September 26, 2026

Sept. 26, 2026

Master Huijing’s Short Teaching about Pure Land Buddhism (I) 

淨土短文 (一)

The Vimalakirti Sutra, Chapter 5: “Manjushri’s Questions Concerning Illness” 

“Because all sentient beings are ill, I am ill. When all sentient beings’ illnesses are gone, my illness will also be gone. 

If sentient beings are able to free themselves from illness, then the Bodhisattva will no longer be ill. 

It is like a wealthy elder who has only one child. When his child becomes ill, the parents are also ill; when the child recovers, the parents recover as well. 

《維摩經》「文殊師利問疾品」第五： 

一切眾生病，是故我病；一切眾生病滅，則我病滅。 

若眾生得離病者，則菩薩無復病。 

譬如長者，唯有一子，其子得病，父母亦病；若子病癒，父母亦愈。 菩薩如是，於諸眾生，愛之若子。眾生病則菩薩病，眾生病癒菩薩亦癒。 

Namo Amituofo! 

September 25, 2026

Sept. 25, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II) 

淨土釋疑(二) 

Question 48: I often think about my husband, who has already passed away. Whenever I recite Namo Amitabha Buddha , I always dedicate the merit to him first. About a month before he passed away, I asked him, “Where are you going?” He replied, “I am going to Amitabha’s Land of Bliss;”but, I do not know whether he actually attained rebirth there. When I recite Namo Amitabha Buddha and dedicate the merit to him, does he receive any benefit from it? 

Answer: When you recite Namo Amitabha Buddha and dedicate the merit to him, he receives the benefit, bit by bit. If, while he was alive, he truly had a deep and

sincere aspiration to be born in Amitabha’s Land of Bliss, then he is certainly—one hundred percent—in the Land of Bliss. 

If his wish to attain rebirth arose only occasionally in the past ; but, was not deep or continuous, then his rebirth cannot be said to be certain. 

As for ourselves, we also have things we are attached to and concerned about. Even if we are now one hundred percent determined to be reborn in the Land of Bliss, as long as we are alive, we still have afflictions. Where there are afflictions, there are attachments; and where there are attachments, there are things we cannot let go of. Yet this does not obstruct our rebirth. 

Why? Because we know that we are still alive. As long as we are alive, there are responsibilities we ought to fulfill, and naturally there will be things we remain concerned about. After all, we are ordinary beings burdened by afflictions! 

But when the final moment arrives, and there is no way to prolong life any further, we will let go. 

第48問：我常掛念已往生的先生，念佛也都會先迴向給他，在他往生的前一個 月，我問他：「你要去哪裏？」他說：「我要到西方極樂世界。」可是我不知道他 有沒有往生？念佛迴向給他，他是不是有所受益？ 

答：妳在這裏念佛，迴向給他，點點滴滴他都有得到。如果他生前真的有深切 的願生心，是百分之百就在極樂世界了。如果他要往生的念頭，只是以前偶 而浮起，但不是很深切，也不相續，往生是不定的。以我們來說，也都有牽掛 ，即使我們現在百分之百願生極樂，但生命存在的期間就有煩惱，有煩惱就 有執著，有執著就有牽掛，但這不會障礙往生。因為我們知道我們還活著，只 要還活著，就有該盡的責任，也就會有牽掛，因為煩惱凡夫嘛！可是到了最 後的關頭，沒辦法再延長生命，他就會放下。

Namo Amituofo!

September 24, 2026

Sept. 24, 2026 

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching about “The Fear of Death” 

慧淨法師之「 死的恐怖」 

Shakyamuni Buddha deeply felt the suffering and distress of human life, the endless cycle of birth and death, and longed for the path to liberation. On his journeys through the four gates of the palace, he encountered the three heavenly messengers of King Yama. 

釋尊痛感於人生之苦惱，輪迴之無盡，而景慕解脫之道。四門出遊，遇閻王之 三天使。 

Namo Amituofo!

September 23, 2026

Sept. 23, 2026

Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation

Part Four - The Mindset and Practice in Daily Life 

念佛實用問答(4) - 日常心行 

Answer to Q81 (3/3) 

4. Know how to turn the mind around. 

Once you become aware of delusive and scattered thoughts, simply let them go. Do not pay attention to them! Just keep returning to the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha. 

