February 8, 2024

Feb 8, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

Amitabha-Recitation and False Thoughts

Metaphor 1D: Lotus Flowers Not Contaminated by Mud

An ancient scholar said, “Amitabha-recitation that arises from an afflicted mind is like a lotus flower emerging from muddy water. It is uncontaminated”. These words are very moving and can give us comfort. Even though we have false thoughts, we can keep reciting “Namo Amituofo, Namo Amituofo...”

Our mind is very much like muddy water. However, a recitation of the Name is like a pure lotus flower - beautiful, fragrant, and clean.

Our minds are like the muddy water; but, the Name is not contaminated by our muddy thoughts. So, the Pure Land School is also known as the Lotus School, because the lotus flower is not contaminated even though it grows in mud. Our minds are full of greed, hatred and delusion, just like mud.

Because our minds are full of greed, hatred and delusion, we are taught to recite the Buddha’s Name. Why do we recite the Buddha’s Name? Because we have committed offenses and require liberation.

Thus, if we truly seek liberation, we have to rely on the power of Amitabha’s vow, and recite Amitabha’s Name. Our mind is like the mud in the lotus pond, which provides nutrients to the lotus flowers. A fresh lotus flower emerges from the mud with a fragrant smell. Though our minds are contaminated, the Name that we recite is pure. The merit and virtues of the six-syllable Name produce a fragrance that permeates the Dharma Realm. That is to say, “Amitabha-recitation that arises from an afflicted mind is like a lotus flower emerging from muddy water.”

1D. 念佛與妄想 - 蓮花不染污泥喻

古德曾說:「從妄念中,所出念佛,猶如蓮花,不染污泥。」 這幾句話尤其讓我們覺得安慰、感動。我們雖然有妄念,但是我們在妄念當中發出念佛聲:

「南無阿彌陀佛,南無阿彌陀佛,南無阿彌陀佛,南無阿彌陀佛⋯⋯」

我們的心雖然是妄念,像污泥一樣的染污;但是,所稱出來的這一句名號,卻是像清淨的蓮花一樣不染污泥,微妙香潔。

我們的心是骯髒的,是染污的,是妄念的;可是,這句名號不被我們的妄念所染污。所以,淨土宗又稱「蓮宗」,蓮花的特點就是出污泥而不染。我們的心像污泥一樣骯髒,有貪瞋癡的煩惱。

我們這樣貪瞋癡煩惱的心,反而成為念佛的動力。我們為什麼念佛?因為有罪業,我們要求解脫,所以要仰靠彌陀的誓願,稱念彌陀的名號。就好像蓮花池中的污泥,它反而成為蓮花的養分;這樣,一支清新的蓮花就從污泥當中獨立出來,飄散著微妙的香味。我們的心雖然是染污的,可是我們念的名號是清淨的,可以說,六字名號的功德、香味遍滿法界,所以說「從妄念中,所出念佛,猶如蓮花,不染污泥」。

Namo Amituofo!

February 7, 2024

Feb 7, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

Amitabha-Recitation and False Thoughts

3. Analogy of Clouds Blown by the Wind

What do our afflictions look like? They look like clouds moving with the wind. We recite the Buddha’s Name and ignore the clouds passing by. At times we may think, the cloud is white, this means I can be reborn. However, if the cloud is dark, it is not likely that I can be reborn. These are complete misunderstandings of the teaching.

The clouds in our minds are free to come and go; but, they are not related to our rebirth. If we pause our recitation of Amitabha’s Name and pay attention to the clouds, as soon as we realize it, we need only return to our recitation.

We should try to ignore our scattered thoughts and simply return to our recitations as soon as we realize we’re chasing these thoughts. The more attention we pay to them, the more vigorously they bother us. The more thoroughly we ignore these thoughts, the more peaceful our minds will be.

This is similar to a grandma hearing her grandchild crying. The grandma tries to comfort him; but, he cries even louder. However, if the grandma leaves the grandchild alone, the grandkid stops crying after a while. It is similar for our afflictions.

These afflictions(thoughts) are created by us. Everyone has a baby with afflictions. We should simply ignore them. How should we ignore them? The most effective way is to keep returning to our exclusive recitation of Namo Amituofo.

3.念佛與妄想 - 隨風雲彩喻

煩惱對我們來講像什麼?就好像空中隨風而過的一片雲彩。我們念佛就念佛,何必管這片雲彩呢?它來了,我們想這塊雲彩是白的,白雲彩來了,我念佛大概能往生;又來了一朵黑雲彩,黑雲彩來了,我大概不能往生⋯⋯錯了!

這些「雲彩」在我們心中了無障礙,來了就來了,去了就去了,跟我們的往生毫無關係。我們停下了念佛的腳步,停止了念佛的心來關注它們,就錯了!

所以,不要管我們這個心。我們再怎麼管它,它都不能替我們爭口氣,而且我們會被它騙。我們越管它,它越得勢,它越是覺得自己了不起,我們就越拿它沒辦法;我們徹底地看透它,徹底地拋棄它,徹底地冷落它,它就乖了,它就聽話了。

像老奶奶帶小孫子:小孫子在那裏哭,奶奶去哄他,越哄,他就越哭,越哭,她就越哄;後來奶奶就沒辦法了,乾脆不管他,小孫子哭一會兒也就不哭了。我們的煩惱也是這樣。

其實,我們的煩惱是我們自己養大的:我們每個人都養著一個胖胖的煩惱娃娃,天天養它,洗它,摸它⋯⋯我們應該拋棄它,不要理它。怎麼不理它呢?我們有阿彌陀佛,我們專念「南無阿彌陀佛」,就是不理它,這個叫「一向專念」。

Namo Amituofo!

