Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
171 - Primary Karma and Complementary Karma (continued 4/5)
Therefore, at the conclusion of his Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth, Master Tanluan summarizes the doctrine of Other-Power, stating:
“All who are born in that Pure Land, and all the practices performed by the bodhisattvas, devas, and humans there, arise through the power of Amitabha Tathāgata’s Original Vows.
Why is this so?
If not for Amitabha’s power, the Forty-Eight Vows would have been made in vain.
Now, I will highlight three Vows as proof of this.”
He then cites the texts of the Eighteenth Vow, the Eleventh Vow, and the Twenty-Second Vow as evidence.
Master Daochuo, in his Collection on Peace and Bliss, likewise says:
“The Larger Sutra states:
‘All beings of the ten directions who wish to be born in my land must rely upon the great vow-power of Amitabha Tathagata.
If it were not so, the Forty-Eight Vows would have been made in vain.”
171 引業與滿業 (續)
所以，曇鸞大師《往生論註》的最後，以阿彌陀佛的「他力論」做為總結論 而說：
凡是生彼淨土，及彼菩薩人天所起諸行，皆緣阿彌陀如來本願力故。 何以言之？若非佛力，四十八願便是徒設。今的取三願用證義意。
接著列舉第十八願、第十一願、第二十二願之願文作為證明。 道綽大師《安樂集》亦說：
《大經》云：「十方人天，欲生我國者，莫不皆以阿彌陀如來大願業力為增上 緣。」若不如是，四十八願便是徒設。
Namo Amituofo!
