March 5, 2026

Mar. 5, 2026 

Short Teaching about the Pure Land (I) 

淨土短文 (一) 

9. (continued) 

Because Amitabha Buddha’s Dharma-realm body can enter into the minds of all sentient beings, it is called the Dharma-realm of non-obstruction, between phenomena and principle. Hence, it is referred to as having “inconceivable merit and virtue.” 

When one recites Namo Amitabha Buddha even once, Amitabha has already entered that person’s mind. The three karmic activities of sentient beings— of body, speech, and mind— are never apart from the Buddha’s seeing, hearing, and knowing. Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance of sentient beings is entirely without obstruction. 

Ordinary beings are like shadows—provisional and illusory appearances—whereas Amitabha Buddha is constantly real and true. His ability to liberate the provisional is completely unobstructed; the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha is the teaching of deliverance.

The Name itself is the essence; principle gives rise to phenomena, and phenomena are none other than principle. Electricity is the substance; light is its function. Amitabha Buddha abides nowhere in ultimate truth, yet is unobstructed in conventional truth. 

佛的法界身都能入一切眾生的心想中，故是「事理無礙法界」，故言「不可思議 功德」。 

如念一句佛名，佛已入此人心中。眾生三業皆不出佛之見聞知，佛度眾生皆 無礙。 

凡夫如影，是假相，佛常真，真的要度假的是完全無礙，名號是救度的「法」。 名即體，理施事，事即理。電是體，光明是用。佛於真諦無住，俗諦無礙。 

Namo Amituofo! 

March 4, 2026

Mar. 4, 2026 

Master Huijing’s Short Teaching about the Pure Land (I) 

淨土短文 (一) 

9. The Name is the Dharma-Realm of Non-Obstruction, between Phenomena and Principle. 

Amitabha Buddha is able to incorporate immeasurable merits and virtues into his Name; ordinary beings are incapable of doing so. This precisely illustrates the Dharma-Realm of Non-Obstruction between Phenomena and Principle; the fruition of Amitabha Buddha’s awakened realization as the causal mind. For ordinary beings, the Name itself becomes faith. The Name and its essence are non-dual; phenomena and principle interpenetrate without obstruction. 

The beings of the Ten Dharma-realms—here dharma-realm means sphere or realm of experience. There are ten kinds of beings, corresponding to ten distinct realms. Realm denotes distinction and differentiation—the differences among the experiential realms of these ten types of beings. 

Amitabha Buddha’s realm can be explained through the doctrine of the Four Dharma-realms of non-obstruction. The Name is the Dharma-realm of non-obstruction between phenomena and principle, as expressed in the passage:

“All Buddhas and Tathagatas are bodies of the Dharma-realm and enter into the thoughts and minds of all sentient beings.” 

The term “Dharma-realm body” does not mean the Dharma-body. The Dharma-body is formless and without characteristics, whereas the Dharma-realm body has characteristics. It refers to the essence within the Nine Dharma-realms — that is, the realm of sentient beings. This is the sphere in which Amitabha Buddha carries out the work of liberating beings. Amitabha Buddha comes to seek us of his own accord. 

The Dharma-realm body is none other than Amitabha Buddha’s unobstructed wisdom. This body, mind, and unobstructed functioning pervade everywhere. Apart from Amitabha Buddha’s wisdom, how could there be such a Dharma-realm at all? 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

9. 名號是事理無礙法界。 

佛能以功德成名號，凡夫即不能，此是「事理無礙法界」。 

以果地覺為因地心：以名號為凡夫的信心，名體一如，事理無礙。 十法界眾生，法界即境界，十種境界之眾生。界：差別、分別，十種眾生境界的 差別。 

佛之境界可以「四無礙法界」解釋，名號是事理無礙法界，如「諸佛如來是法界 身，入一切眾生心想中」。「法界身」：非法身，法身無形無相，法界身有，是九法界之身。即眾生界，佛要度眾生的境界。佛自動來找我。 

法界身者，無礙之佛智也，身遍、心遍、無礙遍。離佛智豈有法界！

Namo Amituofo! 

