February 17, 2026

Feb. 17, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)

淨土釋疑(一)

Answer to Q29: (4/4)

As mentioned a few days ago, Dharma Master Xin-Yuan in central Taiwan, often assists others with recitation. In one case, the person had already been dead for eight hours and his face had turned dark and ugly. The master explained Amitabha Buddha’s light to him. When he reached the third kind of light— “Unobstructed Light”—in a single instant, the deceased’s facial appearance suddenly became rosy and full. He said that this change was not gradual but instantaneous. Usually, when we assist with recitation, the facial appearance does change, but it changes gradually. This case changed suddenly, in a single moment.

He also spoke of another case: a person whose eyes were wide open, mouth gaping, face and body darkened; and who had already been dead for half a month before the family invited him. No one in the family practiced Buddhism. They were still burning spirit money and paper offerings, and the whole room was filled with thick, noxious smoke. 

Dharma Master Xin-Yuan explained the recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha beside the deceased. Gradually, the deceased’s eyes and mouth closed, and the facial appearance turned rosy and pleasant. The whole process took only about an hour and a half. When the daughter returned, she asked in surprise, “Who is that? Could that be my mother?” You see—even after fifteen days, there could still be such a transformation, as if her consciousness was still there hearing the Dharma. It is truly inconceivable! Of course, this is a rather exceptional example.

 29問：

續答：(4/ 4)

       前幾天也講過，信願法師在臺灣中部常常為人家助念，其中有一個是已經死了八小時，面貌都已經烏黑難看，去給他開示彌陀的光明，當開示到第三種「無礙光」的時候，一剎那之間，亡者的臉相突然間變得紅潤而圓滿。他說這種轉變不是逐漸的，而是當下的。一般我們給人家助念，面相都會轉變的，但都是逐漸逐漸地轉變，可是這個是突然轉變，一剎那之間就轉變的。 

       他還說：有一個死後眼睛睜得很大，嘴巴張得也很大，臉和身體烏黑的，已經死了半個月才請他去；家裏的人沒有一個學佛，還在燒金銀紙箔，整個房間都烏煙障氣。

信願法師在亡者旁邊開示念佛，逐漸逐漸，亡人的眼睛合起來了，嘴巴也合起來了，面相也轉為紅潤好看，時間也只不過一個半小時。她的女兒回來就問了一句說：「那個是誰？會是我媽媽嗎？」你看，十五天了，還會轉變，好像她的神識依然在那裏聞法，那不可思議啊！當然這是比較特殊的例子。

Namo Amituofo!

February 16, 2026

Feb. 16, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)

淨土釋疑(一)

Answer to Q29: (3/4)

As for whether rebirth has already occurred in the intermediate state before death—this is not the case. As long as we are still alive, we are not in the intermediate-body state. As explained the other day, once we are born as human beings, the living physical body is called the “present aggregate” (現陰). The moment of death is called the “death aggregate” (死陰). The period from death until the next rebirth is called the “intermediate aggregate” (中陰). When one enters rebirth, it is called the “birth aggregate” (生陰). The process of life consists of these four stages: present, death, intermediate, and birth.

A person who, in this very life, has faith in Amitabha Buddha and exclusively recites Namo Amitabha Buddha, does not pass through the intermediate stage at all. The moment the breath ceases, one goes directly to the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

 After death, the ālaya consciousness of ordinary people leaves their physical bodies. They are now in the death aggregate—but before rebirth occurs, this is called the intermediate body. Can an intermediate body attain rebirth? Yes, it can. Because the vows speak of “sentient beings of the ten directions.” “Sentient beings of the ten directions” includes all sentient beings without exception. An intermediate body is also a sentient being, just in the intermediate state. In the human world, we are human sentient beings; in the heavens, heavenly sentient beings; in hell, hell - sentient beings. All are “sentient beings of the ten directions.”

If someone has died and we know that in life they did not study Buddhism or recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, and they have already been dead for several hours, or even one or two days, we should still seize the opportunity of the intermediate state. At their side, we explain the Buddha-recitation Dharma to them and then recite Namo Amitabha Buddha together. If we fail to seize this chance, they may fall into hell. However now, with conditions coming together, they too can be reborn in the Land of Bliss.

