July 28, 2026

July 28, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

187. Self-Doing, Self-Receiving; Other-Doing, Self-Receiving; Self-Doing, Other-Receiving (3 /4)

3. Self-Doing, Other-Receiving (From Amitabha's Perspective) 

From Amitabha Buddha's standpoint, this causality is "self-doing, other-receiving." The vows He made and the practices He cultivated all had a single purpose: to dedicate their resulting merits and virtues to sentient beings throughout the ten directions. 

Through this dedication, sentient beings receive merits with which to repay and overcome their karmic obstacles. These merits serve as provisions for rebirth in the Land of Bliss, and enable them to attain Buddhahood swiftly once they arrive there. 

Worldly Examples of "Other-Doing, Self-Receiving" and "Self-Doing, Other-Receiving" 

Similar examples can also be found in ordinary life. 

1. The Relationship Between Parent and Child 

When a father earns money and leaves it to his son, from the father's standpoint it is "self-doing, other-receiving." From the son's standpoint, it is "other-doing, self-receiving." 

Conversely, when a son earns money and supports his parents, from the son's standpoint it is "self-doing, other-receiving," while from the parents' standpoint it is "other-doing, self-receiving." 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

187. 自作自受、他作自受、自作他受 (3/ 4) 

三、自作他受（從彌陀角度看）

就阿彌陀佛而言，這個因果就是「自作他受」。阿彌陀佛所發的願、所修的 行，都有一個目的，就是要迴施給十方眾生，讓十方眾生有功德可以償還業 障，有功德作為往生極樂世界的資糧，而且到極樂世界能夠快速成佛。 

他力的「他作自受」與「自作他受」，世間也有相似的例子： 

1.父子關係 

父親賺錢留給兒子，就父親的立場是「自作他受」；就兒子的立場是「他作 自受」。反過來，兒子賺錢供養父母，站在兒子的立場是「自作他受」，站在父 母的立場是「他作自受」。 

Namo Amituofo! 

July 27, 2026

July 27, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

187. Self-Doing, Self-Receiving; Other-Doing, Self-Receiving; Self-Doing, Other-Receiving (2 /4) 

2. Other-Doing, Self-Receiving (From the Perspective of Sentient Beings) 

The Pure Land School is an other-powered teaching. It is based on "another's cause and one's own result," that is, "other-doing, self-receiving." The merits and virtues accomplished by Amitabha Buddha are received and enjoyed by sentient beings throughout the ten directions. 

What ordinary beings are capable of accumulating are merely karmic defilements and wrongdoings. Amitabha Buddha, however, gathered all of His perfect merits and virtues into His Great Name of Infinite Virtue and dedicated them to sentient beings as a gift. 

When ordinary beings accept Amitabha's compassionate salvation in faith, and exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, they naturally acquire the necessary "condition" (pratyaya). What condition is this? It is the condition of the Buddha's power, what Master Shandao called "relying upon Amitabha’s Vow-Power."

In his Method of Contemplation and Recitation, Master Shandao explained Amitabha’s 18th Vow in 32 Chinese characters: 

“If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the ten directions, who aspire to be born in my land, and recite Namo Amitabha Buddha even as few as ten times, do not attain birth there by relying upon my Vow-Power, then I shall not attain Perfect Enlightenment.” 

From Amitabha Buddha's perspective, it is "relying upon My Vow-Power." From the perspective of sentient beings, it is "relying upon His Vow-Power." As long as one recites Namo Amitabha Buddha, one naturally relies upon the power of Amitabha's merits and virtues. 

Viewed in terms of cause, condition, and result: 

● For Amitabha Buddha: his Vow is the cause, cultivation and practice are the conditions, and Buddhahood is the result. 

● For sentient beings: recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha is the cause, the Buddha's power is the condition, and rebirth in the Pure Land is the result. 

Thus, both fully accord with the Law of Cause and Effect. 

