Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)
淨土釋疑(一)
Answer to Question 40 (5 /6):
The reason that the patient became ill and was unable to sleep may be traced to karma from past lives. It may even be that karmic creditors or adversaries from previous lives were invisibly disturbing her, preventing her from resting.
When she heard the recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha, however, those karmic obstructions were naturally eased and diminished. If karmic creditors were indeed involved, the merit and virtue of the recitations could also help dissolve those karmic entanglements and grievances.
In essence, hearing and reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha are fundamentally the same in their effect.
When we recite, the sound comes from the mouth, yet it originates from the mind. Even if our recitation is not accompanied by deep sincerity or profound concentration, the very act of reciting plants a seed within our eighth consciousness, the Alaya-vijnana (storehouse consciousness).
Recitation involves the mouth and tongue, while hearing involves the ear. Both are functions of the six sense faculties. Where do these six faculties originate? They arise from the fundamental storehouse consciousness itself. Therefore, whatever we hear enters the Ālaya consciousness. Likewise, whatever we speak—whether good or bad, wholesome or unwholesome—also becomes a seed deposited within that consciousness.
Now the sentence, “Namo Amitabha Buddha,” is the embodiment of Nirvāṇa itself. All virtues and merits are contained within it. Every merit accumulated by Amitabha Buddha throughout countless lifetimes and immeasurable kalpas of practice is fully encompassed within Namo Amitabha Buddha.
What virtue exists in the universe that is not contained within this Name?
Therefore, Namo Amitabha Buddha possesses inconceivable merit and extraordinary power.
As Namo Amitabha Buddha is heard again and again, its immense virtue and power are continuously infused into our storehouse consciousness. In this way, it is able to transform our karma.
Why? Because the basis of karma itself resides within the Alaya consciousness.
From the Buddhist perspective, karmic obstructions are ultimately empty, conditioned, and illusory in nature. The merits and virtues embodied in Namo Amitabha Buddha, however, are true and real. No matter how vast an accumulation of illusions may be, it cannot compare with even a small measure of genuine reality.
Thus, when Namo Amitabha Buddha enters through the ear and reaches the storehouse consciousness, the false and illusory karmic obstructions stored there naturally begin to dissolve and lose their power.
In the Pure Land teaching, this illustrates why hearing or reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha is not regarded as an ordinary sound or a mere religious practice. It is understood to embody Amitabha Buddha’s enlightenment, compassion, merit, and vow-power. As these qualities enter the consciousness of sentient beings through hearing and recitation, they gradually transform karmic tendencies and open the way to peace, liberation, and ultimately rebirth in the Land of Bliss.
(to be continued tomorrow)
40問：師父講的公案，就是地獄眾生聽到阿彌陀佛六字名號，即得往生。我們 人間是不是也有聽聞而往生的，請師父開示。(5 /6)
答(5 /6)：
那位患者之所以有病，之所以睡不著覺，是過去的業，甚至是過去的冤親債 主在她旁邊干擾，使她睡不著。那麼佛號一聽，無形中那些業障就消除了，甚 至如果有冤親債主在旁邊，也會化解冤親債主的業。
聽跟念其實是一樣的。當我們念的時候，雖然嘴巴念，但是必須是意業出 來的，即使不是從內心很至誠懇切地流露出來，可是我們只要念，至少就會 在我們的第八阿賴耶識裏種下一顆種子。念是口業，是舌根；聽是耳根，都是 六根之一。六根從哪裡來？就從我們根本的阿賴耶識來，所以，我們所聽到 的一定會進入我們的阿賴耶識；所講的話，講善言、惡言，好與壞，種種的語 言，也會成為一顆種子在我們的阿賴耶識裏面。
好了，這句名號是涅槃的主體，萬善的功德通通在這句名號裏面，阿彌陀佛累生累劫所修的點點滴滴的功德，都容納在這句名號裏面。宇宙當中什麼功德這句名號沒有？所以，這句名號有驚人的大功德、大力量。這句名號的大功德、大力量一句一句地貫入我們的阿賴耶識裏面，便能轉我們的業。因為業的體在哪裡？在阿賴耶識裏面。業本身其實是虛假的、幻化的，而這句名號的功德卻是真實的。再多的虛假都不如一點點的真實。所以，這句名號耳根、一入阿賴耶識，阿賴耶識裏面所存有那些虛假的業障自然消除。
Namo Amituofo!
