Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about Classification of Teachings – the Two Practices (Primary and Miscellaneous)
正雜二行判
Various kinds of virtuous practices, such as filial piety to parents, are our innate responsibilities. Similarly, supporting our teachers, abiding by our Buddhist vows, and fulfilling our worldly obligations are also our responsibilities. Is practicing these virtuous types of conduct regarded as “self-power” or “other-power”, “Primary Practices” or “Miscellaneous Practices”?
Actually, these forms of virtuous conduct are not related to “self-power” or “other-power”, “Primary Practices” or “Miscellaneous Practices”. However, if a person dedicates the merit of these types of conduct for rebirth, they are considered to be “self-power” and “Miscellaneous Practices”.
This indicates that we are unsure about whether it is enough to exclusively recite Amitabha’s Name to be reborn in the Land of Bliss. This makes us believe it is necessary to to rely on other forms of virtuous conduct. In such a case, they would be considered “self-power” and “Miscellaneous Practices”.
If we don’t dedicate these forms of merit for rebirth, they would be categorized as neither primary practices nor miscellaneous practices, self-power or other-power, because they are not related to rebirth. We conduct ourselves this way in the world to be moral and responsible human beings.
各種善行,比如孝順父母──所謂百善孝為先,是理所當然的;奉侍師長、三綱五常、四維八德,這一些人世間的倫理道德,我們理所當然應該去做。那麼做這些善行到底算是自力還是他力?算是正行還是雜行呢?
其實這些本來與自力或他力無關,也不算正行或雜行;但如果把它們做為迴向往生之行,那麼就是自力,就是雜行了。
因為這顯示,我們的心中還隱隱認為,往生極樂世界,單單稱名念佛還不夠,還必須要假借這些善行,那這樣就是雜行,就是自力。
如果不用來迴向,那就既不是正行,也不是雜行,就無所謂自力他力,因為它們跟往生行就沒有關係,只是我們人世間理所當然應該去做到的責任義務。
Namo Amituofo!