February 6, 2024

Feb 6, 2024

Wonderful Metphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

Amitabha-Recitation and False Thoughts

2. Analogy of Pedestrians on the Street

Amitabha-reciters shouldn’t allow themselves to be bothered by their scattered thoughts. What is meant by “don’t be bothered”? Some people say, “these thoughts come by themselves.” OK, let them come if they come. Don’t worry about them. The more you are bothered by them, the more they come. Don’t try to stop them from coming. Just let them come and let them go. This is what is meant by “don’t bother”.

This is similar to seeing many people walking along a street. Do they bother you? They are of different ages, genders, wealth, personalities, and aptitudes. Is it necessary for you to give up your work in order to watch them? Do you pay too much attention to others, and totally forget what you have to do? When you are reminded of this incident, you feel annoyed, and say, “these people are always walking here and there along the street. Because of them I cannot concentrate ”. Does that make sense?

It’s similar to reciting Amitabha’s Name. While we are doing it, many random thoughts pop up in our minds. They simply mind their own business and have nothing to do with us? Amitabha-recitation is the karma of assurance (the host) and random thoughts are like the pedestrians (guests). We don’t need to watch them or be bothered by them.

Once we are mindful of reciting Amitabha’s Name, hundreds and thousands of random thoughts can be totally ignored. It is just like being in a room and focused on our work. We can ignore the people outside, who then seem to be non-existent.

So, there is one effective way to deal with false thoughts - focus on reciting Amitabha’s Name and ignore them.

2.念佛與妄想 - 大街行人喻

念佛人應該把所有的妄念抖下來,丟掉,不要管它。

什麼叫不要管呢?有人說:「我不管它,可是它自己來了。」來了就來了,來了就不管它。你管它,它才來。你不管它,並不是叫它不要來。來就來了,去就去了 —— 這叫不要管它。

大街上那麼多人來來去去,與你有什麼關係呢?男女老少,貧富貴賤,善惡賢愚,應有盡有,有必要放下自己的正事,倚在窗戶上盯住看嗎?富貴的生羡慕,貧賤的看不起,論醜說美,評東道西,把自己的正事忘得一乾二淨。

叫你不要管外面的行人,只管做自己的事,你反而起煩惱,說,你不想管他們,但他們老是在那走來走去,讓你的心靜不下來。這就叫不講理了。

念佛也一樣。心中妄念紛飛,自是它的事,與你何干?妄念自妄念,念佛自念佛。念佛是正業(主),妄念是街客(賓),不要盯住妄念的街客看,不要隨著它走,更不要說它耽誤你念佛。念佛的正念一提起,就是有千千萬萬妄念,也好像沒有一樣。這就好像一個人在房間裏一心做自己的事,大街上人來人往,千千萬萬,都與他無關,好像不存在。

所以,對付妄念,就一條絕招:只管念佛,不要管它!

Namo Amituofo!

February 5, 2024

Feb 5, 2024

Wonderful Analogies in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

Amitabha-Recitation and False Thoughts

1. Clay Sculpture and Charcoal

A dragon sculpture in the temple is made of clay. If we wash it enough, can we

turn it into porcelain?

Similarly, we cannot clean a piece of charcoal and turn it from black to white. Our ignorant minds are like a piece of charcoal. Because of their darkness we cannot see things clearly and constantly commit offenses. We should deeply recognise and accept this , and not waste time trying to change it.

As Pure Land practitioners, we should try to understand that it isn’t necessary to add other practices to be reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land. We should clearly recognise that we are ignorant ordinary beings who are bound to fall into the wretched realms. Our only way to change this is to completely rely on the power of Amitabha’s 18th vow.

Some people may say, “I generally don’t feel troubled or have any scattered thoughts; but, when I recite the Buddha’s name, I experience a whole variety of random thoughts.” Actually, this feeling is quite normal.

念佛與妄想

1. 泥塑與木炭喻

好比一個泥巴做的塑像,它是泥巴做的,泥巴就是它的本體,不管怎麼樣去洗它,你能洗乾淨嗎?

龍王廟裏用泥巴做的龍,上面有灰塵,你想把它洗乾淨,無論你怎樣洗,洗到最裏面的龍筋,還是泥 —— 它就是泥土做成的,所以,不論怎麼樣,它還是脫離不了泥土。

又好比一塊木炭,它怎麼都是黑的,再洗也洗不乾淨,不可能洗出一塊白的木炭;怎麼洗它都是黑的,拿它來畫,還是一條黑線。

我們的妄想心就像木炭一樣,再怎麼樣都是黑暗、無明、造罪的眾生 ——對這一點,我們要有深切的認識,不要在那裏做無用功:「大概我這樣修行,到時候可能會好一些,那個時候再說⋯⋯」如果以淨土法門來講,不要抱這樣的期望,是要認識到我們是一個造罪、必然墮落的凡夫,唯有仰靠彌陀的願力。

有人感嘆說:「我平常不覺得有什麼煩惱,有什麼妄想雜念;可是,不念佛便罷,一旦想靜下心來念佛,妄想雜念就特別多。」其實這是很正常的。

Namo Amituofo!