The AmitÃÂyus Contemplation Sà «tra (, English: Contemplation of AmitÃÂyus Sutra, or Sutra on the Visualization of Measureless Life [Buddha], Taisho no. 365) is a MahÃÂyÃÂna sutra which is important for East Asian Pure Land Buddhism, a major branch of East Asian MahÃÂyÃÂna. No Sanskrit original has been found, and the title of the sutra has been back-translated into Sanskrit by scholars as either AmitÃÂyur-dhyÃÂna Sà «tra or AmitÃÂyur-buddhÃÂnusmá¹Âti-sà «tra ("AmitÃÂyus Buddha-mindfulness Sà «tra"). The Contemplation Sà «tra is part of a genre of Contemplation Sutras (Chinese: è§Âç¶Â, GuÃÂn jëng) that include other similar texts with visual meditations like Samantabhadra Meditation Sutra.
Also called by the short title Contemplation Sutra (è§Âç¶Â, GuÃÂn jëng), this sutra is one of the three principle Pure Land sutras along with the Amitayus Sutra and the Amitabha Sutra. AmitÃÂyus ("Measureless Life") is another name for the Buddha AmitÃÂbha, the preeminent figure in Pure Land Buddhism, and this sà «tra focuses mainly on meditations involving visualizations of Amitabha and his pure land of Sukhavati (The Blissful). This is reflected in the name of the sà «tra, which can be translated as "AmitÃÂyus Contemplation Sà «tra" or "AmitÃÂyus Visualization Sutra" It is believed to have first been composed in Chinese in the 5th century.
According to tradition, it was translated into Chinese by a monk named KÃÂlayaà Âas çºè¯è¶è between 424 and 442 AD. However, it is generally considered by modern scholarship to be a non-Indian composition, possibly written in China or in Central Asia. Jonathan Silk has also shown that the frame narrative is based on a story which was known in India, so that at least this element of the sutra has an Indic basis.
No Sanskrit original has been discovered and the Sanskrit name and Sanskrit versions would thus be reverse translations. The text also shows Chinese influences, including references to earlier translations of Chinese Pure Land texts. Modern scholars generally accept that the text describes a meditation which was practiced in Central Asia, but with Chinese additions.
Other pieces of evidence point to a Central Asian origin for at least some of the content in the sutra. Mural paintings at Toyok, Turfan depict the contents of the sutra. Other such paintings, called Guanjing bianxiang è§Âç¶Âè®Âç¸, are found in Dunhuang.
The sutra became a very influential text in East Asian Pure Land Buddhism. It was taken up by Shandao Ã¥ÂÂå° (613âÂÂ681), a key Pure Land author, who wrote an important commentary on the sutra called Commentary on the Sà «tra of Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life è§Âç¡éÂÂ壽ä½Âç¶Âç (T 1753). Other commentaries were composed by Jingying Huiyuan (523âÂÂ592) and Jizang (549âÂÂ623). Another commentary (è§Âç¡éÂÂ壽ä½Âç¶Âç T 1750) is commonly attributed to Zhiyi, but this is likely a later composition.
The text begins with a story where a prince named AjÃÂtasattu was enticed by the villain Devadatta to murder his father, King Bimbisara, in order to ascend the throne. AjÃÂtasattu kills his father, and nearly kills his mother, Queen Vaidehi, but after advice from his other ministers, he relented and threw his mother in prison.
Lamenting her fate, Queen Vaidehi prays to Gautama Buddha for help, and he is able to visit her. Vaidehi expresses her wish to be born in AmitÃÂbha's pure land. Shakyamuni smiles, emitting light from his mouth, and goes on to tell Vaidehi how to be reborn in the Pure Land. The Buddha tells her that although she is in prison, she could still obtain liberation through the practices of AmitÃÂbha. The Buddha goes on to describe AmitÃÂbha and how one could obtain rebirth in his land of Sukhavati.
This tale references historical incidents of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadha, India, and the religious tension between Gautama Buddha and his brother-in-law, Devadatta.
