April 14

Apr 14, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

(Continued)

What is the reward (or stage of attainment) for a person who experientially enters into the perseverance of the no-birth dharma? It’s the seventh stage or above. In the Infinite Life Sutra, three kinds of perseverance are mentioned: sound and echo perseverance, perseverance in receptivity, and perseverance in the principle of no-birth. “Sound and echo perseverance” means experientially entering the stage upon hearing the sound of Dhramas, which is equivalent to the tenth stage. “Perseverance in receptivity” is settlement of mind, unmoved upon thinking about the truth of the absolute reality of all dharma, and upon receiving and following the truth one has experientially entered, which is equivalent to the stages of the Ten Benevolence. “Perseverance in the principle of no-birth” is equivalent to the seventh stage of bodhisattva.

一個證入無生法忍的人是到幾地的果位呢？是七地以上。在《無量壽經》中有談到三種法忍：音響忍、柔順忍、無生忍。所謂「音響忍」就是聽聞說法的音聲而證入果位，這種果位相當於十信的階位；「柔順忍」就是思惟諸法實相的真理，隨順證悟的真理，心安住不動，這相當於十賢的果位；「無生法忍」則是七地菩薩的果位。

Namo Amitabha!

April 13

Apr 13, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

There are two connotations about perseverance in “perseverance of the no-birth dharma”: “perseverance in affirmation”, and “perseverance in settlement”. The former is affirmation of the absolute reality (or truth) of no-birth and no-death [i.e. nothing having been created and nothing can be destroyed] as a result of realization of its existence; the latter is the settlement of mind without wavering as a result of realization of the absolute reality (or truth).

Taking a vehicle as an example. When we start running the vehicle, we begin with the first gear, and then the second, third, fourth, and the fifth, so it accelerates gradually. When it is not running, the gear is in neutral.

Similarly, for a person who realizes and enters the state of perseverance of the no-birth dharma, he is always in a state that he can response to whatever circumstance with his functional capacity that appears immediately and relevant to the situation. Of course, the situations he deals with are different from those of our sentient beings, which will cause afflictions associated with greed, anger and delusion; it is like what the Chan practitioners say, “Eating all days but not biting one grain; dressing all days but not wearing a thread of silk”.

(To be continued tomorrow)

「無生法忍」的「忍」有兩種涵意：「忍可」和「安忍」。「忍可」就是體悟到不生不滅的實相而肯定他；心安住於體悟到的實相而不動搖，叫作「安忍」。

以車子為例，剛啟動的時候，先從一檔起步，慢慢轉二檔…三檔…四檔…五檔，一直快起來。可是不跑的時候就回歸空檔。

證入無生法忍的人也是這樣，他時刻處在的狀態當中，要應對的時候，當下就會有應對的功能顯現，不過，他所應對的當然不像我們凡夫是起貪瞋癡煩惱的，而是像禪家所講的，「終日吃飯未曾咬著一粒米，終日穿衣未曾掛著一條絲。」

Namo Amitabha!

April 12

Apr 12, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土信仰

Only Pure Land teaching is the one that we manage to study in this life, and that belongs to us. Meanwhile, it is the highest teaching among the 84,000 schools of Dharma practice. So, Pure Land teaching is complete (round or perfect), direct and immediate (sudden, quick or ultimate) Dharma school. The six-character name consists of all merits and virtues, so it is complete. We can believe and accept right now, practice right now, and be assured of rebirth right now, so it is direct and immediate. Hence, it is a complete, direct and immediate teaching. This Pure Land teaching is easy to commence, while its achievement is remarkably high. Ten thousand people who practice it will be reborn [in the Pure Land].

唯有淨土法門才是我們今世可學得來、可擁有的，同時，它是八萬四千法門當中最高的法門。所以，淨土法門是一個圓頓的法門。六字名號具足一切功德，就是「圓」；當下信受、當下修持，當下決定往生，就是「頓」，所以是圓頓的法門。而且下手容易、成就很高、萬修萬人去的，就是這個淨土法門。

Namo Amitabha!

April 11

Apr 11, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

(Continued)
The deep faith in “aptitude” [i.e. capacity, or karmic inclinations] covers all three tiers [of iniquity], out of which the religious tier is most fundamental. Why? Some people may consider themselves as an upstanding citizen who shows civic-mindedness and respects the law, also a person being sincere and scrupulous in human relationships, and being observant of morality, kindness and benevolence… So, from the legal point of view, he is not guilty, not a criminal or offender. In terms of ethics and morality, he is also not a wicked or vicious person.

