June 30 2018

Jun 30, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

Each of us ordinary beings has greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt, and the most easily observed are anger and arrogance. In case of a person being heavily attached to self (egocentric), anger and arrogance will be revealed more easily.

Anger and arrogance are mainly revealed through one’s self-esteem and the sense of inferiority, because self-esteem and inferiority are in one entity. When self-esteem is not present, the sense of inferiority takes over. When the sense of inferiority becomes excessive, self-esteem emerges imperceptibly. If one has no self-esteem and no sense of inferiority, he will has a leveled mind, and see things with an ordinary heart. Although he may have a dispute at the moment, he will forget about it afterward, without keeping a sense of resentment.

我們凡夫每個人都有貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑，但最容易表現出來的就是「瞋」跟「慢」，尤其是我執比較重的話，瞋跟慢就更容易顯現出來。
瞋跟慢大都顯現在自尊心跟自卑心，因為自尊、自卑是一體的。不是自尊的時候就自卑，自卑過度無形中就會自尊起來，如果沒有自尊也沒有自卑，就會一種平懷，平常心看待，即使當下有爭執，事後就忘掉，不蓄恨意。

Namo Amitabha!

June 29 2018

Jun 29, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土信仰

The Pure Land School is the teaching that can turn iron, by touching, to gold. We are stupid and deluded in this world, even unable to identify a few characters; however, once reborn in the Pure Land, our Buddha-nature will be manifested, and we will have immeasurable compassion, wisdom, vow power, debating ability, all kinds of Dharani, the Three Understandings and the Six Paranormal Powers. We don’t rely on what we try to learn now, nor on how much we will have accumulated. No need at all!

If you have time, just recite [Amitabha’s name], or read some teachings about it, and then we can teach others what we believe. This is the greatest way to pay back the Buddha’s grace.

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。

Namo Amitabha!

Upcoming event

各位蓮友：
南無阿彌陀佛！
四月我們到台湾參學時，誠邀慧淨上人來温哥華為我們開示，上人一口答應。
現我們籌備各項弘法及念佛活動，安排如下：

9月22日（星期六）
地點：West Cambie Community Center at 12800 Cambie Road, Richmond （容100人）
3:00 - 5:00 pm 開示
5:15 -5:45 pm 答問
6:00 -7:00 pm 聚餐
（報名，先到先得）

9月23日（星期日）
10:00 - 11:30 am 與海外蓮友在念佛堂（at 223-13986 Cambie Road, Richmond）座談
12:00 pm 念佛堂午飯

下午念佛共修和開示
地點：City Center Community Center at 5900 Minoru Road, Richmond （容140人）
2:00 - 3:00 pm 念佛
3:00 - 4:15 pm 開示
4: 15 -4:30 pm 皈依
（報名，額滿即止）

親睹上人慈顏，法緣殊勝，請把握機會，立即回覆報名！歡迎攜眷及有缘人一起參加。
南無阿彌陀佛！

June 28 2018

Jun 28, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

No matter invoking for peace and joy in the present life, or invoking for attainment of Buddhahood through rebirth at the end of one’s life, both can be achieved with the Name “Namo Amituofo”, which is perfect and complete without any deficiency.  Hence, we should recite Amitabha’s name, day and night, whenever we recite.  So we recite the name exclusively all the time until death. It is unnecessary to switch to any other teachings, or mix with other practices.

Such a practice truly accords with Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow – “recite even ten times”, accords with Shakyamuni’s advice – “always invoke exclusively”, and accords with the goal handed down from patriarchs – “always recite exclusively.

不論為現世安穩利樂，或為命終往生成佛，都在一句「南無阿彌陀佛」之內，圓滿具足，毫無欠缺；應當從早到晚，從晚到早，有念則皆念彌陀，一向專念，畢命為期，不用另換其他法門，不必夾雜其他修法。

真正合乎彌陀本願之「乃至十念」，釋尊所勸之「一向專念」，祖師所傳之「一向專稱」的宗旨。

Namo Amitabha!

