and take pleasure in evil done at the side. Further, they do not honor or provide for their parents, and they treat their teachers and good friends lightly. They are faithless and rarely honest. They claim for themselves nobility and possession of the Path, act tyrannically with displays of power, wield force and influence, and oppress and mistreat others without being able to see it in themselves. Doing evil, they feel no shame or remorse; stubborn in their own ways and rather strong, they make others serve and fear them. They also do not revere or fear heaven and earth, the spirits, the sun and moon. They cannot be taught to do good, cannot be tamed or transformed. Opinionated and arrogant, they believe things will always be like this. They also have no sorrow or grief, and know no fear—so recklessly proud and arrogant. The celestial beings note and record all of it.

"Because of the merit and virtue they cultivated in past lives, small good deeds lent them support, protecting and aiding them. But in this present life they do evil, and their merit and virtue are entirely exhausted. All the good spirits and deities each depart and leave them, and their bodies stand alone and empty, with nothing left to rely on. They receive heavy retribution, and when their lifespan ends, evil surrounds them and follows them back. Naturally pressed and hurried along, they must go chasing after it, with no rest or pause. Naturally all evils converge upon them, bringing sudden exhaustion. Their names are recorded in the registry kept by the spirits, and the retribution of their offenses draws and pulls them, so that they meet what matches their deeds and must head toward it. Having received the punishment of retribution, body and mind are crushed and shattered, spirit and form in utmost suffering, unable to break free or turn away—they can only move forward, entering the cauldron of fire. At that time, what good will regret do? What use will it be then?"

The way of heaven operates naturally, without error or misstep. That is why there are hells, animals, hungry ghosts, and creatures that crawl and fly—beings who pass through these states in turn, life after life, kalpa after kalpa, with no end in sight. Liberation is hard to attain, and the suffering is beyond words. These are the four great evils, the four pains, and the four burnings.

"Enduring hardship like this is comparable to fire blazing and burning a person's body. If a person amid such hardship can single-mindedly discipline the mind, keep the body upright and conduct themselves properly, do good deeds on their own, and refrain from evil deeds, then they alone will be liberated, will attain that merit, and can obtain the path of long life, of transcending the world, of rebirth in the heavens, and of Nirvana — this is the four great goods."

The Buddha said: "The fifth evil is this: people in the world drift and lean, slack and lazy, unwilling to do good, giving no thought to managing their livelihood, so that wife and children suffer cold and hunger, and parents alike as well. When they wish to scold and instruct their children, the children's hearts are wicked, and they glare back in anger. Their words bring no harmony; they are contrary, defiant, and rebellious beyond wild men, like enemies—better to have no children at all. They recklessly borrow and lend everywhere, and everyone together finds them a burden and loathes them; they are utterly without gratitude, with no thought of repayment. When utterly poor and destitute, they can get nothing more. They are crooked and cunning in their speech, indulgent and given to roaming and idling, constantly seeking to gain things for nothing, using them for their own comfort, and fearing no restraints. In eating and drinking they know no limit; they drink wine and crave fine things, coming and going without any sense of time or measure. They are brash and overbearing, knocking and butting against others, knowing nothing of human feelings, glaring and coercing. When they see others happy, they hate, envy, and resent them. Without righteousness and without propriety, they take themselves as fit for office, and cannot be admonished or made to understand. Nor do they worry or care whether parents, wife, and children have anything or not; nor do they think of ever repaying the kindness of their parents, nor do they think of the grace of their teachers. Their minds always dwell on evil, their mouths always speak evil, and day by day they accomplish nothing. They do not believe in morality, do not believe there are worthy and wise sages of old, do not believe that by doing good and practicing the Path one may cross over the world, do not believe that there is a Buddha in the world. They wish to kill arhats, to set monks at odds, and always wish to kill people—they wish to kill parents, brothers, wives, children, relatives, and friends. Parents, brothers, wives, children, relatives, and friends detest the sight of them and wish them dead. They do not believe the words of the Buddhist scriptures; they do not believe that people's lifespans end and they die, and are reborn in a later life; they do not believe that doing good brings good, and do not believe that doing evil brings evil.

