February 22, 2026

Feb.22, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

175. The Five Kinds of Difficulties (4 /5) 

What is meant by the Easy Path? “ Simply relying on faith in Amitabha Buddha as the causal condition and aspiring to be born in the Pure Land are crucial.” The

word “simply” means “only” or “exclusively.” It indicates exclusive acceptance of Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance and the aspiration to be born in Amitabha’s Pure Land. If one does not exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha; but instead, practices mixed methods or relies concurrently on other Buddhas or bodhisattvas, then it is no longer the Easy Path. 

“ Being transported by the power of Amitabha Buddha’s vows, one attains rebirth in his Pure Land. Sustained by the Buddha’s power, one immediately enters the rightly established group of Mahayana.” 

So long as one entrusts oneself to Amitabha’s deliverance and aspires for rebirth in his Pure Land, one can, after this very lifetime, be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Upon reaching the Land of Bliss, because of the sustaining power of the Buddha, one immediately enters the rightly established group of the Mahayana and achieves non-retrogression.” 

“It is like joyfully riding in a boat over smooth water. Just as riding in a boat is easy and pleasant, so too is the Easy Path.” 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

175 五種難 (4 /5) 

所謂易行道，「謂但以信佛因緣，願生淨土」，這兩句是很關鍵的。「但」就 是「唯」的意思，唯一無二就是「但」。也就是唯一信受彌陀的救度，而願生彌 陀淨土；如果不是專一信受彌陀的救度，而是雜修其他的法門，或兼靠其他的 佛菩薩，那就不是易行道了。 

「乘佛願力，便得往生彼清淨土；佛力住持，即入大乘正定之聚。」只要信 受彌陀救度、願生彌陀淨土，就能夠乘著阿彌陀佛的願力，在這一輩子就往

生到極樂世界；到了極樂世界，因為有佛力的加持，使得當下就進入大乘正定 之聚，「正定即是阿毗跋致」，就是不退轉。 

「譬如水路，乘船則樂」，就好像坐船一樣，輕鬆快樂，這就是易行道。 

Namo Amituofo! 

February 21, 2026

Feb. 21, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

175. The Five Kinds of Difficulties (3 /5) 

The third chart presents these points in terms of corresponding contrasts:

1. Inner vs. outer: non-Buddhists represent outer paths; the bodhisattva Dharma is the inner path. 

2. Lesser vs. greater: Sravakas belong to the Lesser Vehicle; great compassion belongs to the Mahayana. 

3. Good vs. evil: reckless and evil persons obstruct the superior virtues of practitioners. 

4. Defiled vs. pure: inverted teachings are defiled, while pure conduct (brahma-carya) is undefiled. 

5. Self vs. other: one relies delusively on self-power; the other relies entirely on the Other power of Amitabha Buddha’s vows. 

Master Tanluan explains that all of the above obstacles are visible everywhere; therefore, this is called the Difficult Path. He then immediately elucidates the meaning of the Easy Path: 

The Easy Path refers to simply relying on the causal conditions of faith in Amitabha Buddha, aspiring to be born in the Pure Land; and, by relying on the power of Amitabha’s vows, attaining rebirth in the Pure Land. By fully relying on Amitabha Buddha’s power, one immediately enters the rightly established group of the Mahayana; and achieves non- retrogression. It is like joyfully traveling by water in a boat. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

175 五種難 (3/5) 

第三組是相對的關係。

一、內外對：外道是其他宗教，內道是菩薩法。 

二、大小對：聲聞是小乘，大慈悲是大乘。 

三、善惡對：無賴惡人是惡，障礙了修行人的勝德。 

四、染淨對：顛倒法是染污的，梵行是清淨的。 

五、自他對：一是妄想靠自力，一是完全仗佛願力。 

曇鸞大師說，前面那些障難，到處可見，所以是難行道。 

緊接著，就闡釋易行道的內涵：易行道者：謂但以信佛因緣，願生淨土，乘佛 願力，便得往生彼清淨土；佛力住持，即入大乘正定之聚，正定即是阿毗跋 致。譬如水路，乘船則樂。 

Namo Amituofo! 

February 20, 2026

Feb. 20, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

175. The Five Kinds of Difficulties (2 /5) 

The first group explains matters in terms of “the age of the five defilements” and “a time when there is no Buddha in the world.” 

