November 25 2020

Nov 25, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Truth of Impermanence

諸行無常

Parents and children, friends and groups in our life, are a kind of karmic retribution. When karmic conditions ripen, we gather together. However, when the conditions vanish, we depart from each other. All four kinds of sacred beings and six kinds of ordinary beings are the same. This is the law and truth related to impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and no-self.

There is an ancient saying, “There is no family that is not broken. There is no nation that is invincible. There is no person that does not die.” It also says, “There is no banquet that never disperses.”

人生在世，父母兒女，朋友團體，皆因業報；業緣成熟則聚，業緣一盡則散，四聖六凡，莫不皆然，這是宇宙人生無常苦空無我的定律、真理。

古謂：「無不破之家，無不敗之國，無不死之人。」俗謂：「無不散之筵席」。

Namo Amituofo!

November 24 2020

Nov 24, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings - Encouraging the practice of Amitabha-Recitation

念佛警策

Upon hearing the call of Amitabha, if it is referred to as a special kind of feeling, or an unusually deep experience, this is considered a deviation. This is because our minds and emotions are impermanent, Therefore, our emotions come when certain conditions come; but, they change when those conditions are gone.

It is because we are ordinary beings; full of greed, hatred, delusion, arrogance and doubt. So, when afflictions come, our previous feelings change and disappear.

The principle of Amitabha Buddha’s deliverance is unchanging; but, our feelings change. So, do not rely on feelings as the benchmark of faith, and do not regard feelings as the condition for rebirth. Simply speaking, where is Amitabha’s calling? It is not within our feelings; but, within Amitabha’s NAME.

若是要聽到彌陀的呼喚，那是指自己要有某一種感受，某一種深刻的體驗，如果這樣想，往往就會偏差。因為人的心是無常的，有時候在某一種環境因緣之下，有了激動的感受，但是，所謂遇緣則現，事過境就遷了，心的感受會轉變的。因為我們都還是凡夫，是個貪瞋癡慢疑的凡夫，煩惱來的時候，以前的感受就沒有了，就變化了。

所以不變的是阿彌陀佛救度的道理，會變的是我們的感受，因此不要以我們的感受作為信心的標準，也不要以我們的感受作為往生的條件。簡而言之，彌陀的呼喚在哪裏？不在自己的感受當中，而在這一句彌陀名號。

Namo Amituofo!

November 23 2020

Nov 23, 2020

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

淨土信仰

If an Amitabha-reciter goes to another Buddhist temple, where they do not worship Amitabha Buddha as the principal Buddha, we should of course prostrate three times upon arrival. Is this regarded as a mixed practice? No, because prostration is an expression of respect to the Buddha. However, our mental attitude is the not the same.

念佛人若到其他的道場去，而該道場所供奉的本尊不是阿彌陀佛，可是我們既然到了那個道場，理所當然就要頂禮三拜，那算不算雜行呢？那個不算，因為理所當然就是要向佛表達恭敬的嘛！但是心情是不一樣的呀！

Namo Amituofo!

November 22 2020

Nov 22, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Attributes of the Pure Land School: Worldly Truths

淨土宗宗風俗諦

(continued)

In this respect, Buddhists should always examine and review their motives and actions. If we have fallen short, we should repent and resolve to do better in future.

Master Shandao, the de facto founder of Pure Land Buddhism says, “We also repent with every single name-recitation.”

We ordinary beings live in this wicked world with five kinds of turbidity. When dealing with wicked people, we cannot say what’s really in our minds. However, what we can do is recite Amitabha’s Name, which has the functional capacity of repentance, regret, and eradicating our offenses with every single recitation.

也因為這樣，學佛的人反省檢討，對自己有所要求的話，就會有一種慚愧的心、懺悔的心。宗祖善導大師說：「念念稱名常懺悔。」

我們凡夫處在這個五濁惡世，面對五濁惡人，不能彼此坦誠，所以只好念佛，念念之中，就具足慚愧、懺悔、滅罪的功能。

Namo Amituofo!

November 21 2020

Nov 21, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about Attributes of the Pure Land School:

Worldly Truths

淨土宗宗風俗諦

Those who live in this wicked world of Fivefold Turbidity are ordinary beings, with all kinds of greed, hatred and delusions. Because of this, how can we deal with all matters with a sincere mind? It is impossible! For these reasons the Infinite Life Sutra says, “What we say is different from what we think. Both our speech and our thought are unreal.”

As ordinary beings, our minds are often different from our speech. Living in this world, we know we shouldn’t use false speech; however, it is often inevitable that we speak with “courtesy” under these circumstances. If we speak the truth, we may spoil the atmosphere or even the relationship with others. Sometimes these situations are unavoidable.

(to be continued tomorrow)

處在五濁惡世的人，都是具足貪瞋癡的凡夫。這樣的話，怎麼能夠凡事都真心呢？不可能的。所以《無量壽經》說：「心口各異，言念無實。」

我們眾生往往都「心口各異」，也就是口中所講的，並不是心中所想的；所謂「言念無實」，人生處在這個世界、在這個環境當中，總有無可奈何的時候，應該不打妄語，可是往往不得不說一些客套話，如果把真心所想的講出來，恐怕會破壞氣氛、破壞關係，所以，人總有無奈在。

Namo Amituofo!

November 20 2020

Nov 20, 2020

A verse about ‘earnest calling’ from ‘In praise of Dharma Practice’

《法事讚》「慇勤呼喚」之偈：

With his 48 vows, (Amitabha Buddha) earnestly calls to us,

And asks us to aspire to be reborn in the West with reliance on his vow power.

Regardless of one’s karmic offenses, blessings, or the time spent in Amitabha-

recitation,

We should sincerely recite Amitabha’s Name without any doubts.

四十八願慇懃喚，乘佛願力往西方；

無問罪福時多少，心心念佛莫生疑。

Namo Amituofo!

November 19 2020

Nov 19, 2020

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings about the Amitabha Sutra

《佛說阿彌陀經》

When Shakyamuni Buddha expounded the Amitabha Sutra, all buddhas of the ten directions came to extol it pro-actively, and unanimously certify what Shakyamuni Buddha said is true. What he says is the same as what all buddhas of the ten directions say, which is also verified through the accomplishment of Amitabha’s 17th Vow in the Infinite Life Sutra.

In the Amitabha Sutra, it also says all buddhas of the ten directions will come together to protect Amitabha-reciters. In this case, when we recite Amitabha’s Name, we are embraced and protected by all buddhas. Isn’t that amazing?! It should also make us fully confident in our deliverance, no matter how inferior our aptitudes are.

當釋迦牟尼佛宣說《阿彌陀經》的時候,十方諸佛都同時歡喜主動地讚歎,異口同聲來證明釋迦牟尼佛所說的是真實不虛,祂所說的等同十方諸佛所要說的,這也就是《無量壽經》第十七願的成就的顯示。

而《阿彌陀經》裏更說我們念阿彌陀佛的人,十方諸佛都一齊來護念。這樣的話,我們念阿彌陀佛一佛豈不是被一切諸佛共同保護,這樣,我們再怎樣下劣,也能生起得救的信心。

Namo Amituofo!