October 13, 2026

Oct. 13, 2026

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

慧淨法師之「人生之實相」 

Overindulging in things that are not appropriate for you can also constitute the offense of stealing. 

多食用與己不相應之物，亦是偷盜罪。 

Namo Amituofo!

October 12, 2026

Oct. 12, 2026

Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School 

淨土宗妙喻

Metaphor 74: A Grand Net 

The 18th Vow of Amitabha Buddha is like a grand net, with layer after layer of tactful expedients, each embodying the twin aspects of Amitabha’s deliverance - the embracing compassion and the warning wisdom. Regardless of whether the sentient beings in the ten directions are good or evil, or the severity of their offences, all are contained in the grand net of the 18th Vow of Amitabha Buddha. 

Just as all fish in the sea, from the largest whales to the smallest whitebait, can be caught in a huge net with none overlooked; so are all ordinary beings, whether virtuous or evil. They are all guaranteed rebirth in Amitabha’s Land of Bliss, provided they dedicate their hearts towards this aspiration. Of those who exclusively recite “Namo Amitabha Buddha” there is not one who cannot be reborn. Therefore, all sentient beings can be likened to the marine life in the vast ocean, and Amitabha Buddha’s salvation is akin to a grand net. Not a single fish can slip through this net. 

74. 大網喻 

如斯層層方便，皆顯彌陀，攝抑二門，悲智雙運；十方眾生，不論善惡輕重，皆 在彌陀本願大網之中，無一遺漏，但能迴心，願生稱名，無一不生。 

像這樣一層層的方便，每一層每一層都在顯示阿彌陀佛以攝取的救度跟抑止 的警惕這兩門，也就是慈悲智慧雙運，使十方眾生不論是善是惡、善惡是輕 是重，都在阿彌陀佛的第十八願大網之中。好像大海裏的魚，無論是大鯨魚 還是小魚、吻仔魚，都在這個大網裏面，沒有一條是被遺漏的。只要善惡凡夫 ，能夠迴心願生極樂，願生之後，一輩子專念這句「南無阿彌陀佛」，就沒有一 個不能往生的。人人都可念佛，人人都可往生，所以，一切眾生如同大海中的 水族，而阿彌陀佛的救度如同大網，絕無漏網之魚。

Namo Amituofo!

October 11, 2026

Oct. 11, 2026

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

淨土短文 (一) 

When sentient beings suffer from illness, I suffer with them; when sentient beings recover, I recover with them. 

When an only child falls ill, the parents fall ill as well; when the child recovers, the parents recover too. 

The Bodhisattva cherishes all sentient beings as a parent cherishes an only child. Thus, when sentient beings are ill, the Bodhisattva is ill; when sentient beings recover, the Bodhisattva recovers as well. 

眾生病苦我病苦，眾生病癒我病癒。獨子得病父母病，若子病癒父母癒。 於諸眾生愛若子，眾生病則菩薩病，眾生病癒菩薩癒。 

Namo Amituofo!

October 10, 2026

Oct. 10, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II) 

淨土釋疑(二) 

Answer to Q49 (9 / 9) 

The Sutra on the Right Mindfulness of the True Dharma says: “From heaven one is born in hell; from hell one is born in heaven.” 

This means that although one may be a celestial being, when the lifespan in heaven comes to an end, one continues to be carried along by karmic force. Some may fall directly into hell. 

Likewise, when beings in hell emerge , if the karma they have created is one that leads to heaven, they may rise to the heavenly realms. 

From the perspective of the Buddha, heaven and hell are actually no different. 

From our perspective, we may see someone with very high meditative attainment, capable of entering Samadhi or attaining various levels of meditative absorption, and feel envious. We may think: “With such a high level of meditation, surely this person’s rebirth must be more secure, and surely their grade of rebirth must be higher.” 

Yet, from the Buddha’s perspective, all such beings are still ordinary beings subject to greed, anger, and delusion.

Master Shandao said: “All good and evil ordinary beings who attain birth in the Pure Land , do so by relying upon Amitabha Buddha’s great Vow-Power as the supporting condition.” 

Good ordinary beings rely upon the Buddha’s Vow-Power; likewise evil ordinary beings also rely upon the Buddha’s Vow-Power. 

Without the Buddha’s Vow-Power, the difference between good and evil beings would indeed be enormous. However, when they rely upon the Buddha’s Vow-Power, they are actually the same. 

It is like stones: whether a stone is large or small, as long as it is placed on a boat, it will reach the other shore in the same way. 

