Spurned by the Buddha after attempting to disrupt the Sangha, Devadatta conspired with Prince Ajatasatru to usurp King Bimbisara and appoint himself King of the Dharma. The prince seized the King and imprisoned him in the royal palace, denying him food. But he did not die, because loyal Queen Vaidehi covered her body with barley and honey and snuck it to the King. Upon hearing of this, Prince Ajatasatru threatened to kill his only mother, but fearing the karmic consequences instead imprisoned her also.
Queen Vaidehi bowed down in the direction of the World-Honored One, who remained afar on Vulture Peak, and pleaded for the right Dharma. The World-Honored One perceived Vaidehi's mind, and striding across the sky, descended upon the royal palace attended by Maudyalyayana on his left side and Ananda at his right. Bursting into tears Vaidehi bowed and said, "World-Honored One, what evil deeds did I commit that I must bear the fruit of giving birth to such an evil child as this, and by what conditions did the World-Honored One become a relative of Devadatta? For my sake, please show me the path that is free of sorrow; I have grown weary of this wretched, evil world."
At that time the World-Honored One emitted a light from the center of his forehead, manifesting innumerable Buddha-lands, and shining upon King Bimbisara even from a distance as well as Queen Vaidehi. He said, "Are you not aware that Amitays Buddha does not dwell far from this place? You ought to think upon Amitays Buddha's land of Sukhavati, which was created by virtuous deeds. If you want to be born in his country, you must perform the three kinds of virtuous deeds: practice ethical conduct, take refuge in the Three Treasures, and aspire to follow the right Dharma. Your mind is both feeble and defective. Because you have not yet acquired the divine eye, you are unable to see afar. However, the Buddha possesses wondrous skillful means: therefore, with a Buddha's power, I shall show the Pure Land as clearly as one's face shows in a bright mirror. When people gaze upon the wondrous bliss of that land, they will rejoice and immediately acquire the insight into the non-origination of all existence."
Vaidehi said, "Would-Honored One, by the power of the Buddha, I gaze upon you Amitayus' land called Sukhavati. However, in the worlds to come, in which the Buddha's light will have been lost, in which all will have been muddled by evil, how will sentient beings be able to see the Buddha's lands?"
The World-Honored One said, "Listen carefully and contemplate well: for your sake, I shall now expound the Dharma that puts an end to suffering. First of all, contemplate the physical form of Amitayus Buddha. By seeing the body of this Buddha, one sees the mind of the Buddha. The mind of the Buddha is none other than his great compassion. By virtue of myriad conditions, he saves all sentient beings. Therefore contemplate the Buddha; the Buddha's light fills the whole universe, and therefore it also fills the minds of all sentient beings. Therefore when one contemplates the Buddha, one's mind becomes a Buddha; one's mind is, as it is, a Buddha. Therefore, make your mind one with the Buddha, and with clarity contemplate Amitayus Buddha.
When your life draws to a close, Amitayus Buddha, accompanied by the two Bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprata will manifest to lead you to the Pure Land. Those who, out of ignorance, have committed a host of evil deeds, and are so burdened by suffering and are unable to contemplate the Buddha, simply utter the nae of the Buddha 'Namo Amitayus Buddha' and thereby destroy the evil deeds that bind them to transmigration. In one moment of thought, they are born into the land of Sukhavati.
If a person hears the name of Amitayus Buddha, evils that lead to endless transmigration are destroyed. Should they contemplate his name, all the more so will this be true. Truly those who contemplate the Buddha are lotuses among evil people."
Just as Prince Ajatasatru was having a change of heart, his father, King Bimbisara, died. Boils appeared all over Ajatasatru's body and he feared it was karmic retribution for having killed his father. Fearing descent into the Avici Hell for having committed one of the grave offenses, he saught the aid of the Buddha.
Watching from afar, the World-Honored One said to Kasyapa at his side, "For Ajatasatru's sake I shall prolong my life and refrain from entering the final Nirvana. Ksyapa, in case you don't understand my hidden meaning, when I say 'for Ajatasatru's sake' I mean 'for the sake of all sentient beings.' I merely use Ajatasatru as an example to take the place of all those who had committed the Five Grave Offenses. I do not remain in this world for the sake of those who have attained Enlightenment."
Ajatasatru took refuge in the Buddha, and with a mind of contrition, pledged to destroy people's evil intentions through his own suffering. Thus he aroused the aspiration for Enlightenment in many Magadhans and was able to mitigate his grave offenses. Then the King Ajatasatru made great offerings to the Buddha and invited him and his disciples to his palace, and banished Devadatta.
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