February 22, 2026

Feb.22, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

175. The Five Kinds of Difficulties (4 /5) 

What is meant by the Easy Path? “ Simply relying on faith in Amitabha Buddha as the causal condition and aspiring to be born in the Pure Land are crucial.” The

word “simply” means “only” or “exclusively.” It indicates exclusive acceptance of Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance and the aspiration to be born in Amitabha’s Pure Land. If one does not exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha; but instead, practices mixed methods or relies concurrently on other Buddhas or bodhisattvas, then it is no longer the Easy Path. 

“ Being transported by the power of Amitabha Buddha’s vows, one attains rebirth in his Pure Land. Sustained by the Buddha’s power, one immediately enters the rightly established group of Mahayana.” 

So long as one entrusts oneself to Amitabha’s deliverance and aspires for rebirth in his Pure Land, one can, after this very lifetime, be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Upon reaching the Land of Bliss, because of the sustaining power of the Buddha, one immediately enters the rightly established group of the Mahayana and achieves non-retrogression.” 

“It is like joyfully riding in a boat over smooth water. Just as riding in a boat is easy and pleasant, so too is the Easy Path.” 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

175 五種難 (4 /5) 

所謂易行道，「謂但以信佛因緣，願生淨土」，這兩句是很關鍵的。「但」就 是「唯」的意思，唯一無二就是「但」。也就是唯一信受彌陀的救度，而願生彌 陀淨土；如果不是專一信受彌陀的救度，而是雜修其他的法門，或兼靠其他的 佛菩薩，那就不是易行道了。 

「乘佛願力，便得往生彼清淨土；佛力住持，即入大乘正定之聚。」只要信 受彌陀救度、願生彌陀淨土，就能夠乘著阿彌陀佛的願力，在這一輩子就往

生到極樂世界；到了極樂世界，因為有佛力的加持，使得當下就進入大乘正定 之聚，「正定即是阿毗跋致」，就是不退轉。 

「譬如水路，乘船則樂」，就好像坐船一樣，輕鬆快樂，這就是易行道。 

Namo Amituofo! 

February 21, 2026

Feb. 21, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

175. The Five Kinds of Difficulties (3 /5) 

The third chart presents these points in terms of corresponding contrasts:

1. Inner vs. outer: non-Buddhists represent outer paths; the bodhisattva Dharma is the inner path. 

2. Lesser vs. greater: Sravakas belong to the Lesser Vehicle; great compassion belongs to the Mahayana. 

3. Good vs. evil: reckless and evil persons obstruct the superior virtues of practitioners. 

4. Defiled vs. pure: inverted teachings are defiled, while pure conduct (brahma-carya) is undefiled. 

5. Self vs. other: one relies delusively on self-power; the other relies entirely on the Other power of Amitabha Buddha’s vows. 

Master Tanluan explains that all of the above obstacles are visible everywhere; therefore, this is called the Difficult Path. He then immediately elucidates the meaning of the Easy Path: 

The Easy Path refers to simply relying on the causal conditions of faith in Amitabha Buddha, aspiring to be born in the Pure Land; and, by relying on the power of Amitabha’s vows, attaining rebirth in the Pure Land. By fully relying on Amitabha Buddha’s power, one immediately enters the rightly established group of the Mahayana; and achieves non- retrogression. It is like joyfully traveling by water in a boat. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

175 五種難 (3/5) 

第三組是相對的關係。

一、內外對：外道是其他宗教，內道是菩薩法。 

二、大小對：聲聞是小乘，大慈悲是大乘。 

三、善惡對：無賴惡人是惡，障礙了修行人的勝德。 

四、染淨對：顛倒法是染污的，梵行是清淨的。 

五、自他對：一是妄想靠自力，一是完全仗佛願力。 

曇鸞大師說，前面那些障難，到處可見，所以是難行道。 

緊接著，就闡釋易行道的內涵：易行道者：謂但以信佛因緣，願生淨土，乘佛 願力，便得往生彼清淨土；佛力住持，即入大乘正定之聚，正定即是阿毗跋 致。譬如水路，乘船則樂。 

Namo Amituofo! 

