A Discussion on Excerpts from the Scriptures of the Pure Land School
淨土宗精要法語討論
25. The Contemplation Sutra - Eradication of the Five Gravest Transgressions by Reciting Amitabha Buddha’s Name
The Buddha said to Ananda and Vaidehi: “Those reborn in the lowest level of the lowest grade are sentient beings who commit unwholesome karmic deeds, the Five Gravest Transgressions, the Ten Evil Actions and various other offenses. Due to their negative karma, these ignorant beings are fated to fall into the Wretched Realms to undergo many kalpas of endless suffering.
“As these ignorant beings approach death, they encounter a Dharma friend who consoles them in every way, shares the wondrous Dharma and teaches them to invoke Amitabha Buddha’s Name. Yet their agony makes invocation difficult. Then the Dharma friend tells them: ‘If you cannot invoke him mentally, you should call out the Name of the Buddha of Infinite Life.’
These words touch their hearts. With unbroken voices, they call out ‘Namo Amitabha Buddha’ ten times. Since they recited Amitabha Buddha’s Name, thought by thought, their reincarnation-fated negative karma accumulated over 8 billion kalpas is eradicated.
“At the point of death, they see a golden, sun-like lotus appear before them. In a flash, they are reborn in the Land of Bliss.
Question 25.1: Someone says, "My karmic obstacles are heavy, my mind is impure when reciting Amitabha Buddha's Name, and the time I spend practicing is short. I'm afraid I won't be able to attain rebirth in the Pure Land." Is that true?
Answer:
Compared to those of the lowest level of the lowest grade, your karmic obstacles are not as grave — not to the extent of committing the Five Gravest Transgressions and the Ten Evil Deeds, and being filled with all kinds of unwholesome deeds.
Your mind, though impure, is not so distracted that you cannot recite Amitabha’s Name. Your practice time, though short, is not so short that you will fail to encounter the Dharma at the end of your life. If such a person can attain rebirth, there is no one who cannot.
25. 《觀經》稱名除五逆罪
下品下生者，或有眾生，作不善業，五逆十惡，具諸不善。如此愚人，以惡業 故，應墮惡道，經歷多劫，受苦無窮。如此愚人，臨命終時，遇善知識，種種安 慰，為說妙法，教令念佛。彼人苦逼，不遑念佛。善友告言：「汝若不能念彼佛 者，應稱無量壽佛。」如是至心，令聲不絕，具足十念，稱「南無阿彌陀佛」。稱 佛名故，於念念中，除八十億劫生死之罪。命終之時，見金蓮華，猶如日輪， 住其人前；如一念頃，即得往生極樂世界。
25.1 問：有人說，「我罪障重，念佛心不淨，修行時間短，怕不能往生」，是這樣嗎？
答：比之下下品人，罪障重，不至於「五逆十惡，具諸不善」；心不淨，不至於 「不遑念佛」；修行時間短，不至於臨終遇法。他能往生，沒有人不能往生。
Namo Amituofo!
