Smaller Sukhavativyuha Sutra

One day the Buddha was staying at Śrāvastī, in northeast India, together with one thousand two hundred and fifty monks and many bodhisattvas. He began to address the audience, headed by Śāriputra, thus: There is in the west a buddha land called Sukhāvatī (“Land of Utmost Bliss”), where Buddha Amitāyus presides. The land is full of wonders, pleasing to the mind and comforting to the senses, and those born there can enjoy the highest spiritual bliss. This buddha is called Amitāyus because his lifespan is immeasurable; he is also called Amitābha because his light shines out boundlessly. All beings there dwell in the stage of non-retrogression, assured of attaining enlightenment. In order to be born there one must concentrate on Amitāyus, holding fast to his Name for one to seven days. Then, at the time of death, Amitāyus, accompanied by a host of sages, appears before the devotee and ensures his attainment of birth in the Pure Land.


Innumerable buddhas dwelling in the six directions (i.e., the four cardinal directions of north, south, east, and west, plus the zenith and nadir) urge sentient beings to accept this sutra that is protected by all the buddhas. One who has faith in it is also protected by them and led to reach enlightenment without retrogression. For this reason, all beings should aspire to birth in the Pure Land. The sutra ends with praise of Śākyamuni for becoming a buddha during the period of the five defilements.


Read the full sutra here: https://www.bdk.or.jp/document/dgtl-dl/dBET_ThreePureLandSutras_2003.pdf