Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Answer to Q33: (4 /6)
Amitabha Buddha has reached out his golden hands. He has been waiting for us for ten kalpas. The ones he calls to are not sages, but ordinary beings like us—those who know they cannot practice well, who are troubled, and who fear the endless cycle of birth and death. Such people are precisely the ones Amitabha calls.
When we truly realize the Buddha’s heart, how could we ever say, “Look, I am already saved and I don’t care if you are going to hell.” That would never happen. Instead we will feel compassion for others. After all, what relationship did we originally have with Amitabha? None. Yet he regards us as his own family, even as part of himself. He vowed and practiced for us, to share the teaching of rebirth through the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha. He even honors us as if we were his parents. His only purpose is for us to receive his Infinite Wisdom and Compassion and be freed from suffering.
Once we receive Amitabha’s Infinite Compassion , we naturally share that compassion by understanding, tolerating, and forgiving others. What Amitabha has given us, we will share with others.
What Amitabha gives us is life restored from death. We not only gain life again, but the abundant life that leads to Buddhahood.
(to be continued tomorrow)
33問 (4 /6)：
阿彌陀佛既然伸出金色的手，等待我們十劫了，他所要接引的、呼喚的對 象，不是聖人，而是我們凡夫。我們不是覺得自己會修行、自己非常安樂，而 是覺得自己不會修行、自己正在苦惱當中，正在為自己的生死輪迴懼怕，我 們這種人就是彌陀呼喚的對象。
我們既然體悟到佛心，我們怎麼可能說：「哎呀！你看我已經被救了，你呀，你該下地獄」——不會這樣，反而會去體諒別人，而且認為：我跟阿彌陀佛 有什麼關係？沒有吧！阿彌陀佛竟把我看成他的親人，看成他自己，發願為 我修行，甚至為了將念佛往生的法門告訴我，把我當成他的父母來孝敬，目 的就是讓我體悟他的救度，從而免除我的痛苦，這純粹都是彌陀的大心。
領受彌陀的大悲心之後，我們就會散發這個悲心去體諒別人，包容、寬恕別人。我們領受彌陀給我們這麼多的東西，就會拿去給別人。
阿彌陀佛給我們的是起死回生。我們重生，不但得到了生命，而且得到成 佛那樣豐富的生命。
Namo Amituofo!
