July 2, 2026

July 2, 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

73 Question: What kinds of people are able to depart from this life peacefully and freely, with ease and composure? 

Answer: 

Quite often, it is those who are socially humble, simple, unlearned, and gentle-hearted. They are often the most sincere in their exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha, and unconcerned with drawing attention to themselves. These are the ones who pass away most auspiciously. 

In summary, there are six common types: 

1. Those who practice diligently and without slackening 

Examples include Dong Ziming and Zheng Xibin, as recorded in Records of Nianfo Responses and Rebirth Experiences (Vol. 3). 

2. Those who are simple, humble, and unpretentious. 

Examples include Master Xiuwu and the Venerable “Cauldron-Leak Repairer”, both well-known for their plain and honest characters. 

3. Those who cultivate quietly and deeply without seeking recognition An example is Madam Zhang of Qingdao.

4. Those who are compassionate, gentle, and soft-hearted. 

Examples include Madam Ma of Quanyang and an elderly woman from Tainan. 

5. Those who possess a strong sense of renunciation 

An example is Master Yingke, whose earnest longing to leave this suffering world, inspired him to attain rebirth through wholehearted practice. 

6. Those who have deep wholesome roots from past lives. 

An example is the elderly Mr. Hu of Qianjiang. 

These examples suggest that an auspicious and peaceful passing is often associated not with worldly status, intellectual brilliance, or outward accomplishments ; but, with qualities such as sincerity, humility, perseverance, kindness, simplicity, faith, and wholehearted reliance upon Amitabha Buddha. Such people tend to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha with an undivided heart and are therefore more readily able to depart this life with peace, confidence, and freedom. 

73問：什麼樣的人會走時自在？ 

答：往往地位低下、愚鈍無智、心地善軟、老實念佛、不事張揚的人，會走得 好。略說有六：

一、精進不懈的人，如《念佛感應錄》第三集第151頁董子明、第153頁 鄭錫賓等。 

二、守愚樸實的人，如《念佛感應錄》第三集第136頁修無法師、第 138頁鍋漏匠師父等。 

三、沉厚潛修的人，如《念佛感應錄》第三集第155頁青島張氏。 四、慈柔善軟的人，如《念佛感應錄》第三集第272頁泉陽馬氏、第

318頁台南某老太。 

五、厭離心切的人，如《念佛感應錄》第三集第135頁瑩珂法師。

六、 宿有善根的人，如《念佛感應錄》第三集第215頁潛江胡老漢。 

Namo Amituofo! 

July 1, 2026

July 1, 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 

If, for countless kalpas, I should not be a great benefactor, 

To save all the poor and afflicted, 

May I not attain perfect Enlightenment. 

(The Infinite Life Sutra) 

我於無量劫，不為大施主，普濟諸貧苦，誓不成等覺。《無量壽經》

Namo Amituofo!

June 30, 2026

June 30, 2026

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

慧淨法師之「人生之實相」 

How can one be liberated from this suffering and affliction? This is the greatest of all questions, and the most profound problem facing human beings. 

此苦惱，如何得解脫，此是最大之問題，深刻之問題。 

Namo Amituofo!

June 29, 2026

June 29, 2026

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School 

淨土宗妙喻 

Metaphor 64: A Blind Turtle and a Piece of Driftwood (continued) 

There is an oft-quoted saying that goes like this: “Contemplating the unspeakable pains in hells motivates us to generate bodhicitta.” This means that, because we are mindful of the agonies in the hell realms, we should resolve to practice the Dharma for achieving Buddhahood, to save all sentient beings from samsara. We wish all sentient beings, including ourselves and our families through countless lifetimes, to be forever liberated from samsara. No more suffering in hells, no more suffering in the three evil realms. 

In the context of the Pure Land Dharma path, that saying will be modified to read: contemplating the unspeakable pains in hell motivates us to aspire to rebirth in the Land of Bliss, and to exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. 

In addition, Master Shandao’s “In Praise of Pratyutpanna” has the following two Gathas (p. 645 of the Complete Works of Master Shandao) which also stress the importance of being wary of the wretchedness of hells and having the aspiration for rebirth: 

Always contemplate the torment of hells, 

Aspiring to be reborn in the Pure Land. 

Vow to commit no karma that leads to the three wretched realms, Having no desire for human or celestial joys. 

A sudden recollection of the Buddha’s teaching that the sufferings in hells are unspeakable and ceaseless,

Makes me never want to forget, even for a moment, about the eternal bliss in the Land of Peace and Joy. 

