Amitāyur-dhyāna-sūtra

▪ Buddhist text

      (Sanskrit: “Discourse Concerning Meditation on Amitāyus”), one of three texts basic to Pure Land Buddhism. Together with the larger and smaller Sukhāvatī-vyūha-sūtras (Sanskrit: “Description of the Western Paradise Sutras”), this text envisions rebirth in the celestial Pure Land of Amitāyus, the Buddha of Infinite Life (virtually identical with Amitābha, “Infinite Light,” called Amida in Japan).

      This sutra presents 16 forms of meditation as means of reaching the Pure Land and concludes that even the most wicked can attain this paradise by invoking the name of Amitāyus. It contains many references to bodhisattvas, or Buddhas postponing final bliss in order to accomplish the salvation of men.

      The Amitāyur-dhyāna-sūtra was translated into Chinese under the title Kuan-wu liang-shou ching in AD 424 and has inspired many Chinese commentaries. The Japanese version is entitled Kammuryōju-kyō. The Sanskrit original has since been lost.

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