However, in Buddhism, all of us have greed, hatred, delusion, and ignorance, which are iniquitous, and are sources of all malicious deeds. So, with respect to the three tiers of the deep faith in “aptitude”, are we obedient to the law and scrupulous in human relationships?

In case of under serious review, we are not able to reach the standards. So, we are not just iniquitous religiously, but also legally and morally.

「機深信」含蓋這三個層次，但最基本的是宗教上的罪惡。為什麼呢？因為，有的人覺得他奉公守法是世間良民，他也敦倫盡分、崇尚道德、講仁義……。所以，在法律上他不是罪人，沒有罪惡。在人倫道德上，他也不是罪惡之身。

可是，在佛教所講的，人都有貪瞋癡無明，這就是罪惡，也是所有惡的根源；就「機深信」的這三個層次來看，我們是一個奉公守法的人嗎？是一個敦倫盡分的人嗎？

如果真檢討起來，我們是做不到的。所以，我們不只是有宗教上的罪惡，甚至是在法律上、人倫道德上，我們也都犯了罪。

Namo Amitabha!

April 10

Apr 10, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

To study the Pure Land teachings, all of us should be self-aware that we are iniquitous ordinary beings subject to endless rebirth, full of severe afflictions, and lack of conditions for emancipations.  That is to say, “we should feel that our foolishness and capacity for wrongdoing exceed those of others”. If we are aware of this, we shall easily have faith in, and accept Amitabha’s deliverance.

However, there are several tiers regarding this attribute statement “we should feel that our foolishness and capacity for wrongdoing exceed those of others”: legal iniquity, moral iniquity and religious iniquity.

(To be continued tomorrow)

學淨土法門，人人都要自覺自己是一個罪惡生死的凡夫，是一個煩惱熾盛的凡夫，是一個沒有解脫之緣的凡夫，就是「自覺愚惡，過於他人。」如果這樣的話，就很容易信受彌陀的救度。
不過，「自覺愚惡，過於他人。」有幾個層次，有法律上的罪惡，道德上的罪惡，還有宗教上的罪惡。

Namo Amitabha!

April 9

Apr 9, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

Life is a dream; worldly matters are illusions. Though we are healthy for a hundred years, and we have fortune for the whole life, it will be gone in a flash of light, and vanishes suddenly. If we cannot be reborn [in the Land of Bliss], we are bound to continue to reincarnate. Reincarnation is the foremost catastrophe. The aim and the benefit of Amitabha-recitation is to eradicate this great catastrophe of reincarnation.

The present benefit is limited, say for a few decades only, however, the benefit of rebirth is unlimited, transcending all finite numbers.  If we can be reborn 9in the Land of Bliss), we will end the boundless and limitless reincarnation of birth-and-death forever, and have no more sufferings in birth, aging, illness and death. The length of our life is immeasurable, same as Amitabha, having infinite light, infinite compassion, infinite wisdom, infinite paranormal powers, and freedom and comfort in body and mind with the unobstructed reward of joy.

人生是夢，世事若幻，健康百年，幸福一世，瞬息便逝，轉眼成空。若不往生，尚在輪迴，輪迴便是第一大災難；念佛之目的與利益，正在於消除此一輪迴之大災難。

因現世利益，僅幾十年，有限；往生利益，超越數量，無窮。若能往生，則未來無窮無盡的生死輪迴，從此斷除，永無生老病死之眾苦；與彌陀同證無量壽命、無量光明、無量慈悲、無量智慧、無量神通、身心自在無礙之樂果。

Namo Amitabha!

April 8

Apr 8, 2018
慧淨上人法語
專稱彌陀佛名

Amitabha-recitation is a demand as well as an order of Amitabha Buddha to sentient beings. So, the Longer Sutra says, “recite my name, even ten times”, and also “recollect/invoke/recite [the name of] Amitayus Buddha single-mindedly”. The Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra also concludes with “single-minded recitation of Amitabha’s Name”.

「念佛」乃是彌陀對眾生的要求與敕命，所以《大經》言「乃至十念」，又言「一向專念無量壽佛」，《觀經疏》也以「一向專稱彌陀佛名」為結論。

Namo Amitabha!