The profound meaning of “Namo Amitabha Buddha,” not merely words and sounds

In the last two articles, it was noted that the full Name of Amitabha Buddha is “Namo Amitabha Buddha” in Sanskrit or “Namo Amituofo” in Chinese. They mean several things:

1. Amitabha’s Dharma body pervades the Dharma realm and shines upon all sentient beings. His light pervades the ten directions.

2. Amitabha’s unimpeded light embraces, protects, and never forsakes all those who exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.

3. The exclusive recitation of “Namo Amitabha Buddha” eradicates all of the reciter’s karmic offenses and he will come to receive them near the end-of-life.

Amitabha Buddha uses his Name to connect with all Amitabha-reciters in the worlds of the ten directions. He embraces and protects them from karmic hindrances and illnesses. The merits and virtues embodied in “Namo Amitabha Buddha” dispel all darkness, and enable those who recite to be born in his Pure Land of Bliss.

Isn’t it wonderful that Amitabha Buddha devoted five kalpas to contemplation to empower this Name? It contains unsurpassed, immeasurable, inconceivable merit and virtues; to be unconditionally and equally shared with and bestowed upon all Amitabha-reciters, as described in the Amitabha Sutra (in another version translated by Master Xuanzang (602–64).

It is also the Name revealed in Amitabha’s seventeenth Vow: “If, when I attain Buddhahood, the countless Buddhas of the ten directions do not extol, proclaim and recite My Name, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.”

How did Amitabha infuse a myriad of merits and virtues into his Name?

How can Amitabha Buddha infuse a myriad of merits and virtues into his Name? Why can people who exclusively recite “Namo Amitabha Buddha,” receive his splendid and profound merits and virtues; to pay our karmic debts, and attain assured rebirth in the Land of Bliss? It is totally beyond our comprehension!

So, when speaking of the vows of all Buddhas, Amitabha is the King of Buddhas and praised by all. When speaking of Amitabha’s Light, his Light is supreme among all lights and unmatched by any others. When speaking of rebirth, the exclusive recitation of “Namo Amitabha Buddha” is foremost among all practices.

No matter who you are, any sentient being who exclusively recites “Namo Amitabha Buddha” can attain great benefits, unsurpassed merit, and splendid virtues immediately. All of the heavy karmic offenses of the reciter, accumulated through all of their lives, can be eradicated. Thus, they leave the cycle of birth-and-death, and are reborn in the Pure Land of eternal peace and joy.

The infinite power, merits, and virtues of “Namo Amitabha Buddha”

In the Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra, Master Shandao used a question-and-answer, to explain one of the characteristics of Amitabha’s teaching of deliverance, known as the “Reward Dharma.” Consider this question and answer on ordinary beings entering Amitabha’s Reward Land:

Question: Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land is said to be a Realm of Rewards. The Reward Land is so wondrous and profound that Theravada and Bodhisattva practitioners have difficulty reaching it. If this is true, how can ordinary people, with all of their obstructions and defilements, enter Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land?

Answer: Taking into account our obstructions and defilements, it is really difficult for ordinary beings to be born in Amitabna’s Pure Land. It is only through Amitabha’s Other Power, contained in his 18th vow, that all beings in the Five Vehicles can enter Amitabha’s Pure Land together.

Isn’t this an amazing question and answer? All sentient beings of the ten directions, even non-Buddhists, including those who fail at or are unfit to practice other Buddhist teachings, can exclusively recite “Namo Amitabha Buddha,” and entrust themselves to Amitabha’s deliverance, as stated in his Eighteenth Vow. They are all assured of rebirth!

For those who are capable of accumulating virtues through self-powered cultivation, if they dedicate their merit and virtues, and single-mindedly aspire to rebirth; they thus develop the Three States of Mind (the Sincere Mind, the Deep Mind, and Mind of Merit-Dedication and Rebirth-Aspiration), they too are included within Amitabha’s Nineteenth Vow.

However, exclusive recitation of “Namo Amitabha Buddha” naturally contains the Three States of Mind, as far as rebirth is concerned, because it is equivalent to “taking refuge,” as discussed above. When faith, aspiration, and exclusive recitation are established; assured rebirth is immediately established in the present life, even near end-of-life. It is what Amitabha Buddha promises in his Eighteenth Vow.

What power enables ordinary beings to establish rebirth in the present life?

The answer to the question above lies in the sentence “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” It contains the very essence of the three Pure Land Sutras and brings about our rebirth in the Pure Land. Apart from Amitabha Buddha, there is no other all-powerful Buddha.

Moreover, rebirth in the Pure Land is assured in this very life, not in a future life; provided that you exclusively recite “Namo Amitabha Buddha.” As you near your end-of-life, Amitabha Buddha has sworn to automatically, without being invited or requested, come to receive and welcome you to his Buddha-land, as stated in the Amitabha Sutra.

Can any other Buddhist teachings of “True Suchness” or “Emptiness” guarantee that we will be liberated from birth and death, and avoid the Three Wretched Realms in this lifetime through self-powered meditative and non-meditative practices? It is not likely, particularly in this Dharma-Ending Age, over 2,500 years after Shakyamuni entered Nirvana.

A difficult-to-encounter and splendid Dharma that delivers us from suffering

We are no more than foolish defiled beings, if we aspire, right now, to be born in Amitabha’s magnificent Pure Land so as to cease suffering in the endless cycle of birth-and-death. Therefore, the Pure Land path is our only choice. We should immediately and wholeheartedly respond to Amitabha’s compassionate call, and recite “Namo Amitabha Buddha” until the end-of-life!

Master Daochuo (562–645), one of the most remarkable Pure Land patriarchs, said: “Ordinary beings, though they may speak of Mahayana, have never truly contemplated True Suchness or Ultimate Emptiness. Even among the Sravakas and Arhats who have cut off the five lower and five higher fetters, none has attained such a realization.”

We defiled and ignorant ordinary beings have no way to truly understand and realize the profound concept of “True Suchness” or “Ultimate Emptiness”. Yet, through the beneficial causes and conditions of our present time, we have encountered the Pure Land Dharma, whose essence is the pure sentence “Namo Amitabha Buddha,” which can be seen, heard, written, read, chanted, and recited by all of us.

Related features from BDG

Can Shakyamuni Buddha Enable Us to be Reborn in the Pure Land?
A Correct Understanding of the Core Teaching in the Amitabha Sutra
The Meaning of the Name of Amitabha’s Pure Land

More from Pristine Pure Land Teaching by Alan Kwan