April 1, 2026

Apr. 1, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

178. Endless Exhortation

Shakyamuni Buddha exhorted three times, saying “You should aspire (to be reborn).” All the Buddhas gave their support by declaring “You should believe this sutra.” Shakyamuni further urged, “All of you should believe and accept my words and those spoken by all of the Buddhas.” 

From this, we know that this exhortation refers to all times, in every thought, and in every place. Shakyamuni Buddha and all the Buddhas ceaselessly and repeatedly encourage beings to believe in and accept Amitabha’s deliverance. If one still refuses to believe and accept, or refuses to make the vow, he is truly like “ stubborn stone that cannot be transformed, or rotten wood that cannot be carved.” 

As Master Shandao says in his In Praise of Dharma Rites : “The Forty-eight Vows earnestly call out; Rely on the power of Amitabha’s vows and go to the Western Land.” 

He also says:“As the World-Honored One was about to conclude his teaching of the Dharma, he earnestly praised the Name of Amitabha.” 

And Master Zhiyi states in Ten Doubts About the Pure Land : “Amitabha Buddha has a particularly deep karmic affinity with the most evil beings of this world. As for the other Buddhas and their Pure Lands, although one or two sutras briefly encourage rebirth there, they are not like the Pure Land of Amitabha. In sutras and treatises everywhere, beings are earnestly and repeatedly urged to seek rebirth there.” 

178 無盡勸囑 

釋尊三勸「應當發願」，諸佛證誠「當信是經」，釋尊又勸「汝等皆當信受我語及 諸佛所說」，可知是時時勸、念念勸、處處勸。釋迦及諸佛如此無窮無盡地迭 相勸導「當信、當願」，如果再不信受，再不發願，實在類似「頑石不可化，朽木 不可雕」了。

善導大師《法事讚》言：四十八願殷勤喚，乘佛願力往西方。 善導大師《法事讚》言：世尊說法時將了，殷勤付囑彌陀名。 

智者大師《淨土十疑論》言：阿彌陀佛，與此世界極惡眾生，偏有因緣。其餘諸 佛一切淨土，雖一經兩經，略勸往生，不如彌陀佛國，處處經論，殷勤叮嚀勸往生也。 

Namo Amituofo! 

March 31, 2026

Mar. 31, 2026 

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

淨土短文 (一) 

11. (continued) 

Amitabha Buddha’s mind, body, and land all consist of True Suchness (the true Self-Nature). This true Self-Nature is vast and boundless. 

There is one Dharma Body (Dharmakaya); “one” means equality without any distinction or differentiation. 

Amitabha’s true reward land is a realm of Nirvana. It pervades everywhere. Therefore, all Buddhas arise from within the realm of the Land of Bliss.

“The pure lotus assembly of the Tathagata is born by transformation from the lotus of Perfect Enlightenment.” Since they are born from Perfect Enlightenment, they likewise realize Perfect Enlightenment—the cause is the same and the result is the same. 

Under the compassionate light of Amitabha’s embrace and protection, beings finally come to enjoy great liberation and great freedom. 

12.續： 

佛心、佛身、佛土皆以真如自性為體，真如自性廣大無邊。 一法身，「一」是平等無差別。 

彌陀真實報土是涅槃境界，遍一切處，故即諸佛亦從極樂界中出。 如來淨華眾，正覺華化生：既是正覺所生，故亦成正覺，因同果同。 在彌陀慈光攝受下，終於享受到大解脫、大自在。

Namo Amituofo!

March 30, 2026

Mar. 30, 2026 

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

淨土短文 (一) 

11. Although the Land of Bliss is said to be a hundred thousand million worlds away from here, when speaking in terms of its traces or appearance, it seems unimaginably distant. Yet the wisdom-nature of Amitabha Buddha encompasses the entire expanse of empty space and all worlds; therefore, there is nowhere that it is not present. 