If there is no boat to rely on, then although outwardly there may be large stones and small stones; but, without the boat, they will all sink into the depths of the sea. 

續答 (9 /9) 

在《正法念處經》說：「從天生地獄，從地獄生天。」表示雖然是天人，但壽命一 到就隨業力流轉，有的直墮地獄；有地獄眾生出地獄時，所感的是升天的業， 就升上天了。以佛的眼光來看，天堂地獄其實都一樣。以我們的眼光來看，覺得某某人的禪定很高可以入三昧、到×禪×禪……，會很羨慕，覺得這樣往生 應該更可靠、品位應該更高超，但以佛的眼光來看，都仍是貪瞋癡的凡夫。 

善導大師說：「一切善惡凡夫得生者，莫不乘阿彌陀佛大願業力為增上緣。」善凡夫也是靠佛的願力，惡凡夫也是靠佛的願力，如果沒有佛的願力，善惡相 差很大，但如果靠佛的願力，其實都一樣，沒有什麼高低的差別。比如石頭不 管大顆或小顆，只要放在船上，同樣都到彼岸。如果沒有船可以靠，表面看有 大顆、小顆，但因沒有船，一樣都沈入大海。

Namo Amituofo!

October 9, 2026

Oct. 9, 2026 

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II) 

淨土釋疑(二) 

Answer to Q49 (8 / 9) 

Samadhi and Other Meditative Attainments 

Even if we are able to enter a meditative state and contemplate the Buddha, our rebirth does not depend upon the power of our meditative contemplation. 

Compared with the power of the six-syllable Name, such accomplishments are far less effective. Moreover, even if we can enter meditation and contemplate Amitabha Buddha, once we emerge from meditation, we are still ordinary beings afflicted by greed, anger, and delusion. 

It is impossible to contemplate Amitabha Buddha for twenty-four hours a day, simply because we have attained such a meditative state. Moreover, from the standpoint of this Dharma Path, there is nothing particularly precious about such attainments. After reaching the Land of Bliss, one will be seeing Amitabha Buddha every day. 

The same applies to entering Samadhi. We may enter Samadhi now; but, once the particular period of time has passed, the ordinary mind of an unenlightened being

will arise again. It is impossible to remain in Samadhi twenty-four hours a day, year after year. 

After attaining rebirth in the Land of Bliss, all afflictions are extinguished. In comparison to that, what is there that is especially extraordinary about attaining Samadhi? 

Therefore, our ability to attain rebirth and enter Amitabha’s Reward Land depends entirely upon Amitabha’s Vow-Power. It does not depend upon any accomplishments or the meditative skills of ordinary beings. 

Even if one rises to the Heavens of the Form Realm through meditative concentration, or to the Formless Realm through even deeper meditation, one remains an ordinary being. After death, one can still fall back according to one’s karma. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

續答 (8 /9): 

即使我們能夠入定觀佛，可是我們往生不是依靠入定觀佛的功夫，這與六字 名號相比太拙劣了，何況我們即使入定觀佛，出定之後仍是貪瞋癡的凡夫， 不可能二十四小時要觀佛就觀佛，何況這對這個法門來講並沒有可貴之處， 到極樂世界天天都在觀佛。 

進入三昧也是一樣，現在進入三昧，時空過了之後，凡夫心就又浮現了，也不 可能二十四小時、天天年年都在三昧的境界。往生極樂世界後，煩惱都斷了， 何況只是三昧而已。 

所以我們能夠往生，而且進入報土，完全是靠彌陀的願力，不是靠我們凡夫 的任何功夫，即使是上升到色界天（禪定）、無色界天（更深的禪定）都仍是凡 夫，死了還是墮落下來。

Namo Amituofo!

October 8, 2026

Oct. 8, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II) 

淨土釋疑(二) 

Answer to Q49 (7 / 9) 

If we compare the Nine Grades and the Three Grades, their nature is the same. If we compare the Nine Grades, Three Grades, and the Womb Palace, their nature is likewise the same.

Our Dharma Path leads directly into the Reward Land. It does not enter the Womb Palace. 

Although we may possess an identity corresponding to one of the Three Grades, our rebirth does not depend upon that grade. 

For example, I may be a monastic; but, my rebirth does not depend upon my identity as a monastic. It depends upon the merit and virtues contained in Amitabha’s Name. 

However, this principle is generally not understood. People may think that Buddha-recitation leads to a lower-grade rebirth, while other practices lead to a higher-grade rebirth. Consequently, they think, “We cannot only recite the Buddha’s Name. We must also do other practices.” 

