November 6, 2025

Nov. 6, 2025 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 21 

Answer continued (4/4): 

Thus, as long as you exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, every recitation is already a vow and dedication. Each recitation manifests the merits Amitabha dedicated to us, and our acceptance of his offer of salvation. Every recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha expresses this. 

It is common for some people to believe we must dedicate merits to heavenly guardians or protective deities. However, when we recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, without our asking or even knowing it, those powers naturally respond.

Therefore, the Pure Land way is this: by exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha, one is already repaying the “fourfold gratitude above” and relieving the “sufferings of the three evil paths below.” As Buddhists, we should never forget the kindness of our parents, teachers, our country, and all sentient beings. The only way to repay these four great debts is to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. By doing so, without any conscious intention or request, we naturally bring deliverance to our ancestors and protection to our descendants. Even if we are not thinking about repayment, the power of Amitabha Buddha ensures that it is accomplished. 

21問: 

續答 (4/4): 

你只要時時刻刻稱名，念念之中都是在發願，都在迴向。所以，每句名號 裏面，都是在流露彌陀迴向給我們的功德，呼喚我們讓他救度，也都是在流 露自己隨順、信順彌陀的救度，領受他的功德，願往生極樂世界。所以，聲聲 名號都是在表達這種心，所以說「一念相應一念佛，念念相應念念佛」。 

一般要迴向龍天護法，要迴向什麼什麼的。其實，在念念稱名當中，不祈 求、也不知道，自然就有那種功能。不必我們迴向，龍天護法自然就來護我們 的法，保護我們。 

所以，淨土法門是：只要專稱彌陀佛名，自自然然就是在「上報四重恩，下 濟三途苦」。我們學佛的人，不能忘掉父母恩、師長恩、國土恩、眾生恩，要報 這四重恩，就只有稱念彌陀名號。稱念彌陀名號，你不知不求，自然就能超度 祖先，就能庇蔭兒孫。我們的心雖然沒有想到報答不報答，但是佛力的緣故， 自自然然就會有報答的功能。 

Namo Amituofo!

November 5, 2025

Nov. 5, 2025 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 21

Answer continued from 3/4 : 

Therefore, it is enough to recite this verse at the end of morning and evening services. Beyond that, there is no need to recite special dedication texts or separately make vows for rebirth. Our faith in Amitabha already contains that vow: the wish to be reborn in the Pure Land. To accept Amitabha’s compassion is not to keep repeating to ourselves, “I want this, I want this.” If we still feel the need to keep saying that, it shows we are still at an initial stage and have not yet truly accepted Amitabha’s compassion. 

To accept Amitabha’s compassion is to have faith in oneself (as the recipient) and in the Dharma. Such faith is profound and decisive—it is called “deep faith.” Deep faith means resolute faith. Hence, Master Shandao says: “First, decisively entrust 

oneself to Amitabha; second, decisively entrust in the Dharma.” This faith is not only deep but also conclusive. Once determined, it is eternally settled. On the side of the practitioner, this means deeply realizing that we are sinful deluded beings bound to birth-and-death, with no possibility of liberation through our own power. Therefore, we should “without doubt or anxiety, rely upon Amitabha’s Vow-Power, and assuredly attain rebirth.” In this way, faith, vow, and practice are all fully present. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

21問: 

續答 (3/4): 

早課、晚課後面就念這首偈，其他沒有特別需要念的迴向文，也不需要另 外發願往生。我們本來就有這個願，就是要往生極樂世界。我們領受彌陀的 慈悲，不必總是重複地告示自己：「我要這樣，我要這樣！」如果這樣的話，表 示還是在最初階段，還沒有領受彌陀的慈悲。

領受彌陀的慈悲就是信機、信法。 

信機、信法這種信，是很深刻的信，叫做「深信」，深信就是決定性的信。 因此，善導大師才說：「一者決定深信」，「二者決定深信」。 

這個信是深信，而且是決定性的。既然決定了，就永恆決定了。在機方面 已經決定深信自己是罪惡生死凡夫，無有出離之緣，所以才「無疑無慮，乘彼 願力，定得往生」，這樣的話，已經信願行通通具足了。 

(明天待續) 

Namo Amituofo! 

November 4, 2025

Nov. 4, 2025 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 21 - 

Answer continued (2/4): 

This Dedication Verse is wholly Amitabha’s dedication. 

“May this merit” refers to the merit accumulated through Amitabha’s great vow of compassion. 

“Be equally shared with all” means it is bestowed equally upon all beings in the ten directions. 

“Together awaken the Bodhi-mind”: the Bodhi-mind is the resolve to become a Buddha. Since rebirth in the Pure Land leads directly to Buddhahood, the wish for rebirth is the Bodhi-mind of the Pure Land Path. In Pure Land practice, we need not make an additional vow to awaken Bodhicitta. Hearing and believing in Amitabha’s deliverance, turning our hearts toward him, and aspiring for rebirth—this is our Bodhi-mind. 

