Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
173 - Upholding Sutras and the Buddha’s Name ( continued 5/ 6) (3) Consistency with the Intent of the Amitabha Sutra
The meaning of “hearing the Name spoken by these Buddhas” accords with Xuanzang’s description: “Good men or good women, having heard of the inconceivable merits of the Name of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life.” In the East there is the present Buddha Aksobhya… in the South there is the present Buddha Sun-Moon Light… all speaking words of truth.”
This directly parallels Kumarajiva’s Amitabha Sutra, where Shakyamuni Buddha praises the inconceivable merits of Amitabha Buddha, and the Buddhas of the six directions—such as Akṣobhya in the East and Sun-Moon Lamp in the South—unanimously agree and also praise them.
Therefore, the Sutra later concludes: “Thus, Sariputra, you should all believe and accept my words and those spoken by all of the Buddhas.”
Accordingly, the wording “hearing Amitabha’s Name spoken by these Buddhas” profoundly accords with the intent of the Sutra.
(to be continued tomorrow)
173 持經持佛 (續 5/ 6)
（三）與《阿彌陀經》的旨趣相契應。「聞是諸佛所說名」之義是，如玄奘大師 《稱讚淨土佛攝受經》所說的「善男子或善女人，得聞如是無量壽佛不可思議 功德名號……東方亦有現在不動如來……南方亦有現在日月光如來……說 誠諦言」，這正如鳩摩羅什《阿彌陀經》所說的，釋迦牟尼佛「讚歎阿彌陀佛不 可思議功德之利，東方亦有阿閦鞞佛……南方亦有日月燈佛……」等六方諸 佛異口同聲讚歎證誠。
所以下面經文便說：「是故舍利弗，汝等皆當信受我語及諸佛所說。」 所以「聞是諸佛所說名」的經文深符本經之旨趣。
Namo Amituofo!
