OPENING THE DOOR OF THE PURE LAND

PRAISE TO AMITABHA

By Lama Tsong Khapa

NAMO SHRI-GURU-MANJUGHOSAYA!

Ruler of Sukhavati Pure Land, praised by all the Sugatas - Bhagavan Lord Amitayus, Teacher of gods and humans, king of Conquerors - You grant long life to beings.

As the cloud-free moon is reflected in clear water in all infinite kinds of vessel, so to countless fortunate beings at once, in many aspects You display your body.

In the same instant You cut every net of doubt besetting infinite disciples and open the eye of wisdom to reality with your speech, unceasingly proclaimed.

Spreading pervasive knowledge to all knowables, ruled by compassion for beings of the five streams, its' power of wisdom and love saves from fears of samsara and peace, as your mind is unstirred by signs or effort.

With your body, a heap of splendour that fills with endless masses of light all countless lands, as the sun's rays do the heaven's vault, provide a banquet for my fortunate eyes.

With your brahmic voice, of five members, just to hear which grants the highest bliss, like sweet thunder to the peacocks' heart, sprinkle drops of nectar in my ears.

With supreme calm mind, all fancy stilled by putting your awareness in emptiness, like a still cloud-mass in the sky's expanse, quell all mental focus (on) imagining.

Even if all Conquerors described for countless eons your (great) mass of virtues, to find the end would be no easy task; just so, they are more than I can tell.

Therefore, there's no other teacher like You, an inexhaustible store of qualities from whom all seeds of faults have gone forever. You alone, then, are migrators' refuge.

Through your thousand million vows, Protector, You founded well the best of Supreme Lands where even the name of suffering is not found, hence called the Pure Land, Sukhavati.

There, as soon as the light of this life fades, let me be born in a thousand-petalled lotus, rise from within the lotus without hindrance, behold your form, and drink my fill of your speech.

When, Lord, I've heard your mahayanic speech, just as Avalokita behaves to free those sinking in samsara's mire, and Mahasthama-prapta, let me too.