September 3, 2026

Sept. 3, 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 79: Why is it that when I don't recite the Buddha's Name, I feel quite alert and energetic; but, as soon as I recite the Buddha's Name, I easily become sleepy? 

Answer: This is because an ordinary person's mind is constantly occupied by delusive thoughts. Being governed by these delusive thoughts, we consequently take the false to be true and mistake it for our true self. When we are not exclusively reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha, our delusive thoughts are very active , and we therefore feel quite alert and energetic. However, as soon as we recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, through the power within those recitations, these delusive thoughts are subdued. We, in turn, become drowsy and sleepy. 

It is like a place filled with the clamor of many voices. As soon as a king of great virtue and authority appears, everyone immediately falls silent, trembling in awe. 

Becoming sleepy while reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha is also a benefit we receive. It is actually a step better than the situation described above, where one becomes agitated and uncomfortable while reciting. 

Nevertheless, one has not yet completely mastered the Buddha’s teachings. At this point, if we can become aware of our delusive thoughts and keep returning to our recitations, refusing to follow them, the clearer and more lucid our minds will become.

79問：為什麼我不念佛很精神，一念佛就容易打瞌睡呢？ 

答：這是因為常人的心總是被妄念佔據，被妄念主宰，也就跟著以妄為真、 認他為自。不念佛的時候，妄念很活躍、很興奮，他也就覺得自己很精神； 一旦念佛，由於佛號的威力，妄念被抑服，不再處於興奮狀態，他也就跟 著昏昏欲睡起來。比如人聲鼎沸的場所，德高威嚴的王者一出現，馬上噤 若寒蟬。念佛而欲睡，也是得著念佛的好處，比上面念佛而心煩難受尚要 好一層，不過畢竟還沒有完全隨著佛走，這時如能識破妄念，不隨妄念走 ，以佛為親，就會越念越清明。

Namo Amituofo! 

September 2, 2026

Sept. 2, 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 

“Great compassion gives happiness to all sentient beings; and great compassion removes the suffering of all sentient beings.” 

— from the “Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom” 

大慈與一切眾生樂，大悲拔一切眾生苦。《大智度論》 

Namo Amituofo!

September 1, 2026

Sept. 1, 2026 

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

慧淨法師之「人生之實相」

Human beings have their limitations: if we do not kill, eat meat, or commit offenses, we cannot survive. Survival itself is a seed of wrongdoing. 

Even when we do good deeds, they are still meritorious acts tainted by afflictions. At the time of death, everything one has done throughout one's life manifests all at once. 

人有界限：不殺生食肉造罪，就不能生存；生存的本身，就是罪惡的種子。 雖也行善，亦是有漏之善。臨終之時，一生所作，一時俱現。 

Namo Amituofo!

August 31, 2026

Aug 31, 2026 

Wonderful Analogies in Pure Land School

淨土宗妙喻

Metaphor 70: Stern and Gentle Parenting

These two methods of salvation are like the way parents raise their children. When the father puts on a stern face, the mother puts on a gentle one. Since children are young and ignorant, some of them may be mischievous or hyperactive and prone to making mistakes, even committing serious crimes. Therefore, the father has to establish strict rules to regulate their behavior and says: “You cannot do this or that, I warn you! If you do it, I will kick you out of the house and even sever our father-son relationship.”

Suppose that one day the son truly did something wrong, and his father sent him outside to stand as punishment, forbidding him from coming back into the house. But when evening came, it was getting dark outside and rain was about to fall. So the mother went outside to comfort him gently, saying:

“Child, you need to understand that what you did was wrong and cannot be allowed. It’s getting dark now, and it’s time to eat. You need to acknowledge your mistake and repent. Go inside and apologize to your father, and don’t do it again.”

70. 黑臉白臉喻

       這兩種救度的運作像什麼呢？就像父母教養孩子一般，父親扮黑臉時，母親就扮白臉。畢竟孩子還小，不懂事，有的孩子比較調皮，有的孩子比較好動，甚至是過動兒，容易因無知而做錯事，甚至犯下滔天大罪，所以，父親就不得不先立下比較嚴格的規矩來規範：「這個不能做，那個不能犯，警告你！如果犯了就把你趕出門，不讓你回家，甚至斷絕父子關係！」

假設有一天，兒子真正犯了過失，爸爸就把他趕到外面去罰站，不准進門。可是到了晚上用餐時間，外面天黑又將下雨，母親就到外面去溫言安慰，說：「孩子啊！你要曉得過錯，那樣的事情是要不得的，現在天黑要吃飯了，你要知錯悔改，進去向爸爸懺悔，以後不可以犯。」

Namo Amituofo!

