February 25, 2023

Feb 25, 2023

The 31 Verses Explaining the Amitabha Sutra from “ In Praise of Dharma Practice” by Master Shandao

善導大師《法事讚》 轉《阿彌陀經》31偈語

22 A Verse about The Affirmation by all Buddhas in the East

Wish to be reborn. Wish to be reborn.

Shakyamuni Tathagata always extols the venerable Bodhisattvas of Equal Enlightenment, as many as the sands of the River Ganges.

His Great Compassion delivers sentient beings with a mind of equality. One Buddha bestowing merit and virtues on sentient beings is the same as many Buddhas doing it.

In order to cut off the attachments of doubt and views, all of them extend their tongues to cover the entire cosmos of the three thousand worlds.

They attest to rebirth in the Pure Land by reciting the Name for seven days, and confirm that the words spoken by Shakyamuni are true.

During the end of life, if one recites Amitabha’s Name with right mindfulness,

And sees Amitabha’s light of kindness shining on one’s body,

With recourse to the power of Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow,

He will enter the Hall of Treasure within one thought.

The Hall of Treasure is adorned to an unlimited extent. All of the manifested Buddhas and sacred beings reside there in a state of infinite perception.

They have gained understanding of the Nature of Mind and the teaching of truth, through performing the dual practices of wisdom and compassion, for a hundred or a thousand days.

Just as I have now arrived in the unconditioned realm, I hope all sentient beings can return to this place.

Let the multitude unanimously admire this Pure Land and aspire to be reborn here. Let’s hold fragrant flowers in our hands and always offer them to the Buddha.

22. 東方證誠相偈

願往生 願往生

釋迦如來常讚歎 東方恆沙等覺尊

大悲同化心無二 一佛施功多亦然

為斷凡夫疑見執 皆舒舌相覆三千

共證七日稱名號 又表釋迦言說真

終時正意念彌陀 見佛慈光來照身

乘此彌陀本願力 一念之間入寶堂

寶堂莊嚴無限極 化佛聖眾坐思量

心性明於百千日 悲智雙行法爾常

我今既到無為處 普願含靈歸此方

眾等傾心皆願往 手執香華常供養

Namo Amituofo!

February 24, 2023

Feb 24, 2023

Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

The Dharma that Must be Spoken

Amitabha Buddha’s 17th Vow says, “If, when I attain Buddhahood, innumerable Buddhas in the lands of the ten quarters should not all praise and glorify my Name, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.”

The Infinite Life Sutra says, “All Buddhas and Tathagatas in the ten directions, as numerous as the sands of the River Ganges, praise the inconceivable, supernal virtues [and unfathomable merits] of Amitayus.

In the passage that explains his original intent for appearing in the world, Shakyamuni Buddha says, “As the Tathagata, I regard all beings in the three worlds with boundless great compassion. The reason for my appearance in the world is to reveal teachings of the Way and save multitudes of beings by endowing them with true benefits.”

All Buddhas come from different worlds in the ten directions, and share immeasurable, boundless teachings with sentient beings of differing aptitudes. However, the teaching of Amitabha's deliverance is the one that all Buddhas in the ten directions share. It is the teaching that all Buddhas never omit.

必說之法

阿彌陀佛第十七願言：「設我得佛，十方世界無量諸佛，不悉咨嗟稱我名者，不取正覺。」

《無量壽經》言：「十方恆沙諸佛如來，皆共讚歎無量壽佛，威神功德不可思議！」

釋迦牟尼佛 • 出世本懷文 • 言：「如來以無盡大悲，矜哀三界，所以出興於世，光闡道教，欲拯濟群萌，惠以真實之利。」

十方諸佛在各自不同的世界，對各種根機的眾生宣說的法門無量無邊，但彌陀救度的法門，卻是十方諸佛都必定要宣說、沒有一尊佛不宣說的法門。

Namo Amituofo!

February 23, 2023

Feb 23, 2023

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

淨土信仰

Amitabha-recitation is the primary practice for our rebirth. It is perfect and complete. In terms of reading Buddhist books, we should only read books of the lineage of our teaching. Only through reading these books can we understand the principle of rebirth through Amitabha-recitation. If we don’t understand this principle, it is impossible for us to recite Amitabha’s name scrupulously, steadily, and peacefully.

