Great Strength Bodhisattva’s Chapter on Perfect Penetration through Nianfo 大势至菩萨念佛圆通章
Great Strength (Mahāsthāmaprāpta - Dashizhi/大势至）Bodhisattva’s Chapter on Perfect Penetration through Nianfo is an extract from Chapter Five of the famous Śūraṅgama Sūtra（楞严经). This extract was added by Master Yinguang (the 13th Patriarch of Chinese Pure Land Buddhism) as one of the five Pure Land sutras in Chinese Pure Land Buddhism. In this short extract, Bodhisattva Dashizhi tells of how he attained samādhi (enlightenment) through the practice of Nianfo: by perfectly controlling the six senses with continuous pure thoughts of Amitābha Buddha.
南无本师释迦牟尼佛（三称）
Namo Fundamental Teacher
Shakyamuni Buddha (three times)
南无阿弥陀佛（三称）
Namo Amitabha Buddha (three times)
开经偈
无上甚深微妙法，百千万劫难遭遇。
我今见闻得受持，愿解如来真实义。
Sutra Opening Verse
The unsurpassed, profound, subtle and wondrous Dharma
Is rarely encountered in hundreds of thousands of millions of
kalpas.
I now see and hear it, receive and uphold it,
May we understand the true meaning of the Tathagata.
南无莲池海会佛菩萨 （三称）
Namo Lotus Pond Ocean-wide Assembly of
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (three times)
大势至菩萨念佛圆通章
Great Strength Bodhisattva’s Chapter on
Perfect Penetration through Nianfo
(an extract from Chapter Five of the Śūraṅgama Sūtra)
唐天竺沙门般剌密帝译
Translated by Master Paramiti of Central North India from Sanskrit
to Chinese during the Tang Dynasty (705 CE)
大势至法王子，与其同伦五十二菩萨，即从座起，顶礼佛足，而白佛言：‘我忆往昔，恒河沙劫，有佛出世，名无量光；十二如来，相继一劫。其最后佛，名超日月光；彼佛教我，念佛三昧。譬如有人，一专为忆，一人专忘；如是二人，若逢不逢，或见非见。二人相忆，二忆念深；如是乃至从生至生，同于形影，不相乖异。十方如来，怜念众生，如母忆子；若子逃逝，虽忆何为？子若忆母，如母忆时，母子历生，不相违远。若众生心，忆佛、念佛，现前当来，必定见佛，去佛不远；不假方便，自得心开。如染香人，身有香气；此则名曰：香光庄严。我本因地，以念佛心，入无生忍；今于此界，摄念佛人，归于净土。佛问圆通，我无选择；都摄六根，净念相继，得三摩地，斯为第一。’
Dharma Prince Great Strength (Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva – The Arrival of the Great Strength), together with his group of fifty-two Bodhisattvas, rose from his seat, prostrated himself at the Buddha’s feet, and said to the Buddha: “I recall that, in the distant past, as many kalpas ago as there are sands in the Ganges River, there was a Buddha named Infinite Light (Amitābha). In that kalpa, twelve successive Tathāgatas appeared in the world. The last Buddha was named Light Surpassing the Sun and Moon. Those Buddhas taught me Nianfo Samādhi.
It is like two people: one constantly remembers the other, while the other forgets. Even if they meet, it is as if they do not meet; even if they see each other, it is as if they do not see. But if the two remember each other and their mindfulness is deep, then through many lifetimes they will be as inseparable as a body and its shadow, and they will never be apart or at odds.
The Tathāgatas in the ten directions have compassion for all living beings and always think of them, like a mother who never ceases thinking of her son. If the son runs away, what use is it? But if he also thinks of her with the same keenness, then the mother and child, through many lives, will never be far apart.
If sentient beings turn their minds to remember the Buddha and recite the Buddha’s name (Amitabha), then in the present or future they will certainly see the Buddha. They are not far from the Buddha, and without relying on any other expedient means, their own minds will naturally open and awaken. It is like a person who has been perfumed with fragrance: their body naturally carries the scent. This is called being adorned with fragrant light.
Originally, in my causal ground, through the mindfulness of Amitābha Buddha, I realised the Endurance of the Non-arising.
Now, in this world, I guide Nianfo practitioners to the Pure Land through being mindful of Amitābha Buddha. The Buddha now asks about the best method of attaining perfect penetration. I make no other choice: to perfectly control the six senses, keeping continuous pure mindfulness (of Amitābha Buddha), thereby realizing samādhi. This is the foremost method.”
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Dashizhi Bodhisattva Mahasattva 大势至菩萨摩诃萨
