Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
159. The Three Levels of Nianfo ( Buddha-Recitation) (continued)
" The Fundamental Vow Nianfo" possesses two exceptional qualities: superiority and ease. “Superiority” means that one attains “the assurance of Buddhahood” in this very life. “Easy” means that both ordinary and sacred beings, whether good or evil, are able to practice it.
It can thus be said to be both extraordinarily supreme and remarkably simple to practice. It can universally save all beings without distinction and equally enables all to attain Buddhahood.
This is what Master Shandao meant when he said: “Among all ordinary beings, both good and evil, who attain birth [in the Pure Land], without exception, all relied upon Amitabha Buddha’s great Vow and karmic power as their decisive cause.”
He also said: “Precisely because they entrust themselves to the power of the Buddha’s Vow, the beings of the five vehicles are all able to enter [the Pure Land] together.”
And again: “Beings of the human and heavenly realms, whether good or evil, are all able to be reborn; and once there, there are no distinctions — all equally attain non-retrogression.”
To summarize into a single principle: Although this collection (i.e., the text) speaks of three aspects, they are mutually supportive and essentially express a single idea:
When we speak of Amitabha-recitation, it is not merely any kind of Amitabha-recitation; but, Amitabha-recitation based on his Fundamental Vow. Furthermore, that is not just any “Fundamental Vow Nianfo;” but, the specific name-recitation selected by Amitabha Buddha in his Fundamental Vow.
In general, the term Buddha-recitation can refer to many practices — such as “Buddha-recitation of the true nature,” or visualization practices, or various meditative or conventional Buddha-recitation methods — and while they are all called Buddha-recitation, they are not the Buddha-recitation of Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow.
To avoid confusion, we use the term “Fundamental Vow Nianfo” or “Buddha-recitation based on Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow.”
Furthermore, what Master Honen called “selection” is essentially the same as what Master Shandao called “the Primal Vow.” Though the words differ, the meaning is the same.
159 三重念佛 (續)
本願念佛，具勝易二德：「勝」，則現生入正定聚；「易」，則凡聖善惡都能 行。可謂殊勝超越而又簡便易行，既普遍性救度任何眾生，也平等性使其皆 證佛果，這是善導大師所說的「一切善惡凡夫得生者，莫不皆乘阿彌陀佛大願 業力為增上緣」。大師又說「正由託佛願以作強緣，致使五乘齊入」，又說「人 天善惡，皆得往生；到彼無殊，齊同不退」。
總成一義者，此集書名，雖分三義，但三義相成，唯是一意：所謂念佛，不 只念佛，乃是本願念佛；本願念佛不只本願念佛，乃是彌陀選擇之本願念佛。
凡談念佛，或指實相念佛，或指觀想、觀相之念佛，或其他通途之種種念 佛，都名念佛；然而都非彌陀本願的念佛，為免相濫，故說「本願念佛」。
又，法然上人所說「選擇」，與善導大師所說「本願」，辭異義同。
Namo Amituofo!
