May 29, 2026

May 29, 2026

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

183. “Welcoming at Ordinary Times” and “Welcoming at the Time of Death” (1 /3) 

“Welcoming” refers to one of the functions by which Amitabha Buddha receives and guides sentient beings to be reborn in the Pure Land. 

The 19th Vow declares: 

“At the moment of death, if I do not appear before that person surrounded by a great assembly, I will not attain perfect Enlightenment.” 

This shows that those who aspire to be born in the Land of Bliss, according to the 19th Vow, will certainly be welcomed by Amitabha when they are about to die. 

It is also said in The Amitabha Sutra:

“Whoever exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha, when that person is about to die, Amitabha Buddha and the assembly of sages will appear before him.” 

From this we know that those who exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha will be welcomed by the Buddha at the time of death. 

This raises the question, why does the 18th Vow not speak of “welcoming at death,” while the 19th Vow specifically mentions it? 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

183 「平生來迎」與「臨終來迎」(1/3) 

「來迎」是阿彌陀佛接引眾生往生的作用之一。 

第十九願誓言：「臨壽終時，假令不與大眾圍繞現其人前者，不取正覺。」 說明依第十九願求生極樂的眾生，在臨終時，佛必定現前來迎。 

《阿彌陀經》言：「執持名號……一心不亂，其人臨命終時，阿彌陀佛與諸 聖眾現在其前。」可知專稱佛名者佛亦臨終來迎。 

然而，為何第十八願不說「臨終來迎」，而在第十九願特別加以說明呢？ 

Namo Amituofo! 

May 28, 2026

May 28, 2026

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

淨土短文 (一) 

16. The Four Non-Retrogressions refer to four kinds of spiritual states or levels from which one will no longer fall back: 

1. Non-Retrogression in Abiding 

A Bodhisattva who has reached the seventh stage or above within the Ten Abodes, will not fall back to the levels of the Two Vehicles—Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. 

2. Non-Retrogression in Practice 

A Bodhisattva who has reached the seventh of the Ten Grounds will not regress from the practices he has cultivated.

3. Non-Retrogression in Mindfulness 

A Bodhisattva of the eighth ground or above naturally and unwaveringly progresses toward the Buddha Path. Even without deliberate effort, the aspiration toward Buddhahood does not waver. 

4. Non-Retrogression in Place 

One who is reborn in the Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha immediately attains the State of Non-Retrogression.

16. 四不退：不退失四種地位、境地。 

(一)住不退：十住位之第七住以上之菩薩，不退轉至聲聞、緣覺之二乘境地。 

(二)行不退：十地中之第七地菩薩，不從其所修之行退轉。 

(三)念不退：第八地以上菩薩，雖不特別精進，進入佛道之念，自然不動。 

(四)處不退：往生彌陀淨土，則得不退轉。

Namo Amituofo!

May 27, 2026

May 27, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Continued Answer to Q37:

On the other hand, we must also evaluate the other person’s capacity. Are they able to accept it? How likely are they to accept it? If we feel that the person cannot accept it at all, or might even slander it, then we should be more cautious. But, if we think the person is able to accept it, we should consider what method can best help them to accept it. Since our goal is to help them receive it, we should at that time employ various kinds of skillful means. 

In short, we must enrich and strengthen ourselves first. Only someone who knows how to swim can rescue a person drowning in the water. If we do not know how to swim, not only can we not save others, we may need others to save us. 

Therefore, we must first receive the benefit. After receiving the benefit, sometimes even without deliberate effort, we will naturally influence others. This is called “benefiting oneself and benefiting others”. Only by benefiting oneself can one benefit others. Only after we believe and accept can we help others to believe and accept. 

If our own acceptance and faith are very shallow, it is not that we cannot help others believe and accept; but, the effect will naturally be quite limited. Therefore, everything must first begin with oneself. 

37問： 

續答：另一方面還要觀察對方的根性，他能不能接受、接受的可能性有多少？ 如果覺得對方完全不能接受，甚至會誹謗，那麼我們就要斟酌了；如果覺得對 方是可以接受的，那用什麼方式才能使對方接受呢？我們的目的是要使他接 受，所以這個時候就要有種種的善巧方便。 

總之，要充實自己，唯有會游泳的人，才能去救沉溺在水中的人；如果自 己不會游泳，不僅談不上救人，反而需要人家來救。所以，我們自己必須先受 益，受益之後，有時候不必刻意，自自然然就會影響到別人。「自利利他」，唯 有自利，才能利他。唯有自己信受之後，才能使人信受。如果自己信受的程度非常膚淺，要讓人家信受，當然不是不可能，只是成分會很低的。所以，一切 要先從自己做起。 

Namo Amituofo!

