Difference between revisions of "Amitābha and Amitāyus Mantra"
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[[File:Url-aa.jpg|thumb|250px|]] | [[File:Url-aa.jpg|thumb|250px|]] | ||
[[File:Amitabhama.png|thumb|250px|a mi tā bha]] | [[File:Amitabhama.png|thumb|250px|a mi tā bha]] | ||
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| − | He is usually depicted as a [[bhikṣu]] with his hands in the [[dhyana mudra]]. He is deep red in {{Wiki|colour}}. Another [[form]] common in the Western [[Buddhist Order]] shows him with his right hand [[holding]] up a full red [[lotus]], while his left hand {{Wiki|remains}} in his lap. | + | |
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| + | [[Amitābha]] is the [[Buddha]] of the [[Western]] quarter. His [[name]] means "[[infinite]] [[light]]" - [[amita]] (unmeasured, [[boundless]], [[infinite]]) + [[ābha]] ([[splendour]], [[light]]; {{Wiki|colour}}, [[appearance]], [[beauty]] - related to bha : [[light]], lustre, [[splendour]]; a [[name]] for the {{Wiki|planet}} {{Wiki|Venus}}.). | ||
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| + | He is usually depicted as a [[bhikṣu]] with his hands in the [[dhyana mudra]]. He is deep [[red]] in {{Wiki|colour}}. Another [[form]] common in the [[Western]] [[Buddhist Order]] shows him with his right hand [[holding]] up a full [[red]] [[lotus]], while his left hand {{Wiki|remains}} in his lap. | ||
[[Amitābha]] dwells in his [[pureland]] called [[Sukhāvatī]] - the [[happy]] realm.which is described in the [[Sukhāvatīvyūha]] [[sūtras]] (large and small). [[Amitābha]] is closely related to [[Amitāyus]] - [[infinite]] [[life]] - who is sometimes described as his "reflex". A [[mantra]] for [[Amitāyus]] is included below. A [[visualisation]] [[meditation]] on [[Amitāyus]] is described in the [[Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra]]. These Three [[sūtras]] are collectively described as the "[[Pureland]] [[Scriptures]]" and belong to the earliest strata of [[Mahāyāna]] texts. | [[Amitābha]] dwells in his [[pureland]] called [[Sukhāvatī]] - the [[happy]] realm.which is described in the [[Sukhāvatīvyūha]] [[sūtras]] (large and small). [[Amitābha]] is closely related to [[Amitāyus]] - [[infinite]] [[life]] - who is sometimes described as his "reflex". A [[mantra]] for [[Amitāyus]] is included below. A [[visualisation]] [[meditation]] on [[Amitāyus]] is described in the [[Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra]]. These Three [[sūtras]] are collectively described as the "[[Pureland]] [[Scriptures]]" and belong to the earliest strata of [[Mahāyāna]] texts. | ||
| − | Amitābha's special quality is [[Compassion]], which is balanced in the [[Mandala]] of the [[Jinas]] by [[Akṣobhya]] the [[Buddha]] of [[Wisdom]]. [[Amitābha]] is the {{Wiki|head}} of the [[Padma]], or [[Lotus]] family. | + | [[Amitābha's]] special [[quality]] is [[Compassion]], which is balanced in the [[Mandala]] of the [[Jinas]] by [[Akṣobhya]] the [[Buddha]] of [[Wisdom]]. [[Amitābha]] is the {{Wiki|head}} of the [[Padma]], or [[Lotus]] [[family]]. |
'''[[mandala]] of the [[jinas]] | '''[[mandala]] of the [[jinas]] | ||
| Line 14: | Line 22: | ||
|position in [[mandala]] || {{Wiki|west}} | |position in [[mandala]] || {{Wiki|west}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | |{{Wiki|Colour}} || red | + | |{{Wiki|Colour}} || [[red]] |
|- | |- | ||
| − | |Family || [[Lotus]] | + | |[[Family]] || [[Lotus]] |
|- | |- | ||