(to be continued tomorrow)

 29問：

 續答：(3/ 4)

     臨終之前是不是中陰已經往生呢？不是這樣的，我們還存在的話，就不算中陰身。前天也講過，我們已經轉生為人，生命的肉體叫做現陰；死的那一剎那叫做死陰；那麼，由死到轉胎這一段時間，叫做中陰；到去轉生的話，叫做生陰。我們生命體的過程分為四個階段：現陰、死陰、中陰、生陰。 

       一個現生信佛念佛的人，是不經過中陰身的，一斷氣就到極樂世界去。 

       一般人死後，阿賴耶識離開肉體，離開這個死陰，還沒有轉生，這個叫中陰身。那中陰身能往生嗎？也能往生！因為「十方眾生」嘛，「十方眾生」，任何眾生沒有不包括在裏面的，中陰身也是眾生啊，只是他是在中陰的眾生而已。我們在人間，就是人間的眾生；在天上，天上的眾生；在地獄，地獄的眾生，都是「十方眾生」。 

       如果一個人死了，我們曉得他在生沒有學佛念佛，他死了已經好幾個小時，甚至一兩天了，也要把握這個中陰的機會，在他旁邊為他開示念佛法門，然後大家一起念佛，因為這個時候再不把握，就要到地獄啊，現在因緣和合，也能往生極樂世界。

Namo Amituofo!

February 15, 2026

Feb. 15, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)

淨土釋疑(一)

Answer to Q29: (2/4)

For example, if heavy snow falls on land, it accumulates and becomes thicker and thicker; but if it falls into the Pacific Ocean, it is as if it never fell at all. The Pure Land teaching works in just this way.

So is it ultimately the elimination of karma or rebirth while carrying karma? Whether we speak of “carrying karma” or “eliminating karma,” these are only provisional, elementary theoretical explanations. Once one reaches the Land of Ultimate Bliss, one will naturally know. However, the Pure Land path is fundamentally a path of eliminating karma. If karma were not eliminated, how could one leave samsara? For instance, if you kill someone, a life must repay a life; if you owe money, the debt must be repaid. If that life is not repaid and the debt not settled, how could you leave? Therefore, repayment must come first—and from the standpoint of this repayment, it is called elimination.

Then do we still have karma? Yes, we do, because we have not yet cut off greed, anger, and delusion. Sometimes our tempers flare and ignorance arises, creating enmity with others. Even if we later regret it deeply, the resentment has already been formed. Yet this does not obstruct rebirth; one can still be reborn.

Moreover, Amitabha Buddha’s embracing light receives beings and has a particular function. It prevents the karmic resentments formed with others from obstructing us at the time of death. Therefore, in many places The Collected Writings of Master Yin Guang speaks of “rebirth with residual karma.” However, this was not Master Yin Guang’s ultimate intent. In one place he says: here it is called “carrying karma,” but once there, there is no karma. Where does the karma go once there? It is all completely eliminated by Amitabha Buddha.

(to be continued tomorrow)

29問：

 續答：(2/ 4)

譬如說，大雪如果下在陸地，就越積越厚，可是如果下在太平洋中，有等於沒有，淨土法門就是如此。 

       那這樣到底是消業還是帶業？我們在這裏論帶業也好，論消業也好，這個都是一種初級理論上的講法，到極樂世界自然就知道。不過徹底講起來，淨土法門是消業的法門，如果業不消，你怎麼能離開輪迴？比如說你殺了一個人，殺人償命，欠債還錢，你命不償、錢不還怎麼離開呢？所以要先償還，就這個償還的情形來講，就是消。 

       那我們還有沒有業？還有，因為我們未斷貪瞋癡，有時候脾氣爆發起來，跟人家起無明，事後，儘管再怎麼反悔，已經跟人家結了怨了。可是不障礙，照樣往生。 

       同時，阿彌陀佛的光明攝取，有一種作用，就是使我們臨終的時候，跟人家結的怨業不來障礙，所以，《印光法師文鈔》裏好多地方都在談帶業往生，但這不是印光大師的本意，有一個地方印光大師就說：在這裏說是帶業，到那裏就沒有業了。到那裏業到哪裡去了？通通被阿彌陀佛消掉了。

Namo Amituofo!

February 14, 2026

Feb. 14, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)

淨土釋疑(一)

Question 29: Venerable Master, when a Buddha-reciter’s ordinary mind and the Buddha’s mind become one, rebirth is decisively assured in the present moment. Then, while this physical body still exists, is this what is called “rebirth with residual karma”? Does this mean that before the time of death the intermediate state (bardo) no longer exists? And is there still the suffering of dying?

