Vancouver Pure Land Buddhism: July 2025

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

June 28, 2025

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

Metaphor 35: Afflictions Abound While the Physical Body Exists

Our fear [of endless reincarnation in the Six Realms] grows like a bitter tasting tree. Every part of it, from the roots to all its branches and leaves, is bitter. To eradicate such bitterness, the tree must be chopped off at its roots. However,

even if the whole plant is uprooted, its branches and leaves will remain alive for some time instead of withering immediately. On rainy days, it may even sprout new growth.

The same applies to Pure Land practitioners. Although the cycle of our birth and death has already been cut off through the power of Amitabha’s Vow, we are still afflicted with fear, pain and a general sense of malaise while our physical bodies exist.

35. 樹喻：肉體存在，就有煩惱

這個恐懼就像一棵苦樹，有根、有幹、有枝、有葉。這是一棵從根到枝葉都是苦的樹，這棵苦樹，必須從根斬斷、從根消除。但即使從根斷除了，它的枝葉，還不會一下子乾枯，還是鮮活的，遇到天陰下雨，有可能還會發芽。

我們學淨土法門的眾生也是一樣，生死輪迴被阿彌陀佛的願力截斷，但是，當我們的肉體存在的時候，還是會有恐懼、痛苦、不安。

Namo Amituofo!

June 30, 2025

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about the Grace of Deliverance

慧淨法師之救恩法語(一)之愛的心語

Genuine love gives rise to genuine wisdom. The language of love is the greatest gift one can offer.

真正的愛他，就會有真正的智慧冒出來。愛的語言便是最高的禮物。

Namo Amituofo!

June 29, 2025

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching asking “What does life look like?”

慧淨法師之「人生像什麼」

Human life is like being on death row with no fixed execution date.

人生如不定期的死刑囚。

Namo Amituofo!

June 27, 2025

Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

156. The Meaning of Ordinary Beings (continued 6/6)

The so-called 108 afflictions refer to the number of mental defilements, traditionally counted as 108. There are different ways to arrive at this number. One method begins with the six sense faculties—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—each of which experiences three types of sensations: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. This results in 18 types of sensations in total.

Furthermore, each of the six faculties also gives rise to three kinds of emotional responses: like, dislike, and indifference. This brings the count to 36. Since these 36 reactions occur across the three time periods—past, present, and future—they total 108 afflictions.

In addition to these 108, afflictions are also said to number 84,000, signifying their vast and pervasive nature. Depending on their function, afflictions are also referred to by various names, such as latent tendencies, delusions, defilements, leaks, fetters, and bonds.

In essence, these afflictions keep sentient beings trapped in a deluded state, obstructing the path to enlightenment. As long as these defilements are not completely eradicated, one cannot escape the cycle of rebirth (samsara) or attain awakening.

Therefore, the core of Buddhist practices are meant to eliminate these afflictions. In Theravāda (or “Hinayana”) Buddhism, this is discussed in terms of defilements eliminated during the path of seeing and the path of cultivation. In Mahayana Buddhism, the focus is on whether afflictions are cut off suddenly (sudden elimination) or gradually (gradual elimination).

156 凡夫的意義 (續 6/6)

所謂百八煩惱，是煩惱的數量算起來有百八。關於此計算方式有不同的說法，其一，人的六根（眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意的六種感覺器官）各有苦、樂、捨（不苦不樂）的三種作用（受業），共計為十八的數量。

又，六種感覺器官也各有好、惡、平（無好無惡）的三種感情，所以合為三十六。因為此三十六種感覺器官的作用橫亙過去、現在、未來三世，所以總計為百八的數量。此外，又說為八萬四千煩惱，說明此煩惱非常多。又根據煩惱的作用，也可稱其為隨眠、惑、染、漏、結、纏等。

總之，這些煩惱使得眾生住於迷妄的世界，障害向證悟前進的正道。所以，只要這些煩惱沒有完全斷滅，就不能脫離輪迴，達到證悟。因此，佛教修行的中心是在於如何斷除煩惱。小乘佛教論見道所斷、修道所斷，大乘佛教則論頓斷、漸斷。

Namo Amituofo!

June 26, 2025

Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

156. The Meaning of “Ordinary Beings” (continued 5/6)

These afflictions cause sentient beings to become deluded, commit karmic actions, and experience the painful consequences of rebirth within the six realms of existence. As a result, beings remain trapped in a state of confusion and suffering over a long period of time. Therefore, unless these afflictions are completely eliminated, enlightenment cannot be attained, and liberation from the cycle of rebirth (samsara) is impossible. For this reason, whether afflictions are cut off or not becomes a central issue in Buddhist practice.

These afflictions generally refer to the three poisons:

● Greed: an insatiable craving or desire,

● Hatred: anger or aversion,

● Delusion: ignorance of the true nature of reality.

Added to these are pride, doubt, and wrong views —making a total of six primary afflictions.

In broader classification, afflictions are sometimes divided into:

● View-based and thought-based delusions —confusion about the nature of the past, present, and future,

● Dust-and-sand delusions —numerous subtle delusions, as countless as dust and sand,

● Ignorance-based delusions —delusions rooted in fundamental ignorance or lack of wisdom.

The primary afflictions are called the "three poisons": greed (insatiable desire), hatred (anger), and ignorance (lack of understanding). Along with pride, doubt, and wrong views, they are known as the "six afflictions."They can be further categorized into: the "three delusions of view, thought, and ignorance," the "dust-like afflictions," and the "ignorance based afflictions," among others. They can include various subtleties, such as the 108 afflictions.

(to be continued tomorrow)

156 凡夫的意義 (續 5/6)

此煩惱使眾生起惑、造業、受六道輪迴的苦報，長時持續在迷妄的世界中。所以，除非斷除此煩惱，否則不能證悟，不能出離六道輪迴。因此，在佛教的修道中，煩惱的斷與不斷成為了中心話題。

此煩惱通常是指貪欲（不滿足的我欲）、瞋恚（憎怒）、愚癡（不明道理）之三毒煩惱，再加高慢、疑心、惡見三者，稱為六煩惱，或說為見思惑（迷惑於三世的

道理），塵沙惑（如塵和沙般多的惑），無明惑（無智之惑）三惑，更可細分為百八煩惱。

Namo Amituofo!