Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
165 Sentient Beings of the Ten Directions (continued 3 /4)
Such a person, who exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha, will find that if ten recite ten are reborn, if a hundred recite a hundred are reborn, and even millions who recite will all be reborn. This is what is meant by “ if ten thousand practice, ten thousand attain birth.”
This has nothing to do with whether their spiritual capacity is high or low, nor whether their nature is good or evil. Certainly, it has nothing to do with whether their wisdom is great or small, their learning profound or shallow, or their character noble or base.
Commentary by Master Yinguang
Concerning the phrase “sentient beings of the ten directions,” Master Yinguang also explained:
From the highest capacity, such as bodhisattvas like Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra, down to the lowest capacity, such as those guilty of the Five Grave Offenses or the Ten Evils.
All can be reborn through the Pure Land Dharma-gate.
This means that whether one has the highest faculties, like the great bodhisattvas Mañjuśrī and Samantabhadra, or the lowest faculties, like those deluded beings who commit the gravest offenses—even such beings are all included among those whom Amitabha Buddha’s Pure Land Dharma-gate seeks to embrace, lead, and deliver.
Master Yinguang further said:
From the Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattvas down to beings in Avīci hell—all must practice it.
Before becoming a Buddha, one relies on this practice for one’s rebirth; and after becoming a Buddha, one relies on it to save those who are willing.
165 十方眾生 (續 3 /4)
像這樣能夠專一念佛不改變、不退轉的人，十人念佛就十人往生，百人念 佛就百人往生，千萬人念佛就千萬人往生，所謂「萬人修萬人去」。
這和他的根機是高是低沒有關係，也和他心性的本質是好是壞沒有關係 ，當然更和他智慧高低、學問深淺、品行優劣都沒有關係。
印光大師釋
有關「十方眾生」，印大法師也說：
上根如文殊普賢之儔，
下根如五逆十惡之輩，
皆為淨土法門所攝之機。
也就是說，上等的根器就如同文殊、普賢這類的等覺菩薩，或者是根器下 劣，就好像五逆十惡這種愚癡造惡之輩。不論這些眾生的根機是高還是低， 全部都是阿彌陀佛淨土法門所要攝取、接引、救度的對象。
印光大師又說：
上至等覺菩薩，下至阿鼻種性，皆須修習。
未成佛前，仗以自修； 已成佛後，賴以度世。
Namo Amituofo!
