March 4, 2023

Mar 4, 2023

Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

The Dharma that must be believed

Master Shandao says in the beginning of “In Praise of Pratyutpanna”, “Shakyamuni Buddha is like a kind and compassionate parent, who provides various expedient teachings to arouse your unsurpassed faith.” This clearly indicates that the reason Shakyamuni Buddha appeared in the world is to guide all Buddhist practitioners with various expedient teachings, in order to awaken faith in the teaching of Amitabha’s deliverance through Amitabha-recitation.

(to be continued tomorrow)

必信之法

善導大師《般舟讚》一開始就說:「釋迦如來實是慈悲父母,種種方便,發起我等無上信心。」顯明釋迦牟尼佛之所以出現世間,就是要以種種方便來引導所有的修行人,使他們對淨土宗彌陀救度的念佛法門產生信心。

Namo Amituofo!

March 3, 2023

Mar 3, 2023

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

淨土信仰

Our minds are originally filled with ignorance and darkness; however, when our ignorance makes contact with the light of the Land of Bliss, the ignorance will instantly disappear. It is just like a person who suffers an illness for seven years; but, expected to be cured in three. His ignorance prevents him from taking a medicine that can cure him immediately. Though the darkness of our ignorance is continuous and creates endless obstructions in our lives, it will immediately disappear when the unimpeded light of Amitabha Buddha shines upon it.

我們本來心中充滿了很黑闇的無明,可是到了極樂世界,無明碰到極樂世界的光明,當下無明就消除,無明的消除並不需要經過長久的時間,好像一個人身上有病,所謂「七年之病求三年之艾」,病很久了沒辦法一吃藥馬上好,要有時間性。但是我們的無明還有黑闇,甚至充滿宇宙的業障,受阿彌陀佛無礙光明的照破是立即的、當下的。

Namo Amituofo!

March 2, 2023

Mar 2, 2023 

A verse saying “the entire world is completely on fire”, quoted from In Praise of the Rite of Rebirth by Master Shandao 

善導大師《往生禮讚》「設滿大千火」之偈: 

Because the great cosmos is on fire, 

You must go straight through it in order to hear the Buddha’s Name. 

Those who joyfully recite upon hearing the Name 

Will attain rebirth in that Land. 

設滿大千火，直過聞佛名； 聞名歡喜讚，皆當得生彼。 

Namo Amituofo!

March 1, 2023

Mar 1, 2023

Pure Land Patriarch - Master Daochuo

道綽大師

(continued)

Sentient beings in the Avici hells are, of course included, among “those who commit offenses throughout their entire physical lives.” Even sentient beings in the Avici hells, if they dedicate their minds toward [Amitabha Buddha], they can also be reborn and be embraced by Amitabh Buddha. I implies that all sentient beings who recite Amitabha’s Name must be reborn. Thus, for the method of attaining rebirth, Amitabha-recitation is the easiest; yet, the functional capacity of its merit and virtues are transcendent and splendid. One cannot grasp the true meaning of these passages without reading the Chapter on the Easy Path by Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, the Shastra of Rebirth by Vasubandhu, the Commentary on the Shastra of Rebirth by Master Tanluan, and the Collection on Peace and Joy by Master Daochuo.

一生造惡或一形造惡，當然就包括阿鼻地獄的眾生；連阿鼻地獄的眾生迴心念佛都能往生，都在阿彌陀佛的攝取之中了，當然就含蓋所有的眾生，念佛都必定往生。因此，念佛在方法上是容易的，可是在功能、功德上卻是超勝的。

這樣的意涵，如果不從龍樹菩薩的《易行品》，天親菩薩的《往生論》，曇鸞大師的《往生論註》，道綽大師的《安樂集》來看的話，是看不出來的。

Namo Amituofo!

February 28, 2023

Feb 28, 2023

Pure Land Patriarch - Master Daochuo

道綽大師

A text, by Master Daochuo, explaining the Fundamental Vow

“ Though a sentient being commits offenses during his entire life, he can recite my Name continuously near the end-of-life; if he cannot be reborn, I will not attain perfect Enlightenment.”

It also says, “Though he commits offenses during his entire physical life, all his karmic obstructions will be naturally eradicated and his rebirth is assured by focusing his mind on frequent recitation of my Name.”

With just a glance, one ought to know these verses explain Amitabha’s 18th Vow. The two texts match word for word. Master Daochuo explained “sentient beings of the ten directions” in the 18th Vow, and explicitly points out that “those who commit offenses during their entire physical lives” includes sentient beings in the ten directions.

(to be continued tomorrow)

道綽大師的「本願取意文」說：

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。

又說：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。

這個一看就知道是在解釋第十八願，文字跟第十八願也幾乎是兩兩對照的。

道綽大師把第十八願的「十方眾生」進一步解釋出來，讓我們明確知道，所謂「十方眾生」是含蓋「縱令一生造惡」，或是「縱使一形造惡」的眾生。

Namo Amituofo!

February 27, 2023

Feb 27, 2023

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about Classification of Teachings – the Sacred and Pure Land Paths

淨宗判教 – 聖淨二門判

The Sacred Path is a teaching of “self-powered” cultivation. It means, realizing the fruit through one’s own capacity, by practicing the Six Paramitas and accumulating a myriad of virtues. It requires repeated rebirths as a human being in the Six Realms, life after life. However, it is only suitable for those with the aptitudes of sacred beings. Thus, it is regarded as a “difficult practice.”

On the other hand, the Pure Land Path is the teaching of faith in “other-power”. If a person exclusively recites Amitabha’s Name in this Land of Saha in the present life , he will be reborn in the Land of Bliss, and realize that fruit. It is regarded as an”easy practice” that is appropriate for ordinary beings.

聖道門是「自力修行」之教，就是期望能以自己的力量，生生世世於六道中不失人身，修行六度萬行以證果，但這只有聖者的根器才能，故謂之「難」。

而淨土門則是「他力信心」之教，今生此時於娑婆世界一向念佛，往生極樂淨土以證果，這是凡夫所堪，故謂之「易」。

Namo Amituofo!

February 26, 2023

Feb 26, 2023

Master Yinguang’s Short Teaching about “the respective gain and loss of exclusive and mixed practices”

印光大師法語「專雜得失」之文

The Great Master Shandao was an incarnation of Amitabha Buddha, who has infinite wisdom and great paranormal powers. He expounds the teaching of the two kinds of cultivation for rebirth, namely exclusive and mixed practices, and renders boundless benefits to us.

Exclusive practice refers to: exclusive prostration (bodily karma), exclusive recitation (oral karma), and exclusive recollection (mental karma). By doing so, no one will miss out on attaining rebirth in the West.

Mixed practices refer to a variety of teachings that are dedicated to rebirth.

Because the mind is neither pristine nor single, it is difficult to gain true benefits. Only as few as one or two out of a hundred, and three to four out of a thousand can be reborn.

This is a sincere teaching given by the Buddhas, and the unchanging truth.

善導和尚是彌陀化身，有大智慧，有大神通，其所示專雜二修，其利無窮。

專修謂「身業專禮，口業專稱，意業專念」。

如是則往生西方，萬不漏一。

雜修謂兼修種種法門，迴向往生。

以心不純一，故難得益，則百中稀得一二，千中稀得三四往生者。

此金口誠言，千古不易之鐵案也。

Namo Amituofo!