Take the shadows of trees under the moonlight as an example. The more intently you stare at the shadows, the darker they seem. However, if you turn your eyes away and look instead at the bright full moon in the vast sky, while enjoying the gentle breeze upon your face, your mind immediately becomes more spacious and open. 

When the sutras say “single-mindedly recite”, this is precisely the meaning. 

Let the delusive and scattered thoughts be. Do not become entangled in them. Simply turn toward Amitabha and exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. The delusive thoughts will naturally arise and naturally cease. Why then, do we need to force them to cease? 

Ultimately, the main problem is that we are unable to accept that we are ordinary beings. We must rely upon Amitabha Buddha and exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. 

If we understand that being an ordinary being naturally means having delusive and scattered thoughts—just as being human naturally means having eyes and a nose—we will no longer regard these thoughts as something foreign to us that must be eliminated at all costs. Then we will not add further delusion to our

original delusions by struggling against them. 

This brings to mind the old saying: “There is originally nothing to trouble oneself about; it is the ordinary person who creates trouble for himself.” 

We could also say: “There is originally nothing troublesome about reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha; it is the ordinary person who troubles himself.” 

When we recite Namo Amitabha Buddha , there is no problem whatsoever on Amitabha Buddha’s side. There are no conditions or restrictions. It is only that we create our own rules and impose our own limitations, thereby disturbing ourselves. 

續答Q81 (3/3) 

四、會轉念。一旦覺察到妄想雜念，就把它放下，不理會它，轉而念阿彌陀 佛。比如月光下的樹影，你越是盯住它看，便越覺得黑暗；把眼睛轉過來， 看皓皓空中明月，賞習習迎面清風，心地就一下開闊起來。經中說「一向專 念」，正是這個意思。妄想雜念，隨它去，不和它糾纏，只管向著阿彌陀佛， 念佛就好，妄念自然自生還自滅，又何必硬讓它滅呢？ 

說到底，還是我們不能安守凡夫的本份來老實念佛。如果知道身為凡夫就 是有妄想雜念，就像是人就有眼睛、鼻子一樣自然，也就不會視其為身外之 物、必欲除之而後快，則不至於因妄增妄了。正應了一句古話， 

「世上本無事，庸人自擾之」。也可說「念佛本無事，庸人自擾之」。念佛，阿 彌陀佛那邊是什麼事也沒有，什麼條件限制也沒有，只是我們自立科條， 自我設限，擾亂了自己。 

Namo Amituofo!

September 22, 2026

Sept. 22, 2026

Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation 

Part Four - The Mindset and Practice in Daily Life

念佛實用問答(4) - 日常心行 

Answer to Q81 (2 /3) 

3. Rejoice. 

Why should we rejoice when we have delusive and scattered thoughts? 

Because, when we recognize that our delusive and scattered thoughts are difficult to overcome, we realize that our cultivation of morality, concentration, and wisdom is incomplete, and that we are people who can only rely on Amitabha Buddha. We are precisely the kind of people Amitabha Buddha focuses on delivering. 

For example, a doctor treats sick people; healthy people don’t need a doctor’s help. Because I have delusive and scattered thoughts—is that not precisely what makes me one of the people Amitabha Buddha focuses on delivering ? 

If I were already a sage, free from delusive and scattered thoughts, Amitabha would have no need to save me. When I look at it this way, I realize that I am exactly the kind of person Amitabha seeks to deliver. Therefore, if I recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, I will certainly attain rebirth. Isn’t that worthy of rejoicing? 

Furthermore, when we recite Namo Amitabha Buddha and become aware of how many delusive and scattered thoughts we have, this itself shows that we have been reached by Amitabha’s deliverance. 

Why? Before we recited Namo Amitabha Buddha, we did not even realize how many scattered thoughts we had. But, as soon as we begin reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha , we immediately become aware of our thoughts arising and scattering everywhere. 

It is just like being unable to see the shadows of trees when there is no moonlight.

