15. 'Listen carefully! Listen carefully! Think over what you have heard! I, Buddha, am about to explain in detail the law of delivering one's self from trouble and torment. Commit this to your memory in order to explain it in detail before a great assembly.' While Buddha was uttering these words, Buddha Amitāyus stood in the midst of the sky

PART III 22. Buddha then spoke to Ānanda and Vaidehī: 'The beings who will be born in the highest form of the highest grade (i. e. to Buddhahood) are those, whoever they may be, who wish to be born in that country and cherish the threefold thought whereby they are at once destined to be born there. What is the

Preface [1] Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying on the Vulture Peak in Rajagriha with a large company of twelve thousand monks. They were all great sages who had already attained supernatural powers. Among them were the following: the Venerable Ajnata-kaundinya, the Venerable Aśvajit, the Venerable Vaspa, the Venerable Mahanama, the Venerable Bhadrajit, the Venerable

53 Past Buddhas [4] The Buddha said to Ānanda: "In the distant past -- innumerable, incalculable and inconceivable kalpas ago -- a Tathagata named Dipankara appeared in the world. Having taught and freed innumerable beings and led them all along the path of Enlightenment, he passed into Nirvana. Next appeared a Tathagata named Far-reaching Light. After him came Moonlight, and

Dharmakāra's practices of the Bodhisattva Path [9] The Buddha said to Ānanda: "As soon as the Bhikṣu Dharmakāra spoke those verses, the entire earth shook in six ways, and a rain of wonderful flowers fell from heaven, scattering everywhere. Spontaneous music was heard, and a voice in the sky said, 'Surely you will attain the highest, perfect Enlightenment. " Then

Bodily appearance of the inhabitants and the pleasures they enjoy [17] "Ānanda, those born in that Buddha-land are endowed with such bodies of purity and provided with various exquisite sounds, supernatural powers and virtues. The palaces in which they dwell, their clothing, food and drink, the wonderful flowers, and the various kinds of incense and adornments are like those naturally

Bodhisattvas in the Pure Land [28] The Buddha said to Ānanda: "All the bodhisattvas in the land of Amitāyus will ultimately attain the Stage of Becoming a Buddha After One More Life. Excepted are those who have made original vows for the sake of sentient beings, resolving to cultivate the merit of realizing their great vows to save all sentient

Shakyamuni's encouragement to do good [32] The Buddha said to the Bodhisattva Maitreya and to devas and humans: "I have told you the truth about people of the world. Such being their mode of life, they are unable to enter on the Way. Therefore, you should think deeply and try to avoid various evil acts; choose the good and diligently

Further admonition by the Buddha [40] The Buddha said to Maitreya: "I shall explain further: Such are the afflictions of the five evils in this world. The five sufferings and the five burnings continue to arise from them. People commit nothing but evil and fail to cultivate roots of virtue, and so it is natural that they all go to