For this reason, all sentient beings — whenever they think or take a step forward — are already within Amitabha Buddha’s nature. If one reaches out with utmost sincerity and earnestness of heart, there is no one that will fail to receive a response. (From Longshu’s Pure Land Writings, Vol. 8) 

To be reborn in the Land of Bliss actually means rebirth that is beyond birth and death. The Land of Bliss transcends all duality; it is the joy that is unborn and undying. It is the bliss inherently possessed within one’s own true nature, the bliss of the true nature of Nirvana. When ignorance is completely removed, the True Suchness of the Self-Nature fully manifests—this is unconditioned bliss, free from fabrication: non-doing, non-conditioning, and non-arising. 

All beings there receive bodies of naturalness and boundless essence. The “rebirth” in Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land is a birth without birth and without death; it is Immeasurable Life itself — absolute rather than relative. In that very moment, one attains Immeasurable Life. 

(to be continued tomorrow)

11. 極樂世界雖云去此百萬世界，論其蹟則不勝其遠；然佛之慧性，含虛空世 界，故無所不在。 

是以一切眾生，舉意動步，皆在佛之性中，至心懇切，無不應驗。（龍舒淨土文 卷八） 

往生極樂，即不生不滅之謂也。極樂是超越相對性，不生不滅，自性本具之樂 ，自性所生之樂，涅槃真性之樂，無明盡除，真如自性全現之無為樂，無作、 無為、無生。皆受自然虛無之身無極之體。往生彌陀淨土之生是無生無滅之 生，是無量壽，是絕對非相對，即時得無量壽。 

Namo Amituofo! 

March 29, 2026

Mar. 29, 2026 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一)

Answer to Question 32 (continued) 

Amitabha Buddha says, “Even up to ten recitations—if one is not born there, I will not attain Perfect Enlightenment.” Master Shandao also said, “With each thought of reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha, one constantly repents.” Thus, in the very act of reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha moment after moment, we are invisibly 

repenting the various types of uneasiness and wrongdoing within our hearts. When we understand this principle, we will no longer feel anxious or burdened. Now we know that exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha is itself repentance. Therefore, we should single-mindedly and exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. 

Good actions bring good results; evil actions bring evil results. Eating meat carries its karmic consequences. If not for Amitabha’s deliverance, those consequences would inevitably have to be repaid—this must be understood. 

Reflecting on the kind of beings we are—helplessly having killed countless beings and eaten countless lives just to survive—we realize that without Amitabha’s salvation, we would have to repay those debts. When we contemplate our helplessness and the depth of our karmic obstacles, we see all the more that we must entrust ourselves to Amitabha’s deliverance. Amitabha’s deliverance is precisely meant to penetrate into the hearts of such beings and grant them peace of mind. 

“Netherworld” refers to the realm of the departed. The “Precepts for the Netherworld” means that we receive the Five Precepts on behalf of someone who has died. Since the deceased can no longer come to receive the precepts personally, we receive them in their stead; this is called receiving the Precepts for the Netherworld. 

32問：

續答： 

阿彌陀佛說「乃至十念，若不生者，不取正覺」，善導大師也說「念念稱名常 懺悔」，所以，念念稱名之間，無形中就是懺悔我們心中種種的不安。理解這 個道理的時候，我們就不會有掛礙，現在我們曉得，原來念念稱名，就是在懺 悔，因此應一向專念彌陀佛名。 

善有善報，惡有惡報，我們吃肉就有吃肉的果報，如果不是阿彌陀佛來救 度的話，果報非償受不可，這一點要瞭解。 

所以，想到我們這一種眾生，無可奈何，原來是殺了無數眾生、吃了無數 肉才使我們生存的啊！非彌陀的救度不可，不然的話，還要還債給牠們。想 到自己的無可奈何，想到自己的業障深重，才更非信受彌陀的救度不可；而彌陀的救度原來就是要徹入這一種眾生的心中，使他得到安心。 幽冥是指陰間，我們代替死去的人受五戒，因為他已經死了，不能來受戒了， 那我們代替他受，這個叫做受幽冥戒。 

Namo Amituofo!

