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 60 - What if, at the time of death or after passing away, one who has never seen Amitabha Buddha before does not recognize him — what should be done?
Answer to Q60 : Upon seeing Amitabha Buddha, one will naturally recognize him. It is like plants and trees that do not “know” spring—when spring arrives, they naturally sprout and flourish. When a person is experiencing the suffering of death and Amitabha comes to welcome and receive them, it is the same as plants that naturally turn toward the sun, or the way one who is cold naturally seeks warmth. One will naturally turn toward Amitabha.
All sentient beings possess Buddha-nature, so there is no need to worry about not recognizing Amitabha. Just as wood contains the nature of fire—when placed into blazing flames, it naturally ignites; and ice has the nature of water—when placed into boiling water, it naturally melts. Where then, is there any concern that wood would not recognize fire, or ice would not know water? All the more so when Amitabha bestows his miraculous power. How could he not enable ordinary beings to recognize him?
60 問：臨終或亡者沒有見過阿彌陀佛、不認識怎麼辦？
答：一見佛時，自然而知。如草木不知春，春天到時，自然勃發。人在死苦， 佛來接引，則如草木向陽、冷者趨暖一樣，自然傾向於佛。眾生都有佛性， 不愁不認識佛。如木有火性，放入烈火自然燃燒；冰是水性，放入沸水自然 融化。哪裏還愁木不識火、冰不知水呢？何況佛有神力加持，豈不能令凡 夫識佛！
Namo Amituofo!
