Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Dharani

The Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Dhāraṇī, sometimes called the Pure Land Rebirth Mantra is considered an important mantra or dhāraṇī in Pure Land Buddhism and other schools of Buddhism, mainly following the Mahayana tradition. The full name of this mantra is the Dhāraṇī for pulling out the fundamental cause of karmic obstacles and obtaining rebirth in the Pure Lands (Chinese: 拔一切業障根本得生淨土陀羅尼). It is also known as Pure Land Rebirth Dhāraṇī (Chinese: 往生淨土神咒; Wang Sheng Jing Tu Shen Zhou), or Rebirth Mantra (Chinese: 往生咒; Wang Sheng Zhou) for short.

Reciting this mantra is believed to grant the reciter a peaceful and joyful life in this life, and allow them to be reborn into the Buddha Amitabha's buddha-field of Ultimate Bliss. It can also be recited to help the spirits of the animals that a person has killed in the past, including poultry, game, aquatic creatures, insects, etc. to ascend to a higher spiritual realm.[1]

Background

The mantra was translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Guṇabhadra (Sanskrit; Chinese: 求那跋陀羅, 394-468) from central India. It is usually recited 21, 27 or 49 times per day.[2] In one type of group practice, participants usually recite this mantra three times after reciting the Heart Sutra or the Amitabha Sutra.

The word "rebirth" tends to make people think that this mantra is only about "being reborn", and that it can only serve the particular purpose of going to the Pure Land. However, another positive and important function and meaning of this mantra is the "pulling out the fundamental cause of karmic obstacles". It brings about benefits for the reciter in this present life.[3]

Aaron Proffit explains the benefits of the long version of the dharani according to the tradition of Chinese Esoteric Buddhism as follows:[4]

Chanting this dhāraṇī one thousand times is said to purify all past karma, bestow rebirth in the highest level of Sukhāvatī, and produce visions of Sukhāvatī, Amitāyus Buddha, and assemblies of bodhisattvas. From these honored ones, the practitioner will hear all of the sutras and, at the moment of death, attain rebirth in Sukhāvatī, emerging from a lotus blossom at the rank of a bodhisattva. At the end of life, one will certainly attain rebirth in Sukhāvatī, see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and quickly attain the highest level of bodhi. As in some of the other texts discussed previously, this dhāraṇī text describes a seven-jeweled chariot that transports one to Sukhāvatī. The Sanskrit term amṛta appears several times in this dhāraṇī and others. In the Ṛg Veda this term refers to the elixir of eternal life. The iconography of and texts associated with Amitābha/Amitāyus often describe this buddha as one whose Dharma serves as the ambrosia that grants eternal life. This is also connected to great bliss (mahāsukha), which may refer in particular to the ultimate bliss attained through the practices found in the tantras.

Popular text

Short Version

Sanskrit:[5][6]

namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya

tadyathā

amṛtadbhave

amṛtasaṃbhave

amṛtavikrānte

amṛtavikrānta

gāmine gagana kīrtakare svāhā

English:

Homage to Amitābha ("Infinite Light") Tathagata ("He who has gone to Thusness").

Thus:

O producer of immortality (amrita),

O he whose state of existence is immortality,

O he who transcends immortality,

O he who transcends immortality,
O sky goer, O fame maker (or "O he who moves in the glory of the sky"), Hail!

Some versions have amṛtasiddhaṃbhave ("O he whose state of existence has accomplished deathlessness") instead of amṛtasaṃbhave.

Alternative Sanskrit versions

Oskar Von Hinuber cites other versions from Central Asia such as:[6]

namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya tadyathā amṛ[te am]ṛto-bhate amṛtasaṃbhave amitagaganakīrtakare svāhā

and

namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya tadyathā maṛte phu amṛte phu amṛtaviśodhane phu svāhā

Chinese with Back-transcription

From CBETA's Gunabhadra edition (Taisho 0368):[7]

南無阿彌多婆夜哆他伽哆夜

namo amitābhāya tathāgatāya

哆地夜他

tadyathā

阿彌利都婆毘

amṛtodbhave

阿彌利哆悉眈婆毘

amṛtasiddhaṃ bhave　

阿彌利哆毘迦蘭諦

amṛtavikrānte

阿彌利哆毘迦蘭哆

amṛtavikrānta　

伽彌膩　伽伽那枳多迦隷

gāmine gagana kīrtakare

莎婆訶

svāhā

Long Version

The Sanskrit titles of this long version is called the Dhāraṇī of Amitāyus Tathāgata 無量壽如來根本陀羅尼 (Ārya Amitābha nāma dhāraṇī) or the Sarvatathāgatāyurvajrahṛdaya-dhāraṇī.[8]