May 26, 2026

May 26, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 37: 

Just now, after listening to so much of your teaching, I truly believe that, at the time of death, I will receive Amitabha Buddha’s support and go to the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. As an ordinary person, on the one hand, I deeply believe that by exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha one can be reborn in the Western Pure Land. On the other hand, there is the matter of propagating the Dharma. A person like me is quite foolish, not good at expressing myself, and in all aspects of cultivation I really have little to speak of. 

However, I wonder: if I want to further improve my practice, is there some method to increase my wisdom? Would this create any contradiction? 

Please, Master, give your guidance. 

Answer: 

This is exactly what Master Shandao called “having faith oneself and guiding others to have faith”. 

Once you receive Amitabha Buddha’s saving compassion, quite naturally you will, without even realizing it, both believe yourself and encourage others to believe. If at that time you begin to feel your own shortcomings, what should you do then? 

You should read more books on the Pure Land thought of the lineage of Tanluan, Daochuo, and Shandao. At the same time, listen more to recordings that explain these teachings, and reflect on them carefully.

After you truly understand the principles of Amitabha Buddha’s saving compassion, when you speak to others about them, your explanation will naturally have more substance. 

(to be continued tomorrow)

37問：剛才聽您開示這麼多，我確實深信臨終的時候會蒙佛的加被，去西方極 樂世界。作為一個凡夫，一是深信念佛往生西方極樂世界，另外，面臨一個弘 法的問題，像我這個人，挺愚癡的，表達能力也差，修行各方面都談不上，可 是我想：自己要再進一步修行，有什麼方法進一步增加智慧，是不是有矛盾？ 請師父開示。 

答：這個就是善導大師所講的「自信教人信」。 

領受彌陀的救度，不知不覺就會自信教人信，那個時候才會感覺到自己 的缺乏，那怎麼辦呢？要多看曇鸞、道綽、善導一系淨土思想的書，同時多聽 闡述這些思想的錄音帶，能夠加以思惟。領會阿彌陀佛救度的道理之後，再 給人家講就比較有內容。

Namo Amituofo! 

May 25, 2026

May 25, 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 70: 

Why is it that some people spend their whole lives exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha and sincerely aspiring to be reborn in the Pure Land; yet, still ask others to assist them with Buddha-recitation at the time of death? 

Answer: 

This is not because their rebirth is uncertain and they therefore need others to help ensure it. Rather, their rebirth is already assured, and they simply invite fellow lotus friends (fellow practitioners) to accompany them and send them off at the moment of death. 

Examples can be found in The Record of Responses to Buddha-Recitation, Volume 3: 

● Master Yingke (p.135), 

● Hu Songnian (p.147), 

● Dong Ziming (p.151), 

● Zheng Xibin (p.153). 

70問：為什麼有人一生念佛、真願往生，也要人臨終助念？ 

答：此並非往生不定、要人助念，而是往生已定、請蓮友臨終相送而已。如 《念佛感應錄》第三集第135頁瑩珂法師、第147頁胡松年、第151頁董子明、 第153頁鄭錫賓等。 

Namo Amituofo!

May 24, 2026

May 24, 2026

Short Dharma Teaching about the Grace of Deliverance 

救恩法語(二)之愛的心語 

With infinite great compassion, the Tathagata commiserates with beings of the Three Domains. Therefore, he appears in the world to disseminate the teaching of the Way, wishing to save the multitudes by endowing them with real benefits. (The Infinite Life Sutra) 

如來以無盡大悲，矜哀三界，所以出興於世，光闡道教，欲拯濟群萌，惠以真實之利。《無量壽經》 

Namo Amituofo!

May 23, 2026

May 23, 2026

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

慧淨法師之「人生之實相」 

Human life is suffering; the sea of suffering is boundless. 

This is the starting point of Buddhism. 

But from where, ultimately, do these sufferings and afflictions arise?

人生是苦，苦海無邊。此是佛教之出發點。然此苦惱，究竟從何處發生。 

Namo Amituofo!