June 27 2018

Jun 27, 2018
善導大師語錄
A text about “demarcation of two kinds of teachings—the Path of Importance and the Path of the Great Vow” (demarcation of teachings according to teachings of the school) in the Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra

《觀經疏》「要弘二門判」（依宗判教）之文

The manifested master in the Land of Saha (i.e. Shakyamuni Buddha), in response to a request [by Queen Vaidehi], widely opened the Path of Importance in the Pure Land School; while the capable person in the Land of Peace and Joy (i.e. Amitabha Buddha) alternatively reveals and advocates the Path of Great Vow with his special intent.

The Path of Importance refers to two kinds of teachings—the meditative virtues and the non-meditative virtues, as expounded in the Contemplation Sutra. Meditative virtues means to still one’s anxiety by ceasing any thought, while non-meditative virtues means to eliminate evil and nurture goodness. Practitioners of this path dedicate the merit of these two kinds of virtues, and aspire to be reborn [in the Pure Land].

The Path of Great Vow is, as said in the Larger Sutra (The Infinite Life Sutra), “All good and evil ordinary beings who attain rebirth [in the Pure Land], without exception, ride on the karmic power of Amitabha’s Great Vow as an augmentative cause”.

娑婆化主，因其請故，即廣開淨土之要門；安樂能人，顯彰別意之弘願。

其「要門」者，即此《觀經》定散二門是也。定即息慮以凝心，散即廢惡以修善。迴斯二行，求願往生也。

言「弘願」者，如《大經》說：「一切善惡凡夫得生者，莫不皆乘阿彌陀佛大願業力為增上緣也。」

Namo Amitabha!

June 26 2018

Jun 26, 2018
慧淨上人法語
出離與輪迴

Not knowing reincarnation of the Three Domains and the Six Realms, nor the retributions of good and bad deeds, a person lives in a trance. If he knows, he will feel uneasy. This kind of uneasiness is difficult to describe. The more you know about the Buddhist teachings, the more you have in your mind about the truth that “birth-and-death is a great matter, and death comes in a flash”.

不知道有三界六道輪迴、善惡報應的人，他是悠悠忽忽地在過日子；知道的人，就會心有不安。這種不安，有時候是沒有辦法形容的，越是知道佛法，就越有那股「生死事大，無常迅速」的道心。

Namo Amitabha!

June 25 2018

Jun 25, 2018
慧淨上人法語
機法深信

The Buddhist teaching is like a mirror. We only know theprettiness and ugliness of our appearance before a mirror. If we are in front of a mirror and do not find our prettiness and ugliness, that means we have not looked into the mirror. Similarly, we learn our original face (true nature) by learning the Buddhist teachings. To learn Buddhism without knowing that we are actually an iniquitous mortal being, that means we do not use the Buddhist teachings to reflect our mind, and we do not use the mirror of Buddhist teachings to observe ourselves.

佛法就像一面鏡子──我們在鏡子面前才知道自己容貌的美醜。如果到了鏡子面前，沒有發現自己的美醜，就等於沒有照到鏡子。同樣的，我們通過學習佛法，才瞭解自己的本來面目。學佛而不瞭解自己原來是罪惡生死凡夫，那就是沒有以佛法印心，沒有用佛法這面鏡子來觀照自己。

Namo Amitabha!

June 24 2018

Jun 24, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

(continued)

Another benchmark for the “foundation of the Buddhist Way” is the “Three (sources of) Meritorious Blessings, as mentioned in the Contemplation Sutra – the worldly blessings, the precept blessings, and the cultivation blessings.  The “worldly blessings” refer to worldly virtuous deeds, which is a prerequisite for obtaining retribution worldly felicity. The worldly virtuous deeds include: “to be filial towards one’s parents, respect and serve our teachers and elders, compassionately refrain from killing, and practice the ten good deeds”.

The precept blessings refer to “taking the three refuges, keeping the various precepts, and refraining from breaking the rules of conduct”; and

The cultivation blessings refer to “awakening aspiration for Enlightenment, believing deeply in the law of causality, chanting the Mahayana sutras, and encouraging people to follow the Buddhist teachings”.

