August 2, 2024

Aug. 2, 2024

A Verse sharing Compassionate Advice and Cautions quoted from ‘In Praise of the Rite of Rebirth’ by Master Shandao

善導大師《往生禮讚》慈悲勸誡

Without diligently cultivating throughout our lives we are like a tree without roots.

Like picking a flower and constantly keeping it exposed to the sun, how long can it stay fresh?

Our life is the same, because death can come at any moment.

All practitioners, both monastics and householders, are earnestly urged to cultivate diligently until the truth is realized.

人生不精進,喻若樹無根;

採華置日中,能得幾時鮮。

人命亦如是,無常須臾間;

勸諸行道眾,勤修乃至真。

Namo Amituofo!

August 1, 2024

Aug. 1, 2024

Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation

Part Two - Rebirth through Amitabha-Recitation

第二部分 有關念佛往生

14. Question: Is an Amitabha-reciter not required to eliminate evil deeds and to

practice virtuous conduct?

Answer: Of course, not! In Buddhism, there is not a single teaching that doesn’t ask people to eliminate evil deeds and to practice virtuous conduct. As an Amitabha-reciter, one should try to accomplish one’s duties and responsibilities based on ceasing evil and practicing virtuous conduct. However, because we exclusively recite Amitabha’s Name, it is easier to abide by those guidelines. In doing so, we benefit not just ourselves but others as well. Here are examples of how:

1. We understand that we will experience more suffering if we commit more karmic offenses, and gain more happiness the more we practice virtues.

2. It is difficult to have a positive outcome after committing more karmic offenses, and easier to have a positive outcome through living virtuously.

3. People don’t like those who commit offenses. Even if they recite Amitabha’sName, they view them as untrustworthy. People like and trust thoseAmitabha-reciters who live virtuously.

4. If too many people commit offenses, society will be in chaos. If people practice good, their society will be prosperous and based on morality.

5. All Buddhas try to awaken those who commit offenses and encourage them to live according to Buddhist teachings. All Buddhas are delighted by people who eliminate their evil behaviors and practice virtues, as this accords with Buddhist teachings. In conclusion, we should eliminate our evil actions and practice virtuous living, while exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha.

14問:那麼念佛人就不用斷惡修善了?

答:這又不然!佛法中絕不可能找到一種叫人不要斷惡修善的法門。念佛人更應當隨份隨力斷惡修善。斷惡修善而念佛,於自於他功德利益更大。

一、造罪受多苦,行善多安樂。

二、造罪難得好死,行善易得善終。

三、造罪之人,眾生不喜,即使念佛,不受人信;善人念佛,眾生歡喜而信。

四、造罪則社會混亂,佛法隱沒;修善即道德昌明,佛教興盛。

五、造罪不順佛教,諸佛不喜;斷惡修善,順諸佛教,諸佛歡喜。所以應當斷惡修善而念佛。

Namo Amituofo!

July 31, 2024

Jul 31, 2024

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about the Grace of Deliverance

慧淨法師之救恩法語(一)

Amitabha transcends all kinds of good and evil, and fully accepts us with his loving heart. Even if we are wicked, Amitabha still loves us.

It is because his boundless love can accept all of our faults and forgive us. His deliverance is truly transcendent.

彌陀是超越善惡,講求愛心。我們如此之惡,佛仍然愛我們,因為愛能接納一切,包容一切,遮蓋一切,赦免一切,所以救度超越一切。

Namo Amituofo!

July 30, 2024

July 30, 2024

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about Impermanence

慧淨法師之無常法語

The three hurdles in the secular world - fame, wealth and lust,

Keep ordinary beings busy day and night,

Preventing them from doing anything,

But complaining about all kinds of suffering before King Yama in hell.

紅塵名利色三關,賺得凡夫日夜忙;

累到頭來無別事,滿腔痛苦訴閻王。

Namo Amituofo!