The first three difficulties belong to the “defilement of views”. 

The fourth—“inverted views of wholesome results that can ruin pure practice”— belongs to the “defilement of afflictions”. 

The fifth—“reliance solely on self-power, without the support of other-power”— corresponds to a time without a Buddha in the world, when there is no Buddha who serves as a superior supporting condition. What is meant by other-power is the power of Amitabha Buddha.

The second group analyzes the difficulties in terms of two kinds of obstructions— those of persons and those of teachings, as well as their general and specific relationships. 

Non-Buddhists, adherents of the Lesser Vehicle, and evil persons can create obstructions arising from persons. 

The fourth difficulty —“inverted wholesome results that can ruin pure practice”— is an obstruction arising from teachings, in which methods that cannot lead to liberation are mistakenly taken to be liberating. This is what is meant by inversion. 

The fifth —“reliance solely on self-power, without the support of other-power”— is the most fundamental and overarching difficulty among them all. This is because ordinary beings lack the strength to cultivate. Their afflictions are deep and their karmic obstacles heavy. 

Once they think of practice, all obstacles and habitual tendencies immediately surface. Not only is there no power for practice; but, one is also born in a time with no Buddha to rely upon. Under such conditions, attaining non-retrogression (avaivartika) is impossible. If there were a Buddha to rely upon, all of these difficulties would cease to exist. 

The third chart presents these points in terms of corresponding contrasts: 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

175 五種難 (2/ 4) 

這五種難可從三組來看： 

第一個組是就「五濁之世」(前四種)與「無佛時」(第五種)來講。

前三種是見濁，第四種「顛倒善果，能壞梵行」是煩惱濁；第五種「唯是自 力，無他力持」是無佛時，沒有佛做增上緣。所謂他力，就是佛力。 

第二組分「人」(前三種)、「法」(第四種)二障，與「總」(第五種)、「別」(前四 種)關係。 

前三種難分別是「外道、小乘、惡人」是「人」的障礙。第四種是「顛倒善 果，能壞梵行」是「法」的障礙，把不能成就解脫的法，錯當能解脫，那就顛倒 了。這四種難是「個別」的難。 

第五種「唯是自力，無他力持」，這是所有困難中最根本、「總」的困難。 因為凡夫修行沒有力量，煩惱深、業障重，一想起修行，所有的障礙、習氣就 都浮現了，不但修行無力，又生於無佛時，沒有佛可依靠，因此，想要得到阿 毗跋致不退轉的境界是不可能的。若有佛可依靠，所有困難就不存在了。 

第三組是相對的關係。 

Namo Amituofo! 

February 19, 2026

Feb. 19, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

175. The Five Kinds of Difficulties (1 /5) 

At the very beginning of the Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth, Patriarch Tanluan states: “I respectfully examine the words of Bodhisattva Nagarjuna in the Ten Abodes Treatise, which says: When bodhisattvas seek non-retrogression , there are two paths: one is the difficult path, and the other is the easy path.” 

The word “respectfully” conveys carefulness, reverence, and the absence of arbitrariness or rashness. The phrase “I respectfully examine” indicates that Master Tanluan is not interpreting the Treatise on Rebirth based on his own personal opinions; rather, he is following and grounding his explanation in Bodhisattva Nagarjuna’s Ten Abodes Treatise, specifically the chapter on the Easy Practice. 

In the Easy Practice chapter, Nagarjuna explains that there are two paths by which Mahayana bodhisattvas seek non-retrogression: the difficult path and the easy path. 

The difficult path requires one to personally practice the six perfections and myriad virtuous deeds, over an extremely long period of time, and it carries the danger of retrogression. Nagarjuna speaks of the difficult path in terms of the hardship of practice itself. 

