Difference between revisions of "Sukhavati"
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| − | Sukhavati (Skt. Sukhāvatī; Tib. བདེ་བ་ཅན་, Dewachen; Wyl. bde ba can or bde ba chen) is the blissful [[Buddha]] field of [[Amitabha]]. One of [[The Buddha]] fields of the five families, said to be located in the western direction | + | [[Sukhavati]] (Skt. [[Sukhāvatī]]; Tib. བདེ་བ་ཅན་, Dewachen; Wyl. bde ba can or bde ba chen) is the blissful [[Buddha]] field of [[Amitabha]]. One of [[The Buddha]] fields of the [[five families]], said to be located in the western [[direction]] |
| − | Sukhavati, ( [[Sanskrit]]: “[[Pure land]]”) in the [[Pure land]] schools of [[Mahayana Buddhism]], [[The Western Paradise]] of [[The Buddha]] [[Amitabha]], described in the [[Pure land]] [[Sutras]] (Sukhavati-vyuha-[[Sutras]]). According to followers of the [[Pure land]] schools, which are widespread throughout East Asia, [[Rebirth]] in Sukhavati is ensured by invoking the name of [[Amitabha]], particularly at the moment of [[Death]]. According to [[Doctrine]], only men may be reborn in Sukhavati; however, some vernacular Buddhist writings demonstrate a popular belief that women may also enter Sukhavati upon [[Death]]. Sukhavati is expressively described in the [[Pure land]] [[Sutras]] as being a joyous [[World]], soft and glowing, filled with the music of birds and the tinkling of trees adorned with precious jewels and garlands of golden bells. [[Amitabha]] sits on a [[Lotus]] in the midst of a terraced pond, attended by the [[Bodhisattvas]] (“[[Buddhas]]-to-be”) [[Avalokiteshvara]] and [[Mahasthamaprapta]]. The newly dead enter into [[Lotus]] buds, which unfold when the occupants have become entirely purified and have attained [[Enlightenment]]. Many are said to be reborn on [[Earth]] after leaving Sukhavati to become boddhisattvas working toward the [[Liberation]] (moksha) of all [[Sentient beings]]. | + | [[Sukhavati]], ( [[Sanskrit]]: “[[Pure land]]”) in the [[Pure land]] schools of [[Mahayana Buddhism]], [[The Western Paradise]] of [[The Buddha]] [[Amitabha]], described in the [[Pure land]] [[Sutras]] (Sukhavati-vyuha-[[Sutras]]). According to followers of the [[Pure land]] schools, which are widespread throughout {{Wiki|East Asia}}, [[Rebirth]] in [[Sukhavati]] is ensured by invoking the name of [[Amitabha]], particularly at the moment of [[Death]]. According to [[Doctrine]], only men may be [[reborn]] in [[Sukhavati]]; however, some vernacular [[Buddhist]] writings demonstrate a popular [[belief]] that women may also enter [[Sukhavati]] upon [[Death]]. [[Sukhavati]] is expressively described in the [[Pure land]] [[Sutras]] as [[being]] a [[joyous]] [[World]], soft and [[glowing]], filled with the music of birds and the tinkling of [[trees]] adorned with precious jewels and garlands of golden bells. [[Amitabha]] sits on a [[Lotus]] in the midst of a terraced pond, attended by the [[Bodhisattvas]] (“[[Buddhas]]-to-be”) [[Avalokiteshvara]] and [[Mahasthamaprapta]]. The newly [[dead]] enter into [[Lotus]] buds, which unfold when the occupants have become entirely [[purified]] and have attained [[Enlightenment]]. Many are said to be [[reborn]] on [[Earth]] after leaving [[Sukhavati]] to become boddhisattvas working toward the [[Liberation]] ([[moksha]]) of all [[Sentient beings]]. |
| − | Four Causes of [[Rebirth]] in Sukhavati | + | Four [[Causes]] of [[Rebirth]] in [[Sukhavati]] |
| − | According to Jamgön Ngawang Lekpa, the four causes of [[Rebirth]] in Sukhavati are: | + | According to Jamgön Ngawang Lekpa, the four [[causes]] of [[Rebirth]] in [[Sukhavati]] are: |
Generating [[Bodhichitta]] | Generating [[Bodhichitta]] | ||
Accumulating [[Merit]] in many ways | Accumulating [[Merit]] in many ways | ||
Repeatedly bringing [[The Buddha]] field to [[Mind]] | Repeatedly bringing [[The Buddha]] field to [[Mind]] | ||