The brighter the moonlight becomes, the darker the shadows of the trees appear. Because we recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha’s light shines into our minds, and only then do we become aware of our own delusive and scattered thoughts. Does this not show that we have already been embraced and delivered by Amitabha Buddha? 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

續答Q81 (2/3) 

三、應歡喜。為什麼有妄想雜念反而要歡喜呢？ 

因為自覺有妄想雜念難以克服，就知道我是戒定慧修不圓滿、只能念佛的 人，阿彌陀佛要救的正是我。比如醫生要醫的是病人，健康人不是醫生的 對象。我有妄想雜念，豈不正是阿彌陀佛要救的對象嗎？ 

如果是聖人，沒有妄想雜念，阿彌陀佛也不必為他操心了。這麼一想，我 正符合阿彌陀佛救度，所以我念佛一定往生，豈不歡喜！再來，念佛知道 自己妄想雜念多，說明我被阿彌陀佛救到了。 

為什麼呢？原來不念佛，還不知道自己雜念多，可是一念佛，立即覺得雜 念紛飛。 

這正像沒有月亮就看不到樹的陰影，月光越亮樹影就越黑一樣。因為我念 佛，佛光照到我的心裏，我才會看到自己的妄想雜念，豈不是表示我已經 被佛救到了？ 

Namo Amituofo!

September 21, 2026

Sept. 21, 2026 

Q and A about Practicing Amitabha-Recitation 

Part Four - The Mindset and Practice in Daily Life 

念佛實用問答(4) - 日常心行 

Question 81: How should a person who recites Namo Amitabha Buddha deal with delusive and scattered thoughts? 

A: When delusive and scattered thoughts arise, a person who recites Namo Amitabha Buddha should do four things: 

First, do not become anxious. Second, do not become afraid. Third, you should rejoice. Fourth, know how to turn your thoughts around. 

1. Do not become anxious. 

There is no point in anxiously trying to eliminate your delusive thoughts all at once. That is simply unrealistic. For countless lifetimes, we have become deeply accustomed to delusive and scattered thoughts. Trying to get rid of them is countless times more difficult than quitting smoking, alcohol, or drugs. This is precisely why we recite Namo Amitabha Buddha and rely on the power of Amitabha’s Vow for rebirth. If we were to rely on our own abilities to purify our minds and eliminate all of our scattered thoughts, we would never be able to transcend the cycle of birth and death. 

2. Do not be afraid. 

Having delusive and scattered thoughts is our natural condition. Every ordinary person has thoughts arising and scattering incessantly. This is precisely why Amitabha Buddha vowed to deliver us.

Since Amitabha has already assured us that simply reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha enables us to attain rebirth, then what does it matter if we still have delusive and scattered thoughts? If we are not afraid of them, they cannot stir up a great commotion and will naturally settle down. However, if we are afraid of them, they will actually become more turbulent, making us feel that they are terribly powerful. 

(to be continued tomorrow)

 

81問：念佛人應該怎樣對待妄想雜念？ 

答：念佛人對於妄想雜念，一是不要急，二是不用怕，三應該歡喜，四要會 轉念。 

一、不要急。急著想一下除掉它，那是不現實的。因為多生多劫以來我們 太習慣於妄想雜念了，想除掉它，比戒煙、戒酒、戒毒還要困難不知多少 倍。也正因為如此，我們才念佛，靠佛的願力往生。靠我們自己心地清淨 除掉雜念，永遠也不能超升。 

二、不用怕。有妄想雜念是我們的本來狀態，任何凡夫都是妄想紛飛的， 阿彌陀佛救的正是這號人。阿彌陀佛既然已經保證我們只要念祂的名號 就能往生，那麼即使有妄想雜念又能如何呢？這樣不怕它，它也就翻不起 大浪，老實平息下來；若是怕它，它反而會興風作浪起來，讓你覺得它很厲害。 

Namo Amituofo!

September 20, 2026

Sept. 20, 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 

32. May I only wish that all sentient beings become free from suffering; and do not seek peace and happiness only for myself. 

All the compassion found in this world 

does not equal even the smallest fraction of the Tathagata’s compassion. — Avataṃsaka Sutra 

32. 但願眾生得離苦，不為自己求安樂。 

世間所有廣大慈，不及如來一分毫。《華嚴經》 

Namo Amituofo!