August 31, 2024

Aug. 31, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

10B A Poor Man Who Loses His Gold (continued)

This is a multifaceted metaphor. The “gold” represents the six-character Name: Na Mo A Mi Tuo Fo (i.e. Namo Amitabha Buddha). “The box containing the gold” stands for meditative and non-meditative virtues. “To open the box” refers to the guidance of a good advisor who can help us understand the merits and virtues contained in the six-character Name.

The poor man, who is wild with joy at the first sight of the gold, is analogous to anyone who rejoices upon hearing of the six-character Name for the first time in his whole life. Thinking that “I can definitely be reborn in the Pure Land by just hearing of Amitabha’s Name!”, he can’t wait to share the good news with others.

“We will surely be reborn in the Land of Bliss by having just one thought of Amitabha’s Name! We can all be delivered just like that!” Sadly, he does not practice Amitabha-recitation. Because he does not hold fast to the Name of Amitabha Buddha he is discarding the merits and virtues of Amitabha’s Name, just like the poor man who leaves the gold in the box.

Some people try to warn him that his understanding is incorrect. You still have to recite the Name of Amitabha!”

The foolish man, however, is too lazy to practice Amitabha-recitation. In addition there are those who continue to mislead him and dissuade him from reciting.

“You’ve heard of the Name of Amitabha, you understand its power to save you, and you felt joyful. With that single feeling of joyfulness, your rebirth was assured! It’s only a matter of that one thought. Rebirth or no rebirth, it all depends on that one thought, that joyful feeling. Amitabha-recitation is a practice by self-power and hard work. There’s no need to do that.”

This understanding is seriously flawed. It can harm us just like a thief who steals our invaluable treasure. We must not allow such wrong ideas to stop us from our practice. Instead, follow the teaching of Master Shandao and recite the Name of Amitabha Buddha exclusively and single-mindedly.

——Abstract from the Principles of the Pure Land Path by Master Shandao

10B. 關於信心與念佛妙喻之 - 窮人失金喻 (續)

這是一個比喻。黃金,代表南無阿彌陀佛六字名號;包裝盒,代表定善散善功德;打開包裝,就代表由善知識的開導瞭解六字名號的功德,在初聞名號的當下感到很歡喜:我真的可以往生了!然後就出去跟人家講:這樣就能往生啊,這樣就能往生啊!自己不念佛,不執持名號,等於說把六字名號的黃金功德丟在旁邊。

人家勸他說 : 你老是這樣講不行 啊,你還是要念佛啊!但是他自己懈怠不想念,同時旁邊還有人慫恿他:當你瞭解這句名號的一念之間,你就往生一定了!就是那個感覺,往生不往生,就是那一念信心歡喜的感覺。你去念佛,那是自力苦行,不必多念。

這就是一種邪知邪見,這就是一種賊,會偷掉我們的無上之寶。我們不能被這種邪見障礙了行持,應該老老實實地聽從善導大師的教導,好好念佛。

Namo Amituofo!

August 30, 2024

Aug. 30, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

10B A Poor Man Who Loses His Gold

Let’s look at another metaphor. Imagine there is a very poor man. A compassionate person offers him a box of gold bars, suggesting that he take good care of it since it can keep him from hunger and misery. The gold bars, being so valuable, are in an exquisite case when they are given to the poor man.

Unfortunately, the man has no idea of the value of gold. He simply admires the box but does not bother to open it. He guards the box day and night and wonders why he remains poor despite having a windfall.

One day, the man comes across a helpful person who opens the box for him. The moment he sees the gold bars inside, he is overjoyed.

“Now I don’t have to suffer from poverty anymore!”

With this thought of joyfulness, he rushes out to tell his neighbors that he has received a big fortune and is no longer poor! With the precious assets at home, the happy man speaks with great confidence. No one will look down on him anymore but think that he is now a rich man.

He goes around boasting about his good luck. Someone warns him that he’d better go home to protect his gold from being stolen. The man thinks the advice is sensible.

Just then, a conman approaches him and tries to dissuade him from guarding his gold. ‘Millionaires are all happy go lucky people who are not overly worried about their fortune,’ the conman said. ‘What good does it do you to guard that box?

You’ve been keeping an eye on it for several years, yet you didn’t get any joy from

it, did you?’ The poor man couldn’t agree more. He has been keeping the box of

gold for three years and yet he is still as impoverished as ever.

“You are feeling the agony of being poor. That is just a simple thought.” The dishonest man continues with his ploy. “Now you have the joyful feeling of being rich, and that is also just a thought. You are rich because you have that one thought. This one thought is of the utmost value. Don’t ever let anyone take away that one precious thought of yours. Otherwise, you will be poor again.”

The ignorant man thinks the advice of the crook makes sense. Having conned the man, the crook sneaks into the latter’s home and steals his gold. Sadly, the briefly rich man becomes poor once again.

