June 7

Jun 7, 2017
慧淨上人法語
念佛方法

An Amitabha-reciter should not cravenly cling to life or scare of death, but let Amitabha Buddha to arrange everything. We recite Namo Amitabha when we are in good health and robust; we also recite Namo Amitabha when we are physically weak, tired and fatigue. Don’t worry all the others.

一個念佛的人，要能不貪生也不怕死，一概任憑彌陀的安排。身體健康有體力，南無阿彌陀佛；身體感到軟弱、疲勞倦怠，也是南無阿彌陀佛，其他都不要去顧慮。

Namo Amitabha!

June 6

Jun 6, 2017
慧淨上人法語
凡夫入報
(continued)

Let’s draw an analogy.

If you tell others, say, in ancient times, a craft for vertical transportation (an elevator) can take people to the top of the 101-storey building in seconds, they will certainly not believe your words. What they believe is climbing the stair step-by-step, or at most, an idea of climbing with vigorous strides like flying.

In modern times, this concept [of “expediency”] is acceptable because people can see it. So, we should not fixate on the worldly concept of conditioned sequence and try to apply it for understanding the situation after rebirth in the Land of Bliss.

比如古代，如果你告訴別人搭一種器具（電梯）幾秒鐘就可以到一○一大樓的高度，人家一定不會相信，他們相信的方式是逐步登階的，或是健步如飛的概念，可是在現代這樣的觀念大家就會相信，因為看得到，所以，我們不能執著世間的有為次第觀念來比況往生極樂之後的情境。

Namo Amitabha!

June 5

Jun 5, 2017
慧淨上人法語
凡夫入報

If cultivating with one’s own power in the Land of Saha, one has to cut away and get rid of the delusion of view, and then the delusion of volition (affliction); after that, to break the delusion of worldly obstruction, and to eliminate the fundamental ignorance — working all the way through until the 41 grades of ignorance are removed, whence one can enter the state of wonderful enlightenment from equal enlightenment.

In the Land of Bliss, however, that [process] is unnecessary. In the Commentary on the Treatise of Rebirth, Master Tanluan uses the word “expediency” to describe the situation. In the Land of Saha, “expediency” refers to a gradual growth inch by inch. However, there is another kind of “expediency” that can grow a hundred feet in a day—Master Tanluan uses this analogy to describe what happens in the Land of Bliss.

(continued tomorrow)

在娑婆世界，如果依自己的力量修行，必須要先斷除見惑，然後斷除思惑，之後再破除塵沙惑、斷除根本無明，一直到四十一品無明統統斷了，才能由等覺進入妙覺。
可是極樂世界不需要這樣，所以曇鸞大師在 《往生論註》裡面就用「速」來形容。在娑婆世界，「速」是指一寸一寸逐漸生長，可是另有一種「速」是一天就能生長百尺，曇鸞大師用這種來譬喻極樂世界。

Namo Amitabha!

June 4

Jun 4, 2017
慧淨上人法語
專稱彌陀佛名

Master Honen says, “With one recitation in accordance with the great vow, the ultimate truth of a myriad of practices is accomplished. The three-character name achieved in Buddhaood is the source of all various virtues.” The great vow refers to Amitabha’s 18th Vow.  Accomplishment of the 18th Vow means the accomplishment [of the virtues] of this name. So, this name is the ultimate and supreme destination of a myriad of practices. If we recite this name, we will naturally possess a myriad of virtues.

The three-character name achieved in Buddhahood refers to the characters – A, Mita, and Bha. It is the source of all various virtues. We merely recite it, then we will naturally have all various virtues.

「弘願一稱，萬行宗致；果號三字，眾德根源。」（法然上人語），阿彌陀佛的第十八願就是「弘願」，第十八願的成就，就是成就了這句名號，而這句名號是萬行的「歸宗結頂」，所以，只要我們專一稱念這句名號，自然就擁有了「萬行」。

「果號三字」，「阿彌陀」這三個字，是眾德的根源，只要我們稱念，自然就有了「眾德」。

Namo Amitabha!

June 3

Jun 3, 2017
慧淨上人法語
信受彌陀救度
(continued)

We depend on Amitabha Buddha, not ourselves, for aspiration for rebirth in the Land of Bliss, as well as for reaching the realm of the Land of Bliss. We merely do in accordance with Amitabha Buddha's wish – Amitabha advises us to recite his name, so do we. Therefore, our responsibility is to recite, and Amitabha’s responsibility is to receive and guide us for rebirth in the Land of Bliss. Being reborn in the Land of Bliss and attaining Buddhahood there, we depend solely on the power of Amitabha Buddha.

我們要往生極樂世界，以及到極樂世界的境界，都是靠佛，完全不是靠我們。我們只不過是隨順阿彌陀佛，阿彌陀佛要我們念佛，我們就念佛，所以念佛是我們負責，接引往生極樂世界是阿彌陀佛負責。往生到極樂世界、在那裡成佛等等，全都是由於阿彌陀佛的力量。

Namo Amitabha!

June 2

Jun 2, 2017
慧淨上人法語
信受彌陀救度

Our school is a teaching of reliance on Amitabha’s deliverance. For reliability of rebirth and kind of rebirth, the reliance on Amitabha Buddha should be complete in entirety, no reliance on our effort, no reliance on our merits and virtues, no reliance on meditative practices, no reliance on entering Samadhi through Amitabha-recitation. It is not relying on the dedication of a myriad of the Six Paramitas or other virtuous practices accumulated in this life in order to be more reliable in rebirth and to attain higher level of rebirth.
(continued tomorrow)

我們這個法門是靠阿彌陀佛救度的法門，完全靠阿彌陀佛，不是靠我們的功夫，也不是靠我們的功德。不是靠能打坐入定，不是念佛能進入三昧，往生才可靠，往生的品位才會比較高；也不是靠現世累積的六度萬行、行善積德迴向，這樣往生才可靠、往生的品位才高，都不是這樣。

Namo Amitabha!

June 1

Jun 1, 2017
慧淨上人法語
人生目的

If we cannot be liberated from the Six Realms, we will certainly fall [into the Three Wretched Realms]. Living in this world, we can make compromise on anything, except the great matter of birth-and-death.

During the late Ming dynasty, there was a great monk named Master Zibao who said, “Apart from the really great matter of birth-and-death, all other matters can be discussed and negotiated.” In other words, we must take the great matter of liberation from birth-and-death to the top priority in the study of Buddhism, and all other matters can be handled later on. If these other matters hinder our liberation, we should cast them aside at once. If these matters facilitate our liberation from birth-and-death, we should study and practice them.

沒有脫離六道就一定會墮落。人生在世，什麼都可以商量，只有生死大事是不能商量的。

明朝末年有一位高僧紫柏大師曾說：「除卻生死真大事，其餘皆是可商量。」也就是說，我們學佛，就一定要以生死大事的解脫擺在第一位，其他的可以慢慢來。如果其他的事對解脫有妨礙，那些事情都要當下捨掉，如果順於解脫生死，就可以去學習。

Namo Amitabha!