July 29, 2024

July 29, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

8B. Amitabha-Recitation Is Like a Powerful Bow (continued)

As Amitabha-reciters, we should be glad to know that we have the most powerful bow. It is not just the bow of the Five Precepts and Ten Good Actions. It is the bow of the six-character Name “Namo Amituofo”. It has formidable force since the archer who uses the bow is “the king of all Buddhas, with supreme Light and unfathomable power and virtue.” Meanwhile, we sentient beings are each like an arrow loaded on Amitabha’s bow, and ready for the archer’s release. When we recite the Buddha’s name, we let the archer, Amitabha, shoot the arrow and propel us all the way to the Western Land of Bliss. This arrow originates from the Saha world, shoots past the realms of humans, celestial beings, and all other sacred beings (including Arhats and all levels of Bodhisattvas). That is why there is a verse saying, “Be not surprised that a single recitation surpasses ten stages on the path of Bodhisattvas.”

How can an arrow be propelled through the incredibly long distance on the path of the Bodhisattva Way? Here is the answer——the arrow is shot from Amitabha’s infinitely powerful bow, right through a hundred thousand trillion buddha lands (arriving at “a world called the Land of Bliss,” as said in the Amitabha Sutra), and arriving in a seat beside the throne of the king of all Buddhas.

Without the formidable bow of the six-character Name, an arrow propelled by the Five Precepts and Ten Good Actions can go no higher than the realm of celestial beings, and then it will surely fall.

Therefore, practitioners must rely on the great bow of the six-character Name to reach the Western Land of Bliss. Rich in virtuous roots and meritorious blessings, this name encompasses the merits and virtues of all other Dharma paths and practices.

8B. 念佛即是多福德妙喻之二 - 強弓喻

我們現在念佛的人,大家要知道,我們有一把強弓,我們這把弓已經不是五戒十善了,是南無阿彌陀佛這把強弓。這把弓的力量非常強大,「諸佛中之王,光明中之極尊」「威神功德不可思議」,這把弓就是六字名號;我們眾生就是六 字名號這把弓上的一支箭。我們來念佛,就是機關發動,阿彌陀佛就是強弓手。我們這支箭雖然在娑婆世界,但超越人道、天道,超越三界、超越阿羅漢、超越 地前小菩薩、超越地上大菩薩、超越十地等覺菩薩,直奔佛果。所以,「莫訝一稱超十地」。一箭放出去,怎麼超越十地菩薩?一箭射到十萬億佛土之外(有世界名曰極樂),直向阿彌陀佛座邊。

如果不靠六字名號的弓,五戒十善,頂多射到天上,又墜下來了。所以,往生西方,必靠六字名號,六字名號才是多善根福德,包含了所有一切法門、聖教,種種修持功德通通包含在內。

Namo Amituofo!

July 28, 2024

July 28, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

8B, Amitabha-Recitation Is Like a Powerful Bow

The fact is, we possess no merits or virtues comparable to those of the six-character Name. The best we can do is to practice the Five Precepts and Ten Good Actions. The virtuous roots and blessings accumulated from such practices are only good enough to achieve rebirth in the human and celestial realms [which are still part of samsara]. With such merits attainment of an Arhat's status (let alone Buddhahood) is beyond our reach.

Let me illustrate this by using bows and arrows as a metaphor. The power of one bow varies greatly from that of another.

Imagine the practice of the Five Precepts and the Ten Good Actions is a bow, and each of us sentient beings is an arrow notched on it. How far can this arrow be shot? The answer is: within the human and celestial realms at best. Pulled by the gravitational force of the Three Domains, [even with the most powerful bow], the arrow can go no further. It is like the physics involved in a satellite orbiting around our planet. The moon cannot escape the law of gravity and leave its orbit. The power of the bow of the Five Precepts and Ten Good Actions cannot deliver a practitioner beyond the realms of human and celestial beings. To be able to be reborn in a higher realm, such as Arhats or Pratyekabuddhas, one must be capable of perfectly practicing the Four Noble Truths or the Twelve links of Dependent Origination, which are the teachings for these Two Vehicles respectively.

Even if a practitioner can undertake such higher-level practices, he’s still far from the orbit of Bodhisattvas. To reach the realm of Bodhisattvas, the practitioner will have to use a more powerful bow. This means that he must first generate bodhicitta (the desire to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of sentient beings) and practice the most arduous Bodhisattva Way through countless lifetimes and kalpas.

