Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Continued Answer to Question 10 ( 5/6):
Take, for example, the practice of patience. In the past, we might have forced ourselves to endure humiliation, hardship, slander, or abuse. However. now our mindset is different, we ask others to be patient with us. This is because, over countless lifetimes, we have wronged others, insulted them, or even harmed them, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Perhaps, even in this very life, we've failed others without realizing it. So, now we ask for their forgiveness and their patience, not the other way around. This is a profound shift in perspective.
The essence of Amitabha Buddha’s 18th Vow is faith in self and faith in Dharma. “Self” refers to beings of the ten directions and “Dharma” refers to Amitabha’s salvation. What kinds of beings are these sentient beings of the ten directions? They are beings steeped in grave offenses, even those who slander the Dharma.
We are beings so deeply entangled in evil karma that we have no means of liberation.
(to be continued tomorrow)
10問：請問師父，念佛的人也有苦惱，平時說念佛法喜，苦惱時念佛還法喜 嗎？他的心中有些什麼轉化？
續答(5/ 6)：
以忍辱來講，以前都是要自己忍辱、忍辱，忍辱別人對不起我們的事情， 忍辱一切逆境，忍辱人家誹謗、打罵。但現在不是了，現在是祈求對方忍辱我 們。我們曠劫以來欠人家的、侮辱人家的，甚至今生今世都不知不覺有對不 起他們的地方，所以請求他們的原諒、忍耐，不是我們去原諒、忍耐他們—— 就會有這一種轉變。
第十八願的內容就是信機、信法。「機」就是十方眾生，「法」就是彌陀的救 度。十方眾生就是五逆謗法的眾生，十方眾生就是罪惡深重、無有出離之緣 的眾生（罪惡滿身，所以才「無有出離之緣」）。
Namo Amituofo!
