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Concept
Nianfo
Summary
Nianfo in Chinese (, Japanese: 念仏, , niệm Phật), or Nembutsu (Japanese) is a term commonly seen in Pure Land Buddhism. In the context of Pure Land practice, it generally refers to the repetition of the name of Amitābha. It is a translation of Sanskrit (or, "recollection of the Buddha").
The Sanskrit phrase used in India is not mentioned originally in the bodies of the two main Pure Land sutras. It appears in the opening of the extant Sanskrit Infinite Life Sutra, as well as the Contemplation Sutra, although it is a reverse rendering from Chinese, as the following:
namo'mitābhāya buddhāya
The apostrophe and omission of the first "A" in "Amitābha" comes from normal Sanskrit sandhi transformation, and implies that the first "A" is omitted. A more accessible rendering might be:
Namo Amitābhāya Buddhāya
A literal English translation would be "Bow for the sake of Amitābha Buddha". The Sanskrit word-by-word pronunciation is the following;
n̪ɐmoːɐmɪt̪ɑːbɦɑːjɐbud̪̚.d̪ɦɑːjɐ
While almost unknown, and unused outside of the original Sanskrit, the texts provide a recitation of Amitābha's alternate aspect of Amitāyus as;
namo'mitāyuṣe buddhāya
Again, a more accessible rendering might be;
Namo Amitāyuṣe Buddhāya
A literal translation of this version would be "Namo Buddha of Infinite Life". Other translations may also be: "I pay homage to the Enlightened One immeasurable" or "I turn to rely on the Enlightened One immeasurable".
As the practice of nianfo spread from India to various other regions, the original pronunciation changed to fit various native languages.
In China, the practice of nianfo was codified with the establishment of the separate Pure Land school of Buddhism. The most common form of this is the six syllable nianfo; some shorten it into Ēmítuófó/Āmítuófó. In the Japanese Jodo Shinshu sect, it is often shortened to na man da bu.
In the Jodo Shinshu tradition in Japan, variant forms of the nianfo have been used since its inception.
Official source
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