They may even think that simply reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha is insufficient and that they must raise the amount of their recitations until their “practice becomes continuous,” or to the state in which waking and dreaming are one, or even attain Buddha-Recitation Samadhi. They believe that doing these practices would make their rebirth more secure and their grade of rebirth higher. 

Such interpretations belong to the Path of Importance, not to the Path of the Great Vow. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

續答 (7 /9) 

如果「九品」和「三輩」對比，「九品」和「三輩」的性質是一樣的，「九品」、「三 輩」、「胎宮」對比，性質也是一樣的。我們個這法門是進入報土，不在胎宮裡 面，雖有三輩的身份，不依三輩往生。 

如我的身份是出家，但我往生不是靠出家的身份，是靠這一句名號的功德。 可是這種道理一般不了解，會認為念佛是下品生，其他是上品生，所以我們不能只是念佛，還要做其他的；甚至認為單這樣念佛不夠，還要把念佛的功夫 提升到功夫成片，夢寐一如，甚至進入念佛三昧，以為這樣往生比較可靠，品 位比較高超，這樣的解釋就是「要門」，不是「弘願門」了。 

Namo Amituofo!

October 7, 2026

Oct. 7, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II) 

淨土釋疑(二) 

Answer to Q49 (5 /9 ) 

The Contemplation Sutra speaks of the Three Meritorious Deeds, Nine Grades, Meditative and Non-Meditative Virtues, in order to guide practitioners of the Sacred Path. 

The eighty-four thousand Dharma teachings can, broadly speaking, be classified as Meditative and Non-Meditative practices. These are Meditative and Non-Meditative Virtues that encompass all of the various practices of the Sacred Path. 

These teachings concerning the Three Meritorious Deeds, Nine Grades, Meditative, and Non-Meditative Virtues; were taught in order to guide such practitioners into the Pure Land Path of Buddha-recitation. They would then attain rebirth in the Land of Bliss. 

Therefore, at the end, Shakyamuni Buddha did not transmit Meditative and Non-Meditative Virtues for continued practice. Instead, he transmitted the practice of exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha. The sutra says: “The Buddha said to Ananda, ‘You should uphold these words well. To uphold these words is to exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.”

It is no longer “contemplate the form of Amitabha Buddha;” but rather, “exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.” 

Master Shandao explained: “Although I have explained above the benefits of the two gates, (of Meditative and Non-Meditative Virtues) In view of Amitabha’s Fundamental Vow, the intent is for sentient beings to exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.” 

Although the benefits of the two kinds of practices are taught, when viewed in light of Amitabha Buddha’s Fundamental Vow, the purpose is not to dedicate the merits of Meditative and Non-Meditative Virtues toward rebirth. Rather, it is to exclusively recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. 

Clearly, therefore, Meditative and Non-Meditative Virtues are not the practices of the Fundamental Vow. Only the exclusive recitation of Namo Amitabha Buddha is the practice of the Fundamental Vow. 

The cause of rebirth through the exclusive practice of Namo Amitabha Buddha in the Fundamental-Vow is different from the causes represented by Meditative and Non-Meditative Virtues. When the cause is different, the result is also different. 

The cause of the highest grade produces the result of the highest grade; the cause of the middle grade produces the result of the middle grade; and the cause of the lower grade produces the result of the lower grade. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

續答 (5 /9): 

《觀經》講三福九品、定善散善是為了引導修聖道門的人，因為八萬四千法門 歸納起來不是「定」就是「散」，定善散善就是聖道門所有的行門，為引導這類 人歸入淨土念佛，往生極樂世界而說三福九品、定善散善。

所以釋迦牟尼佛最後不流通定善散善，而流通持佛名號，經言：「佛告阿難， 汝好持是語，持是語者，即是持無量壽佛名」，已經不是「觀無量壽佛像」，而 是「持無量壽佛名」了。善導大師解釋說：「上來雖說定散兩門之益，望佛本願 ，意在眾生，一向專稱，彌陀佛名。」 

雖說定散兩門的利益，可是以阿彌陀佛的本願來說，不在於迴向定散，而在 於專稱彌陀名號。可見定散不是本願，只有稱名才是本願。而本願稱名之 「因」與定善散善的「因」是不一樣的，「因」不一樣所得到的「果」就不一樣。上 品的因得到上品的果，中品的因得到中品的果，下品的因得到下品的果。可 是本願稱名都不是那些因，所以就不是那個果。 

Namo Amituofo!