Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II)
淨土釋疑(二)
Answer to Q49 (2 / 9)
For example, in the highest grade, the Infinite Life Sutra mentions leaving the household life, giving rise to the Bodhi Mind, and so forth. Yet even if one leaves the household life or gives rise to the Bodhi Mind, one must still “exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.”
The meaning of “exclusively reciting” is that although you may be capable of practicing morality, meditation, wisdom, carrying out the Six Paramitas, and all other practices; your rebirth still depends upon exclusively and reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha. It does not depend upon those practices that you accomplish through your own effort.
If one relies on one’s own practices and dedicates their merit toward rebirth, this is what Master Shandao called the “Path of Importance”, rather than the “Path of the Great Vow.”
The same applies to the middle and lower grades. Although the practitioners’ capacities differ, all three grades emphasize exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha.
Thus, the meaning of the Three Grades is to guide beings of all three capacities toward exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha and rebirth in the Pure Land. Otherwise, one will fall into a “womb-born” rebirth, which is the result of doubt regarding the Buddha’s wisdom.
(to be continued tomorrow)
續答 (2 /9):
譬如上輩中雖有提到出家、發菩提心等等，即使出家或發菩提心也是要一向 專念無量壽佛名，「一向專念」的意思是，儘管你能修戒定慧、行六度萬行，但 往生還是靠一向專稱彌陀佛名，不是靠自己的那些修持，如果靠自修的那些 迴向求生，就是善導大師說的「要門」，不是「弘願門」了。中輩也好，下輩也好 ，根機雖有不同，但都強調要一向專念無量壽佛，所以說「三輩」的意思是要 引導三輩眾生一向念佛往生極樂世界，進入彌陀報土，不然就會落入「胎生」 ，也就是疑惑佛智的現象。
Namo Amituofo!