March 3, 2026

Mar. 3, 2026 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Answer to Q30 about releasing living beings (4 /4 ) 

In ancient times, there was once a horse. After it died, it appeared to its owner in a dream , manifesting the appearance of a monastic. In the dream, it told its owner: “Because, while I was alive, I accepted your instruction, received Amitābha’s deliverance, and recited Namo Amitābha Buddha, I have now been reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. I have come to inform you of this and express my gratitude.” Even a horse—an animal—could understand human speech and be reborn in the Pure Land. 

Therefore, when we release living beings, we should explain to them Amitābha Buddha’s compassionate deliverance and then recite Namo Amitabha Buddha; so that once they hear it, it forever becomes a seed of enlightenment. 

The most precious thing in the world is life; the most tragic thing in the human realm is being killed. There is a saying: “Even a single grain of rice must be cherished, for it is a foundation for blessings.” This means that even one small grain of rice should be treasured, as it is a source of merit. Similarly, “Even tiny creatures must be cherished, for this is a source of longevity.” This means that even the smallest living beings should be protected, as this nurtures long life. 

Of course, we do not seek blessings or longevity on our own; both blessings and long life are already contained within Amitābha’s vows. Nevertheless, this practice expresses our cherishing of blessings and the natural outflow of compassion. 

答 Q30 (4 /4)：

古代曾經有一匹馬，這匹馬死了之後就托夢給他的主人，在夢中這匹馬 現出家身，告訴主人說：「我因為在生的時候，接受你的勸導，領受彌陀救度， 稱念南無阿彌陀佛，現在已經往生極樂世界了，我現在來向你通告感謝。」一 匹馬，畜生，牠也能夠聽懂人的話，能夠往生極樂世界。 

所以，我們如果放生的話，還是給牠講說阿彌陀佛的慈悲救度，然後就念 佛，讓牠能夠一入耳根永成道種。 

天下最貴重的就是生命，世間最悲慘的就是被殺，有一句話說得很好， 「粒米必珍，福之本也」，就是說：即使一粒小米也要珍惜，因為這是福報的來 源。同樣，「微物必惜，壽之源也」，意思就是說：即使一隻微小的動物也要愛 護，因為這是壽的來源。 

當然，我們不向彌陀之外去求福求壽，福與壽都在阿彌陀佛的願中，不過 ，這是我們一種惜福與慈悲的流露。 

Namo Amituofo!

March 2, 2026

Mar. 2, 2026 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Answer to Q30 about releasing living beings (3 /4 ) 

If one truly wishes to practice life release, then regular releases are not impossible; but, they should be carried out quietly. It is best to go to markets or places of slaughter, where the animals are about to be killed, and buy them immediately. If others are informed in advance, people may intentionally capture animals for this purpose. Thus, releasing life is very good; but, its execution requires careful thought. 

Should the practice of releasing life be promoted? It does have value and is worth promoting. When one imagines a living being being killed, the suffering is immense—alive and thrown into boiling oil or scalding broth. If we consider ourselves, it would already be painful just to have a finger pricked by a needle or burned by a drop of hot water, let alone the entire body. The suffering is truly beyond words. Therefore, releasing life should indeed be encouraged. It is just that one should strive to avoid negative side effects and reduce them to the lowest possible level.

When we release living beings, we allow lives that were destined to be killed or cut short to continue and be prolonged. Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance of us is like releasing us into the Land of Ultimate Bliss—not only freeing us from the six realms of rebirth, but also granting us immeasurable life. 