(to be continued tomorrow)

10B. 關於信心與念佛妙喻之 - 窮人失金喻

再打一個比喻:有一個人很窮,別人憐憫他,送一盒黃金給他,告訴他這很貴重,要他好好保存,能免除饑餓和痛苦。黃金很貴重,所以就用一個精緻的盒子裝著,交給他了。可是這個窮人不認識,看到盒子覺得不錯,也不打開看看裏面是什麼,天天守著盒子,心裏覺得他發了財怎麼還是這麼窮呢?有一天,他遇到一個,過來把他的盒子給打開了。他一看見黃金,心裏就喜悅了:真的不用再受窮。

有這一念喜悅,他就衝出去告訴左鄰右舍他發財了,他現在不是窮人了!他的話講得很有底氣,因為家裏有黃金嘛!所以,大家也不敢小看他,認為他真的是發財了。

他在外面到處講,有人就提醒他老老實實回去,把他的黃金看好,免得讓賊偷走了。他覺得有道理。

這個時候就來了一個賊,這個賊勸他不要回家守黃金,賊說大富翁都是很瀟灑的,他回家守著那盒東西有什麼用呢,他守了好幾年也沒有這種喜悅,對不對?窮人覺得很對,那盒黃金在他這裏放了三年,他還是覺得很窮苦。

賊對他說窮苦,就是那一念窮苦的感受。現在你有了這種發財的快樂感受,就說明你發財了。就在你看見黃金的那一念,你當下就發財了,所以,那一念很寶貴。你不要讓別人把你騙了,把那一念偷走了,你就是窮人了。他一聽,也有道理啊!賊跟他講完之後,就到他家把黃金偷走了。他最終又變成了窮人。

Namo Amituofo!

August 29, 2024

Aug. 29, 2024

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

10A The Mere Sight of Food Cannot End Hunger

Imagine there is a person dying of hunger, so we offer him a bun. Seeing the bun,

the hungry man cheers up at once. However, we then take back the food just

offered. Do you think that the person’s hunger has gone? Of course not. What satisfies his hunger is eating the bun, not his joy at the sight of it.

Similarly, no matter how joyful a person is when he hears of the Pure Land Dharma path, if he does not practice exclusive Amitabha-recitation afterwards, he will derive no benefit at all. It is just like a hungry man having no bun to eat. The joy at the sight of the bun doesn’t satisfy his hunger. Eating the bun is a metaphor for the exclusive recitation of the Name of Amitabha. All those who scrupulously recite the six-character Name of the Buddha are assured of rebirth in the Land of Bliss, whether they are joyful or not. Therefore, the practice of Amitabha-recitation is crucial for giving us the ultimate benefit.

Shakyamuni Buddha teaches us various Dharma paths. The joyous feeling one may feel upon hearing about Amitabha’s deliverance is an expedient way the Buddha employs to lead us to our exclusive practice of Amitabha-recitation.

10A. 關於信心與念佛妙喻之 - 見食不飽喻

一個人餓得快要死了,我們拿一個饅頭給他。他看見這個饅頭,當下信心歡喜。他歡喜之後,我們就把饅頭收起來。請問他能飽嗎?歡喜不能讓他飽肚子,饅頭才能讓他飽肚子。聞法歡喜,回去不念佛,等於饅頭沒有吃到,空歡喜一場!饅頭就代表佛號。只要吃饅頭,不歡喜也能飽肚子。老實稱念南無阿彌陀佛,雖然不歡喜,也能往生。所以,念佛很重要。

聞很多法,都是讓我們落實一向念佛的前方便。

Namo Amituofo!

August 28, 2024

Aug. 28, 2024

Wonderful Teachings of the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

On Faith in Amitabha and the Practice of Amitabha-Recitation

One of the guiding principles of the Pure Land Buddhist school is: “To have faith in and acceptance of Amitabha’s deliverance”. However, some people have the misconception that it is not necessary to recite the Name of Amitabha. They believe that simply by having “true faith” the Buddha will deliver them.

The question is, how do they know that their faith is true? They would probably tell you that their faith arose one day when, upon hearing the Fundamental Vow of Amitabha Buddha, they were moved to tears, rejoicing so much as to dance to their heart’s content. They think that is an indication that Amitabha has responded to their faith and that their rebirth in the Pure Land is assured. To them, it is no longer important whether they practice Amitabha-recitation or not.

This is a mistaken view, definitely incorrect. The person who holds such a view is mistaking something for a cause which is not a cause. He wrongly believes that the ignorant mind of an ordinary being, a mind that is constantly changing and unreal, is the cause for rebirth. This won’t do. The emotions of ordinary beings are just fleeting illusions. We could be joyful, touched, dancing, crying or whatever, but all of these emotions will pass with time.