Answer to Q29: (1/4)

The existence of Amitabha Buddha is precisely to bear the karmic offenses we have accumulated through countless lifetimes and to repay the debts we have incurred over innumerable kalpas. Where are the vows Amitabha Buddha made, and the bodhisattva virtues he accumulated over immeasurable eons? They are right here. His merit and virtue are meant to repay our karmic offenses. If he could not repay the karmic debts we owe others from previous lives, how could we ever leave the Saha world? Therefore, before this, Amitabha Buddha must first repay them for us. Within our faith, aspiration, and exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha, the karmic debts accumulated over countless lifetimes are repaid by Amitabha Buddha.

As long as the physical body still exists, there will naturally still be greed, anger, and delusion, and one may continue to create other karma. However, this karma is no longer an obstacle to rebirth. 

(to be continued tomorrow)

29問：請問師父，念佛人凡心佛心成為一體，當下往生決定，那我們現在肉體存在之間就叫做帶業往生嗎？是不是臨終以前中陰已經沒有了？還有沒有死苦的折磨？

 答：(1/ 4)

阿彌陀佛的存在是為了承擔我們累生累劫的罪業，償還我們累生累劫的債務，阿彌陀佛所發的願，兆載永劫所累積的菩薩德行在哪裡？就是在這裏，他的功德，就是要償還我們的罪業，如果他不能償還我們生生世世欠人家的業債，我們怎麼能夠離開娑婆？所以，在這之前，阿彌陀佛一定要先為我們償還，我們信願稱名之中，累生累劫的罪業，就被阿彌陀佛償還了。

        如果肉體還存在，自然就有貪瞋癡，還會造其他的業。可是這些業已不是往生的障礙了。

Namo Amituofo!

February 13, 2026

Feb. 13, 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

Q: If a person dies an untimely or sudden death, can they still attain rebirth through assisted recitation?

A: Yes. In Records of Responses to Recitation of the Buddha’s Name, Volume 3, page 361 records Gao Hongbo’s death from a fall from a building; page 366 records Zhu Bifa’s death in a car accident; page 349 records Chen Weiguo’s death by homicide; and page 352 records Shang Hansheng’s sudden death. All attained rebirth through assisted recitation. These are all proofs.

62問：遭橫難橫死的人，助念也能往生嗎？

答：能！《念佛感應錄》第三集第361頁高宏博墜樓、第366頁朱必發車禍、第349頁陳偉國他殺、第352頁尚漢勝猝死，皆由助念往生，都是證明。

Namo Amituofo!

February 12, 2026

Feb. 12, 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

Those who have received grace should share compassion and forgiveness with one another, just as the Buddha shares compassion and forgiveness with us. They should embrace and accept one another, just as the Buddha embraces and accepts us.

In all things share a heart of: trust, kindness, mercy, forbearance, humility, gentleness, patience, and gratitude.

Be mindful in caring for one another. Do your utmost to be good to those who are in need of help.

In love and faith, in speech and conduct, and in purity in every respect, be an example to all.

Kind words are like a honeycomb, they bring sweetness to the heart and healing to the bones. Only loving-kindness can truly edify and uplift people.

Do not slander or contend. Always seek peace, and show great kindness, consideration, humility, and gentleness toward all.

蒙恩的人，彼此慈愍、饒恕，如佛慈愍、饒恕我們；彼此包容、接納，如佛包容、接納我們。

凡事要存相信、恩慈、憐愍、包容、謙虛、溫柔、忍耐、感謝的心。

無論對什麼人，要用心彼此關懷。要盡你的力量，向需要幫助的人行善。

無論在愛心、信心，言語、行為，和純潔各方面，都要作眾人的榜樣。

良言如同蜂房，使心覺甘甜，使骨得醫治。唯有愛心能造就人。

不要誹謗，不要爭競，總要和平，向眾人大顯恩慈體貼、謙卑柔和。

Namo Amituofo!

February 11, 2026

Feb. 11, 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 break the precepts will fall into the Three Wretched Realms. (The Shastra of the Great WIsdom Paramitas)

破戒者，墮三惡道中。《大智度論》

Namo Amituofo!