March 28, 2026

Mar. 28, 2026 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 32: Master, my husband and I practice together. However, he simply cannot give up eating meat. Will this affect his rebirth in the Pure Land? Also, what is meant by the “Precepts for the Netherworld”? 

Answer: Eating meat or not eating meat is not a condition for rebirth. There is no rule that one must eat meat or must be vegetarian in order to attain rebirth. Sentient beings of the ten directions each have different capacities and circumstances. If you are not able to eat meat, then do not eat it. But, if due to circumstances one cannot avoid eating meat, then one eats as one must. 

However, eating meat should not be with the attitude: “Ah, wonderful! I have Amitabha Buddha’s salvation, so I can indulge freely.” It is not like that. In one’s heart, there will naturally arise a sense of shame and remorse. 

Since Amitabha Buddha seeks to deliver all beings of the ten directions, then the piece of meat placed on the table now—was it not also one of those beings whom Amitabha intends to save? Indeed it was. Yet we have killed and eaten it.

Therefore, a sense of remorse will arise in us. It is not that we deliberately wish to kill and eat; rather, our circumstances do not permit otherwise. There is a feeling of shame. If one truly cannot avoid eating meat, then one can only recite Namo Amitabha Buddha —“with sincere mind and joyful faith, aspiring to be born in my land.” Continue with the recitation described as “even up to ten times” Otherwise, what can one do? 

(to be continued tomorrow)

32問：請問師父，我和我丈夫同修，但是他就是斷不了葷腥，這樣影響不影響 往生？順便再問一下，什麼叫幽冥戒？ 

答：吃肉和不吃肉都不是往生的條件，往生沒有規定你要吃肉或者要吃素， 這個都沒有規定。十方眾生各各機緣不一樣，你能夠不吃肉的話，那就不吃， 但是非吃肉不可的話，那就吃。但是你的吃肉並不是說：「哎呀，好啊！我有 阿彌陀佛救度啦，所以可以盡情地吃啊」，不是這樣的，心中自然會有慚愧。 

因為阿彌陀佛是要救度十方眾生，那麼，現在桌上擺的這塊肉，是不是阿 彌陀佛救度的十方眾生之一？是啊！而我們卻把它加以殺、吃，所以，我們 就會有慚愧心。我們不是故意要去殺它、吃它，是我們的環境不許可，有一種 慚愧的心。如果還是非吃不可，那只有念佛——「至心信樂，欲生我國」，之後 就是延續的「乃至十念」的念佛，不然怎麼辦？

Namo Amituofo! 

March 27, 2026

Mar. 27, 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 65: Since it is said that even several days after death one may still attain rebirth through assisted recitation , how should the timing of such recitation for the deceased be arranged? Would reciting for forty-nine days be better? 

A to Q65: Assisted recitation and transcendental deliverance rites should be performed as close as possible to the time of death. They should not be delayed or postponed while waiting for an auspicious date. As for the length of time, it should be determined according to the actual circumstances; in principle, the longer it can be continued, the better.

65問：既然死後多日也可通過助念往生，那時間上應該怎樣安排對死者的 助念？是否念四十九天更好？ 

答：助念、超度應以離亡者死時越近越好，不可拖延、擇日子等；時間長短 ，當據實情，總以越長越好。(06/26) 

Namo Amituofo! 

March 26, 2026

Mar. 26, 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 

Our love is often cold and faint; 

our joy also rises and falls. 

But this peace never withers or declines, 

because Amitabha never changes. 

Amitabha’s compassion and his vow-power 

are the place where we can find our rest.

Amitabha’s Name and his Infinite Light 

will keep us forever secure. 

我們愛心時常冷淡，我們喜樂也常升沉； 

但這平安總不衰殘，因為彌陀永不改變。 

佛的悲心佛的願力，乃是我們安息之所； 

佛的名號佛的光明，要保我們永遠穩妥。

Namo Amituofo!