Then, what gives them that misunderstanding? Suppose he had a particularly sentimental experience in the past which sticks in his mind. Let’s say it occurred on the 30th of September, 2006 at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. While he was hearing a teaching of a Dharma master, he was so overjoyed by the prospect of Amitabha’s deliverance that he burst out laughing. From then on, he takes that one joyous thought of the Buddha’s deliverance as the primary proof that his rebirth in the Land of Bliss has been decided.

How wrong he is!

(to be continued tomorrow)

10. 關於信心與念佛之妙喻2則 

有人誤解信順阿彌陀佛,信心 一念就可以往生,現在我們有信心了,就不用念佛了。他怎麼知道自己有信心呢?因為有一天,他聽到阿彌陀佛的本願,他歡喜得掉眼淚了,他感動得哭出來了,歡喜踴躍,跳起舞來了,這代表他有感應、有體驗,代表他被阿彌陀佛救到了。他往生已定 了,以後念佛不念佛那都無所謂了。

這是錯誤認識,不正確!這叫作「非因計因」,他把不是正確的因當作往生之因,他把凡夫的生滅心當作往生的正因,這怎麼可以呢!喜悅也好,感動也好,體驗也好,跳舞也好,掉眼淚也好,時過境遷,就沒有了。他錯誤理解了,每次就回憶他為什麼能往生呢?因為在2006年9月30 日下午三點,他聽法師講法,他笑出來了。他把那一念當作往生正因,錯啦!

Namo Amituofo!

August 27, 2024

Aug. 27, 2024

Basic Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

The Great Path Beyond All Other Teachings

Master Shandao says in his Commentary on the Contemplation Sutra, “There are 84,000 ways of practicing that are suitable for all individuals. They can be divided into the sudden and gradual categories.” This simply means that Shakyamuni Buddha imparted numerous teachings to address the needs of his wide variety of followers.

“All other ways” refers to the “84,000 teachings in the Sacred Path”; and “other” means the teachings beyond the 84,000. This refers to the way of rebirth through the “Other-Power” of exclusive Amitabha-recitation in the Pure Land teaching.

This is because the teaching of rebirth through Amitabha’s “Other-Power” transcends all other ways and the worldly principle of cause and effect. There is no other way for ordinary beings to attain rebirth in Amitabha’s wonderful reward land without severing all of their afflictions.

131 門餘大道

善導大師《觀經疏.玄義分》說:「門餘八萬四千,漸頓則各稱所宜。」意思是說,世尊一代之間所說的法門很多,有八萬四千之餘。

後來引申為門餘之「門」,指聖道門八萬四千法門;「餘」指八萬四千法門之外,淨土門他力念佛往生之道,謂之「門餘」。

因為他力念佛往生的教義,是超越通途因果的軌則,不可思議之道,不斷煩惱的凡夫,當生往生最高妙的彌陀報土,故說淨土門他力念佛往生之道,謂之「門餘大道」。

Namo Amituofo!

August 26, 2024

Aug. 26, 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

I vow to renounce embryonic birth in this world and vow to be reborn in the Land of Peace and Joy.

So I can soon see Amitabha Buddha, whose body contains boundless merit and virtues.

I vow to visit all buddhas and benevolent sacred beings as well;

And attain the Six Paranormal Powers in order to embrace and deliver suffering sentient beings.

In the same way the emptiness of the Dharma Realm is boundless, so are my vows.

願捨胎藏形,往生安樂國;

速見彌陀佛,無邊功德身。

奉覲諸如來,賢聖亦復然;

獲六神通力,救攝苦眾生。

虛空法界盡,我願亦如是。

Namo Amituofo!

August 25, 2024

Aug. 25, 2024

Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation

Part Two - Rebirth through Amitabha-Recitation

第二部分 有關念佛往生

Q16: I am not a vegetarian yet, can I still be reborn through Amitabha-recitation?

Answer: Yes, you can! Please refer to P. 283 in the Third Collection of the Accounts of Amitabha-Recitation about Zhang Yuzhi, and P.382 about Zhang Liandi, and P.321 about Huang Xixun, who were not vegetarians, but they were reborn through Amitabha-recitation.

It depends on the individual situation, it is better to be a vegetarian. There are many advantages to being a vegetarian, such as: being aligned with the Buddha’s compassionate mind, not causing fear in sentient beings, being good for one’s own health, better for the environment, and creating fewer karmic obstructions near the end-of-life.

16問：未吃素，念佛能往生嗎？

答：能！《念佛感應錄》第三集第283頁張玉枝、第382頁張蓮娣、第321頁黃錫勳等，都還沒有吃素，也都念佛往生。

不過視情形，能吃素最好。素食好處很多，順佛慈悲心，施眾生無畏，有利自身健康，有利節能環保，臨終減少業障。

Namo Amituofo!