All our three karmas are greed, anger, and delusion, with no regard for others. We are unable to perform the Three Meritorious Deeds, not even one. If we know this point by experience, we will deeply believe that our aptitude (for practicing these virtuous deeds) does not allow us to have the karmic condition to leave (the cycle of reincarnations).

另一種「道基」的標準是《觀無量壽經》所講的「三福」──世間福、戒福、行福。「世間福」指是世間的善事，有了世間的善事才能獲得世間的福報。

世間的善事，就是「孝養父母、奉事師長、慈心不殺、修十善業」；

「戒福」是「受持三皈、具足眾戒、不犯威儀」；

「行福」是「發菩提心、深信因果、讀誦大乘、勸進行者」。

我們三業都是貪瞋癡、自私自利，不要說三福，我們連一福都做不到，如果體會這一點，也會深信自己的根機是一個無有出離之緣的人。

Namo Amitabha!

June 23 2018

Jun 23, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

(continued)

Among the Five Precepts, no killing comes first, and not eating meat is the most radical way. Besides, we should reflect on ourselves all the time: Do we lie? Are we sincere or not? We also frequently commit offenses against other precepts like sexual misconduct and stealing, because it refers not just to our acts, but also our thinking. We break those precepts in our mind.

Augmentation of the Five Precepts is the Ten Wholesome Deeds. However, we are not only unable to perform those deeds; on the contrary, we do commit the Ten Unwholesome Deeds. On reflection, the Pure Land School knows well that with our root-nature we are unable to achieve those deeds, so we rely entirely on Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance.

The teachings of our school are built on the ground of the Five Precepts and the Ten Wholesome Deeds, and also on retributions governed by the Law of Cause and Effect. So, we should know that we have no karmic conditions to leave. Knowing that we fail to hold, and commit offenses against the Five Precepts and the Ten Wholesome Deeds, we therefore rely entirely on Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance, and keep reciting Amitabha’s Name with regret and grace in our daily life amidst of Amitabha’s deliverance.

五戒，第一就是不殺生，最根本的做法就是不食肉，還要時刻反省自己有沒有打妄語？真不真誠？其他像邪淫、偷盜，對我們來講也常常在犯，因為那不是指行為，而是心念，可是我們的念頭都在犯。

五戒開展來就是十善，十善我們不但做不到，反而都是在犯十惡。淨土門因為反省自己的根機根本做不到，所以才完全依靠阿彌陀佛的救度。

我們這個法門就是建立在五戒十善、因果報應之上，知道自己都是在犯五戒、違十善，永無出離之緣，才全身心都投靠阿彌陀佛的救度，在阿彌陀佛的救度當中，慚愧的、感恩的過念佛的生活。

(to be continued tomorrow)

Namo Amitabha!

June 22 2018

Jun 22, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

In the Buddhist teachings, there is explicit and specific explanation on the “foundation of the Buddhist Way”, which refers to the “Five Precepts” and the “Ten Wholesome Deeds”. No matter you take the Sagely Path or the Pure Land Path, holding the Five Precepts and practicing the Ten Wholesome Deeds are necessary, as it is fundamental in learning the Buddhist Way. Based on that, we should proceed to understand and experience the Truth of Suffering, the Truth of Accumulation, the Truth of Extinction and the Truth of Way, and then proceed further to realize them. If a person cannot achieve holding the Five Precepts and practicing the Ten Wholesome Deeds, it is impossible for him to leave the reincarnation within the Three Domains and the Six Realms.
(to be continued)

「道基」在佛法上有非常明確具體的說明，就是「五戒」和「十善」，不管是聖道門或淨土門，持五戒、修十善都是必須的，這是所有學道的基本；在這個基礎上，再進一步體會苦、集、滅、道，進而證悟苦、集、滅、道。如果連五戒、十善都做不到的話，這個人根本不可能脫離三界六道輪迴。

Namo Amitabha!