Our way of releasing life, of course, differs from ordinary ritual procedures. We give the beings guidance on Amitabha Buddha’s compassionate deliverance, and then recite Namo Amitabha Buddha for them. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

答 Q30 (3 /4)： 

同時，如果真正要放生的話，定期也可以，但是要默默地進行，最好是到 市場或者是有殺生的地方，馬上就要被殺的，可以立刻把牠買下來。如果先 讓人家知道，人家就會故意去抓了。所以，放生本身是很好的，但是在運作上 就要考量。 

那放生可推行不可推行呢？它是有推行價值的。因為，一個眾生被殺，想 像起來是非常的痛苦，活生生地被放進油鍋熱湯裏面。如果以我們來講，實 在難以忍受，手指頭被針紮到或者被一滴熱水燙到就會苦了，何況全身？真 是苦不可言，所以，放生本身是應當提倡的，只是要儘量達到沒有副作用，讓 副作用減到最低。 

我們把眾生放生，使本來要被殺的、夭折的生命能夠繼續延長。而阿彌陀 佛救度我們，等於把我們放生到極樂世界去，不只是離開六道，而且成了無 量壽。 

我們放生，當然跟一般放生的儀規是不一樣的，我們給牠開示阿彌陀佛 救度的道理，然後給牠念佛。 

Namo Amituofo!

March 1, 2026

Mar. 1, 2026 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一)

Answer to Q30 about releasing living beings (2 /4 ) 

Many temples hold regular, scheduled life-release activities. If one releases life merely for the sake of releasing life, it easily becomes just a matter of formality. When people know that releases are held on a fixed schedule, they will catch animals in advance. (With unscheduled releases, this is less likely; but with scheduled ones, they deliberately go out to catch them.) Creatures that were originally living peacefully in their natural environment end up being captured precisely because people intend to release them. 

Therefore, if the spiritual essence of compassion cannot be preserved, scheduled releases of life easily degenerate into empty form. 

Furthermore, if the place where the animals are released is unsuitable, then what is released is not truly “life”: before long the animals will die, and the environment may even be polluted. Hence, the method of releasing life must be carefully considered. If the motivation is genuinely “unable to bear seeing living beings improperly die,” then this truly reflects the heart of one who learns from the Buddha and the bodhisattvas. However, each method requires thoughtful consideration. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

答 Q30 (2 /4)： 

一般的寺院都有定期的放生，為了放生而放生，等於是在做那種形式——定 期的放生。人家知道他是定期的放生，所以預先就去抓了（不定期放生還好， 他就不去抓，定期放生他就特意去抓），本來這些生物在那裏還活得好好的， 因為你要放生，所以就被抓來了。 

所以，定期放生，如果放生的精神內涵不能保住的話，等於是流於形式 了。

還有，你所放生的地方如果不適當，那等於所放的不是生，不久牠就死了 ，而且還污染環境。所以，放生的方法就要考慮。動機如果是見其生不忍見其 死的話，那真的是學佛菩薩的心腸，但是方法上總是要考慮。

Namo Amituofo!

February 28, 2026

Feb. 28, 2026 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 30 : Please Master, give some guidance regarding the practice of releasing living beings. 

Answer to Q30 about releasing living beings (1 /4 ) 

The motivation behind releasing living beings is very good, because it arises from a compassionate heart. One cannot bear to see the strong preying on the weak, nor can one bear to let a living being be slaughtered. However, compassion must

be guided by wisdom. How to truly achieve the purpose of releasing life is the more important issue; therefore, the method must be carefully considered. 

Before releasing living beings, it is best that we first make a vow to adopt a vegetarian diet. Every day that we do not eat vegetarian food, someone kills living beings on our behalf. Only by truly eating vegetarian can one truly practice the release of life. There are two kinds of killing: direct killing and indirect killing. 

Even if one cannot be fully vegetarian, one should at least consume the “three kinds of pure meat,” since we are all disciples learning the Buddha’s way. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

30問：請師父開示一下有關放生的問題。 

答：放生的行為，動機是非常好的，因為他發慈悲心，不忍弱肉強食，不忍 讓一隻活生生的生命就這樣被宰割。但是運用這個慈悲要有智慧。要怎麼樣 才能達到真正的放生，這個是比較重要的，所以，在方法上就必須考慮。 

放生之前，我們最好先發吃素的願，我們一天不吃素，一天就有人為我們 而殺生，所以，唯有真正吃素，才是真正放生。殺生有兩種殺生，有直接殺、 有間接殺。 

即使不能吃素，也應該吃三淨肉，因為我們都是學佛弟子。 

Namo Amituofo!