Oct 4, 2025
Important Knowledge in the Pure Land School
淨土小常識
164 - The True and Absolute “Three Good Deeds” (continued)
The true and absolute Three Good Deeds are: “Having faith in Amitabha Buddha, reciting the Buddha’s Name, and carrying out the Buddha’s work.”
That is, “a mind that trusts in Amitabha’s deliverance, a mouth that recites Amitabha’s Name, and a body that serves as Amitabha’s hands and feet.” These are the best among all forms of goodness.
Why? Because one not only attains liberation from the cycle of birth and death ; but, also helps others do the same. In other words, one personally trusts and accepts Amitabha’s salvation, exclusively recites Amitabha’s Name, aspires to be reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land, and is reborn there to attain Buddhahood. At the same time, one spreads the teaching of Amitabha’s 18th vow to save all beings.
This enables others to also trust and accept Amitabha’s salvation, exclusively recite his Name, aspire for rebirth in his Pure Land, and likewise attain Buddhahood. This is what is meant by “having faith and guiding others to also have faith.”
In short, it is to mentally trust in Amitabha Buddha , exclusively orally recite Amitabha’s Name , and act as Amitabha’s hands and feet with one’s body—guiding others to faith. These are the true and absolute “Three Good Deeds.”
This is the true purpose of Buddhist practice and cultivation, and it embodies the Mahāyāna spirit of seeking Buddhahood in the Pure Land and then returning to awaken beings below.
Master Shandao praised such a person as:
“A truly good person among people;
A supremely good person among people;
The finest person among people;
A rare person among people;
The most excellent person among people.”
164 真正、絕對的「三好」(續)
真正的絕對的三好就是「信佛，念佛，做佛的事」，也就是「心信彌陀的救度， 口稱彌陀的名號，身做彌陀的手腳」，這才是好中的最好。
為什麼？因為自己能夠出離生死輪迴，也使他人出離生死輪迴。也就是， 自己「信受彌陀救度，專稱彌陀佛名，願生彌陀淨土」，而往生彌陀淨土成佛； 同時也將這彌陀救度眾生的教理弘揚出去，讓人家也信受彌陀救度，專稱彌 陀佛名，願生彌陀淨土，而往生彌陀淨土成佛，所謂「自信教人信」。
簡而言之，就是心信佛，口念佛，身做彌陀的手腳，做教人信的事。這才 是真正的、絕對的「三好」。
這是學佛修行的目的，也是大乘法門上求佛道，下化眾生的精神。這種人 ，善導大師讚歎說：「人中好人，人中妙好人，人中上上人，人中稀有人，人中 最勝人。」
Namo Amituofo!