People like these—men and women alike—have minds that are all the same: contrary and rebellious, foolish and muddled, given to anger and craving, knowing nothing at all. They take their own self-satisfied ways as great wisdom, and do not know where they come from or where birth and death will lead them. They refuse kindness and filial piety, and turn against heaven and earth. In the midst of this they hope for lucky chances, wanting to attain long life and to secure deathlessness for themselves. Yet in the end they must return to the path of birth and death, of toil and suffering, of good and evil. The evil their bodies have done brings down misfortune and blame in many directions, and they cannot gain liberation. Nor can they be tamed and transformed to do good. Though one teaches them with a compassionate heart, opening up and guiding them regarding birth and death and where good and evil lead, they still do not believe it. So though one wearies the heart speaking to them, wanting to bring them to liberation, it is of no benefit to such people. Their minds are blocked and closed; their thoughts do not open to understanding. When the great end of life draws near, at that time they will all regret it. But regretting it afterward—what good will that do? If they do not plan for good beforehand, what use is regret when they are at the end?

Within heaven and earth, the five realms are clearly distinguished—vast and deep, wide and boundless—and beings pass from one to another, each receiving what they have done. Good and evil, poison and pain: each body must bear them for itself; no one can take another's place. This is the natural way of things: wherever one's actions lead, one's fate follows accordingly, and there is no escaping it. When good people do good, they go from goodness to kindness and filial piety, from joy to joy, from light to light. When evil people do evil, they go from suffering to suffering, from darkness to darkness. Who can truly know this? Only the Buddha knows and sees it. When he teaches and tells people, few believe and accept it; thus birth and death never cease, and the evil realms never empty.

In this way, people of the world cannot fully walk the Path to Cessation. Therefore there are the natural hells, animals, hungry ghosts, and tiny flying and crawling creatures, who pass through them from one to another, lifetime after lifetime, kalpa after kalpa, with no time of escape. Liberation is hard to attain, and the suffering is beyond words. This is the five great evils, the five pains, and the five burnings.

"Enduring hardship like this is comparable to a fire blazing that burns a person's body. If a person can, within that, single-mindedly discipline the mind, make the body upright and conduct correct, have words and actions match each other, be utterly sincere in what they do, have their speech be as their speech, so that mind and mouth do not diverge, and alone perform all good, doing no evil, then that person alone crosses over to liberation, attains its merit and blessing, and can obtain long life, pass beyond the world, and reach the path of celestial rebirth and nirvana. This is the fifth great good."

The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Ajita and the others: "I tell all of you: the five evils of this world bring such hardship and suffering—they give rise to the five pains and the five burnings, each producing the next in turn. People in the world are unwilling to do good; they want to commit all kinds of evil. Those who dare to violate these evil things—all of it comes about naturally, and they will surely pass through the evil realms again and again. Perhaps in this present life they first suffer illness and misfortune, unable to live or die, made an example before others' eyes. At the end of life they plunge into the utmost great suffering, grief and agony, cruel and poisonous, each scorching the other, burning one another away. Afterward they become enemies to one another, wounding and killing each other. From small beginnings it grows into great calamity, all arising from greed for sensual indulgence and wealth and beauty, from refusing patience and generosity, each seeking only their own gratification, with no regard for right or wrong, seeking to gain a strong name, driven by deluded craving. Their thoughts follow their desires but they cannot obtain what they want, and resentment knots up in their chests. Bound and tied by wealth and beauty, with no liberation, they know no contentment; enriching themselves and fighting over desires, giving no thought to reflection, wholly without principle, not following the right path. Wealth, honor, and glory bring momentary pleasure, but they cannot practice patience or know the goodness of giving. Their power and influence are short-lived, and they are scorched by their evil reputation. Their bodies sit in toil and hardship, and after a long time great calamity naturally follows them, with no end to it. The king's laws are enforced, and they are naturally brought to justice, high and low responding together; caught in the net of law and order, alone and trembling with fear, they will fall into it. This has been so from ancient times to now—how painful, how pitiable!"

