Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 60: Genes for Perfect Enlightenment (5 /5 continued)
The Infinite Life Sutra states: “Exclusively seeking the pure and undefiled Dharma in order to benefit all beings.” Where is this “pure and undefiled Dharma” to be found? It is within the phrase Namo Amitabha Buddha. This phrase is bestowed upon sentient beings for them to recite, enabling them to be fully endowed with the pure Dharma. The sutra also says: “Causing all beings to accomplish merits and virtues,” enabling those who exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha to accomplish the merit for rebirth and Buddhahood. Again it says: “Opening the treasury of the Dharma for all beings, widely bestowing the treasure of merits.” For the sentient beings of the ten directions, the treasury of the Dharma for perfect Buddhahood has been fulfilled and its vast ocean of merits bestowed upon them.
Therefore, Vasubandhu, in his Treatise on Rebirth, said: “It enables one to quickly receive the infinite ocean of merit-treasure.” When beings of the ten directions encounter the Pure Land teaching, they can, in this very lifetime, swiftly become fully endowed with the great ocean of merit. Thus it is said, “the Dharma Body suddenly manifests; and is therefore called transformation-birth.”
60. 基因喻 (續 5/5)
《無量壽經》說：「專求清白之法，以惠利群生。」所求的「清白之法」在哪裡？ 在這句名號裏！這句名號惠賜給眾生稱念，使眾生也具足清白之法。《無量壽 經》又說：「令諸眾生，功德成就。」使我們念佛人成就往生成佛的功德。又說： 「為眾開法藏，廣施功德寶。」為十方眾生圓滿成佛的法藏，布施給眾生成佛 的功德大寶海。
所以，天親菩薩在《往生論》就說：「能令速滿足，功德大寶海。」能夠使我們十 方眾生遇到淨土法門，當生就能快速具足功德大寶海，所以說「法身頓現，故說化生」。
Namo Amituofo!
