November 16, 2022

Nov 16, 2022

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teachings of the Patriarchal Lineage of the Pure Land School – the 18th Vow

淨宗傳承之第十八願

Why did Amitabha make his 48 vows? Undoubtedly, every single vow is solely for the sake of delivering sentient beings, even though one is the fundamental vow and the others are secondary vows.

The secondary vows are the other 47 vows, also known as the vows of admiration. Their purpose is to facilitate sentient beings in the ten directions to admire the pure adornments of the Land of Bliss, aspire to be born there, and practice exclusive recitation of Amitabha’s Name. (per the 18th Vow)

If there were no secondary vows, we would not know that the Land of Bliss is the foremost among all pure lands in the ten directions. If there were no sudden deliverance that transcends the Ten Grounds of Bodhisattvas, and expedites the achievement of Buddhahood, the magnificence of the Land of Bliss would not attract sentient beings in the ten directions to aspire to be reborn there.

(to be continued tomorrow)

阿彌陀佛發四十八大願的目的是為了什麼?每一願每一願都是為救度眾生,是無可懷疑的,只是有根本願、有枝末願。

枝末願就是其他的四十七願,也叫欣慕願,目的就是要讓十方眾生嚮往極樂世界的清淨莊嚴,而歸入第十八願的專稱彌陀佛名,如果沒有其他的願就不能顯現出極樂世界是十方世界第一的淨土,如果沒有往生就能頓超十地快速成佛,就不能顯現出極樂世界的殊勝,也就不能引起十方眾生的欣慕嚮往求生。

Namo Amituofo!

November 15, 2022

Nov 15, 2022

Common Knowledge in Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

The Retribution of Happiness

Also called the “suffering of decay”. In regard to people or properties that we love, we feel sad when they change, decay, or die. For example, when people enjoy good health, a happy family, and a successful career, they view their lives as blessed.

However, at the end of life, we are bound to depart from those we love. The grace and love of the past becomes empty, and the prosperity of the bygone days will not come back again. In the end all are forms of suffering.

樂受

亦名「壞苦」。對所愛之人或物,因死亡破壞之變化所生起之苦感。譬如現在身體健康、家庭美滿、事業順利,感覺人生真是幸福,但是最後一定是生離死別,所謂「從前恩愛,至此成空;昔日榮華,而今不再」,最終都是痛苦的。

Namo Amituofo!

November 14, 2022

Nov 14, 2022

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

淨土信仰

(continued)

In our Pure Land teaching, we learn how difficult it is to set forth and achieve the Bodhi Mind. The only remedy for this is to be reborn in the Land of Bliss through reliance on Amitabha’s compassionate deliverance. After we are reborn in the Land of Bliss, and realize a Buddha’s fruition (perfect Enlightenment), the Bodhi Mind will naturally be revealed and unfold without obstruction.

It doesn’t matter whether we follow the Sacred Path or the Pure Land Path, we should still try our best within our capacities to pursue it, as the Bodhi Mind is the core of all Buddhist teachings.

因為我們學的是淨土法門,已先曉得我們的菩提心很難生起、圓滿,因此以念佛蒙受彌陀救度,先往生極樂世界,到了極樂世界證得佛果之後,自然能夠自在無礙的展現菩提心。

但是不管聖道門或淨土門,既然菩提心是佛法的核心,所以不論目前能做到多少,我們都應該隨分隨力儘量去做。

Namo Amituofo!

November 13, 2022

Nov 13, 2022

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

淨土信仰

One can pay money to take care of bodily health. One can give away money and body in exchange for life. One can give away money, body, and life in exchange for the Bodhi Mind of Buddhist teachings.

This is because the Bodhi Mind is the mind that aspires to become a Buddha. Once the Bodhi Mind is nourished, it is stored in the Alaya Consciousness life after life, and never vanishes.

(to be continued tomorrow)

為了身體可以捨去錢財,為了生命可以捨去錢財與身體,那為了佛法的菩提心,是可以捨去錢財、身體與生命的。

因為菩提心就是成佛之心,菩提心一旦長養之後,可以生生世世留存在阿賴耶識之中,永不消失。

Namo Amituofo!

November 12, 2022

Nov 12, 2022

A verse about ‘coming back home’ from the Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra by Master Shandao

善導大師《觀經疏》「歸去來」:

Come back home.

Do not linger in the village of demons.

Throughout countless eons you have experienced reincarnation within all of the Six Realms.

In those realms there is no joy of any kind, but only the sound of sorrow and sighs.

You should aspire to enter the city of Nirvana at the end of this life.

歸去來,魔鄉不可停, 曠劫來流轉,六道盡皆經; 到處無餘樂,唯聞愁嘆聲, 畢此生平後,入彼涅槃城。

Namo Amituofo!

November 11, 2022

Nov 11, 2022

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about Classification of Teachings – Other-Power and Self-Power

淨宗判教 – 自他二力判

(continued)

It is the understanding of the Consciousness Only School that all Dharmas are only the manifestations of consciousness, including the Land of Bliss and Amitabha Buddha. So, one should rely on one’s own power to cultivate in the Land of Saha, and become a Buddha through the ultimate realization of the Buddha’s Awakening. Once realized, all terrains become the pure land. It is because this realization transcends the relativity of “pure” and “defiled”.

萬法唯識,即使是極樂世界,即使是阿彌陀佛,也是從他心中所產生的,唯心的,那是自力的法門;必須依自己的力量來修成佛,在這娑婆世界修行,最終證悟佛果。他一旦證悟佛果的話,山河大地對他來講,沒有不是淨土,都是淨土,因為超越淨與穢,哪有什麼淨土、穢土的分別?

Namo Amituofo!

November 10, 2022

Nov 10, 2022

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about Classification of Teachings – Other-Power and Self-Power

淨宗判教 – 自他二力判

People who rely on self-practices [for rebirth] do not accept the Land of bliss to be Amitabha Buddha’s Land of Bliss, and also do not view Amitabha Buddha as Amitabha Buddha in the Western Land of Bliss. They understand “Amitabha as part of Self-nature, and mere-mind being the pure land”. They think the pure Buddha mind and the moment of purity are Amitabha Buddha himself. They believe, when they are in the state of purity, everything they see has no relative concept of happiness or suffering, good or evil, beauty or ugliness; then they feel they are dwelling in the pure land.

People who rely on self-powered practices [for rebirth]regard the Buddha-nature as Amitabha, and the purity of mind as the Land of Bliss. This is the way they interpret the meaning of “when the mind arouses a thought of the Buddha, this mind is a Buddha” [in the Contemplation Sutra]. Actually, this is the interpretation of the Consciousness Only School – “The Three Domains are only mind, and all Dharmas are only consciousness”.

(to be continued tomorrow)

自力修行的人,他不把極樂世界當成是阿彌陀佛的極樂世界,也不把阿彌陀佛當成是西方極樂世界的阿彌陀佛,而是把祂當作「自性彌陀,唯心淨土」,他認為清淨的佛心,清淨的當下,就是阿彌陀佛的本身,他清淨的時候所看到的一切都沒有苦樂、好壞、美醜等這些相對性的分別觀念,那他當下就感覺到自己在淨土裏面了。

這是修自力法門的人,以心中的佛性為彌陀,以心中的清淨為極樂。「是心作佛,是心是佛」理解為這種含義。這種理解是唯識觀,認為「萬法唯識,三界唯心」。

Namo Amituofo!