To be reborn in Amitabha's Pure Land ultimately means to attain Buddhahood. Therefore, "rebirth" is actually an abbreviated expression; the complete meaning is "rebirth and attainment of Buddhahood." 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

187. 自作自受、他作自受、自作他受 (2/ 4) 

二、他作自受（從眾生角度看）

淨土宗是他力法門，屬於「他因自果」，也就是「他作自受」──阿彌陀佛所 成就的功德，由十方眾生受用。 

凡夫所能累積的只是罪業，但阿彌陀佛把自己圓滿的功德總攝於萬德洪 名，迴向施與眾生。凡夫若信受彌陀的慈悲救度、專稱彌陀佛名，自然就有了 「緣」。什麼緣？就是「佛的力量」這個緣，也就是善導大師所說的「乘我願力」。 

善導大師在《觀念法門》中以三十二字解釋第十八願： 

若我成佛，十方眾生，願生我國，稱我名字，下至十聲，乘我願力，若不生者，不取正覺。 

就阿彌陀佛而言，是「乘我願力」；就眾生而言，則是「乘彼願力」。只要念 佛，自然就靠上了阿彌陀佛的功德力。 

以因緣果的關係來看，阿彌陀佛是以發願為因，修行為緣，成佛為果；眾 生是以念佛為因，佛力為緣，往生為果，所以都符合因果的道理。 

往生彌陀淨土，即代表「成佛」。所以，「往生」是簡略的說法，完整應是「往 生成佛」。 

Namo Amituofo! 

July 26, 2026

July 26, 2026 

Common Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

187. Self-Doing, Self-Receiving; Other-Doing, Self-Receiving; Self-Doing, Other-Receiving (1 /4) 

Buddhism is founded upon the law of cause and effect (karma). No Dharma teaching can ever contradict causality. However, the way causality manifests differs according to the particular Dharma gate. The following discussion examines the differences between the Path of Sages and the Pure Land Path from three perspectives: the self-powered principle of "self-doing, self-receiving", and the

other-powered principles of "other-doing, self-receiving" and "self-doing, other-receiving." 

1. Self-Doing, Self-Receiving (The Self-Powered Causality of the Sacred Path) 

The Sacred Path is a self-powered teaching. It is based on "one's own cause and one's own result," that is, "self-doing, self-receiving." One creates wholesome causes and personally receives pleasant results; one creates unwholesome causes and undergoes painful results. Good deeds bring good rewards, and evil deeds bring evil consequences. Everything must be borne by oneself. 

For example, when you eat, you become full; when you study diligently, you achieve good results. When another person drinks alcohol, that person becomes intoxicated; when another person works hard, that person receives the reward. Each individual experiences his or her own karmic results. As the saying goes, "You reap what you sow." Only after sweating and laboring in the field can one fully enjoy a joyful harvest. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

187. 自作自受、他作自受、自作他受 (1/ 4) 

佛法建立在因果上，任何法門都不可能違背因果。但因果的呈現方式，卻因 法門的不同而有所差別。以下從三個角度，來看因果在聖道門與淨土門中的 差別：自力的「自作自受」，以及他力的「他作自受」與「自作他受」。 

一、自作自受（聖道門的自力因果） 

聖道門是自力法門，屬於「自因自果」，也就是「自作自受」──自己造善因 ，自己得樂果；自己造惡因，自己受苦果。善有善報，惡有惡報，一切都要自己 承擔。

譬如：自己吃飯自己飽，自己用功自己成績好；他人喝酒他人醉，他人努 力他人得──這都是各自承受果報，所謂「要怎麼收穫，就怎麼耕耘」，也唯有 流汗耕耘之後，才有歡喜踴躍的收穫。

Namo Amituofo! 

July 25, 2026

July 25, 2026 

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

淨土短文 (一) 

20. The Main Meaning of the Chapter on Perfect Penetration Through Mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha Can Be Summarized with Five Points: 

1. It explains the principle by which mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha enables one to draw near to the Buddha, see the Buddha, and ultimately become a Buddha. The principle of this is that Amitabha remembers sentient beings, and sentient beings remember Amitabha. When Amitabha and beings mutually recollect one another, they attract each other just as magnets do. As a result, the practitioner’s "aptitude" and the Dharma ("teaching") become one reality. Amitabha Buddha and ordinary beings are no longer separated. Therefore, one can draw near to Amitabha Buddha, see Amitabha, and attain Buddhahood. 

2. It also reveals Amitabha’s mind. Where is Amitabha’s mind? It is found in sentient beings who exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. 