The Buddha said to Ajita Bodhisattva and the others: "If such a Buddha appears in the world, he is compassionate and merciful toward all, and his awe-inspiring spiritual power shakes and subdues all evil things, causing them to melt away and vanish. He leads beings to abandon evil and turn toward good, to let go of their former thoughts, and to uphold the scriptures and precepts, so that all receive and follow them. They practice and carry out the teachings of the scriptures, never daring to transgress or lose the Path of the unconditioned nirvana that transcends the world—blissful, excellent, and utterly radiant beyond limit."

The Buddha said: "You devas, rulers, and people, as well as people of later generations, having received the Buddha's scriptures and teachings, should reflect on them deeply. You should be able to set your minds aright and conduct yourselves properly within them. Rulers should lead by doing good and transforming others, restrain and govern those below them, teach and instruct the people, urge one another onward, join together in doing good, and help one another to liberation. Each should keep himself upright and disciplined, be kind, compassionate, and merciful, and never falter throughout life. Honor the sages, respect your parents, and let your love reach out all-embracing. Toward the Buddha's words and teachings, let none dare be neglectful or disloyal. You should be concerned with the path of liberation from the world, of nirvana; you should be concerned with cutting off birth-and-death and pain; you should be concerned with pulling out the root of evil; you should be concerned with cutting off the evil path of suffering—hells, beasts, hungry ghosts, and crawling things that fly and wriggle. You should strive in the Buddha's age, firmly uphold the path of the scriptures, and never dare to lose it."

The Buddha said: "If you are to do good, what is the first and most urgent thing? You should discipline your own body. You should discipline your own mind. You should discipline your own eyes. You should discipline your own ears. You should discipline your own nose. You should discipline your own mouth. You should discipline your own hands. You should discipline your own feet. Be able to restrain yourselves; do not act recklessly; keep body and mind pure and clean, wholly in accord with what is good. Within and without, hold yourselves in check; do not follow your cravings and desires; do not commit any evil. In speech and expression, always be harmonious; in physical conduct, be focused, and do not move carelessly whether walking, standing, sitting, or rising. In whatever you do, you should first think it over carefully and plan it out; assess your own abilities, look all around and consider the whole situation, and then settle down and act steadily. If you act hastily without first planning carefully, you will do it poorly, lose your effort, and afterward face failure and regret, bringing suffering upon yourself to no purpose. With utmost sincerity and loyalty, one attains the Path and leaves all behind."

The Buddha said: "If you all do even more good deeds here, giving kindness and practicing virtue, and can keep from breaking the path and its precepts—patience, diligence, one-pointed focus, and wisdom—and encourage one another in turn to do good and practice virtue, then observing this sutra's teachings with a compassionate heart and single-minded devotion, keeping the precepts pure for one day and one night, surpasses doing good for a hundred years in the Land of Immeasurable Pure Buddha. Why is that? In the Land of Immeasurable Pure Buddha, everyone has accumulated virtue and all good qualities; it is unconditioned and spontaneous. Whatever they seek is obtained, and there is no evil at all, not even as much as a hair."

The Buddha said: "If someone here practices good deeds for ten days and ten nights, the merit they gain surpasses that of people in Buddha lands in other directions who practice good deeds for a thousand years. Why is this so? In Buddha lands in other directions, everyone practices good deeds. Those who do good are many, and those who do evil are few. All things there come naturally—without seeking or working for them, they obtain them on their own. Here, those who do evil are many, and those who do good are few. Without seeking and working, one cannot obtain anything. People here can restrain and discipline themselves to do good and seek the Path with sincere minds—that is why they can achieve this. Here there is nothing that comes naturally, and one cannot provide for oneself without going out to seek and search, toiling bitterly to make a living. People cheat and neglect one another in turn, scheming and creating both good and bad, and when they obtain wealth and goods, they bring them home to feed their wives and children. They drink suffering and eat poison, tormenting their minds and wearing out their bodies. Thus to the very end, their minds are never focused, and they are tossed about without peace. People here can calm and settle themselves to do good, applying diligence to cultivate virtue—that is why they can achieve this."

