January 26, 2026

Jan. 26, 2026 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I) 

淨土釋疑(一) 

Question 28: Some people, based on the passage in the Amitabha Sutra that says “those who have already made the vow, are now making the vow, or will make the

vow”, think that when reciting the Buddha’s Name they should first: make a vow, then perform a dedication of merit, and even dedicate it to beings such as devas, nāgas, the Eightfold Assembly, or leaders of various countries. Is this necessary? 

Answer to Q28 (1 /3): 

Actually, there is no need to do this. 

The purpose of our recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha is rebirth in the Land of Bliss. Moreover, the Six-Character Sentence (Namo Amitabha Buddha) already fully contains faith, vow, and practice. There is no need to deliberately add a separate vow. 

The passage in the Amitabha Sutra that says, “If there are persons who have already made the vow, are now making the vow, or will make the vow,” is meant to explain the principle that those who aspire to rebirth and exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha will certainly attain rebirth. It is not saying that one must first make a vow before reciting, and then make another vow while reciting. That is not its meaning. 

The making of vows and the dedication of merit can be understood from the Buddha’s side and from our side. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

28 問：有人依據《阿彌陀經》「已發願，今發願，當發願」這段經文，在念佛的時 候先發願，之後迴向，並且還給天龍八部、各國領導人等迴向…… 

答 (1/ 3)： 

其實，不必這樣，我們念佛的目的，就是為了往生極樂世界，同時，這六字名 號就已經具足了信願行，不必另外再刻意地去發願。《阿彌陀經》裏面所說的 「若有人已發願，今發願，當發願」，這是說明願往生、稱名號的人必定往生的

道理，並不是要你現在念佛就先發個願，等一下念佛又要發個願，不是這樣 的。 

發願迴向，有從佛那一邊來講，有從我們這一邊來講的。

Namo Amituofo! 

January 25, 2026

Jan. 25, 2026 

Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation 

Part Three - Assisted-Recitation near the End-of-Life

第三部分 有關臨終助念 

Question 61: If a person did not recite Namo Amitabha Buddha during his/her life , can they attain rebirth through assisted recitation after death? 

Answer to Q61: Yes! Although the physical body has decayed, the consciousness does not perish. On the contrary, it becomes even more aware than in ordinary life. As long as one follows the guidance given, recites Namo Amitabha Buddha , and willingly accepts rebirth, there is no one who will not attain rebirth. 

This is confirmed by cases such as Zhang Wangmian (p. 346), Shen Songliang (p. 348), and Zhu Bifa (p. 366) in Records of Responses to Buddha-Recitation, Volume Three. 

61問：生前不曾念佛，死後助念能往生嗎？ 

答：能！肉體雖壞，神識不死，比平時更靈敏，只要隨開示念佛、願意往生 ，無不往生。《念佛感應錄》第三集第346頁張王免、第348頁沈松亮、第366 頁朱必發等，皆是其證。 

Namo Amituofo! 

January 24, 2026

Jan. 24, 2026 

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about the Grace of Deliverance 

慧淨法師之救恩法語(二)之愛的心語 

Amitabha grants us a new life of eternal freedom, giving us peace and joy. 

I have peace and joy—like rivers flowing within my heart. This is because Amitabha resides in my heart as my true master, dwelling within me and never parting from me. 

彌陀給我們永恆自在的新生命，給我們平安、喜樂。 

我有平安與喜樂，如江河在我心，因為彌陀在我內心作我的主，與我同在一 起，永不分離。

Namo Amituofo!

January 23, 2026

Jan. 23, 2026 

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching asking 

“What does life look like?” 

慧淨法師之「人生之實相」 

Those who do not abide by any precepts ought to be born in the Three Wretched Realms. (the Agama Sutra)

無戒之人，當生三惡道中。《阿含經》 

Namo Amituofo! 

