May 31

May 31, 2018
慧淨上人法語
出離與輪迴

If a practitioner eventually does not liberate themselves from reincarnation of birth-and-death, or do not attain rebirth in the Land of Bliss, he will be wandering to and fro in the cycle of the Six Realms. Ignorance of the past causes retribution of the present. The present karma will cause reincarnation in the future. When he encounters good karmic circumstances, he will do good acts and get some merits. When he encounters good karmic circumstances, he will do good acts and get some merits. When he encounterscausal conditions for Buddhist practice, he will do the practice. When he encounters bad karmic circumstances, he will do evil acts. After all, he will wander to and fro within the Six Realms.

修行者最後如果沒有解脫生死輪迴，或是沒有往生極樂世界，只會在六道中輪轉，來來去去。過去的無明引起現在的果報，現在的業力又引起未來的輪迴，遇到善的因緣就行善積德，遇到修行的因緣就修行，遇到壞的因緣就造業，總之都是在六道中往返來去。

Namo Amitabha!

May 30

May 30, 2018
慧淨上人法語
機法深信

If we understand ourselves (aptitude)—deeply believe that we are iniquitous and mortal sentient beings, without any karmic conditions to leave [the cycle of birth-and-death]; also deeply believe in the Buddha’s words (teaching)—each and every vow of Amitabha’s 48 vows are made for the sake of delivering sentient beings, and they are assured of rebirth if they recourse to Amitabha’s vow power.

If this is the case, we will exclusively recite this Buddha’s Name for our entire life. No matter what cause, it will not shake our faith. We will not consider ourselves being sharp in virtuous root, able to practice other teachings and reach certain realms; we will not be curious, and will not study miscellaneous teachings or work on miscellaneous practices.

如果了解自己（機）──深信自己是罪惡生死凡夫，無有出離之緣；而且深信佛語（法）──阿彌陀佛四十八願願願都是為了眾生，乘彼願力定得往生。

如能這樣，一生就會專稱這句佛名，不論什麼因素，也不會搖動自己的信仰，不會認為自己根機銳利，可以修其他的法門、達到怎樣的境界，不會好奇，也不會雜修雜行。

Namo Amitabha!

May 29

May 29, 2018
慧淨上人法語
佛法知見

The soul (or atman in Sanskrit, a metaphysical self) after death is very sensitive, much more sensitive than before his death. Because the soul after death has been detached from the body and is no longer confined in the body, one can exercise the power and functions of his soul. If a person was handicapped when he was alive, after his soul is free from the body, he can immediately recover the whole body; if he was a person with visual, hearing, or spech impairement,  he can now see, hear and speak, and know another person’s ideas in mind. Moreover, he can also go to any place immediately according to his own wish or thought:  if he is thinking of a person or an object in mind, that person or object will appear immediately; no matter who is thinking of him or calling him in whatever place, he can instantly know, hear and see the person, whether he is far away or in the vicinity.

人死後的神識非常靈敏，尤勝生前。由於人死後神識已經脫離肉體，不再受肉體所限，故能發揮神識的功能力用。譬如生時為殘障者，其神識脫離肉體之後，立即恢復完整形體，盲聾喑啞，可以見聞說話，並知道他人的起心動念。亦可依自己心念立即前往任何地方；心念何人何物，何人何物立即現前；無論何人何處想念他、呼喚他，不論距離遠近，他也都能即刻知道聽到看到。

Namo Amitabha!

May 28

May 28, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土信仰

Only by bringing people out of the cycle of birth-and-death can this be called the great kindness and compassion. We guide others to take refuge to the Three Gems, and uphold the Five Precepts. Although this can be regarded as a wholesome karma that allow them in future to be reborn as human, or ascend to heaven, which surpasses other worldly teachings, it is still not ultimate. Only a teaching that will surely allow practitioners to leave the cycle of birth-and-death, or even attain Buddhahood can be called the teaching of great compassion and great wisdom.

唯有使人能脫離生死輪迴，這才叫大慈悲。我們引導他人三皈依、受持五戒，這雖然是善業，使他將來可以做人，或者升天，此種法門當然超過世間的法門，但是還不究竟；必須使他了脫生死，甚至使他成佛，這樣才是大慈悲、大智慧的法門。

Namo Amitabha!

May 27

May 27, 2018
慧淨上人法語
淨土宗宗風俗諦

All offenses always are incurred from lacking strict adherance to morals in speech. Therefore, we must learn to be tight-lipped. We should review our mistakes and do not blame others. If you find other people’s mistakes, don’t go public. Don’t tell another person, even your closest friends.

It is because your closest friend has his/her closest friend too. The words are hence passed around, and the bad karma is created. Moreover, talking bad words at other back is the most damaging to virtues. So, the most important thing for the practice of Buddhism is to be honest and sincere, do not tell lies or talk gossip causally.

一切罪過，往往都是因為不守口德，所以我們要學習守口如瓶，凡事檢討自己的過錯，不要去責備人家。如果發現別人有錯誤，也不要去宣揚，不要講給第二個人聽，也不要講給自己最親密的人聽。

因為自己最親密的人，也有他親密的知己，話傳來傳去，罪業就造出去了，而且，說人背後話是最損陰德的。所以，修行學佛最重要的是心存誠懇，存誠懇之心而不隨便打妄語，不隨便說是非。

Namo Amitabha!

May 26

May 26, 2018
慧淨上人法語
念佛利益

In our life, we did not encounter the circumstance of following the Buddha to learn Buddhism, and did not encounter any wholesome circumstance to practice wholesomeness, but we did encounter unwholesome circumstances to practice unwholesomeness. When we approach the end-of-life, the fire of hell appears suddenly; but it can be turned into a red lotus once we recite Amitabha’s name. All kinds of evil karmic force, hence, cannot bind and obstruct us, and all enemies and demons are kept away from us.

So, we know: the sound of Amitabha-recitation is like a lion roar. When the lion appears, all beasts hide away. It is also like a lamp entering into a room: the long-standing darkness turns instantly into brightness. When a Buddha presides over the session, all demons retreat and listen.

雖一生未遇佛緣以學佛，未遇善緣以行善，唯遇惡緣以行惡，臨終獄火突至，一稱名號，火化紅蓮，諸邪業繫不礙，群魔冤親遠避。

可知：念佛音聲，如獅子吼，獅子一出，百獸潛跡。亦如：一燈入室，長暗頓明；一佛當令，群魔退聽。

Namo Amitabha!

May 25

May 25, 2018
《觀經疏》「不問罪福」之文

All ordinary beings—regardless of the abundance of their blessings or the gravity of their offenses, and regardless of the length of time they have practiced, if they can single-mindedly and exclusively recite Amitabha’s name for a lifespan, or just for one to seven days, then they will be reborn in the Pure Land and never fail.

一切凡夫，不問罪福多少，時節久近，但能上盡百年，下至一日七日，一心專念，彌陀名號，定得往生，必無疑也！

Namo Amitabha!