The Buddha said: "I have compassion for all of you, and for the devas, kings, and people. I teach you all to do good and not to commit evil. According to each one's capacity, I impart the Path to Cessation to them, and they all uphold the teachings, precepts, and guidance. Then rulers influence and transform others toward goodness, teaching their ministers and subordinates; fathers teach their children, elder brothers teach their younger brothers, husbands teach their wives. Within the household and beyond, relatives and friends teach one another, doing good and practicing the Path. Upholding the sutras and observing the Precepts, each person maintains themselves properly, and those above and below check one another. Without distinction of noble or lowly, without distinction of male or female, they observe fasting and precepts in purity, and all rejoice. They are harmonious and conform to what is right, encouraging joy, compassion, and filial piety, restraining one another by mutual agreement. Whoever obtains the words of the Buddha's sutras should uphold and reflect on them. They should not do what should not be done; if they violate this, they should repent of their own transgression, abandon evil and turn toward good, cast off what is wrong and follow what is right. Hearing in the morning, they change by evening. They uphold the sutras and Precepts with the intensity of a poor person who has found treasure.

Wherever the Buddha goes, in every province and country, he immediately transmits the sutras and precepts. The devas, the sun, moon, and stars, the various spirits, kings, cabinet ministers, senior officials, and common people, as well as nagas, spirits, denizens of the hells, and birds and beasts, receive and practice them. Then rulers transform themselves and turn to goodness; they observe fasting and precepts, cultivate focused contemplation, purify and cleanse themselves, rectify their minds and correct their conduct, and sit on their thrones with solemn awe. They teach and command, leading the masses toward goodness, upholding the Path's prohibitions, and seeing to it that words are spoken and actions stopped accordingly. Ministers serve their ruler with loyalty and uprightness, accepting his commands and not daring to disobey or betray them. Fathers and sons speak their commands with filial compliance and acceptance; among brothers, husbands and wives, relatives, and friends, those above and below issue commands to one another, complying in speech and harmonious in principle. The noble and the humble, the great and the small, in turn respect and serve one another, conducting themselves according to propriety and righteousness without disobedience or betrayal. None fail to reform their past and cultivate the future, washing their minds and changing their conduct, rectifying both inner and outer. Naturally they do good, and whatever they wish for they obtain. Moved by goodness, they receive its transformative influence through the natural way: if they seek not to die, they may obtain long life; if they seek to transcend the world, they may obtain the path of nirvana.

The Buddha said: "The Buddha's majestic power is honored and respected; it dissolves evil and transforms beings toward goodness, and there are none who are not brought to liberation. Now I have appeared in the world, becoming a Buddha in this evil age, in this world of suffering, out of compassion and sorrow, teaching and opening the way. All devas, kings, their ministers and attendants, officials, and common people—according to whatever their hearts desire and aspire to, I cause them all to attain the Path. Wherever the Buddha has walked, wherever he has passed through—commandaries and kingdoms, counties and towns, villages and settlements, markets and neighborhoods—nowhere is there failure of abundant harvest; the world is at great peace. The sun and moon move and shine, growing ever brighter and more beautiful; wind and rain come in their proper seasons, and the people are peaceful and secure. The strong do not oppress the weak; each finds their proper place. There are no bad years or plagues, no sickly or emaciated people, no wars or weapons rising, no thieves in the land, no resentment or injustice, no one imprisoned. Rulers and subjects, all people, are without exception joyful. Loyal, kind, and utterly sincere, each conducts themselves uprightly; all naturally safeguard their country. Harmonious and filial, none are without joy. Those who have and those who have not give to one another, bestowing kindness and practicing virtue; with joyful hearts they all respect and love one another. They yield wealth and defer in righteousness, giving way to others with humility. In their comings and goings they serve one another with ritual respect, as father and child, as elder and younger brother. None are without benevolence and worthiness; harmonious and compliant in ritual propriety, entirely without conflict or dispute—blissful goodness beyond measure."