January 22, 2026

Jan. 22, 2026 

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School 

淨土宗妙喻 

Metaphor 52: Reciting Amitabha’s Name is Like Switching to the Right TV Channel 

Reciting Amitabha’s name is like switching to the right TV channel. The moment the channel button is pressed, the relevant channel appears. It doesn’t matter who presses the control button. 

52. 電視喻 

念佛如按電視，按中視，中視屏幕立即出現；按華視，華視屏幕立即出現，不 問何人所按。 

Namo Amituofo! 

January 21, 2026

Jan. 21, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

173 - Upholding Sutras and Reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha ( continued 6/ 6)

“The Name spoken by the Buddhas” specifically refers to the Name of Amitabha Buddha, which is endowed with inconceivable merits. Although the Sutra does not explicitly state that the Buddhas recite Amitābha’s Name, their attestation and praise represent the fulfillment of the Seventeenth Vow. Their praise of Amitabha’s inconceivable merit is none other than praise of Amitabha Buddha’s Name. 

Therefore, simply hearing the names of various Buddhas with one’s ears—without understanding that all Buddhas praise, attest, and exhort us to exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha for rebirth in his Pure Land—cannot truly be called “hearing the Name spoken by the Buddhas.” Conversely, even if one knows nothing of the names of the Buddhas of the ten directions, yet exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha and aspires to rebirth in his Pure Land, this is equivalent to having heard Amitabha’s Name spoken by all Buddhas everywhere. 

173 持經持佛 (續 6/ 6) 

「諸佛所說名」就是阿彌陀佛不可思議功德名號，經文中雖未提到諸佛說 阿彌陀佛名號之事，不過諸佛證誠，即是第十七願成就的實況，故諸佛稱讚 不可思議功德，不外乎是讚歎阿彌陀佛名號。 

因此，若單是耳根聽聞諸佛名字，卻不知諸佛所讚、所證、所勸在讓我們專稱 彌陀佛名往生彌陀淨土，不能算做聞諸佛所說名；即使諸佛名字一無所知，但 能一心專念彌陀佛名，願生彌陀淨土，等於是遍聞諸佛所說名。 

Namo Amituofo!

January 20, 2026

Jan. 20, 2026 

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching 

淨土小常識 

173 - Upholding Sutras and the Buddha’s Name ( continued 5/ 6) (3) Consistency with the Intent of the Amitabha Sutra 

The meaning of “hearing the Name spoken by these Buddhas” accords with Xuanzang’s description: “Good men or good women, having heard of the inconceivable merits of the Name of the Buddha of Immeasurable Life.” In the East there is the present Buddha Aksobhya… in the South there is the present Buddha Sun-Moon Light… all speaking words of truth.” 

This directly parallels Kumarajiva’s Amitabha Sutra, where Shakyamuni Buddha praises the inconceivable merits of Amitabha Buddha, and the Buddhas of the six directions—such as Akṣobhya in the East and Sun-Moon Lamp in the South—unanimously agree and also praise them.

Therefore, the Sutra later concludes: “Thus, Sariputra, you should all believe and accept my words and those spoken by all of the Buddhas.” 

Accordingly, the wording “hearing Amitabha’s Name spoken by these Buddhas” profoundly accords with the intent of the Sutra. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

173 持經持佛 (續 5/ 6) 

（三）與《阿彌陀經》的旨趣相契應。「聞是諸佛所說名」之義是，如玄奘大師 《稱讚淨土佛攝受經》所說的「善男子或善女人，得聞如是無量壽佛不可思議 功德名號……東方亦有現在不動如來……南方亦有現在日月光如來……說 誠諦言」，這正如鳩摩羅什《阿彌陀經》所說的，釋迦牟尼佛「讚歎阿彌陀佛不 可思議功德之利，東方亦有阿閦鞞佛……南方亦有日月燈佛……」等六方諸 佛異口同聲讚歎證誠。 

所以下面經文便說：「是故舍利弗，汝等皆當信受我語及諸佛所說。」 所以「聞是諸佛所說名」的經文深符本經之旨趣。

Namo Amituofo!