Amitabha’s Pure Land is an unconditioned realm of nirvana, 

Making it the best place for the ultimate liberation from all sufferings and for the attainment of enlightenment. 

Hearing of the miseries in the hell realms, especially the ceaseless pains and sufferings in Avici Hell; we become more resolute in our aspiration for rebirth in the Land of Bliss. 

64. 盲龜浮木喻 (續) 

有一句話說：「思地獄苦，發菩提心。」就是說，一旦想到有地獄之苦，就要 發起「上求佛道，下化眾生」的學佛修行之心，希望自己以及生生世世的父母 兄弟、六親眷屬，包括所有眾生，都離開地獄，離開三惡道，離開六道生死輪 迴。 

對我們修淨土法門來講，就是「思地獄苦，發往生心」，發起「願生極樂，專 稱彌陀」的心。 

善導大師有兩首偈也讓我們警惕，在《善導大師全集》六四五頁《般舟讚》說： 

一切時中憶地獄，發起增上往生心； 

誓願不做三途業，人天樂報亦無心。 

忽憶地獄長時苦，不捨須臾忘安樂； 

安樂佛國無為地，畢竟安身實是精。 

讀到地獄的種種苦狀，尤其是讀到阿鼻地獄無間受苦，更讓我們發起增上的 往生心。 

Namo Amituofo!

June 28, 2026

June 28, 2026 

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School 

淨土宗妙喻 

Metaphor 64: A Blind Turtle and a Piece of Driftwood 

In “The Purpose of Life” (p. 35), there is a passage about how difficult and rare it is to be born as a human being: “Only in the human realm can one hear the Dharma.” 

Therefore, the human realm offers the best conditions for ordinary beings to be liberated from all afflictions. 

However, Shakyamuni Buddha also says, “Human form is hard to attain. Being born in the human realm is extremely rare.” 

According to the Samyukta-agama Sutra, the Buddha told a famous story known as “A Blind Turtle and a Piece of Driftwood” to illustrate this point.

There was once a blind turtle living at the bottom of a deep ocean. The turtle has an infinitely long lifespan. It comes up to the surface of the ocean only once every 100 years. In this vast ocean is a piece of driftwood with a small hole in its center. The size of the hole is just big enough for the head of the turtle to poke through it. 

What are the odds on the blind turtle encountering the driftwood and getting its head through that hole? It may take a billion or even a trillion years for that to happen. However, being reborn in the human realm from the three wretched realms is even more difficult than this. 

Similarly, the Nirvana Sutra says, “The human body is rare and precious. The number of those who fall into the three wretched realms is as huge as the whole world, while that of those who are reborn as humans is just like specks of dust on my [Shakyamuni Buddha’s] fingernails.” 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

64. 盲龜浮木喻 

《人生之目的》三十五頁也談到人生之難得： 

能夠聽聞佛法只有「人道」，所以，人道是脫離一切苦惱的場所與絕好機 緣。但是釋尊也說：「人身難得」，能夠生到人間界是極其不容易的。在《雜阿 含經》中，釋尊以一段有名的「盲龜浮木」的譬喻，來說明這困難性。其意是： 大海之底有一隻瞎了雙眼的烏龜，壽命無量歲，每一百年，才有機會將頭浮出海面一次；海中有一片浮木，木的中央有一孔，是否盲龜能夠遇到這浮木之 孔呢？這是幾億年幾兆年也非常難的事，但在三惡道中，要轉生人道，比這 還難。 

《涅槃經》也說： 墮三惡道者，如大地土；受生人界者，如爪上土。 

Namo Amituofo!

June 27, 2026

June 27, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

185. An Interpretation of the Four-Line Verse: “The Dharma Assembly of Amitabha’s Deliverance Opens” (6 / 6) 

Conclusion: Crossing Beyond Birth and Death on the Great Ship of Universal Deliverance 

These four lines unfold layer by layer—from Amitabha’s saving activity, to the protection of the sacred assembly, to the universal liberation of beings, and finally to the unanimous praise of all Buddhas. Together they reveal the perfection, excellence, and immeasurable compassion of the Pure Land path:

● “The Dharma assembly of Amitabha’s deliverance opens” — Amitabha has already opened the gate of salvation to all; beings need only have faith in it and accept it. 

● “The Pure Ocean Assembly descends and gathers here” — The sacred assembly compassionately protects and accompanies practitioners. They are never alone. 

● “Widely delivering beings to be born in the Land of Bliss” — Regardless of one's capacities, virtues, or faults, all beings may attain rebirth. 

