Vasubandhu's Verses of Aspiration for Birth

Requesting and offering prayers and aspirations for those in need.
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dumb bonbu
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Vasubandhu's Verses of Aspiration for Birth

Post by dumb bonbu »

O World-Honored One, with singleness of mind, I
Take refuge in the Tathagata of Unhindered Light
Shining throughout the Ten Directions,
And aspire to be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

Depending on the sutras' exposition
Of the manifestation of true merit,
I compose verses of aspiration in condensed form,
Thereby conforming to the Buddha Dharma.

When I contemplate the nature of that Land,
I find that it surpasses all states of existence in the three worlds.
It is ultimately like space,
Vast and without bounds.

Out of the Great Compassion inherent in the Right Path
And from the root of supramundane good has it arisen.
It is completely radiant with pure light,
Like a mirror or the sun or moon.

It is composed of rare jewels,
And endowed with exquisite adornments.
Its pure and blazing light is brilliant
And serene, illuminating the whole world.

Jewelled ornaments, pliant and soft like grasses,
Bend to right and left.
They produce delightful sensations in one who touches them,
Surpassing the sensations produced when kacilindika grass is stroked.

A myriad varieties of jewelled blossoms
Are scattered profusely among the ponds, streams, and springs.
When a soft breeze moves the flowers and leaves,
Reflections of light interweave and shimmer in all directions.

The palaces and various towers
Command unobstructed views in the ten directions.
There are trees displaying many colors,
All surrounded by railings of precious gems.

Nets strung with innumerable jewels
Hang across the sky.
When bells of various kinds ring out,
They proclaim the message of the excellent Dharma.

Magnificent flowers and robes rain down,
And numerous varieties of incense pervade everywhere.
The Buddha's wisdom is pure and brilliant like the sun;
It dispels the darkness of the world's ignorance.

The sacred name enlightens people far and wide;
It is subtle and wonderful and is heard everywhere in the ten directions.
[The Land] is firmly upheld by Amida,
The Enlightened One, the Dharma-King.

The hosts of sages in the likeness of pure flowers surrounding the Tathagata
Are born there, transformed from within the Flower of Enlightenment.
They enjoy the taste of the Buddhist Dharma,
Taking meditation and Samadhi as food.

Forever free from bodily and mental afflictions,
They always enjoy pleasure, without interruption.
In this realm of the Goodness of the Mahayana
[All beings are] equal, and not [even] the names of unworthy beings
are found there.

Deformed and deficient persons and
[Those having] the seeds of the Two Vehicles are not born here.
Whatever aspirations sentient beings may have,
They will all be fulfilled.

For this reason I aspire to be born
In Amida Buddha's Land.
[He is seated] on the pedestal of an excellent, pure lotus flower
Adorned with innumerable great treasures.

His physical marks of excellence shine for one fathom;
His form is incomparably superior to that of any other beings.
The wondrous voice of the Tathagata like that of Brahma
Is heard throughout the ten directions.

Like earth, water, fire, wind
And space, [he] has no discriminative thoughts.
Heavenly and human beings, unshakable [in their spiritual attainments],
Are born out of the ocean of pure wisdom.

Like Sumeru, the king of mountains,
[Amida is] supreme, wonderful and unequaled.
Heavenly beings and valiant men
Worship, circumambulate round him and look up to him adoringly.

When I observe the Buddha's Primal Vow-Power,
I find that those who meet with it do not pass by in vain.
They are enabled to gain quickly
The great sea of the treasure of merit.

The Land of Peace and Bliss is pure and serene;
[The Buddha] always turns the undefiled wheel [of the Dharma].
Transformed Buddhas and Bodhisattvas [illumine the whole world] like the sun,
[While remaining motionless] like Mt. Sumeru.

The pure, glorious light [of the Bodhisattvas],
In a flash of thought and simultaneously,
Illumines each and every Buddha's assembly
And gives benefit to multitudes of beings.

They manifest heavenly musical instruments, flowers, robes,
Fine incense, and so forth, with which they worship the Buddhas;
They praise and extol the merits of the Buddhas
Without discriminative thoughts.

If there is any world in the universe
Without the treasure of merit of the Buddha Dharma,
I resolve to be born there
And to preach the Dharma like a Buddha.

I have written this discourse and composed verses
With the wish to see Amida Buddha
And, together with all sentient beings,
Be born in the Land of Peace and Bliss.

- http://www12.canvas.ne.jp/horai/jodoron.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Although I too am within Amida's grasp,
Passions obstruct my eyes and I cannot see him;
Nevertheless, great compassion is untiring and
illumines me always.
- Shinran


Namu Amida Butsu
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Aemilius
Posts: 4592
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 11:44 am

Re: Vasubandhu's Verses of Aspiration for Birth

Post by Aemilius »

A great aspiration ! There is something that needs clarification, in the verse that says "deformed persons etc... are not born there", does it mean persons who in this life have a deformed body?
Or is it that when you attain birth in Sukhavati deformed persons will get a perfect body ?
In Liberation Through Hearing in the Bardo (Bardo thödrol) Padmasambhava says that people with deformed or deficent bodies will have a perfect illusory body, with all senses intact, in the bardo state.
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
plwk
Posts: 2932
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:41 am

Re: Vasubandhu's Verses of Aspiration for Birth

Post by plwk »

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kirtu
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Re: Vasubandhu's Verses of Aspiration for Birth

Post by kirtu »

Aemilius wrote:Or is it that when you attain birth in Sukhavati deformed persons will get a perfect body ?
Bingo! All people born in Sukhavati will have a perfect body.

Kirt
Kirt's Tibetan Translation Notes

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche

"Most all-knowing Mañjuśrī, ...
Please illuminate the radiant wisdom spirit
Of my precious Buddha nature."
HH Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
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