F.4, (Aspire for the merits to be gained after rebirth) in five parts: 1. Aspire for the Buddha body with major and minor marks of perfection; 2. Aspire to eliminate the obstacle of doubts; 3. Aspire to receive the enlightenment prophecy and to listen to the Dharma; 4. Aspire to go to other pure realms; 5. Aspire to go to impure realms.
G.1, Aspire for the Buddha body with major and minor marks of perfection:
There may I openly behold the face of
Buddha Amitabha and may all my karmic obstacles be purified.
May I take the superior of the four modes of birth,
the miraculous birth from the heart of a lotus flower.
May I instantly obtain a perfect body
endowed with all marks and perfections.
Aspire to, as soon as one is reborn in Sukhavati, face to face see Amitabha who resides in the pure realm. Just like in the past Princess Pearl Garland paid homage to the Buddha in a painting, as a result, all the obstacles to be eliminated in the path of seeing(*) were destroyed, and was purified of all the causes to be reborn in the lower realms, as well as all other karmic obstacles for attaining the first bhumi.
(*path of seeing: one of the five paths to liberation, i.e. path of accumulation, path of preparation, path of seeing, path of meditation, path of no-more-learning)
If one makes use of the current state of an unlightened person to practice the four causes of rebirth in Sukhavati, one does not need to attain the bhumis in the current life. The "Ratnagotravibhaga" and other treatises say that if one dies while on the greater subdivision of the path of accumulation, he will see the Buddha’s face to face, hear the Buddha’s teachings, and then attain the path of seeing. The sutras also say: “Even if one can be reborn in Sukhavati through the power of aspirations and good karma, those with serious negative karmas will hear Amitabha teach the Dharma, but will not understand its meaning for 80,000 years. They can only see the Buddha’s light, but will not be able to see the Buddha’s body in actuality, nor will they be illuminated by the Buddha’s light. Only after they have been purified of their obstacles of negative karma can they see his face, understand the Dharma, and be given the enlightenment prophecy.” This and the statement in the following session, “one cannot see the Buddha after being born in a lotus”, can prove that unenlightened people can be reborn in Sukhavati.
The "Larger Amitabha Sutra" says: "When I attain Buddhahood, if the devas and humans in the countless worlds of the ten directions will, hear my name, burn incense, scatter flowers, light lamps and hang silks, give foods and drinks to Sramanas, or build stupas and temples, or fast and purify themselves and perform virtuous deeds, and single-mindedly think of me. Even if it lasts for one day and one night only, they will definitely be reborn in my realm. May I not attain Buddhahood if this is not accomplished. When I attain Buddhahood, if the devas and humans in the countless worlds of the ten directions, believe in and have whole-minded, utmost longing to be born in my realm, if they chant my name ten times, they will be reborn in Sukhavati. Except for those who have committed the five heinous crimes or slandered the Dharma. May I not attain Buddhahood if this is not accomplished." This is due to the power of Amitabha's vows. If one has serious karmic obstacles or doubts, he will not be able to see Amitabha face to face. When he sees the Buddha face to face, his negative karmas will be purified.
Among the four births, birth by transformation, birth from the womb, birth from moisture, and birth from eggs, the most excellent is birth by transformation, because it does not cause any harms to oneself and parents. There are many kinds of transformation, among which birth by transformation in a lotus is the most excellent. Therefore, may we be reborn in the stamen of the precious lotus just by conjuring it up. Just as when in the bardo, we can be reborn in the womb when we deisre it, it is extremely important to concentrate on wishing to be reborn in a lotus in Sukhavati. Birth by transformation does not take so long as birth from the womb. The whole body is formed completely in an instant. May we attain a supreme body with all major and minor marks of perfections.
G.2, Aspire to eliminate the obstacle of doubts:
For those who have doubt or hesitation here in this life,
the flower will not open for five
hundred years and they will have to remain within,
fully enjoying all bliss and contentment
and hearing his buddha speech, but unable to behold his buddha face.
May I not develop this fault.
