May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識 

182. The 19th Vow: “Cultivating Various Merits” 

The 19th Vow in the Infinite Life Sutra states: 

“If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings of the ten directions awaken the Bodhi-mind, cultivate various merits, and with sincere mind make the vow to be born in my land; yet, at the time of their death I do not appear before them, surrounded by a great assembly, then may I not attain perfect enlightenment.” 

The causal practice described in the 19th Vow is not the same as that in the 18th Vow. The 18th Vow teaches the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha and completely relies on the Buddha’s power. In contrast, the 19th Vow belongs to the Sacred Path and relies upon one’s own efforts (“arousing the Bodhi-mind and cultivating various merits”) Practitioners then dedicate these merits in aspiration for birth in the Land of Bliss. 

For such beings, the Buddha guarantees through this vow that, at the end of their lives, he will appear together with the holy assembly to welcome and guide them to the Pure Land. This is a skillful means that accords with the capacities of sentient beings, gradually guiding practitioners of the Sacred Path to enter the Pure Land path. 

However, the merits cultivated through self-power, when compared with the merits of Namo Amitabha Buddha, contain“few roots of goodness and blessings.” They do not correspond to the immeasurable fruit-virtue of the Land of Bliss and therefore cannot serve as the true basis for rebirth. 

Thus Master Tanluan states in his Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth:

“All the good deeds of ordinary beings and devas, and the rewards of the human and heavenly realms—whether causes or results—are all inverted and false. Therefore they are called unreal merits.” 

(to be continued tomorrow)

182 第十九願「修諸功德」論 

《無量壽經》第十九願說： 

設我得佛，十方眾生，發菩提心， 

修諸功德，至心發願，欲生我國，臨壽終時， 

假令不與大眾圍繞現其人前者，不取正覺。 

第十九願的修因，不是第十八願的稱念佛名、直乘佛力，而是聖道門的靠 自力「發菩提心，修諸功德」，迴向此功德求生極樂。這樣的眾生臨終時，佛以 此願保證與聖眾現前接引。這是隨順眾生根機，方便引導聖道門行者歸入淨 土門。因為自力所修功德若與六字名號功德相比，是「少善根福德因緣」，與 極樂果德不匹配，不可為往生憑據。故曇鸞大師《往生論註》說： 

凡夫人天諸善、人天果報，若因若果，皆是顛倒，皆是虛偽，是故名不實功德。 

Namo Amituofo! 

May 19, 2026

May 19, 2026 

Master Huijing’s Short Teaching about Pure Land Buddhism (I) 

淨土短文 (一) 

15. “Attaining Nirvana without cutting off afflictions” 

One is saved right in the midst of one’s afflictions. It is not necessary to rely on intellectual understanding or doctrinal reasoning; rather, it is a matter of simply accepting in faith. 

“Portion of Nirvana” means a portion or a part, and the present benefit means one enters the Stage of Assurance in this life. Fulfillment refers to the future benefit. Upon rebirth in the Pure Land one ultimately attains Buddhahood. 

不斷煩惱得涅槃分：煩惱之當下被救，不用說道理的信受。 涅槃分者，一分 (一部分) - 現益入正定聚；分齊 (等位) - 當益，往生成了佛。 

Namo Amituofo! 

May 18, 2026

May 18, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Continued Answer to Q36: 

If a person, throughout his entire life, has had no connection with the Buddha-Dharma—neither practicing other Buddhist paths nor receiving the Pure Land teaching—and perhaps has even committed many evil deeds, doing every kind of wrongdoing without restraint; then, when he is at the point of death, about to breathe his last, he may finally encounter a good spiritual friend who explains this teaching to him. 

Or, because he has committed many evil deeds throughout his life, when he reaches the end of his life the fires of hell already seem to be approaching, and he becomes terrified. At that moment, he encounters a good spiritual friend who expounds the saving deliverance of Amitabha Buddha. If he immediately believes and accepts it, he is then reborn in the Pure Land.

This is what is called the capacity of those who encounter the teaching at the time of death. 

The completion of the karma of assurance of rebirth can occur during one’s lifetime or at the moment of death. 

Of course, if the karma of rebirth is accomplished during one’s lifetime, it naturally continues to the moment of death. Since it is already accomplished during one’s lifetime, it is even more certain at the time of death. This is because the person’s rebirth was not decided only at the final moment of life. Rather, it was already settled when he entrusted himself to Amitabha’s deliverance and exclusively recited Namo Amitabha Buddha. 

Therefore, it is not only at the moment of death that rebirth is decided. For such a person, each recitation and every thought of Namo Amitabha Buddha already assures rebirth. 

續答第36問： 

如果一個人一輩子都沒有佛緣，既不學其他法門，也沒領受淨土法門，甚至 不但一輩子沒有佛緣，反而造了很多罪業，甚至無惡不作、無作不惡，到臨終 即將斷氣了，才遇到善知識給他講解這個法門；或者是因為一生造惡多端，所 以臨終的時候地獄之火已經燃燒過來了，他才恐懼，這個時候遇到善知識開 示阿彌陀佛的救度，他當下信受，便往生了——這就是臨終之機。 

「業成」有平生、有臨終，當然，如果是平生業成的話，它是貫穿到臨終的，既 是平生業成，當然也就更是臨終業成了，因為他的往生，不是臨終那一時刻 才決定的，是在平生信順彌陀救度、專稱彌陀佛名的同時就決定了。所以，不 是臨終那個時候才決定往生，他的念佛是每句佛號都決定往生，念念都決定往生。 

Namo Amituofo!

