Popular Deities of Chinese Buddhism (Illustrated)

(Grace) #1
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C VI


mitabha uddha “amo -i-o wo”


us the Sakyamuni Buddha described the Buddha Amitabha
to Ananda:
“e Light that issues from Amitabha Buddha is the most bril-
liant, and none is comparable to him. In adoration we call him:
‘e Buddha of Infinite Light,
e Buddha of Immeasurable Light,
e Buddha of Boundless Light,
e Buddha of Inexpressible Light,
and the Buddha whose Light surpasses the Sun
and the Moon’.
Whoever is blessed with the Light will enjoy a calm and
peaceful life which is free of despair and will obtain enlighten-
ment at the end of his life on earth.
e Light of Amitabha is full of splendour and pervades the
entire universe. Not only do I adore His Light, I also adore Him,
if anyone, on receiving the great blessings of His Light, adores
Him incessantly day and night with faith and sincerity in his
heart, he will sure take rebirth into His paradise called the Pure
Land.... Even though I adore the magnificence of Amitabha day
and night, it is impossible for me to describe Him well.”

ho is mitabha?


According to Mahayana Buddhist sutras he was a king in the
remote period of time. Renouncing his kingdom, he became a
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