May my flower open instantly on my birth,
In addition, people with lesser wisdom, have attachments, doubtful thoughts, and conceptual proliferation will think: Can I be reborn? That is, those who have doubts, are uncertain with multiple perspectives, can be reborn in the Pure Realm by practicing the four causes. But because of the obstacle of doubt, they will remain in the lotus for 500 years and think that the lotus is a paradise and the immeasurably magnificent palace. Although they will have happiness and be satisfied with all tangible means, and have no coarse sufferings, it is actually a prison made of treasures. Although they can hear the Buddha's Dharma teachings, the lotus will not be open during this period. Therefore, it is a fault of delay seeing the noble face of Amitabha and the bodhisattvas, delay hearing the vast as the ocean, wonderful Dharma, and delay practicing virtuous deeds extensively. If oneself and others practice the four causes without doubt, such faults will not occur. May oneself and others not make such mistakes, and after being reborn in Sukhavati, the lotus will open immediately and see the noble face of Buddha Amitabha with all the marks of perfection. The sutra says: "Bodhisattva Maitreya asked the Buddha: 'I see some sentient beings in that realm remain in the lotus, and some sitting in vajra posture on the lotus. Why is that?' The Buddha replied: 'The former have doubts, practice the virtuous Dharma and aspire to be reborn, while the latter have no doubts and practice the virtuous Dharma...' He expounded with many metaphors. This kind of fault is also caused by not having true faith in the Buddha's words. If a person has unwavering faith there will not be such faults.
Therefore, (we regularly) should also aspire like this: May we have genuine faith in the Buddha's words. Generally speaking, there are differences between teachings with definitive meaning and provisional meaning in Buddha's words. However, if we think investigatively and examine the definitive and provisional meanings of these teachings for rebirth, we will not be able to accomplish it. As the verse says: "Those who examine and search mentally with conceptual thoughts, are far away from all siddhis." Even if there is a possibility that space becomes real existence, or the sun and the moon fall to the earth, there is no possibility that the vows and words of Buddha Amitabha deceive us. The meaning of what is seen through the Buddha's wisdom and insight cannot be understood by the Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Arhats. Although we ourselves do not know whether we can be reborn in Sukhavati and many other matters, they cannot be unknown to the Buddha. Therefore, we should hold the Buddha's omniscience as a prrof to dispel hesitation and practice the four causes of rebirth in Sukhavati. As Shantideva said: "Buddha Shakyamuni does not lie, following his instructions will certainly bring benefits."
When the Buddha proclaimed the splendor of Sukhavati, Venerable Ananda said: "World-honored One, I have no doubts, suspicions, or hesitations about that realm. I asked the Tathagata about it in order to dispel the doubts, suspicions, and hesitations of the sentient beings in the future." We should believe in this truly.
and may I behold the face of Buddha Amitabha.
By the power of my merit and magic ability,
may offering clouds surpassing all imagination
emanate from my hands
as offerings to Buddha Amitabha and his retinue.
May we, as soon as we arrive before the Buddha, with the merit gained from practicing the four causes and the miraculous power generated by the blessings of the Buddha’s vows, to emit inconceivable clouds of offerings from the palms of our hands to offer to Amitabha and his retinue.
Now in this Sukhavati Retreat, when making offerings, we will not be empty-handed, but will offer as much as we can. At that time (after rebirth in Sukhavati), offerings will appear in our hands as long as we think about it. Utilizing such miraculous power and merits, we can also go to other realms and accumulate great merits.
G.3, Aspire to receive the enlightenment prophecy and to listen to the Dharma:
At that moment, may the Tathagata
stretch out his right hand and touch my head,
and bestow my enlightenment prophecy.
By listening to his deep and extensive Dharma teachings,
may my mind continuum be ripened and liberated.
When I attain the eighth bhumi, the Tathagata extends his right hand, which is like an elephant's trunk formed by a hundred kinds of merits, to touch my head and says, "Virtuous man, you will become a Buddha at a certain time and place in the future, and your Buddha name will be so-and-so." May I receive the prophecy of the supreme ultimate enlightenment.
Once listening to the teachings of profound emptiness, the vast six perfections, and countless other Dharmas, may our mind continuums be ripened and liberated. From now on, when we listen to a sentence of Dharma which gives rise to a moment of faith, we must also use it to ripen this stubborn mind continuum, and try every means to free our mind continuum from coarse afflictions such as wrong views. So that at that time, when we listen to the Dharma, we can ripen and liberate our mind continuum at the same time.
May Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani, the
two principal bodhisattvas,
bless and accept me.
In addition, may the Buddha's two principal bodhisattvas sons, Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta (Vajrapani), also bless my mind continuum with the Dharma and with great compassion accept me.
Each day, as innumerable buddhas and
bodhisattvas of the ten directions
approach the Buddha Amitabha to
make offerings and to behold his realm,
may I through serving all of them
receive their Dharma nectar.
Every day, when countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from the ten directions, with the power of their vows and aspirations, come to make offerings to Amitabha and behold Sukhavati, may I also serve and make offerings to them and receive the Dharma nectar in front of them. As the sutra says: "To pay homage to the guide Amitabha, the perfect Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, go to Sukhavati, from the countless worlds many as Ganges sands."
G.4, Aspire to go to other pure realms:
By unhindered projection one can reach
the realms of Abhirati and Shrimat,
Karmaprasiddhi and Akanistha –
may I every morning proceed to visit these realms,
When one attains the first bhumi, one will be able to see a hundred ksetras, and meet a hundred Buddhas in an instant. With this power, may we go to the Eastern Realm Abhirati, the Southern Realm Shrimat, the Northern realm of activity Karmaprasiddhi, and the Central Realm Akanistha in the morning (together with Sukhavati itself), which are the realms of the Five Dhyani Buddhas.
meet the Buddhas Akshobya and Ratnasambhava,
Amogasiddhi and Vairocana,
receive empowerments and blessings,
take vows and make many offerings,
and then by the evening return without
effort or difficulty to Sukhavati.
Request the five Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Akshobya, Ratnasambhava, Amoghasiddhi, and Vairocana, for vajrayana empowerments, blessings, and precepts, etc., and many other essential teachings of sutrayana and mantrayana. In gratitude, one will offer them many oblations, and return to his own residence, Sukhavati, without a bit of difficulty in the evening.
May I proceed to Potala and Alakavati,
Chamara of Orgyen,
the billion realms of the billion emanations
of Avalokiteshvara and Tara,
Vajrapani and Padmasambhava,
In addition, in the hundred kotis (100 billion) of realms of nirmanakaya for the liberation of sentient beings, Mount Potala in the south, Willow Palace(杨柳宫)(?) in the northeast, Glorious Copper-colored Mountain in the Chamara(妙拂洲) in the southwest, and the Ugyen Dakini Pure Land in the west, there reside Avalokitesvara, the Supreme Tara, Vajrapani, Guru Rinpoche, and other hundred kotis of meditational deities.
and meet them and make oceans of offerings,
receive empowerments and request profound teachings,
and quickly and without difficulty
return to my own place, Sukhavati.
We wish that we can meet these bodhisattvas and give inner, outer, and secret offerings as vast as the sea, request for the Dharma of the Causal Vehicle of characteristics, and the common and uncommon empowerments and profound teachings of Vajrayana, and then, by the power of the Buddha's blessing and our own miraculous power, we can quickly return to our own residence Sukhavati without any hindrance. The sutra says: "By miraculous powers travel through the numerous realms, make offerings to countless Buddhas, make offerings in front of the Tathagatas, and return to Sukhavati in the evening." It is not that one only sees the nirmanakayas and the lands of nirmanakayas and does not see the sambhogakayas at all, because after attaining the first bhumi, there are various situations, in some of which the sambhogakayas are also seen accordingly.
In fact, there are no terms such as sun, moon, stars, day and night in Sukhavati. It is just set up as day and night, month and year, etc by the Buddha's wisdom. Although there is no difference between day and night, day and night can be distinguished according to the opening and closing of the lotus flowers, and whether the birds are singing. The morning, afternoon, a year, a kalpa, etc. in Sukhavati expressed here are with respect to the Buddha's omniscience. According to the day and night of the human world, one kalpa in our world is equivalent to one day in Sukhavati.
G.5, Aspire to go to impure realms:
With my divine eye may I clearly see
those close friends and students I have left behind,
grant them protection and blessings,
and lead them towards this realm at the time of their death.