|[[Mudra]] || [[meditation]] | |[[Mudra]] || [[meditation]] | ||
| Line 24: | Line 32: | ||
|Emblem || [[lotus]] | |Emblem || [[lotus]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | |Consort/prajñā || Paṇḍāravāsinī | + | |Consort/prajñā || [[Paṇḍāravāsinī]] |
|} | |} | ||
| − | ==Seed Syllable== | + | ==[[Seed Syllable]]== |
| − | Amitābha's [[bīja]] [[mantra]] is hrīḥ which is ha + ra + ī + ḥ (visarga) | + | [[Amitābha's]] [[bīja]] [[mantra]] is [[hrīḥ]] which is ha + ra + ī + ḥ ([[visarga]]) |
[[File:Hrih.png|left|frameless|250px|]] | [[File:Hrih.png|left|frameless|250px|]] | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
| − | hrīḥ is the seed syllable of [[Amitābha]] and so represents the qualities of the [[Buddha]] of the western quarter: chiefly [[meditation]] and [[compassion]]. In [[Tibet]] it is also associated with [[Avalokiteśvara]] or [[Chenresig]]. | + | [[hrīḥ]] is the [[seed syllable]] of [[Amitābha]] and so represents the qualities of the [[Buddha]] of the [[western]] quarter: chiefly [[meditation]] and [[compassion]]. In [[Tibet]] it is also associated with [[Avalokiteśvara]] or [[Chenresig]]. |
==[[Mantra]]== | ==[[Mantra]]== | ||
| − | I've cited the [[mantra]] in Siddhaṃ using the correct [[Sanskrit]] spelling, but the others using the common [[Tibetan]] spelling. Below are two other [[mantras]] used in two different {{Wiki|Japanese}} [[traditions]]. | + | I've cited the [[mantra]] in [[Siddhaṃ]] using the correct [[Sanskrit]] spelling, but the others using the common [[Tibetan]] spelling. Below are two other [[mantras]] used in two different {{Wiki|Japanese}} [[traditions]]. |
| − | ===Siddhaṃ=== | + | ===[[Siddhaṃ]]=== |
[[File:Amitabha-siddham.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | [[File:Amitabha-siddham.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
===Transliteration=== | ===Transliteration=== | ||
| − | '''[[oṃ]] a mi tā bha hrīḥ | + | '''[[oṃ]] a mi tā bha [[hrīḥ]] |
| − | '''[[oṃ]] [[amitābha]] hrīḥ | + | '''[[oṃ]] [[amitābha]] [[hrīḥ]] |
| − | ===[[Tibetan]] - Uchen=== | + | ===[[Tibetan]] - [[Wikipedia:Uchen script|Uchen]]=== |
[[File:Amitabha-tibetan.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | [[File:Amitabha-tibetan.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
| − | ===Lantsa=== | + | ===[[Lantsa]]=== |
[[File:Amitabha-lantsa.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | [[File:Amitabha-lantsa.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
| − | ===Devanāgarī=== | + | ===[[Devanāgarī]]=== |
[[File:Amitabha-devanagari.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | [[File:Amitabha-devanagari.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
===Transliteration=== | ===Transliteration=== | ||
| − | '''[[oṃ]] a mi de va hrīḥ | + | '''[[oṃ]] a mi de va [[hrīḥ]] |
| − | '''[[oṃ]] amideva hrīḥ | + | '''[[oṃ]] [[amideva]] [[hrīḥ]] |
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
| − | The [[word]] amideva which is used in [[Tibetan]] [[traditions]] is not as it would seem ‘undying [[god]]’, but is due to a [[Tibetan]] mispronunciation of Amitābha’s [[name]]. Compare the [[Tibetan]] transliteration of [[vajra]] as badzra. This was pointed out to me by David Leskowitz in an email and is also mentioned by Sangharakshita (1981) Concluding Remarks. Preordination Course 1981 [Tuscany 29.11.81], p.111. | + | The [[word]] [[amideva]] which is used in [[Tibetan]] [[traditions]] is not as it would seem ‘undying [[god]]’, but is due to a [[Tibetan]] mispronunciation of [[Amitābha’s]] [[name]]. Compare the [[Tibetan]] transliteration of [[vajra]] as badzra. This was pointed out to me by David Leskowitz in an email and is also mentioned by [[Sangharakshita]] (1981) Concluding Remarks. Preordination Course 1981 [{{Wiki|Tuscany}} 29.11.81], p.111. |
