Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
155. The Relationship Between Amitabha Buddha’s Light and Life (continued 2/6)
The Amitabha Sutra states:
"Shariputra, the light of that Buddha is infinite, illuminating the lands of the ten directions without obstruction; hence, he is called Amitabha. Again, Shariputra, the lifespans of that Buddha and his people are infinite and boundless, lasting for immeasurable kalpas; therefore, he is called Amitabha."
The conjunction "again" (又) in the passage signifies the intimate and inseparable connection between the virtues of Light (guāng dé 光德) and Life (shòu dé 壽德). Neither can exist independently of the other, nor can either be omitted. Only through their mutual presence and integration can the title "Amitabha" — Infinite Light and Infinite Life — be fully realized.
Given this unity of Light and Life, there are twelve attributes of Light as well as twelve corresponding attributes of Life — such as “Infinite Light and Life, Unbounded Light and Life, Unobstructed Light and Life, and so on, culminating in Light and Life surpassing that of the sun and moon.”
In contrast, the lifespan in this world, the “kalpa of defilement in life” (mìng zhuó 命濁) is devoid of the Buddha’s luminous virtue. Such life is marked by suffering
and defilement; the longer it endures, the more intense the suffering becomes, and is exemplified by beings in the hell realms.
The relationship between Light and Life in Amitabha Buddha can be summarized in several dimensions:
(to be continued tomorrow)
155 阿彌陀佛光壽關係 (續 2/6)
《阿彌陀經》言：「舍利弗，彼佛光明無量，照十方國無所障礙，是故號為阿 彌陀。又舍利弗，彼佛壽命及其人民，無量無邊阿僧祇劫，故名阿彌陀。」一 「又」字，說明壽德與光德之間的密切關係，互不可分，互不可少，如此才能稱 為「阿彌陀」。
既光壽同具，有十二光德，亦有十二壽德。即無量光壽、無邊光壽、無礙 光壽……、超日月光壽。若此間命濁之壽，無佛光明之德，即是苦難、染污之 命，壽愈久，苦愈深，如地獄眾生。
光壽之關係，大致可概括為以下幾重。
Namo Amituofo!