February 20, 2026

Feb. 20, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

175. The Five Kinds of Difficulties (2 /5) 

The first group explains matters in terms of “the age of the five defilements” and “a time when there is no Buddha in the world.” 

The first three difficulties belong to the “defilement of views”. 

The fourth—“inverted views of wholesome results that can ruin pure practice”— belongs to the “defilement of afflictions”. 

The fifth—“reliance solely on self-power, without the support of other-power”— corresponds to a time without a Buddha in the world, when there is no Buddha who serves as a superior supporting condition. What is meant by other-power is the power of Amitabha Buddha.

The second group analyzes the difficulties in terms of two kinds of obstructions— those of persons and those of teachings, as well as their general and specific relationships. 

Non-Buddhists, adherents of the Lesser Vehicle, and evil persons can create obstructions arising from persons. 

The fourth difficulty —“inverted wholesome results that can ruin pure practice”— is an obstruction arising from teachings, in which methods that cannot lead to liberation are mistakenly taken to be liberating. This is what is meant by inversion. 

The fifth —“reliance solely on self-power, without the support of other-power”— is the most fundamental and overarching difficulty among them all. This is because ordinary beings lack the strength to cultivate. Their afflictions are deep and their karmic obstacles heavy. 

Once they think of practice, all obstacles and habitual tendencies immediately surface. Not only is there no power for practice; but, one is also born in a time with no Buddha to rely upon. Under such conditions, attaining non-retrogression (avaivartika) is impossible. If there were a Buddha to rely upon, all of these difficulties would cease to exist. 

The third chart presents these points in terms of corresponding contrasts: 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

175 五種難 (2/ 4) 

這五種難可從三組來看： 

第一個組是就「五濁之世」(前四種)與「無佛時」(第五種)來講。

前三種是見濁，第四種「顛倒善果，能壞梵行」是煩惱濁；第五種「唯是自 力，無他力持」是無佛時，沒有佛做增上緣。所謂他力，就是佛力。 

第二組分「人」(前三種)、「法」(第四種)二障，與「總」(第五種)、「別」(前四 種)關係。 

前三種難分別是「外道、小乘、惡人」是「人」的障礙。第四種是「顛倒善 果，能壞梵行」是「法」的障礙，把不能成就解脫的法，錯當能解脫，那就顛倒 了。這四種難是「個別」的難。 

第五種「唯是自力，無他力持」，這是所有困難中最根本、「總」的困難。 因為凡夫修行沒有力量，煩惱深、業障重，一想起修行，所有的障礙、習氣就 都浮現了，不但修行無力，又生於無佛時，沒有佛可依靠，因此，想要得到阿 毗跋致不退轉的境界是不可能的。若有佛可依靠，所有困難就不存在了。 

第三組是相對的關係。 

Namo Amituofo! 

February 19, 2026

Feb. 19, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

175. The Five Kinds of Difficulties (1 /5) 

At the very beginning of the Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth, Patriarch Tanluan states: “I respectfully examine the words of Bodhisattva Nagarjuna in the Ten Abodes Treatise, which says: When bodhisattvas seek non-retrogression , there are two paths: one is the difficult path, and the other is the easy path.” 

The word “respectfully” conveys carefulness, reverence, and the absence of arbitrariness or rashness. The phrase “I respectfully examine” indicates that Master Tanluan is not interpreting the Treatise on Rebirth based on his own personal opinions; rather, he is following and grounding his explanation in Bodhisattva Nagarjuna’s Ten Abodes Treatise, specifically the chapter on the Easy Practice. 

In the Easy Practice chapter, Nagarjuna explains that there are two paths by which Mahayana bodhisattvas seek non-retrogression: the difficult path and the easy path. 

The difficult path requires one to personally practice the six perfections and myriad virtuous deeds, over an extremely long period of time, and it carries the danger of retrogression. Nagarjuna speaks of the difficult path in terms of the hardship of practice itself. 