A key practice that the Buddha recommends to Vaidehi as a way to attain birth in the pure land is the "three pure acts" (à ÂuddhÃÂni karmÃÂá¹Âi). The sutra explains these as follows:<blockquote>Then the World-honored One said to Vaidehë, âÂÂDo you know that AmitÃÂyus is not far away? Fix your thoughts upon and contemplate that buddha land. Then you will accomplish the pure acts. I shall describe it to you in detail with various illustrations, so that all ordinary people in the future who wish to practice pure karma may also be born in that Western Land of Utmost Bliss. Whoever wishes to be born there should practice the three acts: first, caring for oneâÂÂs parents, attending to oneâÂÂs teachers and elders, compassionately refraining from killing, and doing the ten good deeds; second, taking the Three Refuges, keeping the various precepts, and refraining from breaking the rules of conduct; and third, awakening aspiration for enlightenment (bodhicitta), believing deeply in the law of causality, chanting the Mahayana sutras, and encouraging people to follow their teachings. These three are called pure karma.âÂÂ</blockquote>
Shakyamuni explains the importance of performing certain meritorious acts in order to be reborn in the Pure Land. He then goes on to teach Vaidehi how to contemplate the Pure Land, to further her efforts in attaining rebirth there. Shakyamuni describes sixteen "contemplations," or mental visualizations (Ch: guÃÂn, è§Â). By deeply contemplating various aspects of the Pure Land and attempting to visualize them in detail, the aspirant draws closer to the Pure Land.
The sixteen contemplations are described in order as follows:
In the final part of the AmitÃÂyurdhyÃÂna Sà «tra, Gautama Buddha discusses the nine "lotus levels" into which those born into the pure land are categorized. The levels are ranked from highest to lowest as follows:
According to the Buddha, all nine grades of human beings can achieve rebirth into the Pure Land if they contemplate AmitÃÂbha or at least call on his name. This is similar to the 48 vows made by AmitÃÂbha, according to the Infinite Life Sutra, which includes the Primal Vow.
The sutra ends with a short section describing the benefits gained by those who listened to these words of the Buddha. Vaidehi experienced "great awakening with clarity of mind and reached the insight into the non-arising of all dharmas," while her five hundred female attendants and "innumerable devas" also awakened aspiration for the highest enlightenment. Shakyamuni names the sutra, mentions benefits connected with the name of Amitabha Buddha, and exhorts all to hold the words of the sutra in their minds. Shakyamuni then returns through the air to Vulture Peak.
There are numerous Chinese commentaries to the Contemplation Sutra. The earliest extant commentary is that of Jingying Huiyuan (c. 523âÂÂ592).
Tanaka lists the following extent commentaries:
Shandao's (Ã¥ÂÂå°Â, 613âÂÂ681) Commentary on the AmitÃÂyus Contemplation Sà «tra (Guan Wuliangshou Jing Shu è§Âç¡éÂÂ壽ä½Âç¶ÂçÂÂ, T 1753) was a particularly influential text, especially on Japanese Pure Land Buddhism. This commentary became canonical for the Japanese traditions that followed Hà Ânen, and is cited by almost all major Japanese Pure Land authors, some of whom wrote further sub-commentaries on Shandao's text. For Hà Ânen, Shandao's commentary is the main textual authority for Pure Land doctrine. According to his : "Shandao's Commentary on the Meditation Sutra is the guidebook to the Western Pure Land. It should be regarded as the eyes and feet of nembutsu devotees."
Hà Ânen himself wrote several works which cite and comment on the Contemplation Sà «tra. Though he did not write a full commentary on the sutra alone, his Commentary on the Three Sutras of Pure Land Buddhism comments on the Contemplation Sutra alongside the other Pure Land sutras. Zen'ebo Shà Âkà « (1177âÂÂ1247), one of Hà Ânen's students, wrote three works on Shandao's commentary, including the encyclopedic Kangon Yà Âgishà  (観éÂÂè¦Â義éÂÂ, Annotated Essentials of the Gate of Contemplation) in 43 fascicles.