April 6, 2023

Apr 6, 2023

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

淨宗判教 – 聖淨二門判

The Sacred Path requires those who follow it to return to the Land of Saha life after life; in order to come across the opportunity to learn Buddhism, practice the Six Paramitas and a myriad of virtues life after life, even if you sacrifice your head, brain and eyes. This is called the Sacred Path.

So, those who follow the Sacred Path must possess the characteristics and aptitudes of sacred beings like Shakyamuni Buddha, who fed the eagle with his flesh and the tiger with his body, in order to accomplish the Buddhist Way. He sacrificed his life to a Yasha, and jumped from a cliff, in pursuit of half a Buddhist verse.

(to be continued tomorrow)

聖道門的定義是,生生世世要在娑婆世界保持人身,遇到佛緣而學佛的,且生生世世當中都要廣修六度萬行,即使奉獻了頭目腦血的話,也應該甘之如飴,這個才是聖道門。

所以修持聖道門要有聖人的根器,就像釋迦牟尼佛為了成就佛道,生生世世以來,曾經割肉餵鷹、捨身餵虎;為了求佛法得半偈,也從雪山跳下來,犧牲給羅剎。

Namo Amituofo!

April 5, 2023

Apr 5, 2023

Master Yinguang’s Short Teaching about “ scenes of our homeland ”

印光大師法語「故鄉風月」之文

One should aspire to be reborn.

Though the creeks and hills along the roads in this world are familiar.

It is natural to return, even though one cannot return by oneself.

Who cares about the scenes of the homeland?

應當發願願往生,客路溪山任彼戀; 

自是不歸歸便得,故鄉風月有誰爭?

Namo Amituofo!

April 4, 2023

Apr 4, 2023

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

善導大師《法事讚》 轉《阿彌陀經》31偈語

26. A Verse about the Attestations of all Buddhas in the Nadir

Wish to be reborn. Wish to be reborn.

Buddhas in the Nadir are as many as the sands in the Ganges River. Each of them delivers sentient beings in their own countries.

They attest to and praise Shakyamuni’s appearance in the world of Five Kinds of Turbidity, in order to accomplish the difficult task of delivering ignorant ordinary beings.

The Buddha expediently enables sentient beings to eliminate their evil karma according to circumstances, and instructs them to go forward to the West.

All of our wholesome karma is dedicated, and the transformed Buddha automatically comes to receive us near the end-of-life.

Wise people with sharp roots are delighted to hear this Dharma teaching, as they are frightened when they suddenly recollect the Three Wretched Realms.

Those who are frightened are advised to repent. Otherwise they will fall into the deep trench of their karmic offenses.

The multitude should dedicate their merit and aspire to be reborn in the Pure Land. Let’s hold fragrant flowers in our hands and always offer them to the Buddha.

下方證誠相偈

願往生 願往生

下方諸佛如恆沙 各於本國度眾生

證讚釋迦出五濁 能為難事化群萌

善巧隨宜令斷惡 偏心指授向西行

一切福業皆迴向 終時化佛自來迎

利根智者聞歡喜 忽憶三塗心即驚

驚心毛豎勸懺悔 恐罪不滅墮深坑

眾等迴心生淨土 手執香華常供養

Namo Amituofo!

April 3, 2023

Apr 3, 2023

Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

Passing through Fire in order to Hear Amitabha’s Name

The Infinite Life Sutra says, “Even if a huge fire were to fill the universe of a thousand million worlds, you should pass through it in order to hear this sutra, arouse joyful faith, uphold and chant it, and practice in accordance with its teachings.”

Even if a great fire were to fill the universe of a thousand million worlds, we should rush through that fire, in order to hear about Amitabha’s deliverance. Why? Because, by doing so, we can be fully emancipated from the burning house of this Saha world.

Otherwise we will continue to be reborn in the universe of a thousand million worlds and burn unceasingly. So, shouldn’t we prefer to suffer a bit now, in exchange for putting an end to continuously being burned by the fire in the Three Domains?

過火聞佛名

《無量壽經》說:設有大火,充滿三千大千世界,要當過此,聞是經法, 歡喜信樂,受持讀誦,如說修行。

假使三千大千世界充滿了大火,我們也要衝過大火去聽聞彌陀的救度,為什麼?現在超越大火,聽聞彌陀的救度,就能夠解脫,否則依然是無窮無盡地受三千大千世界之大火所燃燒。

所以,寧可現在辛苦、痛苦,也不將來繼續受永恆無盡的三界之火的燃燒。

Namo Amituofo!

April 2, 2023

Apr 2, 2023

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

淨土信仰

To learn the Pure Land teaching, one must accept that he is not capable of being a practitioner of the Three Meritorious Deeds. However, by simply relying on Amitabha’s deliverance, he is already replete and transcends the Three Meritorious Deeds. Amitabha Buddha treats us as his beloved children and shares this teaching with us.

There may be love in this world, but not no respect, like filial love which is casual. In society, people may generally respect each other, but they have no filial love. Nevertheless, Amitabha Buddha treats us as a loving parent, both loving and respecting us. His sole aim is for us to accept his deliverance. Amitabha Buddha’s compassion is so boundless that we can never truly know how to repay his grace.

學淨土法門,要自認是「三福無份」的眾生,但是只要依靠彌陀的救度,就能具足、超越三福。阿彌陀佛把這法門布施給我們,祂善巧方便的來當我們的兒子,愛敬我們。

世界上的人有愛,未必有敬,譬如親子、夫妻,很恩愛,但會流於隨便;社會上一般人彼此恭敬有禮貌,卻未必有親情。可是阿彌陀佛把我們當成祂的父母,既敬又愛,目的只有一個,就是希望我們接受祂的救度。阿彌陀佛的慈悲,真的是無限的慈悲,讓我們不曉得要怎樣去感恩報答。

Namo Amituofo!

April 1, 2023

Apr 1, 2023

A verse saying ‘ Believe and teach others to believe’ quoted from “In Praise of the Rite of Rebirth” by Master Shandao

善導大師《往生禮讚》「自信教人信」之偈:

We who believe should teach others to believe.

This is twice as difficult.

However, the Buddha of Infinite Compassion transmits this teaching universally.

We should strive to repay the grace of the Buddha.

自信教人信,難中轉更難; 大悲傳普化,真成報佛恩。

Namo Amituofo!

March 31, 2023

Mar 31, 2023

Pure Land Patriarch - Master Daochuo

道綽大師

(continued)

Master Tanluan explained why they were called difficult and easy. What makes the path difficult is its reliance on self-power. What makes the other path easy is its reliance on other-power. Now, Master Daochuo inherited these concepts from the two previous patriarchs and logically and systematically established the categories of the Sacred Path and the Pure Land Path, based on the Buddhist teachings in his era.

The categories are more contemporary and more suitable for the aptitude and capacity of the practitioners of his time and today. Of course all of these categories were firmly based on many sutras and commentaries.

曇鸞大師闡明之所以難、之所以易,在於是全自力或全他力。而如今道綽大師繼承此二位祖師之鴻判,更就時代性、根機性,廣引眾多經論之文,使一代教法之難易二道、自他二力成為有邏輯性、系統性的聖淨二門判。

Namo Amituofo!