June 21

Jun 21, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土信仰

It says in the paragraph of fulfillment of the 18th Vow: those who aspire that land are reborn immediately, and dwell in the state of non-retrogression.

Rebirth is easy, and dwelling in the state of non-retrogression is easy too. Easiness is the true reason why the Pure Land teaching is called the Easy Path. It is also the highest performance of Amitabha’s awesome power and his merits and virtues, so that all buddhas in the ten directions praise and extol it together.

第十八願成就文說：「願生彼國，即得往生，住不退轉。」
「往生」多麼容易，還有「住不退轉」多麼容易。「容易」是淨土門之所以稱為易行道的真義所在，這是彌陀威神、功德的最高表現，致使十方諸佛，皆共讚歎。

Namo Amitabha!

June 20

Jun 20, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

In an organization, if an officer reminds us of something about the public affairs, it is not regarded as a gossip. We should accept with humility. It is said to be ‘delighted when hearing of virtuous acts, and prostrated when hearing of wrongdoings. In this way, our meritorious blessings can be increased, and our karmic obstructions can be eliminated.

When other people point out our faults, we should admit with humility. Even if they slander us at the back, we should accept too. In some cases, if it is required to clarify, we should make it clear, and express it as such. If it is difficult to say and explain, it is better to accept willingly, plainly and peacefully.

團體當中，如果是執事對有關公務或某些事情的提示叮嚀，這不是是非，我們應該謙卑接受，所謂「聞善則喜，聞過則拜」，這樣不僅能夠增長自己的福德，也能夠消除自己的業障。

別人指出我們的不對，我們應該謙虛地接受，乃至是背後的誹謗，也要接受。當然有些事情若是應該說清楚的，應該解釋明白的，都應清楚平實地表達。可是如果難以說清楚，也無法解釋的話，那就要甘心、平順、安然地來接受。

Namo Amitabha!

June 19

Jun 19, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

The single Name of Amitabha is the king of Buddha, the king of the teaching, the king of dharani, and the king of merits and virtues. To exclusively recite one Buddha of ‘Namo Amituofo’ means upholding and reciting various Buddhas, various bodhisattvas, various sutras and dharani, various teachings and practices inclusively. It is so-called ‘all 84,000 teachings are all collected and included within the six-character [Name]. Also called ‘All eight teachings are inclusively covered, and all five schools are perfectly embraced.’ One can attain rebirth near end-of-life, and also the joy and peace of body and mind in the present life.

一句彌陀是佛王、法王、咒王、功德之王。專念「南無阿彌陀佛」一佛，即是總持總念諸佛、諸菩薩、諸經咒、諸行門。所謂「八萬四千法門，六字全收。」亦謂「該羅八教，圓攝五宗。」既得臨終往生淨土，亦獲現世身心安樂。

Namo Amitabha!

June 18

Jun 18, 2018
善導大師語錄
《觀經疏》「依教開宗」之文

I refer to the teachings of the two Buddhas;
To open widely the doors to the Pure Land.

今乘二尊教，廣開淨土門。

Namo Amitabha!

June 17

Jun 17, 2018
慧淨上人法語
出離與輪迴

Life is suffering and there are million kinds of them. Instances of the greatest sufferings include: unhappy marriage, inharmonious family, and troublesome children. We should know these are results of various causal conditions, and some are your creditors. Nevertheless, the most fundamental suffering is being caught in the various realms of rebirth. So, we should aspire to be reborn in the Pure Land; otherwise, sufferings in the future will continue endlessly.

人生是苦，千百萬種苦。婚姻不美滿，家庭不和順，兒女不合心意，是最大的苦，要知道這些都是因緣和合、是討債的。最根本的苦是輪迴，一定要往生，否則，未來之苦將仍無盡。

Namo Amitabha!

June 16

Jun 16, 2018
慧淨上人法語
機法深信
(continued)

Our image looks like a Buddhist: we use words from the Buddhist teachings, and do things common to Buddhist practices. Our mind inside, however, is full of greed, anger and delusion. The “Five Aggregates” there are impetuous and swirling, and will burst out, intentionally or unintentionally, into a mind of greed, hatred, ignorance, fuss, and jealousy.

