Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land School – Nagarjuna Bodhisattva
《淨宗傳承之龍樹菩薩》
Nagarjuna Bodhisattva says in the Chapter on the Easy Path, “If a person wishes to expediently reach the Stage of Non-Retrogression, he should hold fast to recitation of Amitabha’s Name.”
This verse talks about two things, one is the aim and the other is the method. The aim is the Stage of Non-Retrogression, and the only method to expediently reach this stage is to hold fast to recitation of Amitabha’s Name.
This verse comes from Amitabha’s 18th Vow and the accomplishment text of the 18th Vow, particularly the following text from that chapter:
Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow is as follows:” If anyone thinks of me, recites my name,and takes refuge in me, he will instantly enter the state of assurance[non-retrogression], and subsequently attain the highest perfect enlightenment.” For that reason, you should always be mindful of him.
It quotes Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow. That is to say, though Amitabha Buddhamade 48 vows, the content of these vows always returns to, “If anyone thinks of me, recites my name, and takes refuge in me, he will instantly enter the state of assurance [non-retrogression].”
龍樹菩薩的《易行品》說:若人欲疾至,不退轉地者,應以恭敬心,執持稱名號。
這一首偈語在講兩件事情:一是目標,二是方法。目標就是「不退轉地」,要到達不退轉地的方法只要「執持稱名號」;而且執持稱名號到不退轉地是快速的,所以說「疾至」,疾至不退轉地。
這一首偈和第十八願、第十八願成就文是一致的,尤其另一段所講的:
阿彌陀佛本願如是:若人念我,稱名自歸,即入必定,得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提,是故常應憶念。
就點出阿彌陀佛的本願。也就是說,阿彌陀佛固然廣發四十八大願,但他的本願內容是是什麼呢?就是「若人念我,稱名自歸,即入必定」。
Namo Amituofo!
