Mindful Visualization of the World of Sukhāvatī
A Mindfulness Practice Taught by Sakyamuni Buddha
Mindful Visualization of the Buddha of Infinite Life’s World of Sukhāvatī is the 12th of the sixteen visualization techniques directly extolled by Sakyamuni Buddha to Queen Vaidehi, the queen of the city Rajagrha, some 2,500 years ago in response to her yearning for a place to be reborn that is free of afflictions and sufferings.
Queen Vaidehi requested the Buddha to teach her how to visualize such a place where she may hear no evil words, see no evil beings, and be reborn there. Among all the Buddha-lands that were revealed, the Queen chose to reborn in the Western Pure Land or the Land of Ultimate Bliss. This preaching, known as the Visualization Sutra, was then passed on to all of us sentient beings in this world.
What’s better than learning to practice mindfulness directly from our teacher, the Buddha? Let’s dive into the words of the Buddha for the Visualization of the World of Sukhāvatī.
The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi,
“When these visualization are completed, they are called the complete perfection of the visualization of Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta. When you have seen these things, visualize yourself as being born in the Western Realm of Ultimate Bliss, sitting cross-legged inside a lotus flower. Visualize the lotus flower as being closed. When the lotus flower opens, rays of five hundred colors shine down and illuminate your body.
“Then your eyes are open and you see the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas filling the skies and hear the sounds of waters and trees, the notes of birds, and the voices of the Buddhas all proclaiming the exquisite Dharma in accordance with the twelve divisions of the Sutras. Even after you rise from meditation, keep in mind and do not forget all that you have seen and heard.
“Seeing these things is called the vision of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life and the Realm of Ultimate Bliss. This is the comprehensive visualization of its imagery and is called the Twelfth Visualization.
“The countless miraculously created bodies of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life together with those of Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta will always appear before those who contemplate this. Performing this visualization is called the right visualization. If one performs other visualizations, that is called an incorrect visualization.”
Consider it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come across and practice this method, as one will then achieve non-retrogression (no falling back to lower realms) to ultimately attain the Highest Perfect Enlightenment.
By the power of his forty-eight vows, Amitabha has made it possible for all sentient beings who call upon him to be reborn into the Western Pure Land, there to receive direct Dharma teachings by him, and ultimately become Buddhas in their turn. From there, these same Buddhas will return to our world to help yet more people to reborn in his Land of Sukhāvatī.
Buddha images and Buddhist art serve to convey a feeling of calmness and reflect proper mental discipline to control over our negative emotions such as greed and fear. If anyone is interested in learning the entire sixteen visualization, one may read the full sutra text of the Visualization Sutra.
Set aside time to practice it everyday. Immerse your mind in this visualization and cultivate a pure mind with the Land of Sukhāvatī. Amitabha Buddha is speaking the Dharma there right now.
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Resources:
Visualization Sutra — Full sutra text
Five Pure Land Sutras
Amitabha Mindful Chanting Music Collection