May 17, 2026

May 17, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 36: Earlier Mr. Zhao mentioned two things: one is immediate attainment of rebirth, and the other is rebirth at the time of death. I feel these are actually two different issues. 

The first refers to someone who, after believing and accepting the teaching, has already settled the matter of rebirth. 

The second refers to someone who encounters a good spiritual friend just before the time of death. His question seems to be about rebirth occurring at the moment of death. Could Master please explain again the issue of rebirth at the time of death? 

Answer: 

Very good! This actually refers to two different types of practitioners (two kinds of spiritual capacities). 

In the Eighteenth Vow, the phrase “even up to ten recitations” is explained by the Pure Land patriarch Tanluan, who said: 

“The sutra speaks of ten recitations 

to make clear that the karmic act has already been accomplished.” 

This means that the “ten recitations” mentioned in the sutra indicate that the karmic cause for rebirth has already been completed. The karma leading to rebirth is fulfilled at the very moment of reciting ‘even up to ten times.’

It is not that one must wait until the time of death to say, “Now I can be reborn.” Nor is it that only when one maintains right mindfulness at the moment of death and sees the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas coming to welcome him does it prove that rebirth has been accomplished. 

It is not at that moment that rebirth is accomplished; rather, it is at the time of “ reciting even up to ten times.” 

Regarding the type of practitioner described in the Eighteenth Vow—those of “even up to ten recitations”—the vow does not say that it must occur during one’s ordinary lifetime, nor that it must occur specifically just before the moment of death. 

Since the vow says “even up to”, it includes both those who encounter the teaching during their lifetime and those who encounter it just before the time of death. 

In other words, if during one’s lifetime one hears of Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance, arouses the aspiration to be reborn, and exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha; at that very moment the karma for rebirth is already accomplished. 

36問：剛才趙居士講的，一個是即得往生，另一個是臨終往生。我認為這是兩 個問題，第一個問題是他信受以後就決定往生了，第二個問題是在臨終的時 候遇到善知識，他的問題好像就是臨終的時候往生，請師父再講一下臨終往 生的問題。 

答：好！這等於是兩種機。第十八願「乃至十念」，曇鸞祖師說： 

經言十念者， 

明業事成辦耳。 

也就是說：經中所說的「乃至十念」的「十念」，是在顯明這種眾生往生之業已 經辦好了，往生之業在「乃至十念」的當下已經成就了，不必等待臨終那個時

候才說「我能往生」，不是要臨終的時候保持正念現前、看到佛菩薩來迎接了 ，這個時候才證明「我往生已經成就了」，不是那個時候，是「乃至十念」的時 候。 

那麼，第十八願這種「乃至十念」的根機，並沒有說一定要平生，或者說一定 要臨終。既然是「乃至」的話，既包含平生的根機，也包含臨終的根機，意思是 說：你在平生遇到彌陀救度之緣，而發心盡此一生信願念佛，那個時候就是平 生業成。 

Namo Amituofo! 

May 16, 2026

May 16, 2026

Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation 

Part Three - Assisted-Recitation near the End-of-Life 

第三部分 有關臨終助念 

Question 69: What kind of person can definitely attain rebirth without needing assisted recitation at the time of death? 

Answer: A person who, in daily life, truly believes in Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance, truly vows to be reborn in the Pure Land, and exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha. Whether or not there is assisted recitation at the moment of death, such a person will certainly attain rebirth. Examples can be found in the Record of Nianfo Responses, such as Mrs. Zhang of Qingdao (p.155) and an elderly woman from Tainan (p.318). 

69問：什麼樣的人不須助念決定往生？ 

答：平時真信彌陀救度、真願往生、專念佛號的人，不論臨終有無助念，決 定往生。如《念佛感應錄》第三集155頁青島張氏、第318頁台南某老太等。 

Namo Amituofo!

May 14, 2026

May 14, 2026

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching asking “What does life look like?” 

慧淨法師之「人生之實相」 

The Four Noble Truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. 

The three realms are never separate from suffering and affliction—like floating clouds, like dreams and illusions, like bubbles in water. 

苦集滅道。三界唯是苦惱，如浮雲，如夢幻，如水泡。 

Namo Amituofo!

May 15, 2026

May 15, 2026

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about the Grace of Deliverance 

慧淨法師之救恩法語(二)之愛的心語 

⑴ Having obtained a human body, one should rejoice. 

⑵ Having been saved (or delivered), one should rejoice even more. 

⑶ In one’s true nature, there is nothing that is not joy. 

⑷ Every cell in my body depends on me to be joyful. 

⑸ Others look to me with the hope that I will be joyful. 

For these five reasons, one should greatly rejoice. Therefore, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, at all times, in all places, and in every circumstance, there should be nothing but joy. 

⑴得人身應歡喜， 

⑵被救度更應歡喜， 

⑶自性無有不歡喜， 

⑷細胞須我以歡喜， 

⑸別人望我以歡喜。 

以此五故，當大歡喜。因此，行住坐臥，時處諸緣，無不歡喜。

Namo Amituofo!