| − | I have also seen [[Tibetan]] explanations which say that Dewa (the [[tibetan]] spelling) is short for Dewachen the [[name]] of [[Sukhāvatī]] in [[Tibetan]]. Dewa is the [[Tibetan]] [[word]] for [[sukha]]. So it could be that this [[mantra]] is a Sanskrit/Tibetan hybrid. However this explanation could be due to transliteration difficulties with [[Tibetan]]. The [[word]] is more precisely transliterated as "bde ba" (pronounced dewa) and the similarity of pronunciation may just be a coincidence. | + | I have also seen [[Tibetan]] explanations which say that [[Dewa]] (the [[tibetan]] spelling) is short for [[Dewachen]] the [[name]] of [[Sukhāvatī]] in [[Tibetan]]. [[Dewa]] is the [[Tibetan]] [[word]] for [[sukha]]. So it could be that this [[mantra]] is a Sanskrit/Tibetan hybrid. However this explanation could be due to transliteration difficulties with [[Tibetan]]. The [[word]] is more precisely transliterated as "[[bde ba]]" (pronounced [[dewa]]) and the similarity of pronunciation may just be a coincidence. |
==Other [[Mantras]]== | ==Other [[Mantras]]== | ||
===[[Shingon]] [[Amitābha]] [[Mantra]]=== | ===[[Shingon]] [[Amitābha]] [[Mantra]]=== | ||
| − | The [[Shingon]] school uses a rather different [[mantra]] for [[Amitābha]] or as they call him [[Amida]] Nyorai. Nyorai is the {{Wiki|Japanese}} [[word]] for [[Tathāgata]].<br/> | + | The [[Shingon]] school uses a rather different [[mantra]] for [[Amitābha]] or as they call him [[Amida]] [[Nyorai]]. [[Nyorai]] is the {{Wiki|Japanese}} [[word]] for [[Tathāgata]].<br/> |
[[File:Shingon-amitabha.png|frameless|450px|]] | [[File:Shingon-amitabha.png|frameless|450px|]] | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
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'''[[oṃ]] a mṛ ta te je ha ra [[hūṃ]] | '''[[oṃ]] a mṛ ta te je ha ra [[hūṃ]] | ||
| − | '''[[oṃ]] amṛta tejehara [[hūṃ]] | + | '''[[oṃ]] [[amṛta]] tejehara [[hūṃ]] |
| − | Amṛta means {{Wiki|deathless}}; tejehara is possibly a [[compound]] of [[tejas]] - sharp, bright, brilliant; and hara - bringing, bearing, wearing etc: so tejehara is probably something like the bearing brilliance. (Note that this would be very similar in [[meaning]] to the [[name]] Lucifer in Latin, the [[name]] of the Morning Star and later erroneously associated with the {{Wiki|Christian}} [[Devil]]). Interestingly in [[Shingon]] they still use hrīḥ as his [[seed-syllable]], despite having [[hūṃ]] in the [[mantra]]. | + | [[Amṛta]] means {{Wiki|deathless}}; tejehara is possibly a [[compound]] of [[tejas]] - sharp, bright, brilliant; and [[hara]] - bringing, bearing, wearing etc: so tejehara is probably something like the bearing [[brilliance]]. (Note that this would be very similar in [[meaning]] to the [[name]] [[Lucifer]] in {{Wiki|Latin}}, the [[name]] of the [[Morning Star]] and later erroneously associated with the {{Wiki|Christian}} [[Devil]]). Interestingly in [[Shingon]] they still use [[hrīḥ]] as his [[seed-syllable]], despite having [[hūṃ]] in the [[mantra]]. |
===[[Pureland]] [[Amitābha]] [[Mantra]] aka The [[Nembutsu]]=== | ===[[Pureland]] [[Amitābha]] [[Mantra]] aka The [[Nembutsu]]=== | ||
