April 30

Apr 30, 2018
慧淨上人法語
機法深信

Actually, we are wicked in our own right, not just at the time when we deliberately commit crimes. The Amitabha Sutra has pointed out that our world is a land of the Five Turbidities. So, how could the people of a turbid and unwholesome world be good persons? 

The Contemplation Sutra also says, “At the age after the Buddha’s extinction, all sentient beings are wicked and unwholesome, and being driven by the Five Sufferings.” So, we are wretched and pitiful sentient beings who are “wicked and unwholesome, and being driven by the Five Sufferings”.

其實，我們本身就是惡人，並非故意起惡造罪才是惡人。《阿彌陀經》就已經點出來了，這個世間就是五濁惡世，五濁惡世的人哪可能是善人呢？

《觀無量壽經》也說：「若佛滅後，諸眾生等，濁惡不善，五苦所逼。」所以，我們都是「濁惡不善，五苦所逼」、可悲可憐的眾生。

Namo Amitabha!

April 29

Apr 29, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

“The great matter is not clearly perceived; it looks utterly wretched—as if one has lost his parents.” This saying addresses to those self-powered practitioners who follow the Sagely Path. If a person practices in accordance with the Pure Land teaching, this is not an issue.

In other words, although we do not have the power, we can seek refuge with a powerful person who can help us jump over this hurdle.

所謂「大事未明，如喪考妣」，這是對以自力修聖道法門者來講的，如果是依他力的淨土法門修行，就不成問題了。

也就是說，雖然自己沒有力量，但若能歸投依靠有力量的人，這一關就容易過了。

Namo Amitabha!

April 28

Apr 28, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土信仰

Among the 84,000 Dharma teachings, only the Pure Land sect provides a true, thorough and ultimate teaching that embodies the spirit of Buddha’s great kindness and great compassion in relieving pain and rendering happiness. For other teachings, some requires meditation, some requires undertaking repentance rites through mountain pilgrimages, and some requires chanting the sutras and dharani ……etc.

How can a dying person recite the sutras and dharani at such a moment? Can they still pursue enlightenment? It is impossible. However, as long as he comes up with an idea—“I want to be reborn. I want to rely on Amitabha Buddha”, even the mouth has not spoken, the Buddha knows it immediately and appears to receive him for rebirth in the Land of Bliss.

八萬四千法門當中，只有淨土宗這個法門是真正能夠徹底、究竟的體現佛大慈大悲、拔苦與樂的精神，其他的法門有的要止觀打坐，有的要朝山拜懺，有的要誦經持咒……。

可是一個臨命終的人，在那時候他還能夠誦經持咒嗎？還能夠求開悟嗎？都不可能了。可是只要他有生起一念我要往生，我要靠阿彌陀佛，「口雖未言，佛已先知」，阿彌陀佛立即知道，就會馬上示現，而接往生極樂世界。

Namo Amitabha!

April 27

Apr 27, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

A practitioner always hopes that he can improve and elevate himself every day, so that he will not stand still. As the Great Learning says, “If you can improve yourself in a day, do so each day, forever building on improvement.”

That is to say, a person who is self-cultivating, even a politician, must constantly elevate his own standard, and make his present day better than the day before. Therefore, a practitioner is always reviewing himself, enabling himself to discard the obsolete and follow the new trend. The old one has passed. From now on, he is a new person who can at any moment turn his back on evil and do good. Happily he moves towards what the maxim says “If you can improve yourself in a day, do so each day, forever building on improvement.”

一個修行人，時刻希望自己每一天都能改進，每一天都能提升，不站在原地踏步。就像《大學》所講的：「苟日新，日日新，又日新。」

就是說一個修身養性的人，甚至是一個政治家，他必須是不斷地提升自己的水準，讓今天勝過昨天。所以，一個修行人，凡事都在檢討自己，使得自己能夠棄舊從新；舊人已過，從現在開始，是一個新生的人，時刻都能夠棄惡行善，都能夠很歡欣地走向「苟日新，日日新，又日新。」

Namo Amitabha!

April 26

Apr 26, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

Amitabha Buddha wants us not just to acquire benefits in the present lifetime by reciting His Name; but more importantly, urges us to aspire to be reborn in the Land of Bliss, and He will receive us at the point of death for our rebirth in the Land of Bliss. Because happiness in the present life, no matter how exuberant, is short-lived, only rebirth in the Land of Bliss is ultimate.

In general, people who learn Buddhism expect nothing more than to eradicate karmic obstruction, to seek more blessing and greater wisdom, and to invoke for better health, prosperous career, happy family, and fulfillment of wishes. However, as long as they recite Amitabha’s name faithfully, they will get what they ask unknowingly.

阿彌陀佛不只是要我們念佛獲得現生的利益而已，更要我們發願往生極樂世界，臨終接引我們往生極樂世界，因為現生再怎麼樣的幸福安樂畢竟都是短暫的，唯有往生極樂世界才是究竟的。

一般人學佛，無非是為了消業障、增福慧、身體健康、事業發達、家庭和樂、所求如意，但林林總總的這一些，只要他虔誠念佛，無形之中都會得到他所祈求的。

Namo Amitabha!

April 25

Apr 25, 2018
善導大師語錄

A text about “embrace and transform by the Name in the form of light” cited from In Praise of the Rite of Rebirth:
《往生禮讚》「光號攝化」之文

Amitabha Buddha made a profound, weighty vow to embrace all beings of the ten directions with his light and transform them with his name, in the event that they have faith in Him, aspire to be reborn [in the Land of Bliss] and recite his Name—up to a lifetime’s recitation, as well as just ten recitations, or even one. Because of the power of Amitabha Buddha’s vow, rebirth [in the Pure Land] is easy.

彌陀世尊，本發深重誓願，以光明名號，攝化十方，但使信心求念；上盡一形，下至十聲、一聲等，以佛願力，易得往生。

Namo Amitabha!

April 24

Apr 24, 2018
慧淨上人法語
出離與輪迴

The reason why we have life isnot because we have this body, but because of Alaya Consciousness that stores all the good and evil deeds of three kinds of karma in the past lives. The storage actually consists of greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt, in which the majority is evil, greatly outnumbers the good. 

Subsequently, we come and go, up and down within the Six Realms.

If there was no greed, anger, delusion, arrogance and doubt in our Alaya Consciousness since the numerous eons, we would have sublimated and transmigrated beyond the Three Domains and the Six Realms.

我們之所以有生命，不是因為有這個肉體，而是因為有阿賴耶識。阿賴耶識含藏著過去世以來三業行為的善善惡惡，我們所含藏的其實都是貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑，惡多善少，所以才會在六道裡邊來來去去頭出頭沒。

如果曠劫以來，阿賴耶識所含藏的沒有貪瞋癡慢疑的話，那就會昇華、超越三界六道輪迴了。

Namo Amitabha!