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!