So, the Ksitigarbha Sutra says, “The ideas, words, and behavior brought forth by sentient beings in Jambudvīpa are nothing more than karma, nothing more than sins.” The Sutra of Pure Deliverance by Bodhisattvas also says, “Each person produces 840 million thoughts in one day, and the act derived from each of these thoughts is nothing more than karma of the Three Wretched Realms.”

從形象上來看，我們是學佛人，所說的都是一些佛法的言語，所做的也是佛門中事，可是我們內心的貪瞋癡，「五蘊」很熾盛，在那裏翻滾，有意無意之中，都會爆發出貪欲心、瞋恨心，無明、計較、嫉妒之心。

所以，《地藏經》說：閻浮提眾生，起心動念，言語舉止，無不是業，無不是罪。《淨度菩薩經》上也說：一人一日中，八億四千念，念念之所為，無非三途業。

Namo Amitabha!

June 15

Jun 15, 2018
慧淨上人法語
機法深信

A Buddhist should, first of all, refrain from wrongdoing and practice virtue. What is virtue? What is wrongdoing? The benchmark for virtue is being capable of practicing the Five Precepts and the Ten Wholesome Deeds; the benchmark for wrongdoing is committing offenses against the Five Precepts or doing the Ten Unwholesome Deeds.

Using the Five Precepts and the Ten Wholesome Deeds to measure our deeds, words and thoughts, we will see that we always commit offenses against the Five Precepts, and do the Ten Wholesome Deeds.

(to be continued tomorrow)

學佛的人，首先要去惡行善。什麼是善，什麼是惡？它的標準是：能夠行五戒、行十善就是善；而犯五戒、犯十惡就是惡。
以五戒十善為標準來衡量我們的身口意時，就會發現：我們都是在犯五戒，都是在犯十惡業。

Namo Amitabha!

June 14

Jun 14, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見
(continued)

This idea is wrong. Let us think about the case: this person only came across this [Pure Land] teaching on his deathbed and he was reborn; he is said to have deep virtuous past karma. However, we have now encountered the teaching. How can it be shallow in term of virtuous past karma?

He did evil throughout his life, while we have already studied Buddhism and invoke the Buddha, and we have also refrained from evil deeds and practice good deeds with all due diligence in accordance with given conditions, responsibilities and capacity. It is therefore not logical to say that he has deep virtuous past karma and that we have shallow virtuous past karma. Such kind of conception is unwholesome, not a right understanding and right view.

這種觀念是錯誤的。大家想想看，這個人臨終才遇到這個法門，他往生了，說他是宿善深，那我們現在就遇到了，怎會是宿善淺呢？

他平生就做惡多端，而我們現在就已經學佛念佛，已經隨緣隨份隨力諸惡莫作、眾善奉行了，這樣說他宿善深而我們宿善淺，是不合乎邏輯的。這樣的見解就是惡見，不是正知正見。

Namo Amitabha!

June 13

Jun 13, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

People in general have a misconception that the reason for this evil person, who met a Dharma mentor prior to death and recited “Namo Amituofo” merely ten times, to be set free from the sufferings of being burned in hell, free from the endless cycle of reincarnation, and to acquire Buddhahood in his future life is due to his deep and solid virtuous root. Although we also recite Amitabha’s name now, our virtuous roots perhaps is not so good as his. Therefore, he can be reborn [in the Land of Bliss], while we may not be assured for rebirth.
(to be continued tomorrow)

一般人有一種錯誤的觀念，認為這個五逆十惡的人臨終能遇到善知識，只念十聲南無阿彌陀佛就脫離地獄之苦的燃燒，乃至脫離永世的輪迴，獲得往生成佛，是因為他宿善深厚；那我們現在念佛，恐怕宿善不如他，所以他能往生，我們不一定能往生。

Namo Amitabha!

