Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II)
淨土釋疑(二)
Answer to Q45: (continued 2 /3)
A person who diligently recites Namo Amitabha Buddha may naturally bring benefits and protection to family members, even without specifically dedicating the merit to them.
There is a saying: “When one person has blessings, the whole household benefits from them.”
Another common saying is: “When one person attains the Way, even the chickens and dogs ascend to Heaven.”
In other words, those around that person benefit simply by sharing in his or her blessings.
There is yet another saying: “When a person enters Samadhi in the mountains, even the grass and trees benefit; when cattle and sheep eat them, their coats become lustrous.”
The meaning is that, if an Arhat resides on a mountain, or if someone practices and enters samadhi there, the grass and trees on that mountain become especially verdant, and even the stones become bright. The animals that eat the grass also undergo a corresponding change, and their coats become lustrous.
This illustrates that , within a community or family, if there is even one person who possesses blessings and merit, the family members can receive the protection and benefit of that person’s blessings. Without their even being aware of it, they can thereby be influenced and changed.
Therefore, in all matters, we should first examine ourselves, and begin with our own conduct.
答45：(3/ 3)
一個勤於念佛的人，即使沒有迴向給他們，自然這個功德也會庇蔭在他們身 上。所謂「一人有福，牽帶全屋。」一個人的福報，家中大小都受到他的庇蔭， 有句俗話說：「一人得道，雞犬升天。」也就是沾他的光的意思。
又一句話，「入定山中之草木，牛羊食之毛光澤。」意思是說，這座山有阿羅漢 居住或有人在山中修行入定，來吃這座山的草木的牛羊，牠們的毛也會有光澤。
光是山中有修行人入定就會使得這座山的草木青翠、石頭光亮，來吃這些草 的動物，牠們身上也會有這樣的變化，這就說明團體或家庭當中，如果有一 個有福報、功德的人，家人就會受他的庇蔭，無形中也會改變家人。所以，凡 事反求諸己，從自身做起。
Namo Amituofo!
