A Discussion on Excerpts from the Scriptures of the Pure Land School 淨土宗精要法語討論
23. The Adornment Sutra - “All Beings in the Three Wretched Realms Are To Be Reborn”
The Three Wretched Realms - Hell, Hungry Ghosts, and Animals. All beings are to be reborn in my Buddha-land and be converted through my teaching. Thus, all of them can attain Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi very soon.
23.1 Question: Some people say, “Sentient beings from the Three Wretched Realms can be reborn in the Pure Land.”Does that mean that the Land of Bliss can be home for all sinners?
Answer: Master Tanluan, in his Gatha in Praise of Amitabha Buddha, said: "From time without beginning I have wandered within the Three Realms, Tossed about by the wheel of delusion.
In every thought, in every moment, karma is created,
Binding me to the Six Realms or trapping me in the Three Wretched Realms."
Everyone has committed the karma that leads to the Three Wretched Realms. If one does not escape from the cycle of rebirth, one is bound to suffer these evil destinies.
The first of Bhiksu Dharmakara’s 48 vows is the vow that "there are no evil realms in his land.” This is a vow to "receive and shelter" sentient beings who fear the suffering that results from evil karma.
However, once one is reborn in the Land of Bliss (Sukhavati), all evil karma is eradicated, one leaps beyond the Ten Grounds, enters the Buddha’s realm, and shares in the same benefits as the Buddhas.
23. 《莊嚴經》惡道皆生
三惡道中——地獄、餓鬼、畜生，皆生我剎，受我法化，不久悉成阿耨多羅三 藐三菩提。
23.1 問：有人說，「三惡道眾生都能去往生，極樂世界豈不成了罪人的收容 所？」
答：曇鸞大師《讚阿彌陀佛偈》言，「我從無始循三界，為虛妄輪所迴轉。一 念一時所造業，足繫六道滯三塗」。
每個人都造過三途之業，若不出輪迴，難免惡道之苦。法藏比丘四十八願第 一願就是「國無惡道願」，「收容」恐懼惡業果報的苦惱眾生。然而，一旦往生 極樂淨土，惡業全消，頓超十地，入佛境界，同佛受用。
Namo Amituofo!