June 12

Jun 12, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土信仰

By rebirth in the Land of Bliss through Amitabha-recitation, we can reach a realm of “emptiness of the three-wheel condition”[i.e. the giver, receiver, and gift].  No matter whether we have subdued our greed, anger and delusion or not, whether we still have false and miscellaneous thoughts or not, those things cannot obstructed [our rebirth]. [The Gatha in Praise of the Buddha says,] “On arrival and blossom of the flower, we hear the wonderful dharma, the vows and practices of [bodhisattva of] the Ten Grounds are naturally manifested’, Such an achievement depends on the power of Amitabha’s merits and virtues, not on the efforts made by our ordinary beings.

念佛往生極樂世界就能達到三輪體空之境，不管我們貪瞋痴有沒有降伏，是否還有妄想雜念，這些都不妨礙，所謂「到彼花開聞妙法，十地願行自然彰」，因為不是靠我們凡夫的功夫，而是靠阿彌陀佛的功德力量。

Namo Amitabha!

June 11

Jun 11, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

Begin our cultivation with no false speech. Try your best not to read, not to listen, not to speak, and not to spread gossip. Not even engaged in small talks. Cherish your words like gold, and always keep your mouth shut.

修行從不妄語開始，對於是非儘量不看、不聽、不說、不傳，即使閒話也不要講，要惜話如金，守口如瓶。

Namo Amitabha!

June 10

Jun 10, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

All matters are related to cause and effect. A certain cause will lead to respective effect. Amitabha-recitation can, of course, eliminate karmic offenses, safeguard us against jeopardy, and lead us to rebirth in the Pure Land. However, since our body that formed by the Five Aggregates still exists, our mind has afflictions due to false and miscellaneous thoughts, our physical body suffers from aging and illness due to metabolism, the climate fluctuates between hotness and coldness due to changes of the four seasons, and human efforts produce results in gain or loss due to right and wrong, or success and failure.

Being partial in terms of words and deeds, responses, life style, and diets, one will inevitably be affected by the results of respective causes. For example, if we don’t eat when we’re hungry, we will have stomach illness; if we are not warmly clothed in chilly weather, we will contract a cold; and if our words and deeds are improper, our relationship with others will not be smooth and harmonized.

凡事皆有因果，有何因，便感何果。念佛固能消業解厄、往生淨土，但五蘊之體尚在，心有妄想雜念之煩惱，身有新陳代謝之老病，氣候有春夏秋冬之寒熱，人事有是非成敗之得失。

若言行、應對、生活、飲食有所偏失，則難免有其因而感其果。如飢不食、寒不衣、言行不當，則胃病、感冒、人事不和等，例此可知。

Namo Amitabha!

June 9

Jun 9, 2018

善導大師語錄
《觀經疏》「念佛延促」之文:

上盡一形，下至一日、一時、一念等； 或從一念十念，至一時、一日、一形。 大意者：一發心以後，誓畢此生，無有退轉，唯以淨土為期。

For as much as from now on till the last of one’s life, or as few as only one day, one hour, one thought; or starting from one thought, ten thoughts, up to one hour, one day, or one life. The general idea is that: once aspired to be reborn in the Pure Land, one vows to a life of Amitabha-recitation, never set back or retrogress, until attaining rebirth there.

Namo Amitabha!

June 8

Jun 8, 2018
慧淨上人法語
出離與輪迴

For sentient beings living in the Saha World of Five Turbidities, the state of suffering and joy that they get differs in thousands of ways because their karma— karma of deed, word, and thought are mixed and complicated, different in thousands of ways.

Born in the human world, there are so-called “Four Sufferings”,  “Eight Sufferings”, mental sufferings, physical sufferings, and environmental sufferings. Sufferings in each of the Six Realms are different too. So comes the saying “ten thousand grades of sufferings and joys”.

For unwholesome karma, there are ten unwholesome/evil deeds [i.e., killing, stealing, adultery, lying, double-tongue, coarse language, filthy language, covetousness, anger, perverted views]; for wholesome karma, there are ten wholesome/good deeds [i.e., not killing, not stealing, not committing adultery, not lying, not speaking harshly, not speaking divisively, not speaking idly, not being greedy, not being angry, not having wrong views].

