Vancouver Pure Land Buddhism

Monday, May 25, 2026

May 24, 2026

Short Dharma Teaching about the Grace of Deliverance

救恩法語(二)之愛的心語

With infinite great compassion, the Tathagata commiserates with beings of the Three Domains. Therefore, he appears in the world to disseminate the teaching of the Way, wishing to save the multitudes by endowing them with real benefits. (The Infinite Life Sutra)

如來以無盡大悲，矜哀三界，所以出興於世，光闡道教，欲拯濟群萌，惠以真實之利。《無量壽經》

Namo Amituofo!

May 23, 2026

Master Huijing’s Short Dharma Teaching asking “What does life look like?”

慧淨法師之「人生之實相」

Human life is suffering; the sea of suffering is boundless.

This is the starting point of Buddhism.

But from where, ultimately, do these sufferings and afflictions arise?

人生是苦，苦海無邊。此是佛教之出發點。然此苦惱，究竟從何處發生。

Namo Amituofo!

May 22, 2026

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

Metaphor 61: All Rivers Taste the Same after Flowing into the Sea

“The water of the Zihe and the Shengshui rivers in the Shandong Province taste different when inland. However, once they have entered the sea, their difference disappears, and they have the same salty taste. Isn’t that amazing?”

By the same token, although the aptitudes and capabilities of us ordinary beings in the Saha World are all different, (some of us are virtuous, others are evil, some are bright, others dull), as long as we exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, we will all be reborn in the Pure Land. Our rebirth, through transformation in the Lotus Flowers of Enlightenment, is due to the augmentative karma of the Dharma Path of Amitabha-recitation.

We all take on the same form after rebirth in the Pure Land, having the same physical characteristics and features.

61. 淄澠一味喻

「亦如淄澠一味，焉可思議」：淄、澠是山東省兩條河的名字，這兩條河的水在陸地上的時候當然味道不相同，可是到了大海，就同一個味道了，平等沒有差別。所以說，在這娑婆世界根機有善惡利鈍，可是同樣念佛，這個法是強緣，使得善惡利鈍的凡夫都通通往生在正覺華上，所以就沒有「一二之殊」，沒有三、九、八十一種種的差別之相。

Namo Amituofo!

May 21, 2026

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

182. The 19th Vow: “Cultivating Various Merits”(continued)

Master Shandao also says in the Hymns of the Dharma Services:

“The Land of Bliss is the unconditioned realm of Nirvana;

With mixed and miscellaneous good deeds according to circumstances, rebirth there is difficult to achieve.

Therefore the Tathagata selected the essential method, instructing us to exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.”

Only by exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha and receiving the merits contained in the Name, can the provisions for rebirth be fully accomplished.

If a practitioner does not understand this and relies solely on merits cultivated through self-power to attain rebirth, yet maintains the aspiration for rebirth until the moment of death, Amitabha Buddha will still receive and guide them. However, because inwardly they do not exclusively rely on Amitabha’s power and do not trust his wisdom, they are born by womb-birth in the borderland, where for five hundred years they do not see the Three Jewels.

During their lifetimes, when dedicating their accumulated merits toward rebirth, their minds may still feel uncertain, not knowing when their merits will be complete. Only when Amitabha Buddha and the sages come to welcome them do they finally realize that their efforts have not been in vain.

If, however, a practitioner in this life can clearly and deeply trust the Buddha’s wisdom, understand the origin and purpose of the Pure Land and the Name, then they will naturally be softened and guided by the Buddha’s compassion. They will return to the 18th Vow, joyfully recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, and calmly await the Buddha’s welcoming at the end of life.

182 第十九願「修諸功德」論 (續)

善導大師《法事讚》說：

極樂無為涅槃界，隨緣雜善恐難生；

故使如來選要法，教念彌陀專復專。

唯有稱佛名號、領納名號功德，方可資糧具足。

行者沒有認識到這一點，一味靠自力所修功德去往生，若願生心徹至臨終，雖也蒙佛接引，但由於內心不靠佛力、不信佛智之故，胎生邊地，五百歲不見三寶；平生的修功迴向，也難免心有不安，不知何時功德圓滿，直到佛聖來迎，方知功不唐捐。

行者今生若能明信佛智，了知極樂與名號的施設本末，自能被佛的悲心調柔，歸入第十八願，歡喜稱名，靜待來迎。

Namo Amituofo!

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026

Important Knowledge in the Pure Land Teaching

淨土小常識

182. The 19th Vow: “Cultivating Various Merits”

The 19th Vow in the Infinite Life Sutra states:

“If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings of the ten directions awaken the Bodhi-mind, cultivate various merits, and with sincere mind make the vow to be born in my land; yet, at the time of their death I do not appear before them, surrounded by a great assembly, then may I not attain perfect enlightenment.”

