Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 58: Amitabha’s Name is Like a Credit Card
Recite Amitabha’s Name with Faith
The institution in Taiwan that owns the most money is the Central Bank. If Amitabha’s merits and virtues, as contained in “Namo Amituofo,” are the equivalent of the reserve in the Central Bank, we Amitabha-reciters, who take refuge in Amitabha Buddha, are analogous to creditors entitled to the money in the Bank.
Metaphorically, exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha acts like a credit card issued by the central bank, allowing those who recite unrestricted withdrawals of the merits. Such merits not only eliminate our karmic obstructions, but they also help us connect with others through dedication of the merits.
Master Shandao says, “Amitabha Buddha made a profound and weighty vow — to embrace sentient beings in all directions with both his light and his name, in order to induce them to recite with faith.”
In short, Amitabha’s name has been given to sentient beings for our benefit , whether in the present life or beyond. All we need to do is accept the gift, believe in it, and exclusively recite it.
58. 銀行卡喻
信心求念
在我們臺灣，錢最多的政府單位是哪裡？中央銀行嗎？假如中央銀行所 有的錢，就如同阿彌陀佛的功德，也就是「南無阿彌陀佛」這六字洪名，那我 們歸命的人，就等同擁有了中央銀行的所有錢財，對不對？（眾答：對！）
所以，這句名號能讓我們支取出來，消我們的業障，也能讓我們迴向，來 跟其他的人結緣，這六字洪名等同中央銀行的一張金融卡，讓我們自由支 配。
善導大師說：「彌陀世尊本發深重誓願，以光明名號攝化十方，但使信心 求念。」
所以，這句名號是讓我們眾生信受、稱念的，不管眾生稱念這句名號是為了 現世利益也好、是為了當來利益也好，都可以信心求念。
Namo Amituofo!
