Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra

The Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra (Sanskrit; traditional Chinese: 般舟三昧經; ; pinyin: Bānzhōu Sānmèi Jīng) is an early Mahayana Buddhist scripture, which probably originated around the 1st century BCE in the Gandhara area of northwestern India. The full title for this text is Pratyutpannabuddha Saṃmukhāvasthita Samādhi Sūtra, which translates to, "Sutra of the samadhi of being in the presence of all Buddhas."

History

The Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra was first translated into Chinese by the Kushan Buddhist monk Lokaksema in 179 CE, at the Han capital of Luoyang.^[1] This translation is, together with the Prajnaparamita Sutra, one of the earliest historically datable texts of the Mahayana tradition.

Contents

The Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra contains the first known mentions of the Buddha Amitābha and his pure land, said to be at the origin of Pure Land Buddhism in China:^[2]

Bodhisattvas hear about the Buddha Amitābha and call him to mind again and again in this land. Because of this calling to mind, they see the Buddha Amitābha. Having seen him they ask him what dharmas it takes to be born in the realm of the Buddha Amitābha. Then the Buddha Amitābha says to these bodhisattvas: "If you wish to come and be born in my realm, you must always call me to mind again and again, you must always keep this thought in mind without letting up, and thus you will succeed in coming to be born in my realm.

Pratyutpanna samadhi

The full practice developed by Zhiyi is 90 days long.^[3] Lay practitioners often take a much shorter time. Any practice that exceeds one day requires a bystander called a dharma protector (護法) to look after the practitioner. The exercise includes constant walking or praying to Amitabha, sometimes accompanying or helped by the bystander. The practitioner should avoid sitting, laying, resting or sleeping during the period of practice. The bystander would warn the practitioner if he or she engages in prolonged resting. Very few Buddhists practice this. Yinkuang (印光) suggested that people should practice the much easier recitation of name of the Buddha nianfo instead.^[4] But some buddhists have said that they feel healthier after the practice.^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

See also

• The Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life
• The Contemplation Sutra
• Buddhist texts

References

1. Shinko Mochizuki, Leo M. Pruden,Trans.; Pure Land Buddhism in China: A Doctrinal History, Chapter 2: The Earliest Period; Chapter 3: Hui-yuan of Mt.Lu; and Chapter 4: The Translation of Texts-Spurious Scriptures. In: Pacific World Journal, Third Series Number 3, Fall 2001, p. 241 PDF
2. Harrison, Paul. McRae, John. The Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra and the Śūraṅgama Samādhi Sūtra. 1998. pp. 2-3, 19
3. 念佛方法
4. 般舟三昧非今人可行
5. 般舟法门
6. 常慧法師閉關念佛感應錄
7. 拜佛對健康的好處
8. 拜佛要訣
9. 般舟三昧及现代行法系列资料--向往、爱乐般舟行法的同修，一起来学习、实践和守护这个法门

Bibliography

• Paul Harrison, John McRae, trans. (1998). The Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sutra and the Śūraṅgama Samādhi Sutra, Berkeley, Calif.: Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research. ISBN 1-886439-06-0
• Harrison, PM (1979). The Pratyutpanna-buddha-sammukhavasthita-samadhi-sutra: an annotated English translation of the Tibetan version with several appendices, thesis, Australian National University
• Harrison, Paul (1978). Buddhanusmriti in the Pratyutpanna-Buddha-Sammukhavasthita-Samadhi-Sutra, Journal of Indian Philosophy 6 (1), 35-57  – via JSTOR (subscription required)

External links

• Partial translation – Translation by Rev. Hisao Inagaki
• Complete translation – English Translation from the Chinese Canon