“Be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss”. This means: attaining rebirth in the Land of Bliss, which is secure, joyful, free from the six realms of rebirth. “ Where there is no suffering and only pure joy.”

(to be continued tomorrow) 

21問: 

續答 (2/4): 

這首《迴向偈》完全是彌陀迴向。 

「願以此功德」：是指彌陀的悲願，以他所累積的功德。 

「平等施一切」：平等布施給十方一切眾生。 

「同發菩提心」：「菩提心」就是成佛的心，而往生就能成佛，所以，願往生 淨土的心，就是淨土法門的菩提心。淨土法門不必另外再去發菩提心，聞信 彌陀救度、回心轉意願往生，這種心就是我們的菩提心。 

「往生安樂國」：使我們往生到極樂世界去。極樂世界是個安穩、快樂、沒 有六道輪迴、「無有眾苦，但受諸樂」的國土，所以說是「安樂國」。 

(明天待續) 

Namo Amituofo! 

November 3, 2025

Nov. 3, 2025 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 21 : Many people still do not clearly understand the issues of dedication of merit and aspiration. Would you please give us some guidance? 

Answer: 

In the Pure Land Path it is not that we dedicate merits to Amitabha Buddha , it is actually the other way around. Amitabha dedicates his merits to us. He shares his true and perfect merits with us, enabling us to leave the cycle of birth and death in this defiled world and attain rebirth in the Land of Bliss; where we realize the ultimate goal—becoming Buddhas. It is Amitabha who dedicates merit to us, not we to him. 

This is because we have no true merits to dedicate. All of our practices are defiled, mixed with afflictions, insincere and unreal. They do not correspond to the true, pure realm of Amitabha’s Nirvana. Therefore, it is impossible for us to perform any real dedication of merit—we neither can nor need to. We cannot, because we cannot generate genuine merit; and we need not, because Amitabha’s perfect merit is already fully accomplished. 

This means there is no need for us to engage in separate acts of dedication or make special vows. Our acceptance of Amitabha’s salvation already contains the wish for rebirth. From the perspective of this aspiration for rebirth, it is already an act of vow-making. Thus, we need not make vows every day.

That said, when we perform our morning and evening services, we often conclude by reciting the “Vow of Dedication.” This is the Dedication Verse composed by Master Shandao, printed at the end of our prayer books. Unlike ordinary dedications, this verse expresses Amitabha’s dedication: 

“May this merit 

Be equally shared with all; 

Together awaken the Bodhi-mind, 

And be reborn in the Land of Peace and Bliss.” 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

21問：很多人對迴向、發願這兩個問題還不明了，請法師開示一下。

答： 

      淨土法門不是講我們迴向給阿彌陀佛，不是的！是顛倒過來，是阿彌 陀佛迴向給我們。阿彌陀佛將他真實的功德迴向給我們，使我們離開娑婆的 輪迴，使我們往生極樂世界，去得到真實——成佛。是阿彌陀佛將功德迴向給 我們，不是我們將功德迴向給阿彌陀佛。 

一方面因為我們沒有真實的功德，我們所修的，都是有漏、雜毒之善，虛 假、不實之行，與阿彌陀佛涅槃的真實境界不相應，所以，不可能有功德迴向 ——既不能，也不必：我們不能修出真實的功德，所以不能；同時，阿彌陀佛的 真實功德已經完成了，所以不必。 

這是不必單獨迴向，也是不用特別發願的——我們之所以信受彌陀的救度， 就是有一種願生心。從願生心這一點來講，也是屬於一種發願的內涵。本來 已經具有這種內涵了，所以不必每天都再發願。 

只是說，如果我們在做早晚課的時候，最後就連貫著念一遍「發願文」，這 個「發願文」就是《迴向偈》。在我們每本書的後面都有這首善導大師所作的 《迴向偈》，這首《迴向偈》與一般的迴向發願不一樣，這首《迴向偈》是： 

願以此功德，平等施一切，同發菩提心，往生安樂國。

(明天待續) 

Namo Amituofo! 

November 2, 2025

Nov. 2, 2025 

Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation 

Part Three - Assisted-Recitation near the End-of-Life 

第三部分 有關臨終助念 

Question 54: When Amitabha Buddha comes to receive those who recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, does he come by himself, or does he come accompanied by Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva? 

Answer: As stated in the Amitabha Sutra, Amitabha Buddha comes together with Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, and a host of holy beings to welcome the practitioner. However, depending on each person’s karmic conditions, what is seen differs: some see only the Buddha but not the Bodhisattvas, some see the Bodhisattvas but not the Buddha, some see only a few holy beings, some see many, and some see only the lotus flower or the radiant light. 

54問：阿彌陀佛接引念佛人時，是自己來還是有觀世音菩薩、大勢至菩 薩隨行？ 

答：如《阿彌陀經》說：阿彌陀佛攜同觀音、勢至及諸聖眾同來迎接。但 隨人因緣不同，所見有種種不同：有人只見佛不見菩薩，有人只見菩薩不 見佛，有人見少聖眾，有人見多聖眾，有人只見蓮花、光明。

Namo Amituofo! 