The Buddha said: "I care for you all and wish to liberate you, more intensely than parents think of their children. Now the celestial beings, emperors, kings, and common people throughout the eight directions and above and below, along with flying insects and crawling creatures—all who receive the Buddha's sutras and precepts and practice the Buddha's path—shall all attain clear wisdom, their minds fully opened and understanding, and none shall fail to pass beyond and be freed from sorrow and suffering. Now I have become a Buddha within the five evils, five pains, and five burnings; I subdue and transform the five evils, completely dissolve the five pains, and utterly extinguish the five burnings. With goodness I attack evil and pull out the poison of suffering, causing them to attain the five wholesome and luminous virtues, so that the burnings of evil no longer arise. After I pass into nirvana, the sutras and the path will gradually be cut off; people will flatter and deceive one another, becoming thoroughly given over to all manner of evil, and will no longer do good. The five burnings will arise again, and the five pains will be severe—just as before—naturally returning once more. After a long time it will grow worse still, beyond what can be fully described. I have only spoken to you of this in brief."

The Buddha said, "Each of you should reflect on and uphold these teachings, pass them on to one another, and instruct one another in the Precepts, so that no one dares to violate the Dharma as taught in the sutras."

Ajita Bodhisattva knelt with palms joined and said: "The Buddha's teaching reveals how great this suffering is, and how severe are the evil deeds of people in the world—just so, just so. Yet the Buddha, in his compassion, saves and liberates them all, saying: 'Receive the Buddha's weighty teaching and pass it on faithfully to one another.' We dare not transgress it."

The Buddha said to Ananda, "Out of compassion for all of you, I will let you see the land where the Buddha of Infinite Purity and the bodhisattvas and arhats dwell. Would you like to see it?"

Ananda was overjoyed. He knelt with his palms joined and said, "I want to see them all."

The Buddha said: "If you wish, put on the robe again and bow facing west—toward the place where the sun sets—pay homage to the Buddha of Infinite Purity, placing your head and face to the ground, and say: 'Homage to the Buddha of Infinite Purity, Equality, and Enlightenment.'"

Ananda said, "Yes, I will follow the teaching." Then he rose, put on his outer robe, and bowed toward the west—toward the place where the sun sets—paying homage to the Buddha of Infinite Purity and Enlightenment, touching his head to the ground, and saying, "Homage to the Buddha of Infinite Purity, Impartiality, and Enlightenment."

Before Ananda had risen, the Buddha of Infinite Purity emitted a great radiance and majestic power that spread throughout the countless Buddha lands in all eight directions, above and below, and the heavens and earth everywhere trembled greatly. Among the countless heavens and earths of the devas, Mount Sumeru and its jeweled adornments, the great Mount Sumeru and its jeweled adornments, the great realms and small realms of the various heavens and earths — within them all the great hells and small hells, the mountain forests, valleys, and dark gloomy places — all were greatly illuminated, and everywhere a great opening and clearing rained down.

Then Ananda, the Bodhisattvas, the Arhats, the devas, the kings, and the people all saw Amitayus Buddha, along with the Bodhisattvas, the Arhats, and the seven treasures of that land. Their hearts were filled with great joy and exultation. They all rose and paid homage to Amitayus Buddha, touching their heads to the ground, and all said: "Homage to Amitayus, the Fully Enlightened One."

When the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity had emitted his radiant light and majestic power, countless celestial beings, people, and even the tiniest creatures that fly and crawl all saw the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity's radiance, and every one of them felt loving-kindness and joy and did good deeds. In all the hells, among the animals, and in the realm of hungry ghosts, wherever there were places of torment and unremitting suffering, all such punishments ceased and were no longer carried out, and all were freed from their sorrow and suffering. Those who were blind all gained sight; those who were lame or crippled all gained the ability to walk; those who were sick all recovered; those who were frail all became strong and healthy. The foolish all became wise and clever; those filled with lust and anger all gave rise to loving-kindness and did good deeds; and for those who had been poisoned, the poison no longer took effect. Bells, drums, zithers, harps, and all manner of musical instruments played by themselves without being struck; the jewels and ornaments of women made sounds of their own; and the hundred kinds of birds and beasts all cried out mournfully on their own. At that time, there was not one who did not rejoice, for all had attained liberation.