| − | [[Amitābha]] is the focus of the [[Pure Land]] schools of [[Buddhism]] which are very popular in [[Japan]]. {{Wiki|Japanese}} [[Pure Land]] [[Buddhists]] will often be [[heard]] to [[chant]] the [[nembutsu]]: [[namu]] [[amida]] butsu (Japanese:南 無 阿 弥 陀 仏 ; [[Sanskrit]]: [[namo]] 'mitābhāya buddhāya). We can easily use Siddhaṃ to write {{Wiki|Japanese}} - a fact which may have led to the development of the {{Wiki|Japanese}} kana scripts after the study of Siddham was introduced to [[japan]] by [[Kūkai]] in the 9th century. | + | [[Amitābha]] is the focus of the [[Pure Land]] schools of [[Buddhism]] which are very popular in [[Japan]]. {{Wiki|Japanese}} [[Pure Land]] [[Buddhists]] will often be [[heard]] to [[chant]] the [[nembutsu]]: [[namu]] [[amida]] [[butsu]] (Japanese:南 [[無]] 阿 弥 陀 [[仏]] ; [[Sanskrit]]: [[namo]] 'mitābhāya buddhāya). We can easily use [[Siddhaṃ]] to write {{Wiki|Japanese}} - a fact which may have led to the [[development]] of the {{Wiki|Japanese}} [[kana]] scripts after the study of [[Siddham]] was introduced to [[japan]] by [[Kūkai]] in the 9th century. |
====[[Japanese]]==== | ====[[Japanese]]==== | ||
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'''na mu a mi da bu tsu | '''na mu a mi da bu tsu | ||
| − | '''南 無 阿 弥 陀 仏 | + | '''[[南]] [[無]] 阿 弥 陀 [[仏]] |
====[[Sanskrit]]==== | ====[[Sanskrit]]==== | ||
| Line 97: | Line 105: | ||
na mo 'mi tā bhā ya bu ddhā ya | na mo 'mi tā bhā ya bu ddhā ya | ||
| − | Note that the last {{Wiki|Japanese}} [[character]] 仏 is read butsu - {{Wiki|Japanese}} often uses two syllables to express one kanji. | + | Note that the last {{Wiki|Japanese}} [[character]] [[仏]] is read [[butsu]] - {{Wiki|Japanese}} often uses two {{Wiki|syllables}} to express one [[kanji]]. |
| − | The [[Nembutsu]] literally means "homage to [[Amitābha]] [[Buddha]]", although it is common to see translations such as "I have [[faith]] in [[Amitābha]]" cited as "the literal [[meaning]]" of the words. [[Namo]] comes from the same [[root]] as the [[word]] namaste which means "homage to you" ([[namas]] + te). | + | The [[Nembutsu]] literally means "homage to [[Amitābha]] [[Buddha]]", although it is common to see translations such as "I have [[faith]] in [[Amitābha]]" cited as "the literal [[meaning]]" of the words. [[Namo]] comes from the same [[root]] as the [[word]] [[namaste]] which means "homage to you" ([[namas]] + te). |
| − | The [[Nembutsu]] comes from the Amitāyur-Dhyāna [[Sūtra]] which details six [[mediations]] on the [[Buddha]], known technically as [[Buddhānusmṛti]] or [[recollection]] of the [[Buddha]], in {{Wiki|Japanese}}: [[nembutsu]]. The [[Nembutsu]] is the sixth [[meditation]] which is designed for a [[person]] who has never considered the considered the consequences of their [[actions]] and is on their [[death]] bed. They can be saved from a sojourn in the [[Hell Realms]] by reciting the [[name]] of [[Amitābha]]. Luis Gomez says "[[Thus]] the 'calling the [[name]]' is in fact a ritualized (and therefore sacrilized) invocation of the [[power]] of the [[name]]". [Land of [[Bliss]], p.138] | + | The [[Nembutsu]] comes from the Amitāyur-Dhyāna [[Sūtra]] which details six [[mediations]] on the [[Buddha]], known technically as [[Buddhānusmṛti]] or [[recollection]] of the [[Buddha]], in {{Wiki|Japanese}}: [[nembutsu]]. The [[Nembutsu]] is the sixth [[meditation]] which is designed for a [[person]] who has never considered the considered the {{Wiki|consequences}} of their [[actions]] and is on their [[death]] bed. They can be saved from a sojourn in the [[Hell Realms]] by reciting the [[name]] of [[Amitābha]]. Luis Gomez says "[[Thus]] the 'calling the [[name]]' is in fact a {{Wiki|ritualized}} (and therefore sacrilized) {{Wiki|invocation}} of the [[power]] of the [[name]]". [Land of [[Bliss]], p.138] |