It is found in various versions. Amoghavajra’s Wuliangshou rulai guanxing gongyang yigui (無量壽如來觀行供養儀軌 T. 930) is "arguably one of the most influential Esoteric Pure Land texts in East Asia" according to Proffit. The Sanskrit of Amoghavajra’s version is called Ārya Amitābha nāma dhāraṇī:[9]

Namo ratna-trayāya,

Namaḥ āryāmitābhāyā,

Tathāgatāyārhate samyak-saṃbuddhāya, tad yathā,

Oṃ amṛte amṛtodbhave amṛta-saṃbhave amṛta-garbhe,

Amṛta-siddhe amṛta-teje amṛta-vikrānte,

Amṛta-vikrānta-gāmine amṛta-gagana-kīrti-kare,

Amṛta-dundubhi-svare sarvārtha-sādhane,
Sarva-karma-kleśa-kṣayaṃ-kare svāhā.

The Sanskrit of the dharani in the Stein collection print is:[8]

Namo ratnatrayāya

Nama āryāmitābhāya

tathāgatāyārhate saṃyaksaṃbuddhāya

Tadyathā:

oṃ amṛte amṛtodbhave amṛtasaṃbhave amṛtagarbhe

amṛtasiddhe amṛtateje amṛtavikrānte

amṛtavikrāntagāmini amṛtagaganakīrtikari

amṛtadun-dubhisvare sarvārthasādhani

sarvakarmakleśakṣayaṃkari svāhā

Aum, brum, hum

English:

Homage to the Three Jewels,

Homage to the noble Amitabha (Infinite Light),

to the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the completely and perfectly awakened one (samyaksambuddha).

Thus:

Oṃ O immortality (amrta), O maker of immortality! O born of immortality! O essence/embryo (garbha) of immortality!

O immortality perfecting one! O the brilliance (teja) of immortality! O he who goes beyond immortality!

O he who goes beyond immortality and whose glory is infinite as the sky (amṛtagaganakīrtikare)

O sound of the drum of immortality realizing (sadhane) benefit for all.
O he who destroys (ksayam) all karmic afflictions. Hail!

Other versions

Image of the engraving of the dhāraṇī discovered by Stein at the Mogao Caves, Dunhuang, China.

An even longer expanded version was discovered in Dunhuang's Mogao Caves by Aurel Stein(1862–1943) which contains the core long version of the dhāraṇī (in the Siddham script) with further additions (such as the mantra of light) and dates to the Five Dynasties (926–975 CE) era.[8]

According to Gergely Hidas, the xylograph was likely "produced to serve as amulets". He further adds that "as for the sequence of the incantations, after the prime dhāraṇī dedicated to the depicted deity, further formulas are included most probably to enhance the efficacy of the amulet. The designers of these talismans are likely to have been monastic people with knowledge of Sanskrit and an understanding of the spells used. These objects were probably meant for a Chinese-speaking lay clientele in exchange for donations and must have been folded, wrapped and worn on the body."[8]

Sanskrit

Gergely Hidas' critical edition of the Sanskrit text is as follows:[8]

[1] namo ratnatrayāya | nama āryāmitābhāya tathāgatāyārhate saṃyaksaṃbuddhāya | tadyathā |

oṃ amṛte amṛtodbhave amṛtasaṃbhave amṛtagarbhe amṛtasiddhe amṛtateje amṛtavikrānte amṛtavikrāntagāmini amṛtagaganakīrtikari amṛtadun-dubhisvare sarvārthasādhani sarvakarmakleśakṣayaṃkari svāhā |

[2] oṃ amoghavairocanamahāmudrāmaṇipadmajvāla pravartaya hūṃ|

[3] oṃ bhara bhara saṃ bhara saṃbhara indriyaviśodhani hūṃ hūṃ ruru cale svāhā |

[4] namo bhagavatoṣ ṇīṣāya | oṃ ruru sphuru jvala tiṣ ṭha siddhalocane sarvārthasādhani svāhā |

[5] ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgato hy avadat teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃvādī mahāśramaṇaḥ |

[6] oṃ vajrakrodhana hūṃ jaḥ |
[7] oṃ vajrāyuṣe svāhā |

English

Hidas' English translation (with the titles of each dharani / mantra):[8]

1. Obeisance to the Three Jewels and Amitābha, The Sarvatathāgatāyurvajrahṛdayadhāraṇī

Veneration to the Three Jewels. Veneration to the noble Amitābha, the Tathāgata, the Arhat, the Perfectly Awakened One. Namely, Oṃ O Immortality, O the One Arisen from Immortality, O Immortality-born, O Immortality-child, O Immortality-perfect, O Immortality-power, O Immortality-valour, O the One Acting by Immortality-valour, O Immortality-sky-fame-maker, O Immortality-kettledrum-sound, O the One who Accomplishes all Aims, O Destroyer of all Defilements originating from [bad] Actions svāhā.