At that very time, the devas and celestial beings in the Buddhas' lands all came down bearing celestial flowers and incense, hovering in the open sky, and made offerings to all the Buddhas and to the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity, scattering them upon them. Each of the devas together performed tens of thousands of kinds of spontaneous celestial music, delighting all the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Arhats. At that moment, the joy was beyond words.

The Buddha addressed Ananda, the bodhisattva Ajita, and the others: "What I have described—the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity and Clarity, together with all the bodhisattvas and arhats, and the land formed of the seven treasure substances appearing naturally—is it not so, without any discrepancy?"

Ananda knelt for a long time with his hands clasped together and said, "The Buddha has described the land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity as wonderful and excellent. Just as the Buddha has said, there is no difference at all."

The Buddha said: "If I were to describe the merit and the excellence of the land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity, speaking day and night for a whole kalpa, I still would not finish. I have only given you a brief account of it."

Ajita Bodhisattva then knelt on both knees, pressed his palms together, and asked the Buddha: "From this land here, how many Bodhisattvas of non-retrogression will be reborn in the land of the Buddha of Immeasurable Purity? I wish to hear this."

The Buddha said: "If you wish to know, listen carefully and hold it in your mind."

Ajita Bodhisattva said, "I accept the teaching."

The Buddha said: "From my land there will be seven hundred and twenty million irreversible bodhisattvas who will all be reborn in the land of the Buddha of Infinite Purity. Each one of these irreversible bodhisattvas has, in turn, made offerings to countless Buddhas, and in succession, like Maitreya, they will all become Buddhas. As for the remaining multitudes of lesser bodhisattvas, they are countless and beyond all reckoning, and they too will all be reborn in the land of the Buddha of Infinite Purity."

The Buddha told Bodhisattva Ajita: "Not only will the bodhisattvas in my land be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light—bodhisattvas from Buddhas in other lands will likewise be reborn there.

The first Buddha is named Radiant Light Shining Afar. In his land, eighteen billion bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The second Buddha in another land is named Precious Accumulation. In his land, nine billion bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The third Buddha in another land is named Pure and Stainless. In his land, twenty-two billion bodhisattvas will all be reborn in Amitabha Buddha's land.

The fourth Buddha in another land is named Limitless Light. In his land, twenty-five billion bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The fifth Buddha in another land is named Unsurpassed in the World. In his land, sixty billion bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The sixth Buddha in another land is named Courageous Light. In his land, fourteen thousand bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The seventh Buddha in another land is named Complete Interweaving. In his land, one billion four hundred million bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The eighth Buddha in another land is named Heroic Wisdom King. In his land, eight bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The ninth Buddha in another land is named Mighty and Unsurpassed. In his land, eighty-one billion bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The tenth Buddha in another land is named Auspicious Excellence. In his land, ten trillion bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The eleventh Buddha in another land is named Wisdom and Eloquence. In his land, twelve thousand bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The twelfth Buddha in another land is named Supreme Flower. In his land there are bodhisattvas beyond number, beyond all reckoning—all of them are non-retrogressing, all are wise and courageous, each has made offerings to countless Buddhas, and with a single unified thought of mind they all aspire to be reborn there—they will all be born in the Land of Infinite Pure Light.

The thirteenth Buddha in another land is named Joyful Great Wondrous Sound. In his land, seventy-nine billion bodhisattvas will all be reborn in the Land of Infinite Pure Light."