Therefore, in order to understand this principle, we have to read those books, and listen to the discourses related to rebirth. However, if you can understand this principle thoroughly, you need not read those books. Just recite Amitabha’s Name as often as you can. That’s all there is to it!

念佛就是我們往生的正行，要往生，念佛就已經圓滿具足了。看書只要看我們這個法門傳承的書，因為看書才能了解念佛往生的道理，若對念佛決定往生的道理不了解，就不可能老老實實、腳踏實地的念佛，即使是念佛，心也不安呀！

所以為了使我們能夠了解這個道理，我們就得去看這些書，聽有關這方面的開示。進一步說，如果你對這些道理都已通徹了解了，也可以不必去看這些書，有時間就念佛，就是這樣。

Namo Amituofo!

February 22, 2023

Feb 22, 2023

A verse saying “Whoever hears of that Land of Bliss” quoted from In Praise of the Rite of Rebirth by Master Shandao

善導大師《往生禮讚》「其有得聞彼」之偈：

Whoever hears of that Land of Bliss,

And Amitabha Buddha’s Name,

And is filled with joy for even one thought,

Will be reborn in that Land.

其有得聞彼，彌陀佛名號； 歡喜至一念，皆當得生彼。

Namo Amituofo!

February 21, 2023

Feb 21, 2023

Pure Land Patriarch - Master Daochuo

道綽大師

(continued)

Thus, all Buddhas with great compassion, urge us to turn to the Pure Land Path. Even if you have committed offenses for your entire life, all of your karmic obstructions will be fully extinguished. You can be assured of rebirth through the exclusive recitation of Amitabha’s Name. There is no need to worry. Only think deeply about why you wouldn’t want to go to the Pure Land!

是以諸佛大慈,勸歸淨土。縱使一形造惡,但能繫意專精,常能念佛,一切諸障,自然消除,定得往生。何不思量,都無去心也!。

Namo Amituofo!

February 20, 2023

Feb 20, 2023

Pure Land Patriarch - Master Daochuo

道綽大師

(continued)

Moreover, because all sentient beings have scattered minds, they are unable to realize any of Mahayana’s great truths: True Suchness, Real Mark, and the Foremost Truth of Emptiness.

According to the Hinayana, those who cultivate the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path (even up to the third and fourth fruitions), cut off the Five Lower Afflictions, and clear the Five Upper Afflictions (whether they are monastics or householders) are not included.

Though they may achieve the reward of being reborn as humans or devas through the practice of the Five Precepts and the Ten Wholesome Deeds, there are very few who can accomplish this. If living with wickedness and committing offenses is taken into account, it becomes nearly impossible!

(to be continued tomorrow)

又復一切眾生,都不自量:

若據大乘,真如實相,第一義空,曾未措心。

若論小乘,修入見諦修道,乃至那含、羅漢,斷五下、除五上,無問道俗,未有其分。

縱有人天果報,皆為五戒十善,能招此報,然持得者甚希。

若論起惡造罪,何異暴風駃雨。

Namo Amituofo!

February 19, 2023

Feb 19, 2023

Pure Land Patriarch - Master Daochuo

道綽大師

(continued)

The Sacred Path is difficult to realize nowadays. This is because: (1) the Great Sacred Buddha (Shakyamuni) is now far from us, (2) his teachings are profound; but, we can only understand a small part of them. Thus, the Sutra of the Great Collection of Moon Store says, “ We live in the Dharma-ending age, in which not even one person in a billion who practices and cultivates can attain the Way.”

In the Dharma-ending Age, in this wretched world with five kinds of turbidity, only the Pure Land Path is accessible to accomplish the Way. Thus, the Great Sutra says, “ if a sentient being who commits offenses for his entire life recites my name and is not born in my land, I will not attain perfect Enlightenment.”

(to be continued tomorrow)

其聖道一種,今時難證,一由去大聖遙遠,二由理深解微。是故《大集月藏經》云:

「我末法時中,億億眾生,起行修道,未有一人得者。」

當今末法,現是五濁惡世,唯有淨土一門,可通入路。

是故《大經》云:「若有眾生,縱令一生造惡,臨命終時,十念相續,稱我名字,若不生

者,不取正覺。」

Namo Amituofo!