3. This clarifies the relationship between Amitabha Buddha and sentient beings. 

4. It explains the cause and attainment (the practice and realization) of Great Strength Bodhisattva (Mahasthamaprapta). 

5. It shows the basis by which one attains Samadhi. 

The first three points demonstrate that the Pure Land teaching is both an easy-to-practice path and, at the same time, a supremely excellent, perfect, and sudden Dharma gate.

20. 圓通章大意有五： 

一、念佛之能近佛、見佛、成佛的原理，亦即佛生憶念。佛生憶念，如磁相吸， 即能機法一體，佛凡不離，故能近佛、見佛、成佛。 

二、亦在開示佛心。佛心在哪裡？佛心在眾生身上。 

三、開示佛與眾生的關係。 

四、說明大勢至菩薩的因果。 

五、表明得三摩地之由。 

前三顯示淨土宗，是既易行又殊勝的圓頓法門。

Namo Amituofo! 

July 24, 2026

July 24, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Answer to Q41 continued (3 /3): 

For example, suppose we swallow a fragrant medicinal pill. Every breath we exhale carries its fragrance. From morning until night, countless fragrant breaths emerge, yet all of them originate from that single pill within us. 

Namo Amitabha Buddha is like that fragrant pill. 

Each recitation is like a breath carrying its fragrance. Even if there are millions of fragrant breaths, they all come from that one pill. Likewise, even if there are millions of recitations, they all come from Amitabha. 

It is the "fragrant pill" of the Name that enables our rebirth in the Pure Land. The recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha is simply the manifestation of that Name.

It is not that we are inwardly empty and must rely on how many times we recite today, how many offenses we eliminate, how much merit we accumulate, or how much confidence we gain through our own efforts in order to secure rebirth. That is not the way it works. 

Of course, for one who has accepted Amitabha's deliverance in faith, the greatest matter in the world is the grace of Amitabha's salvation. Therefore, such a person will naturally remember Amitabha and recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, while other worldly concerns gradually fade into the background. 

As the saying goes: 

"When thoughts of the Way are strong, worldly thoughts become weak; 

when worldly thoughts are strong, thoughts of the Way become weak." 

Therefore, a person who has truly accepted Amitabha's deliverance will naturally remember him and recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. 

續答 (3 /3)： 

比如說，我們吃了一粒妙香丸在肚子裏，一呼出來的口氣就有香味，從早呼 吸到晚，呼出來的香味就很多，可是沒有離開肚子裏的香丸。 

名號就好比香丸，我們每一聲稱名，就好比呼出來的一口香氣，千萬次呼吸 的香氣也就是這一粒香丸，千萬聲的稱名就是這句名號，就是這個名號香丸 讓我們往生。名號香丸顯現出來就是稱名。 

不是說我們裏面空空的，然後才靠我們今天念了多少聲、滅了多少罪、增長 多少功德、對往生有多少把握，不是這樣的。 

當然，信受彌陀救度的人，對他來說，天下最重大的事情就是彌陀的救恩，所 以他會自然地去憶佛念佛，其他的事情就會淡了。

有句語說：「道念濃厚，俗念就淡薄；世念濃厚，道念就淡薄。」所以，信受彌陀 救度的人自然會憶佛念佛。 

Namo Amituofo!

July 23, 2026

July 23, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Answer to Q41 continued (2 /3): 

As for your second question, the Pure Land path is like a round-trip ticket. Once we arrive in the Land of Bliss, we will naturally return to this world to liberate sentient beings.

However, your viewpoint is that since we will still have to learn after reaching the Pure Land, we should first learn as much as possible here. This understanding is somewhat mistaken. 

The Pure Land teaching is a Dharma-door that turns iron into gold. 

No matter how ignorant we may be here, even if we can barely read, once we are reborn in the Pure Land our Buddha-nature immediately manifests. Infinite compassion, wisdom, vows, eloquence, hundreds and thousands of dhāraṇīs, the Three Insights, and the Six Supernormal Powers—all become fully present. 

This does not depend on how much we have learned now, nor on how much knowledge we have accumulated in this life. 

Therefore, if you have time now, recite Namo Amitabha Buddha and study the teachings and principles of the Pure Land path. Then, having faith yourself, help others to develop faith. This is the greatest way to repay the Buddha's kindness. 

As I mentioned earlier, practice should be adapted to each person's capacities and circumstances. Those who have more time may recite more; those who have less time may recite less. 

Exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha is the expression of having been saved by Amitabha Buddha; the natural outflow of faith, and the joy that arises from receiving His deliverance. 

(to be continued tomorrow)

續答 (2 /3)： 

第二點，淨土法門是來回票，到極樂世界一定自自然然會到這個世間救度眾 生。 

而你那個觀點認為：我們到極樂世界還要再學，與其到那裏再學，不如我們在 這裏先學一點，這有點不正確，不是這樣的。

淨土法門是點鐵成金的法門，儘管我們在這裏很愚癡，甚至不認幾個字，可 是往生之後立刻佛性現前，無量的慈悲、智慧、願力、辯才，百千陀羅尼、三 明六通，通通具足，不假借你現在要學什麼、累積多少，不用。 

你現在有時間就念佛，或者看這方面的教理，然後自信教人信，這就是最大 的報佛恩。 

我剛才說，隨各人的根機，有時間的人多念一些，沒有時間的人少念一些。念 佛是被阿彌陀佛救度，信心的流露，救度的法喜。 

Namo Amituofo!

July 22, 2026

July 22, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 41: Master, I have two questions. 

First, in the past I had a fixed daily practice: in the morning I recited the Forty-Eight Vows from the Infinite Life Sutra, and in the evening I recited Chapters 33 to 37, followed by the Buddha's Name. Since I had a regular schedule of practice, what should my daily practice be now? 

Second, after reaching the Land of Bliss, we will still have to return to save sentient beings. Wouldn't it be better to learn as much as possible now? If we still have to study after arriving in the Land of Bliss, shouldn't we hurry and learn more while we are here? Is this way of thinking correct? 

Answer to Q41:

Regarding a fixed daily practice, it varies from person to person. 

If you have the time, you may recite the Infinite Life Sutra. You may also recite the Forty-Eight Vows, or the Amitabha Sutra. However, once you understand the teachings and their meaning, there is no need to continue reciting the sutras. You may simply devote yourself to the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha. Your morning and evening practice can consist entirely of: "Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha..." There is no need to recite the sutras. 

The primary purpose of the sutras is to help us understand their meaning and practice according to their teachings. The main focus should be the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha with faith in Amitabha’s boundless compassion. 

For example, the Infinite Life Sutra teaches Amitabha Buddha's deliverance of sentient beings. Yet some people have recited it thousands of times without understanding what Amitabha's deliverance actually means. They do not understand the origin of Namo Amitabha Buddha, nor its principles and significance. In that case, they do not fully appreciate the very purpose for which Shakyamuni Buddha appeared in this world, and Amitabha Buddha's five kalpas of contemplation and inconceivably long ages of arduous practice. For ten kalpas he has been reaching out and seeking to save us. 

Therefore, your morning and evening practices may consist of the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha. At other times, you can read the Infinite Life Sutra or books that explain the doctrines and principles of the Pure Land teaching. 

That is the answer to your first question. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

 

41問：請問師父兩個問題：第一、過去早上念《無量壽經》四十八願，晚上念三 十三至三十七品，再念佛號，有定課，現在的定課怎麼做？第二、到了極樂世界，還要回來度眾生，不如現在趕緊多學，到極樂世界還學，這種想法不知對不對？ 

答 (1 /3)：定課因人而異，有時間誦《無量壽經》也可以，或者誦四十八願也可 以，或者誦《阿彌陀經》也可以。不過你如果瞭解教義之後，不必誦經，你專門 念佛就可以了，早晚課都是「南無阿彌陀佛、南無阿彌陀佛……」其他經典不 用念。 

經典主要是讓我們瞭解意義、依教奉行的，主要不在讀誦。讀誦如果不懂經 義，得到讀誦的一點點功德而已。像《無量壽經》在說阿彌陀佛的救度，可是 我們誦了幾千遍，還不曉得彌陀救度是什麼，這句六字名號的來源、它的原 理通通不懂得，枉費了釋迦牟尼佛出世的本懷，也辜負了阿彌陀佛五劫思 

惟、兆載永劫的苦行啊！阿彌陀佛都在那裏傷心流淚了。他站在那裏十劫， 手伸了很久，就是為了呼喚我們、救度我們。 

所以，早晚可以通通念佛，其他時間再去看《無量壽經》，或者看闡述淨土法 門教理的著作。這是第一點。 

Namo Amituofo!