2. The Prabhāsa-mantra (Mantra of Light, Chin. Guangming zhenyan, Jap. Komyo Shingon)

Oṃ O Light of the Jewel-lotus that is the Great Seal of the Unfailing Vairocana advance hūṃ.

3. The Mahāpratisarā-upahṛdayavidyā

Oṃ provide, provide, support, support, O Purifier of the Abilities, hūṃ hūṃ ruru cale svāhā.

4. Obeisance to Uṣṇīṣa. The Tathāgatalocanā-mahāvidyā

Veneration to the glorious Uṣṇīṣa. oṃ ruru sphuru shine, stand by, O the One with Accomplished Eyes, O the One who Accomplishes all Aims svāhā.

5. The Pratītyasamutpāda-gāthā

Those dharmas which arise from a cause, the Tathāgata has declared their cause, and that which is the cessation of them. Thus the great renunciant has taught.

6. The Ucchuṣma-mantra

Oṃ O Vajrakrodhana hūṃ jaḥ

7. The Āyurvardhanī-vidyā (the formula which increases long life) of Vajrāyus

Oṃ svāhā to Vajrāyus.

The Chinese text printed on the side of the dhāraṇī states:[8]

This Great Vow [spell] of the Infinite Life [Buddha] is enormous and extensive.The Wish-fulfilling [spell] is [like] whatever your heart wishes, it will necessarily follow. The Buddha Eye Mother [spell] is extraordinarily auspicious. The Consecrated Light [spell] can destroy the bad paths [of rebirth]. The dragon-spirits [will] protect the place where the Ucchuṣma-mantra is put. As for the Verse of the Dharma-body, those who wear it at the waist will be equal to the Buddhas. The four assemblies are universally encouraged to keep and wear this [amulet] to create a karmic basis [for a good future] and it is also avowed that they [will] ascend together to the true and eternal wonderful fruit.

References

The Daily Recitation Handbook: Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (English and Chinese ed.). Buddhist Text Translation Society. 2002. ISBN 978-0881398571.
Lu, Jun Hong (March 2012). Buddhism : your questions answered : frequently asked questions about practising Buddhism (First ed.). Sydney NSW. ISBN 978-0-9872230-5-0. OCLC 1047728511.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Lin, Guangming (fo jiao); 林光明 (佛教) (2000). Ren shi zhou yu. 林光明, 1949- (Chu ban ed.). Tai bei shi: Fa gu wen hua. ISBN 957-598-141-3. OCLC 816249927.
Proffitt, Aaron P. (2023). Esoteric Pure Land Buddhism, p. 83. University of Hawaii Press.
Lu K'uan Yu (Charles Luk). The Secrets of Chinese Meditation, p. 85. Samuel Weiser (1972).
Oskar Von Hinuber. Dharanis aus Zentralasien Von Hinüber, Oskar. 1987/88. “Dhāraṇ īs aus Zentralasien”, Indologica Taurinensia 14: 231–49.
"T0368 拔一切業障根本得生淨土神呪". CBETA Online (in Chinese). 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
Gergely Hidas (2014). Two dhāranī prints in the Stein Collection at the British Museum. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 77, pp 105-117 doi:10.1017/ S0041977X13001341
Proffitt, Aaron P. (2023). Esoteric Pure Land Buddhism, p. 83. University of Hawaii Press.

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[1] The Daily Recitation Handbook: Sagely City of Ten Thousand Buddhas (English and Chinese ed.). Buddhist Text Translation Society. 2002. ISBN 978-0881398571.

[2] Lu, Jun Hong (March 2012). Buddhism : your questions answered : frequently asked questions about practising Buddhism (First ed.). Sydney NSW. ISBN 978-0-9872230-5-0. OCLC 1047728511.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[3] Lin, Guangming (fo jiao); 林光明 (佛教) (2000). Ren shi zhou yu. 林光明, 1949- (Chu ban ed.). Tai bei shi: Fa gu wen hua. ISBN 957-598-141-3. OCLC 816249927.

[4] Proffitt, Aaron P. (2023). Esoteric Pure Land Buddhism, p. 83. University of Hawaii Press.

[5] Lu K'uan Yu (Charles Luk). The Secrets of Chinese Meditation, p. 85. Samuel Weiser (1972).

[:0-6] Oskar Von Hinuber. Dharanis aus Zentralasien Von Hinüber, Oskar. 1987/88. “Dhāraṇ īs aus Zentralasien”, Indologica Taurinensia 14: 231–49.

[7] "T0368 拔一切業障根本得生淨土神呪". CBETA Online (in Chinese). 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2023.

[:1-8] Gergely Hidas (2014). Two dhāranī prints in the Stein Collection at the British Museum. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 77, pp 105-117 doi:10.1017/ S0041977X13001341

[9] Proffitt, Aaron P. (2023). Esoteric Pure Land Buddhism, p. 83. University of Hawaii Press.