April 12, 2023

Apr 12, 2023

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

淨土信仰

According to the Pure Land teaching, a thousand out of a thousand who believe will be reborn; ten thousand out of ten thousand who believe will be reborn.

Even those who commit the Five Gravest Transgressions, the Ten Unwholesome Deeds, and those with other extremely heavy karmic offenses; though they should fall into one of the hells, Amitabha Buddha will save them. If they don’t believe in Amitabha and aspire to be reborn in his Pure Land, the Buddha will not save them. It is because they don’t believe, don’t rely upon, or accept the grace of the Buddha’s Deliverance.

淨土法門千信即千生,萬信即萬生。

犯五逆十惡,極重罪人,應墮阿鼻,佛可以救;若不信佛,佛不能救。因為不信佛、不靠佛、不接受佛的救度之恩。

Namo Amituofo!

April 11, 2023

Apr 11, 2023

A Verse of Dedication from the Pure Land School - quoted from the Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra by Master Shandao

善導大師《觀經疏》「淨宗迴向偈」

May the resulting merit

Be distributed to all beings without discrimination.

May all of us aspire to attain perfect Enlightenment,

And be reborn in the Land of Peace and Joy.

願以此功德,平等施一切, 同發菩提心,往生安樂國。

Namo Amituofo!

April 10, 2023

Apr 10, 2023

Pure Land Patriarch - Master Daochuo

道綽大師

(continued)

In terms of material life, the techniques to increase productivity and applications progress a thousand miles a day. However, cutting off delusions and the realization of truth are decreasing rapidly, like a waterfall pouring downward. This is a matter of fact. We are seeing the truth of the Buddha’s prediction - “During the Dharma Ending Era, not a single person will attain the Buddhist Way.”

Thus, we see the importance of sharing a teaching that is appropriate for the aptitudes of people today. It is like prescribing the appropriate medicine for a particular kind of disease. As it is written, “ a medicine is good if it can cure, regardless of its price; and a teaching is wonderful if it is suitable for the right people.”

A practitioner who has the Bodhi Mind and its wisdom is not cheating when he makes his selection of a proper practice. Master Daochuo followed the Buddha’s teaching when he revealed that, in the Dharma Ending Era, only by entering the “door” of the Pure Land teaching can we gain access to the Way.

This statement is the Agada (a medicine that cures all physical and mental illnesses) for all sentient beings, and is the sailing ship that carries us across the vast sea of suffering.

因此「教赴時機」的重要性正如應病與藥,所謂「藥無貴賤,對症者良;法無高下,應機者妙」。

一個行者,有道心則不自欺,有智慧則能抉擇;如今道綽大師依聖言量而明示「末法濁世,唯有淨土一門,可通入路。」此語真是芸芸眾生的阿伽陀藥,茫茫苦海的不退風航。

Namo Amituofo!

April 9, 2023

Apr 9, 2023

Pure Land Patriarch - Master Daochuo

道綽大師

The first of the two reasons [why we cannot practice Buddhist teachings] is “the Great Sacred(Buddha) is distant from us”. Many scholars think the eras of Proper Dharma, Semblance Dharma and Ending Dharma are applicable to all people. However, if a person has superior roots of wisdom, he can still accomplish the Proper Dharma even if he lives in the Dharma Ending era. Conversely, if a person has inferior roots of wisdom, he will be unable to accomplish the Proper Dharma, even if he lives in the Age of Proper Dharma. Therefore, people in the three different eras cannot be considered superior or inferior. Most practitioners on the Sacred Path hold this view. However, practically speaking, this view is just empty talk.

After the passing of Shakyamuni Buddha, the power of his personal influence gradually weakened and the morality of society gradually declined. Most people today are unable to progress on their paths to enlightenment no matter how hard they try. This is a phenomenon seen everywhere in Buddhism today.

(to be continued tomorrow)

於「二由」中之一「去大聖遙遠」的問題:有學者認為時代性的「正法、像法、末法」是就橫的方面約人而論的,若上根利智之人,雖處末法之今時,亦有正法之成就;若下根陋劣之人,雖處正法佛世,亦如末法之無成;故正像末之三時在人,不在時代性之上下。聖道門者大多持這種看法,然而以實際而言,這些都只不過是空論罷了。

隨著佛陀入滅年代的久遠,感化的力量次第微弱,社會的風氣愈益澆薄;修行有心無力,證果遙遙無期,這是教界當今的現象,可說觸目皆是。

Namo Amituofo!

April 8, 2023

Apr 8, 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

(continued)

Those on the Pure Land Path have already attained the aptitudes and capacities of sacred beings by scrupulously reciting Amitabha’s Name for rebirth in the Land of Bliss. Aspiration for rebirth in the Land of Bliss is the Bodhi Mind of our Pure Land Path. We only accept this Bodhi Mind and no other because, through rebirth in the Land of Bliss, we can become a Buddha, and comprehensively deliver sentient beings. All requirements such as: how we manifest in order to sacrifice ourselves for sentient beings, how we practice the SIx Paramitas, and accumulate a myriad of virtues, are included through rebirth in the Land of Bliss.

So, don’t worry about whether you know enough to deliver sentient beings through sharing the Dharma, or whether you can become a Buddha. You should only focus on being reborn!

我們淨土門就是已經覺悟到自己不是那一種根機、根器,所以只有老老實實地念這一句名號,往生極樂世界。往生極樂世界是我們這個淨土門的菩提心,我們的菩提心不講什麼,就是往生極樂世界,因為往生極樂世界則成佛也在裏面,廣度眾生也在裏面,將來要如何示現為眾生奉獻犧牲,行六度萬行,在往生極樂世界裏面都完全具足了。

所以說,不怕不會說法度眾,只怕不能成佛;不怕不能成佛,只怕不能往生,所以我們只要一心求得往生。

Namo Amituofo!

April 7, 2023

Apr 7, 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

(continued)

So, a practitioner of the Sacred Path must be capable of sacrificing his head, eyes, brain, blood, throne, properties, or children. If he does not have this level of resolve, he is excluded from the Sacred Path. Giving is the first of the Six Paramitas that he practices life after life. There are different kinds of giving, namely, external giving and internal giving.

External giving includes giving money or giving Buddhist teachings, while internal giving includes the sacrifice of one’s body. So, a practitioner of the Sacred Path who practices the Bodhisattva teachings should donate his organs to those who need them before he dies. If he cannot do so, he is not fully practicing the Bodhisattva teachings.

(to be continued tomorrow)

所以頭、目、腦、血,或是國王、家產、兒女的佈施,都要能夠做得到的,如果沒有這種心,那聖道門是無份的,因為既然是要生生世世行六度萬行,六度當中第一就是「佈施」,佈施有外佈施、內佈施。

外佈施比如金錢佈施,或是佛法佈施,內佈施就是身體佈施。所以一個修聖道門行菩薩道的人,以菩提心來講,他最好還沒有命終的時候,就先把器官割掉給別人,如果連這一點都做不到的話,談不上行菩薩道。

Namo Amituofo!

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!