Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Question 11 (see post dated July 2, 2025)
Answer (continued 4/5):
By contrast, other-powered Amitabha-recitation does not concern itself with these qualifications. It embraces reciting the Buddha’s Name just as we are—regardless of whether our minds are concentrated or scattered. Whether we can concentrate or not, whether we can achieve a unified mind or not, none of that matters.
This is because our goals and standards are not based on our own practices or capabilities. Instead, we recite the Name in acceptance of Amitabha Buddha’s unconditional deliverance.
The merit-jewel of Amitabha is already within our hearts. Every utterance of Amitabha Buddha’s Name radiates the light of that jewel.
It’s not that one utterance contains the jewel and the next one doesn’t —not at all. Every single utterance is the light of that very same jewel. Our rebirth in the Pure Land comes not from the effort of our chanting, but from the power of this jewel-like Name.
The act of reciting "Namo Amitabha Buddha" arises naturally because the Name-jewel is already in our hearts —it is a spontaneous manifestation. Even though we continue to recite the Name like this—"Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha Buddha..." —there is no concept in our minds of accumulating merit or achieving a particular meditative state.
This is because we understand that we are already saved by Amitabha Buddha. We are already assured of rebirth in the Pure Land. Our Amitabha-recitation now is merely the light emanating from the jewel in our hearts—entirely natural and effortless.
This is why Master Shandao, when explaining the phrase "single-mindedly and exclusively reciting Amitabha Buddha’s Name", interpreted it as:
"Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, regardless of time; never abandon it, moment after moment."
(to be continued tomorrow)
11問：剛才聽師父講，《觀經》的眼目就在「一向專稱彌陀佛名」，稱名定往生， 但是，這種稱名，它和有一種理論解釋的，就是要稱到什麼樣子才能獲得不 退，是否一樣？請師父再把這兩種稱名具體的含義解釋一下。
續答4：
他力的念佛一概不講那一些，就是以我們本身這種根性去念佛，不管念得能 一心、不能一心，都不管。因為，不是以這個為目標、為標準的，是領受彌陀 的救度而去稱念這句名號的，因為彌陀的功德寶珠在我們的心中，聲聲佛號 念出來，都是這顆寶珠所放出的光明。
並非這一聲是這顆寶珠，那一聲就不是了，不是的，聲聲都是這顆寶珠的光 明。往生是這顆名號的寶珠使我們往生，而不是我們口中稱念的功夫使我們 往生。只是說：既然我們心中有彌陀名號的寶珠，我們就會時時刻刻流露出稱 名這個現象出來；雖然這樣流露出來，而稱念「南無阿彌陀佛、南無阿彌陀佛 ……」，心中並沒有一種要累積功夫，或者要達到「事理一心」的那種觀念，因 為曉得自己是已經被阿彌陀佛救到的人了，已經是決定往生極樂世界的人了 ，現在的念佛，就是內心那一顆明珠所散發出來的光明，是自自然然的。
所以，善導大師在解釋「一向專稱彌陀佛名」的時候，他所解釋的是： 行住坐臥，不問時節久近，念念不捨。
Namo Amituofo!
