April 17, 2026

Apr. 17, 2026 

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

慧淨法師之「人生之實相」 

For sinful ordinary beings, wishing to escape Saṃsara in this life by relying on self-power, is like trying to wash off oil with oil—it is simply impossible. 

罪惡凡夫，今生欲靠自力出離，如油洗油，無有是理。 

Namo Amituofo!

April 16, 2026

Apr. 16, 2026 

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School 

淨土宗妙喻 

Metaphor 58: Amitabha’s Name is Like a Credit Card 

Recite Amitabha’s Name with Faith

The institution in Taiwan that owns the most money is the Central Bank. If Amitabha’s merits and virtues, as contained in “Namo Amituofo,” are the equivalent of the reserve in the Central Bank, we Amitabha-reciters, who take refuge in Amitabha Buddha, are analogous to creditors entitled to the money in the Bank. 

Metaphorically, exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha acts like a credit card issued by the central bank, allowing those who recite unrestricted withdrawals of the merits. Such merits not only eliminate our karmic obstructions, but they also help us connect with others through dedication of the merits. 

Master Shandao says, “Amitabha Buddha made a profound and weighty vow — to embrace sentient beings in all directions with both his light and his name, in order to induce them to recite with faith.” 

In short, Amitabha’s name has been given to sentient beings for our benefit , whether in the present life or beyond. All we need to do is accept the gift, believe in it, and exclusively recite it. 

58. 銀行卡喻 

信心求念 

在我們臺灣，錢最多的政府單位是哪裡？中央銀行嗎？假如中央銀行所 有的錢，就如同阿彌陀佛的功德，也就是「南無阿彌陀佛」這六字洪名，那我 們歸命的人，就等同擁有了中央銀行的所有錢財，對不對？（眾答：對！） 

所以，這句名號能讓我們支取出來，消我們的業障，也能讓我們迴向，來 跟其他的人結緣，這六字洪名等同中央銀行的一張金融卡，讓我們自由支 配。 

善導大師說：「彌陀世尊本發深重誓願，以光明名號攝化十方，但使信心 求念。」 

所以，這句名號是讓我們眾生信受、稱念的，不管眾生稱念這句名號是為了 現世利益也好、是為了當來利益也好，都可以信心求念。

Namo Amituofo! 

April 15, 2026

Apr. 15, 2026

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

179. What Kind of Pure Land Is the Land of Bliss? (3/3) 

Regarding the patriarchs of past generations: 

● Vasubandhu Bodhisattva, in his Treatise on Rebirth, explained the twenty-nine kinds of adornments of the Pure Land—concerning both the land and the beings within it—and stated that it is not a realm where the Two Vehicles or beings within the three realms can dwell. 

● Master Daochuo, in his Collection on Peace and Bliss, cited the Same Nature Mahayana Sutra to determine that the Western Land of Bliss is a Reward Land. 

● Master Shandao, in his Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra in Four Fascicles, concluded that the Dharma-gate of Amitabha allows ordinary beings to enter the Reward Land. 

Therefore, practitioners who exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha should understand that, according to the doctrinal interpretations of these Pure Land patriarchs, the Land of Bliss is the Reward Land of the Reward Buddha. 

Although this differs somewhat from the Tiantai classification of the Three Bodies and Four Lands, each approach has its own skillful means. The situation described as “womb birth in a transformation land” simply refers to those reborn who harbor doubts about the Buddha’s wisdom and temporarily remain inside the lotus bud. 

When we compare the related sutra passages, we can infer that the “borderland city of doubt” refers precisely to this womb birth, which is likened to a

transformation land. The lotus palace itself is still within the Reward Land. Remaining within the lotus bud is only temporary. As soon as the doubt is exhausted, the lotus flower opens, and one immediately emerges — equally experiencing transformation birth in the Reward Land. 

179 極樂世界是什麼樣的淨土？(3/3) 

就歷代祖師大德而言，天親菩薩於《往生論》中，闡明極樂依正二十九種 莊嚴，非二乘三界能居。道綽大師於《安樂集》中，則引《大乘同性經》而判定 西方極樂世界為報土；善導大師則於《觀經四帖疏》中，判彌陀法門為凡夫入 報。 

念佛人應知，淨土宗祖師依經典教判，極樂世界乃是報佛報土。雖然這與 天臺的三身四土教判不盡相同，但各有善巧方便。而化土胎生之景象，也不 過就是「往生者疑惑佛智，暫時處於蓮苞內」的狀況。比對相關經文，就可以 推知，「邊地疑城」即是所比喻的「化土胎生」，而蓮宮也是生在報土之中，住 胎不過是一時的，只要疑惑一盡，隨即蓮花開敷，同樣化生於報土。 

Namo Amituofo! 

April 14, 2026

Apr. 14, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

179. What Kind of Pure Land Is the Land of Bliss? (2/3)

Transformation birth: 

Because one relies upon the Buddha’s Vow, the enjoyment of all the adornments of that land and its beings is equal and without distinction. Therefore it is called the Reward Land. 

Womb birth: 

Because of doubt regarding the Buddha’s wisdom, one is reborn in the lotus palace, like being inside a womb. By analogy, this is referred to as a Transformation Land. 

As practitioners who rely on faith, vow, and the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha; although we respect the viewpoints of great patriarchs from other traditions, we should clearly understand that according to our scriptures, those reborn in the Pure Land are simply of two kinds: 

(1) Transformation birth in the Reward Land, and 

(2) Womb birth that is likened to a Transformation Land. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

179 極樂世界是什麼樣的淨土？(2 /3) 

化生：託佛願故，一切依正莊嚴的受用平等無別，稱為報土。 胎生：因疑惑佛智，往生於蓮宮，如在胎中，比喻為化土。 

身為信願念佛人，雖然尊重他宗祖師大德的觀點，但應如實了知，淨土宗 念佛往生者與所生佛土，依經典所述，就是報土化生，以及喻為化土胎生二 種而已。

Namo Amituofo! 