May I clearly see my friends, servants, and disciples who have karmic connection with me through the Dharma, who have not broken their vows, and protect them from adverse conditions, enable them to have favorable conditions . May I bless their mind continuums with samadhi and other means, and lead them to Sukhavati when they die. With these (the sentient beings mentioned above) as the main ones, vow to benefit all impure sentient beings. As stated in "The King of Aspiration Prayers", "May I be born within a beautiful lotus
In that excellent and joyous realm of the Victorious One;
And from the Victorious One Amitabha directly, may I receive a prophecy.
Having received his prophecy there, may I benefit all beings in the ten directions. Through the power of my mind, with many billions of emanations." These principles are also mentioned in the following sessions. Many mahasiddhas of the new and old schools of India and Tibet, such as the saint Bodhisattva Nagarjuna and the Supreme Sakya Master Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, now reside in Sukhavati, we should also diligently follow them.
The duration of a great kalpa of this fortunate
aeon is a single day in Sukhavati,
and for innumerable kalpas there is no death.
May I remain in this realm for all times.
One great kalpa in this Fortunate Aeon is equivalent to one day in Sukhavati. May it be that even the sound of death will no longer exist in the countless kalpas by such calculation, and may I constantly remain in Sukhavati with a wonderful body. Of course, this does not include making the appearance of death from the power of vows.
From Buddha Maitreya until Buddha Möpa,
when during this fortunate aeon the
Buddhas appear in this world,
may I miraculously proceed there, make
offerings and listen to their liberating Dharma,
and then again without difficulty return to Sukhavati.
When the thousand Buddhas of the Fortunate Aeon, the supreme teachers from the protector Buddha Maitreya to Buddha Rucika (胜解佛), descend (appear) into this Saha world, wish that one will also come to this world with one's own miraculous powers, offer to these Buddhas, and listen to the Dharma in front of the Buddhas who turn the wheel of Dharma, and then return to Sukhavati with unimpeded supernatural powers.
There is a lot of related quotes from scriptures in the previous sessions.
Therefore, from now on, we must diligently accumulate merits and make pure aspirations. If we wait until the time of death to put hope on a guru, that guru must also rely on Amitabha to see if he can lead the deceased to Sukhavati. There is no other way. By then, it will be extremely difficult (to be reborn in this way). As the great master Padmasambhava of Orgyen said: "One must diligently practice the Dharma before the conscious spirit leaves the body, it is too late to bestow empowerment on the memorial tablet. The consciousness wanders in the bardo like a stupid dog, it is difficult to guide it to the good realms at that time."
Generally speaking, although there is a saying that whether an aspiration can be realized depends on whether it is a fortunate or unfortunate aeon, the causes that a wish can be realized are mainly based on the accumulation of merits, therefore people with the merits can realize all their aspirations. As the verse says, "Those who have the merits, can accomplish all their wishes." In particular, the aspiration to be reborn in Sukhavati depends entirely on one's own faith and the power of the aspirations, and the power of the many vows of Amitabha that have now been accomplished. If the powers of these two kinds of aspirations and vows are combined, then it will be very easy to accomplish the aspiration (to be reborn in Sukhavati).
If there is a tiny amount of mental defilements tainted roots of vitue, then making an evil wish will also realize easily: In the past, a young man named From Emptiness (能空)(?) was killed by many soldiers. When he was dying, he made an evil wish. With the good karma of having offered food to Venerable Shariputra, the evil wish ripened, and he was reborn as a black yaksha in a pastoral region.
(#)It is even more so when, after diligently accumulating merits, with the power of Amitabha Buddha’s vows in the past and the power of our own faith and aspirations, we dedicate our merits to rebirth in Sukhavati. Such a virtuous aspiration will surely realize, there is no need to doubt it.
When Guru Padmasambhava, Khenpo Santaraksita, and King Trisong Detsen were developing Buddhism in the past, a bull that transported sand during the construction of the Boudhanath Stupa made an evil wish and was reborn as King Langdarma.
