June 7

Jun 7, 2018
慧淨上人法語
機法深信

Who in this human world is not an iniquitous ordinary being? If a person is not an iniquitous ordinary being, he should have transcended the Three Domains and the Six Realms, and should not reincarnate anymore. Because ordinary beings within the Six Realms have not eradicated their greed, anger, delusion, view-delusion, and affliction-delusion, they still stay in the Six Realms. Therefore, whoever lives in the Six Realms, they are iniquitous ordinary beings.

世上之人，誰不是罪業凡夫？如果不是罪業凡夫，就已經超出三界六道，不再輪迴了。因為六道凡夫就是貪瞋癡、見惑、思惑尚未斷除，才會在六道之中，所以凡是六道眾生，都是罪業凡夫。

Namo Amitabha!

June 6

Jun 6, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見
(Continued)

If there is no Buddha’s protection, when life ends, the good and evil karma in the past and present lives will manifest suddenly.  When the karma appears, the person will proceed, in the blink of an eye, to rebirth following a good or evil path in accordance with the fiercest good or evil karma. There is no self-determination at all.

It was told (by Master Lingyou of Guishan, 771-853), “Like a person in debt, the biggest creditor will take the first lead; a confused state of mind has multiple threads, and the heaviest one will pull the mind falling towards its side.”

如果沒有佛的護持，命終之時，現生及歷劫的善惡業力，一時浮現，業力一現，眨眼之間，便隨其最猛烈的善惡業力，前往受生於善惡道中，絲毫不能自主。

所謂「如人負債，強者先牽；心緒多端，重處偏墜。」［註：語出《潙山警策》］

Namo Amitabha!

June 5

Jun 5, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

The time of dying can be described as a “stage of confused mind”, during which the mind is confused and inverted. If we do not recite Amitabha’s name before our last breath, we will not have Amitabha Buddha coming to protect and receive us in advance.  No matter how high the realm of cultivation has been achieved, we will not be able to resist against the karmic force when it comes, but to receive the retribution according to the past karma.

If we recite Amitabha’s name, the Buddha will come and receive us. Our “mind will not be inverted” at the point of death. Why? It is because the Buddha protects us. A paragraph of the Amitabha Sutra as translated by Master Xuanzang states, “Give the blessing with kindness and compassion in order to keep the mind not confused”. That is to say, we are blessed by Amitabha Buddha’s compassion. “Give the blessing” is to endow, protect, and safeguard. “To keep the mind not confused” means that when we stop breathing, Amitabha Buddha will pacify our mind, make it not in turmoil.

(To be continued tomorrow)

死時稱為「亂心位」，心是散亂性、顛倒性的。人將斷氣時， 如果沒有念佛，沒有阿彌陀佛事先來護持、接引我們，不管修行境界多高，業力來都抵擋不住，只能隨業受報。

如果有念佛，佛來接引我們，命終時就會「心不顛倒」。為什麼？因為有佛護持。玄奘大師所翻譯的《阿彌陀經》其中一段：「慈悲加祐，令心不亂」。就是說阿彌陀佛的慈悲來加祐我們，「加祐」就是保祐、保護、護持；「令心不亂」就是在斷氣時阿彌陀佛會使我們心不動亂。

Namo Amitabha!

June 4

Jun 4, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土信仰

Like rivers and streams that eventually return to the sea, the Pure Land teaching is the ultimate destination for all teachings. All currents on the lands will finally enter the sea in order to finally settle down in a real home. All teachings in Buddhism will eventually converge into one teaching of Amitabha Buddha in order to accomplish the ultimate Buddhist Way.

Because this is the only teaching that can completely make all sentient beings to escape and get free easily, and finally become a Buddha. As long as there is such a teaching, it will include all [virtues] with nothing left out or left short. If there is no such a teaching, it will be incomplete, with something else missing and lacking. So, we should know the importance of this teaching – with this teaching, all other teachings are included, and it is sufficient for us to practice; without this teaching, it will never be sufficient even we practice each and every other teachings.

如同千江萬水必歸大海，淨土法門是萬法的歸宗。陸地上一切水流，最後需要進入大海，才能得到真正的歸宿；佛門中一切的法，最後必須匯入彌陀一法，才能究竟成就佛道。

因為唯有這個法門，能徹底使一切眾生，容易解脫，究竟成佛。只要有這個法門，就通通包含，盡在其中，無欠無餘；如果沒有這個法門，就不圓滿，有所欠缺。可知這個法門的重要性，有此法門則一切法具足，無此法門，就算修了種種法門仍然不具足。

Namo Amitabha!

June 3

Jun 3, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

Where does the practice begin? Start with no false speech, meaning that we should not be carefree in our talk, not only do not speak deceitful words, but also no double tongue, no slanderous or evil words, no lying, and no idle talk. This is very important.

修行要從什麼地方開始呢？要從不妄語開始。不妄語就是不隨便講話，不僅不講騙人的話，也不講兩舌、惡口、妄言、綺語，這個非常重要。

Namo Amitabha!

June 2

Jun 2, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

An Amitabha-reciter—even though being stupid, inferior, sick and dirty—is a wonderful good man and the most splendid man in humankind, forming one entity with Amitabha Buddha, being embraced by Amitabha’s light, protected by all Buddhas, accompanying with bodhisattvas, and surrounded, protected by devas, exempted from calamities, and granted an extended lifespan in the present life; at the end of his life, he will be reborn and realized nirvana. He is far better in transcendence than anybody in the world.

If a person does not recite Amitabha’s name and aspire to be reborn in the Land of Bliss—even though he is high-ranked in position and powerful in authority, he remains the dependent family member of King Yama (the King of Hell). He gets close to hell day after day, just like the cattle walking towards a slaughterhouse. Once deceased, he will regret and scare. Being escorted by the hell officers, he lonely trudges along the path with tears. When King Yama reproaches him in the court, he kneels down with solitude and sadness.

念佛之人，縱使是愚癡卑賤、惡病污穢，其人現生已是人中妙好人、最勝人，佛凡一體、彌陀光照、諸佛護念、菩薩相隨、天神擁護，消災延壽；而命終往生，證大涅槃；遠遠超勝世間上任何人。

若不念佛，願生極樂，則雖位高權重，猶是閻王眷屬，日日接近地獄。如牛赴市，步步近死；一旦命終，悔懼交至。鬼卒帶走之路，流淚獨行；閻王呵責之庭，屈膝孤悲。

Namo Amitabha!

June 1

Jun 1, 2018
《往生禮讚》「念佛必生」之文:
A paragraph about “ascertained rebirth by Amitabha-recitation” In Praise of the Rite of Rebirth

若有眾生，稱念阿彌陀佛，若七日及一日，下至十聲，乃至一聲一念等，必得往生。

If there is a sentient being who recites [the name of] Amitabha Buddha for, say, seven days to one day, or as few as only ten times, even one time, one thought, he is assured of rebirth.

Namo Amitabha!