Master Tanluan, in his Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth, goes further by examining the external environment, stating that in “the age of the five defilements, when there is no Buddha in the world,” there are five kinds of difficulties, namely: 

1. Non-Buddhist teachings may appear virtuous, and thereby confuse and disrupt the bodhisattva Dharma. 

2. Sravakas seek only self-benefit, obstructing great compassion. 

3. Reckless and evil persons undermine and destroy the superior virtues of others. 

4. Inverted views of wholesome results are capable of ruining pure religious practice. 

5. Reliance solely on self-power, without the support of other-power. 

Such conditions can be seen everywhere. It is like traveling by land—to proceed on foot is arduous and painful. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

175 五種難 (1/ 5) 

曇鸞祖師《往生論註》開篇說：「謹案龍樹菩薩《十住毗婆沙》云：菩薩求阿 毗跋致，有二種道：一者難行道，二者易行道。」「謹」就是慎重的、恭敬的、不 隨便、不輕率。「謹案」二字，表示曇鸞祖師並非依他個人的見解來解釋這部 《往生論》，而是依循、根據龍樹菩薩《十住毗婆沙論》的《易行品》。 

在《易行品》中，龍樹菩薩談到大乘菩薩追求阿毗跋致有二種道：一是難行 道，二是易行道。「難行道」是要自己去實踐種種六度萬行，要經過漫長的時 間，而且有退墮的危險。龍樹菩薩是就修行的困難來說難行道，而曇鸞祖師 《往生論註》又進而從外圍環境來探討，說「五濁之世，於無佛時」，並提出五 種難：

一者外道相善，亂菩薩法；二者聲聞自利，障大慈悲；三者無賴惡人，破他勝 德；四者顛倒善果，能壞梵行；五者唯是自力，無他力持。 

如斯等事，觸目皆是。譬如陸路，步行則苦。 

Namo Amituofo! 

July 23, 2025

July 23, 2025

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

158. The Self-Awareness of an Amitabha-Reciter (continued)

For instance, Honen Shonin called himself “the foolish Honen,” “the ten-evils Hōnen,” and even said, “Honen is not suited to the Three Learnings [precepts, meditation, and wisdom].” Yet these words were not meant to suggest that he was truly ignorant or unwise. In fact, during his time, Honen was widely revered as a monk who fully abided by the precepts and was honored as “the wisest among the wise.”

Even though he referred to himself as “ten-evils Honen,” Honen Shonin was certainly not someone who committed the ten most evil deeds, such as killing, stealing, or sexual misconduct. Rather, he was a holy monk devoted to the Nembutsu, living a life of purity.

Therefore, someone who, from the depths of their being, recognizes themselves as evil, deluded, and ordinary is in fact a person of profound faith in Amitabha-recitation. This deep, subjective awareness of the karmic evil we all bear, forms the basis of deep faith in aptitude. Such a person can be said to be a truly sincere and reverent Amitabha-reciter.

158 念佛人的自覺 (續)

如上所述，罪業惡業的自覺是對自己的主體性自覺，認為自己是愚癡者， 是罪惡者，是具足煩惱者，換一種客觀的角度來看，可以認 為這是極為虔敬 的念佛者。如法然上人自稱是「愚癡法然」、「十惡法然」，又說「法然非三學之 器」，雖然以這樣的文字流露自己的自覺，但絕對不是說法然上人是愚癡無智 的人。在當時法然上人被大眾尊崇為戒德優秀的高僧，是被稱為「智慧第一的 法然」而被尊敬的人。

雖然又自稱「十惡的法然」，但法然上人絕對不是去做如殺生、偷盜、邪淫 等十惡的人。法然上人是念佛的聖者、清淨僧。

所以，主體性的自覺到自己是罪惡生死凡夫的人，這種人是信心極深的 念佛者。這主體性的罪惡之自覺就是機深信的內容，可以說此人是具足深心 的虔敬念佛人。

Namo Amituofo!

July 22, 2025

July 22, 2025

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

158. The Self-Awareness of an Amitabha-Reciter (continued)

Honen Shonin, the founder of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism, described this mental state in his Petition for Entering the Mountain Monastery:

“Wandering through the three realms of delusion, where do I go? I was not born in the time of the Buddha’s appearance in the world.

Circulating through the four modes of birth — what form do I take? I did not hear the Tathagata’s teaching.

I never joined the assembly for the teaching of the Avatamsaka Sutra; I was not present at the preaching of the Prajna-paramita.

I was not at Vulture Peak for the Buddha’s Dharma discourses. I was not in the forest of Kuśinagara for the Buddha’s Nirvana.

