Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II)
淨土釋疑(二)
Answer to Q49 (8 / 9)
Samadhi and Other Meditative Attainments
Even if we are able to enter a meditative state and contemplate the Buddha, our rebirth does not depend upon the power of our meditative contemplation.
Compared with the power of the six-syllable Name, such accomplishments are far less effective. Moreover, even if we can enter meditation and contemplate Amitabha Buddha, once we emerge from meditation, we are still ordinary beings afflicted by greed, anger, and delusion.
It is impossible to contemplate Amitabha Buddha for twenty-four hours a day, simply because we have attained such a meditative state. Moreover, from the standpoint of this Dharma Path, there is nothing particularly precious about such attainments. After reaching the Land of Bliss, one will be seeing Amitabha Buddha every day.
The same applies to entering Samadhi. We may enter Samadhi now; but, once the particular period of time has passed, the ordinary mind of an unenlightened being
will arise again. It is impossible to remain in Samadhi twenty-four hours a day, year after year.
After attaining rebirth in the Land of Bliss, all afflictions are extinguished. In comparison to that, what is there that is especially extraordinary about attaining Samadhi?
Therefore, our ability to attain rebirth and enter Amitabha’s Reward Land depends entirely upon Amitabha’s Vow-Power. It does not depend upon any accomplishments or the meditative skills of ordinary beings.
Even if one rises to the Heavens of the Form Realm through meditative concentration, or to the Formless Realm through even deeper meditation, one remains an ordinary being. After death, one can still fall back according to one’s karma.
(to be continued tomorrow)
續答 (8 /9):
即使我們能夠入定觀佛，可是我們往生不是依靠入定觀佛的功夫，這與六字 名號相比太拙劣了，何況我們即使入定觀佛，出定之後仍是貪瞋癡的凡夫， 不可能二十四小時要觀佛就觀佛，何況這對這個法門來講並沒有可貴之處， 到極樂世界天天都在觀佛。
進入三昧也是一樣，現在進入三昧，時空過了之後，凡夫心就又浮現了，也不 可能二十四小時、天天年年都在三昧的境界。往生極樂世界後，煩惱都斷了， 何況只是三昧而已。
所以我們能夠往生，而且進入報土，完全是靠彌陀的願力，不是靠我們凡夫 的任何功夫，即使是上升到色界天（禪定）、無色界天（更深的禪定）都仍是凡 夫，死了還是墮落下來。
Namo Amituofo!