August 30, 2026

Aug 30, 2026 

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

淨土短文 (一) 

24. (1) He Comes of His Own Initiative — not because we pray or ask Him to (His initiative, not our petition)

1. The 17th Vow

2. The following three vows, the 18th, 19th and 20th Vow

3. “To enable all sentient beings to bring their merits to completion”

4. The Amitabha Sutra

(2) Equal and Impartial — regardless of whether one is monastic or lay, good or evil

1. “The sentient beings throughout the ten directions”

2. “All sentient beings”

3. “To rescue the multitude of living beings”

4. “His concern for them is even greater than that of parents for their children”

5. “To bear the burden of all sentient beings”

6. The Amitabha Sutra: “good men”

(3) Absolutely Unconditional — no need to practice the Six Perfections, attain enlightenment, or achieve single-minded concentration

1. “Hearing His Name, they develop faith and rejoice”

2. “They rejoice and leap for joy”

3. “By the power of His Original Vow”

24.（一）主動而來：不因祈求拜託(主動非祈求)

　1.第十七願 2.後三願 3.令諸眾生，功德成就 4.彌陀經

（二）平等無差別：不論僧俗善惡

　1.十方眾生 2.諸有眾生 3.為拯群萌 4.甚於父母念子

　5.負荷群生 6.小經「善男子」

（三）絕對無條件：不必六度、開悟、一心

　1.聞其名號，信心歡喜 2.歡喜踴躍 3.其佛本願力

August 29, 2026

Aug. 29, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II) 

淨土釋疑(二) 

Answer to Q45: (continued 2 /3) 

A person who diligently recites Namo Amitabha Buddha may naturally bring benefits and protection to family members, even without specifically dedicating the merit to them. 

There is a saying: “When one person has blessings, the whole household benefits from them.” 

Another common saying is: “When one person attains the Way, even the chickens and dogs ascend to Heaven.” 

In other words, those around that person benefit simply by sharing in his or her blessings. 

There is yet another saying: “When a person enters Samadhi in the mountains, even the grass and trees benefit; when cattle and sheep eat them, their coats become lustrous.” 

The meaning is that, if an Arhat resides on a mountain, or if someone practices and enters samadhi there, the grass and trees on that mountain become especially verdant, and even the stones become bright. The animals that eat the grass also undergo a corresponding change, and their coats become lustrous. 

This illustrates that , within a community or family, if there is even one person who possesses blessings and merit, the family members can receive the protection and benefit of that person’s blessings. Without their even being aware of it, they can thereby be influenced and changed.

Therefore, in all matters, we should first examine ourselves, and begin with our own conduct. 

答45：(3/ 3) 

一個勤於念佛的人，即使沒有迴向給他們，自然這個功德也會庇蔭在他們身 上。所謂「一人有福，牽帶全屋。」一個人的福報，家中大小都受到他的庇蔭， 有句俗話說：「一人得道，雞犬升天。」也就是沾他的光的意思。 

又一句話，「入定山中之草木，牛羊食之毛光澤。」意思是說，這座山有阿羅漢 居住或有人在山中修行入定，來吃這座山的草木的牛羊，牠們的毛也會有光澤。 

光是山中有修行人入定就會使得這座山的草木青翠、石頭光亮，來吃這些草 的動物，牠們身上也會有這樣的變化，這就說明團體或家庭當中，如果有一 個有福報、功德的人，家人就會受他的庇蔭，無形中也會改變家人。所以，凡 事反求諸己，從自身做起。 

Namo Amituofo!

August 28, 2026

Aug. 28, 2026

Clarifying Doubts About the Pure Land (II) 

淨土釋疑(二) 

Answer to Q45: (continued 2 /3) 

There is another point. Children have eyes as clear as glass. From the time they are little until the present, their eyes are like cameras, recording the conduct of their parents through body, speech, and mind in their memories. Thus, they grow up watching their parents’ behavior. 

Confucius said: “When his own conduct is upright, he acts without being ordered to do so; when his own conduct is not upright, even if he is ordered to act, he will not follow.” 

He also said: “If the son takes the lead in upright conduct, who would dare not be upright?”

If we conduct ourselves properly and uprightly, we will naturally influence others. This is why living examples are more important than verbal instruction. In raising children, leading by example is especially important. If we ourselves have not conducted ourselves properly and merely lecture and admonish our children with words, the effect will naturally be much weaker. 

Of course, children have their own blessings and their own karmic obstacles. There are some karmic obstacles that, no matter how spiritually exalted their parents may be, the parents cannot influence them. At such times, we rely on the power of Amitabha, and this is why we should diligently recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. 

(to be continued tomorrow) 

第45問： 

答45：(2/ 3) 

另外，孩子的眼睛都是雪亮的，從小時候到現在，他們的眼睛就像攝影機，把 父母的三業行為都攝入他的腦海中，所以他們是看著父母的行為長大的。孔 子說：「其身正，不令而行；其身不正，雖令不從」，又說：「子率以正，孰敢不 正。」我們如果做得端正的話，自自然然會影響他人，這就是身教重於言教， 所以在教養子女方面，以身作則是比較重要的。如果自己沒有做好，單單在 語言上督促他，這樣效果會比較差。當然，兒女有兒女的福報，兒女也有兒女 的業障，有的業障即使父母再怎麼神聖都影響不了他，這時候就是藉佛力， 就是要勤於念佛。 

Namo Amituofo!