In the Pure Land Sutras Sukhāvatī ("Land of Bliss") is a major setting discussed in the "Three Pure Land Sutras":
Sutra of Amitayus, the
Contemplation Sutra and the
Amitabha Sutra. The
Pratyutpanna-samādhi-sūtra is also an important source, particularly for early Chinese Pure Land. The
Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra is one of the primary texts that describe the Pure Land of Sukhavati. It details the story of Dharmakara, a bodhisattva who later becomes Amitabha Buddha. Dharmakara, made 48 vows, each describing the characteristics and conditions of his future Pure Land. His 18th vow, the Primal Vow, promises that anyone who sincerely wishes to be reborn in his Pure Land and calls upon his name even ten times will be reborn there, provided they have a genuine intention and do not harbor doubts. This sutra extensively describes the Pure Land as a place of unimaginable beauty, with crystal-clear waters, jeweled trees, and golden ground. It is a world where suffering, old age, and death do not exist, and it is inhabited by bodhisattvas and beings on the path to enlightenment. The text emphasizes the ease of achieving rebirth in Sukhavati compared to striving for enlightenment in this world of samsara. (1644-1912) painting of Sukhavati by
Ding Guanpeng. 18th century, China. In the
Smaller Sūtra, commonly known as the
Amitabha Sutra, Buddha Shakyamuni describes the Pure Land of Amitabha to his disciple Śāriputra. The Buddha speaks of the physical and spiritual splendor of Sukhavati, highlighting features such as the seven rows of balustrades, nets, and trees made of the seven precious jewels. He explains that those reborn in this Pure Land will experience perpetual joy and have access to the teachings of the Dharma at all times. This sutra emphasizes the practice of mindfulness of the Buddha (
Buddhānusmṛti) as the means of attaining rebirth in Sukhavati.
The Amitayus Contemplation Sutra places greater emphasis on meditation and visualization practice. In this sutra, the Buddha teaches a queen called Vaidehi a series of 16 contemplations, beginning with visualizations of the setting sun, the Pure Land itself, and ultimately Amitabha Buddha and his attendant bodhisattvas,
Avalokiteshvara and
Mahasthamaprapta. Through these visualizations, practitioners are guided to focus their minds on the Pure Land and develop a connection with Amitabha, cultivating the aspiration for rebirth there.
In other Indian sources Beyond the three primary Pure Land sutras, Sukhavati is also referenced in other
Mahayana texts, though less extensively. Some key examples include: • The
Avataṃsaka Sūtra mentions Sukhavati a few times. The very last section of the sutra, called the
Aspiration Prayer of Samantabhadra (Bhadracarī), contains aspiration verses to be born in Sukhavati. •
The Lotus Sutra mentions Sukhavati. Avalokitesvara's connection with Amitabha and Sukhavati is also mentioned in the Sanskrit edition and in the Tibetan edition of the
Lotus Sutra. These editions have some further passages which mention Amitabha Buddha as well (Hurvitz translation, p. 407). • Sukhavati is mentioned once in the
Pratyutpannasamādhi Sūtra • Sukhavati is briefly mentioned in the
Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra •
Mahāmegha Sutra (
The Great Cloud Sutra)
- Chapter 38 contains a discussion of a goddess named Stainless Light who will in the future attain Buddhahood by being reborn in Sukhavati. • The
Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra mentions Sukhavati briefly, the passage says: "The Victors emanating as results of the teaching, and those that are projections, all issue from the Blissful land of Infinite Light". • The
Māyopamasamādhi sūtra, named after the so called "illusory absorption", a samadhi taught in Sukhavati. It discusses the origin myths of Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta and explains how in the far future, after Amitabha manifests nirvana, Avalokiteśvara will take his place as the lord of Sukhavati. •
Samādhirāja sūtra, the sutra mentions Amitabha and Sukhāvatī in various places (e.g. chapter 33). It also states that whoever hears and upholds the "samadhi" in the sutra (which really refers to a text in this context) will go to Sukhāvatī. •
Kāraṇḍavyūha Sūtra •
Vasubandhu's Discourse on the Pure Land (
Jìngtǔ lùn 浄土論), also known as
The Rebirth Treatise (往生论), contains a description of Sukhavati in verse and a treatise on how to attain birth there. Furthermore various Indian
Dhāraṇī sutras (sutras focused on specific magical chants, incantations, recitations) state that reciting them will lead to birth in Sukhavati. These include:
Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Dhāraṇī, Uṣṇīṣavijayā Dhāraṇī Sutra, Dhāraṇī of Avalokiteśvara Ekadaśamukha Sūtra, Great Compassion Dhāraṇī Sutra, Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of the King of the Sound of Amitābha’s Drum, and
Mother of Avalokiteśvara Noble Dhāraṇī. ==Etymology and names==