Among all these karma, each of them has its own weight--heavy or light. Hence, the retributions differ, which include, say, the four modes of birth [i.e., viviparous, as with mammalia; oviparous, as with birds; moisture, or water-born, as with worms and fishes; and metamorphic, as with moths and others], the ten thousands grades of sufferings and joys, and certain number of family dependents. This is the situation of the Saha World.

娑婆世界五濁惡世的眾生，因為他們的業很雜，亦即他們的身口意很雜，千差萬別，因此得到的苦樂境界也千差萬別。

生在人間就有所謂「四苦」、「八苦」，心理上的苦、生理上的苦、環境上的苦；六道當中每一道的苦又各不相同，所以說「苦樂萬品」。

以惡業來說有十惡，善業就有十善，當中各有輕重，所以感得的果報就有四生、苦樂萬品、眷屬若干。這是娑婆世界的情形。
Namo Amitabha!

June 7

Jun 7, 2018
慧淨上人法語
機法深信

Who in this human world is not an iniquitous ordinary being? If a person is not an iniquitous ordinary being, he should have transcended the Three Domains and the Six Realms, and should not reincarnate anymore. Because ordinary beings within the Six Realms have not eradicated their greed, anger, delusion, view-delusion, and affliction-delusion, they still stay in the Six Realms. Therefore, whoever lives in the Six Realms, they are iniquitous ordinary beings.

世上之人，誰不是罪業凡夫？如果不是罪業凡夫，就已經超出三界六道，不再輪迴了。因為六道凡夫就是貪瞋癡、見惑、思惑尚未斷除，才會在六道之中，所以凡是六道眾生，都是罪業凡夫。

Namo Amitabha!

June 6

Jun 6, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見
(Continued)

If there is no Buddha’s protection, when life ends, the good and evil karma in the past and present lives will manifest suddenly.  When the karma appears, the person will proceed, in the blink of an eye, to rebirth following a good or evil path in accordance with the fiercest good or evil karma. There is no self-determination at all.

It was told (by Master Lingyou of Guishan, 771-853), “Like a person in debt, the biggest creditor will take the first lead; a confused state of mind has multiple threads, and the heaviest one will pull the mind falling towards its side.”

如果沒有佛的護持，命終之時，現生及歷劫的善惡業力，一時浮現，業力一現，眨眼之間，便隨其最猛烈的善惡業力，前往受生於善惡道中，絲毫不能自主。

所謂「如人負債，強者先牽；心緒多端，重處偏墜。」［註：語出《潙山警策》］

Namo Amitabha!

June 5

Jun 5, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

The time of dying can be described as a “stage of confused mind”, during which the mind is confused and inverted. If we do not recite Amitabha’s name before our last breath, we will not have Amitabha Buddha coming to protect and receive us in advance.  No matter how high the realm of cultivation has been achieved, we will not be able to resist against the karmic force when it comes, but to receive the retribution according to the past karma.

If we recite Amitabha’s name, the Buddha will come and receive us. Our “mind will not be inverted” at the point of death. Why? It is because the Buddha protects us. A paragraph of the Amitabha Sutra as translated by Master Xuanzang states, “Give the blessing with kindness and compassion in order to keep the mind not confused”. That is to say, we are blessed by Amitabha Buddha’s compassion. “Give the blessing” is to endow, protect, and safeguard. “To keep the mind not confused” means that when we stop breathing, Amitabha Buddha will pacify our mind, make it not in turmoil.

(To be continued tomorrow)

死時稱為「亂心位」，心是散亂性、顛倒性的。人將斷氣時， 如果沒有念佛，沒有阿彌陀佛事先來護持、接引我們，不管修行境界多高，業力來都抵擋不住，只能隨業受報。

如果有念佛，佛來接引我們，命終時就會「心不顛倒」。為什麼？因為有佛護持。玄奘大師所翻譯的《阿彌陀經》其中一段：「慈悲加祐，令心不亂」。就是說阿彌陀佛的慈悲來加祐我們，「加祐」就是保祐、保護、護持；「令心不亂」就是在斷氣時阿彌陀佛會使我們心不動亂。

Namo Amitabha!

