Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
167 - The Ten Powers of the Buddha’s Name (continued)
The 17th Vow states: “If the innumerable Buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions do not all praise and proclaim my Name, may I not attain perfect enlightenment.”
The corresponding accomplishment text says: “The Tathagatas, as countless as the sands of the Ganges, all extol the inconceivable ‘majestic power and merits’ of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life.”
Here, the “Name” in the vow-text appears in the accomplishment-text as “the inconceivable majestic power and merits of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life.” Furthermore, in the Contemplation Sutra, the “Ten Powers and Majestic Virtues” correspond to "the majestic power, Miraculous Power of Light, and the “Fivefold Dharma Body” represents the “merit.” Thus, the three phrases—Ten Powers and Majestic Virtues, Miraculous Power of Light, and Fivefold Dharma Body—when taken together, are equivalent to the phrase “Namo Amitabha Buddha.”
Therefore, Master Shandao commented on this passage, saying: “Hearing Amitabha’s Name eradicates karmic offenses accumulated over countless kalpas.”
167 十力佛名 (續)
第十七願願文說：
十方世界無量諸佛，不悉咨嗟，稱「我名」者。
而相應的成就文則說：
十方恆沙諸佛如來，皆共讚歎無量壽佛，「威神功德」不可思議。
願文中的「名」在成就文之中變成「無量壽佛威神功德不可思議」。另一方面，《觀經》在這裡所說的「十力威德」相當於「威」，「光明神力」相當於「神」，「五分法身」是威神功德之內的德。可見十力威德、光明神力、五分法身三句統合起來，等於是「南無阿彌陀佛」名號。所以善導大師才對十力威德等文加以註解說：
聞彌陀名號，即除罪多劫。
Namo Amituofo!
