Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Metaphor 64: A Blind Turtle and a Piece of Driftwood (continued)
There is an oft-quoted saying that goes like this: “Contemplating the unspeakable pains in hells motivates us to generate bodhicitta.” This means that, because we are mindful of the agonies in the hell realms, we should resolve to practice the Dharma for achieving Buddhahood, to save all sentient beings from samsara. We wish all sentient beings, including ourselves and our families through countless lifetimes, to be forever liberated from samsara. No more suffering in hells, no more suffering in the three evil realms.
In the context of the Pure Land Dharma path, that saying will be modified to read: contemplating the unspeakable pains in hell motivates us to aspire to rebirth in the Land of Bliss, and to exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.
In addition, Master Shandao’s “In Praise of Pratyutpanna” has the following two Gathas (p. 645 of the Complete Works of Master Shandao) which also stress the importance of being wary of the wretchedness of hells and having the aspiration for rebirth:
Always contemplate the torment of hells,
Aspiring to be reborn in the Pure Land.
Vow to commit no karma that leads to the three wretched realms, Having no desire for human or celestial joys.
A sudden recollection of the Buddha’s teaching that the sufferings in hells are unspeakable and ceaseless,
Makes me never want to forget, even for a moment, about the eternal bliss in the Land of Peace and Joy.
Amitabha’s Pure Land is an unconditioned realm of nirvana,
Making it the best place for the ultimate liberation from all sufferings and for the attainment of enlightenment.
Hearing of the miseries in the hell realms, especially the ceaseless pains and sufferings in Avici Hell; we become more resolute in our aspiration for rebirth in the Land of Bliss.
64. 盲龜浮木喻 (續)
有一句話說：「思地獄苦，發菩提心。」就是說，一旦想到有地獄之苦，就要 發起「上求佛道，下化眾生」的學佛修行之心，希望自己以及生生世世的父母 兄弟、六親眷屬，包括所有眾生，都離開地獄，離開三惡道，離開六道生死輪 迴。
對我們修淨土法門來講，就是「思地獄苦，發往生心」，發起「願生極樂，專 稱彌陀」的心。
善導大師有兩首偈也讓我們警惕，在《善導大師全集》六四五頁《般舟讚》說：
一切時中憶地獄，發起增上往生心；
誓願不做三途業，人天樂報亦無心。
忽憶地獄長時苦，不捨須臾忘安樂；
安樂佛國無為地，畢竟安身實是精。
讀到地獄的種種苦狀，尤其是讀到阿鼻地獄無間受苦，更讓我們發起增上的 往生心。
Namo Amituofo!
