Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
154. The Meaning of the Titles of the Amitabha Sutra (1/9)
I. The Four Titles of This Sutra
1. The Sutra Spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha on Amitabha Buddha
2. The Sutra of Praise for the Inconceivable Merits and the Mindful Protection shared by All Buddhas
- In the Amitabha Sutra, the passage where the Buddhas of the six directions attest states:
“Sentient beings, you should have faith in The Amitabha Sutra and the Praise for the Inconceivable Merits and Mindful Protection of All Buddhas.” The phrase following “have faith in” is marked as a title, indicating the name of the Sutra.
Immediately after, Shakyamuni Buddha asks, “Why is it also called The Sutra of the Mindful Protection of All Buddhas?”
Here, the words “Praise for the Inconceivable Merits” are omitted because they were already fully elaborated earlier in the praise of the adornments of the Land and the Body of the Buddha.
What follows is an explanation of “the Mindful Protection of All Buddhas.” Therefore, the complete title of the Amitabha Sutra is The Sutra of Praise for the Inconceivable Merits and Mindful Protection of All Buddhas.
3. The Sutra of Praise for the Pure Land and the Buddha’s Embrace (Translation by Master Xuanzang)
4. The Dharma Gate of Praise for the Inconceivable Merits of the Buddha Land and the Embrace of All Buddhas
5. In Master Xuanzang’s version, the text refers to it as The Dharma Gate of Praise for the Inconceivable Merits of the Buddha Land and the Embrace of All Buddhas.
(to be continued tomorrow)
154 《阿彌陀經》名義 (1/9)
一、本經四名
1.《佛說阿彌陀經》
2.《稱讚不可思議功德一切諸佛所護念經》
《佛說阿彌陀經》中，六方諸佛證誠之文說「汝等眾生，當信是《稱讚不可思議功德一切諸佛所護念經》」，「信是」之後是書名號，是經文的名稱。接著 釋迦佛問：「何故名為《一切諸佛所護念經》？」略掉「稱讚不可思議功德」等字 ，因為前面讚歎依正二報莊嚴時已充分展開，而「一切諸佛所護念」還未說明 ，以下就進一步解釋「一切諸佛所護念」。所以，完整的經名是《稱讚不可思議功德一切諸佛所護念經》。
3.《稱讚淨土佛攝受經》
這是玄奘大師的譯本。
4.《稱讚不可思議佛土功德一切諸佛攝受法門》
玄奘大師譯本的經文中，是《稱讚不可思議佛土功德一切諸佛攝受法門》。
Namo Amituofo!
