Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 55: Reflections of the Moon (2 /3 )
Amitabha Buddha is omnipresent. His light permeates everywhere continuously. He empathizes with sentient beings, feeling for us and understanding the situation we are in. No matter when or where, anyone who thinks of Amitabha and exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha, will instantly have the Buddha with him. Amitabha’s mind enters the reciter’s mind and Amitabha’s light embraces him, without discrimination or differentiation.
Therefore, the Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra says, “All Buddha Tathagatas have a Dharma-nature body that can enter the mind of each sentient being.”
The Sutra also says, “The light [of Amitabha] permeates all worlds, always embracing those who exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha .”
Anyone who exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha is immediately connected with Amitabha and becomes one with him. The reciter and Amitabha enter each other’s mind, never forsaking one another.
The Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra says, “Amitabha Buddha’s mind is great compassion. It embraces sentient beings with unconditional kindness.”
“Unconditional kindness” means unconditional love and unconditional deliverance. Amitabha saves us just the way we are.
With great benevolence and compassion, Amitabha never forces sentient beings to act in any particular way. He has been reaching out to us over countless eons, giving us his unwavering care and selfless love. He vows to deliver us absolutely.
Amitabha is our savior, the source of our true peace, joy, and hope. There is always suffering in the mundane world; but, in Amitabha’s arms we will find peace.
Despite the brilliance of the moon in the sky and its reflections in myriad waters on Earth, if I do not look up in the sky or look down at the water, I cannot see the moon or its reflections. The moon and I will have nothing to do with each other and it will mean nothing to me.
(to be continued tomorrow)
55. 月影喻 (2 /3)
阿彌陀佛，心涵太虛，光照宇宙，無時不在，無處不在。以眾生之心為心， 以眾生之境為境；不論何人，不論何時，不論何處，只要當下憶佛念佛，阿彌 陀佛即時與他同在；佛心入其心，佛光照其身，毫不揀擇，毫無差異。所以， 《觀無量壽經》說： 諸佛如來是法界身，入一切眾生心想中。
又說： 光明遍照十方世界，念佛眾生攝取不捨。
不論何人，只要念佛，佛入我心、我入佛心；我與佛、佛與我，機法一體， 不相捨離。
《觀無量壽經》說： 佛心者，大慈悲是；以無緣慈，攝諸眾生。
「無緣慈」就是無條件的愛心、無條件的救度，我們是什麼樣子，阿彌陀佛 就以什麼樣子救度我們。
阿彌陀佛大慈大悲，不勉強眾生做什麼，只有長劫的呼喚、不捨的關懷、 無私的給予、絕對的救度。
阿彌陀佛是我們的救主，是我們真正平安、喜樂、希望的來源，在人世間 有苦難，在佛懷中有平安。
月麗中天，影現萬水，但若不抬頭望明月，或不低頭觀月影，則月與我、 我與月，兩不相關。
Namo Amituofo!
