The Translation

[F.220.b]

1.1Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

1.2Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was seated on the banks of the Gaggarā lotus pond with a great monastic saṅgha of five hundred monks and a great saṅgha of bodhisattvas. The Blessed One addressed the monks, the monks gave the Blessed One their full attention, and the Blessed One [F.221.a] said to them:

1.9“Monks, the Thus-Gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Aparimitāyus’ palace, called Having a Retinue, is ten thousand leagues wide. He was born into a kṣatriya family. Monks, the Thus-Gone, worthy, perfect Buddha Aparimitāyus’ father was a universal ruler named Most Gracious, and his mother was named Splendorous. His kṣatriya queen was named Gracious Protector. Monks, the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus’ son was named Moonlight, and his attendant’s name was Stainless Renown. Monks, the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus’ disciple foremost in insight was called Pinnacle of Grace, and his disciple foremost in miraculous powers and foremost in great endeavor was named Great Array.

1.10“Monks, the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus’ Māra was called King of Offerings, and the name of his Devadatta was Gracious Gift. [F.221.b] Monks, the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus’ great gathering of hearers contains sixty thousand great hearers.

1.11“Monks, all the beings who think well of him should bear in mind the name of the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus, practice for ten days with an undistracted mind that recollects the Buddha, and continually think of the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus who dwells in the realm of Sukhāvatī.

1.12“They should also continually recite the dhāraṇī of Śrī Amṛta­dundubhi­svara­rāja. If all beings, three times a day and three times a night, prostrate with the five points of the body to the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus while thinking of him, after ten days they will have a vision of the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus and a vision of all the blessed buddhas dwelling in the ten directions. If they dedicate all their roots of virtue to rebirth in the realm of Sukhāvatī, when they die the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus will be present before them, and they will be reborn in the buddha field of the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus.

1.13“Monks, this is the dhāraṇī called Amṛta­dundubhi­svara­rāja:

tadyathā śavale avale sañjale nirdeśe nirjāte nirukte nirmukhe jvala­paricchedani sukhavati­nirdeśe amṛte āyurgarbhanirhāni amṛte ayuḥ­prasādhane nirbuddhi ākāśa­nirdeśe ākāśa­nirjāte ākāśa­nirkuśale ākāśa­nirdarśane ākāśādhiṣṭhāne sukhavati ādhiṣṭhāne rūpa­nirdeśe catvāri­dharma­prasādhane catvāri ārya­satya­prasādhane catvāri­mārga­bhavana­prasādhane balavīrya­prasādhane dharmācchedane kuśale kuśala­nirdeśe kuśala­pratiṣṭhāne buddhākuśale viśuddha­prabhāsa dharma­karaṇe nirjati nirbuddhe vimale viraje rājase rasāgre rasāgrabale rasāgrādhiṣṭhite kule pratikule vikule dānte sudāntacitte supraśānta­citte supratiṣṭhite sule sumukhī­dharme ca dharme bale ca bale anuśābale buddhākāśa­guṇe buddhākāśa­nirguṇe amṛta­dundubhiḥ­svare svāhā

1.14“Monks, faithful [F.222.a] sons or daughters of good family who recite this Amṛta­dundubhi­svara­rāja dhāraṇī as it has been taught should dress in clean clothes and, in a place that is pure and unspoiled, make offerings of flowers and perfumes to the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus. They should imagine the lotus seat at the seat of awakening and the perfect Bodhi tree. They should arouse longing to be there, and if they have such longing and faith they will be reborn in the buddha field of the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus.

1.15“Monks, the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus’ king of trees is the tree called Radiating Jeweled Lotus, and it is covered in flowers and fruit. The lotus seat, which is pure, bright, and fine, is called Brilliant Light Ray. The Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus is seated there surrounded by many precious jewels. The bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara is to his right, the bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta is to his left, and they are all surrounded by an incalculable gathering of bodhisattvas. Faithful sons or daughters of good family who have great devotion, faith, and reverence will be reborn there. They will take miraculous birth on great lotuses made of the seven precious jewels situated on the great golden ground.

1.16“Monks, any monk, nun, male lay practitioner, or female lay practitioner who bears in mind the name of the Thus-Gone Aparimitāyus will never have to face any dangers from fire, dangers from water, dangers from poison, dangers from weapons, dangers from yakṣas, and dangers from rākṣasas, except for those that arise due to the ripening of previous actions.”

1.17When the Blessed One had spoken these words, the monks, the entire retinue, and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said. [F.222.b]

1.18This concludes the noble dhāraṇī “Essence of Immeasurable Longevity and Wisdom.”