阿弥陀佛之梵文，中文，英文名
Āmítuófó’s Name In Sanskrit, Chinese And English
写念 ‘(Námó) Amitābha’ 对吗？
Is Writing And Reciting ‘(Námó) Amitābha’ Right?
Question: At times, we see or hear ‘Námó Amitābha’. Is this expression correct?
Answer: No, as explained below.
The full format of expressing reverence to Amitā[bha] Buddha (阿弥陀佛: Āmítuófó) in Sanskrit (梵文) is ‘Námó Amitā[bha] Buddhāya’ (南无阿弥陀佛: Námó Āmítuófó):
[1] ‘Námó’ (南无) means ‘homage to’ (礼敬) and ‘refuge for life in’ (皈命).
[2] ‘Amitā’ (阿弥陀) means ‘Immeasurable’ (无量)
[a] + Ābha: Light (光) = Amitābha,
which means ‘Immeasurable (Amitā) Light (Ābha)’ (无量光) and
[b] + Āyus: Life (寿) = Amitāyus,
which means ‘Immeasurable (Amitā) Life (Āyus)’ (无量寿).
[3] ‘Buddhāya’ (佛陀耶) is the dative case of ‘Buddha’ (佛/陀), which means ‘to/in the Buddha’ (i.e. Awakened or Enlightened One: 觉者).
Together, ‘Námó Amitā[bha] Buddhāya’ means ‘Homage to and refuge for life in Amitā[bha] Buddha’.
Thus, ‘Námó Amitābha’ means ‘Homage to and refuge for life in Immeasurable Light’ (礼敬/皈命无量光). While the name of the Buddha is mentioned, his title as a ‘Buddha’ (佛) is omitted. Therefore, to write or recite ‘Námó Amitābha’ is incomplete and wrong.
Along the same line, to write or recite ‘Amitābha’ is incomplete and wrong too, as it only means ‘Immeasurable Light’ (无量光), with the ‘Buddha’ omitted. ‘Amitābha’ should thus not be mistaken as the Sanskrit (or ‘English’) version of ‘Āmítuófó’ (阿弥陀佛: Amitā[bha] Buddha). Technically, to omit ‘Buddha’ during recitation is not mindfulness of Buddha (念佛).
To conclude, ‘Námó Amitābha’ should be ‘Námó Amitābha Buddhā[ya]’ in Sanskrit, or ‘Námó Āmítuófó’ in Chinese. Likewise, ‘Amitābha’ should be ‘Amitābha Buddhā[ya]’ in Sanskrit, or ‘Āmítuófó’ in Chinese. In English, ‘Námó Āmítuófó’ fully extended means ‘Homage to and refuge for life in the Buddha Of Immeasurable Light And Life’ (礼敬/皈命无量光寿佛).
On a related common mistake, the hànyǔ pīnyīn (汉语拼音) version of ‘阿弥陀佛’ is ‘Āmítuófó’, with ‘Ā-mí-tuó-fó’ together. This should not become ‘Amitoufo’, ‘Amitofo’, ‘Amitufo’, ‘Amitofu’ or any otherwise.
As the sacred name (圣号) of Āmítuófó is already short and easy to write and recite, for planting and nurturing it, as a seed of affinity, properly and firmly in one another’s mind, we should neither misspell nor mispronounce it.
相关教理
Related Teachings:
‘阿弥陀佛’为无上咒
‘Āmítuófó’ Is An Unsurpassable Mantra
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