Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 33: The One Who Jumps into the Sea
When I am drowning in the sea, people on the bank call out to me: “Swim for your life! Come up here! Come up here!”
There is, however, only one person who jumps into the sea and rescues me and gets me safely ashore.
Those on the bank are practitioners of non-Pure Land Dharma paths. The only person who jumps into the sea for me is Amitabha Buddha.
They holler at us and urge us to swim for our lives. They are aspirants of the Sacred Path, who rely on their self-power to practice arduous miscellaneous paths for enlightenment.
The only person who jumps into the sea for me is Amitabha Buddha. He embraces and carries me to the shore. His deliverance is the Pure Land Path — an easy path which brings peace and joy.
33. 躬身入海喻
我溺大海，岸上眾人皆大呼：「努力往上游！爬上來！爬上來！」 唯有一人，躬身入海，救我於岸。
岸上眾人者，其他諸行也；躬身入海者，彌陀一佛也。
岸上眾人大聲叫我們努力游泳、往上爬的，是指聖道門，自力、雜行、苦行。 只有一人躬身入海、抱我上岸的，是指淨土門彌陀救度的他力、易行、安樂。
Namo Amituofo!