==[[Amitāyus]] [[Mantra]]== | ==[[Amitāyus]] [[Mantra]]== | ||
| Line 107: | Line 115: | ||
[[Amitāyus]] means "[[Infinite]] [[Life]]", or [[immortality]]. | [[Amitāyus]] means "[[Infinite]] [[Life]]", or [[immortality]]. | ||
| − | This [[mani stone]] in {{Wiki|Sikkhim}} shows the [[Amitāyus]] [[mantra]] as the [[Tibetans]] write it in the Uchen script. | + | This [[mani stone]] in {{Wiki|Sikkhim}} shows the [[Amitāyus]] [[mantra]] as the [[Tibetans]] write it in the [[Wikipedia:Uchen script|Uchen]] [[script]]. |
| − | The [[Tibetan]] [[Amitāyus]] [[mantra]] reads: [[oṃ]] ā ma ra ṇi dzi wan te ye svā hā | + | The [[Tibetan]] [[Amitāyus]] [[mantra]] reads: [[oṃ]] ā ma ra ṇi [[dzi]] wan te ye svā hā |
| − | [[Tibetan]] Unicode: <big><big><big>{{BigTibetan|ཨོཾ༌ཨཱ༌མ༌ར༌ནི༌ཛི༌ཝན༌ཏེ༌ཡེ༌སྭཱ༌ཧཱ།}}</big></big></big> | + | [[Tibetan]] {{Wiki|Unicode}}: <big><big><big>{{BigTibetan|ཨོཾ༌ཨཱ༌མ༌ར༌ནི༌ཛི༌ཝན༌ཏེ༌ཡེ༌སྭཱ༌ཧཱ།}}</big></big></big> |
This would correspond to the [[sanskrit]] [[oṃ]] amaraṇi jīvantaye [[svāhā]] | This would correspond to the [[sanskrit]] [[oṃ]] amaraṇi jīvantaye [[svāhā]] | ||
| − | Devanāgarī: <big>ओं अमरणि जीवन्तये स्वाहा</big> | + | [[Devanāgarī]]: <big>ओं अमरणि जीवन्तये स्वाहा</big> |
| − | ===Siddhaṃ=== | + | ===[[Siddhaṃ]]=== |
[[File:Amitayus-siddham.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | [[File:Amitayus-siddham.jpg|frameless|450px|]] | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
| Line 124: | Line 132: | ||
===Notes=== | ===Notes=== | ||
| − | The [[Tibetan]] has āmaraṇa which is a [[word]] – [[meaning]] 'till [[death]]' – but I think the context requires us to read this as a short 'a'. Aramaṇi probably comes from amaraṇa = not (a-) dying ([[maraṇa]]) – i.e. [[immortality]]. The [[verbal]] [[root]] is √mṛ 'to [[die]]'. The '-i' ending is a puzzle because amaraṇa is a neuter [[action]] noun. | + | The [[Tibetan]] has āmaraṇa which is a [[word]] – [[meaning]] 'till [[death]]' – but I think the context requires us to read this as a short 'a'. Aramaṇi probably comes from amaraṇa = not (a-) dying ([[maraṇa]]) – i.e. [[immortality]]. The [[verbal]] [[root]] is √mṛ 'to [[die]]'. The '-i' ending is a puzzle because amaraṇa is a neuter [[action]] {{Wiki|noun}}. |
| − | Again the [[Tibetan]] has dzi but I think we have to read this as jī with a long ī. Jīva means 'living, [[existing]]'; and jīvanta is a possessive 'he who possesses [[life]]'. The suffix -ye is the dative case ending, so jīvantaye means 'to the one who possesses [[life]]' – ie 'to him who [[lives]]' [forever]. That is we can see it jīvanta as a synonym for amaraṇa. | + | Again the [[Tibetan]] has [[dzi]] but I think we have to read this as jī with a long ī. Jīva means 'living, [[existing]]'; and jīvanta is a {{Wiki|possessive}} 'he who possesses [[life]]'. The suffix -ye is the {{Wiki|dative}} case ending, so jīvantaye means 'to the one who possesses [[life]]' – ie 'to him who [[lives]]' [forever]. That is we can see it jīvanta as a {{Wiki|synonym}} for amaraṇa. |