| − | Dedicating all one's sources of [[Merit]] as causes for [[Rebirth]] in that pure realm | + | Dedicating all one's sources of [[Merit]] as [[causes]] for [[Rebirth]] in that [[pure realm]] |
| − | Lala Sonam Chödrup, in his famous commentary on the Prayer of Sukhavati (Tib. Démön; Wyl. bde smon), gives them as: | + | Lala Sonam Chödrup, in his famous commentary on the [[Prayer]] of [[Sukhavati]] (Tib. Démön; Wyl. bde smon), gives them as: |
| − | the support, visualizing the pure realm | + | the support, [[visualizing]] the [[pure realm]] |
| − | accumulating [[Merit]] and purifying obscurations | + | accumulating [[Merit]] and purifying [[obscurations]] |
the aid, generating [[Bodhichitta]] | the aid, generating [[Bodhichitta]] | ||
| − | the circumstance, pure prayers of aspiration, dedicating all sources of [[Virtue]] so that oneself and others may be reborn in Sukhavati | + | the circumstance, [[pure]] [[prayers]] of [[aspiration]], dedicating all sources of [[Virtue]] so that oneself and others may be [[reborn]] in [[Sukhavati]] |
| − | The Smaller Sukhavativyuha [[Sutra]] (Skt. [[Sukhāvatī]]vyūhasūtra), which takes place in the Jeta Grove, contains a description of the Sukhavati pure realm of [[Buddha]] [[Amitabha]]. It was translated into Tibetan from [[Sanskrit]] by Shyang Yeshé Dé. | + | The Smaller [[Sukhavativyuha]] [[Sutra]] (Skt. [[Sukhāvatī]]vyūhasūtra), which takes place in the [[Jeta Grove]], contains a description of the [[Sukhavati]] [[pure realm]] of [[Buddha]] [[Amitabha]]. It was translated into [[Tibetan]] from [[Sanskrit]] by Shyang Yeshé Dé. |
</poem> | </poem> | ||
{{R}} | {{R}} | ||
Revision as of 00:12, 4 September 2013
Sukhavati (Skt. Sukhāvatī; Tib. བདེ་བ་ཅན་, Dewachen; Wyl. bde ba can or bde ba chen) is the blissful Buddha field of Amitabha. One of The Buddha fields of the five families, said to be located in the western direction
Sukhavati, ( Sanskrit: “Pure land”) in the Pure land schools of Mahayana Buddhism, The Western Paradise of The Buddha Amitabha, described in the Pure land Sutras (Sukhavati-vyuha-Sutras). According to followers of the Pure land schools, which are widespread throughout East Asia, Rebirth in Sukhavati is ensured by invoking the name of Amitabha, particularly at the moment of Death. According to Doctrine, only men may be reborn in Sukhavati; however, some vernacular Buddhist writings demonstrate a popular belief that women may also enter Sukhavati upon Death. Sukhavati is expressively described in the Pure land Sutras as being a joyous World, soft and glowing, filled with the music of birds and the tinkling of trees adorned with precious jewels and garlands of golden bells. Amitabha sits on a Lotus in the midst of a terraced pond, attended by the Bodhisattvas (“Buddhas-to-be”) Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta. The newly dead enter into Lotus buds, which unfold when the occupants have become entirely purified and have attained Enlightenment. Many are said to be reborn on Earth after leaving Sukhavati to become boddhisattvas working toward the Liberation (moksha) of all Sentient beings.
Four Causes of Rebirth in Sukhavati
According to Jamgön Ngawang Lekpa, the four causes of Rebirth in Sukhavati are:
Generating Bodhichitta
Accumulating Merit in many ways
Repeatedly bringing The Buddha field to Mind
Dedicating all one's sources of Merit as causes for Rebirth in that pure realm
Lala Sonam Chödrup, in his famous commentary on the Prayer of Sukhavati (Tib. Démön; Wyl. bde smon), gives them as:
the support, visualizing the pure realm
accumulating Merit and purifying obscurations
the aid, generating Bodhichitta
the circumstance, pure prayers of aspiration, dedicating all sources of Virtue so that oneself and others may be reborn in Sukhavati
The Smaller Sukhavativyuha Sutra (Skt. Sukhāvatīvyūhasūtra), which takes place in the Jeta Grove, contains a description of the Sukhavati pure realm of Buddha Amitabha. It was translated into Tibetan from Sanskrit by Shyang Yeshé Dé.
