July 27 2021

Jul 27, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Education for Living

生活教育

Learning through relationships is a great learning experience. A good human relationship is a necessary ingredient for having fortune in our lives. There are four very common phrases that all people know. However, not many people care about them. If they care about their relationships, they must always be kept in their minds and used in speech. These are true words and a wonderful curative medicine for improving our human relationships. They are: I’m sorry, excuse me, thank you, and I love you. Try to use these four phrases often in all of your inter-actions.

怎樣處理人際關係是人生的大學問,好的人際關係是人生幸福必不可少的因素。有四句話,很普通,人人皆知,但幾乎人人不那麼重視;如果重視的話,經常想在心裏,說在口邊,那可以說是我們處理人際關係的四句真言,靈丹妙藥。這四句話就是:對不起,請原諒,謝謝你,我愛你。試著在任何情況下都說這四句話。

Namo Amituofo!

July 26 2021

Jul 26, 2021

Master Yinguang’s Short Teaching offering the Advice of Practicing the Particular Teaching and Discarding Self-Power

印光大師「全是佛力」之文(坐船過海之喻)

A grain of sand will sink immediately when placed in water. However, even If tons of gravel and boulders are placed on a big ship, they will easily be transported to other places without sinking. Gravel and boulders resemble sentient beings’ heavy karma, and the big ship resembles the power of Amitabha’s infinite compassion.

If we do not recite Amitabha’s Name but rely on our own power of cultivation to end being trapped in the cycle of birth-and-death, we must reach the state in which our karma is completely extinguished and we reach a meditative state of emptiness. We cannot be liberated from the cycle of birth-and-death if we have even a tiny shred of affliction and delusive karma remaining. We are like grains of sand that sink to the bottom of water, in the way that a grain of sand cannot get out of water on its own.

譬如一顆沙子,入水即沉,縱有數千萬斤石,裝於大火輪船中,即可不沉而運於他處,以隨意使用也。石喻眾生之業力深重,大火輪喻彌陀之慈力廣大。

若不念佛,仗自己修持之力,欲了生死,須到業盡情空地位方可。否則縱令煩惱惑業斷得只有一絲毫,亦不能了,喻如極小之沙子,亦必沉於水中,決不能自己出於水外。

Namo Amituofo!

July 25 2021

Jul 25, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings Expressing the Perception of the Pure Land

淨土述懷

I do not rely on blessings, because no blessing is better than Amitabha-recitation.

I am not scared of karma, because no karma can obstruct Amitabha.

Though I have a myriad of virtues I do not rely on them, because no virtue surpasses the single practice of Amitabha-recitation.

Though I have afflictions I do not worry, because no affliction can obstruct Amitabha’s deliverance.

福不足憑,無福能勝念佛故;

業不足畏,無業能礙彌陀故。

吾雖萬行亦不憑,無勝念佛一行故;

吾雖煩惱亦不憂,無礙彌陀救度故。

Namo Amituofo!

July 24 2021

Jul 24, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land School – Nagarjuna Bodhisattva

《淨宗傳承之天親菩薩》

(continued)

For example, apart from the main practice of Name-recitation, it is necessary to perfect the Six Paramitas as the supplementary practices; a person can be reborn by combining the main and supplementary practices. Apart from Name-recitation, a practitioner is required to have singleness of mind regarding law, singleness of mind regarding phenomena, proficiency in self-power, and concentration even during sleep. Without these he cannot be reborn.

However, when referring to the 18th Vow, the text addresses accomplishment of the Vow and instructions to Maitreya. The interpretation of the patriarchal bodhisattvas Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu adds no other conditions for rebirth. It is clearly and accurately stipulated that the exclusive practice of recitation of Amitabha’s Name is already sufficient to enter the state of assurance instantly. It is already expediently satisfied through the great treasure of Amitabha’s merit and virtues. This is known as “practicing as such”, and “matching with the practice as such.”

譬如說除了稱名的正行之外,還要有六度為助行,正助和合才能夠往生;或者是稱名之外,還要理一心、事一心,或是功夫成片、夢寐一如......等等,否則不能往生。

可是我們不論從經文──第十八願的願文、第十八願成就文、咐囑彌勒文來看也好,或從龍樹、天親菩薩等祖師的解釋來看也好,都沒有那些附帶條件,而且很明確,乾脆俐落,都是說只要專稱彌陀佛名,就已經即入必定,已經速滿足功德大寶海,就是如實修行,跟如實修行相應。

Namo Amituofo!

July 23 2021

Jul 23, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land School – Vasubandhu Bodhisattva

《淨宗傳承之天親菩薩》

Vasubandhu Bodhisattva explains the general meaning of the Fundamental Vow as follows: through taking refuge in the power of Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow those who have little time to live can be immediately saved, and receive a great treasure of merit as vast as an ocean.

At the same time, he also says, “ when reciting the Name of that Tathagata one receives the wisdom form of the Tathagata’s light. This is also inherent in the meaning of the Name. These two texts directly explain the merit and virtues of Name-recitation according to the 18th Vow.

In mixed forms of Pure Land teaching, even though they talk about rebirth in the Land of Bliss through Amitabha-recitation, they often complicate matters by adding other practices as conditions for rebirth.

(to be continued tomorrow)

天親菩薩的「本願取意文」說:觀佛本願力,遇無空過者,能令速滿足,功德大寶海。同時又說:稱彼如來名,如彼如來光明智相,如彼名義,欲如實修行相應故。這兩段文也是直接的在解釋第十八願稱名的功德。

一般淨土法門,雖然也是說念佛往生極樂世界,可是除了稱名以外,還附帶種種條件。

Namo Amituofo!

July 22 2021

Jul 22, 2021

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land School – the 18th Vow

淨宗傳承之第十八願

The way the Pure Land Teaching was able to become a School was through its fundamental source or origin. Its origin is the 48 great vows abundantly made by Bodhisattva Dharmakara. Once he was able to bring those vows to fruition, he became Amitabha Buddha. The 18th vow is called the Fundamental Vow, and through it all sentient beings in the ten directions are able to be delivered to Amitabha’s Pure Land, and there become Buddhas.

淨土宗之所以成為淨土宗,它有個根本、有個起源。它的起源就是阿彌陀佛在因地為法藏菩薩的時候,為十方眾生廣發誓必救度的四十八大願;它的根本就是四十八大願當中的第十八願。

Namo Amituofo!

July 21 2021

Jul 21, 2021

Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

The Chapter on the Easy Path - It is the Chapter Nine of the Commentary on the Ten Stages Sutra, written by the first patriarch of the Pure Land School, Nagarjuna Bodhisattva.

The Chapter is composed of two sets of questions and answers. The first is to differentiate the Easy Path from other Buddhist teachings. The second is to differentiate the Easy Practice of Amitabha-recitation from the easy practices of other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

The objective of the Chapter is to guide all Mahayana practitioners to give up the difficult teachings, adopt the easy one, and return to Name- recitation in accord with the Fundamental Vow of Amitabha. Its aim is to achieve non-retrogression in the present life as part of the Bodhisattva Way, and the method is holding fast to recitation of the Name.

《易行品》 - 淨土門尊崇的第一部祖典。為龍樹菩薩所撰述之《十住毗婆沙論》第九品。全品由兩重問答組成,第一重問答從佛法無量門中決出易行道, 第二重問答從諸佛菩薩易行中突出彌陀之易行。

本品的主旨,在引導通途大乘行者捨難取易,歸入彌陀本願稱名。其目標是菩薩道之「現生不退」,方法是「執持稱名號」。

Namo Amituofo!