Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Answer to Q33: (2 /6)
If Amitabha’s Name were compared to a ship or an airplane, then once you recite the Name, you are already on board. When you understand this principle, you will exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha throughout your life. For beings like us, only Amitabha Buddha can be our fundamental source of refuge, our savior, our
master, and our very life. There is no second savior we can rely upon. Therefore, in our Buddhist hall it is enough to enshrine Amitabha Buddha, or at most the Three Sacred Ones of the Western Pure Land.
Master Shandao said in his Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra in Four Fascicles, “when we recite, we should exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.” If we bow, we bow only to Amitabha. If we contemplate something, it should only be our future homeland — Amitabha’s Pure Land. If we make offerings or praise, we direct them only to Amitabha. Our mind remains single and focused. It is like
entering a highway where one can only move forward and not turn back. Once we reach the destination, there are no side roads. In this way we will no longer return to the cycle of the six realms. Once we board, we will certainly arrive at the Land of Bliss.
(to be continued tomorrow)
33問 (2 /6)：
這句名號如果是一艘船，或是一架飛機的話，你稱念這句名號，就已經在 船中或飛機上了，你懂得這個道理的話，自然會一生不變地稱名念佛，因為 像我們這種眾生，唯有以阿彌陀佛為我們的本尊、為我們的救主、為我們的 主人、為我們的生命，再也沒有第二個本尊、第二位救主可以讓我們依靠，因 此，我們佛堂只要供一尊阿彌陀佛，頂多西方三聖就好。
善導大師在《觀經四帖疏》裏說：我們如果稱名，就一心專稱「南無阿彌陀 佛」名號；禮拜，就一心專拜阿彌陀佛；觀想（這個觀想不是《觀經》的十三種定 觀，而是想像我們未來所要去的那個美好的家園，這個想像），也是只想像我 們的家園，不想像其他十方佛國；供養讚歎，也只供養讚歎阿彌陀佛。這一顆 心始終都是專一的，好像上了高速公路，只能前進，不能後退，一旦停下來，就到了目的地了，沒有岔路。所以，使我們不會再回到六道輪迴去。不上則已 ，一上就必定到極樂世界。
Namo Amituofo!
