August 6 2020

Aug 6, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Attributes of the Pure Land School: Worldly Truths

淨土宗宗風俗諦

The Buddha says, “We should have the greatest gratitude for someone who slanders us.” This idea really turns people’s minds upside down! If someone slanders us, or hurts us mentally or physically, why should we feel gratitude?

Yes, these things hurt ordinary beings; but, as practitioners, what should be our attitude towards slandering? Being slandered is an opportunity clear our karma, accumulate blessings, and help us to practice calmness and patience. Shouldn’t we feel the greatest gratitude for this?

佛陀說,別人誹謗我們,是對我們最大的恩惠。這種觀念確實是顛覆一般人的思維。人家誹謗我們,造成我們身心的苦惱,怎麼反而說是恩惠呢?

一般人會因為誹謗而造成身心苦惱。可是我們是修行人,修行人應該以怎樣的心態來對待呢?如果確實有這樣的事,剛好是消我們的業;如果沒有那樣的事情,一方面是增加我們的福報,一方面是讓我們修安忍、忍辱的機緣,這豈不是很大的恩惠?

Namo Amituofo!

August 5 2020

Aug 5, 2020

An excerpt from ‘In Praise of the Rite of Rebirth’ by Master Shandao

善導大師語錄《往生禮讚》

Question: Why are we not asked to practice contemplation; but, instructed to exclusively recite the Name? What is the meaning of this?

Answer: It is because sentient beings bear heavy karmic obstructions and their minds are too coarse to see the fine scenes and phenomena in the Pure Land. Because our mental focus is wavering and unsteady, it is too difficult to achieve any results in contemplation. With great compassion the great sage (Shakyamuni Buddha) directly advises us to exclusively recite Amitabha’s Name. He does this because of the easiness of Name-recitation. Those who exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha are assured of rebirth in this lifetime.

問曰:何故不令作觀,直遣專稱名字者,有何意也?

答曰:乃由眾生障重,境細心粗,識揚神飛,觀難成就也。是以大聖悲憐,直

勸專稱名字,正由稱名易故,相續即生。

Namo Amituofo!

August 4 2020

Aug 4, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Amitabha Sutra

《佛說阿彌陀經》

(continued)

“Single-minded without confusion” is the mind of exclusive belief in Amitabha Buddha, and the exclusive practice of reciting Amitabha’s Name. This means: no other mind, unchanged, and not mixed or confused.

If someone says, “Hello, there is a truly splendid teaching. Come on and learn it!” We should not bother to listen to it, because we know that no other teaching is better than reciting Amitabha’s Name. By merely holding Amitabha’s Name, we are given a myriad of virtues and we are assured of rebirth at once, without any further teachings. Therefore, we don’t need to be curious and to change our mind of believing and accepting Amitabha Buddha. This is known as being “Single-minded without confusion”.

「一心不亂」,就是專信阿彌陀佛、專念彌陀名號的心,沒有其他的心;而且不變動、不雜亂,這就是「一心不亂」。

人家如果說:「某某人啊!有一個法門非常殊勝哦!你來學學看吧!」我們也不好奇,任何法門我們都會覺得不如這句彌陀名號,只要有這一句彌陀名號,就萬德具足,往生的事情當下成就,不必依靠其他,所以我們不會好奇,而動亂我們對阿彌陀佛信受的心,這叫做一心不亂。

Namo Amituofo!

August 3 2020

Aug 3, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings - the Buddha’s Enlightening Mottos

醒世箴言

There is a saying: Once the human physical body is lost, it may take more than ten thousand kalpas to be born into another. Many Buddhists have heard this. However, if they haven’t absorbed this deeply, they might as well have not heard it at all!

有句話說:「一失人身,萬劫不復。」學佛的人,常聽到這句話,可是聽入耳中,如果沒有深映入心中,也等於聽而不聞。

Namo Amituofo!

August 2 2020

Aug 2, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Encouragement to practice Amitabha-Recitation

念佛警策

(continued)

Su Dongpo was not primarily a Pure Land practitioner; but, mostly focused on Chan. However, when he approached the final stage of his life, he found that he could not rely on his Chan practice. This is a common experience - his mind was not at ease, and he believed nothing could lead him to emancipation.

Su Dongpo was unable to leave the cycle of birth and death; but, even an ordinary person who recites Amitabha’s Name in his lifetime can be at ease when near his end-of-life. Sometimes he may even know the time of his death in advance, Isn’t it ironic?

蘇東坡對淨土向來不是很關心,他所關心的是禪,但人到最後蓋棺論定時,他一生所修行的,能不能讓他依靠、安心,讓他解脫,臨終是一種證驗。

而蘇東坡臨終之時,是過不了生死輪迴這一關的,反而不如一位平生老實念佛的愚夫愚婦,臨終的時候,往往能夠自在安然,甚至預知時至。

Namo Amituofo!

August 1 2020

Aug 1, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Encouragement to practice Amitabha-Recitation

念佛警策

What was the feeling and mood of Su Dongpo near his end-of-life? He was filled with panic and uneasiness. Because he was a Buddhist, people asked him whether there is a Pure Land and whether he had aspired to be reborn there?

He said, “There is a Pure Land; but, I cannot manage it.” While saying this he pointed at his chest, indicating that he believed in the existence of the Pure Land; but, he was only confident in being born there because he did not know how to be reborn in the Pure Land.

(to be continued tomorrow)

蘇東坡臨終時是什麼心情、什麼感受呢?他心中還是恐懼不安。但畢竟他是學佛的人,有人就問他有沒有淨土?他要不要往生淨土?有沒有求生淨土的意願?

他說,淨土是有,但個中把握不住。也就是說,他指著自己胸膛,表示他相信有淨土,可是他心中沒有把握,不曉得如何才可以往生淨土。

Namo Amituofo!

July 31 2020

Jul 31, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Faith in Pure Land Buddhism

淨土信仰

Perhaps some people are puzzled about whether Amitabha-recitation is the mental karma of contemplating the Buddha, or a verbal karma of reciting the Buddha’s Name? Comparing and contrasting the texts in the Contemplation Sutra, we should know the answer is the latter. Why?

The Contemplation Sutra says, “In this way, he sincerely maintains his recitation of Namo Amituofo and includes the “even ten times” referred to in the 18th Vow of the Longer Sutra. Thus, the meaning of “ten times” is obviously reciting by mouth rather than mental contemplation.

或許有人會有這樣的困惑,念佛到底是意業上的觀想念佛呢?還是口業上的稱名念佛呢?這方面如果我們對照《觀無量壽經》,就可以曉得是「稱名」念佛。為什麼?

《觀無量壽經》言:「如是至心,令聲不絕,具足十念,稱南無阿彌陀佛」,這裡所講的「具足十念」就是第十八願所講的「乃至十念」。

「乃至十念」的「十念」是什麼意思呢?接下來就說「稱南無阿彌陀佛」。所以這個「念」是稱名的念佛,意義很顯明。

Namo Amituofo!