The causal practice described in the 19th Vow is not the same as that in the 18th Vow. The 18th Vow teaches the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha and completely relies on the Buddha’s power. In contrast, the 19th Vow belongs to the Sacred Path and relies upon one’s own efforts (“arousing the Bodhi-mind and cultivating various merits”) Practitioners then dedicate these merits in aspiration for birth in the Land of Bliss.

For such beings, the Buddha guarantees through this vow that, at the end of their lives, he will appear together with the holy assembly to welcome and guide them to the Pure Land. This is a skillful means that accords with the capacities of sentient beings, gradually guiding practitioners of the Sacred Path to enter the Pure Land path.

However, the merits cultivated through self-power, when compared with the merits of Namo Amitabha Buddha, contain“few roots of goodness and blessings.” They do not correspond to the immeasurable fruit-virtue of the Land of Bliss and therefore cannot serve as the true basis for rebirth.

Thus Master Tanluan states in his Commentary on the Treatise on Rebirth:

“All the good deeds of ordinary beings and devas, and the rewards of the human and heavenly realms—whether causes or results—are all inverted and false. Therefore they are called unreal merits.”

(to be continued tomorrow)

182 第十九願「修諸功德」論

《無量壽經》第十九願說：

設我得佛，十方眾生，發菩提心，

修諸功德，至心發願，欲生我國，臨壽終時，

假令不與大眾圍繞現其人前者，不取正覺。

第十九願的修因，不是第十八願的稱念佛名、直乘佛力，而是聖道門的靠自力「發菩提心，修諸功德」，迴向此功德求生極樂。這樣的眾生臨終時，佛以此願保證與聖眾現前接引。這是隨順眾生根機，方便引導聖道門行者歸入淨土門。因為自力所修功德若與六字名號功德相比，是「少善根福德因緣」，與極樂果德不匹配，不可為往生憑據。故曇鸞大師《往生論註》說：

凡夫人天諸善、人天果報，若因若果，皆是顛倒，皆是虛偽，是故名不實功德。

Namo Amituofo!

May 19, 2026

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

淨土短文 (一)

15. “Attaining Nirvana without cutting off afflictions”

One is saved right in the midst of one’s afflictions. It is not necessary to rely on intellectual understanding or doctrinal reasoning; rather, it is a matter of simply accepting in faith.

“Portion of Nirvana” means a portion or a part, and the present benefit means one enters the Stage of Assurance in this life. Fulfillment refers to the future benefit. Upon rebirth in the Pure Land one ultimately attains Buddhahood.

不斷煩惱得涅槃分：煩惱之當下被救，不用說道理的信受。涅槃分者，一分 (一部分) - 現益入正定聚；分齊 (等位) - 當益，往生成了佛。

Namo Amituofo!

May 18, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (I)

淨土釋疑(一)

Continued Answer to Q36:

If a person, throughout his entire life, has had no connection with the Buddha-Dharma—neither practicing other Buddhist paths nor receiving the Pure Land teaching—and perhaps has even committed many evil deeds, doing every kind of wrongdoing without restraint; then, when he is at the point of death, about to breathe his last, he may finally encounter a good spiritual friend who explains this teaching to him.

Or, because he has committed many evil deeds throughout his life, when he reaches the end of his life the fires of hell already seem to be approaching, and he becomes terrified. At that moment, he encounters a good spiritual friend who expounds the saving deliverance of Amitabha Buddha. If he immediately believes and accepts it, he is then reborn in the Pure Land.

This is what is called the capacity of those who encounter the teaching at the time of death.

The completion of the karma of assurance of rebirth can occur during one’s lifetime or at the moment of death.

Of course, if the karma of rebirth is accomplished during one’s lifetime, it naturally continues to the moment of death. Since it is already accomplished during one’s lifetime, it is even more certain at the time of death. This is because the person’s rebirth was not decided only at the final moment of life. Rather, it was already settled when he entrusted himself to Amitabha’s deliverance and exclusively recited Namo Amitabha Buddha.

Therefore, it is not only at the moment of death that rebirth is decided. For such a person, each recitation and every thought of Namo Amitabha Buddha already assures rebirth.

續答第36問：

如果一個人一輩子都沒有佛緣，既不學其他法門，也沒領受淨土法門，甚至不但一輩子沒有佛緣，反而造了很多罪業，甚至無惡不作、無作不惡，到臨終即將斷氣了，才遇到善知識給他講解這個法門；或者是因為一生造惡多端，所以臨終的時候地獄之火已經燃燒過來了，他才恐懼，這個時候遇到善知識開示阿彌陀佛的救度，他當下信受，便往生了——這就是臨終之機。

「業成」有平生、有臨終，當然，如果是平生業成的話，它是貫穿到臨終的，既是平生業成，當然也就更是臨終業成了，因為他的往生，不是臨終那一時刻才決定的，是在平生信順彌陀救度、專稱彌陀佛名的同時就決定了。所以，不是臨終那個時候才決定往生，他的念佛是每句佛號都決定往生，念念都決定往生。

Namo Amituofo!