Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Question 12: (see the post dated July 14)
“He does not reject those well-learned or pure in precepts” - This includes those who have deeply studied the scriptures and heard a great deal of the Dharma, as well as those who uphold the precepts purely. It also includes those who have received the precepts but later broke them—even those burdened with many transgressions. As long as they turn their hearts around, Amitabha vows to save them all.
“As long as they turn their hearts around and recite Amitabha Buddha’s Name often” - Turning the heart (迴心) means a change of mind—recognizing, “The evil I committed in the past has karmic consequences. It was wrong. I regret it.” Wishing to escape retribution for these past misdeeds, what can one do? There is only one way: to entrust oneself to Amitabha’s saving power—this is what “turning the heart” means. From then on, recite Amitabha Buddha’s Name frequently. The word “often” here corresponds to the “even ten recitations” in the 18th Vow—the “even” (乃至) means whenever time allows, just exclusive focus on Name-recitation.
“He can transform bits of rubble into gold”- “Bits of rubble” refers to discarded bricks, stones, and debris—worthless and abandoned. “Turning rubble into gold” is like transforming iron into gold or turning an ordinary person into a sage. As long as you turn your heart and recite Amitabha Buddha’s Name, you can be transformed from an ordinary, suffering being into a sage—this is to “turn iron into gold.” In other words, you will certainly attain rebirth in the Pure Land and ultimately attain Buddhahood.
Originally, this life may have been one of endless suffering and rebirth ; but now, through rebirth in the Pure Land, it becomes a life of Buddhahood—transcending the ordinary, becoming sages, and attaining the pure, undefiled state of Nirvana.
The difference between rubble and gold is vast—like night and day. To be able to transform iron into gold simply through turning the heart and reciting Amitabha Buddha’s Name —this is the inconceivable power of Amitabha’s Name.
12問：師父能否解釋一下法照大師「彼佛因中立弘誓」的偈子？
續答：「不簡多聞持淨戒」：深入經藏、多聞的人，或者持戒清淨的人，以及受 戒而犯了戒，甚至罪惡多端的人，只要他迴心的話，通通要救度。
「但使迴心多念佛」：只要回心轉意——「我以前所作的罪惡，原來是有果 報的，不應該的，我錯了」，那想要解除這種果報，怎麼辦？只有信順彌陀的 救度，所以叫做「迴心」。此後多念佛，這個「多」就是「乃至十念」的「乃至」，此 後有時間就只管稱名。
「能令瓦礫變成金」：「瓦礫」就是被人家遺棄的磚塊、石頭等東西。「瓦礫 變成金」，所謂「變鐵成金」、「轉凡成聖」，就是只要你迴心念佛，就能轉凡成 聖，就能變鐵成金，也就是說必能往生成佛。本來輪迴受苦受難的生命，現在 往生去了，成為佛身了，超凡入聖，進入清淨的、不污染的涅槃境界。
瓦礫與金，天差地別，迴心念佛即可變鐵成金，這就是名號不可思議的功德。
Namo Amituofo!