8B. 念佛即是多福德妙喻之二 - 強弓喻

其實,我們是沒有資格和六字名號相比的。我們所做的,充其量只是五戒十善。五戒十善的善根福德,會讓我們獲得人天的果報。以五戒十善的善根福德,想做阿羅漢都不行,何況想去成佛呢?

就好像弓箭一樣,弓的力量各自不同。比如說五戒十善就是一張弓,我們每個眾生就是弓上的一支箭,射到哪裡呢?頂多是人道或天道。到了天道以後,沒勁了,掉下來了,你還在三界的吸引力範圍之內。好像地球的衛星一樣,還沒有脫離地球的引力,還在地球的吸引力範圍之內。五戒十善的力量,這把弓的強度只能把我們送到人天,不可能送到阿羅漢那個境界;如果要得到阿羅漢、辟支佛的境界,必須能夠修四諦、十二因緣法。但是,離菩薩的軌道還差得很遠,那必須用更大力量的強弓,發大菩提心,累世累劫修行。

Namo Amituofo!

July 27, 2024

July 27, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

8A. Amitabha-Recitation is Like a Cheque for 10 Billion Dollars (continued)

Amitabha Buddha gives us a most precious gift - his unsurpassed merits and virtues in the form of his Name, to enable us to achieve Buddhahood. However, we do not have the wisdom to appreciate the value of that precious gift. Often, after practicing Amitabha-recitation for a little while, we are inclined to put it aside and moan, “Oh, how tedious and boring it is to recite only the six characters!

Reciting the full text of a sutra is much more interesting ......” Like the son in the previous story, who values a sweet potato more than a cheque worth 10 billion dollars, we also need the wisdom to distinguish what’s truly valuable. “Look! I’ve just accomplished a tangible meritorious deed, obvious for all to see. Here’s a very thick sutra I’ve just finished reciting. That’s substantial! This six-character Name (Namo Amituofo) is all too flimsy. A single recitation of those six characters is over in a flash!”

We think like this because we don’t understand the meaning of genuine merits. May this metaphor inspire us all to cherish the six-character Name. Just as Master Ouyi considers Amitabha-recitation “the most precious practice”, I urge you not to give up or discard this practice.

Amitabha Buddha, our loving father, generously gives us the six-character Name he cultivated arduously for an incalculably long time. However, we are too shallow to appreciate the true value of the Name. Instead of holding fast to Amitabha-recitation, we compare it to assorted self-power practices and say, “Recitation of the six-character name is fine. However, if I practice generosity, precepts, meditation, rites of repentance and so on, aren’t those merits and virtues valuable as well?” Little do we know that the merits of such practices are tiny. At most, they are just a sweet, an apple, or a sweet potato. They can never be compared to the six-character Name, which can dwarf even a cheque of a trillion dollars!

8A. 念佛即是多福德妙喻之一 - 支票喻 (續)

我們沒有智慧,阿彌陀佛把他的六字名號 —— 無上功德的結晶布施給我們,令我們功德成就。但是,我們念念佛號,就把它擺在旁邊,「哎呀,這句六字名號乾巴巴的,空洞洞的,哪有我去誦一部經有味道......」就好像比喻中的那個兒子,智慧沒有開,他只認識地瓜,而不認識百億支票。我們也一樣,「你看,我做了某樁功德了,我看得到;我讀了一部經,厚厚一本,多實在!一句南無阿彌陀佛,六個字一念,就沒了!」這是因為我們不瞭解什麼是真實功德。

希望這個比喻能夠讓大家珍惜六字名號,所謂「寶此一行」,不再捨棄, 不再丟掉。阿彌陀佛老爸那麼辛辛苦苦修來的六字名號給我們,結果我們都漫不經心的,然後把它跟別的比,「這個六字名號嘛,也不錯,但是如果我布施、持戒、打坐、拜懺,這樣種種的修行,這樣的功德應該也差不多吧!」不知那些都 很小,頂多是一顆糖、一個地瓜、一個蘋果,跟這句百千萬億支票都不能比喻的六字名號,那是無法相比的。

Namo Amituofo!