Journal of Advances in Education and Philosophy (JAEP)
Volume-9 | Issue-11 | 551-561
Review Article
The Moral and Existential Vision of Compassion in the Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra
Master. Nguyen Tien Trinh, Dr. Nguyen Duy Trung
Published : Nov. 15, 2025
Abstract
One of the core texts of Mahāyāna Buddhism, the Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra, presents a deep existential and moral worldview based on compassion (karuṇā). The sutra offers a dynamic ethical framework in which compassion serves as both the ontological foundation of existence and the route to emancipation, far from being purely devotional. Moral behavior is changed into a soteriological process of self-transcendence through the vows of Amitābha Buddha, where the limited human situation opens up to boundless life (amitāyus). This study investigates the sutra's ethical philosophy using the dialectical interplay between self-power (jiriki) and other-power (tariki), revealing how compassion bridges the conflict between individual agency and universal salvation. The Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra combines Buddhist moral theory with existential contemplation to present a vision of human fulfillment based on relationship and altruism. The thesis contends that the sutra's ethical vision goes beyond ceremonial piety to provide a universal philosophy of compassionate being applicable to both Buddhist and modern moral