Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation
Part Four - The Mindset and Practice in Daily Life
念佛實用問答(4) - 日常心行
Question 84: Some people believe that, once we have faith in Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance, there is no need to constantly remind ourselves to increasingly recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. They feel that they can watch television or play mahjong
with complete peace of mind, without the slightest worry about their rebirth. They consider this to be a true acceptance of Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance. Is this correct?
Answer to Q84:
This understanding is one-sided. We should have no worry about our rebirth, while at the same time wishing to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha more often. As for how much each person recites, that naturally varies from person to person. However, the wish to recite should be the same.
For ordinary householders, watching some television or playing some mahjong are perfectly acceptable. If one truly wishes to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha and attain rebirth in the Pure Land, these activities do not necessarily interfere with that aspiration. Nevertheless, it is certainly better to watch less television, play less mahjong, and recite Namo Amitabha Buddha more. If we speak of being free and carefree, there is no greater freedom and ease than reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha.
The minds of ordinary beings naturally tend toward indulgence and distraction. As soon as we begin reciting , we may feel as though we are being constrained. Yet, even when we deliberately remind ourselves to recite, our minds frequently wander away. If we simply let ourselves do whatever we please, where will that eventually lead?
Those who hold this kind of view may initially genuinely believe that they are relying on Amitabha Buddha; but, as time goes by, even this sense of reliance may gradually fade. Without realizing it, they may become increasingly absorbed in television and mahjong. Eventually, “relying on the Buddha” and “reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha” become nothing more than concepts. They become ways of finding an excuse to justify reciting less and less, or even stop reciting altogether. Therefore, this is a very dangerous way of thinking.
84問：有人認為念佛不必時時刻刻提醒自己多念，能夠安心地看電視、打麻 將，絲毫不擔心自己的往生，瀟灑自在，這樣才是真正信受阿彌陀佛的救度 ，這樣對不對？
答：這種認識是偏頗的。應當不擔心自己往生，同時又想多念佛。至於各人 念多念少，則又隨人不同，但願意多念的心是沒有不同的。一般在家人看 看電視、打打麻將或許是難免的，如果真願念佛往生，固然沒有妨礙，但 總不如少看電視、少打麻將、多念佛的好。若說瀟灑自在，還是念佛瀟灑自在。
凡夫的心本來就流於放逸，才一入念佛，就會覺得束縛，刻意提醒尚且經 常走失，任其自由會是什麼結局呢？
抱有這種想法的人，一開始也可能心裏確實認為自己是在倚靠阿彌陀佛， 也會念佛；但時間一長，就連這種心也會淡了，不知不覺就會埋在電視、麻 將當中，漸漸地「靠佛」、「念佛」純粹成為一種觀念，成為為自己尋找開脫 的藉口，而很少念佛，甚至不念佛了，所以這是很危險的。
Namo Amituofo!
