Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 50: Reciting Amitabha’s Name is Like
Addressing Someone
Reciting Amitabha’s name is like addressing someone. When we call someone by his name, that person will respond at once.
Amitabha Buddha will obviously do the same. With Amitabha’s great compassion and wisdom, his supernatural power, and the strength of his Fundamental Vow, it is simply inconceivable that he would not know that we are calling him, and not respond. The resonance of Amitabha-recitation is like striking a bell. The instant we recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, he answers. Conversely, if we don’t exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha , we can’t expect a response from him.
50. 喚人喻
念佛如喚某某人，我們呼喚張三，張三即應；喚李四，李四即來。
何況是佛，大慈大悲，大智大慧，大神通大願力，念佛怎會不感應？念佛 感應，亦如叩鐘，一念即應，不念不應。
Namo Amituofo!
