Hello everyone, today I want to share it with you
the story of Mahāsthāmaprāpta's vows made in his past lives
The Three Saints of the West is well known by many of us
Amitabha Buddha is the supreme leader of the Western Pure Land
The attendant on his right
is Mahāsthāmaprāpta (the Great Strength Bodhisattva)
In Amitāyurdhyāna-sūtra (Sutra of the Meditation on the Buddha of Immeasurable Life)
there is a mention of Mahāsthāmaprāpta's origination.
"It is with this light of wisdom that he shines over all beings and causes them to be removed from the three negative destinies, and to obtain the highest power. For the same reason this Bodhisattva is called the Bodhisattva of Great Strength (Mahāsthāmaprāpta). "
It is also mentioned in the Sutra that
Bodhisattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta
On his crown
there is a bottle
infused with pure water and wisdom
This is different from what Avalokiteshvara has on the top of his head (which is the Amitabha)
In his past lives
Mahasthamaprapta has made great vows
It was recorded in the Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka-sūtram (Compassionate Lotus Sutra)
In the past, in another world
When life expectancy was more than 80,000 years old
A Buddha was born
and preach Buddhist teachings to enlighten sentient beings
At that time, the Treasure-Store Tathagata (Treasure-Store Buddha) was coming
to teach sentient beings in that world
There was a King called the Immeasurable Reincarnation Saint King
This King had many princes
Mahasthamaprapta
is the second son
of the King
His name was NiMo
In front of the Treasure-Store Buddha
The King
made a Bodhichitta vow
to benefit all sentient beings with immesurable blessings
Later, his first prince also vowed to become a Buddha
The second prince NiMo
He saw his father and his brother
made such great vows
He was also full of Dharma joys
He followed them
and hoping that he would one day become a Buddha
and benefit all sentient beings
So at that time he made vowed in front of the Treasure-Store Buddha
"World-Honored One! Now I offer to the Buddha and Sanghas. With all my pure conducts of body, speech, and mind, I transfer all the merits to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi"
"I do not wish to be in a defiled evil world. I vow to make my Pure Land and the Bodhi trees be like the Avalokiteshvara's Pure Land and its adorned treasure trees and attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi"
"In addition, I wish to follow the step of Buddha (Avalokiteshvara) to shine my meritous light. I will ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma wheel, then follow the Buddha to preach the Dharma. During this time, I will pratice the Bodhisattva path. After Buddha attained Nirvana, the cessation of True Dharma, I will then attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi."
When I attain my Buddhahood, all the work that a Buddha does, all the adornments in the world, after Buddha's Nirvana, the True Dharma continue its existence. Everything will be the same as during the Buddha's time, without distinctions."
At that time, Treasure-Store Buddha said to the Prince
"Starting from this time
you must follow the Bodhisattva path to benefit all sentient beings
and eventually you will attain Buddhahood.
"Virtuous man! You will attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi at the greatest world.
Your Buddha's name is 'Shanju Zhenbao Shanwang Rulai'." (Well-dwelling Treasure Mountain King Tathagata)
The King that we've just mentioned
became Amitabha Buddha
one of the three sages
and the first prince
became Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, the attendant on the left
The attendant on the right is Mahasthamaprapta
So this is the story of the three sages
and their vows
Hopefully this short video can bring you some benefits
Amitabha!