November 1, 2025

Nov. 1, 2025 

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about the Grace of Deliverance 

慧淨法師之救恩法語(二)之愛的心語

 

Faith is not an escape from afflictions. In the midst of afflictions, we are guided toward Amitabha’s salvation.

Suffering becomes a favorable condition, telling us to awaken—that we are powerless and utterly incapable on our own. 

Salvation comes through exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha , not through morality or learning. 

Reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha is our response to Amitabha Buddha’s Vow and grace. Our voices answer the Buddha, as the manifestation of our resonance with him. 

Those who are saved by Amitabha feel great joy. From the very depths of hellish arrogance and obstinacy, arises the seed of delight in the Dharma-flavor of reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha . 

Just like an infant in its mother’s arms, free of any worry, simply and contentedly drinking the milk that is the crystallization of her love. 

信仰並非煩惱的逃避，在煩惱中，我們被導向彌陀的救度。 

苦難是讓我們回頭轉向的良緣，告訴我們該自覺了，我們是無能為力的，一 無所能的。 

念佛使人得救，不是道德與學問。 

念佛是佛願的反應，是佛恩的投影，是對佛的呼應之聲，是與佛感應道交的 顯露。 

被佛救者，心多歡喜。從無間之底所噴出的剛強我慢，成為愛樂念佛法味之 種子。 

母親懷中的嬰兒毫無顧慮，只是滿足地吸吮母愛結晶的乳汁。 

Namo Amituofo!

October 31, 2025

Oct. 31, 2025 

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching asking “What does life look like?” 

慧淨法師之「人生像什麼」

Human life is like a ship sailing across a vast ocean with no destination.” 

人生如航行茫茫大海而沒有目標的船。 

Namo Amituofo!

October 30, 2025

Oct. 30, 2025 

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School 

淨土宗妙喻 

Metaphor 45: Jumping Over a Trench 

There is an order of priority regarding the purposes of Amitabha’s vows. The principal objective is to enable our rebirth in the Pure Land, while the secondary purpose is to grant us benefits in our present lives. The former is fundamental, like the roots of a tree, and the latter is supplementary, like the leaves and flowers. Since our rebirth in the Pure Land is assured, it follows that the interests in our present lives are also benefited. 

It is very similar to a person who is able to jump over a three meter wide trench, he will have no problem crossing a much narrower ditch. 

45. 跨壕溝喻 

阿彌陀佛對我們的誓願，是有本末、有主次的，當來往生是根本，現世利 益是枝末。亦即既然能夠獲得往生，必然也能夠獲得現世利益。

就像既然能夠躍過一丈之遠的壕溝，那麼，跨越一尺二尺的水溝當然不在話下。 

Namo Amituofo! 

October 29, 2025

Oct. 29, 2025 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

166. The Formation of Dharmakara’s Vows 

“When I become a Buddha, I shall be equal to the holy Dharma-King; 

Transcending birth and death, none shall fail to be liberated.”

This verse expresses the very first and most fundamental source of Dharmakara Bodhisattva’s vast aspiration of “seeking Buddhahood above and transforming beings below.” It is called “the root of Amitabha Buddha’s Vow-Mind.” 

Here, he reveals his resolution to become a lofty and magnificent Buddha like the Tathagata Lokesvararaja. His sole purpose is: saving all beings in the ten directions, rescuing them from the cycle of birth and death, and liberating them from all afflictions.

In the other two parallel translations of the same scripture, it is expressed as follows: 

From the Tathagata Assembly Sutra: 

Able to save those in all worlds, 

From the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness, and death. 

From the Ornamented Sutra: 

To be the great guide for all living beings, 

Delivering them from aging and death, bringing them peace and security. 

By explaining scripture with scripture, we can see that the phrase “transcending birth and death, none shall fail to be liberated” does not mean that Dharmakara Bhiksu himself would be freed. It rather means that he aspired to liberate all sentient beings from the suffering of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and lead them to the bliss of Buddhahood. 

This is the very first revelation of Dharmakara Bodhisattva’s boundless compassion and the vastness of his vow-mind. 

166 法藏志願 

願我作佛，齊聖法王； 

過度生死，靡不解脫。 

這首偈是法藏菩薩「上求佛道，下化眾生」弘廣願心最初、最原始的根源， 所謂「阿彌陀佛願心的根本」。表露他發願成為像世自在王佛那樣崇高偉大的 佛，其目的是為了要救度十方眾生，度脫生死輪迴，解脫一切煩惱。其他兩部 同本異譯的經，如《如來會》說： 

能救一切諸世間，生老病死眾苦惱。 

又如《莊嚴經》說： 

為彼群生大導師，度脫老死令安穩。

以經解經，就曉得「過度生死，靡不解脫」這八個字，並不是講法藏比丘 他自己，而是他要度脫一切眾生解脫生老病死輪迴之苦，同時獲得成佛的安 樂。這就是法藏菩薩最初表露的無盡悲心與弘廣願心。 

Namo Amituofo!