Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
176 “Same Place, Different Nature” and “Same Place, Different Perception” (3 /3 continued)
The Larger Sutra of Immeasurable Life describes the Land of Bliss as “vast, open, expansive, beyond all limits and bounds;” while the Treatise on Rebirth explains it as “ultimately like empty space—immense and without boundaries.”
The realm of the Land of Bliss extends beyond empty space and pervades the entire Dharma-realm; all worlds in the ten directions are fully encompassed within its sphere, and therefore it is without limitation.
From this perspective, might it be said that the Saha World is also a part of the Land of Ultimate Bliss? In truth, one may say “yes,” and one may also say “no.” To say yes means that the Land of Bliss pervades the entire universe and all of space, and thus includes the Saha World.
Yet, to say no means that the Saha World itself is not the Land of Bliss, because the Saha World is formed as the karmic reward for the negative actions of all sentient beings; whereas the Land of Bliss is established through Amitabha Buddha’s pure karma.
Although they refer to the same place, their natures are different—this is called “the same place, different substance”. Even if we have not yet been reborn in the Land of Bliss, we have not departed from it. Though we still abide in the Saha World, it is in principle identical to abiding in the Land of Bliss. This is what is meant by “the same place, different perception” and “the same place, different
substance.” It refers to the same location; yet, the realms that are seen and experienced are not the same.
At the moment one takes refuge in Amitabha Buddha, aspires for birth in Amitabha’s Pure Land, and exclusively recites “Namo Amitabha Buddha”; at that very moment, one’s mind is already turned toward the Pure Land of Bliss. When the physical body comes to an end, rebirth in Amitabha’s Pure Land is attained immediately.
176 同處異質、同處異見 (3 /3)
《無量壽經》說極樂世界「恢廓曠蕩，不可限極」，《往生論》解釋說「究竟如 虛空，廣大無邊際」。極樂世界的境界盡虛空、遍法界，十方世界統統包涵在 它的境界裡面，所以沒有限制。就這點來說，是不是娑婆世界也是極樂世界 的一部分呢？其實，可以說「是」，也可以說「不是」。怎麼說呢？是，就是說極 樂世界遍滿整個宇宙、整個虛空，所以包含了娑婆世界；但是娑婆世界卻不是 極樂世界，因為娑婆世界是由一切眾生煩惱業之果報所形成，而極樂世界是 由阿彌陀佛的清淨業所建造。雖是同一個地方，可是不同本質，叫作「同處異 質」。我們即使沒有往生極樂世界，也沒有離開極樂世界；雖還在娑婆世界， 等同在極樂世界，即是所謂「同處異見」、「同處異質」——同樣一個地方，但所 看、所感覺的境界不一樣。
歸命阿彌陀佛，願生彌陀淨土，稱念「南無阿彌陀佛」，心靈就轉到了極樂 淨土，若色身謝去，當下就往生彌陀淨土。
Namo Amituofo!
