Thus I have heard. At one time the Buddha dwelt at Shrāvastī, in the Jeta Grove, in the Garden of the Benefactor of Orphans and the Solitary, together with a gathering of great bhikshus, twelve hundred fifty in all, all great Arhats whom the assembly knew and recognized:

Elders Shāriputra, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākāshyapa, Mahākātyāyana, Mahākaushthila, Revata, Shuddhipanthaka, Nanda, Ānanda, Rāhula, Gavāmpati, Pindola-Bharadvāja, Kālodayin, Mahākapphina, Vakkula, Aniruddha, and others such as these, all great disciples; together with all the Bodhisattvas, Mahāsattvas: Dharma Prince Manjushrī, Ajita Bodhisattva, Gandhahastin Bodhisattva, Nityodyukta Bodhisattva, and others such as these, all great Bodhisattvas, and together with Shakra, chief among gods, and the numberless great multitudes from all the heavens.

如是我聞。一時佛在舍衛國。祇樹給孤獨園。與大比丘僧。千二百五十人俱。皆是大阿羅漢。眾所知識。長老舍利弗。摩訶目犍連。摩訶迦葉。摩訶迦栴延。摩訶拘絺羅。離婆多。周梨槃陀迦。難陀。阿難陀。羅睺羅。憍梵波提。賓頭盧頗羅墮。迦留陀夷。摩訶劫賓那。薄俱羅。阿[少/兔]樓馱。如是等諸大弟子。并諸菩薩摩訶薩。文殊師利法王子。阿逸多菩薩。乾陀訶提菩薩。常精進菩薩。與如是等諸大菩薩。及釋提桓因等。無量諸天大眾俱。

At that time the Buddha told the Elder Shāriputra, “Passing from here through hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhalands to the West, there is a world called Ultimate Bliss. In this land a Buddha called Amitābha right now teaches the Dharma.

“Shāriputra, for what reason is this land called Ultimate Bliss?

“All living beings of this country endure none of the sufferings, but enjoy every bliss. Therefore it is called ‘Ultimate Bliss.’

“Moreover, Shāriputra, this Land of Ultimate Bliss is everywhere surrounded by seven tiers of railings, seven layers of netting, and seven rows of trees, all formed from the four treasures and for this reason named ‘Ultimate Bliss.’

“Moreover, Shāriputra, this Land of Ultimate Bliss has pools of the seven jewels, filled with the water of eight meritorious virtues. The bottom of each pool is pure, spread over with golden sand.

On the four sides are stairs of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal; above are raised pavilions adorned with gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, and carnelian.

“In the pools are lotuses as large as carriage wheels: green colored of green light, yellow colored of yellow light, red colored of red light, white colored of white light, subtly, wonderfully fragrant and pure.

“Shāriputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.

爾時佛告長老舍利弗。從是西方。過十萬億佛土。有世界名曰極樂。其土有佛。號阿彌陀。今現在說法。舍利弗。彼土何故名為極樂。其國眾生。無有眾苦。但受諸樂。故名極樂。又舍利弗。極樂國土。七重欄楯。七重羅網。七重行樹。皆是四寶周匝圍繞。是故彼國名曰極樂。又舍利弗，極樂國土有七寶池，八功德水，充滿其中。池底純以金沙布地，四邊階道，金、銀、琉璃、玻璃合成。上有樓閣，亦以金、銀、琉璃、玻璃、硨磲、赤珠、瑪瑙而嚴飾之。池中蓮華，大如車輪，青色青光，黃色黃光，赤色赤光，白色白光，微妙香潔。舍利弗。極樂國土。成就如是功德莊嚴。

“Moreover, Shāriputra, in that Buddhaland there is always heavenly music and the ground is yellow gold. In the six periods of the day and night a heavenly rain of mandarava flowers falls, and throughout the clear morning, each living being of that land, with sacks full of the myriads of wonderful flowers, makes offerings to the hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas of the other directions. At mealtime they return to their own country, and having eaten, they stroll around.

“Shāriputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.

“Moreover Shāriputra, in this country there are always rare and wonderful varicolored birds: white cranes, peacocks, parrots, and egrets, kalavinkas, and two-headed birds.

In the six periods of the day and night the flocks of birds sing forth harmonious and elegant sounds; their clear and joyful sounds proclaim the five roots, the five powers, the seven bodhi shares, the eight sagely way shares, and dharmas such as these. When living beings of this land hear these sounds, they are altogether mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma, and mindful of the Sangha.

“Shāriputra, do not say that these birds are born as retribution for their karmic offenses. For what reason? In this Buddhaland there are no three evil ways of rebirth. Shāriputra, in this Buddhaland not even the names of the three evil ways exist, how much the less their actuality! Desiring that the Dharma-sound be widely proclaimed, Amitābha Buddha by transformation made this multitude of birds.

“Shāriputra, in that Buddhaland when the soft wind blows, the rows of jewelled trees and jewelled nets give forth subtle and wonderful sounds, like one hundred thousand kinds of music played at the same time. All those who hear these sounds naturally bring forth in their hearts mindfulness of the Buddha, mindfulness of the Dharma, and mindfulness of the Sangha.

“Shāriputra, the realization of the Land of Ultimate Bliss is thus meritoriously adorned.

“Shāriputra, what do you think? Why is this Buddha called Amitābha? Shāriputra, the brilliance of that Buddha’s light is measureless, illumining the lands of the ten directions everywhere without obstruction, for this reason he is called Amitābha.

又舍利弗。彼佛國土。常作天樂。黃金為地。晝夜六時。雨天曼陀羅華。其土眾生。常以清旦。各以衣裓。盛眾妙華。供養他方十萬億佛。即以食時。還到本國。飯食經行。舍利弗。極樂國土。成就如是功德莊嚴。

復次舍利弗。彼國常有種種奇妙雜色之鳥。白鶴、孔雀、鸚鵡、舍利、迦陵頻伽、共命之鳥。是諸眾鳥。晝夜六時。出和雅音。其音演暢五根五力七菩提分八聖道分如是等法。其土眾生。聞是音已。皆悉念佛念法念僧。舍利弗。汝勿謂此鳥。實是罪報所生。所以者何。彼佛國土。無三惡道。舍利弗。其佛國土。尚無惡道之名。何況有實。是諸眾鳥。皆是阿彌陀佛。欲令法音宣流變化所作。舍利弗。彼佛國土。微風吹動。諸寶行樹。及寶羅網。出微妙音。譬如百千種樂。同時俱作。聞是音者。自然皆生念佛念法念僧之心。舍利弗。其佛國土。成就如是功德莊嚴。

舍利弗。於汝意云何。彼佛何故號阿彌陀。舍利弗。彼佛光明無量。照十方國。無所障礙。是故號為阿彌陀。又舍利弗。彼佛壽命及其人民無量無邊阿僧祇劫。故名阿彌陀。舍利弗。阿彌陀佛成佛已來。於今十劫。又舍利弗。彼佛有無量無邊聲聞弟子。皆阿羅漢。非是算數之所能知。諸菩薩眾亦復如是。舍利弗。彼佛國土成就如是功德莊嚴。