Master Tanluan, in his Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth, goes further by examining the external environment, stating that in “the age of the five defilements, when there is no Buddha in the world,” there are five kinds of difficulties, namely: 

1. Non-Buddhist teachings may appear virtuous, and thereby confuse and disrupt the bodhisattva Dharma. 

2. Sravakas seek only self-benefit, obstructing great compassion. 

3. Reckless and evil persons undermine and destroy the superior virtues of others. 

4. Inverted views of wholesome results are capable of ruining pure religious practice. 

5. Reliance solely on self-power, without the support of other-power. 

Such conditions can be seen everywhere. It is like traveling by land—to proceed on foot is arduous and painful. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

175 五種難 (1/ 5) 

曇鸞祖師《往生論註》開篇說：「謹案龍樹菩薩《十住毗婆沙》云：菩薩求阿 毗跋致，有二種道：一者難行道，二者易行道。」「謹」就是慎重的、恭敬的、不 隨便、不輕率。「謹案」二字，表示曇鸞祖師並非依他個人的見解來解釋這部 《往生論》，而是依循、根據龍樹菩薩《十住毗婆沙論》的《易行品》。 

在《易行品》中，龍樹菩薩談到大乘菩薩追求阿毗跋致有二種道：一是難行 道，二是易行道。「難行道」是要自己去實踐種種六度萬行，要經過漫長的時 間，而且有退墮的危險。龍樹菩薩是就修行的困難來說難行道，而曇鸞祖師 《往生論註》又進而從外圍環境來探討，說「五濁之世，於無佛時」，並提出五 種難：

一者外道相善，亂菩薩法；二者聲聞自利，障大慈悲；三者無賴惡人，破他勝 德；四者顛倒善果，能壞梵行；五者唯是自力，無他力持。 

如斯等事，觸目皆是。譬如陸路，步行則苦。 

Namo Amituofo! 

February 18, 2026

Feb. 18, 2026 

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

淨土短文 (一) 

The Buddhist scriptures say: “The compassion of the Two Vehicles is like cutting a body; the compassion of a bodhisattva is like cutting the flesh; the great compassion of the Tathagata penetrates deeply to the marrow of the bones.” 

The ancients said: “Heaven and earth share the same root with me; all things are one body with me.” 

At times, when circumstances and conditions arise, we give rise to a feeling of empathy and compassion. This is because, in the deepest depths of our mind, we are fundamentally one with the other. For example, when we see another person in pain, our own heart aches along with theirs. 

佛經說：「二乘之悲，如割肌膚；菩薩悲心，如割脂肉；如來大悲，深徹骨髓。」 古人云：「天地與我同根，萬物與我一體。」 

我們偶爾處境遇緣生起惻隱之心，也是因為在內心深處的深處與對方是一體 的，比如看對方疼，自己心也跟著疼。 

Namo Amituofo!

February 17, 2026

Feb. 17, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)

淨土釋疑(一)

Answer to Q29: (4/4)

As mentioned a few days ago, Dharma Master Xin-Yuan in central Taiwan, often assists others with recitation. In one case, the person had already been dead for eight hours and his face had turned dark and ugly. The master explained Amitabha Buddha’s light to him. When he reached the third kind of light— “Unobstructed Light”—in a single instant, the deceased’s facial appearance suddenly became rosy and full. He said that this change was not gradual but instantaneous. Usually, when we assist with recitation, the facial appearance does change, but it changes gradually. This case changed suddenly, in a single moment.

He also spoke of another case: a person whose eyes were wide open, mouth gaping, face and body darkened; and who had already been dead for half a month before the family invited him. No one in the family practiced Buddhism. They were still burning spirit money and paper offerings, and the whole room was filled with thick, noxious smoke. 

Dharma Master Xin-Yuan explained the recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha beside the deceased. Gradually, the deceased’s eyes and mouth closed, and the facial appearance turned rosy and pleasant. The whole process took only about an hour and a half. When the daughter returned, she asked in surprise, “Who is that? Could that be my mother?” You see—even after fifteen days, there could still be such a transformation, as if her consciousness was still there hearing the Dharma. It is truly inconceivable! Of course, this is a rather exceptional example.