| − | We could read amaraṇi-jīvantaye as 'to the undying [[immortal]]'. My [[suspicion]], not confirmed, is that the phrase is aramaṇajīvantaye - changing the 'i' to 'a' for amaraṇa making it the undeclined [[form]], and making the whole thing one long dvandva [[compound]]. I'll keep looking for a [[Sanskrit]] source, but have only found [[Tibetan]] to date. | + | We could read amaraṇi-jīvantaye as 'to the undying [[immortal]]'. My [[suspicion]], not confirmed, is that the [[phrase]] is aramaṇajīvantaye - changing the 'i' to 'a' for amaraṇa making it the undeclined [[form]], and making the whole thing one long [[dvandva]] [[compound]]. I'll keep looking for a [[Sanskrit]] source, but have only found [[Tibetan]] to date. |
Revision as of 09:19, 26 March 2024
Amitābha is the Buddha of the Western quarter. His name means "infinite light" - amita (unmeasured, boundless, infinite) + ābha (splendour, light; colour, appearance, beauty - related to bha : light, lustre, splendour; a name for the planet Venus.).
He is usually depicted as a bhikṣu with his hands in the dhyana mudra. He is deep red in colour. Another form common in the Western Buddhist Order shows him with his right hand holding up a full red lotus, while his left hand remains in his lap.
Amitābha dwells in his pureland called Sukhāvatī - the happy realm.which is described in the Sukhāvatīvyūha sūtras (large and small). Amitābha is closely related to Amitāyus - infinite life - who is sometimes described as his "reflex". A mantra for Amitāyus is included below. A visualisation meditation on Amitāyus is described in the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra. These Three sūtras are collectively described as the "Pureland Scriptures" and belong to the earliest strata of Mahāyāna texts.
Amitābha's special quality is Compassion, which is balanced in the Mandala of the Jinas by Akṣobhya the Buddha of Wisdom. Amitābha is the head of the Padma, or Lotus family.
| position in mandala | west |
| Colour | red |
| Family | Lotus |
| Mudra | meditation |
| Wisdom | Discriminating Wisdom |
| Emblem | lotus |
| Consort/prajñā | Paṇḍāravāsinī |
Seed Syllable
Amitābha's bīja mantra is hrīḥ which is ha + ra + ī + ḥ (visarga)
hrīḥ is the seed syllable of Amitābha and so represents the qualities of the Buddha of the western quarter: chiefly meditation and compassion. In Tibet it is also associated with Avalokiteśvara or Chenresig.
Mantra
I've cited the mantra in Siddhaṃ using the correct Sanskrit spelling, but the others using the common Tibetan spelling. Below are two other mantras used in two different Japanese traditions.
Siddhaṃ
Transliteration
Tibetan - Uchen
Lantsa
Devanāgarī
Transliteration
Notes
The word amideva which is used in Tibetan traditions is not as it would seem ‘undying god’, but is due to a Tibetan mispronunciation of Amitābha’s name. Compare the Tibetan transliteration of vajra as badzra. This was pointed out to me by David Leskowitz in an email and is also mentioned by Sangharakshita (1981) Concluding Remarks. Preordination Course 1981 [[[Wikipedia:Tuscany|Tuscany]] 29.11.81], p.111.
I have also seen Tibetan explanations which say that Dewa (the tibetan spelling) is short for Dewachen the name of Sukhāvatī in Tibetan. Dewa is the Tibetan word for sukha. So it could be that this mantra is a Sanskrit/Tibetan hybrid. However this explanation could be due to transliteration difficulties with Tibetan. The word is more precisely transliterated as "bde ba" (pronounced dewa) and the similarity of pronunciation may just be a coincidence.