April 13, 2026

Apr. 13, 2026

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識

179. What Kind of Pure Land is the Land of Bliss? (1/3) 

The great master of the Tiantai school, Master Zhizhe, established a doctrinal classification regarding the Buddha-lands. He taught the system of the Three Bodies : the Dharma Body (Dharmakaya), Reward Body (Sambhogakaya), and Transformation Body (Nirmaṇakaya). In addition, he classified the Four Lands: the 

Land Where Ordinary Beings and Saints Dwell Together, the Land of Expedient Liberation, the Land of Real Reward and Adorned Virtue, and the Land of Eternal Quiescent Light. 

Since ancient times, people have often used this framework to classify the Western Pure Land and to determine in which land the beings reborn in the Nine Grades of Rebirth reside. According to this view: 

● Those who have not yet attained Arhatship dwell in the Land Where Ordinary Beings and Saints Dwell Together. 

● Those who have attained Arhatship or are bodhisattvas prior to the first Bhumi (ground) , dwell in the Land of Expedient Liberation. 

● Those who have transcended the Bhumis (Bodhisattva Grounds) and realized the Dharma-body, dwell in the Land of Real Reward and Adorned Virtue. 

● Those who have perfectly realized the Buddha-body dwell in the Land of Eternal Quiescent Light. 

Master Zhizhe’s lifelong practice and his doctrinal wisdom are worthy of admiration and reverence. However, the Pure Land School was established based on the Three Pure Land Sutras and the One Treatise. These teachings reveal that beings who are reborn in the Western Pure Land through the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha, in fact fall into only two categories: transformation birth and womb birth. 

This is what Shakyamuni Buddha taught in the Infinite Life Sutra, and it should not be regarded as inferior to the doctrinal classifications of any patriarch. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

179 極樂世界是什麼樣的淨土？(1/3) 

一代大師天臺智者，對於佛土觀點，有三身四土之教判，即法、報、化三 身，以及凡聖同居土、方便有餘土、實報莊嚴土、常寂光土四土。自古以來， 習慣上也多以這個觀點來判西方淨土，以及九品往生者所居何土──未證阿 羅漢者，住凡聖同居；證阿羅漢及地前菩薩，住方便有餘；登地證法身者，住 實報莊嚴；圓證佛身者，住常寂光土。 

智者大師一生的行持及教判智慧雖然值得推崇、景仰，但對於依「淨土三 經一論」而創立的淨土宗而言，往生西方之念佛人，事實上只有化生和胎生二 種。此乃釋尊於《無量壽經》所說，不應低於任何祖師之教判。 

Namo Amituofo! 

April 12, 2026

Apr. 12, 2026 

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

淨土短文 (一) 

12. After being reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land, all become pure bodhisattvas, who will not regress, and are destined to attain Buddhahood in one more lifetime. ( one-lifetime-to-Buddhahood bodhisattvas). 

Those who are reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land should not take inferior or shallow good deeds as their fundamental basis. 

“Hold fast to the Name and wish to hear it. When it is heard, one wishes to recollect it with the mind neither confused nor scattered.” 

(Sanskrit version of the Amitabha Sutra) 

12. 往生彌陀淨土之後，都是清淨、不退轉，一生補處的菩薩。 往生彌陀淨土的眾生，不可唯以下劣的善為根本的。 

執持名號，願聞其聞，願憶念，……心不迷亂，願憶念。（梵文小經） 

Namo Amituofo!

April 11, 2026

Apr. 11, 2026 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一)

Answer to Q33: (6 /6) 

But when one has received Amitabha’s Paramitas, it is different. If others truly need help, we will give without even considering ourselves, because what we have received is already so abundant. When insulted or slandered, instead of 

merely enduring it, we may ask the other person to forgive us. After all, who have we not wronged in past lives? Who has not suffered insults from us? If not for such karmic entanglements, we would not be beings without the conditions to escape samsara. 

When we understand these principles, our hearts naturally soften. This is what is called “becoming gentle upon encountering the Buddha’s light.” When we exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, we receive Amitabha’s light and our bodies and minds become soft and gentle. 

However, reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha can be done in two ways: self-power recitation and other-power recitation. To practice recitation with reliance on other-power, one must understand the principle and true meaning of the six-characters (“Namo Amitabha Buddha”). Everything we have discussed today explains the principle and true meaning of Namo Amitabha Buddha. Then we understand that we are naturally embraced and protected by Amitabha’s light, and gradually transformed. 

33問 (6 /6)： 

但是，領受阿彌陀佛的救度就不同了，對方真正需要的話，甚至不考慮自 己，因為我們所得的太豐富了嘛；受到人家謾罵、侮辱，以前是忍辱，現在反 而要求他來原諒我們。哪一個人不是我們欠他的？哪一個人沒有受到我們的 謾罵、侮辱（如果不是這樣，我們就容易解脫了，就不是「無有出離之緣」的人 了）？能夠體悟到這些道理，我們的心自然就會軟化，所謂「觸光柔軟」（即稱 念這句名號，就會觸到彌陀的光明，就會變得身心柔軟）。

不過，稱名既然有自力稱名和他力稱名，而他力稱名總要去瞭解六字名號的 原理、真義。那麼，我們今天所講的，都是六字名號的原理，瞭解六字名號的 真義，無形之中就是在受彌陀光明的攝護，就在觸光，就會有所改變。

Namo Amituofo!