Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching
淨土小常識
184. Classification and Convergence of the 48 Vows (4 /4 continued)
Apart from delivering sentient beings, Amitabha’s vows have no other purpose. Apart from accepting Amitabha’s deliverance, sentient beings have nothing else to seek. Amitabha is a Buddha who lives “for the sake of beings.” Even his “self-enjoyment” is entirely redirected to the ten directions as “enjoyment for others.” Thus, the supreme vows made in his causal ground, the supreme practices cultivated over countless kalpas, and the resulting fruition of immeasurable light and life after attaining Buddhahood; simultaneously become the supreme cause, practice, and result for sentient beings who exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.
The rebirth of sentient beings depends upon Amitabha’s perfect enlightenment for its accomplishment; and Amitabha’s perfect enlightenment, in turn, views the rebirth of sentient beings as its fulfillment. Therefore, the Amitabha-reciter and Amitabha Buddha are intimately close, inseparable, and of one body.
Note: “Mutual Illumination through Omission”
“Mutual illumination through omission” is a rhetorical device in which two related matters complement one another. What is omitted on one side is made explicit by the other, and vice versa, forming a complete explanation through mutual supplementation.
For example, when speaking of a “compassionate father and loving mother,” it does not mean that the father lacks love or the mother lacks compassion. Rather, each statement highlights one quality while implicitly including the other. What is omitted on the father’s side is revealed by what is stated about the mother, and what is omitted on the mother’s side is revealed by what is stated about the father.
184 四十八願的分類與結歸 (4 /4)
阿彌陀佛除了救度眾生之外，別無他願；眾生除了接受彌陀救度之外，無 所可求。阿彌陀佛是「為眾生身」（為物身），其「自受用」亦全然迴施十方眾生 為「他受用」。故其因地所發殊勝之願、兆載永劫所修殊勝之行，以及成佛後 所得光壽無量之果報，同時亦成為十方念佛眾生之勝因、勝行與勝果。
眾生之往生，仰賴彌陀正覺而得成就；而彌陀正覺，亦以眾生往生為其成 就。是故念佛人與阿彌陀佛，親近無間，一體不離。
註：「影略互顯」是省略說明的一種形式。對於二種有關之事件，甲方所略由乙 方顯發，乙方所略由甲方說明，如是相互補充成完全之說明方式。例如說慈 父悲母，並非父無悲母無慈，是各舉一略一。父邊所略，以母邊所舉顯示；母 邊所略，以父邊所舉顯示。
Namo Amituofo!
