Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Question 14: (See yesterday’s post)
Continued Answer:
The Real Mark Body (實相身) is from Amitabha’s side, representing his own “self-benefit”. The Body for Saving Sentient Beings (為物身) is from the perspective of sentient beings, representing his altruistic activity.
Both of these — the Real Mark Body and the Body for Saving Sentient Beings — refer to Amitabha Buddha, and specifically to his Reward Body (報身). They both came into being through the fulfillment of the 48 vows he made as Bodhisattva Dharmakara. When the 48 vows were fulfilled, Amitabha Buddha was realized. Therefore, with that fulfillment, the Real Mark Body was completed, and the Body for Saving Sentient Beings also accomplished. This is the Reward Body, known as Amitabha Buddha, also called the Tathagata of Unimpeded Light.
Only by fulfilling both the Real Mark Body and the Body for Saving Sentient Beings did he become Amitabha Buddha.
So, becoming a Buddha like those of the ten directions might seem relatively easier (of course, any Buddhahood is difficult to attain); but, to become Amitabha Buddha with both the Real Mark Body and the Body for Saving Sentient Beings is far from easy.
Why? Because the Body for Saving Sentient Beings refers to the form that saves all sentient beings, specifically to lead them to the Pure Land to become Buddhas. Unless this saving body was fulfilled, he could not have become Amitabha Buddha.
In other words, if there is even a single sentient being among the ten directions whom Amitabha cannot save, then he has not yet achieved the level of Buddhahood he sought. Doesn’t that mean that becoming any other Buddha of the past, present, or future is relatively easier, while becoming Amitabha with the Real Mark Body and the Body for Saving Sentient Beings is supremely difficult?
(to be continued tomorrow)
14問：請師父解釋一下「實相身」與「為物身」。
續答：
實相身是就自己自利圓滿來講，這個自利圓滿並不是為了自利，阿彌陀 佛不是為了自己本身，阿彌陀佛之所以成佛，是為了救度眾生的。所以，為物 身是從「若不生者，不取正覺」的利他圓滿來講的，是這樣的。
實相身是從彌陀本身來講，是彌陀的自利；為物身是從救度眾生方面來講 ，是彌陀的利他。
實相身、為物身都是指阿彌陀佛，也就是指報身。因為這兩個都是由於法 藏菩薩發下四十八願，四十八願成就了，就成就了阿彌陀佛。所以，實相身成 就了，為物身也達到了，這個叫報身，叫做阿彌陀佛，也叫做無礙光如來。唯 有成就了實相身、成就了為物身，才成為阿彌陀佛。
所以，要成為十方諸佛的那一種佛，還比較容易（當然，成佛都是困難的， 不過，與阿彌陀佛的願比較起來，都是容易的），而要成為實相身、為物身的 阿彌陀佛就不容易，為什麼？因為為物身就是救度眾生之身，這個救度眾生之身，就是救度十方眾生到極樂世界成佛之身，這種身不完成就不能成佛。
也就是說，十方眾生有一個眾生阿彌陀佛沒有力量救他，那麼，阿彌陀佛就還不能成佛。豈不是等於說，成就十方三世的任何一佛都還容易，可是 成就實相身、為物身之阿彌陀佛就不容易？
Namo Amituofo!