● “All Buddhas rejoice as their original intent is fulfilled” — The Buddhas of the ten directions unanimously praise and confirm this teaching as the supreme path for liberating beings. 

This is not a narrow path of self-powered practice, in which ordinary beings struggle to find their way. Rather, it is the Great Ship of Universal Deliverance, established through Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow, and certified by all Buddhas throughout the ten directions. 

Whoever is willing to exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, has already stepped aboard this luminous vessel, bound for the Land of Bliss. No longer adrift, no longer lost, the great matter of birth-and-death, and the ultimate goal of Buddhahood have at last found a secure destination. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

185 「彌陀救度法筵開」四句偈解讀 (6/6) 

總結：橫超生死，登上普度大船 

此四句偈從彌陀救度、聖眾護念、廣度眾生、諸佛共讚，層層鋪展，顯示 出淨土法門的殊勝圓滿與無邊慈力：

彌陀救度法筵開：彌陀早已普開法筵，只待眾生信受。 

清淨海眾降臨來：聖眾慈悲護念，念佛人永不孤單。 

廣度眾生生極樂：不論根器、善惡，萬類皆得往生。 

諸佛歡喜暢本懷：十方諸佛同聲讚歎，印可此法門為度生最勝之道。 

這不是凡夫自力、苦苦摸索的修行小徑，而是阿彌陀佛本願所成、十方諸 佛共同證信的「普度大船」。只要願意稱名念佛，便已登上這條通往極樂的光 明航道——不再漂泊、不再迷失，生死大事、成佛大業，從此終於有了著落。 

Namo Amituofo! 

June 26, 2026

June 26, 2026

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

185. An Interpretation of the Four-Line Verse: “The Dharma Assembly of Amitabha’s Deliverance Opens” (5 / 6) 

4. “All Buddhas Rejoice as Their Original Intent Is Fulfilled” 

The Shared Praise of the Buddhas of the Ten Directions 

The phrase “ their original intent is fulfilled ” refers to the realization of the fundamental aspiration of all Buddhas. 

The Buddhas appear in the world for one purpose: to enable sentient beings to leave suffering behind, attain happiness, and ultimately realize Buddhahood. Since the Pure Land teaching enables even beings of the lowest capacities to attain liberation, all Buddhas rejoice and praise it. 

In the Amitabha Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha declares: 

“Just as I now praise the inconceivable merits and benefits of Amitabha Buddha, so too do the Buddhas of the eastern direction... and countless

Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. In their respective lands, they extend their broad and long tongues to reach the 

three-thousand-great-thousand world system, and proclaim these truthful words: ‘You should believe this Sutra, which is praised and protected by all Buddhas.’” 

The sutra then proceeds to describe the Buddhas of the south, west, north, east, above, and below; all proclaiming the same truth. 

This demonstrates that: 

1. All Buddhas Jointly Bear Witness 

The Pure Land teaching is unanimously praised, authenticated, and recommended by the Buddhas throughout the ten directions. 

2. The Fulfillment of the Buddhas’ Original Intention 

Because the Pure Land path enables all beings to ultimately attain Buddhahood, it perfectly fulfills the Buddhas’ compassionate mission of liberating sentient beings; and manifests their boundless wisdom, compassion, and vow-power. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

185 「彌陀救度法筵開」四句偈解讀 (5 /6) 

四、「諸佛歡喜暢本懷」——十方如來的共同讚歎 

「暢本懷」，即實現諸佛的根本願心。諸佛出世，無非為令眾生離苦得樂、 究竟成佛；而唯有淨土法門，能令下根眾生也得解脫，故十方諸佛無不歡喜讚 歎。 

《阿彌陀經》中，釋迦牟尼佛言：「如我今者，讚歎阿彌陀佛不可思議功德 之利。東方亦有阿鞞佛、須彌相佛……如是等恆河沙數諸佛，各於其國，出廣

長舌相，遍覆三千大千世界，說誠實言：『汝等眾生，當信是《稱讚不可思議功 德一切諸佛所護念經》。』」 

此後，佛又連續說到南方、西方、北方、上方、下方的諸佛，也同樣於各自 國土出廣長舌相，宣說相同的誠實之言。 

此說明： 

1.諸佛共證：淨土法門是十方諸佛同聲讚歎、共同證誠與勸信的法門。 2.暢佛本懷：淨土法門能令一切眾生究竟成佛，圓滿諸佛度生之本懷，最 能彰顯諸佛無盡的智慧、慈悲與願力。 

Namo Amituofo!