June 4

Jun 4, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土信仰

Like rivers and streams that eventually return to the sea, the Pure Land teaching is the ultimate destination for all teachings. All currents on the lands will finally enter the sea in order to finally settle down in a real home. All teachings in Buddhism will eventually converge into one teaching of Amitabha Buddha in order to accomplish the ultimate Buddhist Way.

Because this is the only teaching that can completely make all sentient beings to escape and get free easily, and finally become a Buddha. As long as there is such a teaching, it will include all [virtues] with nothing left out or left short. If there is no such a teaching, it will be incomplete, with something else missing and lacking. So, we should know the importance of this teaching – with this teaching, all other teachings are included, and it is sufficient for us to practice; without this teaching, it will never be sufficient even we practice each and every other teachings.

如同千江萬水必歸大海，淨土法門是萬法的歸宗。陸地上一切水流，最後需要進入大海，才能得到真正的歸宿；佛門中一切的法，最後必須匯入彌陀一法，才能究竟成就佛道。

因為唯有這個法門，能徹底使一切眾生，容易解脫，究竟成佛。只要有這個法門，就通通包含，盡在其中，無欠無餘；如果沒有這個法門，就不圓滿，有所欠缺。可知這個法門的重要性，有此法門則一切法具足，無此法門，就算修了種種法門仍然不具足。

Namo Amitabha!

June 3

Jun 3, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

Where does the practice begin? Start with no false speech, meaning that we should not be carefree in our talk, not only do not speak deceitful words, but also no double tongue, no slanderous or evil words, no lying, and no idle talk. This is very important.

修行要從什麼地方開始呢？要從不妄語開始。不妄語就是不隨便講話，不僅不講騙人的話，也不講兩舌、惡口、妄言、綺語，這個非常重要。

Namo Amitabha!

June 2

Jun 2, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

An Amitabha-reciter—even though being stupid, inferior, sick and dirty—is a wonderful good man and the most splendid man in humankind, forming one entity with Amitabha Buddha, being embraced by Amitabha’s light, protected by all Buddhas, accompanying with bodhisattvas, and surrounded, protected by devas, exempted from calamities, and granted an extended lifespan in the present life; at the end of his life, he will be reborn and realized nirvana. He is far better in transcendence than anybody in the world.

If a person does not recite Amitabha’s name and aspire to be reborn in the Land of Bliss—even though he is high-ranked in position and powerful in authority, he remains the dependent family member of King Yama (the King of Hell). He gets close to hell day after day, just like the cattle walking towards a slaughterhouse. Once deceased, he will regret and scare. Being escorted by the hell officers, he lonely trudges along the path with tears. When King Yama reproaches him in the court, he kneels down with solitude and sadness.

念佛之人，縱使是愚癡卑賤、惡病污穢，其人現生已是人中妙好人、最勝人，佛凡一體、彌陀光照、諸佛護念、菩薩相隨、天神擁護，消災延壽；而命終往生，證大涅槃；遠遠超勝世間上任何人。

若不念佛，願生極樂，則雖位高權重，猶是閻王眷屬，日日接近地獄。如牛赴市，步步近死；一旦命終，悔懼交至。鬼卒帶走之路，流淚獨行；閻王呵責之庭，屈膝孤悲。

Namo Amitabha!

June 1

Jun 1, 2018
《往生禮讚》「念佛必生」之文:
A paragraph about “ascertained rebirth by Amitabha-recitation” In Praise of the Rite of Rebirth

若有眾生，稱念阿彌陀佛，若七日及一日，下至十聲，乃至一聲一念等，必得往生。

If there is a sentient being who recites [the name of] Amitabha Buddha for, say, seven days to one day, or as few as only ten times, even one time, one thought, he is assured of rebirth.

Namo Amitabha!