Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Question 10: Master, even people who recite the Buddha’s name experience suffering. We often speak of the joy of reciting Amitabha’s Name, does that joy remain when one is going through hardship? What kind of transformation happens in the heart?
Answer (1/6):
Ordinary people, who have previously not heard of Amitabha Buddha’s compassionate vow of deliverance, may agree that reciting Amitabha Buddha’s Name is worthwhile when they are told so. However, when adversity strikes, when afflictions arise, or when illness comes; the name of the Buddha often flies away, as if cast into to the thirty-third heaven.
However, if one has Truly heard and believed in Amitabha Buddha’s vow of deliverance, and understands the principle behind this sacred Name, then even when afflictions arise, they will still feel a sense of Dharma joy. Even if their suffering prevents them from reciting aloud, they will still feel comforted. When adversity comes, they are able to willingly endure it.
In this state, affliction is no longer seen as affliction, and suffering no longer becomes an obstruction. Even if they cannot utter Amitabha Buddha’s Name, their mind remains calm and at peace. If they can recite, their cries of pain, those moans of “Ayyo, Ayyo”, will naturally be replaced by “Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo...” That’s how the transformation occurs.
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？
答 (1 / 6)：
一般人沒有聽聞阿彌陀佛的慈悲救度，告訴他念佛是好的，他也接受。可是 逆境來了、煩惱來了、病痛來了，這句佛號就飛到三十三天之外了。
如果聞信了阿彌陀佛的救度、聞信這句名號的原理的話，煩惱來了，他會有 法喜，苦惱得念不出聲，也會有安慰；逆境來的時候，也會甘於承受，會這樣 的。煩惱來了，就不以煩惱為煩惱；痛苦來了，也不以痛苦為掛礙，這句名號 即使念不出來，心總是安穩的。同時，他如果能念佛的話，就會停止原來很苦
的「哎喲、哎喲」聲，代之以「南無阿彌陀佛、南無阿彌陀佛……」，就會這樣念。
Namo Amituofo!
