The Pratyutpanna Sutra (also Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra, lit. "The Samadhi of being in the presence of all the Buddhas") is an early Mahayana Buddhist scripture, which probably originated around the 1st century BCE in the Gandhara area of northwestern India.
The Pratyutpanna Sutra was first translated into Chinese by the Kushan Buddhist monk Lokaksema between 178 and 189 CE, at the Han capital of Loyang. This translation is, together with the Prajnaparamita Sutra , one of the earliest historically datable texts of the Mahayana tradition.
The Pratyutpanna Sutra contains the first known mentions of the Buddha Amitabha and his Pure Land, said to be at the origin of Pure Land practice in China:
"Bodhisattvas hear about the Buddha Amitabha and call him to mind again and again in this land. Because of this calling to mind, they see the Buddha Amitabha. Having seen him they ask him what dharmas it takes to be born in the realm of the Buddha Amitabha. Then the Buddha Amitabha says to these bodhisattvas: 'If you wish to come and be born in my realm, you must always call me to mind again and again, you must always keep this thought in mind without letting up, and thus you will succeed in coming to be born in my realm." Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra, Jeff Wilson.
In Japan, this sutra turned out to be quite influencial and was promoted by Honen Shonin (法然; 1133-1212), becoming one of the central texts of the Japanese Pure Land School (Jodo Shu).
Mar 12 2005, 08:57 PM The Pratyutpanna-Samadhi Sutra states that one is able to see Amitabha Buddha and listen to His preaching while in deep meditation, without going to Sukhavati, using divine eyes and other supernatural powers, and that, hence, Amitabha is nothing other than one's mind which is empty of own-being.
Apr 12 2005, 07:26 PM The sutra from which the Constant Walking Samadhi originates is one of the oldest Mahayana scriptures in India and China.
It is called Pratyutpanna Samadhi Sutra, and is translated as the "Sutra on the Samadhi of Being in the Presence of All Buddhas." According to this sutra, one who concentrates on Amida from seven days to three months can visualize him and all the other Buddhas.
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