A patron named Deba(?)(德巴) had an arhat elder brother named Jinbu(?)(近部). The arhat had committed adultery with Deba's wife before he became a monk. Deba had always been resentful, and a woman instigated him. So, Deba gave a hunter 500 taels of gold to kill the arhat. The hunter did not dare to kill him, and ended up shooting Deba with a poisoned arrow. When Deba was dying, he thought: It must be Jinbu who plotted to kill me, I wish I could kill him after I die. Because of this evil wish, after his death, he was reborn as a snake under Jinbu's door. When Venerable Jinbu opened the door, he was crushed to death. Then he was reborn as a snake on the door frame, and soon died. Later, he was reborn as a snake under a stool, but was crushed to death by the stool leg. After that, he was reborn as a snake on the green slate above (on the ceiling). (The snake) fell on Arhat Jinbu when he was meditating, his body broke into a hundred petals and he entered nirvana.
Another weak old monk was often bullied by many different people. Later, he recited the Mahakala mantra 700 million times. When he was dying, he made an evil wish, saying: "I am bullied by many in this life. I hope I will be reborn as a powerful person (who can subdue everything) in the next life." Later, he was reborn as the tyrant of Xinlong, Gunpo Nangka(?)(滚波南加) (who killed many people in his life). This was told by Venerable Dodrupchen.
It is said that there was a high official in the East named Wado(?)(瓦多). He had been at odds with Jamyang Shapa(?)(蒋扬夏巴) of Gamon(?)(革蒙) for many years. They fought endlessly. In the end, Jamyang Shapa was unable to subdue Wado. After Wado died, his blind son Walong(?)(瓦龙) continued to fight Jamyang Shapa, and finally Walong failed. Later, Walong recited Avalokitesvara's mantra 200 million times, and because he made an evil wish at the end of his life, he was reborn as a demon and created turmoils in Gamon. There are many koans like this.
Therefore, even to perform one virtuous deed, one must make good wishes and dedicate it for virtuous causes. We must never make evil dedications.
This Sukhavati Aspiration Prayer is a rare shortcut with the causes easy to practice, and the fruition easily achieved. People today can practice these four causes. As long as they practice, then anyone will have no difficulty in being reborn in Sukhavati. After rebirth, no matter how inferior a person is, it is impossible for him to be pulled by the force of karma and fall into the evil realms. And with the support of the powerful vows of Buddha Amitabha, he will eventually attain Buddhahood and will not regress. Therefore, I hope that everyone will not investigate the ultimate meaning of this text with searching, conceptual thoughts, otherwise it will destroy the accumulation of merits by following the doubts of others and having unsteady faith, which is extremely dangerous.
Generally speaking, only saints who have attained the bhumis can be reborn in the sambhogakaya realms. There are also nirmanakaya realms where the five degenerations are rampant and the animate and inanimate worlds are very corrupt. Although it is easy to be reborn in such ksetras, it is easy to regress spiritually because these ksetras are worlds of karma. Some pure nirmanakaya realms are full of maha-bodhisattvas and their animate and inanimate worlds are perfect. So it is difficult for others to be reborn there except bodhisattvas who have attained the bhumis.
For Sukhavati, it is also easy to be reborn there just by accumulating the merits of practicing the four causes and the power of Amitabha's vows. It is easy to accomplish if one has faith in a certain (realm). People who practice this aspiration must be those who have strong faith in Sukhavati. Lay people even greet each other by saying, "May you be reborn in Sukhavati." As "The King of Aspiration Prayers" says, "Seeing Amitabha directly, may I go to his realm of Sukhavati. Having gone there, may I actualize all these aspiration prayers," This is the auspicious cause of blessing each other and the power of the Buddha's blessing. As "The Way of the Bodhisattva" says, "As in the darkness of night and clouds, a flash of lightning is extremely bright. In the same way by virtue of the Buddha's mighty power, the intention to practice virtues temporarily arises in people of the world." Even if it is just the merit of reciting the Avalokitesvara mantra once, one should sincerely wish, "May I and all other sentient beings be reborn in Sukhavati." All practices from the stages of earnest aspiration (stage of accumulation and stage of preparation) to the fruition of Buddhahood can be included in "The King of Aspiration Prayers". Among them, beginners should also aspire to practice the causes of rebirth in Sukhavati with their state of unenlightened beings, and immediately realize all their aspirations after rebirth.