The Buddha said: "These bodhisattvas—all of them are avaivartika (non-retrogressing)—along with the countless multitudes among the monks and the lesser bodhisattvas, will all be reborn in the land of the Buddha of Measureless Purity. It is not only the bodhisattvas in these fourteen buddha-lands who will be reborn there. In all the countless buddha-lands in the eight directions and above and below, bodhisattvas such as these, each and every one, will be reborn in the land of the Buddha of Measureless Purity. Countless numbers of them will all gather there together; the great assembly in the land of the Buddha of Measureless Purity is so vast it can no longer be counted. If I were only to name the buddhas of the countless buddha-lands in the eight directions and above and below, even a full kalpa of day and night would not suffice to finish. If I were only to recount the numbers of monks and bodhisattvas in the buddha-lands who will be reborn in the land of the Buddha of Measureless Purity, even speaking for a kalpa without stopping would not suffice to finish. I am only giving you a summary and a brief account of it."

The Buddha said to Ananda, the Bodhisattva Ajita, and the others: "If worldly kings, ordinary people, good men, and good women — through the blessings earned by doing good deeds in their past lives — are able to hear the name of the Buddha of Infinite Purity, and with a kind heart rejoice, then I rejoice on their behalf."

The Buddha said: "When there are good men and good women who hear the name of the Buddha of Infinite Pure Light, and with a kind heart rejoice, leaping up in a single moment, their minds and thoughts purified, their body hairs standing on end and rising — all of these in former lives, by past karma, practiced the Path to Cessation; or they are bodhisattvas from other directions, sent by other Buddhas — they are not ordinary people. But when there are people — men and women — who hear the name of the Buddha of Infinite Pure Light and do not believe there is a Buddha, do not believe the words of the Buddhist scriptures, do not believe there is a community of monks, and in their hearts are doubtful, trusting in nothing at all — all of these have come from the unwholesome realms, are born ignorant and do not understand their past karma, and their misfortune and evil are not yet exhausted; they are not yet due to attain liberation. That is why in their hearts they are doubtful and do not believe."

The Buddha said: "I tell you, all of you: whatever good practices you ought to undertake, you should all carry them out and have faith in them. Do not, because I have passed into parinirvana, let any of you or people of later generations say: 'I do not believe there is a Land of Immeasurable Pure Buddha.' That is why I have caused you all to see the land of the Immeasurable Pure Buddha with your own eyes — what you ought to do, you must seek for yourselves. I have fully explained to you the sutras, the precepts, and the Dharma in accordance with the teachings; you should uphold them just as the Buddha's Dharma, and must not destroy or lose them."

"I entrust this sutra to you all; you should firmly uphold it, and must not recklessly add to or subtract from this sutra's teaching. After I pass into parinirvana, the path of the sutra will remain for a thousand years. After a thousand years, the path of the sutra will come to an end. Those whose wishes are set on it will all be able to attain the Path."

The Buddha said: "A teacher opens people's eyes and ears, makes them wise and clear-minded, and helps them cross over to liberation and attain goodness — this is the path of nirvana. You should always be loving and filial, regarding the Buddha as your father and mother; always remember your teacher's kindness, and keep that remembrance unbroken. Then you will attain the Path quickly."

The Buddha said: "It is very rare to encounter a Buddha in the world. It is also very rare to meet people who have faith in and deeply accept the words of the Dharma scriptures taught by a teacher. And if there is a monk or a teacher who expounds the Buddha's scriptures to others, that too is very rare to encounter."

When the Buddha spoke this sutra, twelve trillion devas and humans all attained the celestial eye with unobstructed sight, and with single-minded devotion they all set out on the Bodhisattva Path. Two hundred twenty billion devas and humans all attained the path of the Non-Returner. Eight hundred monks all attained the path of the Arhat. Four billion Bodhisattvas all attained the stage of non-retrogression.

When the Buddha finished speaking this sutra, all the bodhisattvas, arhats, devas, kings, and common people were filled with great joy. They came forward to pay homage to the Buddha, walked around him three times, bowed their heads to his feet, and departed.

The Buddha Speaks the Sutra of Immeasurable Pure Impartial Enlightenment, Volume 4