Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
154. The Meaning of the Title of the Amitabha Sutra (continued 4/9)
Many people do not know what The Sutra of Praise for the Pure Land and the Buddha’s Embrace or The Dharma Gate of Praise for the Inconceivable Merits of the Buddha Land and the Embrace of All Buddhas refers to — but everyone knows the Amitabha Sutra.
This clearly illustrates how different sutra titles can impact sentient beings. It is deeply meaningful and truly enlightening. Therefore, the name of the sutra should be kept concise.
The three characters “Amitabha” are perfect even without translation. Though translated names such as “Buddha of Infinite Light” or “Buddha of Infinite Life” are indeed honorable and venerable, they still do not carry the same spiritual resonance or impact as simply saying “Amitabha Buddha.”
The contents praised by the World-Honored One in this Sutra are not limited to Amitabha Buddha himself.
They also include the magnificence of the Pure Land, the virtues of the holy assembly, the method for sentient beings to be reborn there, the merits and benefits gained after rebirth, and the testimonies and protective mindfulness of the Buddhas of the six directions.
It also includes the mutual praise given by Shakyamuni Buddha and the other Buddhas, and their expression of how rare and difficult it is to generate faith in this teaching.
All of these virtues are fully contained within the Name of Amitabha Buddha - they are not separate from it.
To “praise” means to praise Amitabha Buddha. To “lament its difficulty and exhort faith” means to urge belief in the six character Name: Namo Amitabha Buddha.
Rebirth in the Pure Land is attained through exclusively reciting this six character Name. Amitabha’s protective mindfulness is directed toward those who exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. The adornments and virtues of the Pure Land all arise from these six characters. Therefore, all of it is inseparable from the three characters of “Amitabha.”
Master Kumarajiva was one of the Seven Great Translators of the Buddha’s teachings, and he deeply understood the true intent of the Buddha. By choosing the three characters “Amitabha” as the title of the Sutra, he was able to encompass all the teachings within the text - a complete and all-inclusive representation.
(to be continued tomorrow)
154 《阿彌陀經》名義 (續 4/9)
很多人不知道《稱讚淨土佛攝受經》、《稱讚不可思議佛土功德一切諸佛攝 受法門》是什麼經，但是都知道《阿彌陀經》，這就是不同的經題對眾生的影響 ，非常有意義、有啟發。
所以，佛的名號要簡略化，「阿彌陀」三個字不翻譯也非常好。如果翻譯為 「無量光佛」、「無量壽佛」，是很尊貴，但還是不如「阿彌陀佛」。
本經世尊所讚歎的內容，不僅限於阿彌陀佛本身，還包括國土莊嚴、聖眾 功德、眾生往生方法，以及往生後所獲功德利益、六方諸佛的證誠護念等等。
還包括釋迦佛和諸佛的交相讚歎，歎難勸信。這些功德完全包含在阿彌陀佛 名號之中，沒有離開名號。
「讚歎」，是讚歎阿彌陀佛；「歎難勸信」，是勸信「南無阿彌陀佛」六個字； 「往生」，是靠六字名號；「護念」，是護念稱「南無阿彌陀佛」六字名號的人。 「功德莊嚴」，是從六字名號裡來。所以，一切不離開「阿彌陀」三個字。
羅什大 師是七佛譯師，瞭解佛陀的真實本懷。他舉出「阿彌陀」三個字作為經題，能 把所有經文包含在內，總攝無餘。
Namo Amituofo!
