Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
160. The Real Mark Body and the Body for Saving Sentient Beings (continued 2 /4)
Although Amitabha Buddha himself abides in the realm of infinite light and infinite life, in the true suchness of no-birth and no-death (which is the ultimate reality), we remain outside of that realm. Out of great compassion and in order to save us, he transformed his realization — his fruit of perfect enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi), the attainment of infinite light, infinite life, and the unborn, undying state — into the six-character Name: “Namo Amituofo” (南無阿 彌陀佛).
He says to us: “Here is my Name. Simply recite it with your mouth, and that’s enough.”
In this way, Amitabha Buddha becomes united with us. Therefore, the six-character Name “Namo Amituofo” has two aspects:
On Amitabha’s side , it is infinite light and infinite life, the realization of Amitabha Buddha himself, known as the “Real Mark Body” (實相身). The side that relates to sentient beings is called the “Body for Saving Sentient Beings” (為物身) — because it enables this six-character Name to be made available for us to recite.
When we recite this Name — “Namo Amituofo” — we are grasping one side, and just like a sheet of paper, when you have one side, you already possess the other. Or like a coin — when you take hold of one side, the entire coin belongs to you.
(to be continued tomorrow)
160 實相身、為物身 (續2/4)
阿彌陀佛他雖然本身住在無量光、無量壽的真如理體、不生不滅的境界當中 ，我們在這個境界之外，他為了慈悲我們、救度我們，就把他的無量光、無量 壽、不生不滅的果覺——無上正等正覺，形成「南無阿彌陀佛」六個字，說：「這 六個字給你念，你只要會動嘴巴念就可以。」這樣，阿彌陀佛就和我們結合起 來了。
所以，「南無阿彌陀佛」六個字是兩面的：向著佛這一面是無量光、無量壽 ，是阿彌陀佛本身的覺悟，叫做「實相身」；向著眾生這一邊叫「為物身」，就是 六字名號給我們念。我們念了這句六字名號，抓住這一面——就像一張紙，得 到正面，就有反面；得到反面，就有正面。像一枚錢幣，我們抓住這一邊，整個 錢就是我們的。
Namo Amituofo!
