March 17

Mar 17, 2017
慧淨上人法語
信受彌陀救度
(continued)

The content of this faith is the Name, that is Amitabha Buddha himself. The Name and name-recitation are identical. So, Master Shandao says, “to recite my Name”, when he explains the “three kinds of faith” [also known as the Three Mental States] in the Fundamental Vow. Name-recitation in this context is different from general Buddha-invocation commonly practiced in other schools. It is specifically referred to the single-minded and exclusive recitation of Amitabha’s name no matter one is walking, standing, sitting, or lying. It also covers the meaning of “even ten times” in the Fundamental Vow.

If we can always exclusively recite [Amitabha’s name], our faith is deep-seated there. It is known as “to get access to Buddha’s wisdom insidiously, and to align with the wonderful Way unobserved”. That is the reason why the Master interprets it as “to recite my Name”. If you profess a faith but do not recite Amitabha’s name, you are not having the “right faith”.

此「信」之內容乃是名號，亦即彌陀之本身。名號與稱名同，故善導大師解釋本願之「三信」謂之「稱我名號」，此之「稱我名號」與通途念佛不同，乃是不論行住坐臥之「一向專稱彌陀佛名」，此亦包含本願文「乃至十念」之意。

若能「一向專稱」，信便在其中，所謂潛通佛智，暗合道妙。是以大師釋為「稱我名號」，倘若信而不稱名，便非「正信」。

Namo Amitabha!