February 21, 2024

Feb 21, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land Teachings

淨土宗妙喻

Metaphor 2F: Using a Rescue Basket to Save all Victims

As said in Amitabha’s 18th Vow, “Except those who commit the Five Gravest Transgressions and slander the correct Dharma.” This passage indicates that Amitabha Buddha focuses on iniquitous sentient beings as his main priority for deliverance. They need urgent relief because their virtues are inferior.

It is just like a cliff with a 100-meter drop. Some people are trapped at the bottom, some at 90 meters and some at 80. If you want to rescue them, you have to prepare a rope with a net at least 100 meters long. In saving sentient beings, the Buddha must first consider those who have fallen to the deepest level. Ordinary beings, throughout many lifetimes, have committed the Five Gravest Transgressions and slandered the correct Dharma. They are most likely to fall into hell, which makes them the main target of Amitabha’s deliverance.

2F. 彌陀大悲，急救苦者- 繩籃全救喻

第十八願「唯除五逆，誹謗正法」，也能顯阿彌陀佛救度，是以罪苦眾生為先，

眾生有逆謗根性，如此眾生，更當急救。

如有懸崖，深百米，有人落入其中，有在懸崖之底，有在九十米處，有在八十米處，欲以繩籃全救，至少以百米之繩方能成。

佛度一切眾生，定先思維墮落最深者。而凡夫常造五逆、誹謗正法重罪，即將墮入地獄，正為彌陀救度者。

Namo Amituofo!

February 18, 2024

Feb 18, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land Teachings

淨土宗妙喻

Metaphor 2C: Giving Special Care to a Child who is Sick

Shakyamuni Buddha says in the Nirvana Sutra, “For example, a person has seven sons, but one of them is sick. As good parents, they must pay more attention to their sick son. This does not mean the other sons are not loved equally.

Son and daughters are born from the lifeblood of parents; so, parents naturally treat them equally. If their son is sick, they must take care of him, bring him to see doctors, and give him his medicine as best they can.

“A Tathagata is the same. They pay more attention to an evil son; but this does not mean that they love the rest of their children less. “ A Buddha's body is born from his compassionate heart.” With the equality of their great compassion, they comprehensively embrace all sentient beings.”

Buddhas treat all sentient beings with equal kindness and compassion. However, they especially pity and give more attention to those who have committed heavy karmic offenses. This is another example of the great kindness and compassion of the Buddhas.

2C. 彌陀大悲，急救苦者- 尤偏病子喻

釋迦牟尼佛在《涅槃經》曰：「譬如一人，而有七子，是七子中， 一子遇病。父母之心，非不平等，然於病子，心則偏多。」

兒女皆為父母心頭肉，自然平等。若兒病，自當關心，問寒暖，尋醫問藥，如病甚，則日夜為之奔波，此人之情。

「如來亦爾，於諸眾生，非不平等，然於罪者，心則偏重。」「佛心者，慈悲為體，以此平等大悲，普攝一切也。」

對於眾生平等慈愛。然對罪業深重之人，尤加護愛悲憫，此更顯佛之大慈大悲。

Namo Amituofo!