Was I living in the city of Sravasti among the 300 million households, or was I suffering in the deepest hells of the eight scorching flames?

How pitiful, sorrowful and tragic!”

With this passage, Honen conveys the sorrowful emotion of being lost in the three realms of delusion, unable to be born during the Buddha’s time or to directly hear the Dharma. It is a deeply personal realization that one has been endlessly wandering through the cycles of birth and death in the six realms of existence since time without beginning. This is the state of self-aware subjectivity, clearly revealing the inner sense of being caught in delusion, afflicted by karmic hindrances, and disconnected from the Buddha’s teaching of deliverance.

As described above, this awareness of one’s evil karma is a deeply personal, subjective self-realization. It is to recognize oneself as ordinary, deluded, and filled with afflictions. Seen from another perspective, such recognition is the mark of an extremely sincere and reverent Amitabha-reciter.

(to be continued tomorrow)

158 念佛人的自覺 (續)

日本法然上人在其《登山狀》中對此心境說：

流浪三界之中，往何界乎？不遇釋尊之出世；

輪迴四生之間，受何生乎？不聞如來之說法。

未參華嚴開講之筵，亦未列般若演說之座；

未臨鷲峰說法之庭，亦未至鶴林涅槃之場。

我宿舍衛三億之家乎？我住地獄八熱之底乎？

可慚可恥！可悲可傷！

講述了自身流浪於迷界之三界間，對於不能生在佛世，不能親聞佛法而 感到悲嘆的心情。

此心境是將自己從曠劫以來流轉生死，迷於三界六道的世界，主體性的 自覺境地，明顯地表露出來。這是自身因為煩惱而流轉於生死世界的存在， 又因為沒有遇到佛的教法，而屢犯罪業的自己罪業之自覺心境。

Namo Amituofo!

July 21, 2025

July 21, 2025

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

158. The Self-Awareness of an Amitabha-Reciter

In the Pure Land tradition, it is believed that all afflictions can be completely eliminated and enlightenment can be attained only after being reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land. This is because, in this age of Dharma Decline , spiritually ordinary and deluded beings like us are incapable of cutting off our afflictions while still in this present life. Therefore, rebirth in the Pure Land comes first, followed by the elimination of afflictions and the realization of enlightenment.

Master Shandao explains this in his Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra, in the section entitled “The Meaning of Meditative and Non-meditative Virtues,” the concept of "deep faith in aptitude" (機深信), saying:

“Have firm and decisive faith that one is, in reality, a deluded ordinary being who, since time immemorial, has been endlessly entrapped in the cycle of birth and death, without the causes or conditions for liberation.”

To have deep faith that one is a “deluded, ordinary being,” a “being filled with afflictions,” is to be what Shandao calls a self-aware ordinary being. This is someone who deeply reflects on and recognizes his/her own suffering and

delusion in this present existence. In other words, such a person is profoundly aware that he/she is an ordinary being, full of afflictions. This is what is meant by the reciter’s deep faith.

This kind of heartfelt self-awareness is a subjective realization of one's own evil deeds and karmic burdens — a deeply rooted reflection on one’s hopeless and helpless condition in samsara. It is the realization of one's heavy karmic burden, with no means of self-salvation.

(to be continued tomorrow)

158 念佛人的自覺

以淨土宗而言，所有一切的煩惱是在往生彌陀淨土之後便可完全斷除， 並且證悟成佛。這是因為末法今時的下根下智凡夫，現世中無論如何都斷不 了煩惱的緣故。因此，先往生淨土，之後斷煩惱，得證悟。

善導大師《觀經疏‧散善義》中，機深信說： 決定深信，自身現是罪惡生死凡夫，曠劫以來常沒常流轉，無有出離之緣。

深信自身現是「罪惡生死凡夫」、「具足煩惱凡夫」，這種深信的「凡夫」，是 指自覺「自身是煩惱的存在」的「自覺凡夫」，能夠深入反省並自覺現實自身的 苦惱和迷惑的凡夫。即，深刻自覺我是具足煩惱的凡夫，叫作機深信的凡夫。

這是主體性的自覺自己的惡業罪業的心境，是深信自己具有這樣的罪業 ，這是對現實永遠無助的自己，深重罪業的自我反省。

Namo Amituofo!