 29問：

續答：(4/ 4)

       前幾天也講過，信願法師在臺灣中部常常為人家助念，其中有一個是已經死了八小時，面貌都已經烏黑難看，去給他開示彌陀的光明，當開示到第三種「無礙光」的時候，一剎那之間，亡者的臉相突然間變得紅潤而圓滿。他說這種轉變不是逐漸的，而是當下的。一般我們給人家助念，面相都會轉變的，但都是逐漸逐漸地轉變，可是這個是突然轉變，一剎那之間就轉變的。 

       他還說：有一個死後眼睛睜得很大，嘴巴張得也很大，臉和身體烏黑的，已經死了半個月才請他去；家裏的人沒有一個學佛，還在燒金銀紙箔，整個房間都烏煙障氣。

信願法師在亡者旁邊開示念佛，逐漸逐漸，亡人的眼睛合起來了，嘴巴也合起來了，面相也轉為紅潤好看，時間也只不過一個半小時。她的女兒回來就問了一句說：「那個是誰？會是我媽媽嗎？」你看，十五天了，還會轉變，好像她的神識依然在那裏聞法，那不可思議啊！當然這是比較特殊的例子。

Namo Amituofo!

February 16, 2026

Feb. 16, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)

淨土釋疑(一)

Answer to Q29: (3/4)

As for whether rebirth has already occurred in the intermediate state before death—this is not the case. As long as we are still alive, we are not in the intermediate-body state. As explained the other day, once we are born as human beings, the living physical body is called the “present aggregate” (現陰). The moment of death is called the “death aggregate” (死陰). The period from death until the next rebirth is called the “intermediate aggregate” (中陰). When one enters rebirth, it is called the “birth aggregate” (生陰). The process of life consists of these four stages: present, death, intermediate, and birth.

A person who, in this very life, has faith in Amitabha Buddha and exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha, does not pass through the intermediate stage at all. The moment the breath ceases, one goes directly to the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

 After death, the ālaya consciousness of ordinary people leaves their physical bodies. They are now in the death aggregate—but before rebirth occurs, this is called the intermediate body. Can an intermediate body attain rebirth? Yes, it can. Because the vows speak of “sentient beings of the ten directions.” “Sentient beings of the ten directions” includes all sentient beings without exception. An intermediate body is also a sentient being, just in the intermediate state. In the human world, we are human sentient beings; in the heavens, heavenly sentient beings; in hell, hell - sentient beings. All are “sentient beings of the ten directions.”

If someone has died and we know that in life they did not study Buddhism or recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, and they have already been dead for several hours, or even one or two days, we should still seize the opportunity of the intermediate state. At their side, we explain the Buddha-recitation Dharma to them and then recite Namo Amitabha Buddha together. If we fail to seize this chance, they may fall into hell. However now, with conditions coming together, they too can be reborn in the Land of Bliss.

(to be continued tomorrow)

 29問：

 續答：(3/ 4)

     臨終之前是不是中陰已經往生呢？不是這樣的，我們還存在的話，就不算中陰身。前天也講過，我們已經轉生為人，生命的肉體叫做現陰；死的那一剎那叫做死陰；那麼，由死到轉胎這一段時間，叫做中陰；到去轉生的話，叫做生陰。我們生命體的過程分為四個階段：現陰、死陰、中陰、生陰。 

       一個現生信佛念佛的人，是不經過中陰身的，一斷氣就到極樂世界去。 

       一般人死後，阿賴耶識離開肉體，離開這個死陰，還沒有轉生，這個叫中陰身。那中陰身能往生嗎？也能往生！因為「十方眾生」嘛，「十方眾生」，任何眾生沒有不包括在裏面的，中陰身也是眾生啊，只是他是在中陰的眾生而已。我們在人間，就是人間的眾生；在天上，天上的眾生；在地獄，地獄的眾生，都是「十方眾生」。 

       如果一個人死了，我們曉得他在生沒有學佛念佛，他死了已經好幾個小時，甚至一兩天了，也要把握這個中陰的機會，在他旁邊為他開示念佛法門，然後大家一起念佛，因為這個時候再不把握，就要到地獄啊，現在因緣和合，也能往生極樂世界。

Namo Amituofo!