Other Mantras
Shingon Amitābha Mantra
The Shingon school uses a rather different mantra for Amitābha or as they call him Amida Nyorai. Nyorai is the Japanese word for Tathāgata.
Amṛta means deathless; tejehara is possibly a compound of tejas - sharp, bright, brilliant; and hara - bringing, bearing, wearing etc: so tejehara is probably something like the bearing brilliance. (Note that this would be very similar in meaning to the name Lucifer in Latin, the name of the Morning Star and later erroneously associated with the Christian Devil). Interestingly in Shingon they still use hrīḥ as his seed-syllable, despite having hūṃ in the mantra.
Pureland Amitābha Mantra aka The Nembutsu
Amitābha is the focus of the Pure Land schools of Buddhism which are very popular in Japan. Japanese Pure Land Buddhists will often be heard to chant the nembutsu: namu amida butsu (Japanese:南 無 阿 弥 陀 仏 ; Sanskrit: namo 'mitābhāya buddhāya). We can easily use Siddhaṃ to write Japanese - a fact which may have led to the development of the Japanese kana scripts after the study of Siddham was introduced to japan by Kūkai in the 9th century.
Japanese
na mu a mi da bu tsu
Sanskrit
na mo 'mi tā bhā ya bu ddhā ya
Note that the last Japanese character 仏 is read butsu - Japanese often uses two syllables to express one kanji.
The Nembutsu literally means "homage to Amitābha Buddha", although it is common to see translations such as "I have faith in Amitābha" cited as "the literal meaning" of the words. Namo comes from the same root as the word namaste which means "homage to you" (namas + te).
The Nembutsu comes from the Amitāyur-Dhyāna Sūtra which details six mediations on the Buddha, known technically as Buddhānusmṛti or recollection of the Buddha, in Japanese: nembutsu. The Nembutsu is the sixth meditation which is designed for a person who has never considered the considered the consequences of their actions and is on their death bed. They can be saved from a sojourn in the Hell Realms by reciting the name of Amitābha. Luis Gomez says "Thus the 'calling the name' is in fact a ritualized (and therefore sacrilized) invocation of the power of the name". [Land of Bliss, p.138]
Amitāyus Mantra
Amitāyus means "Infinite Life", or immortality.
This mani stone in Sikkhim shows the Amitāyus mantra as the Tibetans write it in the Uchen script.
The Tibetan Amitāyus mantra reads: oṃ ā ma ra ṇi dzi wan te ye svā hā
Tibetan Unicode: ཨོཾ༌ཨཱ༌མ༌ར༌ནི༌ཛི༌ཝན༌ཏེ༌ཡེ༌སྭཱ༌ཧཱ།
This would correspond to the sanskrit oṃ amaraṇi jīvantaye svāhā
Devanāgarī: ओं अमरणि जीवन्तये स्वाहा
Siddhaṃ
oṃ a ma ra ṇi jī va nta ye svā hā
Notes
The Tibetan has āmaraṇa which is a word – meaning 'till death' – but I think the context requires us to read this as a short 'a'. Aramaṇi probably comes from amaraṇa = not (a-) dying (maraṇa) – i.e. immortality. The verbal root is √mṛ 'to die'. The '-i' ending is a puzzle because amaraṇa is a neuter action noun.
Again the Tibetan has dzi but I think we have to read this as jī with a long ī. Jīva means 'living, existing'; and jīvanta is a possessive 'he who possesses life'. The suffix -ye is the dative case ending, so jīvantaye means 'to the one who possesses life' – ie 'to him who lives' [forever]. That is we can see it jīvanta as a synonym for amaraṇa.
We could read amaraṇi-jīvantaye as 'to the undying immortal'. My suspicion, not confirmed, is that the phrase is aramaṇajīvantaye - changing the 'i' to 'a' for amaraṇa making it the undeclined form, and making the whole thing one long dvandva compound. I'll keep looking for a Sanskrit source, but have only found Tibetan to date.
