March 7

Mar 7, 2018
慧淨上人法語
出離與輪迴

Buddha-nature exists originally, and does not need to be sought for. It exists universally: you and I have it; celestial beings, human beings, hell beings, ghosts, and animals also have it. It is eternal because it will not change, or disappear. Owing to obstructions caused by our greed, hatred, and delusion, the Buddha-nature is unable to be revealed. Furthermore, it is dragged by the karmic forces into the endless cycle of reincarnation within the Six Realms, like a turning wheel with no beginning and no end-point: sometimes in heaven, sometimes in the womb of a donkey or the belly of a horse, and sometimes in hell or in the ghostly realm.

For sentient beings trapped in this wheel of reincarnations, they will keep wandering in the cycle, and keep suffering endlessly, unless they have revitalized their Buddha-nature.

佛性是本來就有的，不需要企求；而且是普遍都有的，你我他都有，天、人、地獄、餓鬼、畜生都有；而且是永恒的，因為它不會改變，也不會消失，只是因為我們都有貪瞋痴的障礙而無法顯現，進而因為業力的牽引，使得佛性不但無法顯現，反而一直無窮無盡地輪迴六道，或者人天、或者驢胎馬腹，或者地獄餓鬼，像運行的車輪一樣，沒有起頭，也沒有終點，一直在輪轉。

這個輪轉的眾生，如果沒有恢復佛性的話，那就會一直輪轉下去、一直痛苦下去。

Namo Amitabha!

March 6

Mar 6, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

Buddhism is a religion of compassion. The connotation of compassion must be free of the arbitrary notion of self (or no-self).  So, it has to be no-self in order to truly become the great kindness and the great compassion. Otherwise, if the self exists, there must also be “you” and “they”, and hence, antagonism. Kindness and compassion is then limited. By kindness and compassion with no-self, we can deliver all sentient beings in the manner of great unconditioned kindness and universal compassion.

佛教是慈悲的宗教，慈悲當中一定具有無我的內涵，必須無我才能真正地大慈大悲。否則，有我，就有你、有他，就一定有對立，慈悲就會有限度。無我的慈悲，才能夠無緣大慈、同體大悲地普度眾生。

Namo Amitabha!

March 5

Mar 5, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土信仰

The purpose of revealing their eight forms (bodies) of perfect enlightenment by the Buddhas of the ten directions to sentient beings is to teach them the Dharma and, hence, deliver them. Without such a purpose, they will not reveal the various forms carelessly. The only teaching that can thoroughly deliver sentient beings of the ten directions is Amitabha Buddha’s teaching of deliverance– “If sentient beings of the ten directions should fail to be reborn there, may I not attain perfect enlightenment”. If the Buddhas of the ten directions abandoned this teaching, they could not deliver sentient beings universally; if the Buddhas of the ten directions disseminated this teaching, all sentient beings could be delivered universally.

十方諸佛示現八相成道，目的也是在於說法度生，若非說法度生，則不漫然示現。而能徹底廣度十方眾生之法，即是阿彌陀佛「十方眾生，若不生者，不取正覺」的救度法門。十方諸佛捨此法，則不能普救眾生；十方諸佛弘此法，則能普救眾生。

Namo Amitabha!

March 4

Mar 4, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

Everyone who learns Buddhism and recites Amitabha’s name should spur themselves on fulfilling their duties and obligations that associate with their position – “Be sincere and scrupulous in your relationships. Avoid evil and cherish good. Be an upstanding citizen by showing civic-mindedness and respecting the law”, and recite Namo Amituofo in this manner.

學佛的人、念佛的人，每個人都應該自勉，堅定地站在自己的崗位上，善盡責任義務，「敦倫盡分，閑邪存誠，奉公守法，為世良民」，而來念南無阿彌陀佛。

Namo Amitabha!

March 3

Mar 3, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風真諦

(continued)

In fact, this series of books that we have published is good enough, rich enough for us. If we comprehensively study and digest it, we will naturally hear the mercy and benevolent call of Amitabha Buddha, feel touching by Amitabha’s name, love to recite his name, have faith in Master Shandao’s words “If sentient beings recite his name, they will certainly be reborn in the Land of Bliss”, and will be joyful for receiving the dharma.

其實，我們這一套書本身就很足夠、很豐富了，融會貫通我們這一套書，自然就會聽到阿彌陀佛慈悲親切的呼喚，就會對這一句彌陀名號很感動，會很喜歡念佛，就會對善導大師所講的：「眾生稱念，必得往生」，很有信心，很有法喜。

Namo Amitabha!

March 2

Mar 2, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風真諦

A common faith is critically important to an organization. Our group exists for the dharma, not any other benefits. Dharma is the content of our faith.

How to make this dharma pristine and solid? The answer is to exclusively read the series of books we have published and exclusively watch the compact discs we have released. It is better not to read the books of other teachings for the time being. As we are ordinary beings and still in a phase of learning during which we do not fully understand the principles of our school and our faith is not deep-seated yet, our learning could often be interfered by our curiosity about other materials on various theories.  So, try not to read those materials.

(continued tomorrow)

一個團體最重要的就是信仰要一致，我們這個團體是為「法」而存在的，不是為其他任何利益，「法」就是我們信的內容。
這一個法，要如何讓它純淨、鞏固呢？就是專看我們出版的這一套書，專聽我們出版的這些光碟，對於其他不同法門的書，最好不要看，因為我們是凡夫，對於本宗道理還沒有貫通，信心還沒有堅固之前，又很好奇看了其他各種不同說法的資料，往往會被干擾，所以盡量不要看。

Namo Amitabha!

March 1

Mar 1, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

Amitabha-recitation is the principal karma of assurance for rebirth [in the Land of Bliss]. It suffices for having both present and future benefits. So, we can ask for anything we want through Amitabha-recitation. In addition to Amitabha-recitation, if you pray for your kin’s speedy recovery from an illness by “releasing living beings”, you may do so; but the act should not be considered as a supporting means for rebirth [in the Land of Bliss].

念佛是往生「正定業」，念佛具足「現當二益」，故凡事皆可以念佛求之。若念佛之餘，欲放生求親屬早日病癒，但不作為往生資助，亦無不可。

Namo Amitabha!